Updated 31 October 2025
To create high-quality academic papers, learners should understand the structure of essay writing and have exceptional writing skills to produce a compelling essay introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion. A strong introduction in essay writing is crucial, as it sets the tone and context, presenting the author’s argument and telling the audience what to expect. Discover the basics of how to write an essay introduction and explore tips from essay writers to help you succeed in your assignments. If you’re short on time, you can pay for essay guidance and get useful recommendations to improve your writing.
An essay introduction is the first paragraph that gives background on your topic, explains what the essay will be about, and states your main point or thesis. Its goal is to grab the reader’s attention and get them interested in what comes next.
There are five introduction requirements in the essay structure we will consider in detail below:
The introduction of an essay should be brief and match the overall length of the paper. It usually takes up about 5–10% of the total word count. For short essays of around 500 words, one paragraph is enough, while longer papers of 1,000 words or more may require two paragraphs without becoming too wordy.
There are three parts of an essay introduction: an essay hook, background information, and a thesis statement, which serves as a concise summary of the main argument.
It is important to define key terms in the introduction to clarify how they are used in relation to the essay topic and avoid confusion for the reader. Let’s analyze their meaning and features.
It is the best starter for your introduction, focused on grabbing the reader’s interest. If you’re wondering how to start an essay, a good hook always consists of a single sentence and may include an impressive fact relevant to the topic, quote, question, anecdote, or summary. While working on this element, you should avoid clichés, generalizations, and using a dictionary definition as a hook, especially when the term is common knowledge among the audience.
Discover five hook types that are the best for catching the reader’s attention.
Write several brief sentences about your life related to the topic, which will work as a great hook, especially in a narrative essay.
Example:
“When I gave birth to my first child, I suddenly realized the importance of having the possibility to work part-time from home. There are many benefits of part-time jobs for young mothers, not only for them.”
Delving into numbers is a great method to attract attention, especially when it comes to a persuasive essay.
Example:
“According to a recent study, part-time employees are 70% more satisfied with their work-life balance and 40% more likely to stay in the same position, even if they can get a higher salary working full time.”
A perfect method to interest readers is to tell them something they believe, but that is not true.
Example:
“Though many think part-time employees are less motivated and productive, this is not true. Due to work-life benefits, such workers are less tired than their colleagues and can work with increased productivity.”
This method is used in narrative and descriptive essays and makes readers imagine situations you’re telling them about.
Example:
“Imagine you could work from home 4 hours a day. You would have more free time to spend with your friends and family or enjoy your hobby.”
It’s also possible to begin your essay directly with the main idea you want to convey to your readers.
Example:
“I agree that a person satisfied with life and job will work better.”
After choosing the best hook, you should explain your topic and lead your audience to specific points you will consider in the body of an essay.
When the first sentences are ready and include a hook, it’s time to give your audience a better understanding of what you will analyze in your essay. In this section, list the key points you will cover in the same order they will appear in the body paragraphs.
To make this clear and engaging, try to answer the following questions:
Your answers, given in a few short sentences, will provide the general context of your essay. Then, smoothly transition to the thesis statement. A helpful method is the “upside-down triangle”: start broad with your hook, narrow down with background details, and end with a specific claim. Each sentence in your introduction should be more focused than the previous one, guiding the reader naturally toward the central argument of your essay.
This part of your essay introduction is the most important, as it provides your readers with a concise summary of your essay’s main idea that will be discussed in the body paragraph. A good thesis statement should be clear, accurate, and disclosed in one sentence at the end of your introductory section.
Example:
“Regular physical activity improves not only physical health but also mental well-being, making it an essential part of a balanced lifestyle.”
Your essay beginning sets the tone for the whole paper. That’s why it’s necessary to put some effort into creating a good hook that grabs the reader’s attention. Forget about using long, complicated sentences, common statements, and dry facts. You should also avoid dictionary definitions, especially for obvious terms. Instead, start with a concise, catchy hook that will arouse your reader’s curiosity.
Here is an example of a great hook for an essay about the Internet’s impact on people:
“Now, the Internet has a world-changing effect: there is no need to rely on a local community to stay in touch with one another.”
Your audience should know the context to understand your topic and your thoughts better. Let’s see what type of context you may use:
Deliver your background information without too much detail. Just mention some points without their interpretation and return to them later in the body of your essay. The volume of this section depends on the topic and the number of pages of the whole essay.
Example:
“The Internet facilitates a global dialogue by connecting people from all over the world. It has brought considerable societal changes, from economic development to cultural exchange. It has opened many new ways of communicating and thinking by giving access to endless sources of information.”
Now, you should narrow your focus and explain what you will say in the next section. A clear thesis statement is the most important part of your introduction. It has to include one or two sentences summarizing your argument and conveying your viewpoint.
Example:
“There are positive and negative effects of the Internet on society.”
Take your time to think about the essay outline. If you write an expanded research paper, it’s better to finish the opening paragraph by indicating what will be explained in each section of your work. After reading the introduction, the audience should clearly understand your argument’s direction.
Example:
“This essay is focused on discussing the influence of the Internet on global society. First, it describes the role of the wide world web for people and the changes it has brought. Then, it explores the positive and negative impacts of the Internet on our lives.”
When you learn new information, your research focus may change. That’s why a great solution is to take your time with your introductory paragraph until the whole work is done. Make some notes about your introduction and return to it when the body and conclusion are ready. In such a way, your first paragraph will best match the content of your essay.
On our website, you can also find practical recommendations on how to write a conclusion for an essay and the steps to take to produce an outstanding research paper.
Essay introductions usually have an identical structure, but their content may differ depending on the essay type and purpose. An expository essay introduction sets the stage for discussing the benefits of regular exercise by clearly outlining the topic and establishing the significance of the discussion to engage readers from the outset. Similarly, a literary analysis essay introduction sets the stage for a detailed examination of a specific novel, outlining the central themes and context while hinting at the analytical approaches to be taken, such as exploring symbolism and character development.
Discover some essay introduction examples for different essay types.
| Essay Type | Purpose | Hook Ideas | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrative | To tell a story that engages the reader and connects directly to key moments in the plot. | Intriguing fact, personal story, or vivid scene. | “In April 2010, John Bell found himself, at 40, divorced, with no home, no children, and alone in a tiny boat in the Atlantic Ocean. His phone had stopped working, and he hadn’t spoken to anyone for weeks…” |
| Personal | To share personal reflections and lessons learned from an experience. | Question, relevant quote, light humor. | “Can you tell me something about yourself?” It’s the most challenging question for me. Many people use it to share achievements, but not me. I’ll begin with my background and student life, then tell you who I am and how others see me.” |
| Analytical | To explain or break down a subject for the audience. | Informative statement or rhetorical question. | “What does it mean to be vegetarian? A plant-based diet offers many benefits, from reducing health risks to preventing certain diseases. Let’s explore the advantages of removing animal products from our diet.” |
| Persuasive | To convince readers to adopt a specific viewpoint or take action. | Surprising fact, statistic, or statement of importance. | “The popularity of online education is growing rapidly. Still, despite its advantages, virtual learning has drawbacks. In this essay, we’ll explore the benefits students gain from online study.” |
| Argumentative essay introduction | To present a debatable issue and set the stage for supporting arguments with evidence. | Controversial question, statistic, or bold claim. | “Should the voting age be lowered to 16? Supporters argue it would empower young voices, while opponents question their readiness. This essay examines both perspectives before drawing a conclusion.” |
Now you know how to write essay introduction and have some examples to get started. Discover the key recommendations from our expert writers on what to do and not to do when completing your essay introduction.
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