Strong Introductory Paragraph: Purpose and Structure

Introductory Paragraph: Purpose and Structure

Introductory paragraph. It is placed at the beginning of the essay. In short essays it consists of only one paragraph, but in longer essays it can have more than one.

Purpose of the Introductory Paragraph

The purpose of the introductory paragraph is to:

• Give some information to the reader about the general topic of the essay in the general statement.
• Give background information about the general subject that the text discusses.
• Tell the reader what the text is going to do: to explain, comment, compare, give an opinion, etc.

Three Main Parts of the Introduction

The introductory paragraph has three parts:

1. General Statement

The general statement introduces the topic of the entire essay. It should not be confused with the topic sentence, which introduces the topic of a single paragraph.

There are some unacceptable general statements. Examples include:

• Those with overgeneralizations like: “People like listening to music.”
• Those that are factually untrue, e.g. “93% of students fail their exams.”
• Those where the writer gives a personal opinion as a fact, e.g. “Football is the best game in the world.”
• Those that are vague, unclear, or ambiguous.

Another common error is the panoramic or historical general statement. Be careful with time expressions: it is better to say “These days,” “throughout history,” “for many years” than “In our nowadays society” or “since always.”

2. Background Information

Background information gives the reader more detail about the general subject the text addresses. It should:

• Provide definitions, explanations, or both to help the reader understand main ideas or important terms.
• Tell the reader which subjects the text will not deal with; this is called limiting scope.
• Explain why the writer has chosen some points and not others.
• Lead the reader toward the thesis statement.

3. The Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the clearest, strongest part of the introduction. It is placed at the end of the introductory paragraph. Key features:

• It must be specific and clear.
• It usually consists of one sentence, though in longer essays it can be longer.
• It must not be a question; it must answer the question the essay addresses.
• In a discussion essay, the writer must state the intent of the essay.
• In a personal opinion essay, the thesis must indicate that it is a personal opinion and also include the intent. The writer can use expressions like “In my opinion,” “I intend to suggest,” “In my view…” The most important thing is that the personal opinion can be argued or supported.

The thesis statement should relate to all parts of the essay: topic sentences must be linked to it, and the conclusion should summarize and give an opinion, recommendation, solution, or prediction based on it.