What is the best opening sentence?
Asked by: Frederic Zulauf | Last update: September 4, 2025Score: 5/5 (16 votes)
- "Here is a small fact: You are going to die." ...
- “All this happened, more or less." ...
- “It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.” ...
- “It was a pleasure to burn.” ...
- “We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck.”
What is a strong opening sentence?
Start with the chase. A good hook might also be a question or a claim—anything that will elicit an emotional response from a reader. Think about it this way: a good opening sentence is the thing you don't think you can say, but you still want to say. Like, “This book will change your life.”
How do you write a killer opening sentence?
- Start with action. You want to grab the reader's attention from the very first sentence. ...
- Introduce your characters quickly. ...
- Set the scene. ...
- Use strong language. ...
- Hook the reader with a question or mystery.
What is a catchy opening statement?
A hook is an opening statement (which is usually the first sentence) in an essay that attempts to grab the reader's attention so that they want to read on. It can be done by using a few different types of hooks, which are a question, quote, statistic, or anecdote.
What is the best line to start a story?
A good opening line should immediately grab the reader's attention and set the tone for the story. It can introduce a compelling character, present an intriguing situation, or pose a thought-provoking question. Aim for vivid imagery or strong emotions that evoke curiosity and invite readers to dive deeper.
11 Best Opening Lines
What is the best first line?
- "Here is a small fact: You are going to die." ...
- “All this happened, more or less." ...
- “It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.” ...
- “It was a pleasure to burn.” ...
- “We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck.”
How do I start off a story?
Start with action or dialogue. Ask a question or set of questions. Describe the setting so readers can imagine it. Give background information that will interest readers.
What is a powerful opening?
The first element of a powerful speech opening is to hook your audience with something that sparks their curiosity, interest, or emotion. This could be a surprising fact, a provocative question, a personal story, a relevant quote, or a humorous anecdote.
What is a good hook sentence?
1 Rhetorical questions
Rhetorical questions are popular essay hooks because they make readers think. For example, an essay might start with the question “Is it ethical to eat animals?” Before reading the rest of the essay, the reader answers the question in their mind.
How to make an eye catching introduction?
- 1.1 1) Use a quote, a catchy phrase, or a striking idea.
- 1.3 2) Tell a story or personal anecdote.
- 1.4.
- 1.5 3) Describe a problem with which your readers may feel identified.
- 1.6.
- 1.7 4) Set a scenario.
- 1.8 5) Ask a question.
What are the 4 sentence openers?
Sentence openers can include action and transitional words, prepositional phrases, 'what happened' prepositions, and very short sentences.
What is a simple sentence with shut?
He shut his eyes and went to sleep. She shut the book loudly. The owner is shutting the pub for the weekend. The door shut slowly behind me.
What are 7 ways to start a sentence?
- 1 Adverbs of viewpoint. An adverb of viewpoint is simply an adverb that we place at the beginning of a sentence. ...
- 2 With and without. ...
- 3 After/before + ING. ...
- 4 Like and unlike. ...
- 5 Despite. ...
- 6 According to. ...
- 7 For instance. ...
- 8 As a result.
What is a strong sentence opener?
Below is a list of possible sentence starters, transitional and other words that may be useful. This essay discusses … … is explored … … is defined … The definition of … will be given … is briefly outlined … … is explored … The issue focused on …. … is demonstrated ... … is included …
How to make an eye catching first sentence?
- Provoke the reader's emotions. ...
- Ask a question. ...
- Tell the reader what they will learn or discover. ...
- Give character background information that interests the reader.
What is a power start sentence?
When using an action word to start a sentence you increase the impact of each sentence and eliminate unnecessary words.
How to start an essay?
- Share a shocking or amusing fact.
- Ask a question.
- Dramatize a scene.
- Kick it off with a quote.
- State your thesis directly.
- Pick the right tone for your essay.
- When you're stuck, work backwards.
What is an example of a shocking statement?
- “Oh my goodness!” Meaning: Expressing surprise, astonishment, or disbelief. ...
- “Holy cow!” Meaning: Expressing extreme surprise or disbelief. ...
- “What in the world?” ...
- “Good heavens!” ...
- “I can't believe my eyes!” ...
- “Well, I never!” ...
- “You've got to be kidding!” ...
- “I'm flabbergasted!”
What is a good hook for a bullying essay?
Here's a list of brief hooks for an essay about bullying: "Every 7 minutes, a child is bullied." "Bullying leaves scars that often remain hidden." "In the digital age, bullying has evolved."
How to start a killer speech?
- Be Prepared. Before standing in front of your audience, take the time to think about how you want them to feel with your killer opening. ...
- First Words Count. ...
- Start With a Story. ...
- Reconnect With Yourself.
How to write a killer first line?
- Full stops are your friends. Short, clear sentences will grab your readers' attention.
- Use language that will add weight to your sentences.
- Use your verbs correctly, and your adjectives sparingly.
- Opening lines don't have to be loud, subtlety is just as effective.
What is a catchy opening?
It pulls the reader in with boldness, intrigue, storytelling, or relatability. It's an art that takes practice, but these introduction paragraph examples show it can be done right. There are also some great tools out there to help you out.
What are good story starters?
- I didn't mean to kill her.
- The air turned black all around me.
- Icy fingers gripped my arm in the darkness.
- Wandering through the graveyard it felt like something was watching me.
- The eyes in the painting follow him down the corridor.
- A shrill cry echoed in the mist.
What leads up to the climax?
The Middle, also known as the Rising Action, includes the events that lead up to the climax. These are events that usually complicate the problem or make it worse. These events build excitement and interest. The Turning Point, also know as the Climax, is the peak of action in the story.
How to start a story scary?
- Figure out the fear factor. What makes your story scary? ...
- Get to know your main character. How do you make your audience afraid of something? ...
- Hook the audience. ...
- Use suspense. ...
- Set the tone.