The Hook
Catchy
Composition
Clichés
From Jefferson County Schools, Tennessee
http://jc-schools.net/writeaway/
The Hook
To catch the reader, use a hook in the
introductory paragraph.
Ask the reader a question.
Use a catchy phrase or quote.
Create a tongue twister.
Make an exclamatory sentence.
Use a lead in sentence that entices
the reader to read on.
The Hook
The introductory paragraph begins
with the hook, which combines
with the topic sentence to form
the first sentence.
The topic sentence can also
directly follow the hook in the
introductory paragraph.
The Hook
Ask the Reader A Question
Entice the reader to continue
reading to find the answer.
The question may be
rhetorical, but the reader
will still be hooked to draw
his/her own conclusions.
The Hook: Question
Ask the reader a question.
Have
you
ever…?
The Hook: Question
Ask the reader a question.
Do
you…?
The Hook: Question
Ask the reader a question.
Why
would
you…?
The Hook: Question
Ask the reader a question.
Would
you…?
The Hook: Question
Ask the reader a question.
Can
you…?
The Hook: Question
Ask the reader a question.
What do
you…?
The Hook: Question
Ask the reader a question.
How
would
you…?
The Hook: Question
My Most Embarrassing Day
Have you ever had a day
when nothing went right?
Do you ever feel like
everything is going against
you?
Can you remember a day
when everything went
wrong?
The Hook: Question
My Best Friend
Have you ever had a friend who
could tell you what you were
thinking?
Do you have a friend you could call
on at anytime?
Can you think of someone who
knows your deepest thoughts?
The Hook: Question
My Summer Vacation
Do you remember a summer that went
by as quickly as this summer?
What would you think would be an
interesting way to spend the summer?
Can you imagine spending the summer
---(insert your summer activity)?
Using A Hook
Reread the writing prompt
and try to think of a question
to ask to get the reader
involved in your
composition.
The Hook: Phrase or Quote
Start your composition with an
entertaining flair by using a catchy
phrase.
“Girls just wanna have fun,” would
describe my best friend.
Short and sweet is the best way to sum
up my summer vacation.
If anything can go wrong it will, at least,
that was my experience on Friday the
13th.
The Hook: Exclamatory Sentence
Vivid exclamatory sentences start
the composition off with a bang!
Never in my wildest dreams
could I imagine a worse day!
My summer vacation was
gone in a hot flash!
She’s smart, she’s caring,
she’s funny; and she’s my
best friend!
The Hook: Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters are sentences in
which several words begin with the
same sound.
Loving, laughing, and loyal
would be my best friend in a
nutshell.
Some days soar into the
stratosphere of our memories.
The Hook: Tongue Twisters
This writing
style is often
called
alliteration.
Summer sizzled into a
simmering, stunted season.
The Hook: Lead In
A lead in sentence is a technique
often used by the news media.
How many times have you heard
a news intro use this type of
teaser?
Why would a dog go to
school? Tune in tonight at 6
to find out.
The Hook: Lead In
Your mind begins to imagine all sorts of
reasons, and you are determined to
find out.
The lead in sentence makes the
reader want to learn more.
The Hook: Lead In
Kind, loving, trustworthy, and
covered with fur describes my
best friend.
It had to end better than it started,
at least, I would have hoped so.
Most of the time I look forward to
summer vacation.
The Hook
In the introductory paragraph, use
techniques that hook the reader.
Ask a question.
Use a catchy phrase or quote.
Make up a tongue twister.
Make an exclamatory sentence.
Use a lead in sentence that entices the
reader to read on.
The Hook
Use a hook to lure the reader into the
composition.