Creating an Introductory Paragraph

for an Essay

What Does an Introductory Paragraph Contain?• An introductory paragraph contains four important

elements:

A HookBackgroundA Thesis Statement (Also Called a Claim)

An Essay Map

The Hook

• The introductory paragraph of an essay must immediately catch the attention of the reader. If those openening statements don’t engage the reader, they will not read the remainder of the essay.

• Start the introductory paragraph with a hook. This can also be called an attention grabber. A variety of types of hooks will be demonstrated in other Power Point presentations.

Background

• Follow the hook with background information. Fill the reader in on things they would need to know before they read the entire essay. This background also serves as “Velcro” to connect the hook to the most important parts of the introduction – the thesis and essay map.

The Thesis Statement

• The thesis statement uses words from the prompt to make a single declarative sentence explaining the point of the essay.

• The thesis statement never announces the intent of the writer. Avoid using words like “In this essay I will explain….” or “The following paragraphs will demonstrate….” Sentences like these are unneccesary. To a reader, it is obvious that what lies before them are paragraphs in an essay; therefore, it is redundant to state that.

• The thesis statement should reflect several things such as the point of view and the audience for which the essay is intended.

The Essay Map

• The essay map is a helpful guide to the reader. This sentence contains the topics of each body paragraph in the order that they will be presented. Since there are often three body paragraphs in an essay, these items usually appear in a list. Remember to place commas before these items in a series.

• The essay map may be combined with the thesis statement to form a single sentence.

A Sample Introductory Paragraph

Excrutiating pain burst from my jaw to my brain as the defender’s elbow crashed into my defenseless jaw. My head snapped back, and I crashed to the court’s floor. I had never felt such pain. I knelt there unsure of what to do as the coach ran out to check on my injury. From there it was a blur. I remember an ambulance and an emergency room. I don’t recall the surgery, but I do remember the shock of awaking to find my jaw wired shut. Was the pain worth it? For many athletes, they say that the pain is worth the gain. I’m not too sure. I learned many things as I played basketball throughout high school including teamwork, dedication, and playing through the pain.

Black – hook

Brown – Background

White – Thesis and Essay Map