Dashboard
Order now
Essay introduction is the first paragraph of an essay, where you present your topic and prepare the reader for what follows. It names the subject, gives a little background, and ends with the thesis statement that the rest of the essay supports.
Readers see the introduction first, so it shapes how they approach everything after it.
Every introduction has three parts: a hook that draws the reader in, a few sentences of background, and a thesis statement. It usually runs about one paragraph, or roughly 10% of a short essay, and grows longer in longer essays.
Unlike the conclusion, which looks back and sums up what you argued, the introduction looks ahead and sets up the discussion.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to write an introduction that opens with interest, gives the right context, and leads into a clear thesis.
Table of contents
How to Write an Essay Introduction in 3 Steps
Many writers save the introduction for last. Once the body is written, you can see what the essay needs to introduce, so the opening comes more easily.
Keep it to a single, focused paragraph. An introduction that runs half a page usually holds background that belongs in the body instead.
Step 1: Open with a Hook
The first sentence is your hook, the line that catches the reader’s interest and makes them want to read on.
A few hook types work for almost any essay:
a surprising fact or statistic
a thought-provoking question
a short, relevant story
a striking quotation from a credible source.
Pick the type that fits your subject. A serious topic calls for a fact or question rather than a joke, while a personal essay can open with a short story.
Here’s a hook for an essay arguing that high schools should start later:
Example of an Essay Hook
Most American teenagers start school before 8:00 a.m., yet research on adolescent sleep suggests their brains are barely awake that early.
Step 2: Provide Background Information
After the hook, give the reader the context they need to understand your topic.
Include just enough background to follow the discussion: key terms, the situation, or why the topic matters now. Leave the detailed evidence for the body.
Note
Background sets up the topic; it doesn’t preview every point. Save your argument and evidence for the body paragraphs.
Here’s how background might look for the same essay:
Example of Introduction Background
Most high schools open early in the morning, a schedule set long before anyone studied how teenagers actually sleep. In recent years, sleep researchers and a number of school districts have started to question that habit. Their findings have turned a routine part of the school day into a real debate.
Step 3: Present Your Thesis Statement
Your introduction ends with the thesis statement, the sentence that sums up the main point your essay will support.
Put it last, so it leads directly into the body.
Keep Your Thesis Specific
State your position and your main reason in one sentence. A focused claim is easier for readers to follow and for you to support.
Here’s a thesis that fits the introduction we’ve been building:
Example of a Thesis Statement
Because adolescents are biologically wired to sleep and wake later, high schools should move their start times to at least 8:30 a.m. to improve students’ health and academic performance.
Essay Introduction Examples by Type
The three steps work for any essay, but introductions look a little different from one essay type to the next. The examples below show a full opening for three common ones.
You’ll see an introduction for each of these:
an informative essay
an argumentative essay
a college application essay.
Informative Essay
An informative essay explains a subject with facts, not opinions. Its introduction names the topic, gives quick context, and ends with a thesis that previews the explanation.
Here’s an introduction for an informative essay on how vaccines work:
Example of an Informative Essay Introduction
Each year, vaccines prevent millions of illnesses, yet many people are unsure how they actually work. A vaccine trains the immune system to recognize a specific virus or bacterium without causing the disease itself. It does this by exposing the body to a harmless piece or weakened form of the germ, which prompts the body to build defenses it can reuse later. This essay explains how vaccines are made, how they prepare the body to fight infection, and why they remain so important for preventing disease worldwide.
Argumentative Essay
An argumentative essay defends a position. Its introduction presents the issue, shows why people disagree about it, and ends with a thesis that takes a clear side.
Here’s an introduction for an argumentative essay on banning single-use plastics:
Example of an Argumentative Essay Introduction
Plastic bags, bottles, and packaging are cheap and convenient, but they rarely break down, and much of this waste ends up in oceans and landfills. Governments around the world are now debating whether to ban single-use plastics altogether. Supporters say a ban would cut pollution, while opponents worry about the cost to businesses and shoppers. This essay argues that the long-term environmental damage of single-use plastics outweighs their short-term convenience, and that governments should phase them out.
College Application Essay
A college application essay is personal. Its introduction usually opens with a small, specific moment from your life rather than a general statement, and it hints at what the story will reveal about you.
Here’s an introduction for a college essay about a lesson learned at a part-time job:
Example of a College Application Essay Introduction
The first time I burned a full tray of croissants, the morning rush had already formed a line to the door. I was sixteen, three weeks into my job at a small bakery, and certain I had ruined the day. What I learned over the next year—about patience, small mistakes, and the regulars who kept showing up—changed the way I think about failure. This is the story of how a minimum-wage job taught me to start over.
Words to Start an Essay Introduction
The right opening words depend on what you want the first lines to do. These phrases can help you start each part of the introduction:
- To introduce the topic: “this essay examines,” “a key question is whether”
- To add background: “in recent years,” “historically,” “over the past decade”
- To signal a contrast: “although,” “while many assume,” “despite this”
- To lead into the thesis: “this essay argues,” “the evidence suggests,” “for these reasons”
Some openers, though, have become clichés that make an introduction feel generic. Avoid starting with these:
- “Since the dawn of time” or “throughout history”
- “In today’s society” or “in the modern world”
- “Webster’s dictionary defines”
- “This essay is about.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few mistakes show up again and again in essay introductions. Watch for these:
-
Starting too broad.
An opening so general it could begin any essay wastes the reader’s attention before you reach your topic. -
Giving away too much.
The introduction should set up your argument, not list every point and piece of evidence from the body. -
Burying the thesis.
If readers can’t find your main point, they won’t know what the essay will argue. Keep it near the end, where readers expect it. -
Writing a vague thesis.
A claim like “this topic is important” gives readers nothing to follow. State a specific position instead.
Here’s one of these mistakes with a quick fix:
The introduction starts with a line so broad it could open any paper, such as “Communication has always been important to people.”
Replace the broad line with a concrete fact, question, or example tied to your exact topic, then narrow toward your thesis.
Final Thoughts on Essay Introductions
A strong introduction does a lot of work in a small space. When your hook, background, and thesis are clear, readers know what to expect and trust the rest of the essay.
The three steps stay the same whatever you’re writing: open with interest, give context, and state your point.
One Last Tip
Read your finished introduction on its own. If it shows a reader what the essay covers and where you stand, it’s doing its job.