Interesting Ways To Start An Essay

Essays are a fact of life for students. While many fear the dreaded essay exam, writing an essay should not rival a toothache in the pain department.
A Good Essay Start Settles the Reader Comfortably
One of the most important skills in essay writing is the ability to decide on a good essay opening. An interesting essay beginning will not only hook the reader’s attention, but also will make sure that your essay stands out in a sea of mediocre ones. Pity the professor who has to wade through the muck of snooze-inducing essays!
This article has several interesting ways of starting an essay. These methods can be applied to any essay topic. As an example, the overall theme being used here is love.
Start Essay by Quoting a Surprising Statistic
“Every year, over 100,000 couples get married in Las Vegas”.
The human eye is attracted to big numbers. This is the reason why a surprising statistic can grab a reader’s attention at the start of an essay. What’s more, numbers pop up in a sea of text.
Obviously, one needs to know an exact enough number to use this essay beginning method. Using words like “many” or “much” will lower the effectiveness of this method. However, if one cannot be absolutely sure about a certain statistic (as these numbers tend to fluctuate), one can still get away by using words like “hundreds”, “thousands” and “millions”.
Ask a Question as a Way to Begin an Essay
“Is love simply a result of chemical reactions in our brains?”
Starting an essay with a question unconsciously engages the reader as s/he naturally tries to answer the said question. Of course, if the writer answers the said question by the end of the essay nicely ties all the points up.
In the case of a rhetorical question (a question that does not necessarily needs to be answered because the writer assumes the reader already knows the answer), the answer to the question at the beginning of the essay can be hinted instead of straight-forwardly presented. The overall tone of the essay will make it obvious to the reader which side the writer is on.
Present a Short Narrative
“When my parents first met, my Mother was wearing a yellow sun dress which complimented her blue eyes and tanned skin. My Father thought she looked like an angel”.
Because most people enjoy hearing and reading stories, an essay which starts with a short story or anecdote is also effective. It is natural to care about people in general, so most readers become curious and they look forward to what will happen next to the story’s characters.
When using the narrative form to start an essay, provide many details that will create a mental picture in the reader’s mind. This will make it easier for the reader to go along and understand the story.
Write Something Controversial at the Start of the Essay
“Many fools equate love with sex”.
There is a good reason why bad news sells. Most readers enjoy reading about scandals and disasters because they create excitement in their mundane lives. A controversy surprises the reader’s brain into a state of heightened awareness.
There is a risk of offending the reader in the beginning when one tries to use the fourth method. For example, if the essay’s topic is about abortion, and the essay starts with the statement “Abortion is cold-blooded murder”, a reader who is pro-life might take offense. However, in most cases, the reader might also be interested and curious to find out more about the writer’s stance, and thus will keep on reading.
Cite a Famous Quote
“Oscar Wilde said, ‘Men always want to be a woman’s first love. Women have a more subtle instinct. What they like to be is a man’s last romance’.”
Citing a famous quote will establish rapport with the reader, especially if the reader also knows that quote. Many people are emotionally attached to certain quotes, because they tug on their heartstrings and mirror what they believe.
What’s more, people tend to be interested about knowing what famous people say or do.
Say Something Short and Shocking
“Love hurts”.
This last method is similar to the fourth method, because brevity is rarely found in essays. It is like a breath of fresh air.
Practice Makes Perfect When Writing Essays
As mentioned above, these methods can be applied to any essay topic. By practicing to come up with interesting essay beginnings for a variety of different topics (for example: poverty, cross-cultural communication, business innovation), anyone can become flexible and creative. It will no longer matter what essay topic is presented!

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