The 10 Interesting Hook ideas to Start an Essay and Examples

Lets face it..

Writing is a representation of speaking. As Ralph Waldo Emerson put it ‘speech is to persuade, to compel, to convert, to bring another off their bad sense and bring them into your good sense.’ To compel, persuade, convert, and share your ideas, you need an interesting hook.

In essay writing, instructors often give guidelines requiring a hook. So, what is a hook?

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What is an Interesting Hook in Essay Writing?

A hook in essay writing is the first component of an essay that readers see. Readers look at the first statement and decide whether to continue reading. Therefore, you should make the first statement an attractive and attention-grabbing content that keeps the reader reading. You need to have a hook because there is a lot of information already grabbing the reader’s attention about your chosen topic.

To make your work cut out for your essay hook, I shall give ten interesting hooks that jumpstart the readership into your essay.

1.      Famous Quotes

First, did you notice that I used a famous quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson to grip your attention? Quotes are interesting hooks that appeal to the reader’s attention. However, make sure that the quote fits within the context of your topic.

For example, if you are writing an argumentative essay about supporting gun control you can start with

• I have a stringent gun control policy if there’s a gun around, I want to be in control of it – Clint Eastwood

In case you are arguing against gun control, you can start with:

• ‘A man with a gun is an American citizen. A man without a gun is a subject.’ Rep. Allen West

Expert tip: Do not just use an essay hook because it is excellent, use a hook because it is relevant to your essay’s content, thesis, and main arguments.

2.      Interesting fact to start an Interesting hook

You can use information from your research sources to write an interesting fact at the start of the essay.

Examples:

• Only female mosquitoes bite, the males are vegetarian’ or ‘do you
• Pentheraphobia is the fear of your mother-in-law.
• A joke or a pun is the right way to connect with your reader sensually.

Examples:

• What’s my favorite thing about Switzerland? I don’t know, the flag is a big plus.
• Never made mistakes. I thought I did one time, but I was wrong.

2.      Statistical fact

Give shocking facts that are unknown to the reader

• About 90% of the world’s population lives in the Northern Hemisphere
• The risk of a heart attack gets high on Mondays by 20%  for adult men

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3.      Exciting question/ rhetorical question

Questions make people want to know the answer because its human nature to be inquisitive

Note: Ask a question whose answer is in the paper

Example:

• Is education relevant in today’s world?
• Do we need the police?

4.      Meaningful advice to begin an interesting hook

Meaningful advice is vital to everyone and makes you connect with the audience

Examples

• Say ‘I don’t know’ when you don’t know
• If you can’t be right, be silly

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5.      Definition

When writing academic essays definitions of terms or concepts breakdown information which hooks the reader’s attention

Examples:

• A narcissist is a person that develops excessive interest and admiration for themselves
• An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two terms that contradict appear in conjunction

6.      Contradictory Statement

Writing contradictory facts grabs the attention of the reader

Example:

• My brother makes fun of me because I am an only child
• I love all fish, but I hate tuna

7.      An anecdote

You can start with an anecdote, which is a short story that breaks the ice.

Examples:

• My aunt, who does not speak English called the emergency toll free number and the prompt responded ‘For English press 1, and a different language, press 2’
• At Harvard, Bill Gates developed an impressive solution for the “pancake sorting” problem in mathematics that stood for 30 years. When his professor called to tell him that the solution would be published, Bill gates didn’t care because he had already gone and found Microsoft.

8.      Dilemma

A dilemma intrigues the reader’s mind and engages them to pay attention to your essay

Example:

• Is it evil to steal and use the proceeds to help poor people?
• Would you kill to protect your child?

As you can see, writing outstanding hook for your essay is easy and straightforward if you follow the steps above.

All the best in your writing endeavors!