Types of Leads Copy the

following types of leads into the “Writing Process” section of your English Notebook

A lead is a method the writer chooses to capture or hook the audience’s attention. Your opening sentences need to create the “I gotta know” syndrome for the reader (audience).

Reflective lead = Choose a theme in your essay, one that relates to your thesis, and reflect upon it in depth. This lead is very similar to how you would do a journal entry.

Descriptive lead = Provides a vivid description that creates a picture for the audience to see and relates directly to your topic

Action Lead = Recreate a vivid action scene that relates to your topic and creates a picture for your audience to see

Dialogue Lead= Cite important dialogue that relates to your topic

Regardless of which lead you choose, you must then reflect in-depth on its significance and then tie it into your subject before the thesis statement appears. The lead, with reflection, must be at least five sentences long (or about 90 to 100 words)

Types of Reflective Leads Start your essay by reflecting upon…

– Historical event

– Current event/trend/fad

– Controversial subject

– Belief (philosophy, religious, cultural, psychological, political, economic, spiritual, artistic, literary, etc.)

A famous quote from . . .• T.V. show, play, movie, commercial, video

Types of Reflective Leads A famous quote from . . .

– Advertisement/slogan– Song– Speech– Poem– Book/letter/essay/folktale/fairy tale

• myth/(urban) legend/article– Proverb (cultural, religious)/saying– Headline– Statistic– Ironic use of a cliché

Types of Reflective Leads

You can also start your essay by…

–Asking a question in the intro,but be sure to provide an answer in the conclusion

–Anecdote (share a personal story or experience)

–Societal issue