How to Start an Essay? Tips for an Engaging Start


When you start an essay with a mystery, you’re offering an interesting fact that requires further explanation. Naturally, the reader will want to find out more.


, in particular, may ask about the effect of an important event on your life. If you need to know how to start an essay about yourself, consider sharing a personal story, memory, or experience.

Think of your essay’s hook in terms of a fishing hook with a fat, juicy worm on it. Using a good hook sentence for an essay simply means dangling interesting “bait” in front of your reader to get them to bite.

How To Start An Essay Introduction Examples

That last point—capturing your audience’s attention—means you should carefully consider your choice of words as you start your essay introduction.

Starting an essay isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it isn’t overly complicated either. You can start your essay in different ways such as statistics, fun facts, anecdotes, questions, quotes, you name it. Start the first draft without thinking too much, just write down everything you planned to use in your essay and then reread, add more info, remove things that don’t contribute to the essay, and create a powerful introduction. Some people find it easier to write the introduction last, by that time they already know what to say. Say to yourself “I can without any effort”. Never hurry when and always make sure you reread everything. Each time you do that you add a little piece to a big puzzle and your essay will get a good grade.

The next key aspect of a good introduction is to outline how you intend to prove your briefly. If you have a good outline for your paper, this should be easy enough. Again, keep your sentences clear and straightforward. Leave the seven-syllable words and complex sentences to the graduate students, keep your paper as accessible and understandable as possible and you will get solid grades.

A good academic essay should have a clear and direct thesis statement, ideally within the first two or three sentences of the introduction. The simpler and more direct you can make it the better. Crafting an effective thesis statement can be challenging; however, there are resources available, such as online services which offer the ability to , to help make the process easier.


Another way to start off an essay is by using a quote.

Don’t know how to start an essay? Well, why don’t you include a brief story about a topic, a funny anecdote, whose purpose is to set the scene and the tone of your paper? Another benefit of an anecdote is that it also involves your reader and helps him/her create the scenario in their mind.

How to Write a Strong Opening Sentence [With Examples]

I love statistics and use that info whenever I can. The beginning of an essay is an ideal opportunity to include some fun, interesting fact or statistics in your work. Everybody loves to read fun facts and they also provide some background information about the topic. For some serious topics, you can start an essay with shocking statistics which will immediately grab a reader’s attention simply because it’s hard for them to believe the information could be true. So, they want to keep reading to find out more.

Sentence Starters: Ultimate List to Improve Your Essays and Writing

The first example, bad thesis, is a sentence that others can’t dispute. That is your opinion and no one can say “no, you don’t really think that”. Plus, what is the purpose of that thesis statement and essay to begin with?

30 Kickass Ways to Start an Essay - Virtual Writing Tutor Blog

A good introduction should not be describing arguments or providing analysis that belong in the body paragraphs. Your introduction should introduce and set up your point, rather than lay out evidence to support it. Also, while your intro is a road map for the rest of the essay, you shouldn't explicitly announce what and how you will be arguing: "I am going to prove to you that ..." This type of set up does not add any pertinent information and only serves as filler.

30 Examples of Opening Sentences That Pack a Punch | by Ella

The thesis is the essence of an argumentative essay. In a single, clear sentence, it sums up what point you are trying to make. The thesis statement should assert a position on a particular issue -- one that a reader can potentially argue against. Therefore, the thesis cannot be a fact. For example, if a professor assigns the general topic of war, you can formulate the following thesis statement: "The United Nations must be redesigned because it is currently incapable of preventing wars." The rest of your essay serves to explain and provide evidence in support of your thesis statement.