Can you start an essay with the word it

The greatest difference between success and failure is not the lack of ideas, but their implementation. We all think of the next-big-thing over a dozen times a day, but the ability create that ‘big thing’ is what defines us. Same is the case with writers, we have great stories and arguments rummaging through our head, but when it comes to jotting them down, you don’t know where to begin. You are stuck with thoughts like ‘where do I even begin?’, ‘how to start a paragraph?’, ’Do I even have a great idea?’

Table of Contents

  1. Writing Help With Sentence Starters
  2. Why You Need to Know about Different Words to Start a Paragraph?
  3. List of Suitable Words to Start an Essay
  4. List of Transition Words to Begin a Paragraph that Show Contrast
  5. Body Paragraph Starters to Add Information
  6. Paragraph Starter Words Showing Cause
  7. Words to Start a Sentence for Emphasis
  8. Sentence Starters for Rare Ideas
  9. Paragraph Starter Words for Common Ideas
  10. Inconclusive Topic Sentence Starters
  11. How to Start a Sentence that Shows Evidence
  12. Paragraph Starters That Focus On the Background
  13. Words that Present Someone Else’s Evidence or Ideas
  14. Words for Conclusive Paragraph Starters
  15. Tips for Selecting the Right Words to Start Sentences
  16. FAQ

Paragraph starter words provide assistance in getting that head start with your writing. Following is all the information you require regarding different ways to start a paragraph.

Writing Help With Sentence Starters

Whether you are looking for the right words to start a body paragraph in an essay or the right words to effectively conclude your ideas, there are plenty of effective ways to successfully communicate your ideas. Following are the three main types of words you can use to start your paragraph:

Begin with Adverbs

Too much of anything is nauseating, including adverbs. All those ‘ly’ words in a sentence can get pretty overwhelming pretty fast. But when effectively added to the beginning of a sentence, it can help transition, contradict or even conclude information in an impactful manner. For instance, ‘consequently’ is a great transition word, ‘conversely’ helps include a counter argument and ‘similarly’ enables you to break an idea into two paragraphs. The trick to using adverbs as sentence starters is to limit them to just one or two in a paragraph and to keep switching between them.

Synonyms for ‘However’

If only there was a penny for every time most writers use the word ‘however,’ there’d be a shortage of islands to privately own on this planet; and perhaps on a few more planets too. Anyhow, nobody’s got those pennies to spare! Might as well opt for other, equally effective substitutes! Some good options include:

  • Alternatively
  • Nonetheless
  • Nevertheless
  • Despite this

Why You Need to Know about Different Words to Start a Paragraph?

The simplest answer to this question is to mainly improve your writing. The beginning of a paragraph helps set the mood of the paragraph. It helps determine the W’s of writing (When, Why, What, Who, Where) you are trying to address. Following are some ways learning the paragraph starter words can be assistive in writing great essays:

  1. Sentence starters help the resist the typical format of using subject-verb structure for sentences.
  2. Transition words help you sound more eloquent and professional.
  3. They help differentiate your writing from the informal spoken language.
  4. They help transition your thoughts more effectively.

List of Suitable Words to Start an Essay

  • The central theme
  • This essay discusses
  • Emphasized are
  • Views on

words to start paragraph

List of Transition Words to Begin a Paragraph that Show Contrast

  • Instead
  • Comparatively
  • However
  • Otherwise
  • Conversely
  • Still
  • On the contrary
  • On the other hand
  • Nevertheless
  • Different from
  • Besides
  • Other than
  • Outside of
  • Whereas

Body Paragraph Starters to Add Information

  • Moreover
  • Furthermore
  • Additionally
  • Again
  • Coupled with
  • Correspondingly
  • Similarly
  • Identically
  • Whereas
  • Likewise
  • Not only

Paragraph Starter Words Showing Cause

  • Singularly
  • Particularly
  • Otherwise
  • Unquestionably
  • Generally speaking
  • Consequently
  • For the most part
  • As a result
  • Undoubtedly
  • In this situation
  • Otherwise
  • Hence
  • Ordinarily

Words to Start a Sentence for Emphasis

  • Admittedly
  • Certainly
  • Granted
  • Above all
  • As a rule
  • Chiefly

words to start paragraph

Sentence Starters for Rare Ideas

  • Rarely
  • Not many
  • Uncommonly
  • Seldom
  • A few

Paragraph Starter Words for Common Ideas

  • The majority
  • More than
  • Many
  • Numerous
  • Almost all
  • Usually
  • Mostly
  • Several

Inconclusive Topic Sentence Starters

  • There is limited evidence
  • Maybe
  • Perhaps
  • Debatably
  • For the lack of evidence

How to Start a Sentence that Shows Evidence

  • The result
  • Therefore
  • Predictably
  • The connection
  • Considerably
  • With regard to
  • It can be seen
  • Subsequently
  • As a result
  • The relationship
  • Hence
  • After examining
  • The convergence
  • Apparently
  • Effectively

Paragraph Starters That Focus On the Background

  • Customarily
  • Originally
  • Earlier
  • In the past
  • Prior to this
  • Historically
  • Over time
  • The traditional interpretation
  • Up until now
  • Initially
  • Conventionally
  • Formerly

words to start paragraph

Words that Present Someone Else’s Evidence or Ideas

  • As explained by
  • According to
  • With regard to
  • Based on the ideas of
  • As demonstrated by
  • As disputed by
  • As stated by
  • As mentioned by

Words for Conclusive Paragraph Starters

  • In conclusion
  • Obviously
  • Finally
  • Overall
  • As expressed
  • Thus
  • Lastly
  • Therefore
  • As a result
  • All in all
  • In essence
  • By and large
  • To sum up
  • On balance
  • Overall
  • In any case
  • All things considered
  • In other words

Tips for Selecting the Right Words to Start Sentences

Evidently, there are hundreds of starter words to select from. Qualified assignments writers can give you hundreds of them. How do you determine which of these essay starters will be the most impactful? Word selection mainly depends on the type of ideas being shared. Are you about to enter a counter argument or plan to introduce a new idea? Before you can begin hunting for the right words to start a new paragraph, do the following three steps:

  1. Determine what the previous paragraph discussed.
  2. Decide how the said paragraph will relate to the one before this?
  3. Now scan the appropriate list from the list to find a word that is best suited based on the purpose of the paragraph.

Keep the following tips in mind to make your paragraph starter words impactful and relevant:

  1. Always put a comma after every transition word in the beginning of a sentence.
  2. Add the subject of the sentence immediately after the comma.
  3. Avoid using the same transition word again and again. Opt for selecting different but suitable transition words.
  4. Don’t fret too much about using sentence starters during the first draft. It will be easier to add appropriate words during proofreading. Needless to say, always proofread your work to help make it flow better.

When looking for the right sentence starters for essays, make sure you are clear about the objective of every paragraph. What are you trying to tell? Is it an introductory paragraph or the body discussing ideas or contradictory information? The beginning of a paragraph should immediately reflect the ideas discussed within that paragraph. It might take some time, but with a little conscious effort and a lot of practice, using transition words would soon become second nature.

FAQ

What is a good word to start a paragraph?

The word you use to start a paragraph depends on the information you want to communicate. However, the right word to use should offer a smooth transition from the previous paragraph so readers can easily transition into the new section.

How do you start a paragraph example?

When writing essays that require evidence to support your claim, start your paragraph with the words like; For instance, For example, Specifically, To illustrate, Consider this, We can see this in, or This is evidence. That helps the reader to explain the ideas in the real world.

How to introduce a paragraph?

The best way to introduce a paragraph is by using a topic sentence that will briefly explain what you intend to discuss in the paragraph. Remember that the introduction of a paragraph is a topic sentence or the thesis of the entire essay.

How to start a second body paragraph transition words?

An essay shows the flow from the introduction to the last paragraph. Use transition words when writing a second body paragraph. By doing this, you show that the ideas in each section relate to each other.

What are some good words to start a conclusion paragraph?

Examples of words you can use are briefly, by and large, finally, after all, in any case, as a result, etc. After writing an engaging essay, ensure the conclusion paragraph is just as interesting by carefully selecting the types of words you will use.

What words to start a new paragraph?

You can begin with adverbs like Similarly, Consequently, or Conversely. Other words to start a new paragraph are: Nevertheless, That said, Alternately, At the same time, etc. Capture your readers’ attention by choosing the right words to use when starting a new paragraph.

The way you start a paragraph will determine the quality of your essay. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing words to start a paragraph. The use of transition words to start a paragraph will make your text more engaging. These transition phrases will tell the reader that you know what you are doing.

Words To Start A Paragraph

Using the right keywords and phrases to start a new paragraph will link it to what you had said in the previous ones. We refer to these link phrases and words to as signposts. The reason is that they inform the reader when one point comes to an end and the beginning of the next one. The words or phrases also indicate the relationship between different points.

When you carefully use transition words to start a paragraph correctly, they will guide the tutors or examiners through your essay. Besides, these statements bolster the impression of a flowing, coherent, and logical piece of work. Here are some tips that will help you learn how to start an essay.

  • Transition Words to Start a Paragraph

    Transition words prompt the reader to establish relationships that exist between your ideas, especially when changing ideas. It is recommended to vary the transition words that you use in your text. Take time and think about the best transition words that will assist you in moving through the ideas you wish to put across. The most important thing is to help your readers get to understand the point that you are putting across. It is meaningless for students to produce academic papers that don’t flow well. For instance, you need different transition words to start a conclusion paragraph than what you use in body paragraphs and the introduction. Take time and make sure that all your points are flowing well within the text of the academic essay.

  • Topic Sentences

    You need to start with a topic sentence at ideas the beginning of ever paragraph. It gives you an exclusive opportunity to introduce what you will be discussing in the paragraph. The words that you use in the essay topic sentences should tell the reader of the ideas that you will be sharing in that paragraph. Remember each paragraph should carry a specific theme and this should be reflected in the topic sentences. You can use a transition phrase or word to elevate your topic sentence. It will tell the reader that you are now switching to a new idea.

  • Organization

    The way you organize your paper can also assist in boosting the transition of paragraphs. As you plan on the supporting ideas that you will include in your body paragraphs, you need to determine the orders that you will use to present them. Think about the best ways in which the ideas in each paragraph will build one another. You need to know whether there is a logical order that you need to follow. Try to re-arrange your ideas until you come up with the right order to present them. The transition words to start a body paragraph are very different from the introduction and conclusion.

  • Relationships

    In addition to how you write your academic essay, you can also enhance how you transition your paragraphs by discussing the relationships that exist between your ideas. For instance, as you end the first supporting paragraph, you can discuss how the idea will lead to the next body paragraphs. Assist the person reading your essay to understand the why you ordered your ideas the way you have done. What is the relationship between the first and second body paragraphs? Do not allow your readers to guess what you are thinking about or trying to communicate. The readers should also know how your ideas relate from the proper use of words to start a paragraph (see the picture below).

Words to start a paragraph

Examples of Transition Phrases and Words to Start a Paragraph

Transitions show how the paragraphs of your academic essay build of one another and work together. When you don’t use these transition words or phrases in your essay, it may end up having a choppy feeling. The readers may begin to struggle while trying to follow your thought train.

Due to this, you need to use paragraph transitions in all your essays. You have to make sure that you are choosing the right words to start a paragraph. In this section, we are going to look as some examples of sentence starters. You will discover that you choose the right transition words to start a body paragraph depending on what you are communicating. You may need transition words to show contrast, add to idea, show cause, or even add emphasis. Moreover, if you’re stuck with your paper and cannot find a motivation to write on, the sound use of words to start a paragraph may be your solution! So, here is a list of transition words that can help you in each category. You can use them as tips to get the right words to start a sentence and bring great expressions to the readers.

Transition Words and Phrases That Show Contrast

  • Otherwise
  • Instead
  • Rather
  • Comparatively
  • Whereas
  • However
  • Conversely
  • Still
  • Nevertheless
  • Yet
  • On the other hand
  • In comparison
  • On the contrary
  • Although
  • In contrast
  • Even though
  • Different from
  • Whereas
  • Even though
  • Other than
  • Comparatively
  • Besides
  • Outside of

Transition Words and Phrases to Add to Idea

  • Additionally
  • For example
  • Again
  • Also
  • Moreover
  • In addition
  • Coupled with
  • Furthermore
  • Similarly
  • As well as
  • In deed
  • One other thing
  • Correspondingly
  • In fact
  • Whereas
  • Another reason
  • Identically
  • Along with
  • Like wise

Transition Words and Phrases That Show Cause

  • Accordingly
  • Particularly
  • Hence
  • Singularly
  • As a result
  • Otherwise
  • Usually
  • Because
  • Generally speaking
  • Consequently
  • Unquestionably
  • For the most part
  • Due to
  • In this situation
  • For this reason
  • Undoubtedly or no doubt
  • For this purpose
  • Obviously
  • Hence
  • Of course
  • Otherwise
  • Ordinarily

Transition Words and Phrases That Add Emphasis

  • As usual
  • As a rule
  • Above all admittedly
  • Granted
  • Especially
  • Chiefly
  • Certainly
  • Assuredly

Remember you don’t need to use the above transition words to start a new paragraph all the time. You may discover that each new paragraph is becoming repetitive and distract you from the key component in the critical analysis of your academic work.
Succinctly identify the key sections or paragraphs of your essay in the introduction paragraph. You also need to restate them in your conclusion paragraph. Students who have this knowledge will not struggle with starting or how to end an essay. You can also be sure that you will please those who read your work. The most important thing is to choose good transition words for your essay. These tips will help you to choose the best words to start a paragraph in your essay.

Grabbing the reader’s attention and persuading them to read until the end is a difficult task. Starting an essay isn’t easy. In fact, it’s one of the most challenging parts of writing for most essay writers.

Making your essay introduction attention grabbing and compelling is very important to hook the reader to read your essay. Essay writing aims to persuade readers of an idea based on solid evidence, so it is important that your reader is compelled to read your essay.

Thinking how to start off an essay?

There are multiple ways to start an essay interestingly. This blog highlights all those ways and guides you on how to create a compelling start for our essay.

Let’s start!

How to Start an Essay Introduction?

In academic writing, the only chance to make readers stick to your paper is to start off with an interesting and engaging introductory paragraph.

Make your introduction catchy and interesting to both inform and motivate your readers. In this way, you can make your opening of the essay as compelling as possible.

“How to start an introduction for an essay?”

Here are the steps that you need to follow to create an engaging essay introduction:

  1. Start With an Interesting Hook

    An essay hook is an opening statement that strives to grab people’s interest and attention. Always start an essay introduction with a hook to make your essay appealing.

    Here are different types of hooks that can be used in your introduction paragraph:

    • Quotation
    • Question
    • Anecdote
    • Rhetorical Questions
    • Statistics
    • Or a random funny statement

    The kind of hook that should be used in the essay depends on the topic and type of your essay. If addressing a serious and sad issue, do not use a casual or funny statement. It would be better to use quotations or anecdotes for such essays.

    Likewise, if your topic is casual and humorous, try to open your essay lightly and casually. You can ask a funny question or start with a random funny statement.

    You can also go through an interesting hook example and learn how to start a paragraph with interesting hooks.

  2. Provide Background Information

    After starting the introduction with a compelling hook, you need to provide background information about your topic.

    The background information is provided to familiarize your audience with the topic and the main argument.

    Example of Background Information

    “Blind people have long been excluded from society, but Louis Braille was the first person to create a writing system specifically for them. Many existing systems were difficult to learn or use by those with no sight, and these individuals had very limited opportunities in school, work and life.”

    Providing background knowledge in the introduction is not as easy as it seems. You have to stop yourself from sharing excess information in the introductory paragraph. This will bore your audience and they will stop reading for sure.

    Just slightly give an idea about your topic and move on. You should not spoil the surprise coming for readers in the body paragraphs.

  3. Write Your Thesis Statement

    The last component of an introduction is the thesis statement. It is a 1-2 line sentence statement that sums up the main concept and the argument of your essay.

    A thesis statement is considered as a road map for your essay and provides your reader with an idea about the essay. It sets the tone of the essay, and the reader gets a slight hint about what they are going to read further.

    Example of a Thesis Statement

    “For the first time, blind people were able to communicate with others without relying on sight. The Braille writing system is one of a kind. It did not just provide practical benefits but also helped change the cultural status of blindness in society by allowing those who are visually impaired to feel more included and less alienated.”

    The rest of the paragraphs that come before the conclusion is the body of your essay. They contain all the reasons and shreds of evidence that support and back your thesis statement.

    Quick Tip: Always firmly present your argument in the thesis statement. Do not fill it with excessive information. The thesis statement is meant to convey your stance!

  4. Map the Structure of Your Essay

    This is especially helpful for longer essays as it informs the readers about what is to come in each section of the essay. Keep this part concise and to-the-point and give your readers a clear direction of your assignment.

    Example

    “This essay begins by discussing how difficult life was for blind people during the nineteenth century European period where there wasn’t any braille technology yet. It then describes «braille» — an alphabet made up entirely out of small dots on paper so that one can read when touching them without sight. At the end, it discusses how groundbreaking the invention was and the way it helped in alleviating the status of blind and deaf in the society.”

    If your essay is short or discusses fewer ideas, this step may not be necessary. But, in the case of a longer essay, the mapping will inform the readers about the things being further discussed in the essay.

  5. Edit and Revise at the End

    Once done with the writing, edit and revise the introduction. Make sure that you have added a compelling hook, adequate background information, and a thesis statement.

    Furthermore, keep in mind that your introduction should be according to the type of essay that you are writing.

    There are many different types of essays such as argumentative essay, persuasive essay, expository essay, analytical essay, and descriptive essay. Each of these types has specific requirements when it comes to hooks and thesis statements.

How to Start an Essay With a Quote?

A hook in the form of a quotation can be used as an opening statement. However, the quotation used should give an idea of the relevant topic. It is important to keep in mind that the quotation should be obtained from a credible and reliable source.

In order to make your point of view clear and what your personal opinion is to the readers, explain the quote in your body paragraphs to solve the conundrum in your audience’s head.

Example of a Quotation as a Hook

«Q: What did Eve say to Adam on being expelled from the Garden of Eden? A: ‘I think we’re in a time of transition.’

The irony of this joke is not lost as we begin a new century, and the anxieties about social change seem rife. The implication of this message, covering the first of many periods of transition, is that change is normal; there is, in fact, no era or society in which change is not a permanent feature of the social landscape….»

-(Betty G. Farrell, Family: The Making of an Idea, an Institution, and a Controversy in American Culture. Westview Press, 1999)

Here are some expert tips for putting a quote at the start of an essay:

  • Avoid adding frequently used quotes that are familiar to everyone
  • Explain how the quote relates to your main point
  • Select a quote that your target audience can easily understand and relate to

How to Start an Essay With a Question?

The easiest way to start an introduction is to ask a question from your readers to immediately engage them. Asking questions gives an image of one-on-one conversation, which is super effective.

Seeing a question first will make your audience look for the answer in the content.

A rhetorical question is a good kick start to your essay, as such a type of beginning is attractive to readers.

Example of a Question as a Hook

«What is the charm of necklaces? Why would anyone put something extra around their neck and then invest in it with special significance? A necklace doesn’t afford warmth in cold weather, like a scarf, or protection in combat, like chain mail; it only decorates. We might say it borrows meaning from what it surrounds and sets off, the head with its supremely important material contents, and the face that registers the soul. The face is the jewel in the crown of the body, and so we give it a setting.»

-(Emily R. Grosholz, «On Necklaces.» Prairie Schooner, Summer 2007)

If you start with an intriguing question, the answer of which is not clear, then you should provide the answer within the text. Keep in mind that the rhetorical question does not require any specific reply.

How to Start an Essay With a Fact?

Including interesting facts or statistics in your introduction helps you to take hold of your readers. Facts and stats are good attention grabbers for any piece of writing. Everyone gets entertained by the interesting and fun facts as they provide the context and background information of the topic.

For serious issues that are global, you can present shocking statistics or news to instantly grab your reader’s attention.

Example of Facts of Statistics as a Hook

«The peregrine falcon was brought back from the brink of extinction by a ban on DDT, but also by a peregrine falcon mating hat invented by an ornithologist at Cornell University. If you cannot buy this, Google it. Female falcons had grown dangerously scarce. A few wistful males nevertheless maintained a sort of sexual loitering ground. The hat was imagined, constructed, and then forthrightly worn by the ornithologist as he patrolled this loitering ground, singing, Chee-up! Chee-up! and bowing like an overpolite Japanese Buddhist trying to tell somebody goodbye….»

-(David James Duncan, «Cherish This Ecstasy.» The Sun, July 2008)

Choose facts and figures from credible and trustworthy sources. Your facts should support or prove your point of view or argument being presented later on in the essay.

Starting an essay with a shocking fact from a credible source is an effective way to start an essay, followed by explanations to convince the readers.

How to Start an Essay With an Anecdote?

Another interesting way to start an essay is with a brief anecdote. It is about setting a short story in the start to show how it reveals the important features of your theme.

This hook is appropriate to use if you are writing descriptive or narrative essays. The anecdote should be short, simple, and to the point. Make sure it relates to the central idea of your essay.

Other Common Ways of Starting an Essay

Besides the ones given above, here are some common ways of beginning your essay on a strong and engaging footing.

Stating the Thesis Statement Briefly

Instead of adding your thesis statement plainly, make the tone engaging and keep it brief.

Example of an Anecdotal Story as a Hook

“I once had a border collie. She was so smart! Every morning, I’d open up the front door and she’d run out, pick up the newspaper and deliver it to my husband at the breakfast table.”

Beginning with an Interesting Discovery

Discoveries and little-known details always interest the readers. They are curious and they want to know more. This makes this kind of essay start very interesting and irresistible for your readers.

Example: «I’ve finally figured out the difference between neat people and sloppy people. The distinction is, as always, moral. Neat people are lazier and meaner than sloppy people.» (Suzanne Britt Jordan, «Neat People vs. Sloppy People.» Show and Tell. Morning Owl Press, 1983)

Describe the Setting of Your Essay

Presenting the setting of your essay to set the mood of your audience. This helps them in knowing where your essay is heading to.

Example: «It was in Burma, a sodden morning of the rains. A sickly light, like yellow tinfoil, was slanting over the high walls into the jail yard. We were waiting outside the condemned cells, a row of sheds fronted with double bars, like small animal cages. Each cell measured about ten feet by ten and was quite bare within except for a plank bed and a pot of drinking water. In some of them brown silent men were squatting at the inner bars, with their blankets draped round them. These were the condemned men, due to be hanged within the next week or two.» (George Orwell, «A Hanging,» 1931)

Recount an Event

Recount an event to add drama to your essay. This also helps the readers to connect with you on a deeper level.

Example: «One October afternoon three years ago while I was visiting my parents, my mother made a request I dreaded and longed to fulfill. She had just poured me a cup of Earl Grey from her Japanese iron teapot, shaped like a little pumpkin; outside, two cardinals splashed in the birdbath in the weak Connecticut sunlight. Her white hair was gathered at the nape of her neck, and her voice was low. “Please help me get Jeff’s pacemaker turned off,” she said, using my father’s first name. I nodded, and my heart knocked.» (Katy Butler, «What Broke My Father’s Heart.» The New York Times Magazine, June 18, 2010)

Use the Narrative Delay Technique

This technique works the best in piquing your audience’s interest and keeping them on the edge of their seats. However, do not linger on it too much and use this technique carefully.

Example: «They woof. Though I have photographed them before, I have never heard them speak, for they are mostly silent birds. Lacking a syrinx, the avian equivalent of the human larynx, they are incapable of song. According to field guides the only sounds they make are grunts and hisses, though the Hawk Conservancy in the United Kingdom reports that adults may utter a croaking coo and that young black vultures, when annoyed, emit a kind of immature snarl….» (Lee Zacharias, «Buzzards.» Southern Humanities Review, 2007)

Present a Historical Event in Present Tense

Use historical present tense to add weightage to your narrative. It makes the readers feel as if the event is taking place at the present moment.

Example: «Ben and I are sitting side by side in the very back of his mother’s station wagon. We face glowing white headlights of cars following us, our sneakers pressed against the back hatch door. This is our joy—his and mine—to sit turned away from our moms and dads in this place that feels like a secret, as though they are not even in the car with us. They have just taken us out to dinner, and now we are driving home. Years from this evening, I won’t actually be sure that this boy sitting beside me is named Ben. But that doesn’t matter tonight. What I know for certain right now is that I love him, and I need to tell him this fact before we return to our separate houses, next door to each other. We are both five.» (Ryan Van Meter, «First.» The Gettysburg Review, Winter 2008)

Describe a Process Briefly

Describe a process briefly that leads it to your main essay topic.

Example: «I like to take my time when I pronounce someone dead. The bare-minimum requirement is one minute with a stethoscope pressed to someone’s chest, listening for a sound that is not there; with my fingers bearing down on the side of someone’s neck, feeling for an absent pulse; with a flashlight beamed into someone’s fixed and dilated pupils, waiting for the constriction that will not come. If I’m in a hurry, I can do all of these in sixty seconds, but when I have the time, I like to take a minute with each task.» (Jane Churchon, «The Dead Book.» The Sun, February 2009)

Reveal a Secret

“How to start an essay about yourself for college?”

People are always interested in knowing secrets. This is what makes this technique so good. Use it to reveal some secret about yourself, if you are writing an essay about yourself.

Example: «I spy on my patients. Ought not a doctor to observe his patients by any means and from any stance, that he might more fully assemble evidence? So I stand in the doorways of hospital rooms and gaze. Oh, it is not all that furtive an act. Those in bed need only look up to discover me. But they never do.» (Richard Selzer, «The Discus Thrower.» Confessions of a Knife. Simon & Schuster, 1979)

Present a Comparison between the Past and Present

It is a very effective technique as it helps the readers in seeing the comparison between past and present situations.

Example: «As a child, I was made to look out the window of a moving car and appreciate the beautiful scenery, with the result that now I don’t care much for nature. I prefer parks, ones with radios going chuckawaka chuckawaka and the delicious whiff of bratwurst and cigarette smoke.» (Garrison Keillor, «Walking Down The Canyon.» Time, July 31, 2000)

Give a Contrast between Virtual & Actual Reality

There are many things that we believe to be true, a.k.a. Virtual reality. This technique helps you in presenting what a myth is and what reality is. Breaking the myths is an effective technique to grab someone’s attention.

Example: «They aren’t what most people think they are. Human eyes, touted as ethereal objects by poets and novelists throughout history, are nothing more than white spheres, somewhat larger than your average marble, covered by a leather-like tissue known as sclera and filled with nature’s facsimile of Jell-O. Your beloved’s eyes may pierce your heart, but in all likelihood they closely resemble the eyes of every other person on the planet. At least I hope they do, for otherwise he or she suffers from severe myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness), or worse….» (John Gamel, «The Elegant Eye.» Alaska Quarterly Review, 2009)

How to Start an Essay — Examples

The first paragraph of the essay is the most important part of your essay. It determines whether the reader is going to read your paper till the end or not.

Looking at introduction examples for different types of essays can help you understand how to grab the reader’s interest from the beginning.

Refer to these examples of how to start an essay and understand better how to compose strong opening lines.

How to Start an Argumentative Essay?

Most people are confused about how to start off an argumentative essay. Here is an example to help you with it.

How to Start an Informative Essay?

How to Start an Analysis Essay?

How to Start an Application Essay?

How to Start an Expository Essay?

How to Start an Analytical Essay?

How to Start an Essay About a Book?

How to start an Opinion Essay?

How to Start an Autobiography Essay?

How to Start an Essay on Climate Change?

How to Start an Essay on Covid-19?

How to Start an Essay About Women’s Rights?

How to Start a Paragraph in an Essay?

The best way to start a paragraph in an essay is to write the topic sentence. The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is going to be about. After the topic sentence, the supporting details are further provided. Read this example to know how to start a paragraph.

How to Start a Conclusion in an Essay?

To start a conclusion in an essay, you should write a rephrased thesis statement first. As it is the crux of your whole essay. Further on, the points discussed in the essay can be summarized one by one in the concluding paragraph. Here is an example on how to write a conclusion to help you understand this better.

Mistakes to Avoid When Starting an Essay

If the beginning is right and interesting, the chances are that your essay will leave a lasting impression on your readers.

Here are a few mistakes that should be avoided for writing a great essay introduction.

  • If you want your starting or introduction to be unique and amusing, avoid adding a monotonous definition in the first line of your essay. This will be boring and the audience won’t be interested to read further.
  • Generic introductions are also boring and unamusing for the readers. Make your introductions short yet remarkable to grab your reader’s interest for the entire time.
  • Don’t introduce the main purpose of your assignment at the start. It is a good idea to provide such information in between the lines without specifying the main goal of the paper.

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Starting your essay is probably the most difficult thing to do in the whole writing process.

How do you stop staring at the blank page and get things moving?

Writing a great essay is one of those things in life that does not come easily. Even if you are a great student, you might not ace an essay. This is because writing an essay is all about formulating ideas and executing them as clearly as possible.

Many students that cannot meet deadlines, or simply feel that they cannot get good grades if they write, take help from experts like do my essay cheap. These professionals are subject experts that can craft highly intelligent essays in a few hours.

Writing a good essay can be the difference between great grades and simply ending up as being average.

It is always the introduction that hooks the reader. However, it is also the tricky part to write. Therefore, most students find it easier to hire essay writers to get a perfect essay with an exceptional introduction. However, writing a captivating intro is not an impossible task, even though students think they can’t.

How do you grab the attention of the reader from the very beginning? How do you make a great impression on your teachers, editors, or the college admissions committee? It’s always easier to buy assignment online and be sure that you will get a high mark for essay.

How to start your essay? – The most straightforward advice

In his famous book “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft”, Stephen King said: “the scariest moment is always just before you start.” So the best thing to do is to start writing as soon as you can.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just sit down and write anything, because the Muse comes to those who are brave enough to start. Maybe you’ll throw half of it away, but at least you’ll have something to hang on to.

How to begin your essay? – The lengthier and more appropriate advice

The aim of an academic essay is usually to persuade readers to change their minds about something. It can also be a descriptive, expository, argumentative, or narrative essay.

But regardless of the format of the essay, the introduction should still have these basic ingredients:

  • Introduce the topic – let the reader know what is it about straight away.
  • Put the topic in an appropriate context. Frame it, and provide some background information.
  • Narrow down the focus. If your essay is too broad, you’ll lose the interest of the reader and fail to address the important issue.
  • Answer an important question or make a strong statement which you’ll defend throughout the essay.
  • Orientate the reader. In the beginning, you need to answer questions like who, what, when, and how. Remember that the reader probably doesn’t know all the facts that you do.
  • Briefly mention the main ideas you are going to discuss in the essay.

painting with tips about writing essay introductions

How long should an essay introduction be?

It all depends on the overall length of your essay. If it’s a standard, five-paragraph college essay, the introduction should only take one paragraph, or 60-80 words.

But if you’re writing something longer, for example, a five-page interpretation of a literary work, the introduction could take two to three paragraphs, or 120-150 words.

You can measure the length using a simple word counter, but don’t obsess too much about the number. The crucial thing is to say what you need to say and impact the reader.

The aim of the introductory paragraph

The first paragraph is always tricky because it serves a double purpose. It has to state what the essay will be about, but it needs to hook the readers and motivate them to read on.

That’s why you need a perfect balance between clinical precision and artistic flair. If you truly want to learn how to begin an essay, there are really three best ways to do it:

  • Read as many great essays as possible
  • Write as many great essays as possible
  • Check examples of great essay introductory paragraphs (that’s what you can see below)

20 Great examples and tips on how to start an essay:

I picked examples coming from master essayists just to give you a taste of what a nice opening paragraph looks like. Let them inspire you:

1. Describe a setting and start with an emotional punch

“I’ve been to Australia twice so far, but according to my father I’ve never actually seen it. He made this observation at the home of my cousin Joan, whom he and I visited just before Christmas last year, and it came on the heels of an equally aggressive comment.” – David Sedaris, Laugh, Kookaburra

2. Start with a deeply personal story from your childhood

“One Sunday morning when I was a boy, my father came out of his office and handed me a poem. It was about a honeybee counselling a flea to flee a doggy and see the sea. The barbiturates my father took to regulate his emotions made him insomniac, and I understood that he’d been awake most of the night, laboring over these lines, listing all the words he could think of ending in a long “e.” – Charles D’Ambrosio – Documents

3. Create a mysterious atmosphere

“Moths that fly by day are not properly to be called moths; they do not excite that pleasant sense of dark autumn nights and ivy-blossom which the commonest yellow-underwing asleep in the shadow of the curtain never fails to rouse in us.” – Virginia Woolf – Death of the Moth

4. Throw the reader straight into the middle of the events

“Earlier this summer I was walking down West End Avenue in Manhattan and remembered, with a sadness that nearly knocked me off my feet, just why I came to New York seven years ago and just why I am now about to leave.” – Meghan Daum – My Misspent Youth

5. Start with universal questions of life and death

“I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear. I hope to be spared as much pain as possible on the approach path. I was perfectly content before I was born, and I think of death as the same state.” – Roger Ebert – Go Gentle Into That Good Night

6. Start with a question and then answer it

“What is the charm of necklaces? Why would anyone put something extra around their neck and then invest it with special significance? A necklace doesn’t afford warmth in cold weather, like a scarf, or protection in combat, like chain mail; it only decorates. We might say, it borrows meaning from what it surrounds and sets off, the head with its supremely important material contents, and the face, that register of the soul.” – Emily R. Grosholz – On Necklaces

7. Start with irony

“In Moulmein, in Lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people – the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me.” – George Orwell – Shooting an Elephant

8. Begin by creating great expectations of what’s to come (use the introduction as a bait)

“At a dinner party that will forever be green in the memory of those who attended it, somebody was complaining not just about the epic badness of the novels of Robert Ludlum but also about the badness of their titles. (You know the sort of pretentiousness: The Bourne Supremacy, The Aquitaine Progression, The Ludlum Impersonation, and so forth.) Then it happily occurred to another guest to wonder aloud what a Shakespeare play might be called if named in the Ludlum manner.” – Christopher Hitchens – Assassins of The Mind

9. Start with a puzzle (notice how you start to wonder who is she talking about in this introduction)

“The first time I heard her I didn’t hear her at all. My parents did not prepare me. (The natural thing in these situations is to blame the parents.) She was nowhere to be found on their four-foot-tall wood-veneer hi-fi. Given the variety of voices you got to hear on that contraption, her absence was a little strange.” – Zadie Smith – Some Notes on Attunement

10. Start with dark humor

“When I was young, I thought Life: A User’s Manual would teach me how to live and Suicide: A User’s Manual how to die.” – Édouard Levé – When I Look at a Strawberry, I Think of a Tongue

11. Start with an unusual question that will pull the readers in

“Do you know what a twerp is? When I was in Shortridge High School in Indianapolis 65 years ago, a twerp was a guy who stuck a set of false teeth up his butt and bit the buttons off the back seats of taxicabs. (And a snarf was a guy who sniffed the seats of girls’ bicycles.)” – Kurt Vonnegut – Dispatch From A Man Without a Country

12. Commence by taking the reader into the world of mystery and awe

“The earliest experience of art must have been that it was incantatory, magical; art was an instrument of ritual. (Cf. the paintings in the caves at Lascaux, Altamira, Niaux, La Pasiega, etc.) The earliest theory of art, that of the Greek philosophers, proposed that art was mimesis, imitation of reality.” – Susan Sontag – Against Interpretation

13. State your thesis at the very beginning – be clear about it

“Science has beauty, power, and majesty that can provide spiritual as well as practical fulfillment. But superstition and pseudoscience keep getting in the way providing easy answers, casually pressing our awe buttons, and cheapening the experience.” – Carl Sagan – Does Truth Matter – Science, Pseudoscience, and Civilization

14. Start with the obvious that’s not so obvious after all

“To do something well you have to like it. That idea is not exactly novel. We’ve got it down to four words: “Do what you love.” But it’s not enough just to tell people that. Doing what you love is complicated.” – Paul Graham – How To Do What You Love

15. Be unpredictable and highly intellectual

“Once, in a dry season, I wrote in large letters across two pages of a notebook that innocence ends when one is stripped of the delusion that one likes oneself. Although now, some years later, I marvel that a mind on the outs with itself should have nonetheless made painstaking record of its every tremor, I recall with embarrassing clarity the flavor of those particular ashes. It was a matter of misplaced self-respect.” – Joan Didion – On Self Respect

16. Get straight to the point

“The enormous, pungent, and extremely well marketed Maine Lobster Festival is held every late July in the state’s mid-coast region, meaning the western side of Penobscot Bay, the nerve stem of Maine’s lobster industry.” – David Foster Wallace – Consider The Lobster

17. Start in deeply emotional, poetic manner

“The collie wakes me up about three times a night, summoning me from a great distance as I row my boat through a dim, complicated dream. She’s on the shoreline, barking. Wake up. She’s staring at me with her head slightly tipped to the side, long nose, gazing eyes, toenails clenched to get a purchase on the wood floor. We used to call her the face of love.” – Jo Ann Beard – The Fourth State of Matter

18. Begin by describing the place and circumstances in great detail. Notice how after reading this opening statement, you already know your surroundings

“Two blocks away from the Mississippi State Capitol, and on the same street with it, where our house was when I was a child growing up in Jackson, it was possible to have a little pasture behind your backyard where you could keep a Jersey cow, which we did. My mother herself milked her. A thrifty homemaker, wife, mother of three, she also did all her own cooking. And as far as I can recall, she never set foot inside a grocery store. It wasn’t necessary.” – Eudora Welty – The Little Store

19. Start by presenting an original idea (frame it in a way that the reader never considered before)

“Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent, but the tests that have to be applied to them are not, of course, the same in all cases. In Gandhi’s case the questions on feels inclined to ask are: to what extent was Gandhi moved by vanity — by the consciousness of himself as a humble, naked old man, sitting on a praying mat and shaking empires by sheer spiritual power — and to what extent did he compromise his own principles by entering politics, which of their nature are inseparable from coercion and fraud?” – George Orwell – Reflections on Gandhi

20. Be clear-headed and approach the subject as objectively as possible

“Fantasists and zealots can be found on both sides of the debate over guns in America. On the one hand, many gun-rights advocates reject even the most sensible restrictions on the sale of weapons to the public. On the other, proponents of stricter gun laws often seem unable to understand why a good person would ever want ready access to a loaded firearm. Between these two extremes, we must find grounds for a rational discussion about the problem of gun violence.” – Sam Harris – The Riddle of The Gun

Conclusion

Looking for an answer on how to start an essay is always tricky. You can get inspiration from many sources, but if you really want to create an essay that packs a powerful punch from the very beginning, look inside yourself and come up with at least a few openings.

Then, do your best to revise the opening paragraphs a couple of times so you end up with something that’s truly impactful and attention-grabbing. Good luck!

Rafal Reyzer

Hey there, welcome to my blog! I’m a full-time blogger, educator, digital marketer, freelance writer, editor and content manager with over 10 years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to achieve freedom from 9 to 5 through online creativity. My site is a one-stop-shop for freelance writers, bloggers, publishers, content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money and create beautiful things. Feel free to check my archive containing over 600 articles and my YouTube channel for writers and content creators. Ah yes, and stay awesome!

A Guide to Starting an Essay with a Quote: The Best Ways!

  1. A Guide to Starting an Essay with a Quote: The Best Ways!

  2. How to Start an Essay: Easy Tips to Help You Get Started

  3. Key Things You Should Know When Picking the Right Quote for Your Essay

  4. Need Professional Help to Understand How to Begin an Essay?

  5. How to Begin an Essay with a Quote Examples

  6. Example 1

  7. Example 2

How to start an essay with a quote? Have no idea how to start narrative essays for high school? Are you looking for good essay samples to follow when composing your paper? Don’t know how to start an analytical essay? Writing an effective opening paragraph that will inform, motivate your reader can be challenging for schoolchildren/college students. It is an important step in the writing process everyone should take.

What strategy can help avoid mistakes? Remember that the most important purpose of your academic piece of writing is to persuade readers of your point of view based on evidence from in-depth research. Consider including the following key points in order to succeed:

  • At the essay’s beginning, tell the public about the main idea your paper covers. Introduce your essay’s subject in a clear manner
  • Focus on your paper explaining your audience the central issue of your discussion. You can do it in various ways. Pose a question, immediately suggesting answers that will be argued; state a thesis; it is possible to combine these two approaches. It’s up to you to choose the most effective way

Can you start an essay with a quote? Definitely, yes! This is one of the killer ways to hook the reader. Bear in mind that when you are thinking how to begin an essay, you should take steps to make your readers fully understand why they might want to continue reading. This is the key

  • You have to catch your reader’s attention with a hook — encourage him/her to read the entire paper. Your goal is to persuade the audience that your text is worth reading
  • You should orient your readers. You need to provide necessary information and explanations to help your audience follow your arguments. You can do it by answering basic questions of who, where, what, how, when, and why or by providing a short overview of the sources you’ll be analyzing

Do you wonder how these strategies work? Order a model paper on your topic that will be written according to your specific requirements. It will serve you as an example to help you learn how to start essay with quote and other effective ways capable of attracting the reader. You can get the helping list of the best argumentative essay topics online easily.

How to Start an Essay: Easy Tips to Help You Get Started

College essays are long projects. Sometimes, many people find them overwhelming but if you break the writing process into small parts and try to complete your draft step by step, you can expect you will feel more confident and work more productively. Let’s discuss how to start a paper with a quote, taking manageable steps.

First, choose a topic that you find intriguing. Define the purpose of your project and evaluate your options. The most successful strategy is to write about a subject that you are passionate about. Conduct research and study the available sources of information. Before you get started with your piece of writing, make a detailed outline to organize your thoughts, sort your ideas into certain categories, and determine natural links between your thoughts. Now, you are ready to write an introduction.

Follow the tips below to create an impressive introduction. There are 4 simple tips that will help you to cope with this task quickly and easily. Let’s get started!

1. How to start an essay introduction? To attract your readers’ attention, begin with the killer language means. Brainstorm ideas on an attention grabber and add a couple of sentences that lead to your thesis. Use one of the strategies that we’ve already discussed.

Beginning an essay with a quote is a good idea. Finally, use the outline or a mind map of your ideas and create a thesis statement – a sentence or a couple of sentences, the aim of which is to tell your audience about the point you will be arguing about in your paper. A thesis is the last sentence of your introduction.

You may need to return to your introduction after you’ve finished the final draft to clarify the focus, change, and rewrite the beginning of your paper several times to ensure that you are able to engage your readers and establish your authority.

2. How to start essay with quote? Do you wonder “ Can I start an essay with a quote?” Definitely, yes! It’s a rather popular way to begin an essay. You should find the right quote that fits your purpose and use it within the framework of your own words. How to begin an essay with a quote? Check the list with the most effective tips on how to put a quote in the beginning of an essay.

  • Avoid the frequently used quotations and clichés that are familiar to everyone because they will bore your target audience making them think that you have been lazy to search for the original quotes
  • Explain how the quote connects to your point
  • Select a quotation that your audience can understand and relate to
  • Make sure the quote exactly fits the tone of your academic paper
  • When introducing a quote, always acknowledge the source. Follow the requirements of a specific citation style

These tips on how to start an essay with a quote will help you pick the right quote that will impress your reader. No matter what sort of opening you choose, make sure it is related to the focus of your paper and serves a good tool for establishing the context, or plays a significant part in your thinking and analysis. Your opening should be clear, direct, and specific. Try to avoid too broad and general openings because they can make your paper look boring

3. How to start a paragraph in an essay? The next step is writing the body paragraphs. Talking about how to start a paragraph in an essay, we should say that all body paragraphs will have the similar basic structure. Write one of your main ideas in the outline as a topic sentence in a paragraph. Then, add supporting ideas. Back each supporting idea with relevant examples, statistics, and other details and make sure you provide enough information to link these smaller ideas together. You will have to write as many body paragraphs as you have main ideas in your outline.

4. How to start a conclusion for an essay? We’ve come to your paper’s final part. Let’s discuss how to start a conclusion for an essay. The length of a conclusion depends on the length of your paper and its complexity. There is no set formula for how to do this the right way.

Your task is to review the key points and provide a final perspective on your subject. Write 3 to 5 strong sentences. Make sure they reinforce your thesis statement and briefly remind your readers about the significance of your topic, and the research you have conducted. After writing your conclusion, check your paper’s organization and logical flow of ideas, paying attention to the smallest details. Fix grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes.

As you see, writing high-scoring essays can be complicated and time-consuming but we hope that our simple tips on how to start a good essay will help you succeed in creating impressive beginnings for your admissions, argumentative, persuasive and other types of essays.

Key Things You Should Know When Picking the Right Quote for Your Essay

Some students think that it is as easy as ABC to start with a quote. However, it is a misconception as you need to learn how to do this the right way. There are certain things you should take into account when looking for the best quote. You should be patient as the search may take you more than one day. You should look through a number of sources to find a saying of a person that will be exactly what you need. Most students give preference to the sayings of famous people. It may sound surprising but this is not the best way to impress the reader.

It is better to find a quote of a person who isn’t well-known. You can use a part of a long quote not to bore your reader in the very beginning of your paper. If you have found an interesting saying, don’t rush to use it for your piece of writing. You need to conduct research on the history of the quote and create a successful methodology. Learn more about its origin to know what context it was first used in. Choose those sayings that were unexpected and creative.

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Do you wonder how they can be helpful? Simply using them, you will get a perfect understanding of how to start an essay on your topic, write a good introduction, organize your argument in the three body paragraphs, create an impressive conclusion, back your points with appropriate evidence and quotes from the relevant sources. We will provide you with the perfectly written model papers that can help you in creating your own pieces of writing.

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How to Begin an Essay with a Quote Examples

Example 1

If you do use a quote, you must introduce it correctly so that the reader understands why it is there and who said it. Don’t just shove it in and hope the reader knows why you have included it. So say something like:

Regarding survival rates for gladiators, Johnstone states: “Gladiator shows were hardly the bloodbaths we see in modern films and TV programs. If there were five fights in a day, on average only one would end in death.” This shows that the risk of death may have been low enough to entice free men to become gladiators.

You must also explain how the quote helps to answer the essay question (here the question would be: ‘Why would free men become gladiators in ancient Rome?’). Be explicit: don’t leave it up to your reader to work it out.

Example 2

Karl Marx, writer of the pamphlet The Communist Manifesto, proclaims, “Communism abolishes all eternal truths…instead of constituting them on a new basis” (Marx 81). In other words, communism throws out all beliefs, not only ones that counter the ideas of communism. Marx’s insistence on “abolishment” reflects the greater implication that communism not only represents a change in a political system or a belief, but also negates all previously accepted aspects of life. This would require a radical change of heart for all people. Marx’s call for the abolishment of truths requires too much change in people’s lives; his ideas are not ideal to change society.

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