UNIT 1 — Lesson 1B
Seven Ways to Write an Introduction

2. Anecdote

An anecdote is a short story about something that happened, which illustrates the point you want to make in your essay. Using a story at the beginning of an essay is an effective way to interest the reader.

Example

I remember my dad grumbling about water going everywhere as he put the hose back in place. He had had the hose in just the right position, and if we hadn't been playing with it, the rink would have been flooded by now. To us kids, the thought of having our own ice rink to skate on was too exciting to make us stop and think about the hose. If it was a really cold night, then maybe by tomorrow morning we could start skating!