The introduction to your essay should capture your readers’ interest and present the main point. Think of your introductory paragraph as a challenge. Ask yourself: How can I get my readers to want to continue reading?

BASICS OF A GOOD INTRODUCTION

The thesis statement is often either the first or the last sentence in the introductory paragraph, though you may find essays in which it is elsewhere.

Here are examples of common kinds of introductions that spark readers’ interest.

START WITH A SURPRISING FACT OR IDEA

Surprises capture people’s attention. The more unexpected and surprising something is, the more likely people are to take notice of it and read on.

I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this. There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed’s church. Every night for weeks there had been much preaching, singing, praying, and shouting, and some very hardened sinners had been brought to Christ, and the membership of the church had grown by leaps and bounds. Then just before the revival ended, they held a special meeting for children, “to bring the young lambs into the fold.” My aunt spoke of it for days ahead. That night I was escorted to the front row and placed on the mourners’ bench with all the other young sinners, who had not yet been brought to Jesus.

— Langston Hughes, “Salvation”

OPEN WITH A QUOTATION

A good short quotation can definitely get people interested. It must lead naturally into your main point, however, and not just be stuck there. If you start with a quotation, make sure that you tell the reader who the speaker or writer is (unless it is a general quote, like the proverb in the following excerpt).

“Grow where you are planted” is an old proverb that is a metaphor for living. Although I had heard it before, it took me many years to understand and appreciate its meaning. If I had listened to that proverb earlier, I would have saved myself and others many painful experiences.

— Teresa Fiori, “Appreciate What You Have”

GIVE AN EXAMPLE OR TELL A STORY

Opening an essay with a brief story or illustration often draws readers in.

Brian Head saw only one way out. On the final day of his life, during economics class, the fifteen-year-old stood up and pointed a semi-automatic handgun at himself. Before he pulled the trigger, he said his last words: “I can’t take this anymore.”

— Kathleen Vail, “Words That Wound”

OFFER A STRONG OPINION

The stronger the opinion, the more likely it is that people will pay attention.

Sex sells. This truth is a boon for marketing gurus and the pornography industry but a rather unfortunate situation for women. Every issue of Playboy, every lewd poster, and even the Victoria’s Secret catalog transform real women into ornaments, valued exclusively for their outward appearance. These publications are responsible for defining what is sexy and reinforce the belief that aesthetic appeal is a woman’s highest virtue.

— Amy L. Beck, “Struggling for Perfection”

ASK A QUESTION

A question needs an answer. If you start your introduction with a question, you engage your readers by inviting them to answer it.

If you’re a man, at some point a woman will ask you how she looks. “How do I look?” she’ll ask.

You must be careful how you answer this question. The best technique is to form an honest yet sensitive opinion, then collapse on the floor with some kind of fatal seizure. Trust me, this is the easiest way out. Because you will never come up with the right answer.

— Dave Barry, “The Ugly Truth about Beauty”