How to Make an Essay Longer: 15 Proven Ways

Did you ever struggle with a longer paper because you didn’t have enough ideas to reach the required word count? This problem is more common than you think. Assignments can be intimidating enough without the pressure to add one more page when you can’t come up with another argument. However, you can easily learn how to make an essay longer with a few time-tested strategies. You don’t even have to resort to unnecessary fluff or rewrite the paper – just go back and revise with these helpful tips.

Make My Essay Longer with Sources. How Should One Do That?

Some students are so desperate to increase their paper length that they resort to plagiarism, but you don’t have to. One easy way to make an essay longer is to take advantage of sources and supporting evidence. Go back to the start and read your paper at least one time, then choose a tip to meet your page requirement.

1. Cite more sources

Add more sources to back up your argument. If your essay discusses the benefits of exercise, you can read a post from a healthcare expert and look for any relevant facts or quotes. This tip will ensure that your essay is well-researched and add to its length.

2. Include more evidence

Go back through your sources to see if they can provide more useful information. When you make an argument about climate change, look for statistics, facts, and examples to win over your reader. For instance, mention increasing global temperatures and compare how they differ around the world. This is how to make essays longer without adding anything unnecessary.

3. Elaborate on evidence

Explain the information you already have in more detail. If your essay mentions the success of an environmental project, you can tell your reader how this project overcame challenges. While you’re at it, stick to the main point and avoid anything that doesn’t provide value.

4. Add more quotes

Choose specific quotes that relate to your prompt and points. When writing a paper on how technology impacts society, you can refer to a tech expert. For example, Bill Gates said, “The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” This tip doesn’t only make essays longer but also appeals to your reader.

5. Paraphrase and summarize

You can’t always use quotes, so also restate the main ideas of your sources in your own words. You can briefly go over a research article, explaining its findings and implications. Always cite everything because plagiarism is not the answer when you ask how to make essay longer.

You might ask, “How do I make my essay longer if I don’t even need sources?” If so, then read on to discover other tips. We still have ten more to go.

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You don’t have to suffer each time you have some extra space in your assignment. Instead, try to perceive your content as a story you are telling your best friend. Standing on that ground, you can always come up with a few more points you would love to tell, right?

How to Make an Essay Longer Using Structure

Let’s discuss how to lengthen an essay through loopholes and opportunities in its structure. Each part of the paper can provide a unique way to increase your text, from introduction to page layout. Pay attention to make an essay that is both longer and better.

1. Expand your introduction

Start your essay with a broader context or historical background. If your paper discusses space exploration, you can mention humanity’s age-old curiosity about the stars and how it can increase scientific achievements. Just make sure that your introduction paragraph is about 10% of the total word count.

2. Create sections

Divide your paper into sections with clear headings. If your prompt is on the history of art, you can create sections for different art movements like “Renaissance art” and “Impressionism.” This tip can make your argument easier to follow and help you notice where and how to make an essay longer.

3. Rework paragraphs

Breaking your ideas into smaller paragraphs is how to make your essays longer when you go back and revise everything. If your paper discusses the increasing impact of social media on society, create paragraphs for its effects on politics and personal relationships. While you look back, you can add more text to each paragraph.

4. Add counterarguments

Include a section where you go through opposing viewpoints. If your essay is about the benefits of vegetarianism, add at least one argument against it and then explain why you disagree with it. You can also have quotes from opposing sources to increase the length of this part. This tip is especially useful when writing an argumentative or persuasive paper.

5. Use lists

If you need another page rather than a higher word count, lists can make essay longer only in appearance. A paper about exercising can include a numbered list that goes over specific benefits like improved mood. Remember that lists also need references to avoid plagiarism.

As you can see, a clever structure can make your essay longer. But it’s easy to become confused about word vs. page requirements when using these tips. Tools like a words to pages converter from CustomWritings can help you avoid this problem.

Ways to Make Your Essay Longer Through Editing

There are also ways to make your essay longer as you go through editing. You might immediately notice these opportunities when you look back and revise or just quickly skim over your paper. You only need to make consistent changes from one page to the next.

1. Define key terms

Look for any terms that might need a definition to make the discussion clearer for your reader. It’s not much, but it’s sure to help you when you wonder how to make a essay longer. Include definitions when first introducing a concept like carbon footprint, social constructivism, or postmodernism. Then, elaborate on its importance to your topic.

2. Rework sentences

Breaking long sentences into shorter ones is an important part of writing a paper. For example: “The internet has revolutionized the way we communicate, increasing our connection to people worldwide, access to information, and public exposure.” Now, rework and boost the word count: “The internet has revolutionized communication, making it more accessible and convenient than ever. Online platforms increase our connection to people worldwide…”

3. Use descriptive language

You can lengthen a creative or personal paper with descriptions. When your prompt addresses a memorable travel experience, go through your memories with the sights, sounds, and emotions. Instead of saying, “The weather was hot,” you can say, “The scorching sun beat down, making the air feel like an oven.” You might want to read the paper out loud to feel how descriptive it sounds.

4. Provide more examples

Look for opportunities to include real-life examples that support your writing. If your essay explores the impact of social media on relationships, discuss how people post instead of interacting with each other. Or you can talk about your internet friendships evolving over time if the prompt allows personal examples. Don’t resort to plagiarism – use your own understanding of the topic.

5. Use analogies

Analogies help clarify complicated ideas and make an essay more detailed. You can compare a challenging concept like black holes to cosmic vacuum cleaners that suck everything in, even light itself. But don’t make it too simple – remember that your reader is smart.

Go back through your paper as many times as you need to create your perfect edition. These are the last five tips on how to make an essay longer word count, but there are even more possibilities! Let’s go, and this post will provide you with additional suggestions.

Best words to make your essay longer

Did you know that there are special words to make your essay longer? If you’re almost out of time, quickly go back through your paper to see where you can add something for a small word boost. Here are some examples:

• Transition words

Pick a transition word like “additionally,” “furthermore,” “however,” and “conversely.” They connect ideas and make your essay flow better, naturally increasing its length. But remember that you mustn’t start two sentences in a row with a transition.

• Synonyms

Using different synonyms for key terms can help avoid repetition while making your essay longer. Read back through your paragraphs and count how many times you use the same term per page. Instead of saying “environmental protection” repeatedly, you might alternate with “conservation of the environment” or “preservation of natural resources.”

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While using synonyms can enhance your writing, be mindful of their context. Avoid thesaurus abuse, where words are substituted without consideration for their precise meanings. The goal is not just to replace words but to enrich the language and depth of your discussion.

• Adverbs and emphasizing phrases

Any word like “indeed,” “certainly,” and “without a doubt” is an emphasizing phrase that might highlight your point. For example: “Indeed, available evidence supports the argument that global inequalities are increasing because of climate change.”

• Clarifying phrases

Clarifying phrases such as “in other words,” “to clarify,” and “in simpler terms” have two advantages. They increase the word count and create an opening for more details or examples. For instance: “To clarify, this post suggests that the new policy has significant economic benefits such as…”

This is how to make essay longer with words only. Use these examples for a quick and smart solution. A few more words here and there can make a huge difference.

How to make essay longer with words and avoid fluff

You might wonder, “But what if I end up writing fluff while I’m figuring out how to make my essay longer?” Don’t worry; there’s a simple approach that can help you avoid this risk when you go back and revise. Here is what you should do after expanding your paper.

1. The first edition has to make sure that each paragraph starts with a strong topic sentence. This helps you stay focused and avoid unnecessary information. If you’re writing about the benefits of reading, one paragraph could open with, “Children need to read books to improve vocabulary and comprehension skills.”
2. For the second edition, read your paper out loud to see if your ideas are clear and logical. Writing an essay is like telling a story: it needs to make sense, with each part leading to the next. While talking about the impact of pollution, address the causes, move to the effects, and then discuss solutions. Jumping around from effects to causes would confuse your reader.
3. For the third edition, go back through the paper one more time with special attention to repetitions. “An avid reader always learns new words” and “people read to expand vocabulary” might look different, but this is the same idea in different words. Repeating one argument doesn’t add value to your essay – it gets boring.

Keep these smart tips in mind as you make your essay longer and stronger! There’s no shame if you go over your paper multiple times.

About authors

James Snyder A Top-10 writer at CustomWritings.com

James is one of the most prominent authors on our team with more than 7 years of experience. He specializes in writing essays and coursework. James loves to work from home with a cup of hot chocolate and his cat Archibald.

Kate Roth A Top-10 writer at CustomWritings.com

Kate likes to read long stories and write essays. She’s experienced in both academic writing and marketing activities, so she can tell everything about a writer’s job in a few simple words. You can use our website to request the help of our experts anytime.