How to use a quote to start an essay

To introduce a quote in an essay, don't forget to include author's last name and page number (MLA) or author, date, and page number (APA) in your citation. Shown below are some possible ways to introduce quotations. The examples use MLA format.

1. Use a full sentence followed by a colon to introduce a quotation.

Examples:

• The setting emphasizes deception: "Nothing is as it appears" (Smith 1).
• Piercy ends the poem on an ironic note: "To every woman a happy ending" (25).

2. Begin a sentence with your own words, then complete it with quoted words.

Note that in the second example below, a slash with a space on either side ( / ) marks a line break in the original poem.

Examples:

• Hamlet's task is to avenge a "foul and most unnatural murder" (Shakespeare 925).
• The speaker is mystified by her sleeping baby, whose "moth-breath / flickers among the flat pink roses" (Plath 17).

3. Use an introductory phrase naming the source, followed by a comma to quote a critic or researcher

Note that the first letter after the quotation marks should be upper case. According to MLA guidelines, if you change the case of a letter from the original, you must indicate this with brackets. APA format doesn't require brackets.

One of the most intimidating aspects of essay writing is crafting an effective introduction. Basically, for writing the introductory paragraph in an essay, there are different approaches available. But the most considerable approach is beginning the essay with a quotation. When you start the essay with a catchy quote, possibilities are there to grab the attention of the readers and make them read the entire essay.

Usually, the best essays open with a hook to draw the readers in and generate interest in the topic. More predominantly, using a quotation that is relevant to the topic in an appropriate manner acts as a strong hook.

Do you know how to start an essay with a quote? If you are unsure, then continue reading this blog post. Here, we have explained the most effective ways to begin an essay with a quote. Also, from this blog post, learn in detail how to find a perfect quote and include that in the introductory paragraph of your essay.

What is a Quote?

A quote is a short passage or phrase taken from the text or speech of other authors. In general, a quotation is a powerful tool in essay writing.  There are many famous quotes available on almost all the topics like life, wisdom, knowledge, experience, etc. Relevant to your topic, you can pick the most popular quotes from any celebrities of the past or present and use them in your written assignments or speeches.

Types of Quotes

To begin an essay, you can use any type of quote. Listed below are the most popular examples of quotations.

Paraphrase: Reworded statements that contain the same meaning as original phrases.

Summary: Provides a brief account of the main points in the initial quote.

Direct Quotes: Includes all the spoken or written words.

Often, when writing academic essays, students use direct quotes without changing any expression. But you can use any of the above-mentioned forms effectively to avoid interfering with the original citation’s actual meaning.

How to Start an Essay with a Quote?

Discussed below are the important tips that would be helpful for you when you wonder how to start an essay with a quote.

Consider your target audience

When searching for a quote, give more importance to the quote that is easy for your readers to understand and relate to. If you use a less popular or unfamiliar quote as a hook, then no big impact will be created in your audience when they read the introductory paragraph of your essay.

Typically, you can use a quote from a pop culture celebrity or popular personality to attract the general audience. But to connect with more specific audiences, you should choose a source that is fitting your target audience.

Never use a quote that is offensive to the readers unless you plan to contradict the quote. In case, the quote you use is obscure or if you think it would be unfamiliar for your readers, provide additional details on that quote. Remember, the quote you prefer should be clear and informative but it shouldn’t insult your reader’s intelligence.

Research and find the context of the quote

Before using a quote in your essay, research and get to know the original context of a quotation. If you have a prior idea about the quotation, then you can easily determine whether you can use that quote in the beginning section of your essay.

Select a quote matching your purpose

The quote you use in your essay must sync with the purpose of your topic appropriately. If you use any quote that is irrelevant to the topic, then it may distract your target readers instead of drawing them inside your essay. So, when choosing a quote, give preference to the tone and purpose of the essay. For instance, a humorous quote will not gel well in the essay on sensitive topics.

Avoid Cliches and frequently used quotations

If you use a popular quotation in the same way as every other person, then the quotation will bore your readers. Also, it would make your readers think that you haven’t considered your target audience. So, avoid using clichéd quotes or frequently used quotations in your essay.

Connect your quote and point

Never pick a random quote and begin your essay. The quote you use should be relevant to your essay topic or thesis. Make sure to establish a connection between the quotation and the topic of your essay. Most importantly, explain how the quote supports your argument or opinion about a certain essay topic.

Say, for example, when writing an essay on the topics like gender equality or feminism, to emphasize your main point, you can pick any quote from a feminist author.

Acknowledge the source

All the quotes you use in your essay require proper acknowledgment. If you use any quote in your essay, then be certain to mention from where you took that quote because acknowledging the source will enhance the credibility of your essay. When you include quotes in your essay, remember to follow a proper citation essay format.

Especially to help your readers easily find the source, we recommend you to follow proper documentation format like Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA) style, etc.

Considering all these tips on how to start an essay with a quote will help you to select the right quote. No matter what quote you choose to begin the essay, before incorporating it, check whether it is related to the focus of your essay. Usually, the opening of your essay should be clear, concise, and specific. So, avoid choosing too wide or general openings that give a boring effect to your essay.

Examples of How to Start an Essay with a Quote

The quote you use for introducing should not stand alone in the essay. Also, while mentioning the quote, you should punctuate it appropriately by using quotation marks around them. Failing to cite the sources of the quote may lead to plagiarism issues.

As said above, whenever you write a quote, make sure to cite the original source and the name of the authors in a standard reference format.

Here are some examples of how to acknowledge the source of a quote using a proper citation style or format.

Nelson Mandela once said, “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up”.

The witch regrets leaving his cave in the forest: “This is not a quote; this is a formatting example” (Shelley 10).

In progress report 12, Steven explains “This is not a real quote; this is a formatting example” (Keyes 402).

Mark Twain (1940) once wrote, “Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful of your life” (p. 235).

Advantages and Disadvantages of Starting Essays with a Quote

Beginning an essay with a quote contains a lot of pros and cons. Listed below is some advantages and disadvantages of opening an essay with a quote.

Advantages

Using a quote at the starting of your essay would help you to

1. Set a proper tone.
2. Grab the attention of the readers at an easy go.
3. Recruit the original authors’ authority in the essay.

Disadvantages

Here are some common disadvantages of starting an essay with a quote.

1. Time-consuming to search and find an ideal quotation matching the purpose of the essay.
2. Rush the culmination.
3. They are cliché.

Get Professional Help to Begin an Essay with a Quote

We hope you are now clear about how to begin an essay with a quote. In general, choosing a quote for introducing an essay is a time-consuming process. To find the right quote matching the purpose of your essay, you should either refer to printed books or online websites. Not all the information that is present on the internet is legitimate. So, when including a quote, you should confirm whether the person who you are quoting actually said the quote.

Although there are multiple methods, using a quote as a hook in the introductory paragraph is one of the best ways to hold the attention of the readers and make them read the entire essay. But if you use a quote irrelevant to the essay topic, then you can’t impress the readers. Therefore, you should invest more time and effort to search and find the perfect quote to connect with your main point.

In case, you are not sure what quote to use in your essay or how to begin an essay with a quote, reach out to us for essay writing help. Through our online academic paper writing service, we will assist you in finding the right quote to start an essay. Also, we will offer you instant assignment writing help for all the academic paper writing issues that you experience.

Need the best online essay writing service? Looking for plagiarism-free, cheap assignment writing help online? Just share your requirement with us through the order form. As per your requirements, a professional writer from our team will provide extraordinary academic support and will help you in preparing a customized essay or thesis without skipping the deadlines.

Can you begin an essay with a quote?

How do you introduce a quote in an essay examples?

Is it okay to start an introduction with a quote?

How do you quote a quote at the beginning of a sentence?