THE TOPIC SENTENCE
You have already been asked to develop controlling ideas (theses), but no attempt has
been made . . . to discuss the form that this development should take. Undoubtedly,
however, you have made some kind of divisions in your writing. Formally, as you know,
such divisions are called paragraphs.
Each paragraph is the development of one supporting point. This central point of the
paragraph is called the TOPIC SENTENCE. Just as the controlling idea (thesis) is the
central point of the entire essay, the topic sentence is the central point of the paragraph. . .
.
Although the topic sentence may appear anywhere in the paragraph, it usually appears
near the beginning. . . No matter where you place the topic sentence, however, it
determines what will be included in the paragraph. Again, the topic sentence is to the
paragraph what the controlling idea (thesis) is to the essay.
Assume that your assignment is to write an essay of at least three paragraphs. How do
you arrive at a minimum of three topic sentences? One way is to ask questions about the
controlling idea. The most useful questions to ask are WHY and HOW. Here are some
applications of this method.
WHY
1. Controlling idea: Everyone should have a room in which he can be alone.
Question: Why should everyone have a room in which to be alone?
Topic Sentences:
1. Solitude is conducive to resolving personal problems.
2. Most people study more efficiently in private than with others
around.
3. Occasionally everyone needs to escape from the stress of being
with others.
2. Controlling idea: Capital punishment should be abolished.
Question: Why should capital punishment be abolished?
Topic Sentences:
1. Capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime.
2. The innocent are sometimes executed.
3. Capital punishment is not meted out equally to the rich and the
poor.
4. Capital punishment is legalized killing.
HOW
1. Controlling idea: Fishermen and hunters often destroy the natural resources that they
rely on for their sport.
Question: HOW do fishermen and hunters destroy the natural resources that they
rely on for their sport?
Topic Sentences:
1. Fishermen and hunters sometimes dispose of their garbage and
tin cans in rivers and lakes.
2. Through carelessness, they cause forest fires.
3. Irresponsible sportsmen try to outsmart the Fish and Game
wardens in any way they can.
2. Controlling idea: A personal letter sometimes reveals more about the writer than he
intends.
Question: HOW does a personal letter reveal more about the writer than he
intends?
Topic Sentences:
1. The style and appearance of the paper and envelope are
indicative of the writer's personality.
2. The grammar, spelling, and sentence structure tell a great deal
about the writer.
3. The contents of a letter reveal the writer's values.
Quite often . . . you will find that your controlling idea lends itself to division into
topic sentences as a result of your asking WHY and HOW.
3. Controlling idea: The American Medical Association waged a long, hard battle
against Medicare.
Question: WHY did the AMA fight a long, hard battle against Medicare?
Topic Sentences:
1. Many doctors believed that their incomes would be lowered.
2. A large number of medical men looked upon Medicare as
government interference in their professional lives.
3. Doctors charged that they would be governed by rules
established by non-medical people.
Question: HOW did the AMA fight a long, hard battle against Medicare?
Topic Sentences:
1. The AMA maintained a powerful lobby in Washington.
2. Millions of dollars were spent in publicizing their position.
3. In their offices doctors distributed literature opposing Medicare.
If your guestions result in more topic sentences than you need for your essay, select
those which seem to support your controlling idea most effectively.
(from Greenberq and Heffley, Tradition and Dissent: A Rhetoric-Reader)