The Introductory
Paragraph
“ How do I write it?”
The Way an Essay Looks
 There
are five parts to a
standard essay:
Introduction
Body
Paragraph 1
Body Paragraph 2
Body Paragraph 3
Conclusion
The Introductory Paragraph

Before you write, ask yourself
these 2 questions…

What is your stance on the
debatable topic?


Are you for or against?
Who will read your writing?

What do you know about your audience?
Geographics, race, culture, beliefs, etc…
The Introductory Paragraph
has 2 main parts…


The Grabber
The Thesis
But it also has a small part…
The filler sentences!
The Grabber!
 There are many ways to write a
topic sentence, but let’s focus
on three!
Asking
a question… and
providing the answer!
Using
story)
an anecdote (short
What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement(claim) is a
statement that tells the main idea of
your paper to the reader

Your thesis(claim) tells the reader
what point you are going to make
about your topic.

Usually, the thesis statement is
found at the end of the first
paragraph in an essay
Why must thesis statements have 3
points?!
 The
thesis must have 3
main points because
those 3 points become
the 3 body paragraphs of
your essay
A good way to write a thesis
is…
Two parts of a thesis:
1. Claim
2. Thesis Phrase
Students should not be forced to go
to a segregated school
….because
1__________,
2_________, and
3____________.
What are filler sentences?

Filler sentences are sentences that
connect your “grabber” to your
thesis statement.

Usually, there are 2-3 filler
sentences.

They move the reader from the
instant “grabber” to the main point
in the thesis
Why are they important?

Filler sentences are about the topic
you’re writing about
Restating
the question…
Quote
Facts/Statistics/History
Counter-argument

They provide a transition from the
excitement of the grabber to the
seriousness of the thesis
statement.
So an introductory paragraph
looks like this:
________ Grabber!
__________ Filler Sentences
_______ Thesis Statement
The COMPLETE Intro
 Grabber/attention
getter
 Counter-point
 Quote
 Facts
 Thesis
(Claim + three reasons)
The Hook (The Grabber)
To catch the reader, use a hook in the
introductory paragraph.
Ask the reader a question.
Use a catchy phrase or quote.
Create an anecdote
Make an exclamatory sentence.
Use a lead in sentence that entices
the reader to read on.
Sample hooks







Did you know that Buddhism is one of the most peaceful
philosophies in the world?
How many times you walked around the empire and saw this
picture: graffiti and trash everywhere, young people talk back
to adults, younger siblings refuse to listen to the older siblings.
It breaks my heart to see that some people only care about
material things in their lives. The more they have the more
things they actually want.
Do you want to see your empire organized, and loyal? Then
you should think of adopting …….!
Recently, I was thinking about balance in my life ….
Did you know that each and everyone of us will suffer during
our lifetime ?
Meditation, yoga, and peace. What should be better than that?
It has come to my attention that you are
looking for a great philosophy to adopt for
China. Some people think that Taoism is a great
philosophy because it provides balance. Others
prefer Buddhism because they think it will help
them to reach happiness. I believe you should
look no further and adopt Confucianism.
Confucianism began in 4th century and is based
on the ideas and teaching of a famous teacher
and philosopher Kung- Fu- Tzu. It is the oldest
philosophy of China. It stresses the correct
action of individuals towards the common goal
of the society. There are more than 6 million
followers of Confucianism in the world today.
Confucianism should be adopted as a state
religion because it teaches young people to
respect elder generation, values education,
and provides social order in the society
You try! Find the Grabber, the
Filler, and the Thesis Statement!

It has come to my attention that you are looking for a
great philosophy to adopt for China. Some people think
that Taoism is a great philosophy because it provides
balance. Others prefer Buddhism because they think it
will help them to reach happiness. I believe you should
look no further and adopt Confucianism. Confucianism
began in 4th century and is based on the ideas and
teaching of a famous teacher and philosopher Kung- FuTzu. It is the oldest philosophy of China. It stresses the
correct action of individuals towards the common goal
of the society. There are more than 6 million followers of
Confucianism in the world today. Confucianism should
be adopted as a state religion because it teaches young
people to respect elder generation, values education,
and provides social order in the society
Did it look like this?!

It has come to my attention that you are looking for a great
philosophy to adopt for China. Some people think that
Taoism is a great philosophy because it provides balance.
Others prefer Buddhism because they think it will help them
to reach happiness. I believe you should look no further and
adopt Confucianism. Confucianism began in 4th century and
is based on the ideas and teaching of a famous teacher and
philosopher Kung- Fu- Tzu. It is the oldest philosophy of
China. It stresses the correct action of individuals towards
the common goal of the society. There are more than 6
million followers of Confucianism in the world today.
Confucianism should be adopted as a state religion
because it teaches young people to respect elder
generation, values education, and provides social order
in the society
Think about it and Write!

Grabber/Attention getter
 Counter-point
 Quote
 Facts
 Thesis
(Claim + three reasons