Grabbers are intended to GRAB the attention of the

reader.

Grabbers

Forms they may take

QuestionExclamationStrong statementAnecdote

QualitiesInterestingThought provoking

Dramatic

PurposeGrab the reader’s attention so the focus can transition to the thesis statement

Make sure the reader wants to continue reading.

It DOESN’T state a position.

That means…It CAN’T take a position.

That’s the job of a thesis statement.

What does a grabber look like?The following examples might be good grabbers leading into a thesis statement taking a position on giving children an allowance.

ExampleIt’s a fact of life for parents: take the kids anywhere, and they’re going to beg for everything they see.

ExampleMy kids didn’t understand the concept of “window shopping”; so a trip to the mall for new shoes often became a begging fest for a dozen other things they wanted.

ExampleWhen my kids were little, I got tired of being the bad guy who said “NO!” every time they saw something they wanted.

Example“NO!” We can’t afford it.

ExampleWouldn’t it be nice to get paid because people liked you?

ExampleBosses expect employees to work for their paychecks, so the employee who expects to get paid for doing nothing will soon be out of a job.

Grabber Focus

Grabbers get the reader’s attention

Focus statements make connection between Grabber and Thesis

They FOCUS the topic leading into the Thesis

Focus Statements

Connecting the Grabber to the Thesis Statement

FormComplete sentence.

QualitiesClearFocused on general topicActs as a “bridge” between grabber and thesis

PurposeGive the reader context

Tell the reader the general topic that is going to be discussed in the paper

That means…It won’t be an opinion.It has to connect logically by “flowing” from grabber.

It has to connect logically by introducing the reader to the topic of the thesis statement.

How does it look in a paragraph?

The next slide will show how a grabber can begin an introduction to get the readers attention. (It is then followed by the focus statement) The introduction then ends with the thesis statement.

ExampleBosses expect an employee to work for his paychecks, so the employee who expects to get paid for doing nothing will soon be out of a job. Sadly, parents often contradict this life lesson by giving their children an allowance for just being children. The parents do not tie the “pay” to any responsibility. Children should not be given an allowance because it denies them the important lesson that they need to learn to earn for themselves.