WRITING GOOD INTRODUCTIONS

Your introduction must be something that grabs the attention of the reader and
draws him/her to read on. Here are some ways to start an essay.

METHODS EXAMPLES

Using startling facts Say No To Cigarettes

Statistics show that a startling 39%
of the Malaysian population smoke.
Of this number, about one third are
youths below the age of 21. If these
numbers are anything to go by, then
smoking is a serious problem that
needs to be nipped in the bud.

Using dialogue A person I admire

“Don’t forget to get the car
checked.” Those were the last words
I ever heard from dad. I was only
eighteen then, with a week-old
driving licence and eager to paint the
town red with my new volks.
Using an anecdote Cyber Cafes
It started out quite innocently. Tan went
to the cyber café one day to do some
research for his school project. Once
there, he was introduced to the world of
online games and chatting. Thus began
his addiction to the place. His one-hour-
per-day routine gradually grew to a few
hours. This is not an isolated case. Many
school children in Malaysia are drawn to
cyber cafes and are willing to skip school
to feed their urge for a few hours of
games and fun.

We Are What We Eat

Using questions Do you realise that three out of every ten
people on earth are obese? Obesity today is
considered one of the major health problems
in the country. Unless we control what we eat,
soon, the number of obese people in the
country will increase to an even more alarming
figure.
Using a definition Recycling
Recycling is a process whereby waste
products such as glass, paper and
plastics are broken down and made
into new products. In our country,
recycling is not a new thing.
However, a lot still has to be done to
make it a common practice in every
household.

Using a quotation My Mother

They say behind every great
man is a woman, and so it is
with my family. While my father
slogged away the hours at his
office, Mum stayed at home,
holding the fort, and practically
raised us single-handedly.
Using a general statement Examination Blues
In recent years, there has been
a worrying trend of teenage
suicide. Although it happens
more in countries like Japan
and China, the problem exists
in our country. One of the
reasons for this is
examinations.
WRITING GOOD PARAGRAPHS
A good paragraph is built around a main idea written in the form
of a general statement or topic sentence and supported by one
or two supporting details.
 You can support your main idea by giving further details or
information, or by providing examples.
TOPIC SENTENCE
Example: Accidents on the road occur mainly because of the
carelessness of drivers. Many of us are not fully focused when
driving. If we lose concentration, even for a split second, we
might lose control of our vehicle, and can cause an accident. For
example, a call on our mobile phone, or children at the back of
the car who are disruptive, can cause us to lose concentration
when we are driving.
Example Supporting details
 It is not enough to be able to write supporting details for the topic sentence. To
help readers follow your line of thought, the sentences in your paragraph must be
connected so that your paragraph will stand as one unit. In other words, your ideas
must be unified and coherent. Therefore, you need to use different connectors .

Types of connectors Examples

To show addition Also; as well as; besides;

furthermore; moreover; in
addition; in the same way
To give example For example; for instance; such
as; for one thing; in this way;
by doing so
To show result/ conclusion As a result; therefore,
consequently; so; in
conclusion; thus
To show contrast In spite of this; but; on the
other hand; yet; on the
contrary
To show sequence First, second, third… next; then;
after this; before that
 WRITING GOOD CONCLUSIONS
The ending of your essay is as important as the beginning. Therefore, you
should spend some time coming up with a good conclusion. Here are some
ways to conclude:

Methods Examples
Summarise your main points Topic: Road accidents
Therefore, we can see that
accidents are caused not only
by faulty cars, but also by poor
conditions as well as careless
drivers. Something must be
done to reduce the number of
accidents on the road.
Call for action Topic: Road Accidents
The number of fatalities on the road will
increase every year because of the
increase in vehicles on the road.
Therefore, the government must come
up with some measures to prevent this
from happening.

Express your hopes Topic: The plight of the Tiger

However, all is not lost. If we all work
together, putting aside our differences,
then one day, we may hope that the tigers
of the wild will be free to roam the jungles
again

End with a moral value Topic: The plight of the Tiger

Much can be learnt from this. For one,
prevention is better than cure. If we work
together to protect the natural habitats of
tigers, they will once again rightfully be
the king of the jungle.