A hook may be the most important sentence in your essay.

Here are the most common types of hooks.

Anecdote:
An anecdote is like a tiny story. To work, an anecdote must be extremely specific and be emotional. An example of a good anecdote hook:

"Last summer, a nine-year-old boy from Chicago jumped to his death from a nine-story building because a video game convinced him he could fly."

The readers want to know more. Anecdotes usually appeal to the emotions.

A Statistic:
A powerful statistic often makes a good hook, something like

"The suicide rate of Korean teenagers is higher than that of any other nationality, with more than 15 suicides every day."

The reader wants to know why. You don't ask the question, you make the reader ask it. Statistic hooks usually appeal to the intellect.

Two other types of hooks are a powerful quote and an explicit question, but these hooks are overused and often a sign that a writer has failed to put in much effort.

Below, craft your hook for the long paragraph you've just written.

The Hook

Title

Your Hook