Story openers
Start a scene in fiction or narrative writing.
Sentence starters
Pick the job your next sentence has to do, then borrow its first words. 100 starters for essays, paragraphs and stories, in ten groups.
Contrasting and conceding
However, …
Tip: press N for a new prompt, B to go back.
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All sentence starters by group
Quick answer: match the starter to the sentence's job. Evidence gets "For example" or "According to"; analysis gets "This shows that"; a turn gets "However"; an ending gets "Overall". Tap any starter to copy it.
Introducing a topic
Open a paragraph or essay and tell the reader what it is about.
Adding an idea
Build on the point you just made.
Contrasting and conceding
Show the other side, or turn the argument.
Giving examples and evidence
Back a claim with a source, a quote or a case.
Explaining and analysing
Say what the evidence means.
Cause and effect
Link a reason to a result.
Concluding
Wrap up a paragraph or the whole piece.
Time and sequence
Move a story or a process along.
Opinion and persuasion
State a view and push the reader toward it.
How to choose the right starter
- Name the job. Before you write, decide whether the sentence adds, contrasts, proves, explains or concludes.
- Pick from that group only. "However" in front of a sentence that agrees with the last one confuses readers.
- Vary them. If three sentences in a paragraph open the same way, swap one, or start with the subject instead.
- Cut what you don't need. A starter should earn its place; "In conclusion" is often unnecessary at the end of a short answer.
Writing fiction rather than an essay? Try the first line generator or the story starters for whole openings, and the essay prompts for topics to practise on.
Questions writers ask
What are sentence starters?
Sentence starters are the first few words of a sentence, such as "However," or "This shows that", that tell the reader what job the sentence is doing: adding a point, contrasting, giving evidence or concluding. They help writers move from one idea to the next.
What are good sentence starters for essays?
Use a starter that matches the job of the sentence: "For example" or "According to" before evidence, "This suggests that" when you analyse it, "However" when you turn the argument, and "Overall" or "Ultimately" when you conclude.
What are good words to start a paragraph?
Transition words that connect back to the last paragraph work best: "Furthermore", "In contrast", "Another reason is that", "As a result". In a story, a time phrase ("The next morning", "Meanwhile") moves the reader forward.
Should I avoid starting a sentence with "and" or "because"?
No grammar rule forbids it. Style guides such as the Chicago Manual of Style accept a sentence that begins with a conjunction. Some teachers discourage it in formal essays, so follow the brief you were given.
How can students use sentence starters?
Keep the groups open while drafting. When a paragraph stalls, decide what the next sentence must do (add, contrast, explain) and pick a starter from that group. Vary them, so the same word does not open three sentences in a row.