Thanks to janalmiller and Mandy Davis.

1. HOW TO WRITE AN
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
… and not die trying!

2. WHY IS A GOOD INTRODUCTION SO
IMPORTANT?
 It indicates the TOPIC of the essay.
 It gives an idea of the essay’s ORGANIZATION.
 It establishes the TONE of the essay.
 It gives reasons for the topic’s IMPORTANCE.
 It shows the essay’s PURPOSE in a concise way.

3. STRUCTURE: STEP BY STEP
 Get the reader’s attention: HOOK.
 BRIDGE to thesis statement.
 Have a solid THESIS STATEMENT.

4. STEP ONE: THESIS COMES FIRST!
It contains: Example
 An arguable point
 A position on the
argument
 A glimpse of the structure
Children under the age of 12
should have cell phones
because they promote
responsibility and organization,
and enhance independence.
I think children under the age of
12 should have cell phones.

5. STEP TWO: THE HOOK (1)
Useful tools: Examples
 General statement
 Current events
 Facts or statistics
Almost every time that
someone turns on the
television there is a number
of shows which are
extremely violent.
40% of mobile phone owners
said they found themselves
in an emergency situation
and having their cell phone
helped.

6. STEP TWO: THE HOOK (2)
Useful tools: Examples
 Personal example
 Rhetorical question
My life changed when I
pulled back the wrapping on
my birthday gift and saw the
word PlayStation on the box.
Does anyone know of a
teenager who doesn’t have a
cell phone?

7. STEP TWO: THE HOOK (3)
Useful tools: Examples
 Quotation
 Contrast to the thesis
statement
"Bad human communication
leaves us less room to
grow." Rowan
Williams
Cell phones are, perhaps, the
most annoying invention of
our generation. However, as
annoying as they are, no one
wants to give it up.

8. STEP THREE: BUILDING BRIDGES
Example 1 Example 2
What do you think about
banning smoking? The
whole country is divided on
whether smoking should
be banned. Actually, it
should be outlawed because
it endangers our health,
pollutes the environment and
drains us of valuable energy.
In ElPais it was recently stated
that smoking is the greatest
threat to our health nowadays.
The whole country is divided
on this issue. Actually,
smoking should be outlawed
because it endangers our
health, pollutes the
environment and drains us of
valuable energy.

9. LAST BUT NOT LEAST!
MAKE it logical
MAKE it strategic
MAKE it yummy!
And… THINK TWICE
before you write!