Throughout school or academic life, students will have to write countless essays on different topics using different approaches. The essays can be argumentative, expository, descriptive, or any other essay type. This means that as a student, you must equip yourself with creative skills and knowledge to write any given essay that comes your way.
The joy of writing a good essay is impressing the reader. So, how do you ensure the reader enjoys the whole process while reading your essay? One practical approach that has worked for years is using hooks meant to grab the reader’s attention. Keep reading to discover essay hook types, essay hook examples, and how to apply them to your essays for that compelling paper.
What is a hook in an essay?
An essay hook is that opening statement that introduces the reader to your paper, letting them know why the essay is interesting and why they should keep reading. There are varied essay hook types, but they serve the same purpose; to get all the attention of the reader. It can be a quote, an amusing statement, a question, or any other hook type that will match your topic.
How to start a hook for an essay
Understanding how to use hooks for essays is a crucial yet tough skill every student must learn. This is because there are many similar materials out there, all calling for the reader’s attention. Besides, a person can easily get distracted, especially if you aren’t keen enough to hook them, based on the nature of your topic.
So, how do you ensure you include a good hook in your paper? As we describe the types of hooks for writing in the next segment, you will get a clear picture of how to put the hook to fit in the context of your paper or topic.
Different types of hooks for essays
Not every hook will fit in every essay. That is why it is essential to analyze the context of the hook before you put it into use to meet the ultimate goal of capturing the attention of the reader. Below are some hooks for essays that can give your paper an appealing look and motivate the reader to keep reading.
College essay hooks
- Statistical fact hook
Based on the topic, you can research and get a statistical fact that aligns with your topic.
For instance, when describing the happenings in the current century, you can state a statistical fact like: “Approximately 3 billion people live in extreme poverty while we are in the 21st century.”
- Stating an advice
You can also hook your readers through a simple statement about advice. For instance,
“Avoid prioritizing people who treat you as an option.”
- Writing contradicting statements
Starting your essay with two statements that contradict each other will get the reader’s attention. For instance, “I am sure of one thing, I know nothing.”
- Defining the terms
When writing a complex topic with complex phrases, you can simply define the complex terms as a way of hooking and familiarizing the reader with your paper.
For instance, “Altruism entails doing things to benefit others, even if you will be disadvantaged in the process.”
Good essay hooks examples
- Asking a question
Based on your topic, you can come up with a question, forcing the reader to keep reading to get the answers.
For instance, “What does love entail?”
- Use a metaphor
This hook is all about describing something to bring a clear picture of what the moment looked like. For instance, “Her eyes were shining bright like diamonds.”
- Humor
With humor as a hook, you simply state an amusing joke to lighten up the reader’s moments and make them interested in your paper.
For instance, “The thug with a golden heart.”
- A personal story
Sometimes, you can have that one amazing story you simply want to share with everyone. If such a story can blend perfectly with your topic, consider making it a hook.
For instance, “At the age of five, I had no option other than to live with our next-door neighbor after thieves raided our house, only to wake up and find my parents missing.”
Quotes for essay hooks: how to use a quote as a hook
- Athletes hook
This hook type aligns best when you are handling a sports-related topic. For instance, Tommy Lasorda’s quote, “A distinction between possible and impossible depends on the determination of an individual.”
- Scientists hook
In your creative writing or scientific papers, a scientist hook quote will be a great idea to grab your reader’s attention. For instance, Sir Isaac Newton’s quote, “There could be no great discovery without a bold guess.”
- Writer’s hook
We have top writers globally known for famous quotes. For instance, “A true book will always find its audience.” By Wally Lamb.
- Philosophers
Great philosophers have incredible quotes you can use in your essay. For instance, René Descartes’s quote, “I think; therefore I am.”
Social media essay hooks
- Use numbers
Depending on your topic, you can specify the number of ideas you need to share with the reader. For instance, 10 tips or strategies to grow your Instagram account.
- Create a curiosity statement
This hook involves creating a question that will spark mixed reactions for the reader. For instance, “how to end an unhappy marriage life.”
- Reveal secrets
Based on your topic, you can reveal a secrete as a way of enticing the reader to keep reading your essay. For example, “The secret of scoring good grades.”
- Use superlatives
Superlatives are simply phrases that grab the reader’s attention as they signify the relevance of something. Examples of such phrases include longest, worst, lowest, best, and related phrases.
Conclusion
The secrete to that compelling essay is using good hooks to make the reader enjoy reading your piece. If you haven’t tried any of the measures above, consider implementing them in your writing for that incredible essay.