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ESL / EFL RESOURCES Introduction Paragraphs

Introduction paragraphs in an essay have two basic parts, which are the background and the
thesis statement. The background introduces the topic and tries to attract the reader's interest.
The background consists of a number of general statements about the topic that gradually
become more specific and narrowed down to a particular focus. You can think of an introduction
paragraph as having a similar shape to a funnel in the way ideas relate to one another. The thesis
statement is always the last and most important sentence in an introduction, and it aims to
make the specific topic clear. The thesis statement also aims to express clearly what the writer
wants to say about the specific topic. It may in some cases list or summarise the subtopics.

In the example introduction paragraph in the box below, notice how the ideas start with a broad
focus and become progressively more specific.

Sentence 1 moves from popular music (broad) to rock music (specific).

Sentence 2 divides rock music (broad) into smaller categories such as punk rock (specific).

Sentences 3 and 4 move from heavy rock (broad) to a particular band, Led Zeppelin (specific).

It ends with a thesis statement that tells the reader that the essay is about Led Zeppelin (topic),
and it tells the reader that the writer wants to explain the band's importance (purpose/focus).

Popular music comes in many forms and styles and one of the most enduring is rock music.
Within this genre, there are many sub-categories such as psychedelic rock, punk rock,
and alternative rock. One of the most popular of these styles is hard rock, which is loud,
aggressive, and heavily guitar based. No other band better exemplifies the virtues of hard
rock than Led Zeppelin. There are a number of reasons why Led Zeppelin is arguably not only
the most important hard rock band of all time but the most important rock band.

A. Arrange the sentences below in the correct order so that they make an introduction
paragraph that shows a funnel type structure.

......... a. P
 erhaps the most popular of these is Southeast Asia, which is home to beautiful
beaches, flavourful cuisines, and friendly locals.

......... b. The world is a fascinating mix of places, landscapes, peoples and cultures, which is
why tourism is a continuously growing industry.

......... c. O
 ne of the most diverse and interesting parts of the world to travel is Asia, which
has a number of popular regions.

......... d. T
 here are three main reasons why Thailand is the region’s most popular destination.

......... e. Within this region, one country stands out in popularity, and that is Thailand.

B. Complete the introduction paragraph below by adding a thesis statement. The

purpose of the essay is to offer advice.

Millions of students globally are studying English for academic purposes (EAP) with the aim of
pursuing a first degree in English. EAP courses are often organised according to the main skills,
which are reading, writing, listening, and speaking. However, of these, writing is perhaps the
most important as most assessments at university are writing based. Therefore, having good
writing skills is crucial to academic success.

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 ESSAY WRITING

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Introduction Paragraphs

C. Add general statements to the thesis statement below to make a complete

introduction paragraph.

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However, in order to speak the language well, there are a number of reasons why living in an
English speaking country is the best approach.

D. Use the prompts below to write your own introduction paragraph that begins with
general statements and ends with a thesis statement. Use the introduction paragraph
in Exercise A as a guide.

your country > your province or state > your town or city > your district

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E. Now, write an introduction paragraph for an essay that aims to convince the reader
that your favourite hobby or leisure time activity is something they should try.

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