Clever Ideas On How To Write A Persuasive Essay Introduction

Persuasive essays are just that: persuasive. The goal is pretty simple; you have a topic and you want to persuade the readers in one way or another on your topic. Maybe you want people to stop buying a product because the company that produces it has bad practices, or maybe you want books to be written a certain way because you find that to be the best way to write them. No matter the idea, the goal is to persuade them. It's important that the introduction of the essay be clever, so as to grab the reader into the essay.

• Begin with a Hook

Opening the essay with a hook will instantly grab the reader’s attention, making them want to read more. A hook could be anything from a quote, a rhetorical question to even a statistic. When used properly, these hooks can entice the reader to continue on and keep them drawn into your wok.

• Thesis

The thesis is the most important part. It should be one sentence long and incredibly clear. It's important that it's stated in the introduction of the essay, as it will set the tone for the remainder of the piece, telling readers exactly what your ideas are. Your thesis cannot be a fact; rather, it has to be an opinion taken on the topic at hand.

• Thorough Background

Your introduction doesn't have to just be a hook and a thesis. Providing a quick and thorough background is another way to bring in the reader while further supporting your thesis.

• Make it Personal

The introduction is where your audience is captured. Make them want to read more about your argument. You can do this by making it personal. Let's say your topic is based on the 2016 Olympics in Rio. The media says it's a success, but you're saying it's not because 80,000 people were displaced to build the venues. In your introduction, you could present this to the reader in the form of their own town or city. How would you like it if your town bought or took over your property to build a school or a highway?

These types of questions not only engage the reader, but they also make them curious to see where the writer will take their thesis.

An introduction needs to attract the reader, while clearly stating the purpose of the writing. When writing a persuasive essay introduction, it's important to continually maintain the readers’ interest in your argument by utilizing hooks and making it personal. These things will help guide the reader into your argument and the main body of the writing.