四級寫作中常用的開頭段的表達方法舉例如下：
●使用引語（use a quotation）
使用一段名人名言，或人們常用的諺語、習語，以確定文章的寫作范圍和方向。
如：
“Great minds must be ready not only to take the opportunity, but to make them.” Colton, a great writer once remarked. But it still has a profound significance now. To a person, in whose lifetime opportunities are not many, to make opportunities is more essential to his success.
分析：開頭引用Colton的名言說明“創造機會”對于成功的重要性，點明主題。
●引用具體或粗略的數據 （use figures or statistics）
當然對于圖表題型，該種方法是必須的選擇，具體做法是給出一些具體或粗略的數據，然后作出概括性分析，點明主題或引出需要論述的問題。
如：
As is demonstrated in the table, more and more college graduates are out of a job in our country, which is a serious problem to our economic development and social security. It is estimated that in 2004, there are 500,000 unemployed graduates, more than 30% higher than in 2002.
分析：文章引用2004年找不到工作的畢業生達到50萬這一數據來說明大學生找
工作難這一現象的嚴重性，很有說服力。
●提出問題（ask a question）
提出有爭議或探討性的具體問題，然后加以簡要回答或展開引導性簡短討論。
如：
What do you want from your work Money Promotions Interesting challenges Continual learning Work-based friendships The opportunity to develop your own idea and potentials Though we are all individuals and so our answers will differ, all agree that work provide more than material things.
分析：文章開頭提出“你想從工作中得到什么”這一問題，然后自問自答，指出工作
除了物質利益，還可以給我們帶來很多其它收獲這一結論。
●給出具體實例或報道（offer relevant examples or reports）
給出具體生活實例或新聞報道
如：
As regards the stress for college students, there has been a heated discussion among the public in the society. It was reported that a student killed four of his classmates just because of a trivial matter. It can be easily seen that pressure has become a serious issue we cannot neglect.
分析：文章通過引用新聞報道的一個實例，說明了大學生心理問題的嚴重性。
●定義法（give definition）
針對討論的主題或問題加以定義，然后進行深入探討。
如：
As we all know, practice makes perfect. This is an accumulated experience we inherit from our forefathers, and now it is still widely applied to our daily life. It means that the more we practice, the more likely we are going to do things perfectly.
分析：文章用It means that這一句型，說明了practice makes perfect的含義。
●主題句法（use of topic sentence）
文章一開始就以主題句點明全文主題，然后圍繞主題內容進行發展。
如：
Nowadays one of the serious problems China is faced with is the increasing illiteracy among the adolescents. According to a recent survey by Dr. Li, dean of Educational Department of Beijing Normal University, about 18% of the children between 8 and 15 years old have dropped out of school across the country.
分析：文章開頭即提出中國的文盲現象日益嚴重這一問題，然后再用實例數據加以佐證。
開頭段的常用核心句型歸納如下，大家可選擇使用：
● As opposed to generally accepted views, I believe that …
● The arguer may be right about …, but he seems to neglect to mention the fact that ….
● Although it is commonly agreed that …, it is unlikely to be true that ….
● There is an element of truth in this statement, but it ignores a deeper and more basic fact that ….
● In all the discussion and debate over …, one important fact is generally overlooked.
● On the surface （At first thought）, it （this） may seem a sound （an attractive）
suggestion （solution / idea）, but careful weighing on the mind （on closer analysis / on second thought）, we find that …
● Although many people believe that …, I wonder whether the argument bears much analysis
● The danger （problem / fact / truth / point） is that….
● I agree with the above statement because I believe that ….
● There is a public controversy nowadays over the issue of …. Those who object to …
argue that …. But people who favor …, on the other hand, argue that….
● Currently （In recent years / In the past few years / For many years now）, there is （has
been） a（n） general （widespread / growing / widely held） feeling towards （concern over / attitude towards / trend towards / awareness of / realization of / illusion of / belief in）….
● As far as I am concerned, however, I believe that ….
● Now it is commonly （widely / generally / increasingly） believed （thought / held /
accepted/ felt / recognized / acknowledged） that …. But I wonder （doubt） whether …