Help!! I don’t know how to start!
How to write a good
Introduction…
A good Jr. High introduction includes:
• A hook that reels the reader in
• A thesis statement
• It makes the reader want to read your story
“Hooks” you can try using:
• Ask the reader a question or 2 and then
answer the questions yourself
• Give a fact or a statistic (look online)
• Find a quote that applies to your
topic (look online for a quote from
a famous person)
• Build a sense of mystery
You’ll be sure
To hook your
readers with
these ideas!
Ask A Question example:
Have you ever opened a door for a
stranger? Have you ever helped pick up
someone’s belongings that they dropped?
If so, then you would understand the
message behind the story“Thank You
Ma’am.” I believe helping others is
important. I think I could help others in my
life in a variety of ways.
Give a fact or a statistic example:
A clothes store in England surveyed 1,300
eight to sixteen year olds and found that sixtyseven percent of boys and 52% of girls liked
wearing uniforms. This was surprising news to
me. I thought that most students would answer
that they don’t like to wear uniforms. If I had to
wear a uniform, I would hate it. I believe students
should not have to wear uniforms to school.
Use a quote or comment example:
“Act as if what you do makes a
difference. It does.” This quote by William
James describes how I wish to lead my life.
If I am constantly thinking about how I can
make a difference, I think I will end up
being more helpful to others. Being helpful
is important because it can brighten
someone’s day. I can help others in a variety
of different ways.
Build a sense of mystery example:
It destroys its surroundings and causes many
problems. It is a major cause of pollution. It is
extremely dangerous. You would think that
something as destructive as this would not be
tolerated in our society. You would think that
people would have the common sense not to let
something like this happen. Americans and many
others around the world have become addicted to
this thing. It is the automobile. I believe that our
society’s reliance on cars is horrible and needs to
stop.
Thesis Statements
• It ONLY goes in your essay as the last sentence
of your introduction and first sentence of your
conclusion (It sandwiches your essay)
• It is one sentence long
• It explains what the main topic of your essay is
without saying “I am going to write about…”
Thesis Statement Example:
A clothes store in England surveyed 1,300
eight to sixteen year olds and found that sixtyseven percent of boys and 52% of girls liked
wearing uniforms. This was surprising news to
me. I thought that most students would answer
that they don’t like to wear uniforms. If I had to
wear a uniform, I would hate it. I believe students
should not have to wear uniforms to school.
Thesis Statement Example:
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It
does.” This quote by William James
describes how I wish to lead my life. If I am
constantly thinking about how I can make a
difference, I think I will end up being more
helpful to others. Being helpful is
important because it can brighten someone’s
day. I can help others in a variety of
different ways.
Where is the thesis statement?
Have you ever opened a door for a
stranger? Have you ever helped pick up
someone’s belongings that they dropped? If
so, then you would understand the message
behind the story“Thank You Ma’am.” I
believe helping others is important. I think I
could help others in my life in a variety of
ways.
Where is the thesis statement?
It destroys its surroundings and causes many
problems. It is a major cause of pollution. It is
extremely dangerous. You would think that
something as destructive as this would not be
tolerated in our society. You would think that
people would have the common sense not to let
something like this happen. Americans and many
others around the world have become addicted to
this thing. It is the automobile. I believe that our
society’s reliance on cars is horrible and needs to
stop.