Topic Sentence
Key Features
Every paragraphs should have the following
features…

A Topic Sentence

Supporting Sentences

A Concluding Sentence

Unity
Topic Sentences
A
topic sentence is the sentence that tells
the reader the main idea of the
paragraph.
 The topic sentence should be limited to
only one main idea. That is, it
develops the topic in one specific
direction.
 The topic sentence is often found at the
beginning of the paragraph.
Example 1
Topic Sentence: it states the
main idea of the paragraph.
The most important problem in our city is its
poor public transportation system. Thousands of residents
rely on the city’s buses and taxis to travel throughout this large
city, while the Metro Transportation System’s daily schedules are
totally unreliable. A bus or taxi that should arrive at 7:45 may not
arrive until 8:00 or later. Moreover, it is not unusual for a bus
driver to pass up groups of people waiting for the bus because he
wants to make up for lost time. Unfortunately, people often end
up going to work late or missing important appointments. In order
for people to get to their destinations on time, people must
allow for waiting time at the bus and taxis stops.
Concluding Sentence
Supporting Sentences
Topic Sentence: it
states the main idea of
the paragraph.
Example 2
There are several possible reasons why my
father is in excellent health. First, he is in
excellent condition because he has stopped smoking
cigarettes. He quit smoking cigarettes since whenever
he climbed stairs, he would quickly stop several times
and cough loudly. He also has good health as a result
of stopping eating the wrong kinds of foods. Third, he
is in good physical shape, for he exercises a lot. He
swims three times a week at the local gym. In short,
my father is in better shape than some of his children
are.
Concluding Sentence
Supporting Sentences
He collects books that were written
over a hundred years ago. He is also
interested in the famous books of today.
If I ever need to get him a present, I
know I can always please him by buying
him a book.

1.
2.
3.
Which of the following topic sentences is the best one for the
above paragraph?
Reading is fun.
Books are my father’s hobby.
My father was a main influence in my life.
The most beautiful flower is the rose
because it comes in so many different colors.
Another beautiful flower is the daisy which
sometimes grows wild. Spring flowers like
tulips, daffodils, and jasmine are also very
pretty.

Which of the following topic sentences is the best one
for the above paragraph?
1.
Don’t you just love spring?
2.
The rose is the most loved flower the world over.
3.
There are many lovely flowers to consider
for your garden.
Topic Sentence Essentials
Two Parts
A topic sentence must
contain the topic of the
paragraph
and
the
controlling idea.
1. The topic: The subject of your
paragraph. It is what you are writing
about.
1. Bread is an important part of our
everyday food.
2. Potatoes are good for you.
3. The hamburger is a popular food
in the United States.
4. Rice is a nutritious part of our diet.
2. The controlling idea limits or controls
your topic to one aspect or thing you want
to specifically write about.
Topic = Rice (what you want to write
about rice is your controlling idea?)
1. Rice plays an important part in
some cultural occasions.
2. Rice is a nutritious part of our diet.
3. White rice is not healthy for you.
Topic and Controlling Idea
Topic Sentence
One of the most serious problems in
today’s public schools is overcrowded
classrooms.
Topic and Controlling Idea
Topic Sentence
One of the most serious problems in
today’s public schools is the low
percentage of trained teachers.
1.
2.
3.
Egyptian films are getting more
expensive to produce.
The Quality of Egyptian films has
decreased over the last 20 years.
Egyptian films can be classified into
comedies,
action
films
and
romances.
Activity 2: Circle the topic and underline the controlling idea.
1. Hiking is the best way to explore nature
closely.
2. My uncle had a frightening experience as a
young man.
3. Text messaging has become popular among
teenagers.
4. Effective time management requires four
easy steps.
5. Successful language learners should have
more ability to use various learning styles.
PP 15-13a
Activity 2: Circle the topic and underline the controlling idea.
6. One of the reasons why I want to become a
firefighter is because I am interested in the
science and techniques of putting out fires.
7. An area of the English language that is
especially difficult for foreign language
students is pronunciation.
8. One important way to save energy is to
install solar panels on top of one’s house.
9. A good course in English writing should
include a unit on how to edit.
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 Good topic sentences often express opinions
1.
2.
3.
4.
My Arabic teacher is the best teacher
in the world.
When I was a child, I lived in a house
that had a strange atmosphere.
There is a restaurant in our
neighbourhood that has the best pizza
in town.
Potatoes are good for you.
• Bad topic Sentences often express too
specific or too general facts
I went to Australia in the spring of
2005.
 My friend is nice.
 I have a bedroom.
 The potatoe is a vegetable.

See TEXTBOOK PAGE 39
Activity 3: Write a good topic sentences for the following paragraphs:
______________________________________
______________________________________
___________________. Green curry is the
hottest Thai curry. People who like very spicy
food will enjoy green curry. Red curry is
medium hot. It is flavorful, but it doesn't burn
your mouth. Yellow curry is the mildest of all. It
is usually the choice of people who eat Thai
food for the first time. In short, you have three
delicious choices when you order Thai curry.
PP 15-13a
Activity 3: Write a good topic sentences for the following paragraphs:
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
_________. First, good teachers know their subject
very well. That is, a math teacher has advanced
education in mathematics, and an English teacher is
an expert in English grammar. Second, good teachers
must be good communicators. Being a good
communicator means presenting information in ways
that students can understand. Third, good teachers are
enthusiastic. That is, they are so interested in their
subject that they make it fun to learn. To summarize,
good teachers have expert knowledge, good
communication skills, and contagious' enthusiasm.
PP 15-13a
Activity 3: Write a good topic sentences for the following paragraphs:
_________________________________________________
_____________________________________. The first type
of shopper doesn't like to waste time. She knows what she
wants to buy and how much she wants to pay. If the store has
what she wants, she buys it and leaves. She is a good kind of
customer because she doesn't take too much of a salesperson's
time. A second type of shopper comes into a store with a
general idea of what she wants, listens to the salesperson's
suggestions, tries on a few items, and makes a decision. She
is also a good kind of customer. A third kind of shopper has
no idea what she wants. She spends two hours trying on one
outfit after another. She takes up a lot of a salesperson's time
and sometimes doesn't buy anything. In conclusion, the first
two types of shoppers are a salesperson's dream, but the third
PP 15-13a
type is a salesperson's nightmare.
Activity 3: Write a good topic sentences for the following paragraphs:
______________________________________
__________________________. First, Canada
has an excellent health care system. All
Canadians have access to medical services at a
reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high
standard of education. Students are taught by
well-trained teachers and are encouraged to
continue studying at university. Finally,
Canada's cities are clean and efficiently
managed. Canadian cities have many parks and
lots of space for people to live. As a result,
Canada is a desirable place to live.
PP 15-13a
Topic Sentence Essentials
Complete Sentence
There are several things you need to
remember when writing topic sentences.
The first is that a topic sentence is
always complete sentences.
Main Idea in a Complete Sentence
It is not a complete
sentence; it is a title
Example 1
Strategies of learning English.
You can learn a new language by using
three main strategies.
Main Idea in a Complete Sentence
Example 2
The sport of cycling.
This is not a
complete sentence.
The sport of cycling has allowed me to get in
better shape and meet some interesting
people.
Why do I want to be a teacher?
Topic
sentence
This is a question,
not a statement.
Being a teacher is a great profession
because it allows me to work with students
and be creative.
Topic
sentence
Main Idea in a Complete Sentence
Example 3
I want to talk about the benefits of
learning a foreign language.
Learning a foreign language has
several benefits.
This is an
announcement
Topic
sentence
Main Idea in a Complete Sentence
Example 4
I learned to play many musical
instruments when I was young.
Playing many musical instruments has
helped me grow both personally and
professionally.
It only expresses a
very specific fact
Topic
sentence
Activity 3: Write a good topic sentences for the following paragraphs:
__________________________________________
______________________. The first most obvious
effect is the deterioration of a smoker's health.
Smoking increases the risk of lung disease, increases
blood pressure, increases the risk of heart attacks,
and reduces the flow of oxygen to the brain.
Smoking creates respiratory problems. Second,
smoking frequently results in social isolation because
fewer people smoke or want to be in the presence of
second-hand smoke. The final effect of smoking is
that it is now an expensive habit, and the price of
cigarettes continues to rise. The effects of smoking
are many, which leaves one wondering why
intelligent people do not find a way to break their
harmful addiction.
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Activity 4: Write a topic sentence for each of the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Reading in a foreign language
Facebook
University tests
A job interview
Divorce
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