Introductions:

Introductions catch the reader's interests; suggests the main idea or states it directly

Include Startling or Interesting Facts: It caught us all by surprise. We hadn't noticed it until John brought us tea as we sat in the kitchen. Mary whispered something to me and nodded in John's direction. I was shocked when I realized that John had two heads, and the second head was angiy that we were there.

Provide Detailed, Vivid Description: It is two meters tall and has giant, lifeless eyes that resemble black mirrors. Its arms are thick and hairy, and its fangs are as sharp as ice picks. It is a monster, and it lives under your bed.

Ask a Question: What do you get when you take two cups of melted chocolate, a half-kilo of strawberries, and some powdered sugar? I call it a recipe for paradise.

Anecdote: I remember that day when I got in my first fight. The class bully always wanted money from me, and one day I told him he couldn’t have it. He shoved me outside the classroom so I clocked him in the jaw — a good right hand swing that knocked him down and made all the children laugh at him. I felt like a winner for the first time in my life. Of course, after school, while I was walking home', the bully and his five friends caught up with me and beat me up and took all my money anyway.

Begin with a Quotation: “Billy”, Bob Dylan once sang, “they don’t like you to be so free”. Sometimes I feel the same way — there's always someone telling me what to do, where to go. And what time to sleep. I guess I shouldn 't have stolen all that money from the bank, got caught, and gone to jail.

Address the Reader Directly: Imagine that you're flying above the Earth, watching all the little people and cars going about their daily business. Fun, isn't it? Well, it's now a possibility, thanks to a new technology that allows you to fly by means of a rocket attached to your back.

Take a Stand: We can argue about this all day, but I firmly believe that dogs are better than cats. Dogs are friendlier, obedient, and they like to play — while cats only think of themselves. Cats are selfish, and dogs are selfless. A dog would risk its life to save its master, and if it only could it would do the dishes, vacuum, wash the clothes, and tell you what happened in the latest episode of Clone.

Questions for individual work

1. What components are involved in mechanics?

2. What is a paragraph, and what information is found in a paragraph?

3. What is an anecdote?

4. When supporting a topic sentence, what is a specific instance that explains an idea?

5. What are the three components of a definition? Give an example of a definition.

6. What is the difference between connotations and denotations?

7. What is the difference between literal language and figurative language?

8. What are two aspects of figurative language commonly used in writing?

9. Prewriting is the first stage of the writing process. What does the writer do during the prewriting stage?

10. What does the writer do during the drafting process?

11. What are three different forms a writer can choose during the prewriting process?

12. What are three components of narration?

13. Why is dialogue helpful and interesting for the reader?

14. Why is a good introduction important for a writer?

15. What are two ways a writer can elaborate on a topic? Give an example of each strategy.

16. What is an analogy, and why do writers use them?

17. What are some characteristics of a myth?

18. What is a hypothesis, and when does the writer use them?

19. How can a writer test his or her hypotheses?

20. When do writers synthesize information?

21. What are two strategies a writer can use to develop a Problem/Solution paper?

22. When do writers use persuasion as a strategy?

23. Why are pronouns like you or we in persuasive writing particularly effective?

24. What is one way a writer can be interested in his or her own research report?

25. Why is it important to list everything you know about your research report topic before you begin writing?

26. What are four components of an effective research report?

27. Why does a writer develop a statement of controlling purpose?

28. What are three possible variants of statements of controlling purpose?

29. What information is usually contained in the introduction?

30. Give four strategies to writing an effective introduction, and provide examples for each of the strategies.