Communicated Content – The art of writing a hook is one of the key skills separating good and bad essay writers. The good thing is that writing a great hook for an essay doesn’t require talent because it’s a skill that anyone can learn. The hook is typically the first sentence of an essay that captivates the readers and makes them want to continue reading the paper.
Students can apply more than five different types of hooks when writing essays. Still, you can only use one hook at a time depending on what you feel suits your writing style. The goal is to spark curiosity by making the start of the analysis as intriguing as possible.
Want to write a hook that makes the audience lose track of time when reading your essay? If so, you have come to the right place. We have developed a guide that will tell you all that you need to know to create a catchy hook for any essay.
Why is Writing a Hook for an Essay Important?
The objective of writing a hook for an essay is to give readers a reason to invest their energy and time into reading your paper. It also makes sure that the reader’s mind remains focused on your writing. For instance, the hook of an analytical essay can be a bold statement that provides context, allowing readers to be fully immersed in the analysis you will tackle.
Hence, a hook is a critical part of any good writing piece, whether it is fictional or nonfiction writing. The audience benefits from an exciting opening that throws them into dramatic action or asks important questions they want to discover.
Best Tips on How to Write a Good Hook for an Essay
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Consider the Type of Essay
There are different types of essays, the common ones being argumentative, persuasive, descriptive, and narrative. Each type requires a unique strategy. Therefore, the most basic thing to do when you want to learn how to write a hook for an argumentative essay or any other essay is to keep the type of essay in mind for relevance.
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Know Your Audience
Making a good hook depends on your understanding of the audience. Different people speak in their own way, hence the need to use language that resonates with the target audience. The audience will always have particular features in common that you must consider when trying to attract their attention or surprise them. For example, if you are writing an expository essay and the audience is the intelligent type, you can hook them with a literary quote.
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Know the Exact Purpose and Goal
When you understand the specific goal of the essay, it is easy to know what kind of text the readers will love. The purpose will also guide you to decide on the feeling that you are trying to awaken in the reader to sustain their attention. If you are writing an informative essay, interest the target audience by using emotionally-loaded words or surprising facts. An example of a question to ask when deciding the purpose of the hook is, do you want the reader to be surprised, intrigued, or shocked?
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The Hook Should Be Short
The shorter the essay hook, the better. A concise but clear sentence ensures that the audience will read and understand it immediately after looking at the paper. Also, it allows you to catch the reader’s attention even before they decide if they want to read the essay or not. That way, the audience can continue reading to feed their curiosity.
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Develop the Hook at the End of the Writing Process
Despite the hook being the first sentence of an essay, it doesn’t have to be the first thing you write. Writing an essay is a creative process, and sometimes you may not have an idea of the best hook when starting the writing process. You can continue with the other parts of the essay, and a hook will emerge. In case you are lucky to come up with a strong hook at the beginning of the writing process, check it after completing the writing process to confirm that it still fits into the context and style of the paper.
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Find Inspiration
The best way to learn how to write a good hook for an essay is to read reliable sources, such as academic journals, textbooks, interviews, and newspapers. You can also get pointers from reading professional essays online to learn. Of course, the intention is not to copy what someone else has written, but to guide you in framing your hook.
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Get Writing Help
If you are having difficulties crafting a sensational hook for an essay, enlist the help of an online writing website. Professional academic writing companies have become the go-to places for successful college students who wish to become good writers. Locating an expert who can write your essay hook is easy. You place an order on the website, and the most proficient maven in the field is assigned to complete it online. CustomWritings is a custom essay writing service where you can receive the necessary information and talk to an expert who will nail the best hook and write your paper from scratch.
5 Examples of Essay Hooks
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Surprising Fact or Statistic
This type of hook gives the reader a hard and true fact to latch onto when reading your essay. It also gains the reader’s trust by demonstrating your expertise early and ability to reinforce your arguments with facts. For example, a good hook for an argumentative essay about the best exercise can start by stating that “according to the world health organization, one in four adults do not get enough exercise.”
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Interesting Question
A good hook sentence can also take the form of a question that immediately captures the audience’s attention by offering them something to explore further. Make sure the question is open-ended and truly intriguing. People are naturally intuitive and want to discover the answer to your question. For instance, you can ask, what is the difference between successful college students and unsuccessful college students?
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Wise Quote
You can choose a memorable quotation relating to your topic. A literal quote in an opinion essay has a magical effect because the author or the thought processes make the reader want to find out what they thought. The quotation can’t be a random one-off statement that doesn’t add richness to your argument. Follow the quotation with an explanation that is a natural continuation to avoid confusion. For example, in a persuasive essay about the best exercise, you can start by stating, “reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
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Anecdote
You can start an essay by entertaining your reader with a short anecdote. A bit of humorous and explanatory text can get the reader to pay attention, even when you don’t intend your essay to be funny. Still, people often use this type of hook in the first person. Formal essays may not allow the first person, so ensure you find an anecdote that fits in the third person.
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Strong Statement or Declaration
This type of hook makes an assertive claim about your topic. Although the audience may disagree with the declaration, they are intrigued and want to know how you support the statement. This hook also builds toward the thesis statement by providing an idea of what to expect in the essay. For example, when writing about a vegan diet, you can say, “vegans are the healthiest people in the world.”
