Writing Strong Opening Paragraphs

Writing Strong Opening Paragraphs in AP Language & Comp

THIS READER’S OBSERVATIONS:

1. There is no one right way to write an opening paragraph.
2. The opening paragraph is extremely important as a first impression and for the way it affects a reader’s attitude toward the paper. A paper can “recover” from a weak opening, but it’s an extra burden to undo the reader’s “first take” of the paper as lower half, immature, or dull.
3. The majority of students write “empty” openings, meaning that the content of the paragraph is shaped from what already exists in the prompt and is therefore “empty” of the writer’s critical thinking.
4. Opening paragraphs can be any length , but the high scoring papers often have three to four sentences (or even longer) whereas low scoring papers often have one or two.
5. The student writer is best served when the reader has an impression of the paper as demonstrating “a mind at work” and “a competent, mature writer in control.”

WHAT DOES NOT WORK WELL:

1. Rearranging or parroting the prompt but not adding anything from your own thinking (this is the “empty” opening discussed above).
2. Wording that is formulaic, signaling a generic, “five-paragraph” essay will follow. These openings are weak because the writer sounds as though he or she is on “autopilot” rather than truly engaged with the text.
3. Beginning with a broad sweeping statement (i.e. “There have always been wars”), a cliche (“A picture is worth a thousand words), or a truism (i.e. “Everyone wants to be loved”). In general, if you can say “Like, duh!” after the statement, it falls into one of these categories.
4. Listing the devices an author uses but saying nothing more about them (i.e. “The author uses diction, imagery, and point of view to express her ideas.”)

WHAT DOES WORK WELL:

1. Weaving the key words of the prompt into the opening paragraph (and the whole essay for that matter!) to show the reader you know that AP stands...for what? Answer the Prompt!
2. Making a “grabber” opening sentence that gives insight into the over-arching idea of the piece or conveys an essential truth form it.
3. Writing a “bullet thesis” that directly addresses the prompt and is the thesis for the paper.
4. Weaving in a short, “essential quote” that captures the “spirit” of the piece and signals a direction for the student’s paper.
5. Writing an opening sentence that sets a context for the paper, often by describing what the writer is doing in a way that goes beyond the prompt—the statement comes from the critical thinking the student has done while reading the piece. This method shares an insight.