Tutor profile: Allie S.

How do you write a good introduction to an essay?

The introduction paragraph is used to tell the reader what you are going to tell them. For instance, if your prompt was, "what is the coolest superpower to have," you would want to summarize your stance on this issue. The very first sentence of the introduction should introduce the reader to the topic in a fun, interesting, or exciting way, like, "Ever since "Superman" was first printed in 1938, people have been absolutely crazy about superheroes." If you feel that you need a bit more elaboration, you add on a second sentence, referencing back to the prompt, such as, "Because superheroes have become such a huge part of our culture, many people wonder what the coolest superpower is." The thesis statement is the most important line in your whole essay, because it summarizes what it will be about. The basic format of a thesis statement involves stating what you believe, and the reasons why you believe that, like, "I believe that shape-shifting is the coolest superpower, because you can disguise yourself, you can pull pranks on friends, and you can stay relatively safe." Then, you wrap up your introduction with a transition sentence, like, "While there are many cool superpowers, I believe shape-shifting outweighs them all." And your introduction paragraph is complete!

What importance does classic literature have on students today?

While many students may struggle to find the connection between old books and their modern lives, classic literature has a prevailing impact. Classic literature tells a story that will continue to be truthful throughout time. To Kill A Mockingbird is a story that talks about issues that people will always struggle with--losing innocence, being compassionate in an unjust society, and trying to make sense of a confusing world. In this way, classics allow us to examine our own lives. When we read a story that talks about the issues we struggle with, we can understand those issues better, even if the events in the story are far removed from us. Those struggles and the answers we take away from our literature create our culture. If we do not understand the classic literature that makes up our culture, we will never understand ourselves.

What are some common English mistakes?

The mistakes we make in our second language come from trying to apply concepts from our native languages. For instance, a native Russian speaker may confuse a "scholar" and a "scientist," because in Russian, there is no distinction between those two words. However, people whose native language is French do not make the same mistake, because their language does have a distinction between those two words. Therefore, common English mistakes are not universal, but instead are influenced by your experience with other languages.