PAO II 2022

WRITING PRACTICE 2
THE INTRODUCTION (HOOK /BACKGROUND
THESIS)

GROUPWORK:

An essay has an introduction of one or more paragraphs. The number of paragraphs in the
introduction depends on the length and complexity of the essay. Short essays often have just one
introductory paragraph.

The Introduction of an Essay has three parts:

a. HOOK / ATTENTION GETTER
b. CONNECTING INFORMATION (BACKGROUND)
c. THESIS STATEMENT

a.The HOOK (or attention getter) is the opening

sentence of an essay. It grabs the reader’s attention.
Type of hook Example hook

Shocking statement/fact Each year thousands of teenagers die in driving accidents.

The dictionary defines “gossip” as “casual conversation,” but gossip is in
Definition reality a much more negative interaction.
Quote from a famous person The poet Emily Dickinson once said: “Saying nothing…sometimes says the
most.”
Do you think students should be forced to wear sweaters when it is over 35
Question degrees?
Many advertisements offer a free gift during Christmas time, but
Humorous statement isn’t every gift free?
After college, I had to decide between a low-paying job that seemed like fun
Dilemma and a more mundane job that paid really well.
"According to 2008 figures from the Pew Research Centre, 97% of
Striking numbers and statistics today's K-12 students spend many hours each week playing video
games."(Keith Devlin, Learning Math with a Video Game)
When I was a teenager, I used to say that I would never be a teacher in my life,
Anecdote but when, by chance, I started teaching my first lessons I found this activity
awesome.

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PRACTICE EXERCISE 1

A. Identify the type of hook.

Type of hook Example hook
How would you feel if you returned from gym class, opened your
locker to get changed, and found that your clothes had been stolen? What
would you do?
There's a thin line between a numerator and a denominator. If you laughed at
this fraction joke, you are a math person!
"Any achievement in business is never accomplished by a single person; a
team of skilled members from diversified fields is always needed." (Steve
Jobs)
"Archaeologists believe, based on marks they've seen on
mummies, that human beings had tattoos between 4000 and 2000 B.C. in
Egypt."(David Shields, 36 Tattoos)

B. Write a hook for each of the prompts written below.

Topic #0(EXAMPLE) Pick a sport and write a hook sentence that will get the reader as excited
about that sport as you are.
 Hook Sentence: STRIKING NUMBER

A recent study conducted by LH Collins and presented by the Journal of Sports and Social
Issues, shows that having daily sessions of at least fifteen minutes of physical exercise can help
people be more active during the day.

Topic #1: Pick a career and write a hook sentence that will get the reader as excited about that
career path as you are.
 Hook Sentence: (ANECDOTE)

Topic #2: Write a hook sentence about the problem of pollution that will motivate people to do
something about it.
 Hook Sentence: (DEFINITION)

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b. THE BACKGROUND
Let´s remember:

The second part of the introductory paragraph is the background or also known as connecting
information. It is important to point out that the writer does not have to show his/her position
about the topic here, but just:

 Mentions the topic or subject of the essay.

 Gives background information (general
context, history, etc) to connect the reader
to the topic.

PRACTICE EXERCISE 2

A. In this introduction, identify its parts and write each one is the
hook, the thesis or connecting information:

Photoshop, yes or not?

1.“I couldn´t recognize you!! You edit all

your photos!. Don´t do that, it´s
dangerous”. This is what my cousins told
me in the family Christmas gathering last
year, and yes, I always use Photoshop. 2.
Photoshop is a software application for image
editing and photo retouching for use on
Windows or MacOS
computers. Photoshop offers users the ability
to create, enhance, or otherwise edit images,
artwork, and illustrations. Nowadays, even
social pages like Instagram or smartphones
make your pictures more beautiful than they
really are, and I love it. But my family
warned me of the dangers of overusing this
option, and I do agree with them. 3. People
should stop overusing beauty apps, since
people would find it difficult to recognize
you, it would be difficult for the authorities to
find you in case you get lost, or suffer any
kind of crime, and eventually you are showing
you do not accept the way you look.
1.

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2.

3.

B. Write a number (from 1 to 3) next to the different parts of this introduction,

so that you have a well-organized introductory paragraph:

Learning English since an early age prepares children to face the

future, since it gives them knowledge about other cultures, their
brain becomes faster and it enhances their future job __________
opportunities.

However, looking back, I realized my mother´s decisión was more

than right. According to studies, children learn faster than adults,
and the earliest a child is exposed to a new language, the most
effective the lessons are. This method is called inmmersion, and
creates an efficient environment where children has contact with
the language while playing and interacting with others.
______
Unfortunately parents are often intimidated by the idea of
“forcing” their children to lean too many things and prefer making
them learn specific things well and avoid “confusión”.

I remember my father complaining about me attending a language

school at the age of 4. He used to say that he is just paying a tutor
to make me play and sing. ______

c. THE THESIS

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TOPIC The subject of the essay / the writer´s position

The writer defines the 3 arguments that supports the position.
CONTROLLING IDEAS

EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE 1:

TOPIC Cell phones in the classroom should be prohibited

for 3 main reasons: they are a source of distraction, they allow cheating and
CONTROLLING IDEA they limit students’ face to
face interaction.

The final thesis statement is:

Cell phones in the classroom should be prohibited for 3 main reasons: they are a source of distraction;
they allow cheating and limit students’ face to face interaction.

EXAMPLE 2:

TOPIC Societies should not vote with computers

because of security concerns, lack of access to
CONTROLLING IDEA internet and complications for people with disabilities.

The final thesis statement is:

Societies should not vote with computers because elections are too important to trust to cyberspace
due to security concerns, another reason is the lack of access to internet and electronic vote might
represent a complication for people with disabilities.

PRACTICE EXERCISE 3:

You´ll read 2 introductions for persuasive essays. Find the thesis, highlight it and write the topic
and the controlling idea in the table below each intro:

A. INTRODUCTION 1

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THE EFFECTS OF A LACK OF SLEEP

A lack of sleep seems pervasive for all of those who experience this event that
shows we are sleeping less than ever before. According to experts the ideal
number of hours to sleep is 8. However, our lives are becoming busier with
each passing era, and even children are suffering from sleep deprivation due
to all the activities they are engaging in. In light of these issues, it is important
to know the effects of a lack of sleep. The most common effects of sleep
deprivation are drowsiness during the day, experiencing microsleeps, a
difficulty concentrating, impulsive behavior, a difficulty learning, and lower
physical immunity.

TOPIC

CONTROLLING IDEA

B. INTRODUCTION 2
GETTING MARRIED TODAY

It is a common refrain nowadays “I don’t want to get married. There is no meaning to it

anymore, and it does not really matter.” According to a dictionary, marriage is defined as
“the legally or formally recognized union of two people as partners in a personal
relationship (historically and in some jurisdictions specifically a union between a man and
a woman). The marriage can represent a commitment to the beloved person, which
establishes rights and obligations. But many people argue that the respect and
responsibility with our couple does not depend on a signed contract, but a personal
commitment. Consequently, many couples today live together without the formality of
nuptials, thus, marriage is no longer needed as an institution and couples might choose to
live together informally or tend to marry later in life. However, some experts have studied
the psychological impact of having a legal contract or not, and they say the topic is more
serious than it seems to be. Thus, formalizing a relationship is necessary since statistics
has shown that married people are on average healthier, wealthier, and live longer.

TOPIC

CONTROLLING IDEA