A sentence starter is a short phrase or word that sets up the next thought in a clear way. Strong ones highlight the main idea and guide readers through the paragraph. Good sentence starters for essays also prevent repetition, since repeating the same words at every turn makes the writing drag.
WriteMyEssay offers writing support for students who want sharper writing and a more natural flow. Connecting the right starters with your argument is one key aspect that keeps the reader hooked until the final thought.
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What Is a Sentence Starter for an Essay?
A sentence starter is a short word or phrase that shows how new information, an example, or an argument fits into what has already been said. It can show that you are adding information in the background, providing evidence, clarifying a main point, or leading towards a conclusion.
For instance:
- 'For example' starts supporting details
- 'In the same way' identifies likeness
- 'On the contrary' identifies differences
These small words constitute a dominant part of essay writing as they keep arguments straight and clarify main points.
When to Use Essay Sentence Starters?
Authors use sentence starters to control the rhythm of writing and avoid confusion. The reader benefits as they identify points of connection without having to guess them. Every essay moves through stages: beginning, building, shifting, and closing. Each stage needs clear signals for the reader. You reach for paragraph starters for essays at the points where your writing could otherwise feel unclear or abrupt. They’re most useful when you’re:
- Beginning your introduction and need to set up context with background information.
- Opening a body paragraph and wanting to show whether you’re presenting new evidence, expanding an idea, or stressing a key point.
- Switching gears mid-essay, like when you’re moving into a contrast or showing the same way two arguments connect.
- Closing with a conclusion that signals you’re wrapping things up with a final thought.
With the right phrases, your paragraphs feel consistent and your readers remain engaged all the way to the end.
Sentence Starters for Essays: A Free PDF
The PDF below gathers introduction, body, and conclusion sentence starters into clean tables for easy use in your essays. Download the file and keep a list of ready-to-use starters at hand.
Sentence Starters for Introduction
An introduction sets the stage for your essay. It usually includes a hook to grab attention, background information to give context, and a thesis that states the main idea. In the following sections, you’ll see good sentence starters to use in your essay.
Hook Sentence Starters
A hook starter is the first line of your essay that pulls the reader in. It can be a surprising fact, a question, or a brief statement that sparks interest.
- Imagine a world where…
- Have you ever wondered why…
- Recent studies suggest that…
- One important issue that affects us today is…
Background Sentence Starters
Background starters give readers enough information to understand the context of your discussion. They make sure the essay doesn’t jump straight into argument without setup.
- Historically, this subject has been discussed in terms of…
- According to literature on the topic…
- In this context, it is important to note that…
- Researchers argue that this issue began when…
Thesis Sentence Starters
A thesis starter introduces the central claim or argument of the essay. It tells the reader what your main point will be.
- The main idea of this essay is that…
- This discussion suggests that…
- The key point to consider is…
- The argument presented in this paper is that…
Sentence Starters for Body Paragraphs
Body paragraphs are the central elements of your essay's discussion. Each of them begins with a topic sentence, followed by evidence, analysis, and a transition to the next point. To make this section of writing even stronger, you can also check out useful words to use in an essay.
Topic Sentence Starters
A topic sentence starter introduces the central idea of the paragraph. It tells the reader what this section will focus on.
- One key aspect of this issue is…
- An important part of the discussion involves…
- This paragraph focuses on…
- A main idea that supports the thesis is…
- Another point worth discussing is…
- The subject under consideration here is…
- This section explains how…
Evidence Sentence Starters
Evidence starters signal that you’re presenting proof, data, or examples to back up your argument.
- For example, research shows that…
- In the same way, this study proves…
- An instance of this can be found in…
- The evidence suggests that…
- Data from recent studies illustrate…
- This can be seen in the case of…
- Statistics confirm that…
Analysis Sentence Starters
Analysis starters explain what the evidence means and why it matters. They connect details back to the argument.
- This suggests that…
- The outcome of this proves…
- Specifically, this illustrates…
- The important point here is…
- This clearly shows that…
- From this, one can argue that…
- This example highlights how…
Transition Sentence Starters
Transition starters help move smoothly into the next idea or paragraph. They keep the writing flow consistent.
- Likewise, the next point to mention is…
- In the same way, this connects to…
- Another perspective on this subject is…
- Eventually, the discussion moves to…
- With this in mind, the next idea is…
- Moving forward, the essay will discuss…
- The following paragraph focuses on…
Sentence Starters for Arguments and Counterarguments
Every strong argumentative essay includes clear arguments and also acknowledges opposing views. Using sentence starters makes this structure easier to follow because each phrase signals whether you’re presenting a claim, introducing a counterpoint, or pushing back with a refutation.
Argument Sentence Starters
Argument starters introduce your main claim or supporting points. They help readers see exactly where your stance begins.
- The main argument presented here is that…
- One reason this issue matters is…
- This perspective proves that…
- An important point to discuss is…
- The evidence strongly suggests…
- This clearly demonstrates that…
- The argument can be made that…
Counterargument Sentence Starters
Counterargument starters show that you recognize opposing opinions. They give balance and make your essay more persuasive.
- Some readers may argue that…
- On the contrary, others suggest…
- A common opinion against this idea is…
- Critics often point out that…
- An alternative perspective suggests…
- It is sometimes argued that…
- Opponents of this view claim that…
Refutation Sentence Starters
Refutation starters are used after a counterargument. They show why your stance still holds stronger by responding to the opposing claim.
- This argument ignores the fact that…
- The weakness in this claim is that…
- This counterpoint fails to explain…
- Evidence proves this opinion is not accurate because…
- The problem with this perspective is…
- Closer analysis suggests that…
- This claim does not account for…
Conclusion Sentence Starters
A conclusion ties the essay together. It usually restates the thesis in a fresh way and summarizes the key points made in the body.
Summary Sentence Starters
Summary sentence starters highlight the main ideas you’ve already covered. They give readers a quick review before the essay closes. Using the right summary sentence starters makes the final section clear and organized.
- To sum up, the key points are…
- In summary, this discussion has shown…
- All things considered, the evidence suggests…
- The main ideas can be summarized as…
- Looking back, it becomes clear that…
- Taken together, the points illustrate…
- A brief review of the arguments shows…
Restated Thesis Starters
Restated thesis starters remind the reader of your central claim without repeating it word for word. They bring the essay back to its main idea.
- This essay has proven that…
- The discussion confirms the thesis that…
- The central argument presented here remains that…
- The evidence supports the idea that…
- As the thesis suggested, this proves…
- The argument outlined at the beginning stands because…
- This paper demonstrates that…
Call-to-Action Starters
Call-to-action starters close with a final step, thought, or suggestion for the reader. They give the essay a clear sense of purpose beyond just summarizing.
- Moving forward, readers should consider…
- The next step in addressing this issue is…
- It is important to take action by…
- Future discussions should focus on…
- This outcome suggests we must…
- The discussion proves the need to…
- Readers are encouraged to reflect on…
What to Avoid When Using Sentence Starters?
Sentence starters can strengthen an essay, but only when used carefully. These are the mistakes that often weaken writing:
- Relying on the same phrase too often, which makes the essay sound repetitive.
- Adding multiple starters in one paragraph, breaking the natural writing flow.
- Choosing a starter that doesn’t match the context leaving readers confused.
- Using starters as filler instead of tying them to a clear point.
- Ignoring variety and balance, which makes the writing flat.
- Not using an essay grammar checker to spot errors and awkward usage of words.
To avoid these issues, pick phrases that connect directly to your ideas and rotate them for variety. You can also refine your word choice with this guide on common words to avoid.
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Finish My EssayThe Bottom Line
Ultimately, sentence starters help readers move from one stage to another with ease, not losing the train of thought midway through. When chosen well, these words and phrases highlight key points and keep the discussion connected.
And if you’re a student who needs extra help on everything from structure to phrasing, WriteMyEssay has got you covered with personalized guidance.
FAQ
What Is a Good Sentence Starter for an Essay?
A good sentence starter is one that clearly signals the purpose of the sentence/paragraph right away. Words like 'For example,' 'Specifically,' or 'In the same way' do exactly that.
What Are Some Sentence Starters for an Introduction?
Introduction starters include phrases like Imagine a world where…,' 'Have you ever wondered why…,' and 'One important issue today is….'
What Are Some Sentence Starters for a Conclusion?
Conclusion starters include phrases like 'To sum up, the key points are…,' 'All things considered, this proves…,' and 'Moving forward, readers should consider…' work well.
Sources
- Federation University. (n.d.). Sentence starters. Federation University. https://studyskills.federation.edu.au/student-skills/writing/sentence-starters/
- League of Women Voters. (n.d.). Sentence starters. League of Women Voters. https://my.lwv.org/sites/default/files/leagues/wysiwyg/%5Bcurrent-user%3Aog-user-node%3A1%3Atitle%5D/sentence_starters.pdf
- Otago Polytechnic. (n.d.). Sentence starters, transitional and other useful words (PDF). https://online.op.ac.nz/assets/Uploads/f373ebe246/Sentence-starters.pdf
