Download Topic Sentence

Student: ______________________________ Date: ___________________
Topic Sentences:
What is the topic sentence?
The topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph.
What does it do?
It introduces the main idea of the paragraph.
How do I write one?
Summarize the main idea of your paragraph. Indicate to the reader what your
paragraph will be about.
Before writing any essay or even a paragraph, it is important to think, first about
the topic and then what you want to say about the topic. Most often, the topic is
easy, but the question then turns to what you want to say about the topic, which is
the controlling idea. Topic sentences should always contain both (1) a topic and
(2) a controlling idea.
______________________________________________________________
Read the following topic sentences. They all contain a topic and a controlling idea.
When your introduction contains a clearly stated topic sentence such as one of the
following, your reader will know what to expect and, therefore, understand your
ideas better.
In Sentences 1 and 2, both the topic and controlling ideas have been identified.
Next, you should include some supporting details. These can be stated simply by
using the key information you have provided in the ‘controlling idea’.
1. People can avoid burglaries by taking certain precautions.
(The precautions for __________________________________________)
2. There are several advantages and disadvantages to growing up in a small town.
(The advantages of………On the other hand, the disadvantages of____________)
Practice
In sentences 3 – 10, underline the topic idea and highlight the controlling idea.
Then, follow the example in sentences 1 and 2, and show how you will provide details
from the ‘controlling idea’ to support the main topic of your paragraph.
3. Most Canadian universities require a 6.5 IELTS score for a number of reasons.
4. Air pollution in Mexico City is the worst in the world because of several
environmental factors.
5. Fixing a flat tire on a bicycle is easy if you follow these steps.
6. There are several enjoyable ways to travel between Canada and the United
States.
7. Animals in danger of becoming extinct come from a wide range of countries.
8. Effective leadership requires specific qualities that anyone can develop.
9. Industrial waste poured into Lake Ontario has led to dramatic changes in its
ability to support marine life.
10. In order to fully understand climate change, scientists must address several
important issues.
Summary
A carefully thought out topic sentence will serve two important functions. First, it
will provide you, the author, the means to stay focused on your objective. It's a lot
easier to write if you know what you are going to write about! Second, a clearly
stated topic sentence will provide readers with the tools they need to clearly
understand what you have to say. These are important reasons to carefully
consider topic sentences before beginning writing.
TopicSentences/ALTB/Fall’06/AS/EBP
Answer Key :
The supporting details sentence can be written several ways.
3. Most Canadian universities require a 6.5 IELTS score for a number of reasons.
The reasons for ………………
4. Air pollution in Mexico City is the worst in the world because of several
environmental factors.
Environmental factors that contribute to Mexico’s pollution include…….
5. Fixing a flat tire on a bicycle is easy if you follow these steps.
First, you must ………………….
6. There are several enjoyable ways to travel between Canada and the United
States.
One of the ways/methods of travel is by ……………………….
7. Animals in danger of becoming extinct come from a wide range of countries.
The different countries include …………………….
8. Effective leadership requires specific qualities that anyone can develop.
The first important quality that someone should develop to …………………….
9. Industrial waste poured into Lake Ontario has led to dramatic changes in its
ability to support marine life.
A serious problem resulting from……one of the effects of industrial waste……….
10. In order to fully understand climate change, scientists must address several
important issues.
Scientists have found that……………………. The most important issue to address …….