How to Write an Opening Paragraph For an Essay: 5 steps

  1. Getting Started, Writing Your Introduction
  2. If you haven’t already prepared your outline, then now is the time. Using the research notes that you have collected draw up a simple 5-paragraph essay to follow. This will help you organize your ideas and determine what information to include in your introduction.

    From your outline, introduce your main supporting body paragraphs in a single sentence. Basically, you will want to summarize each idea and then expand upon them later.

    Once you know what your supporting evidence points are going to be- you can more easily compose a strong thesis.

  3. Come up with a thesis
  4. The introduction is very important because it contains a thesis. In case you didn’t already know the thesis is a one or two sentence statement that states the author’s perspective and tells what the essay is about.

    From your research you should have been able to draw a conclusion about the subject that you are studying. Try to turn what you have observed into a thesis that summarizes your purpose for writing.

  5. Figure Out A Way To Get The Reader’s Attention
  6. An introduction paragraph is also about getting the reader’s attention and encouraging them to continue reading. One way that this is done is with a strong “clinching” remark at the very beginning of the opening paragraph.

    A “clincher” can be an antidote, interesting fact, bold statement, unique thought, or any other type of writing that may capture the audience’s interest. Try to be creative- and start your essay on a high note.

  7. Make A Connection
  8. Another purpose behind the opening paragraph is to make a connection with the reader so that they authentically “care” about what you have to say. You can do this by using examples or making a comparison to a relatable concept. Connecting with the reader in the first paragraph is important because in the body paragraph the point is to provide explanatory information that supports the thesis, not to introduce new ideas.

  9. Make It Flow
  10. Last but not least, you need to figure out a way to make your introduction paragraph flow fluidly into the rest of the essay. After you have stated your thesis and introduced the different examples you have to come up with a way to lead into the rest of the essay. The best way to do this is to create a bridging between the introduction and the first body paragraph.

    This is another reason why it is a good idea to use an outline because this will help you link together your different ideas naturally. Whatever you do, don’t force a connection. Let your essay read fluidly, you’ll know what sounds right.

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