Opening Set of Sentences for Single Paragraph or Essay
By the end of the third (3rd) sentence of a single paragraph or the introduction paragraph of a
multiple-paragraph essay, a writer should include the following items:
1. A creative, attention-getting, interesting opener/hook/lead/introduction
2. The specific topic
3. The idea(s)/reason(s) the paragraph is about

Here is an example for an expository (informational) paragraph about the topic “Favorite Pet
& Why?”:
Have you ever had a dog that just got the “itch” for something? There is a dog that
lives in the Moffatt household on Swenson Road that ABSOLUTELY has the itch for
any type of massage! Wilson is his name, and he is definitely a Moffatt favorite pet
because of his love for massages…
(In the above “opening set of sentences” for the paragraph about Wilson being Mr. Moffatt’s favorite pet because of
his love for massages, by the end of the third sentence, there is a decent opener, the specific topic is mentioned, and
the idea/reason he is a favorite pet is also mentioned. The rest of this paragraph will then continue and move into
the “detail set” about what information/details prove the love for massages…the butt rub.)

Here is another example for an expository (informational) paragraph about the topic
“Favorite Pet & Why?”:
Because of his strong desire to fetch objects, Cooper (my yellow Labrador dog) has
always been a favorite pet of mine!...
(In the above “opening set of sentences” for the paragraph about Cooper being Mr. Moffatt’s favorite pet because of
his strong desire to fetch objects, by the end of the third sentence [and it’s actually by the end of the first sentence],
the topic, idea/reason, and a decent opener are all evident. I will then write the rest of this paragraph and focus on
the detail set of “12-foot log episode” to prove the “strong desire to fetch objects” reason.)

Here is another example of the opening set of sentence for a persuasive (“convincing”)
paragraph about “Write a persuasive paragraph about why college football is or is not the
best football to watch live.”:
College football fans everywhere should agree that college football is the BEST level of
football to watch in person! Marching bands; screaming, rabid fans; and enthusiastic
cheerleaders all help make the game enjoyable, but the ONE thing that makes college
football stand out among all levels of football is the rock-and-roll music that some
university stadiums play over their P.A. systems at the same time every game to
energize both the crowd and the teams!...
(The first sentence of a persuasive paragraph is called the “Position Statement”, and it informs the reader how the
writer feels about a subject – which side you are on, for or against. This “opening set of sentences” above include
the position statement/intro/opener, the topic of my feeling about college football, and the reason why – rock-androll music – I feel it’s the best football. From here, I would then focus the rest of the paragraph on a couple college
traditions of rock-and-roll music and tell about them, but the main detail set would be The University of
Wisconsin’s tradition of playing the band House of Pain’s song “Jump Around” in between the 3 rd and 4th quarters
of every home game.)