Teaches one how to write good introductions

1. ESSAY WRITING: CREATING GOOD
INTRODUCTIONS
COMPILED BY: MISS M.A RAMANALEDI
EMAIL: ASNATHTSISOW@GMAIL.COM
LINKEDIN: MATSEKE RAMANALEDI
SLIDESHARE: MATSEKE RAMANALEDI

2. LESSON OUTCOMES:
AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION YOU SHOULD BE ABLE
TO:
Identify an introduction in an essay
Give your understanding of what an introduction is.
List the elements that form part of the introduction.
Explain the elements of a good introduction and provide
own examples.
Create your own introduction.

3. AN INTRODUCTION IS:
 The first paragraph of an essay.
It is the initial paragraph that sets the tone and
path for the entire paper that you are going to
present to your audience.
It serves as an outline for the reader by
introducing the topic and its importance,
identifying the essay’s main purpose, and

4. A GOOD INTRODUCTION SHOULD:
Grab the reader’s attention.
Be coherent.
Offer related or general background without
giving away the actual argument.

5. A GOOD INTRODUCTION SHOULD NOT:
Give a summary of the essay.
Discuss the contents of the
essay.
Be too long(11 lines
maximum).
Show signs of uncertainty
about your knowledge of the

6. THE STRUCTURE OF AN INTRODUCTION:
1.An Attention-grabbing introductory sentence.
2. General statement
3. Thesis statement

7. AN ATTENTION-GRABBING INTRODUCTORY
SENTENCE
It must be so intriguing that the reader would
want to know more by reading the whole essay.
This can be done through the use of a statement
that will awaken the reader’s feelings
It might be shock, excitement or wonder.

8. EXAMPLES OF ATTENTION-GRABBING
STATEMENTS:
SHOCKING STATEMENT: “There I was, a twelve year
old swimming in a pool of my own blood, begging
it to enter my body once more”
EXCITING STATEMENT: “What an adventure that
was!”
 THE EXAMPLE WE WILL BE USING(wonder): “Media
portrays Pit Bulls as the most ferocious breed of
dogs, but they are mistaken.”
The above statement will leave the reader wanting
to know why the media is mistaken.

9. GENERAL STATEMENT:
It is an outline of what the essay will be about.
It covers the themes, setting and context of the
story.
It is NOT a summery of the essay.

10. Example of a general statement: “Pit Bulls have
been characterized with violent natures for over a
thousand years. Pit Bulls get their name from “Bull
Baiting,” a sport in which people watched as the
Pit Bulls would fight a bull to the death. When that
was banned, the sport changed to “Ratting,”
where they would put a Pit Bull in a arena to see
how many rats they could kill in a specific time
frame. Even in modern times, Pit Bulls cannot
escape their violent past. Today they are forced to

11. THESIS STATEMENT:
This comes at the end of the introduction.
It attempts to answer the essay question.
It is NOT rephrasing or copying the essay
question.
 Example of a thesis statement: “Due to Pit Bulls’
violent history, they are increasingly having more
trouble being adopted into good homes when in
reality, they are loving animals under the right

12. OUR INTRODUCTION:
“Media portrays Pit Bulls as the most ferocious breed of
dogs, but they are mistaken. Pit Bulls have been
characterized with violent natures for over a thousand years.
Pit Bulls get their name from “Bull Baiting,” a sport in which
people watched as the Pit Bulls would fight a bull to the
death. When that was banned, the sport changed to
“Ratting,” where they would put a Pit Bull in a arena to see
how many rats they could kill in a specific time frame. Even
in modern times, Pit Bulls cannot escape their violent past.
Today they are forced to fight against each other in illegal
dog-fighting rings. Due to Pit Bulls’ violent history, they are
increasingly having more trouble being adopted into good
homes when in reality, they are loving animals under the

13. REFERENCES:
Baxter, L. (2018). Some tips on how to write an essay introduction. Available on
slideshare at: https://www.Slideshare.Net/levibaxter/some-tips-on-how-to-
write-an-essay-introduction?Qid=29afe133-dc25-4eee-9543-
191430828752&v=&b=&from_search=2 . (accessed 19 august 2020)
Calltutors. (2019). Expert tips on how to write an essay introduction. Available on
slideshare at: https://www.Slideshare.Net/calltutors/expert-tips-on-how-to-
write-an-essay-introduction?Qid=973941f3-af4e-45e3-bf7d-
852666afd123&v=&b=&from_search=11 . (accessed 19 august 2020)
John tyler writing center. (2016). Introductions. Available on slideshare at:
https://www.Slideshare.Net/johntylerwritingcent/introductions-
64625431?Qid=66b80b6e-f10f-48ed-9a4d-
7575219cde92&v=&b=&from_search=1 . (accessed 19 august 2020)

14. Ferrari. (2014). Writing introductions and conclusions: some top tips. Available on
slideshare at: https://www.Slideshare.Net/mio1drag/writing-introductions-and-
conclusions-some-top-tips?Qid=fff2e5e8-3e3d-45a4-abcb-
9ef358bcbc6d&v=&b=&from_search=22 (accessed 19 august 2020)
Rui, G.B. (2014). English language - how to write a killer introduction. Available
on slideshare at: https://www.Slideshare.Net/gohbangrui/english-language-
how-to-write-a-killer-introduction?Qid=35c0129b-f8b2-4165-ad43-
ed52dac31bea&v=&b=&from_search=34 . (accessed 19 august 2020)