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Sentence Starters for Essays with Examples
Academic Writing
9 min read

Sentence Starters for Essays with Examples

The article collects good sentence starters per different writing goals, such as contrast, argue, or summarize essay points.
Sentence Starters for Essays
Written by
Catherine B.
Published on
Jun 17, 2025
Table of contents
Building a natural flow through the entire essay is one of the worst time-killers for students.
Why are sentence starters important in that matter? Because they save students’ time and kill the brain rot and the fear of the black page. Sentence starters help to create a lasting impression, make the writing smoother, illustrate the point, or wrap things up.
StudyPro has compiled a list of good sentence starters for essays and different sentence structures. Feel free to save this for later and use it for the next assignment.
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How Do Sentence Starters Help Students?

A sentence starter is a common phrase that guides the reader in the general direction of your thoughts rather than focusing on specific details.

Why Use Sentence Starters?

Let's take the phrase "unlike the previous case" as an example. As a student, you might not know the case's specifics or its topic. However, this simple sentence starter still provides significant benefits:
  • Unclose the idea. Whatever follows the “unlike the previous case”, the reader knows that the idea will be contradictory.
  • Link the sentences together. Even if you don’t know what the case is, you already know that some has taken place.
  • Overcome the writer’s block. The human brain works better when asked to continue the sentence rather than start it from scratch. Starter sentences help to let the ideas flow.

Sentence Starters for Essays By Sentence Types

Each particular type of essay, such as expository, descriptive, persuasive, or narrative has its own set of academic essay rules.
Even though the rules may be flexible and dependant on separate professors’ expectations, it is still better to know the general rules of thumb when applying sentence starters.
Below we are introducing examples for each type of essay and sentence structure.

Argument and Reasoning Sentence Starters

Argument and reasoning sentences provide the evidence to the essay, making it stand against rigorous academic critique.
Argumentative essay sentence starters best with sentence starters that express positions, reasons, supporting examples, and analytical insights. These are most commonly used in persuasive, argumentative, and analytical essays:

1. Claim, position statement sentence starters:

  • The evidence suggests
  • The central claim is
  • We argue that
  • This approach presents

2. Reason, justification sentence starters:

  • One key reason is
  • The reason lies is
  • This claim is supported with
  • The data from
  • Shows that
  • There are many reasons why
  • This evidence shows that

3. Evidence, examples sentence starters

  • For example
  • A recent study
  • Evidence shows that
  • One supporting example is

4. Explanation, analysis sentence starters

  • A direct correlation between
  • The practical implication is
  • The results demonstrate that
  • Additionally
  • However
  • Nonetheless
  • Another reason
If any term here looks unfamiliar for you, check the beginner-friendly guide on how to write an essay.

Compare and Contrast Sentence Starters

Compare and contrast sentences highlight similarities and differences between two or more subjects.
Good sentence starters for comparative academic writing include phrases that signal likeness or opposition, such as “similarly” or “in contrast.”
They are most often used in comparative essays, literature analysis, and analytical discussions:

1. Similarity sentence starters

  • Similarly
  • In the same way
  • Both examples show
  • Just like…
  • X and Y also have similar
  • Likewise
  • An example of this similarity/difference is
  • This similarity/difference is important because

2. Difference sentence starters

  • However
  • In contrast
  • Unlike the previous case
  • On the other hand
  • The difference between…is…
  • Another difference
  • One of the main differences
  • Conversely

Sentence Starters for Narrative Writing

Narrative sentences move a story forward, showing action, reflection, or key moments.
Good sentence starters for narrative writing are personal, time-related, or emotional, helping to guide the reader through the plot.
They are comm in personal narratives, descriptive essays, and creative writing tasks:

1. Beginning sentence starters

  • It all started when
  • I still remember the day
  • Once upon a time
  • Everything changed when
  • The day began with
  • Years later
  • Beyond the
  • Deep within
  • Just then
  • When we arrived at
  • On the next day

2. Progression sentence starters

  • After that
  • Then
  • Suddenly
  • So the day went on
  • Next
  • Subsequently
  • Following this
  • In the next stage
  • As the process continued
  • Eventually

3. Reflection sentence starters

  • I realised that
  • What I learned was
  • In the end, I knew…
  • Thinking back on
  • The experience of [event/activity]
  • Looking back
  • It started when
  • Looking back now
  • Since that day
  • This confirms my belief that

Sentence Starters for Cause and Effect

Cause and effect sentences show how one event or condition leads to another.
Sentence starters for essay discussing the causal relations should support the logical structure and present the relations between ideas. They are widely used in explanatory, analytical, and problem-solution essays:

1. Cause sentence starters

  • Because of
  • Due to
  • Since
  • one reason for this is
  • Therefore
  • Hence
  • Thus
  • This resulted in
  • This caused
  • This brought about

2. Effect sentence starters

  • As a result
  • Therefore
  • This led to
  • The effect was
  • This can be explained by
  • Attributable to
  • Consequently
  • The outcome was

Sentence Starters for Steps in a Process

Process sentences explain how to do something or how something works in a clear, logical order.
Sentence starters for sequential sentences should help the reader guide through the explanation without losing track of the ideas. These are most commonly used in instructional, how-to, and technical essays:

1. Sequence sentence starters

  • First
  • Next
  • Then after that
  • After that
  • Finally
  • The first step is to

2. Clarification sentence starters

  • This means that
  • In other words
  • To put it simply
  • This involves
  • What I mean is
  • That is to say
  • To clarify
  • More specifically

Introduction Sentence Starters

Introduction sentences open the essay by presenting the topic, purpose, or approach.
Sentence starters for essays with clear introductory sentences should present the general context. Such sentence starters are essential in all essay types including expository, persuasive argument essays, and analytical writing:
  • This essay will explore
  • People believe that
  • The aim of this essay is to
  • The common problem in … field is
  • The data from… shows that
  • The truth is
  • The … once said that
  • The problem of… usually rises two opposite camps that
  • When… happened
  • Most people do not
  • This topic has become controversial in recent years because
  • One of the most hotly debated issues in [place or academic field] is
  • One of toughest dilemmas that students/teachers/parents/voters face today is
Examples:
  • In today's society, the role of technology is increasingly evident.
  • It is widely accepted that climate change poses a significant threat.
  • One of the most pressing issues facing our generation is mental health.
  • Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic shift in how we communicate.
  • The concept of [topic] has long been debated among scholars.
Check for more introduction paragraph examples and more sentence starter tips. The introductory paragraph sets the structure and tone for the whole essay. Compared with conclusion paragraphs, strong opening paragraphs usually impact the student grade the most.

Hook Sentence Starters

Hook sentences grab the reader’s attention and set the tone for the essay.
Effective sentence starters for writing a captivating hook are thought-provoking questions, bold statements, or surprising facts. They appear in the opening lines of most essays, particularly in personal, persuasive, or narrative writing:
  • It’s interesting to think about
  • What if…?
  • The unexpected fact in… is that
  • Everyone has experienced
  • One of the overlooked problems in … is that
  • The harmful consequences of … include
  • Studies have shown that
  • The topic of… has compounded a large group of haters and supporters among
Examples:
  • Have you ever wondered what life would be like without smartphones?
  • What if the greatest discovery of our time was hidden in plain sight?
  • Could it be that our most deeply held beliefs are based on faulty assumptions?
  • Imagine a world where there was no such thing as money.
  • How often do we truly consider the impact of our daily choices?
  • It's a common misconception that humans only use 10% of their brain.
  • The average person spends [amount of time] sleeping over a lifetime.
  • In a world obsessed with [trend/idea], a quiet revolution is taking place.

Background Information Sentence Starters

Background sentences provide context, helping readers understand the issue or topic before the main argument.
Good sentence starters here include references or current developments related to the topic.
They are often used in argumentative, analytical, and research essays:

1. Contextual sentence starters

  • Historically
  • In recent years
  • According to research
  • The problem began when
  • During the [period]
  • In the early [year/century]
  • Across the globe
  • Locally, ... / Nationally, ... / Globally
  • Under these circumstances
  • Given the current [situation/data]

2. Clarification sentence starters

  • To better understand this
  • This issue arises from
  • This relates to
  • In other words
  • To clarify
  • What I mean is
  • Let me explain further

Thesis Sentence Starters

Thesis sentences state the main argument or position the essay will support.
Strong sentence starters clearly define the claim, such as “This essay argues that…” They are central to argumentative, persuasive, and expository essays:

1. Thesis statement sentence starters

  • This essay argues that
  • Despite common belief
  • The main point is that
  • Our central claim is
  • It is evident that
  • A critical analysis reveals that
  • This essay will outline

2. Framing thesis statement starters

  • While some believe
  • We argue that
  • Although
  • It is clear that
  • In many cases
  • Generally speaking
Examples:
  • Despite common belief, stricter gun control laws would not significantly reduce violent crime because they primarily disarm law-abiding citizens and fail to address underlying social issues.
  • It is evident that social media platforms exacerbate political polarization, primarily due to their algorithmic echo chambers and the rapid spread of misinformation.
  • This essay will argue that universal basic income is the most effective solution to economic inequality, as it ensures a safety net and stimulates local economies.
  • We need to foster a culture of proactivity. What I mean is, employees should feel empowered to take initiative before problems arise.
  • The new policy prioritizes asynchronous communication. In other words, most team discussions will happen through written messages, not live meetings.

Topic Sentence Starters

Topic sentence starters introduce the main idea of each paragraph, guiding the reader through the structure of the essay.
Effective sentence starters signal that the reader should pay closer attention to particular sentences. These sentence starters should highlight one particularly important idea against other sentences. Topic sentence starters are common in nearly all structured essays, including analytical, persuasive, and expository types:
  • One major point is
  • An important aspect is
  • A key issue to consider is
  • In terms of
  • Regarding
  • When discussing
  • The point is

Topic Sentence Starters for Body Paragraph 1

These essay topic starters begin the first main body paragraph and lay the foundation for the argument or analysis.
The sentence starters for the first body paragraph should set up the sequence of ideas. They appear in any structured essay with multiple supporting points, especially in argumentative or analytical formats:
  • To begin with
  • The first point is
  • Initially
  • First and foremost
  • The first factor impacting… is
  • As the argument states
  • The first major issue with… is that

Topic Sentence Starters for Body Paragraphs

These topic sentences transition starters help to build a bridge between supporting points beyond the first paragraph. Paragraph sentence starters vary significantly depending on the discussed topic and the natural flow of ideas:
  • Another important point to consider
  • Secondly
  • The conterarguments to the … is that…
  • Additionally
  • On the other hand
  • In contrast
  • However
  • Either way
Students often use an AI writer to generate the draft for the entire essay. Among other benefits of AI is that it is extremely efficient in providing the structure and good sentence starters for any type of sentence.

Transition Sentence Starters

Transition sentences link ideas between paragraphs or sections, creating flow in the essay.
The transition phrases are typical for all essay forms, regardless of genre and assignment type:

Sentence starters for adding information

  • FurthermoreI
  • In addition
  • Also
  • Furthermore
  • Moreover
  • In addition
  • Additionally
  • Besides
  • Also
  • Not only... but also

1. Sentence starters for contrasting

  • However
  • On the other hand
  • In contrast
  • Conversely
  • Nevertheless
  • Nonetheless
  • Despite this, ... / Despite the fact that
  • While

2. Sentence starters for showing results

  • Consequently
  • Therefore
  • Hence
  • Thus
  • This led to
  • Due to
Best writing hacks for students never actually end. There is always more to explore and advance the studies instead of doom scrolling.

Conclusion

Sentence starters are an important part of logical flow in academic writing.They help to keep all things considered, specifically in the matters of connecting ideas and avoiding any gaps in the argumentation.
These little phrases are often overlooked by the academic audience as they seem boring. However, it is these phrases that create the sense of coherent opinion, author’s statement, and smooth transition.
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Frequently asked questions

A good essay sentence starter clearly signals the purpose of the sentence. The purpose may vary from introducing a topic or providing evidence to offering a conclusion. A good essay sentence starter considers the sentence context and helps to effectively lay out the writer’s idea.
Good transition words for a conclusion include “In conclusion,” “To sum up,” “Ultimately,” “As a result,” and “Therefore.” Good sentence starters for essay’s concluding paragraph help to wrap it up and restate key points clearly.
Common essay sentence starters include:
  • “This essay will discuss…” (introduction),
  • “One reason is…” (body),
  • “For example…” (evidence),
  • “This shows that…” (analysis)
  • “In conclusion…” (ending).
They guide the reader through the essay’s structure.
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