Okay so below is a very brief overview of what an essay hook is and how to use it effectively;

ESSAY HOOK:
An essay hook is the opening couple of lines of an essay and they are specifically designed to "hook" the reader and make them interested in what you have to say. Think of the most popular opening lines in literature; they are all hooks. They are used widely in essay writing as well and are not limited to novels or larger written pieces.

Most people use these without ever realizing that they do but they usually fall into the pitfall of reverting to a few more familiar and rather overused types of these hooks. There are many types and I'd recommend everyone play around with them until they find a few which suit their writing style. Also important to note that some hooks work better with some topics and tone so it is really a case by case thing. I'll discuss a few of the types of essay hooks below with examples;

• Description/Definition Hook: Opening sentences are the definition or a simple description of the topic. Quite commonly used so have less of an impact.
  EXAMPLE:
  1. "Information Technology is the use of any computers, storage, networking and other physical devices, infrastructure and processes to create, process, store, secure and exchange all forms of electronic data."
  2. "Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people."
• Quotation Hook: Start your essay with a quotation or a famous saying/phrase. Quite common too but has gone out of use in recent times. Is pretty easy and straightforward. Can be effective but needs to be thought through properly to link it well with the thesis statement. Never use a quotation, especially not as a hook, just for the sake of using one.
  EXAMPLE:
  1. "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today."
• Bold/Strong Statement Hook: Starting the essay with a bold claim or a strong statement. Very effective but have a drawback; they need to deliver. You can't make a big claim just for the sake of it. You need to back it up with facts and arguments later on and also it needs to tie in well with the thesis statement. These can be exaggerated and over the top but can also be grounded and close to reality. Used often in sensational journalism but people in academic circles tend to avoid them.
  EXAMPLE:
  1. "If the government cuts any more money away from Education, our country will crumble."
  2. "Online college classes are cheaper and far more effective than in-person college classes."
  3. "Man will one day live on Mars but until then let's try not to destroy the planet we do have."
  4. "A Global village is a direct result of a metaphorical shrinking of the world and an increased consciousness of the people as being small yet integral parts in an intricately woven tapestry of grand proportions."
• Question Hook: Hooks which are framed like questions. Can be rhetorical. Effective if used properly.
  EXAMPLE:
  1. "What is the meaning of life?"
  2. "How long will this state of anarchy be allowed to go on before we decide to fix our justice system?"
  3. "Have you ever wondered why some countries are more influential than others?"
  4. Why should one worry about injustice when it has gone on for so long and no one has been able to fix it?
• Fact/Statistic Hook: Beginning with a startling fact or statistic about the topic. Is often used in combination with the above two types but it is important to single it out. Commonly used as well and can be very effective.
  EXAMPLE:
  1. "Almost two-thirds of American adults at some point in their life lived in a home with at least one gun." (Statistic+bold statement)
  2. "Did you know that a glass bottle made in our time will take more than 4,000 years to decompose?" (Fact+question)
• Misconception Hook: Start the essay with a common misconception or commonly held truth which you will try to clear up later on. Does often lean into the bold statement category that has been discussed earlier. Rarely used. Can be effective but depends on the type of essay.
  EXAMPLE:
  1. "Most people will claim that they have a right to say whatever they want whenever they want."
  2. "19th Century Europe mistakenly believed that Paganini had sold his soul to the devil when in fact he was simply a remarkably gifted musician who had arisen to fame far too early and with little to no responsibilities to keep him in check."
  3. "Despite repeated portrayals in media and literature and the somewhat deceiving title of Little Corporal, Nepolean Bonaparte was taller than the average Frenchman at the time".
• Metaphor/ Simile Hook/ Comparison Hook: Begin with a comparison or a metaphor that intrigues the reader. These can be very effective as they can present a topic in a new light and can also help simplify impossibly complex topics. Rarely used because they are hard to get right. They are by nature bold claims but can be funny and less serious as well.
  EXAMPLE:
  1. "Modern email has much in common with pigeon post."
  2. "Learning grammar is like going to the dentist- seems unnecessary, is tedious and painful but we all have to do it!"
• Story/Scene Hook: I use this one often simply because I like setting scenes and adding context to my essays. They can make your introduction rather long so lots of people avoid it. Can be very effective because by nature human beings like stories but make sure that it links up well with the thesis statement and the topic on hand.
  EXAMPLE:
  1. "We narrated them around a family hearth before we chiseled them on to stone. The ink stained our fingers next; first reeds were dipped but soon the plumes of the quills tickled our chins before we moved on to more recognizable instruments. Guttenberg patented his wonder machine and we heard its manual clamp press down as a new era dawned. Rollers entered the ring and we marveled as they whooshed and chugged along in rooms with high ceilings with the smell of ink and the heat of the monsters at work hanging heavy in the air. The scene hasn’t changed much since."