This is among my most popular articles and with good reason.

A strong opening paragraph for your essay is crucial.

It’s your first impression on your professor , and the impression you make will be carried over into their final grade.

If you’re looking to get an A for your essay, you must write a solid introduction.

The process of writing an essay introduction is often the most difficult task. This is the reason this article exists.

 Are you stuck on what to write in the beginning of your academic essay in an upcoming college class? 

This list will assist you to create the opening paragraph for an essay in a shorter time and with more professionalism which normally requires years of essay writing to learn!

I’ve listed the popular styles, as well as more innovative ways to write an engaging essay hook.

Bookmark this page to come to it any time you’re writing an assignment for class to gain an idea for your introduction!

Every opening sentence of essays introduces the subject.

The introduction to your essay differs from the thesis (if you’re seeking ways to make a sophisticated argument for an essay this post is to help you).

Some essays are crafted with innovative hooks, whereas others go straight to the issue. It’s a style choice that is in line with the subject you’re examining.

For writing on climate change for instance, you might want to select an opening that emphasizes the severity of the issue.

In the event that you’re writing about the nutritional needs of children and the effect of commercials, you could decide to start with a catchy data point.

In the case of writing an essay for a clinical psychology course, it is possible not to write an introduction, but instead lead-in by providing a brief introduction to your subject.

As a college instructor, I appreciate essays that begin with hooks that grab my attention.

How do you create an effective essay hook? And why should you create one?

Your introduction to your essay is designed to present your subject and get your reader to be interested in your essay.

That means you have to define the significancein the topic you’re writing about.

One of the most common mistakes I have seen in student writing is when students don’t clearly explain why their essay’s subject is important.

Hooks let you convey the significance of the topic without needing to explain in detail the significance of your topic.

When you look the list, take note of how the authors present the subject in order to draw curiosity about the subject.

Introduce your subject

The most commonly used method to begin your essay.

Simply describe your topic and explain why it’s important.

If you wish, you may also include some of the essay’s sub-points or the examples you’ll use.

This is an introduction to your essay’s topic it’s not the same as a thesis declaration and there’s no reason to be too adamant about your argument.

The main subject the essay will address as well as (optional) your essay’s main topic..

“Reading is always a complicated and a comparative process.” — Edward W. Said

“Teaching is more than other professions is transformed over the past century from a tiny, highly skilled field that served minorities of the populace, to a vast and significant part in the public sector.” — Bertrand Russell

“Aristotelian courage is comprised of two distinct emotions, the fear of and confidence.” — David Pears

“In White Teeth,Zadie Smith presents the difficulties facing us in our postmodern world in which her characters continually clash with one another in search of the truth and meaning.” — Tracey Lorraine Walters

“Issues related to the land and rights to land of tribes that are dispossessed in India are now the subject of environmental, social and political issues of the present.” — R. Sreelatha

“Lesbian scholarship has not been of much impact on psychoanalysis.” — Teresa de Laurentis

Start your essay by introducing an example

Quotes can be a great method to begin because they relieve some of the stress off an author.

Let someone else take on the difficult task of grabbing your reader’s interest!

Quotes can be a story-telling element which can give your essay an intriguing, imaginative opening.

Be sure that the quote you choose to use is appropriate to your subject and the argument.

“‘Our issue is we don’t know our historical roots! This is frequently spoken in the community of blacks.” John McWhorter. John McWhorter

“‘Doctor, do you believe that the cleaning of teeth with dental instruments cause damage to the teeth”‘Doctor, does not the cleaning of the teeth cause harm to them? …Questions like those are often asked of by dentists who are in practice.” — Victor Charles Bell

Create to create a mystery

The human brain is hungry to satisfy its curiosity.

If you compose an opening line that contains the question of a mystery which needs for a solution, the reader is likely to want to end the loop of curiosity.

This is a little more sophisticated way to begin your essay. However, you can take advice from these writers to help you figure out how to add some intrigue to your essay.

“In an analysis of American concepts, the thematic concept of “tragic mulatto/a” is seen to fade away by the end of nineteenth century.” — Hortense J. Spillers

“We are currently in the middle of our planet’s sixth major extinction, at a time where we are witnessing the direct consequences of the dramatic global climate change by more frequent and more violent storms, more hot and dry seasons, accompanied by more destructive wildfires, snow in places where there was never snow and less snow in areas in areas where permafrost was an everyday thing.” Camille T. Dungy Camille T. Dungy

“In the period of the 1950s’ transformation of femininity and the role of the madwoman assumed an unimaginable new form as a part of American pop culture. It was the feminine multi personality.” — Marta Caminero Santangelo

Tell an interesting story

Even beginners can add some elegance to their essay by treating the opening paragraph as an actual story.

I encourage my students to make it appear like they’re film directors putting on the scene. What are the elements your viewers require to be able to observe to grasp what’s about to unfold?

Try playing with various elements such as time, place characters, conflict, and image or keyword that is frequently used, or strange objects that could all make up an “opening scenes.”

“Colorado’s Mountains can prove treacherous in winter. In December of 1961, a bus collided on a icy road in darkness.” — Carole McGranahan

Start your essay with “I”

In high school , I used to be told not to include “I” on my writing assignments as if they were written by a formless being. My professors in college were more open to suggestions.

In some instances we were even urged to include”I” as an “I” within our writing in order to assert our ownership of our experiences and ideas.

This indicates a shift away from the novice essayist.

I think you’re accountable for your writing and eliminating the “I” from your writing isn’t the best way to build compelling arguments and it doesn’t improve the quality of your research.

Most published authors self-promote themselves in essays, and I suggest you use it use this when you feel it is appropriate!

Some classes and writing types are still against you participating in these types of classes. If you are unsure, ask your instructor, if you think it’s appropriate!

“I’m going to begin this discussion about styles and influences by referring to early influences because of a couple of factors.” Lydia Davis Lydia Davis

“My name is an acrostic bilingual for the author’s name.” — Douglas Hofstadter (an essay on the language)

“I have not yet met or even heard of an American writer who didn’t enjoy  the work of The Great Gatsby.” George Garrett. George Garrett

“In this essay , I analyze the place of the rural population in the political economy of post-independence countries of Africa.” — Robert Bates

Begin your essay with an inquiry

Questions make great essay introductions as they force readers to consider the topic you chose to write about.

Involving your audience is the aim of your first paragraph If they’re not already engaged from the start, the rest of the essay, regardless of how good it is written, will seem boring.

Making time to write your introduction is wise, and starting with a question will assist you in grabbing the attention of your readers.

They’ll want to see how you respond to the questions (close the loop of curiosity) and will be inclined to continue reading with curiosity.

“Is there a violent protest music that is popular today in the United States today that leads to social militants?” – Cameron White and Trenia Walker

“The big picture issue that this paper is just a tiny step towards the answer is: “How important is income in helping to preserve the biodiversity of our planet?” – David Martin

Authority stamp

Are you worried about creating a compelling opening to your essay?

Let someone who is more knowledgeable than you talk to!

Invoking an authority figure to start your essay is the perfect method of establishing your subject and relieves the stress of having to appear “smart.”

 This is a common and simple method of writing the introduction for your essay particularly for philosophy classes, science and psychology. 

“According the work of Emile Brehier who was the famous philosopher and philosopher of the past the main challenge faced by French thinkers in the beginning of the 20th century was to redefine the role of man within what he refers to as the “circuit of the real.'” – Edward W. Said

“Psychologists discuss the effects of movement to Rorschach Inkblot Cards.” — Rudolf Arnheim

Short Initial Statement

The introduction of your essay topic using the ability to make a brief, powerful assertion can be very effective.

This is a more imaginative essay that will require some skills.

Sometimes, the shorter sentences are the most difficult to write!

“No person has ever felt more passionately about pencils made of lead.” — Virginia Wolf

“A simple line can be naked.” Robert Hass. Robert Hass

“Lists can be oppressive.” — Sasha Su-Ling Welland

Start your essay by introducing an “contrary with” (or “fill your gap” sentence

Similar to introducing your topic in the first sentence of an essay creating the impression that you are attempting to disprove an established belief is a popular way to start your essay.

It helps you establish your self against critics, and can give credibility to your argument if you use it correctly.

There are a myriad of examples of this setup in essays online. Do some study and find out the way that authors employ contrast as well as filling in the gaps methods to write compelling essay openings.

You can then try this method on your next article!

“Sherman Alexie’s”The Indian Killer(1996) is called a detective story as well as a suspense thriller. However, these descriptions are not enough.” — Jan Roush

“While many efforts have been put in attempting to establish the date of the Edda poems in their vocabulary and language as well as there are a lot of arguments about their date of birth and the place of origin, much less attention has been paid to their subject matter as well as the particular ways of presenting them.” — H.R. Ellis Davidson