How to write a SERIOUSLY AMAZING Introduction Paragraph Shared by Mrs. Suzanne Dabbs Edited by: Mrs. Michelle Sims

A very basic thesis statement is a single sentence at the beginning or the end of the first paragraph that tells the reader the main idea of your essay. It often states your opinion of the topic. For this reason it is sometimes called the opinion statement.

A thesis statement should do ALL THREE of these things: 1.It should clearly express what the essay is about. 2.It should make a discussible point. 3. It should reveal how the essay will be organized OR how you plan to support your statement.

Original Thesis: Chess is a great game. Revised Thesis: Playing chess is a popular activity among students because it is inexpensive, engrossing, and can be played almost anywhere.

Why was the original thesis not good enough? The original thesis is too simple. It is not a statement that would start a conversation. It also did not indicate what the essay was going to tell the reader.

The revised thesis statement states the main idea of the essay (chess.) It gives a topic than can be discussed (chess is a popular activity.) And it reveals how the essay will be organized (three body paragraphs that deal with how cheap, entertaining, and portable chess is.)

The introduction usually has three parts: 1. The grabber (or lead) consists of several sentences that pull the reader into the essay. 2. The transitional sentence (optional) connects the lead to the thesis statement. 3. The thesis statement is a single sentence that states the main idea of the essay.thesis statement

Different Types of Grabbers Anecdote Stating Fact or Opinion Rhetorical Question Quotation Description

Anecdote - a brief incident that relates to the reader the theme of the essay.

Stating Fact or Opinion - a piece of information that will get your reader's attention.

Rhetorical question - a meaningful, unanswerable question that gets the reader thinking about your topic.

Quotation - someone else's words that relate to the topic.

Description - a brief description of a scene, person, or object that appeals to the reader's senses.

QUESTIONS? ???? I got it!