The five-paragraph essay has three basic parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction is the first paragraph of the essay, and it serves several purposes. This paragraph gets your reader's attention, develops the basic ideas of what you will cover, and provides the thesis statement for the essay. As the graphic organizer diagram suggests, a five-paragraph essay has an introductory paragraph. It is always recommended that the introductory paragraph should also include the thesis statement, a kind of mini-outline for the paper: it tells the reader what the essay is about. The last sentence of this paragraph must also contain a transitional "hook," which moves the reader to the first paragraph of the body of the paper. The first paragraph of the body should contain the strongest argument, most significant example, cleverest illustration, or an obvious beginning point. The first sentence of this paragraph should include the "reverse hook," which ties in with the transitional hook at the end of the introductory paragraph. The second paragraph of the body should contain the second strongest argument, second most significant example, second cleverest illustration, or an obvious follow-up to the first paragraph. The third paragraph of the body should contain the weakest argument, weakest example, weakest illustration, or an obvious follow-up to the second paragraph in the body. Finally, the conclusion is where you are concluding your entire essay.
