Cut an Empty Opening Sentence

What makes an opening empty?

A paragraph’s first sentence is throat-clearing when it tells readers that a point is coming instead of making the point. Phrases such as “There are several things to consider” or “This paragraph will explain” can create a pause before the useful information begins. The problem is not that these phrases are always incorrect; it is that they often take up space without helping readers understand the paragraph’s subject, claim, or direction.

Try asking: If I delete this sentence, do readers lose any information they need? If not, remove it or replace it with a sentence that does a job. A useful opening might name the subject, make a specific claim, show a contrast, or establish a relevant situation. It should point into the paragraph, not simply point toward itself.

A three-step revision

First, underline the sentence that delays the point. Look for broad announcements, such as “There are many reasons,” or promises about what the paragraph will discuss. Second, identify the paragraph’s actual work in a few words: perhaps it explains a choice, gives a reason, or describes a change. Use the most important idea in that description to draft a direct opening. Third, read the revised opening together with the next sentence. Check that the transition makes sense and that you have not cut context readers truly need.

Do not make every opening sound forceful or dramatic. A direct sentence can be modest. The goal is not to add a bigger claim; it is to start where the useful information starts.

Worked demonstration: begin with the point

The following miniature paragraph is fictional. Its setting and details are invented for this lesson.

Before: “There are several things to think about when deciding where to put the class supply box. In our invented classroom, the box sits beside the doorway, where students often gather to return materials. Moving it to a shelf near the windows would leave the entrance clear and make the supplies easier to reach during group work.”

After: “Moving the class supply box away from the doorway would leave the entrance clear and make materials easier to reach during group work. In our invented classroom, the box currently sits beside the doorway, where students often gather to return materials. A shelf near the windows would put it closer to the groups using the supplies.”

The new opening does two jobs: it states the proposed change and gives the reasons that matter. The paragraph then supplies the current situation and a practical detail. The revision also changes “several things to think about,” which names no actual consideration, into information readers can evaluate. Notice that the revision does not need a grand claim. It simply begins with the paragraph’s work.

Check the revision, not just the first sentence

After replacing an empty opening, check the whole paragraph. Does each later sentence develop, explain, or illustrate the opening? If the paragraph’s point changes halfway through, the issue may be larger than throat-clearing: you may need to choose one focus or divide the material. Also check whether moving a sentence has made a reference unclear. Words such as “this” or “it” need a clear subject nearby.

A helpful final test is to read only the first sentence. Can you tell what the paragraph is doing? Then read the full paragraph and ask whether the remaining sentences deliver on that opening. A concise opening is not automatically effective; it must fit the paragraph that follows.

Practice

Fictional practice paragraph: “There are a few points to keep in mind about the student-made signs in the invented hallway. The signs use large lettering, so visitors can read room directions from farther away. They also use arrows at the two turns, where it might otherwise be unclear which corridor to take.”

Revise the opening so it begins the paragraph’s actual work. Keep the useful information, and make sure the new first sentence fits the two details that follow.