Topic Sentences
Mrs. Blosch
Presented by: Prof. Miguel A. Arce
PUCPR Eng. 201
FROM THE BOOK
FOCUS: WRITING SENTENCES AND
PARAGRAPHS
BY MARTHA E. CAMPBELL
And
INDIANA UNIVERSITY WRITING TUTORIAL
SERVICES
Objectives
Students will be able to:
 narrow a topic.
write a topic sentence.
identify topic sentences.
Paragraphs
 A paragraph is a group of sentences that
presents a main idea and related details to a
reader.
 A paragraph can stand alone or can be
combined with other paragraphs to create a
longer paper.
 The first line of a paragraph is indented. We
do this so that readers know that a new idea
is being introduced.
Paragraphs
 A good paragraph has the following key
elements:
A
focused topic
 A main idea expressed in a topic sentence
 Details supporting the main idea
 A concluding sentence
 Paragraphs vary in length. In general a good
8th grade paragraph is 7-9 sentences long.
Example
Walking to Physical Fitness
Walking is my favorite way to exercise. Walking
thirty to forty minutes every morning is a great way
to relax. When I walk with a friend, I can talk about
the day ahead or share some challenges I am facing.
When I walk by myself, I can meditate and get rid of
my stress. Walking regularly also improves my
general health. Fitness experts recommend an
exercise routine to keep the heart strong.
Furthermore, walking every day lessens my risk of
disease. I know the positive effects walking has
made in my life, and I will continue my walk to
physical fitness.
Example
 “Walking to Physical Fitness” has all the elements of
a good paragraph:
A focused topic: walking as a form of exercise
 A main idea expressed in a topic sentence:
Walking is my favorite way to exercise.
 Details supporting the main idea: a great way to
relax, walk with a friend, walk by myself, improves my
general health, keeps the heart strong, lessens my risk of
disease
 A concluding sentence: I know the positive effects
walking has made in my life, and I will continue my walk
to physical fitness.

Limiting a Topic
 Limiting a topic is the first step in
writing a strong paragraph.
 Many topics are too broad to talk about
in 7-9 sentences.
 We must focus or limit the topic so that
we can talk about it completely in a
single paragraph.
Limiting a Topic
 3 ways to narrow the topic “Childhood”:
1.
2.
3.
Childhood

Birthday parties

The best birthday party I ever had
Childhood

My friends

My friends in the seventh grade
• My best friend in seventh grade
Childhood

Summer vacations

Family trips
• The time my family went camping
• The night it rained and our tent collapsed
Example
Topic: Sports
Sports
 Indoor sports
 Soccer
 Girl’s Soccer
 Girl’s soccer at Sandcreek Middle School
• The girl’s soccer game at SMS on a specific date
• The best shot in the girl’s soccer game at SMS on
the above date
Writing a Topic Sentence
 The topic sentence of a paragraph
expresses the single main idea the
writer wants to communicate to the reader.
 All the other sentences in a paragraph
explain the topic sentence.
 It keeps the writer on track as they write.
 It helps the reader understand the message
of the paper.
Writing a Topic Sentence
 A topic sentence is neither too broad nor too
narrow.
 If
it is too broad, you will not be able to discuss it
in a single paragraph.
 If it is too narrow, you will have difficulty writing
an entire paragraph about the topic.
Examples
Too Broad: Mystery novels are fun to read.
Too narrow: The last mystery novel I read was 300 pages
long.
Just Right: The plot of the novel May Tomorrow Never
Come is suspenseful.
Too Broad: Eating correctly is important.
Too narrow: Spinach is an excellent source of iron.
Just Right: An important step in preventing heart disease is
eating fruits and vegetables daily.
You Try It!
 Is it focused?
1. Good teachers can be found in any school.
2.Everyone can benefit from regular exercise.
3.Good movies are hard to find.
4.A good teacher listens patiently to his/her
students.
Writing a Topic Sentence
A topic sentence has 2 parts:
1. It names the topic.
2. It expresses an idea about it.
Example:
Topic Sentence: Successful students know how to
manage study time.
Topic: Successful Students
What about the topic? Know how to manage study
time
Examples
Topic Sentence: Knowing how to study for tests is
important in high school.
Topic: Knowing how to study for tests
What about the topic? Is important in high school
Topic Sentence: Taking notes in class is another
essential study skill.
Topic: Taking notes in class
What about the topic? Is another essential study
skill
Locating the Topic Sentence
 A topic sentence can appear anywhere in a
paragraph, but is often the first sentence.
 Provides
a road map for your reader.
 Reader’s attention is focused on the main idea
from the beginning.
 Rest of paragraph is expected to support that
main idea.
Locating the Topic Sentence
 A topic sentence can also appear as the last
sentence in the paragraph.
 Leads
the reader to the topic sentence with
supporting details.
 Attracts the reader’s interest or adds suspense.
Examples
First sentence topic sentence:
One important study skill critical for college success is doing
homework completely. Students who are working for academic success
know that it is important to follow the directions for each exercise. For
example, if the math instructor has asked students to show all their
work on a homework assignment, then the students should complete all
steps of each problem. Successful students also attempt to answer all the
questions in every homework assignment. If a problem is easy, the
student can place a check mark next to it in the margin. If one of the
problems is especially difficult, the student can place a question mark
next to it as a reminder to ask the instructor for help. All in all, students
who work hard to complete their homework to the best of their ability
are well on their way to success in the classroom.
Examples
Last sentence topic sentence:
Anthony sighs as he thinks about his humanities test on Friday.
How should he prepare for the test? He has never taken a test in college,
and now he faces studying three chapters on the history of Rome.
Fortunately, his instructor provided a review sheet with key terms and
concepts from each chapter. Anthony finds each term and concept in his
textbook and highlights the related information. Then he reads through
his class notes. Finally, he makes an index card for each item on the
review sheet and records the information he wants to recall on the test.
Afterward, he spends several hours reciting and reviewing the details on
his note cards. Even though Anthony has never taken a college test, he
has already discovered the importance of reviewing his textbook and
his class notes and preparing study cards before each test.
Thesis Statement
 A thesis statement tells the reader what the
entire paper will be about.
 It
sets the structure for the essay.
 Like a topic sentence, a thesis statement will have
two parts.
 It
will state an opinion on one main idea and
 List the topics you will use to prove your opinion.
Thesis Statement
 A strong thesis statement will:
 Take
some sort of stand.
 Justify discussion of your topic.
 Express one main idea.
 Be specific.
Thesis Statement Examples
 Take some sort of stand.

There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea
Supplement.


This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second,
the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague.
Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss
that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a
potential danger to customers.

This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand, and because it's
specific.
Thesis Statement Examples
 Justify discussion of your topic.

My family is an extended family.


This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. Your
reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will
probably stop reading.
While most American families would view consanguineal marriage as
a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like
my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an
extended family.

This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience
contradicts a widely-accepted view. A good strategy for creating a
strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial. Readers will be
interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your
point.
Thesis Statement Examples
 Express one main idea.

Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet,
and Web pages can provide both advertising and customer support.


This is a weak thesis statement because the reader can’t decide
whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or Web pages.
To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to
become more clear. One way to revise the thesis would be to write:
Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential,
companies should exploit this potential by using Web pages that
offer both advertising and customer support.

This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are related.
Hint: a great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words
like because, since, so, although, unless, and however.
Thesis Statement Examples
 Be specific.

World hunger has many causes and effects.


This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons. First, world
hunger can’t be discussed thoroughly in seven to ten pages. Second,
many causes and effects is vague. You should be able to identify
specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this:
Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming
in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.

This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a
more specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific
causes for the existence of hunger.
All Thesis Statement examples from: http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml