Ask an intriguing question; this technique provides a direct way to hook the reader's attention through the style of your writing. Rather than immediately introducing a solution or answer, present a question that provokes the reader to consider the issue on his own, recommends the Purdue Online Writing Lab. Presenting the topic as a question---an issue that requires pondering and investigation---maintains a more creative tone than dryly stating a fact or foregone conclusion.
Incorporating "tropes and figures"---grammatical techniques of style---helps your paper sound eloquent rather than dull. To incorporate parallelism (the most common figure), write two or more phrases in the same grammatical structure or order. For example, instead of saying "I enjoy writing and helping others as well as sports," say, "I enjoy writing essays, helping others, and playing sports." In the second version, each clause displays a verb-object construction; the sentence sounds smoother and more polished.
Other rhetorical devices include metaphor, metonymy, and anaphora. A metaphor presents an implicit comparison in which one thing represents or describes another (e.g., "the journey of life"). Metonymy substitutes a specific term for a metaphysical one, such as calling a cop a "badge" or calling a king "the crown." In anaphora, multiple phrases or sentences begin with the same word or phrase, as in Churchill's famous speech: "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields..."
Including specific details in your explanations enhances the style of your paper, making it more vivid and engaging. Instead of simply specifying that a building was "large," give your reader an actual fact and a visual image: "The 75-story skyscraper towered above the surrounding apartments." Instead of describing something as "important," explain why it was important. Specificity makes your paper more compelling because it creates a clear argument and demonstrates your knowledge.
Use specific, vivid words rather than basic ones. For example, avoid vague verbs such as "is," "go," and "get;" choose a verb that fits the action precisely. (Instead of saying "I went to Germany," write, "I traveled to Germany.") Don't call something "good" or "nice"; use an adjective that clarifies its goodness or niceness. (Describe a good pizza as "tasty," but describe a good idea as "clever.") Similarly, omit adverbs that only intensify another verb or adjective, such as "very" and "definitely"; instead, use a more powerful word that doesn't require intensification, or illustrate through facts why the situation is so extreme.