Most English language learners struggle with writing, and it often goes beyond being unsure about grammar and vocabulary. More importantly, they might be unfamiliar with the structure of a paragraph or an essay. How to Write a Paragraph includes a sample paragraph and tips that will give your students some guidance. But what about actually starting that paragraph or essay? Sometimes getting started is the hardest part! Below are two common techniques that students can easily use to pull readers into their writing and get their pens moving (or their fingers typing).

Start it with a question…

This is a great technique to grab readers’ interest. Have students come up with a question that’s related to their topic. A question like this helps students think about what they want to answer/address in their paragraph/essay, and lets readers know what to expect from the writing.

Common ways to start such a question are: (more…)