Definition An introduction sentence, often termed a ‘hook’, is the initial sentence of a piece of writing. Its primary purpose is to grab the reader’s attention, provide a glimpse into the topic, and set the stage for the content that follows.

An introductory phrase is a group of words that prepares the readers for the main idea in the sentence. It gives additional information to the main thought in the sentence, and it cannot stand alone. A good understanding of introductory phrases will be a solid foundation for writing better sentences as a student or a professional.

An introductory word or phrase starts a sentence to provide extra background details. Sometimes, they’re used as transitions to connect or create continuity between sentences. Writers apply these words and often pair them up with a comma. Many of the introductory words used in formal and informal writing are adverbs.

There is no trick to writing an introductory sentence. You may feel a lot of pressure as you try to craft the words that will adequately grab your reader’s attention while conveying the information below. Even though it can be stressful, you may want to leave your opening sentence until the end unless you already have a perfect idea.