Best hook types for an essay

By Published Writing Guides

Many people judge books by their first sentence. The same can be said of essays. The opening sentence of an essay is like a fishing hook that grabs the reader. It must be interesting and push people to keep reading. This is known as the “hook,” and if you’re wondering, “What is a good hook for an essay?” We have you covered.

The essay hook goes in the first sentence of the piece. The opening paragraph for an essay includes the thesis statement for the piece as a whole. Some good hook types essay are interesting quotes, statistics, famous last words, and facts the reader might not be aware of and would be compelled by.

Quote Hooks

Quote hooks are a great choice when creating an essay based on a book, story, or author. These quotes establish your authority on the topic. You let people know you have read and understood the material by choosing an appropriate quote. The right quote will also strengthen the thesis statement.

One good example of this is the quote, “A man’s errors are his portal to discovery.” This quote would be a fantastic hook for an essay about how people become more self-sufficient when they are allowed to make their own mistakes and learn from failure. No matter what quote you use, be sure to provide a sentence or two that justifies the inclusion of the quote or connects it to current events in some way.

General Statement Hooks

Some readers appreciate when essay writers use a general statement hook. These hooks get right to the point and set the tone for the essay as a whole.
One example of a general statement hook would be something like, “Studies show that teenagers biologically have different sleeping patterns, meaning that they naturally sleep later and wake up later. From there, move on to an introduction to the concept of the scholarship essay. In this case, you could be arguing that school days should be changed to better suit the natural sleep/wake cycle of teenagers. Finish the introduction with the statement that students would have an easier time staying focused at school if they started an hour later.

Statistic Hooks

Starting the essay with an exciting or entertaining statistic can excite readers and compel them to keep going.

As an example, you could say that the Bureau of Justice Statistics states that teenagers and young adults experience the most violent crime. From there, move on to suggest that teenagers shouldn’t be out on the street late at night. This could help support the argument that parents should place a curfew on their children, no matter how they are performing in school.

Choosing the Right Hook

The great thing about finding the right hook for your essays is that you can find the hook – the quote, fact, or statement – after choosing the thesis. You can do a bit of online research about the topic after developing the essay and then go back and write the perfect hook.

You could have even written basically the entire essay before you go back and think about the hook. Many writers tend to do this and complete their first paragraph last.

The Steps To a Good Essay

The following is an example of how you could write your essay:
Establish the thesis in the first paragraph
Provide supporting evidence in the body paragraphs
Write a conclusion and restate the thesis in the last paragraph
Return to the first paragraph and write a great hook

The first step to writing an essay is always to determine the thesis. You have to put some research into the topic to understand what you’ll be writing about. Create the starting statement and let that be your temporary first paragraph.

The next few paragraphs of an essay are the supporting paragraphs. It is here that you will include facts, expert opinions, statistics, and other information that backs up the thesis statement.

The closing paragraph offers a reiteration of the thesis statement along with conclusive findings based on the research of the other paragraphs.

Last but not least, you go back to the introductory paragraph. Can you think of a great quote or shocking statistic now you’ve finished the essay? Is there a way to paint a picture of the thesis statement and engage readers? This is the key to hooking readers.

Don’t worry if you don’t like the sound of the hook you create. You can always mess around with the introduction or rewrite the hook until you find one you are satisfied with. Find some quotes and facts that work well for you. Try out different opening sentences. Compare the different choices you come up with and keep going until you get the perfect hook for your essay.