Learn how to write a hook!
Simile or Metaphor
Begin with a simile or a metaphor.
My life has been a carnival.
My family is like an open book.
Question
Begin with a question.
Who is the greatest athlete of all time?
Where in the Pacific Ocean can you find
a delicious Krabby Patty to eat, live in a
pineapple, and drive in an underwater
boat? Bikini Bottom, of course!
Definition
Begin with a definition.
Amiable is the best way to describe my
personality: I am friendly and caring.
Perfect is the best adjective to describe
me: I am flawless in every aspect of my
life.
Quotation
Begin with a quotation.
Something someone has said (in quotes).
“Learn to laugh” is something my kindergarten teacher
told me after Ralph Thorsen spilled paint on my daffodil
picture.
"Do you smell that? That smell--It's the smell of a smelly
smell that smells smelly," stated Spongebob from the
show Spongebob Squarepants.
Comparison
Begin with a comparison to a
well-known person or celebrity.
I am as photogenic as Tyra Banks.
Future
Begin with placing yourself in the future.
In the year 2022 I see myself as a
supreme ballerina performing in
Camelot at the Kennedy Center in
Washington, D.C.
Dilemma (Problem)
Begin with a dilemma.
Deciding to attend Hampton Roads
Academy, a private school, was one of
my most difficult decisions.
Scene
Begin with a scene.
The day of my birth began with
Hurricane Charlie pounding at our
door in Charleston, South Carolina.
Advice
Begin with the best advice you have ever received.
“Brandy, did you practice the piano?” Since I was six years
old, this has been a daily reminder from my dear mother.
“Be all you can be” has been my inspiration from my
grandfather who is a retired Marine Corps colonel and my
mentor.
Anecdote (Story)
Begin with an anecdote (story).
As my cousin and I pedaled our new bikes
to the beach, 6 years old, suntanned and
young, we met an old, shaggy-haired
woman weaving unsteadily on a battered
old bike.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is a word that makes
sounds.
Those can be animal sounds, car
sounds, or any other sound. Examples
include: Bang! Woof! or Cock-adoodle-doo!
Poem
Use a poem from a famous author,
or make up your own.
• Ex: so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain water
beside the white chickens.
-William Carlos Williams
Song
Use a line or two from your favorite song on the
radio. Make sure you
relate it to your essay.
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag Drifting through the
wind, wanting to start again?
-Katy Perry
Interjection
Interjections express emotions.
Examples:
Aha!, Stop!, Ugh!, Help!,
Well!, YOW!, Brrrr!, Yummy
Statistic
Startling Statistic
Statistics show relationships with
numbers. Find a surprising statistic
involving your topic.
98% of Shuksan students have picked out
their top four universities by the end of
sixth grade.
Dialogue
Dialogue features two or
more people talking.
“Did you finish your homework?” asked
mom.
“I already finished it at school,” I lied.
What does this picture represent? Explain why
and give an example. (There can be more than one
answer)
Words to use:
Comparison Same Different Alike Orbit
What does this picture represent? Explain why
and give an example. (There can be more than one
answer)
Words to use:
Problem Dilemma Solution Decision Orbit
What does this picture represent? Explain why
and give an example. (There can be more than one
answer)
Words to use:
Question Wonder Who What When Why HowOrbit
What does this picture represent? Explain why
and give an example. (There can be more than one
answer)
Words to use:
Quotation Author Says Thinks
What does this picture represent? Explain why
and give an example. (There can be more than one
answer)
Words to use:
Dialogue Said Replied “
,”.
What does this picture represent? Explain why
and give an example. (There can be more than one
answer)
Words to use:
Statistic Percent (%) Number Studies show
Which one doesn’t fit?
dialogue
climax
Onomatopoeia
song
Plot Triangle
anecdote
dilemma
statistic