BOLD BEGINNINGS
Begin with a question! Questioning encourages your reader to find an answer or consider a different viewpoint. DO NOT OVERUSE!
Why was I so nervous? Why was I chewing my nails down to the bone? As I stepped toward the edge of the pool, I kept thinking To make the Utah State Championships, I had to get If I could make that time, this would be a memorable event in my life.
Set the Scene Paint a picture with words. This really draws in the reader’s mind.
The room was quiet, except for the humming of the air conditioner in the corner. The walls were stark white and made the room feel cold. Everything looked and smelled so clean. It was not the clean smell of a spring day, but rather the clean smell of a dentist office.
Make a list! This makes the reader begin to wonder what you are writing.
Balloons, presents, a birthday cake, lit candles…I remember my tenth birthday like it was yesterday.
Begin with a sound word This puts the reader in the essay! Onomonopea!!
Flash! Cameras were snapping pictures all around me! This would be a day I would never forget!
Give clues to hint at your topic. This gets your reader really thinking!
I have eight legs, no more and no less. I am not very big, yet people often scream when they see me. I am sure if they knew about me, they would like me. What am I? I am a spider, of course.
Begin with a short quotation or portion from literature! This can entertain and get the reader thinking!
“The itsy, bitsy spider crawled up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out…” Why are people always trying to get rid of spiders?
Use Alliterative Phrases The same beginning sound used several times This will add spice to your beginning!
The bustling, billowing, blowing winds of tornadoes cause billions of dollars of damage!
Use an Exclamation This wakes up your reader.
Stop, Drop, and Roll! These are words that can save your life!
Write a humorous anecdote. A short tale This sets the reader up to be entertained and informed.
Imagine high school graduation day. All graduates are dressed in cap and gown, ready to enter the gym, when suddenly a mouse runs in front of one graduate. Being deathly afraid of mice, that graduate lets out a blood-curdling scream. All of the assembled people turn to see what creature has made this utterance! In 1975, at Dunlap High School, all eyes were now on me! What a way to begin my high school graduation ceremony!
Be dramatic! Drama queen! This entices the reader to continue!
Alas! How can I leave my house with my hair looking like this! It is curly and I want it straight.
Provide extra information This helps prepare the reader for the topic of the paper. Very useful for persuasive.
Blowing and swirling, lifting and throwing, tornadoes are known to cause great destruction.
Use an unusual fact This grab’s the reader’s attention Unusual means few people know
The eye of an ostrich is bigger than its brain. How does an ostrich exist with such a small brain? Or does it have unusually large eyes?
Start with a strong opinion This let’s the reader know your viewpoint immediately. Very useful in persuasion.
Year long school is definitely not the way to educate our young people! Teachers get burned out without a break, as do students. Families need summertime for vacations.
Be descriptive Entices the reader! Very useful in narrative
The ref blew his whistle and one of the most memorable events of my life began. It was June 10, 2010, the last day of soccer season. I felt nervous, so nervous that I had to wipe my hands on the grass to get the sweat off. We had played this team before and lost. I knew we had to play well, and if we did not we would have to settle for second place.
Use spoken words This gets the reader thinking about what is coming. Very useful for narrative
“I hate you!” I screamed as I slammed the door in my brother’s face. Today was supposed to have been a special day, my tenth birthday! Instead, it turned out to be a miserable day, but it was an experience that taught me a valuable lesson.
Remember: The beginning can be more than one sentence!