How to Write an Introduction

IELTS Writing Task 2

AN INTRODUCTION
Hook

Building
Sentence

Thesis
Statement

AN INTRODUCTION
Hook

Transition

Thesis
Statement

HOOK
An opening to capture your readers attention.

Different Types of Hooks

Different Types of Hooks (for printing)

Practice 1

Identifying the Types of Hooks

Practice 2
1.

2.

3.

Identifying the Types of Hooks

Practice 2
4.

5.

Identifying the Types of Hooks

Practice 3

Identifying the Types of Hooks

AN INTRODUCTION
Hook

Building
Sentence

Thesis
Statement

BUILDING SENTENCE
Link he hook to the thesis statement.

Practice 4

What are Building Sentences

What are Building Sentences?

1. General information (familiar or new)
2. Specific information (familiar or new)
3. Information is arranged chronologically (from
older information to newer information)

Examples of Building Sentences

1. explain the history of the topic
2. provide some statistics on the topic
3. mention the current situation regarding the
topic
4. mention attitudes or opinions towards the
topic

Example 1:

Building Sentences

Example 2:

Building Sentences

Practice 5

Building Sentences

Practice 5

Building Sentences

AN INTRODUCTION
Hook

Building
Sentence

Thesis
Statement

THESIS STATEMENT
Provides the main points of the essay.
The points are listed accordingly to the
sequence in which they will be discuss in
EACH paragraph.
Thesis statement is at the END of the FIRST
paragraph.

Common Mistakes in Writing a Thesis

Statement
1. I personally approve of the latter belief since
there are a lot of crimes in which the criminal
is not really guilty.
2. I disagree with the statement of .
3. I strongly agree with ..

Common Mistakes in Writing a Thesis

Statement
1. I personally approve of the latter belief since
there are a lot of crimes in which the criminal
is not really guilty.
2. I disagree with the statement of .
3. I strongly agree with ..

What is a thesis statement like?

(This is a thesis statement)

(This is a thesis statement)

What is in a thesis statement

1. Topic of the essay
2. The writers position agree / disagree (but
never include the words agree or
disagree)
3. 2-3 main ideas that support the writers
position
(these ideas will appear in EACH paragraph as
topic sentence)

Example of a Thesis Statement

Solar power is improving people's lives in developing countries
by providing efficient light safely, linking them to the global
mobile community, and increasing their independence.
This thesis statement shows that:
"solar power" is the topic of the essay.
the writer's position on this topic is that it is "improving people's lives in
developing countries."
the 3 main ideas that support the writer's position are
a) it is "providing efficient light safely,"
b) it is "linking them to the global mobile community," and
c) it is "increasing their independence."

Each main idea will be explained in detail in a separate body paragraph: a)

in the first body paragraph, b) in the second, and c) in the third.

What is in a thesis statement

1. Topic of the essay
2. The writers position agree / disagree (but
never include the words agree or
disagree)
3. 2-3 main ideas that support the writers
position
(these ideas will appear in EACH paragraph as
topic sentence)

Now, read the following thesis statements

Underline these:
the topic of the essay,
the writers position, and
the three main ideas
Decide if each of these thesis statement has
these parts () or ().

Now, write your thesis statements with the

given helping words.

Practice 1
What can your country do to prepare for an aging
population?

HK: Would you care for your parents in their frail old
age?
BS: As humans, each of us goes through the process
of birth, aging, sickness and death. An individual
has to be prepared. The family must make
preparations, so must a nation.

TS: adequate facilities, professionals to house and

nurse the aged, shifts in attitudes and mindsets
towards old age

Model Answer
Other than ensuring adequate facilities and
professionals to house and nurse the aged
there should also be shifts in attitudes and
mindsets towards old age..

Practice 2
What can you do to conserve the environment?

HK: The local white sandy beach used to be an idyllic

picture of swaying coconut trees, dotted with colourful
umbrellas and sun bathing tourists. Not anymore. In their
place lay fishes of all kinds - trouts, groupers, eels, sting
rays, sharks - all dead, rotting, and infested with flies and
maggots?
BS: The putrid stench hung densely in the air and
remained nauseating even half a mile away. It was yet
another disaster caused by unscrupulous industrialists
who treated the environment with scant respect.
TS: conserve the environment / reducing. reusing and
recycling materials / promoting environmental awareness
among our peers

Model Answer
The fact is. we can all play a part to conserve
the environment by reducing. reusing and
recycling materials. and by promoting
environmental awareness among our peers.

Practice 3
Youth is not a matter of age. Do you agree?

HK: Bounding in a pair of track shoes, a sixty-

something lady with a slightly rotund figure clad in

a pale coloured "cheong sam", has her silver hair
combed back and bundled into a neat chignon.
BS: We call her "Auntie Chang". Looking at you with
her big, round expressive eyes, she gesticulates
generously when speaking in her high pitched
voice. Never have I seen her in a sullen or unhappy
mood - she is always zesty, upbeat and energetic.

TS: a matter of one's outlook on life (add your

own topic and position)

Model Answer
She taught me that youth is not a matter of
age but a matter of one's outlook on life.

Practice 4
Should the government interfere in matters of
marriage and childbirth?
HK: To sustain Singapore's economy, we require 50, 000
live births per year. However, for many years, the number
of live births has been fewer than 40 000, among the
lowest in the world. The continuous drop in the number of
child births has a huge impact.
BS: Hence, matters of marriage and childbirth are not just
private romantic affairs with which the government should
not interfere.

TS: to promote marriages and procreation (add your own

topic and position)

Model Answer
On the contrary, these are important national
issues that concern the very survival of the
country. Therefore, the government should
take an active role to promote, albeit
(=although) sensitively, marriages and
procreation.

Practice 5
Write HK, BS and TS. (40 words)

Internet love scams are increasing in many

countries. It is a risk for women to look for love
online. Do you agree?

(do your research before you start writing

the thesis statement )