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A hook sentence (also called a narrative hook or literary hook) is a sentence in the first paragraph of a piece of writing which "hooks" the reader into reading more. This is usually the first sentence, but can be anywhere in the first paragraph. "Hooks" do not have to be weird or amazing to be interesting - many new writers spend hours thinking of some "perfect" sentence which will amaze and astound editors, when all they need is something interesting.

Deborah Wiles begins her book Each Little Bird That Sings with the hook "I come from a family with a lot of dead people."

Avi's book Ragweed begins with the statement "'Ma, a mouse has to do what a mouse has to do.'"

Paul Auster uses this sentence to begin his book City of Glass: It was a wrong number that started it, the telephone ringing three times in the dead of night, and the voice on the other end asking for someone he was not.

Here are some ways to create effective "hooks:"

  • do not try to write your hook sentence first! If you already have an idea for one, great - most people go ahead and get the story down before deciding what they want to use as the hook.
  • make certain that you start your story at the right part - if you feel that your readers need some huge "information dump" to understand the story, then you're not starting in the right place. The first scene in your story needs to be a scene that will make the reader want to keep reading, not a textbook.
  • think of a question that the reader will want to find the answer to - many times you can identify the "hook" by making it into a question. Look at the examples above - Deborah Wiles makes us ask "What do you mean your family has a lot of dead people?" Avi has you wondering "What is it that a mouse has to do?" And Paul Auster gets your attention by the question of who the voice was looking for and why.
  • try out your hook in many different ways until you find the perfect way to say it - the hook should be short, but interesting. Try using different words and saying it in different ways. Avi could have said "A mouse has gotta do what a mouse has gotta do" - why does it read better the way he finally wrote ti?
  • try thinking of interesting juxtapositions - I have a friend who constantly jumps from topic to topic in any conversation, so we have come up with a conversation "hook" to use. She says "Speaking of ________," and jumps to the new conversation. We end up with sentences such as "Speaking of cats, have you seen the new Harry Potter movie?" or "Speaking of President Obama, I bought the cutest pair of shoes last week!" Making quirky connections is one way to start your creative juices flowing.

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13y ago
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13y ago

Your topic sentence is just your main idea. To write a strong topic sentence, you have to know what your point is going to be!

Write a list of all the different facts or sentences you can think of about your assignment, and choose the one that you find most interesting. Writing is always easiest when you write about something you like.

This will be your topic sentence. Check to be sure that you have used the correct grammar and punctuation. It should end up being a statement such as "WikiAnswers is an information website," or "Answering a question on WikiAnswers is simple."

A topic sentence makes a statement about a subject and the rest of the paragraph explains or gives examples of the topic sentence. A strong topic sentence should say something, make a point.

Now, if you mentally change your topic statement into a question, you can come up with a good "answer" from which you can create supporting sentences.

If your topic sentence is, "South Korea is a country in north east Asia", then readers would expect the rest of the paragraph to say some thing about South Korea. Maybe more about it's location, it's neighbours. So you could end up with a paragraph like this:

South Korea is a country in northeast Asia. It is located on the southern portion of the Korean peninsular. South Korea's neighbours are China to the west, Japan to the east and North Korea to the north. On the west side of the peninsular is the Yellow sea and on the east side is the Sea of Japan. The East China Sea and the Korean Strait are at the tip of the Korean peninsula.

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15y ago

Topic Sentences:

Introduce the paragraph topic and limit it to what can be written in a single paragraph.

Are the most general and most important sentence.

Contain controlling ideas (ideas that will be explained, defined, clarified or illustrated in the sentences which follow the topic sentence)

Are never just a fact. "I came to Canada in 1993." is a simple fact.

With personal opinion only are weak. Avoid the use of "I like" and "I think." Avoid a topic sentence that says, "I like dogs better than cats."

The Best Topic Sentences:

Contain a "provable" opinion using facts from reliable sources.

May also state an "intent." E.g. "The seven steps to making a good spaghetti sauce, one with the finest aromas, will be explained in detail here."

The topic sentence should be like a heading for the paragraph; pretend its a newspaper article and you wanna make a heading

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12y ago

A hook is used to pull someone into a piece of writing. It interests people in the composition. It should be the first sentnce of your story and should make people wanna read the rest of your story.

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13y ago

The hook is usually meant for your introduction paragraph. Meant to draw in the reader in, and literally hook them with what your composing. Think of the audience as fish. First, hook them. Second, reel them in. And finally, take your catch-or throw them back in!!

P.S.-Hooks work best if they appeal directly to the audience!

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12y ago

start your paper with an interesting sentence about your topic that will grab the readers attention. u should probably use simile's, metaphors, and a bunch of transition words to maximize your hooks effect.

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14y ago

Use a question to involve your reader or use a interjection.

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Wiki User

11y ago

I notice there was a discrepancie with statement it still has the old rates. New rates went in effect as of April 1st

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Wiki User

13y ago

Like this:

"A hook for a paragraph."

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Anonymous

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3y ago

A paragraph is when you write 4 to 6 sentences

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Q: What is an hook in a topic sentences?
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Related questions

What is the purpose of the hook in a topic sentences?

A hook in a topic sentence is designed to get the reader's attention.


CAN YOU GIVE hook sentence and a good topic sentence?

No. WikiAnswers will not write your sentences for you. If you click on the related questions, however, you can learn how to make your own sentences and learn to communicate effectively. Your topic sentence should explain what your essay or speech is to be about. Don't worry so much about a "hook" until you finish writing the whole thing. Then, pick one of the most interesting points you've made and use that as your "hook."


Is a hook sentence and topic sentence the same thing?

A topic sentence can be the hook sentence, but it does not need to be. Typically, writers want to try to hook their audience in the first or very early sentences of the work. The topic sentence typically follows later in the opening paragraph. Some professional writers do not follow this format, however. Some writers artfully place their topic sentence later in the work, building interest and informing before "cutting to the chase."


What ar the part of paragraph?

Sentences? A paragraph is made up of sentences. It begins with a topic sentence, continues with supporting sentences, and ends with a concluding sentence. * New person * And I would like to cal a "hook" is a sentence to lead the reader into reading the paragraph.


Which is the topic sentence in the paragraph?

The sentences that restates the topic sentence.


What are the parts of topic sentences?

Topic sentence and controlling idea


What are topic sentences and how can they be useful in a summary?

Topic sentences are sentences that express the main idea or central point of a paragraph. In a summary, topic sentences can be useful as they help identify the key points of each paragraph. By including these topic sentences in the summary, readers can quickly grasp the main ideas of the text without having to read the entire piece in detail.


What are the sentences surround the topic sentence and provide details and examples?

These are called supporting sentences. They further explain the topic sentence.


How do you create poems?

1) Choose a topic 2) Choose sentences on that topic that rhyme 3) Put all sentences together


Which should be in the first paragraph of a literary analysis?

The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of a paragraph. The topic sentence makes a statement about something. The other sentences in the paragraph explain the topic sentence or give examples of what the topic sentence is saying.So if you are writing a literary analysis you make a statement about your subject then explain or give examples. Maybe something like this:Baxter makes good use of assonance in this haunting poem. (Then give some examples of assonance in the poem. Explain how this is haunting ).


What is the main controller of body?

Topic sentences


Where are topic sentences found in a paragraph?

at the beginning