introduction paragraph for a english essay ( 200 words minimum)

Below are different examples from real students and one from me. Notice how each draws readers in with a personal narrative and then connects it to the larger issue. And of course, each includes their thesis statement, which I have underlined for you.

EXAMPLE 1:

When my depression and anxiety brought me to an all time low to the point of being suicidal, I sought help from my supposed counselor in high school. The only resource I received was a single visit to the school psychologist (who was later removed for having relations with an under aged student) and an unnecessary call to my father to make my home life even more miserable. I was quickly tossed aside as just another emotional teenage girl, having nothing to help me with the problems I actually needed help with. Everyday people struggle with mental illness. Unfortunately, many become overwhelmed and lose control of their daily life. This struggle is often connected to adolescence, where considerable pressures and status changes act as a catalyst to worsen symptoms of mental illnesses. Society is well aware of the dramatic existence of the modern teenager, yet little is done to aid or care for these individuals. We all want our youth to be as successful as possible. However, how can this be plausible if a major aspect of health is completely ignored? Youth mental illness is too often misunderstood as simply a phase of development. Or possibly worse, a defect that can't be helped and should be avoided. This misunderstanding is shared among teens, their families and the school systems. Changes must be made to increase understanding of symptoms and to make more available better care for youth with mental illness.

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EXAMPLE 2:

On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 children and 6 teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School. When I saw the breaking news on television that morning, I instantly thought of my seven month-old son, who was at his preschool. That afternoon when I went to pick him up, he was innocently playing with a stuffed animal moose. I thought of the children at Sandy Hook, who were probably doing something equally as innocent when the shooting started. And I thought of all the parents who rushed to the school, unsure if they’d find their children unharmed, injured, or worse. The parents and families of students and teachers at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, Chardon High School, and over 150 other schools where shootings have occurred in the last fifteen years should not have had to feel that uncertainty. I have two sons now, and they will be in schools until at least the year 2035. I cannot fathom fearing for their safety for that long. To prevent future school shootings, we must increase and refine the use of background checks for people who want to purchase guns and/or ammunition. 

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EXAMPLE 3:

I remember sitting on my couch and listening to Christine Cane, an activist against human trafficking, emotionally speaking of her personal experience of being a victim of sexual child abuse. She has experienced what no human should and has come out of her bondage with a fire and passion to prevent people all over the world from falling into the terrible world of being molested, raped, abused, and taken advantage of through our modern day holocaust, human trafficking. Cane’s message struck me at my very core. Her outspoken message has deeply impacted me and opened my eyes to this very real problem. I started to wonder how our nation could become more aware of and more involved in this fight against human trafficking. I had no idea how real and quickly spreading this global epidemic has become.  As I heard her tell hundreds of real life stories of men, women, and children being rescued and rehabilitated through the efforts of caring supporters, I knew I had to take a stand among them as well. Americans need to be more aware of what is happening to millions of mislead people.

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EXAMPLE 4:

Fifteen years ago, at the age of 19, my sister was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. This disease causes multiple cysts to grow over the kidneys, which results in swelling and eventual failure. This devastating news forced her to change her entire lifestyle, but even with that change, it still won’t be enough. She is now faced with two options: hope for a miracle while waiting on a transplant list or buying a kidney that is needed within the next ten years if she wants to survive. There is only one issue: there is currently 88,000 others on the kidney transplant list, waiting for the same organ (Donate Life). At any given time, she could receive a kidney before her disease worsens and her lifespan continually shortens while waiting until she absolutely needs one. Many people are not willing to just donate a kidney to someone who doesn’t necessarily “need” it right this very moment. However, there is a way to reduce this ever-growing list, and that is purchasing an organ from someone who would likely sell their kidney because they would be compensated for it. Unfortunately for thousands of desperate Americans, the ability to sell organs is currently illegal within the confines of the United States. Through the ability to sell organs, my sister could put an end to this life threatening disease. The legalization of selling organs should be put into effect within the United States.

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Now think about your own experiences and observations. Freewrite about the ways in which those experiences / observations might help you develop a similar context for writing. Consider telling a short story that shows why you are interested (without using phrases like "I am interested because" or "I care because").

Then, carefully compose your introduction. You should not have any research in your introduction (as you don't want to set the tone for your essay with someone else's voice), and of course, you should have a clear thesis statement included.