5 Paragraph Essay ~ Introduction

The Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs

 You are writing a Familiar Essay, not a speech. Therefore, do not start with “Today I am going to talk about”… or “this essay will be about…”

You can begin with a Hook such as:

. An Interesting Fact o There are 10 000 people in New Brunswick who do not have a home to call their own

. A surprising piece of information o Last year, there were thousands of labs that still tested their products on animals.

. An exciting quotation o “As long as you put your mind to it, you can do it”

. A small story o In the corner of the class Tina always sat quietly, did her work and never said a word. Who knew that one day, this anti-social girl would win a Nobel prize. You never know what people can do when they put their minds to it.

. A question o Have you ever wondered how long it would take to train for a marathon?

1 The Introductory Paragraph contains the Thesis statement which explains to the reader what he/she should expect to read about in the body of the essay: the next three paragraphs.

Here is a thesis statement on winter sports: The best winter sports are hockey, snowmobiling and skiing. You must now include three to four sentences to accompany the thesis statement.

Here is an Introductory Paragraph example for Winter Sports. The thesis statement is underlined. Imagine flying down beautiful white mountains or gliding along glistening ice. In the winter, this is possible. There are many winter sports that you can become involved in so that you can take advantage of Mother Nature. Don’t stay in all winter, get outside, and get involved in a winter activity. The best winter sports are hockey, snowmobiling and skiing.

Here is an Introductory Paragraph example for Healthy Eating. The thesis statement is underlined. It has been reported that North Americans are the fattest people in the world. When you look around, it is easy to understand why. Everywhere that you look there are fast food restaurants that people can easily drive thru and get a greasy meal. Beside fast food there are sit down restaurants and pubs that offer a social atmosphere and great food. It is hard to resist the temptation, but people need to try in order to lead a long, healthy life. To get on the path to healthy eating, people need to plan their meals, choose one night a week where they will treat themselves, and learn how to cook.

2 Introduction Recap

Introduction:

 Hook: decide what type of hook you want to use (quote, anecdote, fact, startling information) to grab your reader’s attention.

 Fill in between the hook and thesis statement with 3-4 supporting statements (facts and information) about the topic.

 Thesis statement: end the introduction with a thesis statement. Be specific so your reader knows what the body of the essay (the following 3 to 4 paragraphs) will be about.

Conclusion Paragraph

 You should finish strong so that your reader will have a lasting impression of your essay.   Answer the question “So what?”

 How can the reader apply this to his/her life?

 Re-state your thesis statement in a new way. Synthesize, don’t summarize. Remember, your reader has taken the time to read this essay, finish with a lasting idea that drives home your point.

3 Choose one of the following topic and write an Introductory and Concluding paragraph for the topic.

 Why students should go to university  Explain why someone is your hero or role model  Do sports help to develop good character  Why is it important to vote?  The worst job in the world