¡Descarga Writing Powerful Introductions: Six Effective Ways to Hook Your Readers - Prof. Colin Pena y más Apuntes en PDF de Idioma Inglés solo en Docsity! Writing Powerful Introductions When you write, what's the best way to begin? Many students start with a simple sentence, such as "I will write about my hometown", or they use no special introduction at all. Here are six ways to write better introductions. 1) Write about a problem Everybody has problems! Most of our energy each day is spent trying to solve problems. By starting your writing with a problem, you automatically hook your readers into searching for a solution. Your readers will start to think about how they might solve the problem or wonder what solution you have in mind. But be careful not to take too much time on the problem itself. This is an introduction, not the body of your writing. 2) Write about a story or start with a joke A very brief story or joke that illustrates your main idea can also hook the reader. Use clear details and vivid descriptions to appeal to your readers' senses and emotions. For example, if you want your readers to give up smoking, describe the painful effects of an elderly person who is unable to stop coughing, unable to breathe freely. If you are writing about an interesting place, describe what the readers would see, what they would hear, what they would taste, so that they can almost feel they are there. A joke, if it really fits the topic, can also make your readers more receptive to your ideas. Look at How to Tell Jokes for a simple way to remember jokes and stories. 3) Start with a question This is one of the easiest ways to begin writing. However, be careful not to use questions that are too simple. If everyone already knows the answer, they will not be interested in what you write next. Remember, you have to make them think! "Do you like to eat?" is not very interesting. However, "Have you ever spent more than $100 dollars on one meal?" will make your readers start dreaming! 4) Write a bold statement or use an interesting statistic If you begin with something like, "In the United States, fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce!", your readers will want to know your point of view on this topic. You can look up statistics on the Internet for just about any topic, so go to it! 5) Start with a quote from an important person This kind of introduction has two advantages. As with the other ways, it gets your readers to think about what you will say next. In addition, the words of important people have the ability to persuade many people. "If Bill Gates said it, it's probably true", many people will think. 6) Write about necessary background information This is not a very interesting way to begin, but sometimes it's necessary to help your readers before you begin. Some topics will be too difficult for readers to follow without some help, so you may have to provide basic information first. If possible, try to write about this information using one of the five opening techniques above! Sample Sentence One: a) "There is a man over there." Many students write sentences like this. Unfortunately, this sentence tells us nothing about the man or where he is. Here is a slightly 1 improved sentence: b) "A tall man is standing next to the car." Depending on the situation, you could add many more details. For example: c) "A tall man wearing a dark suit is standing with his arms folded next to an old, red taxi." This sentence communicates much more to the reader and shows that you know how to really use English well. Sample Sentence Two: a) "I was very tired." First, you could add the reason for being tired: b) "I am always tired after work." Next, be more specific about how long you had to work: c) "I always feel tired after working from 9 in the morning until 10 at night." Isn't sentence "C" much better than sentence "A"? Remember, when you write, you are trying to communicate. These specific details are what communicate information to your reader. Sample Sentence Three: a) "Can you come?" Again, you can answer the basic questions "When" and "Where": b) "Can you come to my office tomorow morning?" Of course, you can be even more specific with the time: c) "Can you come to my office tomorrow morning between 9:30 and 10 o'clock?" And finally, you could add "Why": d) "Can you come to my office tomorrow morning between 9:30 and 10 o'clock so that I can give you the information you wanted?" Remember This! 2
