42 Best Ways to Start an Essay and Make a Strong First Impression

What’s the most challenging part of writing an essay? For many students, it’s getting started. No matter how much you know about a topic, staring at a blank page and trying to figure out how to begin can be a daunting task. And that’s not surprising. After all, the introduction of an essay is what sets the stage for what’s to come. It’s the reader’s first impression of your writing, so it makes sense to want to get it right. If you’re looking for the best ways to start an essay, you’re in the right place. This article will give you Best AI Tools For Students, strategies to help you confidently craft a compelling introduction that grabs your reader’s attention and sets the tone for a strong, high-scoring piece. 

HyperWrite's AI writing assistant can help you implement these strategies to start your essay off right. With this innovative tool by your side, you can generate ideas, create outlines, and even draft essay introductions that capture readers' attention and set the stage for high-scoring work.

What are the Fundamentals of Good Essay Writing?

Capture Attention with a Strong Introduction

Start your essay with a hook to grab the reader's attention. This could be a surprising fact, a thought-provoking question, or a relevant quote. Clearly state your thesis to set the tone for the rest of the essay. 

Develop a Solid Structure for the Body of Your Essay

The body of your essay should present and support your main ideas. Each paragraph should focus on a single point, supported by evidence and analysis. Use topic sentences to introduce the main idea of each paragraph and ensure a logical flow between them. 

Use Effective Transitions

Transition smoothly between paragraphs and ideas to maintain coherence in your essay. Use transition words and phrases like "furthermore," "however," and "in addition" to guide readers through your arguments. 

Craft a Compelling Conclusion

Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in the conclusion. Avoid introducing new information here; instead, reflect on the significance of your arguments and leave the reader with a lasting impression. 

Pay Attention to the Details

Pay close attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Proofread your essay carefully to eliminate errors and ensure clarity. Consider the use of varied sentence structures to enhance the flow of your writing. 

Use Engaging Language

Use vivid language and descriptive details to make your essay more engaging. Avoid clichés and strive for precision in your word choice to convey your ideas effectively.

By mastering these fundamental aspects of essay writing, you can elevate the quality of your work and effectively communicate your ideas to your audience. Practice and persistence are key to honing your writing skills. 

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42 Best Ways to Start an Essay With Examples That Grab Attention

1. Share A Shocking Or Amusing Fact

One way to start your essay is with a shocking, unexpected, or amusing fact about the topic you’re covering. This grabs the reader’s attention and makes them want to read further, expecting explanation, context, and/or elaboration on the fact you presented.

Check out these essay introduction examples that use relevant, engaging facts to capture the reader’s attention:

Connecting the Hook to Your Thesis: Bridging the Gap

“More than half of Iceland’s population believes that elves exist or that they possibly can exist. Although this might sound strange to foreigners, many of us have similar beliefs that would sound just as strange to those outside our cultures.”

“Undergraduate students involved in federal work-study programs earn an average of just $1,794 per year. That’s just slightly more than the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in our city.”

Strategic Fact Selection: Ensuring Relevance and Impact

Relevance is key here. Make sure the fact you choose directly relates to the topic you’re covering in your essay. Otherwise, it will feel random, confusing, or at best, shoehorned into the essay. In any case, it will undermine your essay as a whole by making it seem like you don’t have a full grasp on your topic.

If you’re writing an expository or persuasive essay, including a shocking or amusing fact in your introduction can be a great way to pique your reader’s curiosity. The fact you present can support the position you argue in the essay, or it can be part of the body of data your expository essay explains.

2. Use A Thought-Provoking Question

The question of how to start an essay should be addressed through the use of a thought-provoking question. It is a powerful way to start an essay with a question, and it’s pretty simple. 

After a well-posed question, the reader can't help but wonder and ponder the seriousness of the issue. Not only does this approach engage the reader, but it also immediately highlights the deep interdisciplinarity of the topic.

Engaging with Questions: Piquing Reader Curiosity

Example:
“What if the secret to happiness is not success, but gratitude?

This question, as you think about it, bursts the myth that success is the topmost rung of joy. By posing this question, the author prompts the reader to move beyond trained complacency and consider an alternative approach to writing essays. 

This approach makes the reader want to keep reading and will give them a better sense of how the essay will discuss the term happiness in a new light. Posing an intriguing question at the outset of your essay can make it engaging; if you do, readers may continue reading to see how you answer it.

3. Dramatize A Scene

Another effective way to write an essay introduction is to dramatize a scene related to your essay. Generally, this approach is best suited for creative essays, such as personal statements and literary essays. Here are a few examples of essay introductions that immerse readers in the action through dramatized scenes:

“The rain pounded against the roof, loudly drowning out any conversations we attempted to have. I’d promised them I’d play the latest song I wrote for guitar, but Mother Earth prevented any concert from happening that night.”

Creating Immersion: Using Dramatic Scenes Beyond the Hook

Imagine you’ve just gotten off an airplane. You’re hot, you’re tired, you’re uncomfortable, and suddenly, you’re under arrest.

Beyond creative essays, this kind of opening can work when you’re using emotional appeal to underscore your position in a persuasive essay. It’s also an excellent tool for a dramatic essay, and could be just the first of multiple dramatized scenes throughout the piece. 

4. Kick It Off With A Quote

When you’re wondering how to write an essay introduction, remember that you can always borrow wisdom from other writers. This is a powerful way to kick off any kind of essay. Take a look at these examples:

“‘The past is never dead. It’s not even past.’ —William Faulkner. In his novel Requiem for a Nun, our changing perspective of the past is a primary theme.”

Integrating Quotes Effectively: Relevance and Clarity

“‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ —Nelson Mandela. Before I joined the military, boot camp seemed impossible. But now, it’s done.”

Just as in choosing a fact or statistic to open your essay, any quote you choose needs to be relevant to your essay’s topic. If your reader has to perform a web search for your quote to figure out how it relates to the rest of your essay, it’s not relevant enough to use. Go with another quote that your text can easily explain. 

5. State Your Thesis Directly

The most straightforward kind of essay introduction is one where you simply state your thesis. Take a look at these examples:

“Fraternity culture is dangerous and contrary to campus values. Banning it is in the campus community’s best interest.”

“We can’t afford to ignore the evidence any longer; we need climate action now.”

Direct Thesis Opening: Diving Straight into Your Argument

By starting your essay like this, you’re cutting right to the chase. Think of it like diving into the deep end of a pool; instead of wading to that deep end, slowly getting acclimated to the water’s temperature along the way, you’re dropping your whole body right into the cold water. An introduction that directly states my thesis can be an excellent choice for an analytical essay. 

6. The Full Hemingway

An image-based description that focuses on a particular moment and doesn’t explain much, at least right away. This technique lets dialogue, actions, or details speak for themselves.

(Note that many other authors do this; it’s part of excellent writing, but my little brother suggested Hemingway, and I kinda liked the sound of it.)

Example:
Every Saturday morning, I’d awaken to the smell of crushed garlic and piquant pepper. I would stumble into the kitchen to find my grandma squatting over a large silver bowl, mixing fat leaves of fresh cabbage with garlic, salt, and red pepper.

Balancing Detail and Clarity: The Art of Visceral Openings

Why It Works: In this introduction, the author paints a vivid picture of waking up in the morning to the scent of her grandmother’s traditional Korean cooking. Through the careful word choice (“piquant pepper,” “fat lips of fresh cabbages,” etc.), we get a sense that something important is happening, even if we don’t know what it is yet. 

But this one can be difficult to pull off if you don’t help the reader understand why you’ve described what I’ve described. Read the rest of the essay here.

Which brings us to...

7. The Mini Hemingway

An image-based description, 1-3 sentences in length, that focuses on a particular moment and then follows up with a sentence that explains, comments on, or provides context for what is being described. Take a look at how this can happen by just adding one sentence to the example above (see bolded line below):

Every Saturday morning, I’d awaken to the smell of crushed garlic and piquant pepper. I would stumble into the kitchen to find my grandma squatting over a large silver bowl, mixing fat leaves of fresh cabbage with garlic, salt, and red pepper. That was how the delectable Korean dish, kimchi, was born every weekend at my home.

Why it Works: 

This single sentence hints at some of the author’s core values, culture, ritual, and family, without giving too much away about where the essay is headed. Like any good intro, this one creates more questions than answers. 

Engaging Through Emotion: The Power of Evocative Detail

Another example:
They covered the precious mahogany coffin with a brown amalgam of rocks, decomposed organisms, and weeds. It was my turn to take the shovel, but I felt too ashamed to dutifully send her off when I had not properly said goodbye. 

I refused to throw dirt on her. I refused to let go of my grandmother, to accept a death I had not seen coming, to believe that an illness could not only interrupt, but steal a beloved life.

Why It Works: 

The author drops us right into the middle of something we know nothing about, yet it invites us to care. How? The specifics. The details she notices and the resistance she feels help put us in her shoes. This means we don’t just feel sympathy, we feel empathy. 

And that empathetic connection heightens the stakes for us by raising questions: 

• How did her grandmother die? 
• Why can’t the author let her go? 
• Why is she angry? 

8. The Twist

The author begins with information that creates certain expectations about them before taking us in a surprising direction.

Example:
Growing up, my world was basketball. My summers were spent between the two solid black lines. My skin was consistently tan in splotches and ridden with random scratches. My wardrobe consisted mainly of track shorts, Nike shoes, and tournament t-shirts. Gatorade and Fun Dip were my pre-game snacks. 

The cacophony of rowdy crowds, ref whistles, squeaky shoes, and scoreboard buzzers was a familiar sound. I was the team captain of almost every team I played on, familiar with the Xs and Os of plays, commander of the court, and the coach’s right-hand girl.

But that was only me on the surface.

Surprising the Reader: Subverting Expectations with Identity

Deep down, I was an East-Asian influenced bibliophile and a Young Adult fiction writer.

Why It Works: 

We’re introduced to the author as a basketball superstar, the queen of the court, a sports fanatic, and at this point, the reader may even be making assumptions about this author’s identity based on her initial description of herself. However, in one sentence, the writer takes us in a completely unexpected direction. 

This plays with audience expectations and demonstrates that she has a reasonable degree of self-awareness about the layers of her identity. After having our expectations thrown for a loop, we can’t help but wonder more about who exactly this person is.

Surprising the Reader: Subverting Expectations with Identity

Another example:
I am on Oxford Academy’s Speech and Debate Team, in both the Parliamentary Debate division and the Lincoln-Douglass debate division. I write screenplays, short stories, and opinionated blog posts, and am a regular contributor to my school's literary magazine, The Gluestick. I have accumulated over 300 hours of community service, which include work at homeless shelters, libraries, and special education youth camps. The College Board has evaluated me and has placed me within the top percentile.

But I am not any of these things. I am not a test score, nor a debater, nor a writer. I am an anti-nihilist punk rock philosopher. And I became so when I realized three things:

Why It Works: 

He tears up his (impressive) resume in the first few sentences and says, “That’s not me! Here’s the real me…” and as a result, we wonder, “How does one become an anti-nihilist punk rock philosopher? And what are the three things??”)

9. The Philosophical Question

Ask a question that you won’t (and probably can’t) answer in your essay. This gives you a chance to showcase how your brilliant brain works, while also keeping us hooked as you explore possible answers/solutions.

Example:
Does every life matter? Because certain lives matter more than others, especially when it comes to money.

Why it Works: 

It raises a complex and interesting question, posing a controversial idea: that we treat some lives as though they matter more than others. 

We wonder: 

“Is that true? Could it be? Say more…” 

Heads-up: 

This one can veer into the “Overly Grand Ambiguous Statement” opening if you’re not careful. Click here to read the rest of the essay mentioned above, which, by the way, took him a long time to refine, as this approach is not straightforward to pull off.

10. The Confession

Begin by admitting something you might be judged (or judge yourself) for.

Example:
I have been pooped on many times. I mean this in the most literal sense possible. Pigeons and possums, house finches and hawks, egrets and eastern grays have pooped on me.

Why it Works: 

Shows vulnerability, but also, in many cases, intrigues us to learn more about it.

Intrigue and Confession: Hooking with a Personal Secret

Another example:
Here is a secret that no one in my family knows: I shot my brother when I was six. Luckily, it was a BB gun. But to this day, my older brother Jonathan does not know who shot him. And I have finally promised myself to confess this eleven-year-old secret to him after I write this essay.

Why It Works: 

This is a super vulnerable thing to admit and raises all sorts of questions for us: Why did he shoot his brother? Why hasn’t he confessed it to him? What will his brother say once he tells him? (Fun fact: This essay breaks the “don’t start with a quote” rule.)

11. The Trailer Thesis

A contextualizing 1-2 sentences (often at the end of the first paragraph) to ground the essay by giving us a sneak peek at what’s to come in the essay, but that do NOT give away the ending.

Example:
Six years ago, a scrawny twelve-year-old kid took his first steps into Home Depot: the epitome of manliness. As he marched through the woods section, his eyes scrolled past the options. Red Oak? No, too ubiquitous. Pine? No, too banal. Mahogany? Perfect, it would nicely complement his walls. As days went on, the final product was almost ready. The 91-degree angles had been refined to 90 degrees. 

The drawer slides had been lubricated ten times. The masterpiece was finished, and the little boy couldn’t help but smile. A scrawny 12-year-old kid had become an emaciated 12-year-old man. This desk, where I sit, has not only accompanied me through the last six years, but its story and the stories of the objects I keep on it provide a foundation for my future pursuits.

Why It Works: 

As we read the first few sentences of this paragraph, we might wonder, “Where is this going?” But this sentence sets us at ease and, again, without giving too much away,  provides us with a sense of what’s to come. We know that we’re going to learn about the author and his future through the objects on his desk. Great! It also signals to the reader, “Don’t worry, I’m still aware of the task at hand.” 

12. The Shocking Image

Grab our attention with a particular and arresting image or sentence. Then tell us why it matters.

Example:

Smeared blood, shredded feathers. The bird was dead. But wait, the slight fluctuation of its chest, the slow blinking of its shiny black eyes. No, it was alive.

Why It Works: 

This style subtly highlights the author's writing talent without detracting from the story's content. In this example, the staccatoed sentence fragments convey a sense of halting anxiety and also mimic the bird’s chest movement as it struggles to breathe. 

All sorts of questions come up: 

• What happened to the bird? 
• What will the author do?

Setting the Scene: Immersive Openings with Vivid Details

Another example:
February 2011– My brothers and I were showing off our soccer dribbling skills in my grandfather’s yard when we heard gunshots and screaming in the distance. We paused and listened, confused by sounds we had only ever heard on the news or in movies. My mother rushed out of the house and ordered us inside. The Arab Spring had come to Bahrain.

Another example:
Bowing down to the porcelain god, I emptied the contents of my stomach. Foaming at the mouth, I was ready to pass out. My body couldn’t stop shaking as I gasped for air, and the room started spinning.

13. Use the Narrative Strategy of Delay

The narrative strategy of delay allows you to put off identifying your subject just long enough to pique your readers' interest without frustrating them.

"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)

14. Use the Historical Present Tense

An effective way to start an essay is to use the historical present tense to relate an incident from the past as if it were happening in the present.

"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 be sure that this boy sitting beside me is named Ben. But that doesn’t matter tonight. What I know for sure 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)

15. Briefly Describe a Process That Leads to Your Subject

"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)

16. Open with a Riddle, Joke, or Humorous Quotation

A fun way to start an essay is to use a riddle, joke, or humorous quotation that reveals something about your subject.

Question: What did Eve say to Adam on being expelled from the Garden of Eden? 

Answer: 'I think we're in a time of transition.' The irony of this joke is not lost as we begin a new century and 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)

17. Offer a Contrast Between Past and Present

"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)

18. Offer a Contrast Between Image and Reality

A compelling way to start an essay is with a contrast between a common misconception and the opposing truth.

"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)

19. Start by Contrasting Popular Opinion

Sometimes referred to in journalism as an editorial, an opinion essay is the result of an author taking a stance on a topic, rather than remaining neutral.

Looking for ways to start an opinion essay? One unforgettable way is to defend a viewpoint you have that contrasts with that of the general public.

Introducing your essay in this polarizing manner can make it stand out from the pack.

Example of Starting with a Contrast or Deviation from the Norm:

“Contrary to popular opinion, fast food can serve as a primary component of a healthy diet.”

20. Pose a Hypothetical Scenario

Engage your readers by presenting a hypothetical scenario or situation that relates to your topic. This can make your essay more relatable and interesting to your audience.

21. Use a Shocking Statement

Begin your essay with a shocking statement that challenges common beliefs or assumptions. This can grab your readers' attention and compel them to keep reading.

22. Define Key Terms for Clarity

Now, a question arises in the minds of students about how to start an essay effectively. 

Here are some of the best examples given below: It’s a good idea to start your work by explaining what your terms mean, so that everyone understands them. This is a good way to prevent confusion and ensure that everyone, regardless of their knowledge of the subject, is kept informed about what you’re saying.

Example:
Sustainability: “a broad set of ideas concerned with preserving the environment, ensuring future human wellbeing, and sharing the earth more equitably among species and generations”  One of the foundations of modern environmental policy, this term is typically defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This definition serves not only as a starting point for discussion, but also as a guide for the reader through the essay's structure and purpose.

23. Reference a Current Event

Start your essay by referencing a recent news event or current trend that is relevant to your topic. This can show readers the real-world implications of the subject you are discussing.

24. Pose a Rhetorical Question

Begin your essay with a rhetorical question that encourages readers to reflect on the topic and consider different perspectives. This can create a sense of dialogue and engagement.

25. Not This, But That

Example: A moral code is not a hindrance to true success–it’s a necessity.

Structure:   ____ is not a ______ — it’s a _______.

Comment: Say what something is not (or should not be) so that you can say what it is (or should be). Notice the dash. It joins two short sentences, one negative and one affirmative. You can enter your sentences with a semicolon or a comma if you prefer.

Strictly speaking, using a comma to join two sentences is usually called a comma splice error. Still, because the sentences are short, the reader will interpret the sentence as a stylistic sentence rather than a comma splice error.

26. Use “Better Off Than” To Highlight An Advantage

Example: A society with minimal restrictions on the expression of ideas and opinions is better off than a society with a propensity to censor.

Example: A person with talent is better off than a person with training.

Structure: ________is better off than __________.

Comment: The phrase “better than” compares two things directly, whereas the phrase “better off than” compares starting points. It tells the reader that one has an advantage the other doesn’t have. 

27. Compare Adjectives With “Being ___ Is Better Than Being ___”

Example: Being realistic is better than being heedlessly optimistic.

Structure:  Being _______ is better than being ________.

Comment: Nouns are easy to compare, but when we compare adjectives, we need the word “being” in front of them. This structure enables you to write concise, impactful claims, which in turn makes it easier for your reader to continue reading. 

28. Show Equality With “Just As”

Example: Apathy is just as harmful to humans as a physical disease.

Structure: ____ is just as _______ as _______.

Comment: If you are asked to discuss two things and give your opinion, it can be a good idea to show how the two things are equal in way before getting into their differences.  

29. Introduce Alternatives With “Between ___ And ___”

Example: Between the nation-state and the individual, the nation-state is far more critical.

Structure: Between X and Y, X is best.

Comment: By offering two alternatives and then naming the first alternative again with a claim to its superiority, you create a sentence with a repeated element. The repetition creates an impact by making the repeated element more memorable. Poetry and song lyrics use repetition with this same intention.

30. Say How Something Resists Categorization With “Go Beyond”

Example: Dreams go beyond career choices and material desires.

Structure: Xs go beyond Ys and Zs. 

Comment: Notice the three items in the example sentence are all plurals. Keep your items parallel when using this sentence structure. Also, notice how saying dreams go beyond makes dreams bigger and more important than the other items mentioned. Readers will be curious how. Don’t disappoint. 

31. Say Where Concepts Originate

Example: Established values in a society originate in culture, religion, and the hopes and dreams on a country was founded on.

Plural Structure:  Xs originate in Y and Z.

Singular Structure:  X originates in Y and Z.

Comment: Saying where something originates opens the door to illustrations from the past. An essay with a first sentence like this will practically write itself.

32. Show Surprising Resilience With “Even With”

Example: Even with a divorce rate of 50%, Americans remain dedicated to the idea of family and community.

Example: Despite a string of serious allegations, voters continue to support their president.

Structure: Even with / Despite _______,   Xs remain _________.

Comment: Sentences that show us the surprising resilience of a state of affairs despite a factor that works against it make readers curious about why it is so.  Make no mistake. Notice that “even with” introduces past and present situations, while “even if” tells the reader about the future.   

33. Virtually Disappeared

Example: Good manners have virtually disappeared from our self-centered world.

Structure: ___ has virtually disappeared.

Comment: 

“Virtually” means “nearly or almost.”  If you say that good manners have disappeared, your reader may say to him or herself, “Nonsense! I have good manners.” If this happens, you will face a significant challenge. 

Your reader will resist you. But if you say that good manners have virtually disappeared, that is much harder to contradict and should arouse curiosity instead.

34. Say How An Idea “Manifests Itself”

Example: Nowadays, creativity manifests itself endlessly, in all fields of study.

Structure: Nowadays, _________ manifests itself, in _______.

Comment: 

“Manifests itself” is just another way of saying “appears,” but it sounds more active and impressive. The adverb “endlessly” isn’t an essential part of this structure. It is not an exaggeration in the example sentence. I think it is true. We live in a very creative age. 

35. Say How Reflecting On Something Often Leads To Something Else

Example: Reflecting on the condition of modern society often leads to the question, have we become overly cynical and desensitized?

Structure: Reflecting on _____ often leads to the question ______?

Comment: 

When you tell your reader that reflection leads to curiosity about something, your reader will reflect and become curious. Kickass!

36. Say How The Greater Part Of Something Depends Upon Something

Example: The greater part of our happiness or misery depends more upon disposition than circumstances.

Structure:  The greater part of _____ depends more upon _____ than _____.

Comment: 

This is a very versatile structure that immediately spurs thought-provoking reflection. You could start an essay about success by saying, “The greater part of success depends more upon luck than skill.” 

A happiness essay could begin, “The greater part of happiness depends more upon a hopeful sense of progress than upon the satisfaction of past achievement.”

37. Reference a Popular Culture Phenomenon

Start your essay by referencing a widespread cultural phenomenon or trend that is relevant to your topic. This can make your writing more relatable and engaging for a broader audience.

38. Use a Startling Comparison

Begin your essay with a startling comparison that juxtaposes two seemingly unrelated ideas or concepts. Contrasts can provoke thought and intrigue readers from the start.

39. Keep It Brief

On college essays, students are generally limited to 500-700 words. That’s certainly not many words for such an essential piece of writing, so you must keep the essay introduction brief. You need to get to the “meat” of the essay as quickly as possible.

So while the college essay introduction is essential, it shouldn’t take up the majority of your limited word count. In the introduction, you do not need to summarize or preview everything that will be discussed in the essay. Instead, the college essay introduction should give a short, engaging glimpse into the rest of the piece. When writing the first draft of your essay, it’s OK to go over the word count by 200-300 words.

Trimming the Intro: Achieving Concise and Impactful Beginnings

When cutting down the essay, start by refining the introduction. Since you likely started the essay by writing the introduction, you’ll likely have included too much unnecessary background detail. When you reread the essay after a short break, you’ll realize how much of my introduction isn’t necessary.

As a benchmark, you don’t want the introduction to comprise more than 30% of the word count of the entire college essay. Even then, we recommend keeping the introduction to around 20% of the essay.

40. 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

41. Start With A Puzzle (Notice How You Start To Wonder Who She Is 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.

42. Use Your Own Voice

When you’re wondering how to start your college essay, it can be tempting to write in the same style you use for academic essays. The college essay is personal, not a school essay. 

For this style of writing, you’ll want to be clear, thoughtful, and grammatically correct, but you’ll also want to be personable, engaging, and, most importantly, yourself. With that in mind, skip the SAT vocabulary words and opt for a more conversational tone instead.

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Mistakes to Avoid When Starting an Essay

Avoid Overly Grand Statements in Your Essay Introduction

Opening with a broad, impersonal statement like "Since the dawn of time, humanity has struggled with the concept of failure" is a poor way to begin an essay. 

Not only is this approach boring and overly general, but it also sounds like the first line of a textbook. Instead of drawing readers in, you’ll start your paper off on the wrong foot. 

Don’t Go Meta 

Starting your essay with a meta commentary about the writing process is another bad idea. For example, opening with “I stare at the blank screen, not sure what to write,” or “When I was asked to write this personal statement, at first I wasn’t sure how to begin,” is a surefire way to make your reader cringe. 

While you may think this kind of intro is creative and self-aware, admissions officers have read hundreds of essays just like it. There are better ways to show your personality than by demonstrating how you’re approaching the task of writing this essay. 

Skip the Quotes 

Quoting someone else to start your essay is a deflection. It may seem like a good idea to use the words of a famous person to introduce your narrative, but admissions officers want to hear YOUR voice, not someone else’s. 

Starting your essay with a quote is a waste of valuable space, and it makes the reader feel as if they’re being eased into a boring research paper. 

Don’t Reveal Your Thesis Too Early 

Starting your essay with a line that reveals your thesis, especially if it’s overly simplistic, is like giving readers the conclusion before they get to read the essay. For example, opening with “I want to be a veterinarian because I love animals” is a clear signal to readers that they can stop reading because they already know what to expect in the following paragraphs. 

Instead of starting your essay with such an obvious statement, try to come up with something much more interesting that will pique the reader's curiosity.

Planning Your Introduction Before Writing It Is a Good Idea 

Jumping into your essay without a clear plan is a recipe for disaster. Before you start writing your introduction, create an outline of your essay to help organize your thoughts. This will ensure you have a clear idea of your essay’s structure and what information will be covered in each section. 

Then, as you write your introduction, you can make sure it aligns with your plan and smoothly transitions into the first paragraph of your essay. 

Beware of Boring Hooks 

Your opening sentence is like the first impression of your essay. If it’s dull and generic, readers will wonder if the rest of your paper will be just as unexciting. Avoid starting with a cliché or other weak hook that fails to grab your reader’s attention. 

Instead, aim to come up with an opening that is unique and creative to draw your audience in. 

Excessive Formality Can Kill Your Intro 

Many students approach essay writing with a mentality that forces them to adopt overly formal language and a stilted tone. Don’t do this. Your introduction should sound natural, as if you were having a conversation with an intelligent friend. 

Avoid using excessive jargon or complicated vocabulary, as this can make your intro boring and hard to read. Instead, write clearly and simply to engage your audience. 

Don’t Overwhelm Your Reader With Too Much Information 

While background information can be helpful to readers, providing too much of it in your introduction can be overwhelming. Instead, aim to transition smoothly into any necessary background information after your introduction. 

If you can, try to incorporate any essential details into the body of your essay so that your readers won’t be confused. 

Make Sure You Have a Clear Thesis Statement 

Readers should be able to identify your essay’s purpose and direction after reading your introduction. If you fail to provide a clear thesis statement, they may become confused and lose interest. 

Make sure to include a concise thesis in your introduction to help your readers understand what to expect in the paragraphs that follow. 

Avoid Irrelevant Quotes 

Using a quote to start your essay is a deflection, and it can also be a bad idea if the quote is irrelevant or doesn’t connect directly to your topic. Admissions officers want to read YOUR thoughts, not someone else’s, and they especially don’t want to read about someone else’s thoughts that have nothing to do with your narrative. 

If you must use a quote to start your essay, make sure it is directly related to your topic and will help you smoothly transition into your writing. 

Remember Your Audience 

Neglecting to consider your audience when writing your essay can lead to disengagement. Admissions officers are looking for a glimpse of your personality to figure out who you are as a person beyond your grades and test scores. Write to them, and don’t be afraid to let your unique voice shine through. 

Don’t Procrastinate Writing Your Intro 

Often, students leave their introductions for last. This is likely because they want to get a good idea of what their essay is about before writing the intro. While this makes sense, it can lead to rushed and ineffective beginnings. Instead, write your introduction early in the writing process after you’ve outlined your essay. This will help you create a clear starting point for your readers. 

Avoid Repetitive Content 

Rehashing what you’ve already covered in your essay’s body can make your introduction seem redundant. Avoid using the exact phrases or language that you will discuss in the paragraphs that follow. Instead, try to use your introduction to help transition into those sections. 

Proofread Your Intro 

No matter how great your intro is, if it’s riddled with errors in grammar and punctuation, it will undermine your introduction’s credibility. Before you submit your essay, read through your intro carefully to catch any mistakes. You can also use tools like Grammarly to help you identify and eliminate any pesky errors.

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Try our AI Writing Assistant to Write Natural-sounding Content

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From there, you can edit the paragraph to sound like you and change any facts that you want to ensure accuracy. Beginning an essay has never been easier! 

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