How to Write an Introduction and Conclusion

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

The Big Picture: Your Essay as a Shape

Before diving into sentences, look at how your essay is built.

There are two helpful ways to think about structure.

The Hourglass Essay

• Starts broad.
• Moves into specific ideas.
• Ends broad again.

The Circle Essay

• Starts with an idea.
• Develops it.
• Returns to that idea in a meaningful way.

Both structures help your writing feel complete and connected.

Part 1: How to Hook Your Reader

A hook is your opening sentence. Its job is simple:

Make the reader want to keep going.

If your hook is boring, your reader may stop reading before you even get to your point.

Types of Hooks That Actually Work

1. Ask an Intriguing Question. Not just any question—one that makes the reader curious.

Weak: Do you want to learn about teamwork?

Strong: What would happen if no one on a team worked together?

The second one makes the reader think.

2. Share a Surprising Fact or Statistic: Numbers and unexpected facts grab attention.

Example: More than half of people say they communicate more online than in person.

This makes the reader pause and think.

3. Start with Action or Dialogue: Drop the reader right into a moment.

Weak: I had a strange experience.

Strong: “Run!” someone shouted as I sprinted down the street, trying to escape the chaos behind me.

This feels immediate and interesting.

4. Paint a Vivid Scene: Use description to pull the reader in.

Example: The room was silent except for the ticking clock as everyone waited for the results.

This creates a clear image.

Part 2: Build the Rest of Your Introduction

A strong introduction does more than hook the reader. It also prepares them.

After your hook, you should:

1. Give a little background or context.

2. Lead into your main idea.

3. End with your claim (thesis statement).

Example structure:

Hook ? Background ? Claim

Example:

Hook: What would happen if no one worked together on a team?

Background: In many stories, characters face challenges that are too big to solve alone.

Claim: These situations show that teamwork is necessary for success.

Now the reader knows what to expect.

Part 3: How to Write a Strong Conclusion

Your conclusion is your final impression.

It should:

• Remind the reader of your main idea.
• Wrap up your points.
• Leave the reader thinking.

But it should NOT:

• Repeat your introduction word-for-word.
• Add brand-new ideas.

Two Powerful Ways to End Your Essay

1. The Hourglass Ending (Zoom Out): You started broad, got specific, and now zoom out again.

Example: Teamwork doesn’t just help characters succeed—it’s a skill people use every day to solve real problems.

This connects your idea to a bigger picture.

2. The Circle Ending (Come Full Circle): Return to your hook in a meaningful way.

If your hook was a question, the conclusion: Without teamwork, that question becomes much harder to answer.

If your hook was a scene, the conclusion: In the end, moments like that show why working together matters.

This makes your essay feel complete.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these:

Starting too basic: “My essay is about…” doesn’t grab attention.

Ending too suddenly: If your essay just stops, it feels unfinished.

Repeating instead of wrapping up: Your conclusion should feel fresh, not copied.

From First Sentence to Final Thought

A strong essay:

• Starts with a hook that pulls the reader in.
• Builds toward a clear claim.
• Ends in a way that connects everything together.

When your beginning and ending work together, your writing feels complete, polished, and worth reading.

You now know how to grab attention at the start and leave a lasting impression at the end.

Next, it’s time to try different hooks and conclusions to see which ones truly keep a reader engaged.