is it okay to start an essay with a quote

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How to Start an Essay With a Quote

Last Updated: October 23, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 464,737 times.

Writing an effective introduction can be one of the most intimidating aspects of writing an essay. While there are many different approaches to writing introductory paragraphs, you may want to consider beginning your essay with a quotation. Finding the right quotation and using it well within the framework of your own words can ensure that your essay is off to a great start.

How to Start a Paper with a Quote

First, pick a quote that’s genuinely relevant to your topic, avoiding clichéd or overused options. Next, introduce the quote in your paper using the name of the person who said it. Finally, write down the quote itself and make sure you’ve recorded it accurately, then place quotation marks around it.

Finding the Perfect Quotation

• Quote a person saying something that someone would not expect them to say.
• Quote someone who is not universally famous.
• Use a well-known quote but contradict it.

• Determine whether the audience will be familiar with the person who you are quoting. If it is someone obscure or you think they will not be familiar, consider providing additional (brief) details.
• Do not use a quote that could be offensive to the audience unless you plan to contradict the quotation.
• Strike a balance between assuming your audience knows everything and assuming they know nothing. You should be clear and informative but not insulting to the intelligence of your reader.

Quoting Correctly

• Use the quote as a sentence predicate. The subject of the sentence will be the person who said the quote, and the verb will most likely be a synonym of “said.” For example, "Jane Smith said, 'blah blah blah.'"
• Preview the content of the quote. Use your own (grammatically correct) sentence to preview or paraphrase what the quote will say, then insert a colon or comma, then the (grammatically correct) sentence-length quotation. For example: "Once Jane Smith said something completely awesome: 'the awesome thing she said.'"
• Begin with the quote. If you begin with the quote, be sure to place a comma after the quote and then provide a verb and attribute the quotation to the source. For example: "'Blah blah blah,' said Jane Smith."

• The quote only needs to be capitalized if it begins the sentence or if the first word of the quote is a proper noun, like the name of a person or a place.
• In American usage, end punctuation should be placed inside the quotation marks. For example, “this is the quote.”
• Paraphrased material (someone else’s idea put into your own words) need not have quotation marks around it, but should be attributed to the original speaker.
• If you introduce the quote with the speaker’s name and a verb, provide a comma before the beginning of the quotation. For example: "Jane Smith said, 'blah blah blah.'"

• Be particularly aware of quotations found on social media such as Pinterest, or on quote aggregators such as Brainyquote. These sources are notorious for mis-attributing and even making up famous quotes.

• You may also need to substitute a word (like a name rather than a pronoun) for clarity. If you need to substitute a word, place square brackets around the word to indicate that you made a change. For example: "Jane Smith said, 'blah [blady] blah.'"
• Be sure to keep the original intent of the quotation when making changes. Changes should be made only to preserve clarity or to change length, not to manipulate the content of the quotation.

Incorporating the Quotation into Your Introduction

• In your introduction, you need to be clear about what you're going to talk about and how you're going to talk about it.

• Be sure that the quotation you use supports your thesis.
• Be sure that using the quotation enhances, rather than distracting from, your argument. [14] X Research source

Community Q&A

• Find a quote that is meaningful to you, not just one you found in a list on the internet. If the context and wording of the quote speak to you, you’re more likely to connect it to your essay effectively. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Some college professors never want to see a quotation begin an essay. Because the method is often overused, there is some bias against it. You can overcome this by doing it very well. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/cliches/
• ↑ https://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/branches-depts/slc/writing/sources/quoting
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/audience/
• ↑ https://www.esu.edu/writing-studio/guides/hook.cfm
• ↑ https://www.ccis.edu/academic-resources/introduce-quotations
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/quotation_marks/index.html
• ↑ https://www.ursinus.edu/live/files/1160-integrating-quotespdf
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/quotations/
• ↑ https://www.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/305079/five-things-not-to-do-in-an-essay-055219.pdf

About This Article

To start an essay with a quote, introduce the quote by including the name of the author, such as, “John Keats once said…” When you include the quote, put quotation marks around it and make sure to put any punctuation inside the quotation marks. If the quote is long, you can use only part of it or remove sections as long as you insert an ellipses. Once you’ve introduced the quote and the author, provide some context for the quotation and how it ties into the thesis of your essay. For tips from our English reviewer on how to find the perfect quotation to start your essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Start an Essay with a Quote

Starting an essay with a quote is more challenging than picking some excellent words from a famous person. It's about finding words that make people want to read more. You may have tried before and ended up with something that didn't sound very serious. Don't worry; lots of people have this issue. This article will help you choose and use the best quote to begin your essay.

Helpful Tips for Starting Your Essay with a Quote

Using a quote at the start of your essay can get your reader's attention and set the mood for your writing. But how do you start an essay with a quote? Here are some helpful tips:

• Pick carefully: Choose a quote that fits your topic and helps prove your main point.
• Give some background: Tell a little about who said the quote or where it came from.
• Fit it in nicely: Introduce the quote with words like "Jane Doe says" or "In John Smith's words."
• Say why it matters: After the quote, explain how it connects to your main idea.
• Keep it short: Try to use quotes that are only one or two sentences long unless you need a longer one.
• Use the right format: Follow the proper citation format (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) for your required style guide.

A quote in an essay can help you get your readers interested from the start. And if you ask yourself, "How to introduce a quote in an essay?" remember that the quote should help you share your own ideas, not replace them.

What You Should Know When Choosing a Quote for Your Essay

When picking a quote to start your essay, consider the following:

• Does it fit? : The quote should match your topic or main idea.
• Is it from someone credible? : Pick quotes from reputable sources.
• Does it leave a lasting impression? : Choose thought-provoking quotes.
• Is it unique? : Try not to use quotes that everyone knows already.

How to quote someone in an essay is more than just copying them. It's about finding the right mix of their words and your thoughts. A good quote can:

• Help prove your point with expert words
• Show a new way of thinking about your topic
• Make readers feel connected to what you're saying

Choose carefully and make sure that it is fully related to your topic. Find the right introduction and part to write down — a smooth start will help your readers understand why the quote is important.

Pros and Cons of Starting Essays with Quotes

Starting with a quote can be good, but it's important to think about the pros and potential cons of doing so:

• Grabs attention right away
• Makes your writing seem more credible
• Sets the mood for your essay
• Gives you something to focus on in your introduction
• May seem cliché if not done well
• Can be used too much, especially with famous quotes
• Might make your own words seem less important
• Could look like you're not being original if you have not carefully chosen

Can you start an essay with a quote? Absolutely, but it's important to weigh these pros and cons and ensure that doing so improves your writing, not worse.

Practical Examples: How to Start Your Essay with the Right Quote

Let's look at some real examples of how to introduce a quote:

• For an essay on environmental conservation:

"The Earth is what we all have in common," said Wendell Berry, environmental activist and poet. This simple yet profound statement encapsulates the core argument of this essay: our shared responsibility in protecting our planet.

• In an essay about perseverance:

Maya Angelou once wrote, "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated." These words serve as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

• For a paper about new ideas in technology:

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower," stated Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc. This perspective highlights the crucial role of innovative thinking in driving progress and success.

When considering how to start an essay with a quote, remember to pick one that gets attention and helps introduce your main idea. The quote should be a starting point for your own thoughts and ideas.

A Quick Recap

When you use quotes, remember to:

• Introduce the quote with words like "As X said," or "According to Y,".
• Use quotation marks around the exact words you're using.
• Add the origin of the quote right after you use it. Always.
• Explain what you think it means and why it's important.

Starting your essay with a quote can be a good way to grab your reader's attention and set the tone for your writing. Remember, it's not just about picking any famous saying — it's about finding one that fits your essay. If you follow the tips we've discussed, you can learn how to quote someone in an essay in a way that makes your writing better and helps prove your point. Just keep in mind the balance between the quote and your voice — after all, your ideas are the show's star.

"How do you start a quote?" is just as important as the quote itself. Finding and using that perfect quote well in your essay can be hard. That's where Aithor comes in handy. This easy-to-use writing tool helps you write strong, memorable introductions. Whether you're having trouble adding quotes to your essay or looking for new ways to start your paper, Aithor can give you ideas that fit your topic.

Why not give it a try for your next essay? With Aithor , you can confidently start your essay, knowing you've found the right quote to leave a lasting impression.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, starting strong: quotes in college essays.

I've seen a few sample essays that open with a quote and I'm wondering, how should I start my college essay with a quote? Is it a good hook, or is it too cliché? I've found some really inspiring quotes that I feel relate to my life and could set the tone for my essay.

Hey there! Starting your college essay with a quote can definitely be a strong hook if chosen wisely. The key is to make sure that the quote ties directly into the narrative or point of your essay in a meaningful way—it should illuminate something about your personality, values, or experiences that you'll expand upon in the rest of the essay. Always pick a quote that you can unpack and that adds depth, rather than one that might be overused or too general.

For instance, if you've found a quote that encapsulates a pivotal moment when you learned something significant, and you reflect that insight in your essay, it can be a great opener. Just ensure that each word in that quote and the attribution (who said it) is pertinent to your story and doesn't overshadow your own voice. Remember, the essay is about you, your perspective, and what you bring to the table, so don't let the quote do all the talking! Good luck with your writing process!

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How to Start a College Essay – 12 Techniques and Tips

August 1, 2023

Your college tours are scheduled, you’re knee-deep in SAT/ACT prep , application deadlines are quickly approaching, and then it happens: writer’s block hits you hard. You’re stumped, wondering how to start a college essay. It’s all too easy to overthink it when acceptances are on the line. But don’t fret! We’ve got you covered with 12 tips and techniques, plus answers to common questions like: Can I start my essay with a quote? Should I try to sound as smart as possible? Is it okay to use humor?

Keep reading for all you need to know about how to start a college essay:

• Common Mistakes to Avoid

How to Start a College Essay: The Content

How to start a college essay: the style.

• More Resources

How to Start a College Essay: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Since admissions readers are looking to be surprised and engaged right away, it’s safest to avoid these overused techniques.

1) Pulling out the dictionary

Chances are, your reader already knows the definition of the word you’re tempted to copy and paste from Merriam-Webster . Unless you’re starting with a word in a non-English language or a word that 98% of the population truly does not know, there’s no need to turn to the dictionary. Assume your reader is a smart person who is already in the know.

2) Choosing clichés

Clichés are boring in writing because they’re, well…cliché. Before you tell an admissions reader that all that glitters isn’t gold or there’s a silver lining to every cloud, remember that their job involves reading hundreds if not thousands of college essays. The way to impress them is to stand out as someone with unique insights, opinions, or creativity. Not sure if the phrase you’re using is trite or overused? Look it up online and see if there is an overabundance of results.

How to Start a College Essay (Continued) 

3) beginning broadly.

Since the dawn of time, students have been starting essays too broadly. Your college admissions essays are about you, your experiences, your values, and your goals. So, starting with general statements like “Different cultures have different traditions and values” or “We have to be the change we want to see in the world” don’t center you as the topic of your essay. If you’re writing your essay about, say, your Polynesian identity and your love of Hula dance or the summer you spent making vats of soup for a food kitchen, jump right into sharing a vivid memory from those experiences instead.

4) Leading with a quote

“Can I start my college essay with a quote?” is one of the most common questions we get. The problem with starting with a quote is the same as starting too broadly: you don’t center yourself as the topic of your essay. Since college essays are short, the quote itself and the many sentences it will take to transition to the rest of your content will eat up precious word count. Unless it’s a deep-cut quote that’s highly particular to you and your niche interests, quotes anywhere in your essay can come across as cliché.

A stand-out college admissions essay will grab your reader’s attention and immediately give them a sense of who you are, what you value, and what’s unique about you. Trying to decide how to start a college essay? First, take a look at our guide to the Common App Prompts . Then, use one of these five techniques to brainstorm content:

1) Share a challenge you’ve overcome

Since college is all about growth and learning, one tried and true strategy is describing a challenge you’ve overcome that you’ve learned a lot from. Example:

For my first three months of middle school choir, I was nothing more than a ventriloquist’s dummy, mouthing words with no sound coming out. I was terrified to use my voice. Then, one fateful morning, Mrs. Garcia asked me to solo in front of the whole class.

A strong essay about a challenge you’ve overcome will explain who you were before, how you overcame the challenge, and who you are now. Taking this approach allows you to demonstrate that you’re able to rise to meet challenges, learn through difficulty, and apply yourself even when you’re uncomfortable. A word of warning though: avoid writing about very common challenges like pushing yourself to beat your cross-country time, studying for the SAT/ACT or other big tests, or transitioning from middle to high school. Since so many students share these experiences as common ground, these topics will make it hard to stand out from the crowd.

Want even more tips on writing about a challenge you’ve overcome? Check out our full guide to the Overcoming Challenges prompt.

2) Show your funny side

Yes, humor works well in college essays! Poking fun at one of your quirks or (inconsequential) shortcomings can be a great way to reveal your personality. Example:

Every day, I begged. At bedtime, at breakfast, for my birthday, for Christmas—I begged for a skateboard. Mom said it was too dangerous, Dad thought they were too noisy, but still I dreamed of cruising the neighborhood and learning to ollie in our driveway. My 14th birthday was the day my begging finally ended. It was also the day I learned I have absolutely no sense of balance.

Opening with a humorous story paints a vivid picture of you right away, but where you take it from there matters. You probably wouldn’t want to write a whole essay about breaking your tailbone and this isn’t the right forum for a stand-up routine. But you could take an opening like this in a variety of directions that reveal more meaningful truths about you. For example, after this opener, this writer could go on to:

• Talk about other new skills they tried that they were able to land better than an ollie.
• Describe how they learned about balance in other avenues of their life.

3) Clear up a misconception about you

Although college essays are brief, you’ll want to squeeze in as much depth and breadth as you can. Starting by addressing an assumption or stereotype you’ve faced can be an efficient and engaging way to move past the superficial. Example:

Blonde. Four foot eight. Size five feet. Strangers and well-meaning friends sometimes offer me a booster seat or ask if I need help carrying heavy things. Little do they know I can deadlift 135 pounds. My first teen powerlifting competition is coming up this spring.

Clearing up a misconception allows you to surprise your admissions reader and share something meaningful about yourself in one stroke. When using this strategy, think about all the different layers of your identity. What assumptions do others make of you and what might casual acquaintances or strangers be surprised to learn? A word of warning: steer clear of being too critical of others. Although stereotypes and assumptions are difficult to bear, for this essay, you’ll want to focus on you —your accomplishments, skills, and passions—instead of others.

4) Invite us in

Are Shabbat dinners with your whole extended family the highlight of your week? Do you feel most alive when you’re at your keyboard composing a new song or when you’re at a Robotics Club meeting, throwing out wild design ideas with your team? When you invite us in, you’re letting your reader in on the places you’re most at home, most excited, or most yourself. Example:

When I was seven years old, my grandma sat me down at her sewing table and taught me how to sew back on the button that had popped off my sweater. I can still feel her hands on mine, showing me where to place the needle. It was the first of what became weekly lessons on backstitching, basting, hemming pants, and embroidery. I didn’t know it then, but it was the first day of my journey into fashion design.

To brainstorm for this technique, list experiences that have helped shape your values, goals, and interests. Think of things you do every week but also once-in-a-lifetime events. You’ll want to begin this essay by choosing one meaningful experience to share in the beginning of your essay. Use vivid details that help a reader imagine the experience for themselves and then explain why this experience matters to you.

5) Nerd out about a problem you’ve solved

If you’ve hit the library stacks to find the answer to a burning question, stayed after class to ask your teacher for more homework, worked with a student club to improve a campus issue, or concocted your own science experiment, this might be the essay tactic for you. Example:

As a volunteer at my local pet rescue, I surprised myself by becoming a crusader for birds. Dogs and cats were adopted all the time, but the parrots, cockatiels, and parakeets sat in their cages for ages, chattering away and waiting for their forever homes. I realized it was an issue of awareness: no one knew our shelter rescued birds. Thirty YouTube tutorials and one online digital marketing class later, I had developed a ten-step social media strategy.

A great way to share your unique interests, this technique lets you showcase the curiosity and eagerness to learn you’ll be bringing with you to college. To brainstorm for this essay, think of times when you’ve worked solo or with a team to discover something new or solve a tricky problem. As you write about this experience, describe the initial problem, any difficulties you encountered, and the strategies you used to find a solution.

We’ve covered essay content, but you may still be wondering how to start a college essay that grabs your reader’s attention. Here are three key style tips that will help breathe life into your writing:

1) Share a story

As you can probably tell from the examples above, we recommend starting your essay off with an engaging story. Before you tell a reader that you’re an introvert who also loves performing in musical theater, you’ll want to tell the tale of the first time you braved the spotlight. Before you explain that you plan to major in political science, describe the town hall meeting you attended in the 7 th grade that started it all.

2) Use vivid descriptions

When we read, we’re most engaged when we feel like we can clearly imagine the scene. To draw a reader in, use the same storytelling strategies that fiction writers use: sensory descriptions, concrete details, and passing time.

• Sensory descriptions: Describe the smell of your mother’s biryani cooking on the stove, the temperature of the air at the start of your first half marathon. Sight, sound, smell, touch, taste. Engage as many of the five senses as you can.
• Concrete details: Concrete details are particular descriptions of places, people, and objects. If you’re describing a service trip to Honduras, describe the buildings, streets, and food you ate so your reader can imagine it.
• Passing time: Making time pass means ensuring you have a clear sense of the beginning, middle, and end of your story. To keep things clear, put your details in linear order and make sure to include temporal transitional phrases like “When I was six years old,” “Later, in high school,” and “Now, as I reflect back.”

3) Use your own voice

When you’re wondering how to start your college essay, it can be tempting to write in the same style you use for academic essays. But the college essay is a personal essay, not an essay for school. For this style of writing, you’ll want to be clear, thoughtful, and grammatically correct, but you’ll also want to be personable, engaging, and, most importantly, yourself. With that in mind, skip the SAT vocabulary words and opt for a more conversational tone instead.

How to Start a College Essay: More Resources

Looking to learn even more about how to start a college essay? If you’re ready to get started on your supplemental essays, check out our walk-through of the Why This College essay and explore our blog posts discussing the supplemental essay prompts for 50+ schools . You may also wish to read our piece on How to End a College Essay .

• College Essay

Christina Wood

Christina Wood holds a BA in Literature & Writing from UC San Diego, an MFA in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in English at the University of Georgia, where she teaches creative writing and first-year composition courses. Christina has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous publications, including The Paris Review , McSweeney’s , Granta , Virginia Quarterly Review , The Sewanee Review , Mississippi Review , and Puerto del Sol , among others. Her story “The Astronaut” won the 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction and received a “Distinguished Stories” mention in the 2019 Best American Short Stories anthology.

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Useful Tips for Starting an Essay with Quotes

Key considerations for choosing the right quote, pros and cons of starting essays with quotes, how to start an essay with a quote: what to consider.

Quotations play a significant role in writing, as they are phrases or short passages borrowed from various authors. These quotes often consist of famous remarks from celebrities, both contemporary and from the past.

Most famous quotes hold immense value as they encapsulate wisdom, knowledge, life experience, and wit, which can be amplified by the circumstances in which they were made or by the individuals they belong to. As a result, they have become powerful tools in essay writing.

Therefore, it is crucial for students to possess the skill of starting an essay with a quote, as it allows them to enhance the quality of their written assignments or speeches.

When considering how to begin an essay with a quote, the following tips can prove helpful:

Choose quotes that align with your purpose

When searching for quotes, it is important to select ones that serve your intended purpose. Determine whether your aim is to inspire, prove a point, raise awareness, invite action, illustrate the complexity of an issue, or create a positive mood using humor.

While finding quotes that precisely match your purpose can be challenging, it is essential to consider whether the selected quotes contribute to your overall message and achieve the intended effect.

Consider your audience

Quotes should resonate with your specific audience. For example, quotes that belong to professionals in a particular field may only be understandable to individuals with knowledge in that same discipline.

Therefore, choose quotes that strike a balance between being too obvious and too complex. Additionally, consider other factors such as the age, experience, gender, interests, and familiarity with US history, as immigrants or foreigners may have less knowledge in this regard.

Establish a connection with your point

Ensure that you explain how the chosen quote supports your argument, thesis, or topic. Emphasize how it highlights a problem or portrays a specific situation.

This step is crucial as it helps readers understand the relevance of the quote, especially when the connection may not be immediately evident. Without proper context, an out-of-context quote may lose its value.

Acknowledge the source

Given that quotes are thoughts or remarks of other authors, it is imperative to give appropriate credit. Depending on the citation format, more detailed information such as the exact page, line, or paragraph numbers may be required.

This serves the purpose of ensuring reliable information retrieval and avoiding any potential accusations of plagiarism. Given the seriousness with which plagiarism is regarded by US academic institutions and society, it is crucial to handle this aspect meticulously, especially when anticipating a wider public audience.

When searching for a quote to begin an essay, prioritize the content over the authority behind it. In other words, the quality and message of the quote should take precedence over the person who said it. This approach allows for more originality and helps avoid the risk of citing the same famous individuals as everyone else.

Additionally, providing context for the quotes can be beneficial. Explaining the circumstances that led the authors to make those statements helps readers understand the internal struggles and challenges the authors faced when crafting those words. This approach is particularly effective for quotes from authors who experienced significant events or dilemmas.

While searching for quotes may be time-consuming, there are methods to streamline the process. Utilize books that categorize collections of quotes based on general topics, use online search engines with specific queries, or directly reference sources to find relevant passages to quote.

If you are facing challenges with your writing assignments, consider seeking assistance from EssayAI . They can provide help with finding quotes or any other writing issues you may encounter.

Starting an essay with a quote has both advantages and disadvantages. Let's examine them:

• Setting the tone: Quotations possess the ability to set the tone of your essay by appealing to emotions or stating truths that engage readers and encourage deep discussions.
• Capturing attention: Powerful quotes can capture the reader's attention, particularly if they are shocking, humorous, controversial, or reveal profound truths.
• Using authority: Quoting authoritative figures like Newton or Tesla can strengthen your arguments and make it challenging for readers to refute your claims.
• Cliché: Starting with a quote can be seen as cliché, limiting the opportunity for other creative ways to begin your essay.
• Time-consuming: Finding the perfect quote that aligns with your topic can be a time-consuming task for students.
• Overwhelming the conclusion: A powerful quote at the beginning may overshadow the rest of your paper, so it is important to consider when and how to use it for maximum impact.

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How to Use Quotations and Citations in an Essay

Table of contents

• 1.1 Direct Introduction
• 1.2 Signal Phrases
• 1.3 Contextualization
• 1.4 Setting the Scene
• 1.5 Contrasting Views
• 1.6 Interjecting Commentary
• 1.7 Question or Challenge
• 2 Maintain the Flow of Your Writing While Using Quotations
• 3 Proper Use of Punctuation with Quotations
• 4 Impact of Formatting Quotations
• 5.3 Chicago
• 6.1 Start a Quote With an Active Verb
• 6.2 Use a Descriptive Verb
• 6.3 Select Proper Quotations
• 6.4 Don’t Overuse Quotes
• 6.5 Try to Paraphrase Long Quotes
• 7.1 Using a Quote as a Hook: When and Why?
• 8 Fine-Tuning Your Quotation Skills

Obviously, when we write an academic essay, we can’t create new information or take it from the air. In most cases, or always, there are sources for our thoughts. Therefore, we need to reference them. However, we may also want to quote this source directly in our work. And that’s when the need for correct quotation comes in.

Quotations play a pivotal role in essays, serving as a key technique for integrating information from external sources.

This article will guide you through several aspects of using quotations effectively:

• understanding quotation significance,
• mastering the art of accurate quoting,
• how to identify the original source from which the quotation was derived
• correct punctuation in quotes, and discerning the variations among different citation styles.

7 Strategies for a Smooth Transition into Quotations

Quotations are extremely vital in the academic environment. The quote in the essay is like a unique ingredient in your favorite meal. However, simply putting them in is insufficient. You must do things in such a manner that everything flows smoothly. There are a few ways to start a quote. Let’s have a look at some of them:

Direct Introduction

When you put quotes in an essay , simply state the source and introduce it directly. For example, you could say, “Eckhart Tolle, in ‘The Power of Now,’ said: ‘You create a good future by creating a good present.'”

Signal Phrases

Use signal phrases to attribute the quote to its source: “According to,” “As [author] argues,” or “In the words of.” For instance: “According to Shakespeare, ‘All the world’s a stage.'”

Contextualization

Give a little background before you embed a quote. “In the context of environmental sustainability, Jane Goodall states, ‘What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.'”

Setting the Scene

Sometimes, you want to create a picture before dropping the embedded quotation. Set the stage for the quote by describing the situation or background. For instance: “As the sun dipped below the horizon, reflecting hues of orange and pink, she whispered, ‘It’s moments like these that stay with us forever.'”

Contrasting Views

This is like presenting a contrasting viewpoint or argument. You could say, “While some argue for the benefits of technology in education, Neil Postman contends, ‘Education is suffering from… the intrusion of industrialism.'”

Interjecting Commentary

Provide a remark or analysis before or after it. For instance: “In the face of adversity, Winston Churchill’s famous words resonate: ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue those counts.'”

Question or Challenge

Ask a question before dropping the quote to create curiosity or stimulate thought: “What role does technology play in shaping our society? Marshall McLuhan sheds light on this with his statement, ‘The medium is the message.'”

Thus, using quotes isn’t just about putting them in. It’s about introducing them in a way that fits smoothly into your writing. By using the correct ways to embed quotes, they will not interrupt the flow of your writing. If you need more information on the subject, we have an idea. PapersOwl’s essay assistance is an excellent option to go deeper into the subject without losing your academic mind.

Maintain the Flow of Your Writing While Using Quotations

Incorporating quotes into your work should feel easy.

• Introduce the one you quote, and use signal phrases for smooth transitions.
• Mix your comments with the cited content.
• Use strategic punctuation (colons, semicolons, or ellipses) and insert quotes in an essay.
• Establish the reliability of the source.

This guarantees that your thoughts blend effortlessly with the quoted insights. Indeed, quotes should not make your life harder. It’s vice versa ─ they must help you upgrade your work.

Proper Use of Punctuation with Quotations

Punctuation with quotations is a crucial aspect. We use quotation marks to integrate quotes into an essay, which look like these “”. If you use punctuation incorrectly, it may cause some grammatical trouble. However, these rules are easy to remember.

• Period outside of quotes is a common mistake you can see. However, in American English, commas and periods typically go inside quotation marks. Colons and semicolons go outside.
• Question marks and exclamation points vary based on context. Use a question mark or an exclamation point within the closing quotation marks if the punctuation is related to the citation itself. If the punctuation applies to the entire sentence, place it outside the closing quotation marks to end a quote in an essay.

✏️ Example of a quote in an essay:

• She said, “Hello.”
• He said, “I may forget your name, but I never forget a face.”
• Marco asked, “Do you need this pen?”.

There are also single quotation marks, which can be confusing. In American English, they are exclusively used for adding a quote within a quote:

✏️ “One of my students always said, ‘Quotations are confusing,’” our professor said.

Impact of Formatting Quotations

Formatting quotations can enhance the overall visual appeal of your essay. One creative technique involves using block quotations for longer passages. This distinguishes the quoted material. Additionally, it provides a visual break, drawing attention to the content’s significance. It’s a great way to end a paragraph with a quote.

Consider employing formatting elements such as italics or bold text for emphasis. Additionally, experiment with indentation and spacing to get a neat and organized appearance.

Let’s compare two quotes in essays. The examples will aid in understanding the impact of formatting.

• In J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Dumbledore imparts wisdom, “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”
• In “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Dumbledore says, “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends”.

The first quote looks more appealing and draws the reader’s attention to itself. Meanwhile, the second one has punctuation mistakes and may be lost in the text.

An effective tool for presenting information is to set up a quote in an essay. Besides, it can visually engage your readers.

Mastering Various Citation Styles with Finesse

In PapersOwl, we have already covered the citation rules topic. However, we would like to talk about it here since it can assist us in explaining a quote in an essay usage.

It is essential to mention the same author’s sources wherever possible. References serve as direct indicators for whatever information you are employing. Citing sources shows readers that a piece of information in your work is not your own.

The most popular citation styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago.

In APA format for the paper , we cite the author’s last name and the publication year in parentheses.

According to recent studies, sleep patterns significantly impact cognitive function (Johnson, 2020).

For citing while writing an essay in MLA style , we indicate the author’s name and page number, e.g., (Jones 45).

The novel explores themes of identity and self-discovery (Doe 72).

In Chicago style, citations can be either footnotes or endnotes. A full citation is added to the bibliography.

The economic implications of globalization are vast and multifaceted.¹

¹Smith, John. Globalization and Its Effects. Chicago: University Press, 2018.

Citation can sometimes be confusing. Not in the modern world, though. Now, you can check your references and citations in the citation generator online. It will help you write an outstanding essay with flawless quotes and citations.

Tips on Embedding Quotations in an Essay

You should also understand how to incorporate a quote into an essay naturally. You can not just put a paragraph from the book you’d read. Here are some tips:

Start a Quote With an Active Verb

To use quotes in an essay seamlessly, begin with an active verb. Use them to enhance subtlety and successfully communicate the speaker’s tone.

Use a Descriptive Verb

Incorporate descriptive verbs to increase the impact of your quotations. These verbs provide depth to your quotations and fill your story with context.

Select Proper Quotations

Add quotes in an essay that are relevant to your topic and give useful information. Moreover, make sure your quotes are brief and clearly support your views. Make relevance, trustworthiness, and clarity your top priorities.

Don’t Overuse Quotes

When you overuse quotes, it is a sign to your teacher that you don’t know how to paraphrase well. How many quotes per paragraph you should use depends on your work length. We recommend using one quote for every five paragraphs. The perfect approximate amount looks like this:

• 2 quotes for a 1500-word paper;
• 3 quotes for a 2000-word paper;
• 4 quotes for a 3000-word paper.

Try to Paraphrase Long Quotes

When dealing with lengthy quotes, try paraphrasing them for more concise integration. This ensures that you understand how to write quotes in an essay and explain them in your own words. At the same time, be careful not to change the meaning of the quote!

How to Start an Essay with a Quote

To start a paper with a quote, you must choose one that brings up the proper tone of your paper. The quotation source must be credible and fit your essay context. Finally, each phrase you pick must support your assertion while demonstrating your case proficiency. All of that’s important because the purpose of quotes is to make a good hook for essay and grab the attention of your target audience, which happens via knowledge and trust.

Using a Quote as a Hook: When and Why?

When crafting any type of paper, it’s crucial to use quotes that are not only attention-grabbing but also relevant to your topic. Many great essay examples written by PapersOwl specialists are proof of that. These experts know how to make quotes a powerful tool to engage readers. Taking into consideration their experience, we provide you with examples of when you could use one:

• When introducing a new topic or a newly found case: A good quotation will show relevance in such situations. It will gain people’s attention while showcasing new topics and establishing their importance.
• If you are in the writing process of a historical essay: In such situations, any quotation from any case-related historical figure may provide context and spark interest in readers.
• Personal experience: For such essays, quotations not only can grab one’s audience but serve as proof of your experience with this case. They show your perspective and give a deeper nuance when writing arguments, which affects those reading your paper.
• To support written arguments’ main point: It’s an outstanding way to start by hooking all readers up while backing up your claims.
• When challenging their beliefs: This is perfect for argumentative essays where you have to challenge their commonly held view. Such quotations engage with people and make them think and be eager to read more.

Using a quote relevant to your case is necessary, so always ensure you use a proper one that creates parallels between all sections. If you don’t see a proper connection, you can seek help from experts who edit essay theses. Many professional editors at PapersOwl can easily edit your text flow and create an effective introductory paragraph by providing reworded statements or better quotations. Additionally, they may help check all relevant sources for credibility, see if they deeply relate to your topic, and if they support your claims or bring controversy.

Fine-Tuning Your Quotation Skills

In summary, quotations are an important addition to your accurate academic essay . Using quotes in essays can improve your work. They also help you understand more about the subject of your paper. Thanks to this guide, it will be easy to embed a quote of any type into your academic work.

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How to Start an Essay: 13 Engaging Strategies

ThoughtCo / Hugo Lin

• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

There are countless ways to start an essay effectively. A solid introductory paragraph both informs and motivates. It lets readers know what your piece is about and it encourages them to keep reading.

For folks new to learning how to start an essay, here are 13 introductory strategies accompanied by examples from a wide range of professional writers.

State Your Thesis Briefly and Directly

One straightforward way to begin is to get right to the point. But avoid making your thesis a bald announcement, such as "This essay is about...". 

"It is time, at last, to speak the truth about Thanksgiving, and the truth is this. Thanksgiving is really not such a terrific holiday...." (Michael J. Arlen, "Ode to Thanksgiving." The Camera Age: Essays on Television . Penguin, 1982)

Pose a Question Related to Your Subject

A thought-provoking way to start an essay is by asking a relevant question that needs to be unpacked. Follow up the question with an answer, or an invitation for your readers to answer the question.

"What is the charm of necklaces? Why would anyone put something extra around their neck and then invest it with special significance? A necklace doesn't afford warmth in cold weather, like a scarf, or protection in combat, like chain mail; it only decorates. We might say, it borrows meaning from what it surrounds and sets off, the head with its supremely important material contents, and the face, that register of the soul. When photographers discuss the way in which a photograph reduces the reality it represents, they mention not only the passage from three dimensions to two, but also the selection of a point de vue that favors the top of the body rather than the bottom, and the front rather than the back. The face is the jewel in the crown of the body, and so we give it a setting." (Emily R. Grosholz, "On Necklaces." Prairie Schooner , Summer 2007)

State an Interesting Fact About Your Subject

Leading with a fact that draws readers in immediately can grab their attention effectively.

" The peregrine falcon was brought back from the brink of extinction by a ban on DDT, but also by a peregrine falcon mating hat invented by an ornithologist at Cornell University. If you cannot buy this, Google it. Female falcons had grown dangerously scarce. A few wistful males nevertheless maintained a sort of sexual loitering ground. The hat was imagined, constructed, and then forthrightly worn by the ornithologist as he patrolled this loitering ground, singing, Chee-up! Chee-up! and bowing like an overpolite Japanese Buddhist trying to tell somebody goodbye...." (David James Duncan, "Cherish This Ecstasy." The Sun , July 2008)

Present Your Thesis as a Recent Discovery or Revelation

"I've finally figured out the difference between neat people and sloppy people. The distinction is, as always, moral. Neat people are lazier and meaner than sloppy people." (Suzanne Britt Jordan, "Neat People vs. Sloppy People." Show and Tell . Morning Owl Press, 1983)

Briefly Describe the Primary Setting of Your Essay

"It was in Burma, a sodden morning of the rains. A sickly light, like yellow tinfoil, was slanting over the high walls into the jail yard. We were waiting outside the condemned cells, a row of sheds fronted with double bars, like small animal cages. Each cell measured about ten feet by ten and was quite bare within except for a plank bed and a pot of drinking water. In some of them brown silent men were squatting at the inner bars, with their blankets draped round them. These were the condemned men, due to be hanged within the next week or two." (George Orwell, "A Hanging," 1931)

Recount an Incident That Dramatizes Your Subject

Sharing an incident from your life or history in general is an impactful way to start an essay.

"One October afternoon three years ago while I was visiting my parents, my mother made a request I dreaded and longed to fulfill. She had just poured me a cup of Earl Grey from her Japanese iron teapot, shaped like a little pumpkin; outside, two cardinals splashed in the birdbath in the weak Connecticut sunlight. Her white hair was gathered at the nape of her neck, and her voice was low. “Please help me get Jeff’s pacemaker turned off,” she said, using my father’s first name. I nodded, and my heart knocked." (Katy Butler, "What Broke My Father's Heart." The New York Times Magazine , June 18, 2010)

Use the Narrative Strategy of Delay

The narrative strategy of delay allows you to put off identifying your subject just long enough to pique your readers' interest without frustrating them. 

"They woof. Though I have photographed them before, I have never heard them speak, for they are mostly silent birds. Lacking a syrinx, the avian equivalent of the human larynx, they are incapable of song. According to field guides the only sounds they make are grunts and hisses, though the Hawk Conservancy in the United Kingdom reports that adults may utter a croaking coo and that young black vultures, when annoyed, emit a kind of immature snarl...." (Lee Zacharias, "Buzzards." Southern Humanities Review , 2007)

Use the Historical Present Tense

An effective way to start an essay is to use historical present tense to relate an incident from the past as if it were happening now. 

"Ben and I are sitting side by side in the very back of his mother’s station wagon. We face glowing white headlights of cars following us, our sneakers pressed against the back hatch door. This is our joy—his and mine—to sit turned away from our moms and dads in this place that feels like a secret, as though they are not even in the car with us. They have just taken us out to dinner, and now we are driving home. Years from this evening, I won’t actually be sure that this boy sitting beside me is named Ben. But that doesn’t matter tonight. What I know for certain right now is that I love him, and I need to tell him this fact before we return to our separate houses, next door to each other. We are both five." (Ryan Van Meter, "First." The Gettysburg Review , Winter 2008)

Briefly Describe a Process That Leads Into Your Subject

"I like to take my time when I pronounce someone dead. The bare-minimum requirement is one minute with a stethoscope pressed to someone’s chest, listening for a sound that is not there; with my fingers bearing down on the side of someone’s neck, feeling for an absent pulse; with a flashlight beamed into someone’s fixed and dilated pupils, waiting for the constriction that will not come. If I’m in a hurry, I can do all of these in sixty seconds, but when I have the time, I like to take a minute with each task." (Jane Churchon, "The Dead Book." The Sun , February 2009)

Reveal a Secret or Make a Candid Observation

"I spy on my patients. Ought not a doctor to observe his patients by any means and from any stance, that he might the more fully assemble evidence? So I stand in doorways of hospital rooms and gaze. Oh, it is not all that furtive an act. Those in bed need only look up to discover me. But they never do." ( Richard Selzer , "The Discus Thrower." Confessions of a Knife . Simon & Schuster, 1979)

Open with a Riddle, Joke, or Humorous Quotation

A fun way to start an essay is to use a riddle , joke, or humorous quotation that reveals something about your subject. 

" Q: What did Eve say to Adam on being expelled from the Garden of Eden? A: 'I think we're in a time of transition.' The irony of this joke is not lost as we begin a new century and anxieties about social change seem rife. The implication of this message, covering the first of many periods of transition, is that change is normal; there is, in fact, no era or society in which change is not a permanent feature of the social landscape...." (Betty G. Farrell, Family: The Making of an Idea, an Institution, and a Controversy in American Culture . Westview Press, 1999)

Offer a Contrast Between Past and Present

"As a child, I was made to look out the window of a moving car and appreciate the beautiful scenery, with the result that now I don't care much for nature. I prefer parks, ones with radios going chuckawaka chuckawaka and the delicious whiff of bratwurst and cigarette smoke." (Garrison Keillor, "Walking Down The Canyon." Time , July 31, 2000)

Offer a Contrast Between Image and Reality

A compelling way to start an essay is with a contrast between a common misconception and the opposing truth. 

"They aren’t what most people think they are. Human eyes, touted as ethereal objects by poets and novelists throughout history, are nothing more than white spheres, somewhat larger than your average marble, covered by a leather-like tissue known as sclera and filled with nature’s facsimile of Jell-O. Your beloved’s eyes may pierce your heart, but in all likelihood they closely resemble the eyes of every other person on the planet. At least I hope they do, for otherwise he or she suffers from severe myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness), or worse...." (John Gamel, "The Elegant Eye." Alaska Quarterly Review , 2009)

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• Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay
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• What Is Expository Writing?
• An Essay Revision Checklist
• Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing
• 50 Argumentative Essay Topics
• How to Outline and Organize an Essay
• How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech (With Topic Ideas)
• Writing an Opinion Essay

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February 28

Can You Start An Essay With A Quote? (What You Should Know)

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The opening paragraph can make or break your essay. Start with a hook and you stand the chance to grab your reader’s attention.

Implement some guesswork and write the introduction haphazardly, and you could lose them completely. But can you start an essay with a quote?

You can start an essay with a quote, but you must do so with caution. Accompany the quote with a clear explanation to help a reader understand how and why it fits in your work. More importantly, ensure the quote you include in your essay is from a credible scholarly source.

Understand that relevant, helpful, and equally credible quotes can capture the attention of a reader, not to mention easily related the thesis statement of your essay.

Key Takeaways

• Quotes can help to spike readers’ interest, making it a powerful writing technique that gets them to read the rest of the essay.
• If you include any quote in your essay, you must show how it fits into your work so that your readers understand its relevance.

Our custom essay writing service can help you get an essay on any topic completed on time. Whether you struggle with introducing your work or you’re not good at choosing the best quote to start the essay with, you can hire one of our expert writers for assistance.

What Types of Quotes Can You Include in an Essay?

You can use direct, summary, or paraphrase quotes in the introduction of your essay.

• A direct quote contains all the words of a speaker. You should write it exactly as it is.
• Paraphrased quotes are reworded statements written in your own words without changing the intended meaning.
• A summary quote is one written in brief, and it retains the message of the original quote.

You can use any type of quote in your essay. Just make sure you don’t interfere with its original meaning as intended by its author.  

How to Choose a Good Quote to Start an Essay

Here’s how you can find the best quote to start any type of essay :

1. Choose a Quote Relevant to the Topic

Read the essay prompt to understand the nature of the assignment.

The first few minutes of going through the assignment brief should make it easy to choose a quote that’s relevant to the central theme of the topic.

Also, ensure that the quote is memorable because it will retain readers’ attention and give them the interest to read the rest of the essay.

2. Get Your Quote from a Credible Source

It’s easy to brainstorm and make up your own quotes.

Such quotes can be interesting enough to draw attention, but they won’t fit in an academic essay because they’re your own thoughts.

The quote you choose to start an essay with should come from a credible scholarly source.

If your teacher asks you where you got the quote from and you tell them you made it up, they’ll more than likely not read the essay past the introduction.

3. Use Clear, Short Quotes

It doesn’t make sense to start an essay with a long quote that a reader will struggle to remember.

Even if a quote is interesting enough to fit the central theme of the essay prompt, you should avoid it in favor of a short, clear quote.

If a reader can memorize the quote within the first 30 seconds of reading, go for it.

Such a quote is good for your essay because it enhances clarity, making it easy for the reader to understand the meaning and support for your argument.

4. You Should Explain the Significance of the Quote 

If you choose to start your essay with a quote, don’t explain to explain its significance in the paper.

There are two advantages to doing this.

First, explaining a quote further helps to strengthen your essay. Second, more explanation enables you to present the clarity so you don’t lose a reader, not to mention make your content easy to understand. 

5. You Should Provide Relevant Reference to the Quote 

Since a quote is someone else’s thoughts, you need to attribute it to the right author.

Besides, your readers will want to know where you got the quote from, and you must make it easy for them to find it. 

When Not to Start an Essay with a Quote

Some students prefer to start their essays with quotes because they find the phrases engaging, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

But purpose-written opening sentences tend to have a broader latitude than quotes, and therefore more powerful than the latter. 

Again, quotes communicate someone else’s thoughts so much so that they tend to undermine your creativity. So it’s best to shy away from them if you have something more engaging and enlightening to share with your readers.

There’s also the problem of limited range of expression, as you don’t have the room to expand on another author’s quotations besides summarizing or paraphrasing it.

Because quotes require attribution, they can cause a reader to look aside, so you risk losing their attention during that first moment with your writing.  

Final Thoughts on Starting an Essay with a Quote

If one thing is for sure, it’s that’s you can start a great essay with a quote relevant to the theme of the topic. As long as you can find and attribute great quotes, you’ll be set and ready to write an essay that your instructor will find interesting to read.

However, if you want more freedom to express your thoughts and share something more enlightening with your target readers, then there’s no point starting your essay with a quote.

Get Essay Writing Help 

Writing an essay when you have tons of additional assignments to complete can be tough. That’s the case especially when you’re short on time but have a tight deadline to beat. You can simply reach out to us and we’ll help you get your essay assignment completed in good time.

At Help of Assessment, we have an established team of writers who dedicate their time and effort to writing high quality essays that will pique your instructor’s interest and earn you the marks you deserve. Plus, we’re far more affordable than many academic writing services online, and we put more effort in writing high quality essays for all our clients.

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73 Essay Hook Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

An essay hook is the first one or two sentences of your essay that are used to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into your discussion.

It is called a hook because it “grabs” the reader and doesn’t let them go! It should have something in there that makes the reader feel curious and intrigued, compelling them to continue reading.

Techniques for Good Essay Hooks

Here are a few techniques that you can use to write a good essay hook:

• Use a Quotation : Sometimes, a relevant quotation from a well-known author or expert can help establish the context or theme of your essay. Next time you’re conducting research for an essay, keep an eye out for a really compelling quote that you could use as your hook for that essay.
• Start with a Statement that is Surprising or Unusual: A surprising or unusually statement will draw a reader in, making them want to know more about that topic. It’s good if the statement contradicts common knowledge or reveals an insight about your topic that isn’t immediately obvious. These can be particularly good for argumentative essays where you’re putting forward a controversial or compelling argument as your thesis statement .
• Tell a Brief Anecdote : A short, interesting story related to your topic can personaize the story, making it more than just a dry essay, and turning it into a compelling narrative that’s worth reading.
• Use Statistics or Facts: Interesting, surprising, or shocking facts or statistics work similarly to surprising statements: they make us want to know more about a topic. Statistics and facts in your introductions are particularly useful for analytical, expository , and argumentative essays.
• Start with a Question: Questions that make the reader think deeply about an issue, or pose a question that the reader themselves has considered, can be really effecitve. But remember, questions tend to be better for informal and personal essays, and are generally not allowed in formal argumentative essays. If you’re not sure if you’re allowed to use questions in your essays, check with your teacher first.

Below, I’ll present some examples of hooks that you could use as inspiration when writing your own essay hook.

Essay Hook Examples

These examples might help stimulate your thinking. However, keep in mind that your essay hook needs to be unique to your essay, so use these as inspiration but write your own essay hook that’s perfect for your own essay.

1. For an Essay About Yourself

An essay about yourself can be personal, use “I” statements, and include memories or thoughts that are deeply personal to you.

• Question: “Have you ever met someone who could turn even the most mundane events into a thrilling adventure? Let me introduce myself.”
• Anecdote: “The smell of freshly baked cookies always takes me back to the day when I accidentally started a baking business at the age of nine.”
• Intriguing Statement: “I’ve always believed that you haven’t truly lived until you’ve read a book upside down, danced in the rain, or taught a parrot to say ‘I love pizza.'”
• Quotation: “As Mark Twain once said, ‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ That’s a philosophy I’ve embraced in every aspect of my life.”
• Humorous Statement: “I’m a self-proclaimed ‘professional chocolate tester’ – a title that’s not only delicious but also requires extreme dedication.”
• Start with your Mission Statement : “My life motto is simple but powerful: be the person who decided to go for it.
• Fact or Statistic: “According to a study, people who speak more than one language tend to be better at multitasking . As a polyglot, I certainly live up to that statistic.”
• Comparison or Metaphor: “If my life were a book, it would be a blend of an adventurous novel, a suspense thriller, and a pinch of romantic comedy.”
• Personal Revelation: “Ever since I was a child, I’ve had an uncanny ability to communicate with animals. It’s an unusual skill, but one that has shaped my life in many ways.”
• Narrative: “The day everything changed for me was an ordinary Tuesday. Little did I know, a single conversation would lead me to discover my true passion.”

2. For a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay often explores personal experiences, feelings, and thoughts. So, your hooks for reflective essays can usually be more personal, intriguing, and engaging than other types of essays. Here are some examples for inspiration:

• Question: “Have you ever felt as though a single moment could change your entire life? This essay is going to explore that moment for me.”
• Anecdote: “I was standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, looking at the vast emptiness, and for the first time, I truly understood the word ‘perspective’.”
• Bold Statement: “There is a part of me that is still trapped in that room, on that rainy afternoon, holding the letter that would change everything.”
• Personal Revelation: “The first time I truly felt a sense of belonging wasn’t in a crowded room full of friends, but in the quiet solitude of a forest.”
• Intriguing Statement: “In my life, silence has been a teacher more profound than any words could ever be.”
• Quotation: “Einstein once said, ‘The only source of knowledge is experience.’ Now, looking back, I realize how profound that statement truly is.”
• Comparison or Metaphor: “If my life is a tapestry, then that summer was the vibrant thread that changed the entire pattern.”
• Narrative: “As the train pulled out of the station, I realized I wasn’t just leaving my hometown, I was leaving my old self behind.”
• Philosophical Statement: “In the theater of life, we are both the actor and the audience, playing our part and watching ourselves simultaneously.”
• Emotive Statement: “There is a sort of sweet sorrow in remembering, a joy tinged with a hint of sadness, like the last notes of a beautiful song.”

For an Argumentative Essay

Essay hooks for argumentative essays are often the hardest. This type of essay tends to require the most formal type of academic writing, meaning your hook shouldn’t use first person, and should be more based on fact and objectivity, often at the expense of creativity. Here are some examples.

• Quotation: “Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.’ If Jefferson were alive today, he would likely feel that this meed for a well-informed citizenry is falling well short of where he would aspire.”
• Provocative Statement: “Despite what romantic films may portray, love at first sight is merely a myth perpetuated by society. This essay will prosecute the argument that love at first sight is a myth.”
• Statistical Fact: “According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading psychological disability worldwide. Yet, mental health is still stigmatized and often overlooked. This essay will argue that depression should be seen as a health issue, and stigmatization of depression causes serious harm to society.”
• Comparison: “Much like an unchecked infection, climate change, if left ignored, can spread far beyond what it is today, causing long-term economic and social problems that may even threaten the longevity of humanity itself.”
• Contradiction : “While we live in an era of unprecedented technological advancements, millions around the world are still denied basic internet access.”
• Bold Declaration: “Animal testing is not only ethically unacceptable, but it also undermines the progress of medical research.”
• Challenging Belief: “Despite popular belief, the automation of jobs is not a threat but an opportunity for society to evolve.”
• Quotation: “George Orwell wrote in ‘1984’, ‘Big Brother is Watching You.’ In our modern society, with the advancement of technology, this is becoming more of a reality than fiction.”
• Intriguing Statement: “Despite countless diet fads and fitness trends, obesity rates continue to rise. This argumentative essay will argue that this is because medical practitioners’ approaches to health and weight loss are fundamentally flawed.”
• Statistical Fact: “Research reveals that over 90% of the world’s plastic waste is not recycled. This alarming figure calls for a drastic change in social attitudes towards consumption and waste management.”
• Challenging Assumption: “Society often assumes that progress and growth are intrinsically good, but this is not always the case in the realm of economic development.”
• Contradiction: “Western society upholds the value of freedom, yet every day, members of society cede personal liberties in the name of convenience and security.”
• Analogy: “Like an overplayed song, when a news story is repeated too often, it loses its impact. In the era of digital media, society is becoming desensitized to critical issues.”
• Relevant Anecdote: “In a village in India, the arrival of a single computer transformed the lives of the residents. This small anecdote underscores the importance of digital inclusion in today’s world.”
• Call to Rethink: “In a world where success is often equated with financial wealth, it is time for society to reconsidered what truly constitutes a successful life.”

For a Compare and Contrast Essay

A compare and contrast essay examines two issues, looking at both the similarities and differences between them. A good hook for a compare and contrast essay will immediately signal to the reader the subjects that are being compared and why they’re being compared. Here are sine ideas for hooks for a compare and contrast essay:

• Quotation: “As Charles Dickens wrote in his novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’. This could equally apply to the contrasting dynamics of urban and rural living.”
• Provocative Statement: “Despite popular belief, cats and dogs have more in common than society tends to think.”
• Comparison: “Comparing being an only child to growing up with siblings is like contrasting a solo performance with an orchestral symphony.”
• Contradiction: “While many view classic literature and contemporary fiction as worlds apart, they are more akin to two sides of the same coin.”
• Bold Declaration: “Android and iPhone may compete in the same market, but their philosophies could not be more different.”
• Statistical Fact: “Statistics show that children who grow up reading books tend to perform better academically than those who do not. But, the jury is out on how reading traditional books compares to reading e-books on screens.”
• Quotation: “As Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, ‘Sooner or later, we all sit down to a banquet of consequences.’ This statement can be used to frame a comparison between short-term and long-term thinking.”
• Provocative Statement: “Democracy and dictatorship are often seen as polar opposites, but are they are not as different as they seem.”
• Comparison: “Climate change and plastic pollution are two major environmental issues, yet they demand different approaches and solutions.”
• Contradiction: “While traditional classrooms and online learning are seen as separate modes of education, they can often blend into a cohesive learning experience.”
• Bold Declaration: “Though both based on merit, the structures of capitalism and socialism lead to vastly different societal outcomes.”
• Imagery: “The painting styles of Van Gogh and Monet can be contrasted as a stormy sea versus a tranquil pond.”
• Historical Reference: “The philosophies of the Cold War-era – capitalism and communism – provide a lens to contrast economic systems.”
• Literary Comparison: “The dystopian societies portrayed in George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ serve as contrasting visions of the future.”
• Philosophical Question : “Individualism and collectivism shape societies in distinct ways, but neither one can truly exist without the other.”

See Here for my Guide on Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay

For a Psychology Essay

Writing an engaging hook for a psychology essay involves sparking the reader’s interest in the human mind, behavior, or the specific psychology topic you’re discussing. Here are some stimulating hooks for a psychology essay:

• Rhetorical Question: “How much control do we truly have over our own actions?”
• Quotation: “Sigmund Freud once said, ‘Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.’ This essay will explore whether this is universally true.”
• Provocative Statement: “Contrary to popular belief, ‘venting out’ anger might actually be fueling the fire of fury.”
• Comparison: “Just as an iceberg reveals only a fraction of its bulk above water, conscious minds may only be a small piece of who humans truly are.”
• Contradiction: “While it may seem counterintuitive, studies show that individuals who are more intelligent are also more likely to suffer from mental health issues.”
• Bold Declaration: “Despite advances in technology, understanding the human brain remains one of the final frontiers in science.”
• Statistical Fact: “According to a study by the American Psychological Association, nearly one in five adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness. Yet, mental health continues to be a topic shrouded in stigma.”

For a Sociology Essay

Writing an engaging hook for a sociology essay involves sparking the reader’s interest in social behaviors, cultural phenomena, or the specific sociology topic you’re discussing. Here are ideas for hooks for a sociology essay:

• Quotation: “As Karl Marx once noted, ‘Social progress can be measured exactly by the social position of the fair sex.’ Sadly, society has not made much progress in gender equality.”
• Provocative Statement: “Social media, initially created to connect people, is ironically leading society into an era of unprecedented isolation.”
• Comparison: “Comparing society to a theater, where each individual plays a role, it is possible to start to see patterns and scripts embedded in daily interactions.”
• Contradiction: “While people often believe that technology is bringing society closer together, evidence suggests that it’s actually driving a wedge between people, creating ‘digital divides’.”
• Bold Declaration: “Human societies are constructed on deeply ingrained systems of inequality, often invisible to those benefiting from them.”
• Statistical Fact: “A recent study found that women still earn only 81 cents for every dollar earned by men. This stark wage gap raises questions about equality in the workforce.”

For a College Application Essay

A college essay is a personal statement where you can showcase who you are beyond your grades and resume. It’s your chance to tell your unique story. Here are ten potential hooks for a college essay:

• Anecdote: “At the age of seven, with a wooden spoon as my baton, I confidently conducted an orchestra of pots and pans in my grandmother’s kitchen.”
• Provocative Statement: “I believe that life is like a game of chess. The king might be the most important piece, but it’s the pawns that can change the entire course of the game.”
• Personal Revelation: “It wasn’t until I was lost in a foreign city, armed with nothing but a map in a language I didn’t understand, that I truly discovered my love for adventure.”
• Intriguing Question: “Have you ever wondered how it feels to be part of two completely different cultures, yet wholly belong to neither?”
• Bold Declaration: “Breaking a bone can be a painful experience. Breaking stereotypes, however, is an entirely different kind of challenge.”
• Unusual Fact: “I can recite the periodic table backwards while juggling three tennis balls. It’s a strange talent, but it’s a perfect metaphor for how I tackle challenges.”
• Quotation: “As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ This quote has defined my approach to learning.”
• Narrative: “It was a cold winter’s day when I first discovered the magic of turning a blank page into a world full of characters, stories, and ideas.”
• Metaphor: “Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, my high school years have been a period of profound metamorphosis.”
• Humorous Statement: “Being the youngest of five siblings, I quickly learned that the best way to be heard was to become the family’s unofficial lawyer.”

Conclusion: The Qualities of a Good Essay Hook

As I wrap up this article, I want to share a few last tips on qualities that a good essay hook should have. Keep these tips in mind when writing your essay hook and using the above essay hook examples:

First, relevance . A good hook should be directly relevant to the topic or theme of your essay. The hook should provide a preview of what’s to come without giving too much away.

Second, Intrigue. A great hook should make the reader want to continue reading. It should create a question in the reader’s mind or present a fascinating idea that they want to know more about.

Third, uniqueness. An effective hook should be original and unique. It should stand out from the many other essays that the reader might be going through.

Fourth, clarity. Even though a hook should be captivating and original, it should also be clear and easy to understand. Avoid complex sentences and jargon that might confuse the reader.

Fifth, genre conventions. Too often, my students try to be so creative in their essay hooks that they forget genre conventions . The more formal an essay, the harder it is to write the hook. My general approach is to focus on statistics and facts, and avoid rhetorical questions , with more formal essay hooks.

Keep in mind that you should run your essay hook by your teacher by showing them your first draft before you submit your essay for grading. This will help you to make sure it follows genre conventions and is well-written.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
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• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

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Can you Start an Essay with a Quote? Guide How to

an Essay with A Quote?

Students must produce outstanding essays to reach their academic expectations. What you should note is that the strategy or method you use to introduce your essay plays an imperative role in determining your essay score.

How you start your essay will tell the reader whether they should continue reading it or not. It sets the tone for the entire essay. It acts as the first impression you give to the readers about the essay.  

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Importance of good essay starters.

In our guide on the steps to write good essays , we explained that having a good introduction is key to capturing the attention of the reader. In this section, we will give reasons why this is important.

Good essay starters can arouse the curiosity or interest of the reader to continue reading your paper to the end. The importance of good essay starters includes:

1. Attention-grabbing

Attention-grabbing can be regarded as the greatest importance of good essay starters.

This is because all other reasons for having a good essay starter trickle down to one thing: attention-grabbing. 

When you have written an essay, and you submit it to your instructor for grading, you should be aware that they have to read the entire essay to determine your score.

Furthermore, the instructor has also to read your classmates’ essays so that they can grade their essays.

What this means is that your instructor is busy, and you should give them a good reason to read your essay in its entirety. 

Imagine you are required to write an essay to win a prize or earn a scholarship to your dream university.

Many students will submit their essays in the hope of being considered, and the essay graders will have a lot of work. 

From the two examples, it is apparent that your essay needs to stand out from the start.

The best way to make it stand out is to have a good essay starter that instantly grabs the attention of the reader. Once their attention is grabbed, they will be forced to read the entire essay and award you good grades. 

2. Passing New or Interesting Information to Readers

Apart from grabbing the attention of the readers, good essay starters can also be used to pass new or interesting information to the readers.

The new or interesting information can be facts or even fun facts concerning your topic that will make the reader want to know more through reading your entire essay. Facts can include statistics like, “Did you know that 90% of all dolphins…”

As noted, your instructor will be very busy because he/she will be reading several essays from your classmates. Because of the need to standardize the evaluation process, your class will have to write essays on related topics.

As such, your instructor will already know what to expect, and he/she will treat your essay like any other. To make your essay stand out, start your essay with something interesting that will challenge the instructor to concentrate on your essay more.

3. Creating Awareness Concerning the Subject Matter or Topic

This depends on the topic of your essay. If your essay challenges social, political, economic, or environmental issues, you can start your essay with a statement that creates awareness.

For example, you can start by stating, “Youths in inner cities engage in gang violence because of high unemployment rate”. The reader will want to know why this is the case and therefore, continue reading the essay. 

Can you Start an Essay with a Quote?

The answer to this question is dependent on the type of essay you are writing. It can also depend on the expertise of the writer, especially his or her ability to incorporate quotes in a paragraph.

You can start an essay with a quote if it is within the context of the topic you are writing about or if it is necessary to reinforce the argument you are presenting in the essay. If the quote forms the thesis or the claim you are arguing in the essay. Also, a quote is an attention grabber and captures the attention of the readers’ minds.

In addition, using a quote is among the most creative strategies used to start an essay that distinguishes you from the rest.

Such quotes can come from politicians, famous leaders, academicians, or influential individuals known by readers.

The quotes should be introduced effectively to add value and clarity to your essay.

There are various types of quotes that can be used to begin an essay.

The commonly used forms of quotations include a summary of the original text, paraphrasing, or direct quotes.

When starting your essay using a summary, ensure that you provide a brief account of the major points.

Concerning paraphrases, ensure that the facts are similar to the original text, even if you have reworded the statements. Direct quotes should contain the exact words as the original text enclosed with quotation marks (“…”). 

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How to Start an Essay with A Quote

It should be noted that you can start an essay using either short quotes or long quotes. Below are tips on how to start an essay with a short quote.

1. Direct Incorporation of Short Quotes into A Sentence

Short quotes are those that do not exceed four typed lines.

If you use a short quote, copy-paste it directly into your introductory paragraph.

Make sure to enclose the short quote using quotation marks.

Then, use your words to explain the significance of the quote to the topic and the reader.

2. Incorporate Lead-Ins to Introduce Quotes

Lead-ins offer the context of the quote to the reader. The reader will know that you are presenting support or evidence and where the evidence comes from. You can use the author’s name as a lead-in, for example, “According to Mathew King…” You can also use other lead-ins like “Based on recent studies…”

3. Enclose the Direct Quote Using Quotation Marks

Anytime you directly quote another source, make sure you put them in quotation marks to show your readers that the quote does not belong to you.

When you incorporate quotation marks and an in-text citation of the source of the quote, you can directly utilize another person’s ideas or intellectual property without plagiarizing. 

4. Give a Commentary after the Quote

When you provide a quote without a commentary, you have done nothing. This is because it does not fit the context of the paper or topic, and the readers cannot connect it to the topic.

Therefore, a commentary is very important to analyze the quote and link it to your claims and topic. You can use such commentary to build on a paragraph. Read our guide on how to start a paragraph in an essay and see how this fits well when writing.

5. Paraphrase or Summary

If you have paraphrased or summarized a quote, you do not need to enclose the text with quotation marks. All you need to do is put an in-text citation after the statement to show that the ideas belong to another writer. 

Tips on How to Use Quotes in an Essay

1. Introduce The Quote’s Author

Every time you use a quote in any part of your essay, make sure that you first introduce the author of the quote to show the readers that the content does not belong to you. 

2. State The Quote

The second tip is to state the quote after you have introduced the author.

The quote is directly copied from the source; hence, it should be enclosed using quotation marks. At the end of the quote, make sure that you cite the source using your preferred academic format. 

3. Summarize The Quote

After you have stated the quote, summarize it if it is not easily understandable. However, if the quote is straightforward, there is no need for a summary. You should skip this stage and move to the analysis stage. 

4. Analyze The Quote

This is where you break the quote into its significant bits so that you can get the actual meaning. The different parts of the quote may give different meanings but create a singular meaning when brought together.

5. State The Relevance of the Quote to The Argument 

Finally, ensure that you have stated the relevance of the quote to your essay’s arguments. You must connect the quote to the central argument so that it can add value to your paper. 

Considerations when starting an Essay with a Quote

When using a quote to begin an essay, it’s important to follow a few guidelines:

• Relevance: Choose a quote that directly relates to the topic of your essay and helps to establish the context or theme of your discussion.
• Attribution: Always provide proper attribution for the quote, including the name of the author or speaker and the source of the quote (e.g., book, article, speech).
• Integration: Introduce the quote in a way that seamlessly connects it to your own writing and provides context for the reader. Avoid simply dropping the quote into the essay without any explanation or analysis.
• Explanation: After presenting the quote, take the time to explain its significance and relevance to your argument or topic. Analyze the quote and discuss how it relates to the themes or ideas you will explore in the essay.
• Transition: Use the quote as a springboard to transition into your own discussion or analysis. Make it clear how the quote sets the stage for the points you will be making in the rest of the essay.

Overall, starting an essay with a quote can be an effective way to grab the reader’s attention and provide a compelling introduction to your topic. Just be sure to choose a quote that adds value to your essay and supports your argument or analysis in a meaningful way.

Josh Jasen or JJ as we fondly call him, is a senior academic editor at Grade Bees in charge of the writing department. When not managing complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In his spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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Understand How to Start an Essay with a Quote

Table of Contents

Preparing the introductory paragraph is one of the most challenging tasks in the essay writing process. When compared to other essential sections, the introduction plays a vital role because it is the opening part of an essay that has the responsibility to pull the readers inside the essay. Basically, there are different approaches available to begin the introductory paragraph of an essay. But if you know how to start an essay with a quote, then you can easily grab the attention of your readers. Most of the time, the unique and creative quotation added at the start of an essay will stir the curiosity of the readers and will make them read the entire essay.

Never begin your essay without a catchy hook. A catchy hook is a powerful tool that has the vibes to grab the reader’s attention and generate interest in the topic. The hook can be a quote, a fact, a statistic, etc. However, using a quote that is relevant to the topic is one of the most effective ways to begin an essay.

Are you aware of how to start an essay with a quote? If you don’t have any idea, then keep on reading this blog post. Here, in detail, we have explained how to find an ideal quote and open an essay with that

What is a Quote?

It is a brief phrase or a section that is taken from the writing or speech of another author or speaker. It is one of the useful tools that is mostly used to write essays, blog posts, and articles. Additionally, the quotations can be utilized during speech delivery.

In general, there are numerous famous quotes on a wide range of subjects, including friendship, life, knowledge, love, and so on. You can look up the most famous quotes from any celebrity, past or present, especially when preparing your written assignments or speeches based on your topic.

There are generally three types of quotes: direct quotes, summary quotes, and Paraphrase quotes. You can start an essay with any kind of quote. The most important points from the first quote are briefly explained in the summary. The paraphrase consists solely of rephrased statements that convey the same meaning as the originals. Direct quotes are the spoken or written words that are quoted.

When writing an essay, students frequently prefer direct quotes over the other two of these three types. However, you can use any of these types of quotes appropriately to preserve the original citation’s intended meaning.

Learn How to Start an Essay with a Quote

Wondering how to begin an essay with a quote? Cool! The below-mentioned tips will provide you with a clear idea of how to begin the introductory paragraph of an essay with a quote.

Give preference to your target readers

Before you begin searching for the quote for your essay, first understand the mindset of your target readers and then select a quote suitable for them. The quote that you select should be easy for your readers to relate to and understand. Never choose a quote that is insulting to your readers unless you plan to refute the quote.

In order to catch the attention of the general audience, you can pick quotes from a pop culture celebrity or renowned personality. But to engage with a specific set of audiences, find a quote from a source that matches the interest of your target readers. Remember, the quote you use at the start of your essay should be clear, informative, and shouldn’t offend the intelligence of your readers.

Avoid picking a quote that is unfamiliar to your target audience. Choosing a less popular quote will not create any impact on your readers while they read the opening paragraph of your essay. If you feel that the quote you have selected would be unfamiliar to your readers, provide more details on that quote.

Get to know the context of the quote

Don’t randomly use quotes that are appealing to you. Before you finalize a quote, identify the original context of that quote. If you have a proper understanding of that quote, then you can determine whether or not that quote would be appropriate to use at the start of your essay.

Identify a quote relevant to the purpose of your essay

The quote that you have selected to use at the beginning of your essay should be relevant to the purpose of your essay. If you use any irrelevant quote at the start of your essay, then your readers will not even read your essay completely. Note that, using a quote mismatching to your essay purpose may easily distract your audience. Say, for instance, if you explain a sensitive topic with a humorous quote, then it won’t work for the readers. So, while selecting a quote, make sure to consider the purpose and the tone of the essay.

Never use clichés and popular quotations

Your readers will quickly get bored if you use popular quotes in the same way as every other person. Also, it might make your readers think that you haven’t put any effort or haven’t taken your target audience into account. So, whenever you choose a quote, say a big no to clichés and frequently used quotations.

Link your quote and point

When selecting a quote to start an essay, give preference to the quote that satisfies your arguments or main points. Your selected quote should sync with your essay topic or thesis. Also, you should remember to explain how the quote supports your opinion or argument about a particular essay topic.

Say, for example, while writing an essay on entrepreneurship topics, suitable to your main points or arguments, you can use quotes from a successful entrepreneur.

Cite the Sources

You must acknowledge the source of all the quotes that you have used in your essay. Specifically, you should mention where you took that quote and who said that quote. Note that, citing the sources would increase the credibility level of your essay.

To present the quotes in your essay, use a proper citation format or style such as the Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA) style, etc. The standard citation format or referencing style would help the readers to effortlessly identify the source of your quote.

By following all the above-mentioned tips, you can come up with the right quote to start an essay. No matter what quote you have selected for your essay, before including it at the start of your essay, check whether it is matching to the focus of your essay. Usually, the hook statement at the opening of your essay should be specific, clear, engaging, and concise. So, never choose unimpressive opening quotes that offer a boring feel to your essay.

Examples – How to Start an Essay with a Quote

You shouldn’t just use the quote at the beginning of the introduction. Use appropriate quotation marks around the quote and punctuate it when you write it. If you don’t give credit to where the quote came from, you run the risk of being accused of plagiarism.

In accordance with the standard reference or citation style, whenever you use a quote in your academic essay, you must cite the original source and the author’s name.

We have provided a few examples to demonstrate how to properly cite a quote’s source using the appropriate citation style or format.

Franklin D Roosevelt once said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”.

“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”.(Martin Luther King, Jr., “I have a dream” speech, August 28, 1963). This quote from the great Martin Luther King’s speech still remains as a dream. Even in this modern digital world, no change is born; someone somewhere is suffering from racism and discrimination issues and waiting for justice.

Mark Twain (1940) once wrote, “Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful of your life” (p. 235).

“The best definition of man is: a being that goes on two legs and is ungrateful” (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground, 1864). It looks like human nature is a constant. Maybe Dostoyevsky would have changed his thoughts if he had a chance to live around grateful people.

Essay Introduction Quote Selection

Basically, selecting a quote for beginning an essay is a tedious process that is time-consuming. But whenever you search for a quote, make sure to refer to printed books or credible online websites. The internet is loaded with a lot of fake information and the quote you pick might not be actually a quote. So, whenever you use a quote, check for the original source and the name of the person who said that quote.

For starting an essay, there are many catchy methods available but using a quote as a hook is one of the best methods to grab the attention of the readers. Remember, you may fail to impress your readers if you use a quote mismatched with the essay topic. Therefore, in order to identify an ideal quote suitable to the main points of the essay, invest more time and effort.

Hopefully, by now, you will have gained a better understanding of how to start an essay with a quote. In case, you don’t know what quote to use in your essay, or if you are unsure of how to start an essay with a quote, then call us immediately.

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I am an Academic Writer and have affection to share my knowledge through posts’. I do not feel tiredness while research and analyzing the things. Sometime, I write down hundred of research topics as per the students requirements. I want to share solution oriented content to the students.

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