1. Introduction: 1) Grab the reader’s attention with a hook. 2) Introduce what the essay is going to be about and what the reader can expect to see. 3) Create a claim or reason that will connect smoothly to your first body paragraph – that is why it is sometimes easier to write the introduction last. Conclusion: Make sure to restate your main points shown in the essay. These should not be repeated exactly. They should, instead, present the information in a new way. Finish your paragraph with a sentence that makes the information apply to the reader in some way. For example: The comparison of ostriches to penguins shows that even with extremely different environments they can share valuable attributes that make their connections to one another global. 5 paragraph essay guide Use these tips for each body paragraph: Open with a topic sentence – What is your paragraph going to be about? Make your examples more specific as you go through the paragraph. They all need to STAY ON TOPIC Finish your paragraph with a concluding sentence. This will make your paragraph act like a unit of information. Use transitions to begin your next paragraph like: Unlike the ostrich, the penguin feeds on fish. Or As shown earlier, the penguin and the ostrich are both key hunters in their environments.