The most popular advice you can find on writing an impressive introductory paragraph for your essay is using a good hook in it. There are a great number of such hooks and the success of your paper depends on choosing the right one. You have to consider the topic, the tone you use, etc. Read our article to know more tricks of making your paper stand out.
The main goal of any essay hook is to grab the attention of your audience and make those people interested in something you’re about to tell them. The introductory paragraph of your paper should be very specific in terms of letting people know what you’re going to talk about further on. That is why it’s essential for you to choose the appropriate essay hook and use it effectively.
Different Kinds of Essay Hooks
So, what should you do to attract the attention of your audience? There are several kinds of hooks you can use.
1. Shocking Statement
This is one of the best ways to make people listen to what you’re saying. Presenting the information that no one expects to hear is a powerful way of starting your essay. Shocking your audience with a stunning piece of information will make them want to hear what you have to say on the topic.
Example:
The whole world watched as the asteroid approaching our planet. There were only a couple of minutes left until that horrific event.
2. Short Story
Opening with a first-person story is always a good idea. It sets the right mood for your essay and creates an invisible bond between you and the audience.
Example:
When I was a little girl, I didn’t understand the importance of my existence. That changed when I went to school and saved my best friend’s life and got hit by a car instead of her…
3. Literary Quote
Everybody likes using quotes of famous people. It shows your instructor that you’ve done some research to find the appropriate quote to start off your essay. Try to find a quote that is not very popular or maybe even not common for the person who said it. It’ll make your paper more original and less trivial.
Example:
When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity.
– Albert Einstein
4. Humor
A funny life story or an anecdote can make your essay shine with new colors. Just make sure it’s appropriate for the topic you’re discussing to avoid some possible misunderstandings.
Example:
A woman is explaining the kind of man she wants at a dating service:
“He has to be polite, he has to have various interests, he has to know how to have a good conversation, he has to know what’s going on around the world, and he has to never interrupt me.”
“You don’t need a man, madam, you need a TV!”
5. Rhetoric Question
This can be a great attention grabber as it makes people find the answer to your question. But it has to be a question that doesn’t require a simple yes or no answer.
Example:
How should you react on the assaults of a person you don’t know?
6. Quote of a Celebrity
You may use one of the quotes of modern celebrities to make your essay more appealing to the audience. Especially, if your essay topic is focused on the contemporary reality we live in.
Example:
The will must be stronger than the skill.
– Muhammed Ali, boxer
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