Persuasive Writing:

Opening Paragraphs, Part I

©Kerry Tracy 2012

Opening Paragraphs, Part I

©Kerry Tracy 2012

Opening Paragraphs

There are three parts in an opening paragraph:1. Create interest

(3-4 sentences to hook the reader)

2. Transition to the thesis statement (1 sentence that blends the interest and the thesis so your writing flows)

3. Thesis statement (1 sentence that states your position and reveals the three body paragraph subtopics)

Thesis Statements

Thesis statement: A thesis statement is basically a topic sentence for your entire essay. In a persuasive essay, your thesis statement will state your position and list the body paragraph subtopics.

There are many ways in which to do this well. You do not always have to follow exactly the same pattern as long as you make sure your position was stated and the body paragraph subtopics were listed.

Thesis Statements

Thesis statement example: Students should be required to join

organized sports teams because it makes them stay healthy, learn social skills, and succeed academically.

Stated position: Students should be required to join organized sports teams

Body paragraph subtopics: makes them stay healthy, learn social skills, and succeed academically

Create Interest

Once your thesis statement is done, it’s time to decide how you will create interest.

You want to make the reader want to keep reading your essay, so you need to grab his/her attention in the first few sentences. There are many ways to do this, but we will focus on three: interesting facts or statistics, ask questions, or personal anecdote.

Create Interest

Interesting facts/statistics Do NOT make up a statistic! Ex. Don’t say 75% of America’s children are overweight if you don’t know that is true! If you don’t know for sure, write in general terms.

Create Interest

Create interest in an essay convincing teachers students should be required to play organized sports:

Interesting facts/statistics It seems every day when you turn on the

news, there are stories about childhood obesity. Children are not getting enough exercise. If this problem doesn’t turn around, there will soon be a huge health crisis in America.

Create Interest

Ask questions Ask three questions related to your topic. They should start differently (don’t ask three questions that begin with “what”) and may include one or more reader concerns. You will have answer these questions in the closing paragraph, so keep that in mind.

Create Interest

Create interest in an essay convincing teachers students should be required to play organized sports:

Ask Questions What if every student in America was required to play an organized sport? Would the time take away from time to study and complete homework? Could such a requirement have unexpected benefits?

Create Interest

Personal anecdote This is a short story about you, but it’s fine to make something up. Since you only have three or four sentences, you can tell part of the story in the opening paragraph and the ending in the closing paragraph.

Create Interest

Create interest in an essay convincing teachers that students should be required to play organized sports:

Personal anecdote When I was in kindergarten, my mom asked

me if I wanted to play tee ball. In my mind, I heard “tea ball.” I imagined dancing like Cinderella in a ball gown and drinking tea like a proper lady. I had no idea what was in store for me when I said, “Yes.”

Opening Paragraphs

Now it’s your turn to practice!

Persuasive Writing:

Opening Paragraphs, Part II

©Kerry Tracy 2012

Opening Paragraphs, Part II

©Kerry Tracy 2012

Opening Paragraphs

We have learned about two of the three parts in an opening paragraph: Create interest

(3-4 sentences to hook the reader)

Thesis statement (1 sentence that states your position and reveals the three body paragraph subtopics)

Opening Paragraphs

Today we will learn about transition to thesis statements.

Transition to Thesis

Transition to thesis statement You need a blending sentence to smooth the transition from interest to thesis statement in the opening paragraph.

It should be a sentence that tells one true thing about your broad topic. It can express your opinion. Keep it short! You don’t want to use details you’ll need later in your body paragraphs.

Transition to Thesis

Once you have created your interest and your thesis statement, write them out leaving a large space in between.

Examples follow.

It seems every day when you turn on the news, there are stories about childhood obesity. Children are not getting enough exercise. If this problem doesn’t turn around, there will soon be a huge health crisis in America.

Students should be required to join organized sports teams because it makes them stay healthy, learn social skills, and succeed academically.

It seems every day when you turn on the news, there are stories about childhood obesity. Children are not getting enough exercise. If this problem doesn’t turn around, there will soon be a huge health crisis in America.

Students should be required to join organized sports teams because it makes them stay healthy, learn social skills, and succeed academically.

There is something we can do to improve the health of young people in this country.

Opening Paragraphs

It’s your turn to try it out!

What if every student in America was required to play an organized sport? Would the time take away from time to study and complete homework? Could such a requirement have unexpected benefits?

Students should be required to join organized sports teams because it makes them stay healthy, learn social skills, and succeed academically.

What if every student in America was required to play an organized sport? Would the time take away from time to study and complete homework? Could such a requirement have unexpected benefits?

Students should be required to join organized sports teams because it makes them stay healthy, learn social skills, and succeed academically.

Many kids simply aren’t getting enough exercise to stay healthy.

When I was in kindergarten, my mom asked me if I wanted to play tee ball. In my mind, I heard tea ball. I imagined dancing like Cinderella in a ball gown and drinking tea like a proper lady. I had no idea what was in store for me when I said, “Yes.”

Students should be required to join organized sports teams because it makes them stay healthy, learn social skills, and succeed academically.

When I was in kindergarten, my mom asked me if I wanted to play tee ball. In my mind, I heard tea ball. I imagined dancing like Cinderella in a ball gown and drinking tea like a proper lady. I had no idea what was in store for me when I said, “Yes.”

Students should be required to join organized sports teams because it makes them stay healthy, learn social skills, and succeed academically.

At that time, I couldn’t have known how important tee ball and softball would become in shaping who I am.

Opening Paragraphs

Now it’s your turn to practice!