INTRODUCTORY SENTENCES are general sentences that open paragraphs and precede

the topic sentence. They provide background about the topic or main idea.

TOPIC SENTENCE. Give details , examples and other facts. A topic sentence is
the most important sentence in a paragraph. Sometimes referred to as a focus sentence, the
topic sentence helps organize the paragraph by summarizing the information in the
paragraph. In formal writing, the topic sentence is usually the first sentence in a paragraph
(although it doesn't have to be). A topic sentence essentially tells readers what the rest of
the paragraph is about. All sentences after it have to give more information about that
sentence, prove it by offering facts about it, or describe it in more detail.
Here are some examples:

 Topic Sentence: There are many reasons why pollution in ABC Town is the worst
in the world.
 The topic is “pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world” and the controlling
idea is “many reasons.”

 Topic Sentence: To be an effective CEO requires certain characteristics.

 The topic is “To be an effective CEO” and the controlling idea is "certain
characteristics."

 Topic Sentence: There are many possible contributing factors to global warming.
 The topic is "global warming" and the controlling idea is "contributing factors."

 Topic Sentence: Fortune hunters encounter many difficulties when exploring a

shipwreck.
 The topic is “exploring a shipwreck” and the controlling idea is “many difficulties.”

 Topic Sentence: Dogs make wonderful pets because they help you to live longer.
 The topic is "dogs make wonderful pets" and the controlling idea is "because they
help you to live longer."

 Topic Sentence: Crime in poverty-stricken areas occurs as a result of a systemic

discrimination.
 The topic is "crime in poverty stricken areas" and the controlling idea is "systemic
discrimination."

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 Topic Sentence: Teen pregnancy may be prevented by improved education.
 The topic is "teen pregnancy may be prevented" and the controlling idea is
"improved education."

 Topic Sentence: Cooking requires a number of different skills.

 The topic is "cooking" and the controlling idea is "many different skills."

 Topic Sentence: It is important to be ready before buying a house.

 The topic is "buying a house" and the controlling idea is it's "important to be
ready."

 Topic Sentence: Graduating from high school is important for many different
reasons.
 The topic is "graduating from high school" and the controlling idea is "many
different reasons."

 Topic Sentence: Having a first child is difficult because of the significant

adjustments in your life.
 The topic is "having a first child" and the controlling idea is "significant
adjustments in your life."

 Topic Sentence: Remodeling a kitchen successfully requires research and a good

eye.
 The topic is "remodeling a kitchen" and the controlling idea is "requires research
and a good eye."

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SUPPORTING SENTENCE. Supporting sentences either explain or prove the topic
sentence.

Supporting sentences...

Define

 True happiness is finding meaning in life, and that is what I found.

Explain

 I felt so good about myself because all I did was help others all day. I helped
families get a new place to live and built schools or community centres where
people can learn and work together to make a better life. I felt really good helping
others.

Give an example

 For example, the Rodriguez family of 6 people, had their house destroyed by a
hurricane. They had lived in a tent for four years. I helped them finally have a
proper home again. It was the most amazing gift I have ever given someone.

Unity

It is important that all your supporting sentences are connected to the main idea and that
you do not get off topic. For example, here are some supporting sentences that should not
be used to support the topic sentence above:

 After Costa Rica, I went to Ecuador for a vacation.

 Costa Rica is beautiful, but it can be dangerous to travel in some areas alone.

These sentences do not support the main idea in the topic sentence. Therefore, they should
not be included in the paragraph.

Supporting sentences usually have one of the following functions:

• they provide specific and factual details

• they explain important terms
• they support the point made in the topic sentence, often with a quotation or a paraphrase
• give examples to illustrate the point made in the topic sentence
• they may summarise what has been said so far, particularly towards the end of the
paragraph

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Look at the following paragraph.
[S1] Another method of relative dating is called typology. [S2] This simply means the
study of types and involves the study of the material, form and purpose of artefacts so they
can be arranged in an evolutionary sequence. … [S3] A group of prehistoric cutting tools or
modern automobiles, for example, can be arranged in convincing chronological sequence,
from the primitive to the most sophisticated, based on their construction and appearance.

S1 is the topic sentence: short and clear, with a term in italics to highlight its importance.
S2 is a support sentence: the first part is a very simple definition; then it gives more detail
about how typology works; next it explains the purpose.
S3 is another support sentence: it gives a clear example to demonstrate the meaning of the
concept.
Now look back at the three paragraphs on the previous page and analyse them in the same
way. What functions do the supporting sentences have?

CONCLUDING SENTENCE. The final sentence of the paragraph often reminds the
reader about the topic and main idea of the paragraph. It describes the main idea one more
time, but with different words.

The concluding sentence sometimes begins with:

 As you can see,

 In short,
 On the whole,
 That's why...
 In conclusion,
 In brief,
 In summary,

Let's look at the paragraph from the previous lesson.

Early childhood education programs such as Head Start provide cognitive benefits well
beyond preschool. Recent studies that compare student test scores show that children who
are exposed to structured learning activities outside the home environment are better able to
adapt to formalized instruction in grades kindergarten through third grade than children
who remain at home. This is particularly true among children from low-income families
and children whose parents have a limited proficiency in English. Children living in states
that do not provide early childhood programs, on the other hand, lag behind their peers.
State and local governments must continue to bridge the achievement gap so that children
may reach their full academic potential at an early age.

The sentence in red concludes the paragraph. Not only does it refer to the topic sentence, it
also ends the paragraph with some kind of "call to action" following the supporting
sentences. In this case, the the idea proposed is for state and local to bridge the achievement
gap.