Introductions and conclusions are the parts of an essay students think they know how to write. They have been told to start with a hook and end by restating the thesis. Following that advice too literally produces the same tired paragraphs year after year.

Grendel essays have their own typical problems. Students open with sweeping claims about monsters throughout history or the meaning of good and evil. They close by saying that the novel teaches us something about being human.

Those sentences are not wrong, but they are empty. They could be attached to almost any book. Feedback should push students to write openings and endings that belong to this particular novel.

A good introduction sets up the question the essay will answer. A good conclusion shows what the argument adds up to. Both should feel specific to Gardner's book.

Diagnosing weak introductions

The first thing to check is whether the reader learns anything about Grendel before the thesis arrives. If the opening could be swapped into an essay about another monster story, it needs work. A concrete detail from the novel is often the fix.

• Replace a broad historical claim with a specific moment from the novel
• State the question the essay explores before stating the answer
• Cut sentences that restate the prompt without adding anything
• Make sure the thesis appears where the reader expects it
• Keep the introduction proportional to the rest of the essay

Diagnosing weak conclusions

Conclusions often repeat the introduction in slightly different words. A stronger ending moves forward by showing why the argument matters or what it reveals about the novel as a whole. It should leave the reader with something more than they started with.

A useful comment is to ask so what. If the student cannot answer, the conclusion is only summary. GraideMind can flag conclusions that mainly repeat earlier language, giving you a quick starting point for that comment.

Teaching students to write both last

One helpful trick is to draft the body first, then write the introduction and conclusion. By then the writer knows what the essay actually argues. Introductions written first often promise something the body never delivers.

Ask students to compare their original opening with a revised one after the draft is finished. The differences are usually obvious and instructive. Students see for themselves how much clearer the argument becomes.

Using models without creating copies

Show a few examples of strong openings and endings from previous students, with names removed. Discuss what makes each one work. Then ask students to write their own without copying the structure.

Vary the examples so students see multiple approaches, such as opening with a scene or with a question. The aim is flexibility, not a formula. When students recognize there are several good options, their writing tends to become more natural.