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Writing ■ Creating Great Beginnings

The beginning paragraph of an essay should grab the reader’s attention, introduce the topic, and state your thesis. To grab your reader’s attention, try one of these strategies:

• Start with an interesting or surprising fact.
  

  About 48 percent of Americans aged 18–29 years are living with their parents, more than in 1940.

• Ask an interesting question.
  

  Would you be able to do five days of work in four days?

• Open with a thought-provoking quotation.
  

  Oliver Markus Malloy said, ”Tribalism is the gateway to racism.”

• Provide a brief history. (See the first sentence below.)

Using a Beginning Strategy

Use this strategy for strong opening paragraphs.