The hook is the first part of the Introduction. It is the attention-grabber and the one that sets the tone of the essay. As such, a great hook for your essay should be brief, but creative and informative at the same time. How to achieve this? Read on to learn tricks on how to write a great hook for your essay.
The kind of hook you should write for your essay should depend on the type of essay you are writing and your writing style (if it’s formal or informal). Nevertheless, here are some great hooks for your essay.
A piece of information that not many people are aware of is usually effective in sparking a reader’s curiosity. This interesting fact is a great lead-on for any type of essay since the fact can be about anything, and can be framed in a way that suits the purpose of the paper. A well-presented fact can pique the reader’s interest by making them curious about what the essay has to say about the topic or by making them ask questions that the essay will address. Here is one example:
"According to the WHO, around 20% of children all over the world are suffering from a mental disorder, yet..."
Although this is most commonly used for reflective essays, this can also be used for informative and argumentative essays. An anecdote is a short account of an experience, whether the writer’s own or not, that says something about a topic. The anecdote typically already reflects the writer’s point of view, and thus thesis statement, about an issue. For example, a writer who wishes to argue against punishing children could use their personal experiences to prove a point:
"As a child, my father was rarely at home, but during the times when he was at home, he often punished us. As a result, we were unable to form a strong bond with our father..."
As you can see from the example provided, an anecdote could also touch the reader’s emotions.
Another great hook for your essay is a quote. This can be a quote from anyone famous, as long as it is related to your topic. Be careful, however, in choosing a quote. Since this is a relatively easy way to start an essay, many use this technique. So, your quote should not only be related to your topic, but should be thought-provoking. In addition, a great quote would be something that you can refer back to throughout your essay to give more depth to your discussions. This way your reader (aka your professor) sees that you put enough thought in choosing this quote.
Similes and metaphors are two of the most popular literary devices. They are used to compare two completely different things to make a vivid description. A simile or a metaphor could be used in an essay to make your hook richer, and thus more interesting. It adds layers to your introduction that encourages readers to continue reading.
These are just some ways to make great hooks for your essay. Don’t forget though that for a great hook to work, you need to relate it to your thesis statement. The introduction must strike a balance between creativity and being informative. Read more about how to write an essay or ask help from our experts.Need help with your term paper or essay?
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