strategies to write introductory paragraph

1. 1
HOW TO WRITE GOODMUET ESSAY INTRODUCTIONS
What makesa good introduction?
Dividedinto3parts.
1. CurrentSituation/Commentary
2. Stand
3. ThesisStatement/Outline
What shouldeachpart consistof?
PART 1
1. Currentsituation/Commentaryshouldinclude a HOOK,
whichisa statementorquestionthatcanHOOK OR GRAB yourattention.
Examplesof HOOKS
a. Facts/Data/Statistics(Newsarticles,datafromgraphs/surveysetc)
b. Questions(Rhetorical questionsrelatedtothe issue)
c. An Anecdote (Storythatisrelatedtothe issue)
d. Examples(Variousrelatedexamples)
e.Contrast (Describingthe opposite of agivensituation,eg.topic:Money,opposite:NoMoney)
f. Projection(Imaginingthe future)
Example of Hook (f-Projection)
DO NOT WRITE:
Imagine if there are nopeople tocleanuprubbish,everywhere gotrubbishsodirtyandmanypeople
wouldgetsickbecause somany diseasesuntileveryonedie.
DO WRITE:
Imagine aworldwithouta cleanupcrew,rubbishwouldbe pilinguphigheverywhere anddiseases
wouldspreadlike wildfire tothreatenthe veryexistence of mankind.

2. 2
PART 2
2. Stand
Refertothe questionandfocusonthe keywordsto developyourstand.
Use these phrasestoguide you:
a. In myopinion,Istrongly/totally/completely/absolutelybelieve/feel/agree/disagree that...
b. Frommy perspective,I...
c. From my pointof view,I...
d. It ismy opinionthat...
Your standcan alsohelpyouorganise youressaysintermsof paragraphing.
IF YOU CLEARLY AGREE/DISAGREE
: use a 5 paragraph format
INTRO
AGREE 1
AGREE 2
AGREE 3
CONCLUSION
or
INTRO
DISAGREE 1
DISAGREE 2
DISAGREE 3
CONCLUSION.

3. 3
However,Iam inclinedtogive the 'thinkers'ahigherbandif theycan
compare and contrast ideasusingthe 6 paragraphformat as shownbelow.
INTRO
AGREE 1
AGREE 2
DISAGREE 1
DISAGREE 2
CONCLUSION
or
INTRO
AGREE 1 vs DISAGREE 1
AGREE 2 vs DISAGREE 2
AGREE 3 vs DISAGREE 3
AGREE 4 vs DISAGREE 4
CONCLUSION
*NOTE that 5 paragraphsare the bare minimum, 6issuggested,
but those withexcellentproficiencyshouldNOTletthe numberof paragraphsholdyouback.
Conversely,the dangerof writingtoomuchisit is'self-penalising'
as youwill make toomany errorsespif you run outof time andcannot edityourwriting.

4. 4
PART 3
3. ThesisStatement/Outline
Thisis byfar the MOST IMPORTANTpart of the introductionasitforeshadows
whatthe writerwill focusonandgivesthe examiner
an ideaof how well the writercanorganise his/heressay.
For lowbands,a simple Outline is enough.Use thistemplate tohelpyou.
In thisessay,Iwouldlike todiscussadvantages/disadvantages/reasons/causes/strategieswhichare
__________, __________ and ___________.
or
In thisessay,Iwouldlike tofocusonthe *________________, ______________ and______________.
*can be replacedwith:
a. causes,effectsandsolutions
b. pros,cons,solutions
c. advantages,disadvantages,suggestions
d. benefits,drawbacks,waystoovercome
e.etc.
For higherbands,omitthe 'I' and replace withmore formal structures.
In lightof this,there are manyreasons/causes/effects/advantages/disadvantagestothisissue namely
______________, _______________ and ______________.
or
There are manyfacetsto thisissue butletus focuson the ____________, ___________ and _________
of ______________________(issue).
or etc.

5. 5
SAMPLES OF INTRODUCTIONS FOR EACH HOOK TECHNIQUE.
Nov2013 WritingQuestion
"The most importantfactorwhichcontributestowardsaperson'ssuccessishimself."
Do youagree withthe statement? Justifyyourstand,givingrelevantexampleswhere appropriate.You
shouldwrite atleast350 words.
a. Facts/Data/Statistics (Newsarticles,data from graphs/surveysetc)
Accordingto an article inForbesmagazine onWorld's100 Top Successful people,90% of people
become successful basedontheirunique individual charactersratherthantalentalone.Thismeansthat
people whohave the same greattalent - take singingforexample - are bothcapable of becoming
successful butthe one whohas the characteristicsfanslike suchasfriendly,well-groomedwithhigh
self-esteemandcreativityare more likelytoachievesuperstardomcomparedtoanintrovertedsinger
withlowself-confidence andcharisma.Itismy humble opinionthatIabsolutelyagree withthe
statementthatthe mostimportantfactor whichcontributestowardsaperson'ssuccessishimself.We
can analyse thisissue intermsof the humanfactor whichare his innate qualities,hisdrive forsuccess
and hisabilitytosustainsuccess.
b. Questions(Rhetorical questionsrelatedto the issue)
Is talentenoughtoachieve success?How isitpossible forasetof twinswhoare both equallygoodin
singing,yetonlyone becomesasuccessful singerwhile the otherdoesnot?Canaperson'scharacter
determine hisorherabilitytoachieve successinlife?Frommypointof view,the answerliesinthe fact
that itis indeedthe personhimself whichcontributestowardshisownsuccess.Inthisessay,Iwouldlike
to discusshowa person'sinnate talent,hisdrive tosucceedandhismotivationtostayat the topare the
reasonsthat differentiate everyone of ustherefore controllingoursuccessmetres.
c. An anecdote (Story that is relatedto the issue)
There wasonce a farmerwhohad triplets.He couldnotdecide whichsonshouldinherithispropertyso
he gave eachof histhree sonsthe same sumof moneyandtoldthemto achieve success.The firstson
usedthe moneyas a dowryand managedtoacquire the chief'sdaughteras a wife.The secondsonused
the moneyto beton horsesbutlostit all.The thirdson boughtcowswiththe intentof breedingthem,
milkingthemandmakingbutterandcheese of whichhe wouldsell atthe market.Finally,the farmer
chose the thirdson because he wasthe onlyson capable of 'growing'hisinvestment.The pointof all this
isto showthat whenthe playingfieldisleveled,andthere isequal opportunity,successorfailure is
determinedbythe decisionseachindividualmakes.Therefore,Istronglyagree withthe statementthat
the most importantfactorwhichcontributestowardsaperson'ssuccessishimself.Inlightof this,there
are manyaspectsof the personhimself whichcontributestohissuccess,namelyhisaptitude,attitude
and drive tosucceed.

6. 6
d. Examples(Variousrelated examples)
DonaldTrump isrenownedthe worldoverforhisacute businessacumenastestifiedbyhisTrump
empire.Hisentrepreneurshipskillshave beencommonlymimickedbutrarelyreplicatedasmanyaspire
to become like himbutseldomachieve the levelof hissuccess.The secretof hissuccessishisunique
character whichisdrivenbyhisdesire torise above all,includinghimself.There are otherexamplesof
extremelysuccessful peoplewhohave achievedsuccessnotsolelybasedontalentbuttheirindividual
characteristicssuchas Mark Zuckerbergandour ownDatuk TonyFernandeztoname a few.Frommy
perspective,the mostimportantfactorwhichcontributestowardsaperson'ssuccessisindeedhimself.
Thiscan be provenintermsof his owntalent,hischaracterand motivationtoremainsuccessful.
e. Contrast (Describingthe opposite of a given situation,eg.topic: Money,opposite:No Money)
A personbornintoan affluentfamily,whentakingoverthe father'sbusinessmanagestorunthe
businessdownthe ground.The questionthenarisesastowhythe son failedtofollow inthe footsteps
of hisfatherwheneverythingwashandedtohimona silverplatter.Simplyput,he mighthave inherited
the same genesbutthisdoesnot predetermine hisindividualisticcharacteristicwhichinturn
contributestohisabilitytosucceedorin thiscase,fail.Similarly,apersonbornintoa poorfamilywith
not muchgivento him,can scrape the barrelsand claw out of hispovertyand make a successof his life
unlike hisparentsorsiblings.The sheerdeterminationtosucceedgiveshimthe necessaryelixirtolift
himout of hisfate andcreate a newandbrighterfuture forhimself.Hence itismysteadfastopinion
that the environmentdoesnotplaythe mostcrucial factor indeterminingsuccess,butitisindeedthe
personhimself whatcontributestohisrise orfall.Todiscussthisissue,letuslookat the three aspectsof
success,namelyaperson'saptitude,attitudeanddesire tosustainsuccess.
f. Projection(Imaginingthe future)
If everyone of us couldbe successful,wouldthisworldnotbe full of successful people?The veryfact
that not everyone inthisworldtodayisasuccessstorystronglyimpliesthatthere are manyfactorsthat
contribute toa person'ssuccessbut itis eachindividualhimselfthatgiveshimthe cuttingedge.Inmy
opinion,Icompletelyagree thatthe mostimportantfactorwhichcontributestowardsaperson'ssuccess
ishimself.There are manyfacetstothisissue butletus focuson a person'sownability,characterand
determinationthatwill leadtohisorhersuccess.