Dramatic Opener or Hook

Transitional Sentence

Thesis Statement

Topic Sentence The body of your

Details and Examples essay can be three
or more
Concluding Transition Sentence paragraphs long.

Summary Statement (restate

your thesis)
Clincher
• Introduction
– Contains background information on the topic, but not information
specific to the essay itself
– Last sentence should be the thesis statement – a general, three point
outline on the paper
• Body paragraphs
– At least one body paragraph on each point from the thesis statement
– Should contain specifics as to each point
– Be as detailed as necessary
• Conclusion
– Should be a mirror image of the introduction
– Restate the thesis
– Wrap up the paper
Every essay has three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. The
beginning is also called the introduction. The introduction has two main
purposes: to draw the reader in and make him/her want to read more
and to prepare the reader for the direction that the essay is going to
take.
The introduction usually has three parts:

1. The hook (or dramatic opener) consists of several sentences

that pull the reader into the essay.
2. The transitional sentence connects the hook to the thesis
statement.
3. The thesis statement is one or two sentences that states the
idea of the essay.
 The Thesis Statement: What is It?
• It is the last sentence of your introductory
paragraph.
• It makes a connection between the overall
topic of your paper and how you will discuss
that topic using specific examples.
A very basic thesis statement is one or two sentences at the end of the first
paragraph that tells the reader the main idea of your essay. The thesis
statement tells the reader what the essay will be about, and what point you, the
author, will be making.

A thesis statement should do these three things:

1. It should clearly express what the essay is about.
2. It should make a discussible point.
3. It should indicate the structure of the essay.

Here is an example of a thesis statement for an essay about why a dog would
make a great pet. My three major points will be that dogs are loyal, easy to train,
and make good companions. (these are your topics for the BODY of the essay).
Here is an example of a thesis statement that I could use for my essay.

Thesis Statement: A dog would make a great pet for me because they are very
loyal, they are easy to train, and they make good companions.
 A thesis statement is an
assertion (a claim or declaration), not
a statement of fact or an
observation.
•Fact or observation: People use many lawn
chemicals.
Thesis: People are poisoning the
environment with chemicals merely to
keep their lawns clean.
A thesis takes a stand rather than
announcing a subject.

•Announcement: The thesis of this paper is

the difficulty of solving our environmental
problems.
Thesis: Solving our environmental problems
is more difficult than many environmentalists
believe.
A thesis is the main idea, not the title.
It must be a complete sentence that
explains in some detail what you
expect to write about.

•Title: Social Security and Old Age.

Thesis: Continuing changes in the Social

Security System makes it almost
impossible to plan intelligently for one's
retirement.
 A thesis statement is narrow,
rather than broad. If the thesis
statement is sufficiently
narrow, it can be fully
supported.
•Broad: The Canadian steel industry has
many problems.
Narrow: The primary problem if the Canadian
steel industry is the lack of funds to renovate
outdated plants and equipment.
 A thesis statement is specific
rather than vague or general.

•Vague: Hemingway's war stories are very

good.
Specific: Hemingway's stories helped create a
new prose style by employing extensive
dialogue, shorter sentences, and strong Anglo-
Saxon words.
A thesis statement has one main point
rather than several main points. More
than one point may be too difficult for
the reader to understand and the
writer to support.
•More than one main point: Stephen Hawking's physical
disability has not prevented him from becoming a world-
renowned physicist, and his book is the subject of a movie.

One Main point: Stephen Hawking's physical disability

has not prevented him from becoming a world
renowned physicist.
 Thesis Statements
• Your thesis statement will have two parts.
• The first part states the topic.
• Kenya's Culture
• Building a Model Train Set
• Public Transportation
• The second part states the point of the essay.
• has a rich and varied history
• takes time and patience
• can solve some of our city's most persistent and pressing
problems
• Once you have formulated a thesis statement that
fits this pattern and with which you are comfortable,
you are ready to continue.
 Revising Your Thesis Statement
•You can revise your thesis statement
whenever you want to while you are writing
your essay.

• Writers often discover what their real

purpose and point is in the process of putting
their thoughts into words and then reading
what they've written.
 Thesis Statement
• It should have 3 (for a 5 paragraph essay) points specifically laid out
in the order you want to discuss them:
• Dogs are great pets because they help owners get exercise and are
loyal and friendly.
•If using this as a thesis, the paper should follow the format it lays out.


Paragraph 1 will be about dogs helping owners get exercise,

Paragraph 2 about dogs being loyal,

Paragraph 3 about dogs being friendly.
You should be able to transition smoothly between paragraphs, so
order your points in a manner that flows well logically.
Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that relates
directly back to your thesis.
 Now you are ready to put the introductory paragraph together. Remember that the
transitional sentence acts like a bridge to make a smooth connection between the hook
and the thesis statement. You don't always need to include a transitional sentence, but
you should always evaluate your introduction to see if one is necessary.

Here's an example of an introductory paragraph for the "favorite pet" essay using a
quotation for the hook.

HOOK The author Aldous Huxley once said, “To

his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the
constant popularity of dogs.” As I consider
the pet I would like to have share my life,
TRANSITION it’s Huxley’s quote that sums up why a dog
would be the best choice. Because of its
THESIS sense of loyalty, its ability to protect you
and its great companionship, a dog is the
perfect pet.
What is the body of an essay?
The body of an essay is the part between the introduction and the conclusion. It contains
the evidence. So far, we have used the example of three paragraphs, but there can be a
hundred or more paragraphs to an essay. It all depends on the subject of your essay. If
you have a lot to say about your subject, you will probably have more than 3 body
paragraphs. Each paragraph in the body of the essay contains the following sentences:

TOPIC SENTENCE: This sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is going to be
about.

DETAIL SENTENCE: Your paragraph can have many detail sentences. The detail
sentence tells your reader a little more about your topic. Each detail sentence must include
an EXAMPLE.

CONCLUDING/TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE: This sentence wraps up what you have

already told the readers and gets them ready for the next paragraph.
 Body Paragraph #1
• Discusses the first topic of your thesis
statement.
• Begins with a sentence that connects the
subject of your paper and the first area of
discussion.
 Body Paragraph #2
• Discusses the second topic of your thesis
statement.
• Begins with a sentence that connects the
overall subject of the paper, the previous
paragraph’s topic, and the current topic using
a transitional phrase.
 Transitional Phrases
• Make stronger connections between paragraphs within a
paper.
• Act as a bridge between the previous discussion and the
current discussion.
• Some common transitions:
– To add: and, again, and then, besides, equally important, finally,
further, furthermore, nor, too, next, lastly, what's more, moreover,
in addition, first (second, etc.)
– To conclude: in brief, on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in
conclusion, as I have shown, as I have said, hence, therefore,
accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently, on the whole
 Body Paragraph #3
• Discusses the third topic of your thesis
statement.
• Begins with a sentence that connects the
subject of the paper, the previous paragraph’s
topic, and the current topic using a
transitional phrase.
 Conclusion
• Generally the hardest part for students to
write
• should be a “mirror image” of the
introduction
• Restate the thesis (use different words)
• Wrap up the paper
Just as every essay has a clear beginning, it should have a clear
ending. The last paragraph, also know as the conclusion, should make
your essay sound finished.

The concluding paragraph typically has two parts:

1. The summary statement is one or two sentences which restate the

thesis in a fresh way to reinforce the essay's main
idea.

2. The clincher is a final thought which should create a lasting

impression on the reader.
The summary statement is an effective way to start your concluding paragraph
because it helps to drive home the ideas you've expressed in your essay.

Look at your thesis statement again and rework it in a new way. Avoid repeating
key words and phrases from the thesis statement because you don't want the
summary statement to sound boring or repetitive. Using a thesaurus is a good
way to find new, interesting words.

Here is an examples of thesis statements and summary statements:

Thesis Statement: Many Americans are buying the Toyota Corolla because of
its competitive price, fuel economy, and high resale value.
Summary Statement: Reasonable pricing, low miles per gallon, and an
attractive resale value have all contributed to the popularity of the Toyota Corolla
in today's market.
The clincher, also referred to as the closer, is your last opportunity to connect with the
reader. One way to make the most of this moment is to return to the technique you used
for your hook. Here is a list of clinchers.
Complete the Anecdote (the story you told at the
beginning.

Ask a final rhetorical question.

Use a new quotation or refer back to the opening quotation.

Continue the original description of a character, setting, or object.

Make a prediction or recommendation based on the facts you

researched.
 Now let’s put it all together. Here's an example of a
concluding paragraph for the "favorite pet" essay that
uses a quotation as the clincher.

Nothing can compare to a dog’s dedication,

Summary
Statement intelligence, and friendship. Because a dog
offers all these wonderful qualities and more,
Clincher
it is once again clear why people say that
“a dog is man’s best friend.” Dogs not only
make great pets but also wonderful companions.