Using specific examples is one of the most effective ways to make your writing convincing, relatable, and memorable. Whether you’re writing a college essay, a blog post, a speech, or a personal statement, well-chosen examples turn general statements into powerful, believable arguments.
The key is to choose examples from your own experiences, observations, or knowledge that clearly support your point.
Why Examples Matter in 2026
In an age of AI-generated content and short attention spans, readers crave real, human examples. Stories and concrete situations help your writing stand out and feel authentic.
Here are 40 fresh topic suggestions to help you get started:
A. Agree or Disagree (Using the Peter Principle, Parkinson’s Law, etc.)
- In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence. (The Peter Principle)
- Work expands to fill the time available. (Parkinson’s Law)
- Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. (Murphy’s Law)
- You’ll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the public. (Barnum’s Law)
B. Proverbs and Life Maxims
- “Adults are merely obsolete children.” (Dr. Seuss)
- Anticipation is often greater than realization.
- “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.”
- A true friend walks in when everyone else walks out.
- “Punctuality is the virtue of the bored.” (Evelyn Waugh)
- When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
- “When everything is coming your way, you’re probably in the wrong lane.”
C. Your Attitude Toward Modern Topics
- Superstitions in everyday life
- The best or worst movie of the last decade
- The rise and evolution of contemporary slang
- The reality of Facebook friendships today
- Your favorite (or least favorite) streaming show
- The effectiveness of modern advertising and commercials
- Tattoos as self-expression
- The impact of Twitter (X) on public discourse
- Violence in video games — harmless entertainment or harmful?
- Body piercings and personal identity
- Changing gender roles in society
- The overuse of PowerPoint in presentations
- The most useful (or useless) invention of the last 10 years
- The pros and cons of online high school and college courses
- Your best or worst job experience
- Your favorite (or least favorite) celebrity or musician
- Your favorite (or least favorite) fictional character
D. Examining Broader Subjects
- A parent’s greatest responsibilities in today’s world
- The truth about fad diets
- Male and female stereotypes in popular culture
- The best (or worst) song lyrics of all time
- What makes a true leader?
- The importance of good manners today
- The emotional value of pets in modern life
- The best and worst fashion trends
- What true heroism looks like in everyday life
- The different roles of today’s students
- Why people go to church (or why they don’t)
- The influence of social media on real-life relationships
▶ Model Paragraphs and Essays
Junk Food Junkie
I confess: I am the worst junk food junkie in this great gluttonous galaxy of sugar and fat. You can keep your lentils, granola, and prunes. I want calories and carbohydrates, burgers and fries.
Within minutes after waking up grouchy and puffy-eyed in the morning, I stumble to the kitchen and pour myself a tall glass of ice-cold Pepsi…
Confessions of a Slob
A quick tour through my house will convince you that I am an extremely messy person. In fact, some would say I’m a slob…
Examples in Margaret Drabble’s “The Missing Piece”
“There are certain ways of becoming attentive,” British novelist Margaret Drabble said…
Developing a Topic Sentence With Examples in Pritchett’s “London”
London is prolific in its casualties, its human waste and eccentrics…
Examples in Trippett’s “Loaded Words”
Words can be impregnated with feeling by oversimplification…
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