A Good Start：雅思大作文开头段怎么起步

Andrew Z.

HOOK ←→ (TRANSITION) ←→ THESIS STATEMENT

❓ Nowadays some consumers are less influenced by advertising than in the past. What are the reasons? Is it a positive or negative development?

Now please read the following introduction paragraph and point out what is right and what is not so?

Sample 1

With the development of society, many people do not follow advertising like before. I believe this change is mostly positive for society. In this essay I will discuss why it happens and give my opinion.

• What is right?

  Does it clearly introduce the issue?

  Does it clearly state the writer’s thesis?

  Does it tell the reader what to expect in this essay?

• What is not so right?

  Is the first sentence a good way to start this essay?

  Does the second sentence naturally connect to the first?

Now read another version.

• Sample 2

  In recent years, advertising has been appearing in every corner of daily life, in the form of billboards along city streets, pop-up windows on smartphones, and screens in public elevators, but audiences increasingly tune these messages out, and millions have installed ad-blocking software to avoid them. This essay will argue that this change is driven by the rising digital literacy and regulatory pressures, and it is primarily a beneficial development for both individuals and markets.

Common Ways to Write a Hook.

1. A Provocative Phenomenon or Trend

Begin your introduction by highlighting a striking, timely, or controversial trend or phenomenon. This approach grounds your essay in a specific context, often referencing a particular time period, location, or recent development.

It’s natural and effective to start with time or location markers (e.g., “In recent years,” “Across the globe,” “Ever since the industrial revolution…”).

With the advent of world-wide-web and internet, the trend of reading paper-based literature, either the newspaper or the books, is fading away because more and more people have started using digital books and online news web pages for free.

Across the globe, small planes and expedition buses now carry record numbers of tourists to once-inaccessible villages, glaciers, and rainforests—places that only researchers and adventurers visited a generation ago.

Over the last 30 years the world has witnessed many nations strive for a larger 'piece of the economic pie', competing for higher living standards and financial resources. This has increased pressure on natural resources and prompted suggestions for governments to limit consumption.

Ever since the industrial revolution, mass produced goods have flooded the consumer market. Although such goods have proved to be highly popular, it is now becoming increasingly clear that handmade goods are more desirable for modern, informed consumers.

In recent times, pet related injuries and mortalities have sparked heated debates about whether it is healthy for children to be around pets.

Parents throughout the world spend time reading with their offspring to prepare them for school where their literacy skills are further developed; however, recent research suggests that focusing on reading at an early age can be detrimental, and participating in fun activities would be far more beneficial.

🖋️ Practice Employers should give their employee at least four weeks’ holiday a year to make employees better at their jobs. Do you agree or disagree?

• Sample

  In recent years, burnout rates and stress-related sick leave have climbed across industries. Studies linking prolonged holidays to higher productivity and lower turnover have suggested a minimum of four weeks’ annual leave.

1. Start from Specific Concrete examples. (Details! Details! Details!)

Open your essay by describing a vivid, specific example or incident related to the topic. Focusing on concrete details draws the reader in. This approach is especially effective because it shows, rather than tells, why the issue matters. Examples can be drawn from current events, personal experiences, history, or widely recognized cultural phenomena, and they can be naturally inserted in a sentence or stated as a standalone segment.

Global athletic events such as the Olympics, the World Cup, the Extreme Games, and even the American Super Bowl are incredible opportunities for countries. These iconic spectacles can provide a country with an economic avalanche of benefits or expose it to a public relations disaster.

Experts throughout both the developing and developed world have debated whether the advent of sophisticated modern technology such as mobile phones, laptops and iPad have helped to enhance and improve people's social lives or whether the opposite has become the case.

🖋️ Practice Some people believe that taking photos of ourselves (selfies) and sharing them with others is a valuable way to record and remember our lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

• Sample

  Every day, commuters on New York’s subway, tourists in front of the Eiffel Tower, students at graduation ceremonies, and families celebrating birthdays can be seen taking selfies.

1. Personal Insight

A personal insight can be absorbing to the reader because they are new and unique. They are your personal observations and it is highly probably that the reader has not looked at the phenomenon (or a trend) from your perspective (originality is valuable). You can try a short and direct sentence to create a powerful and attention-grabbing opening.

Everybody dreads failure.

Persistence seems to be one of the most valued quality in modern students.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…

All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

🖋️ Practice Some people believe that it is important to focus on the present moment and enjoy the journey, rather than worrying about the past or future. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

• Sample

  Planning can never be stressed enough in modern society.

Tips for Writing an Effective Hook

• Write the Hook After Outlining:

  Begin drafting your introduction only after your outline is complete. This ensures your hook aligns with your essay’s structure and main ideas.

• Avoid Clichés and Broad, Abstract Concepts:

  Stay away from overused phrases or vague statements. Specific details and vivid language are always more engaging than generic ideas

  e.g., avoid “With the development of society/economy/high technology…”

• Connect to Your Thesis:

  Your hook should naturally lead into your main argument, making the topic clear to your reader. Avoid leaving your audience guessing about the essay’s subject or direction.

  Don’t digress too much. If the hook is too disconnected, the reader may be confused about what the essay will discuss.

• Avoid Stating Your Actual Argument in the Hook:

  Do not include your thesis or main claim in the hook itself. Let the hook set the scene or pose a thought-provoking idea, but reserve your argument for the thesis statement.

  For example, avoid: “Throughout history, it is repeatedly proved that failure is contributive both to personal success and to societal progress.”

• Maintain an Appropriate Scope:

  Ensure that your hook matches the scope specified in the prompt. Avoid narrowing your focus to a specific group or context (e.g., “Many students in China are faced with…”), especially if the prompt asks about the general population. Conversely, do not broaden the scope beyond what is required (e.g., “It is repeatedly proved that failure is contributive both to personal success and to societal progress…” when the prompt focuses only on personal impact).

• Write the Hook Last if Needed:

  If you are unsure how to begin, do not stress about the hook in your first draft. Focus on developing a strong thesis and body. After completing your essay, you will have a clearer sense of how to craft an engaging introduction.