Starting an essay is the equivalent of courtship. First, you should hook your reader in with a quality introduction to hold their attention through your argument. You also have to structure your paper in a manner that reels the reader to your key claims and arguments without betraying your key arguments in the opening statement.
If you are wondering how you’ll start your essay introduction, this article will guide you on the ways to start an essay and offer some tips to ensure that you grab your reader’s attention.
How to start an essay
There are many ways to start your essay depending on the type of essay you’re handling. Some of the best ways to start an essay include:
- Starting with a narration that illustrates your essay problem
- Providing interesting facts regarding your subject
- Asking rhetorical questions that set a base for introducing your argument
- Stating the solution that your essay has unveiled
- Challenge a common fallacy in your field of study
When using rhetorical questions in your essay introduction paragraph, consider posing questions related to your research objectives. You may also challenge a common fallacy and transition to your first claim.
If, for instance, you are arguing that punishment should be abolished in the school setting, you could open your essay with:
Do you agree that beating a child is not the best way to motivate positive behavior? Is instilling fear in students the best way to build their character?
This start sets a base for criticizing the topic by hinting at various weaknesses related to employing punishment as a method of behavior modification.
Words to start an essay
Essay starter words are crucial in creating your intended effect on the first paragraph of your essay. Some of the items you may consider using at the start of your paper include:
- Rhetorical questions that intrigue your reader on an aspect of your paper
- Statistics. Although large numbers may intrigue your reader, be wary of employing falsified information as this could lead your instructor to think that your paper is built on inadequate research.
- Your key argument
- Quotes from famous people
Ways to start an essay
How to start a compare and contrast essay
The key to a compare and contrast essay is to introduce both items under investigation and highlight their unique features. Some of the ways to start a compare and contrast essay include:
- Presenting a unique fact regarding each subject under investigation
- Ask rhetorical questions that highlight the key issues on the two items.
- Offer a background analysis of the two items your essay is going to analyze.
How to start a narrative essay
A narrative essay, like a story, should create a scenario and pique your reader’s curiosity to establish the end of your story. For this, you should master the use of hooks and use them according to your narrative. Some great hooks for a narrative essay include:
- Quotes – these are great ways to charm your reader and transition to your story. An example of a quote is:
There, lying on his death bed, Voltaire responded to the priest’s advice, “Now, now my good man, is no time to make new enemies.” This was not a good time for me either, caught between the choice of snitching on the mob and getting a short sentence or ensuring my family’s safety by serving a long sentence.
- A shocking statement:
Forget whatever your parents and society taught you, each man has to face a major challenge that beats them down regardless of the indoctrination from society. My first day in the city would reveal this bitter truth to me.
How to start a personal essay
Like the former, a personal essay can be started with a shocking statement, a quote, a rhetorical question, or a fact. You could start your essay with narration as:
Each morning I wake up a hopeful man. Hopeful that I will manage the last chapter of the novel in which I’ve drained the past three years of my life. For the past three years, I could have invested in a venture my parent would approve of. But no, I opted to write a book, and write a book I shall.
How to start a persuasive essay
For persuasive essays, we recommend rhetorical questions that either criticize the opposing argument or that set a stage for your standpoint. If for instance, you are arguing that homework is detrimental to a student’s study, you could employ questions like:
Is homework beneficial for improving a student’s performance? Do kids get ample time to revise the concepts they have studied in class when working on a ton of assignments? Have we stuck to the traditions so much that we are afraid to adopt a positive change?
How to start a scholarship essay
The scholarship essay requires a personal touch that appeals to a reader’s emotion and communicates your individuality to the admissions panel. For instance, the start of your scholarship essay could appear as:
I open the door and feel the fresh fragrance of my favorite dish, chicken tikka spiced with some garlic.
Unlike generic essay starters, this sentence has a personal touch and hooks your reader in to determine the next occurrence.
How to start a college essay
The college essay, like the former, should start with a personal opening. Consider reading various college essays to determine the best format for your essay introduction.
