How to Write an English Essay Introduction
The introduction is always the lead of the essay; it points out the direction of the article to the reader and also gives a hint on the subject or topic of discussion. For you to easily learn how to write an English essay introduction, keep reading!
The following guidelines will help you know how to write an English essay introduction if you are having difficulties.
Writing an English essay introduction requires one to be very keen on how the facts are presented to ensure that it plays its role in the article. However, this does not mean that you have to be a great writer in order to deliver a good essay intro. Writing is a process and you can easily learn how to write an English essay introduction and many more through practice.
However, there are quite a number of things that you should always take note of when crafting the essay introduction for an English paper. In this section, we shall highlight the key points that will come in handy whenever you want to learn how to write an English essay introduction.
First, you should know the importance of a good essay introduction. An essay with a well crafted introduction will:
- Establish that you are going to answer the question at hand or conduct the task to completion
- Determine whether you understand the issues of the essay and their implications
- Show the structure of the points to be discussed in the essay, giving clarity on the key areas that you are going to cover in the article.
- Reveal evidence that you have conducted some research through the reference to one of your sources.
In writing an introduction, you need to have the desire to make your tutor nod as he begins to read through. The introduction should make every reader who grabs a copy of the essay to want to read on. The essay intro plays an integral part when it comes to decision making on whether to continue reading or drop the article.
Based on the above facts, there is no doubt that you should always make your introduction to be as spicy as you can. This is because it is the only way that you are able to convince people to read your work. If the introduction is vague, it is always absolute that people will not read your essay. In case you get a few people to read it, they will not have much to say about it. This will mean poor reception or even none at all of the ideas presented in the essay.
More tips on how to write an English essay introduction
In order for you to write an outstanding English essay introduction, it is important that you known the dos and donts. These are mainly the things that you should do and those to avoid in the process of writing.
The following are some of the tips that can help you on how to write an English essay introduction
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Generate a hook to pull your reader
Using catchy or punchy words at the beginning of your essay will instantly grab the attention of the reader. It will make it impossible for readers to put down the paper before its conclusion. The intro should give the reader a feeling of fascination, intrigue or even outrage to ignite further action, thereby reading the rest of the essay.
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Think of an interesting fact or statistic to attract attention
This fact or statistic should be of something that interests your target readers and can generate surprise. Although it should be related to the subject that is discussed in the essay, be cautious not to reveal all the information at this stage. However, just give the readers a tip of the iceberg so that they get a glimpse of what is in store.
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Anecdotes make good introduction hooks
An anecdote can be simply defined as ‘a story within a story.’ It is the instance whereby you can begin discussing a particular subject or topic with a different story of an event or experience that occurred sometime ago then slowly narrow down and relate it to the essay. However, it is important to note that anecdotes are mainly recommended for less formal papers. If you decide to use an anecdote, make sure that it is humorous, relevant and capable of moving the reader.
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Consider using quotations in your introduction
A quote or two can give your introduction a unique touch that will definitely impact the attention of the readers. The importance of quotations is that they can link the essay both to a point in ancient times and to something more universal. When using a quote, ensure that you explain its relevance without just throwing it in there and hoping that it will fit.
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Try poising a question to grab your readers’ attention
Posing a question in the introduction often works well in persuasive essays. Questions are known to be provocative and therefore, can easily draw the attention of your readers and make them want to read further. When using a question as a hook, always ensure that it is relevant and well structured to agitate the reader.
- Clearly indicate the direction of your essay
In crafting the introduction to your essay, it is important that you always structure it in a way that the reader can easily know your stand on the subject or topic discussed therein. The words and expressions used should vividly outline the plan behind your essay. This will give the readers confidence that you know what you are writing about.
Mistakes to avoid when writing an English essay introduction
The process of learning how to write an English essay introduction takes time and may not be achieved in one fold. After knowing some of the avenues towards creating a good essay introduction, it is also ideal that you learn about the mistakes to avoid.
One of the things that you should be keen on when writing an essay intro is the amount of information given. Only give a small fraction of the facts about the subject or topic of the essay in the introduction.
Do not make the introduction too long. An intro should only brief the reader on what the essay is all about. It should be short but provocative enough to make the reader to want to proceed. Try to always keep the introduction short, simple and impossible to ignore.
When writing the introduction to an English essay, it is also important that you know the persona. Essays can either be written in first, second or third persons. Therefore, you have to first know the right one for your work before putting pen to paper.
Examples of English essay introduction
One of the examples that you can refer to when learning how to write an English essay introduction is: Essay on Political Factors Affecting Tesco.
The introduction to this essay goes, ‘’Tesco is arguably one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains. Therefore, it is always a point of interest when decisions are to be made concerning business activities and other industry players. It is thus, expected that there are various factors, some political that impact its activities or the way it conducts business.’’
In this essay, there is the use of an interesting fact when it is said that Tesco is arguably one of the largest chain of supermarkets in the UK.
Another example is the introduction to the essay, ‘’Special Person in My Life’’
The intro reads, ‘’The most special person in my life is my dad. Apart from his well-built body, my father is tall. He has a well kept beard and light eyes that make him look quite handsome…’’
In this introduction, the writer is quite clear on the subject or topic that he or she is going to discuss in the essay. This makes it qualify as a good introduction since it will show the reader that you clearly know and understand what you are writing about.
The argumentative essay on Course Reflection is yet another ideal example that can help you on how to write an English essay introduction. Titled, Argumentative essay sample on Scientific and Technical Information: A course Reflection, the introduction goes:
‘’I have always believed that every course that I take will positively contribute to my life and also impact my growth in various ways. This contribution can be in the form of skills that will advance my academic and career performance. Besides, it will also enhance my personal enlightenment.’’
In this introduction, the writer has tried to start the discussion from far by giving out some kind of a story or experience which is linked to the main subject of the essay. This can be described as an anecdote considering that it is also relevant to the message of the essay.
If you are having difficulties in writing an English essay we can assist you if you get in touch with us today. Visit our homepage for more information about our academic writing services. You can also continue reading more academic paper writing guidelines and sample papers on this blog.
References
http://library.bcu.ac.uk/learner/writingguides/1.22.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Essay-Introduction
http://www.essaysexperts.net/blog/page/2/
http://www.bestessayservices.com/blog/?s=english+essay