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This article was co-written by Megan Morgan, PhD. Megan Morgan is a graduate program advisor at the School of Public & International Relations at the University of Georgia. She received her doctorate in English from the University of Georgia in 2015.
There are 12 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 48,121 times.
Perfecting your topic sentences is essential to the success of an essay. Topic sentences usually appear at the beginning of a paragraph and tell the reader what is about to be covered in each paragraph. Think of it as a preview of a movie or the title of an article, highlighting the “main point” that is about to be presented in the passage. [1] X Research Source Make sure to write the topic sentences of each paragraph well, and the rest of your work will be as light as the breeze.
Steps
Write a successful topic sentence
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State the main idea clearly. The topic sentence is usually placed at the beginning of a paragraph, so it needs to state the topic of the paragraph clearly, without being lengthy or confusing. It should include the topic and main idea or idea of the passage. [2] X Research Source
- Remember that the topic sentence is not simply a statement about the topic. “Today I will discuss the benefits of gardening” is not an effective topic sentence. You must be able to express your intentions clearly without saying it out loud.
- The topic sentence in this example asserts a clear direction (“the health benefits of gardening”) that can then be developed in the passage.
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Balance the topic sentence between specific and general ideas. The topic sentence should link the paragraph to the thesis of the article. However, it needs to strike a balance between the broad and narrow meanings. [3] X Research Sources[4] X Research Sources
- Do not write an idea that is too vague or too general, or you will never be able to discuss it in a paragraph. The following sentence is too general: “The United States suffered a lot during the second world war”.
- Do not write a sentence with too narrow a meaning. You won’t have much to say, because it’s just a fact. Sentences that are too narrow could be as follows: “A Christmas tree can be a cedar or a fir tree.”
- Instead, you need to aim for balance: “Sherman’s destruction in the South during the Civil War took a toll.” This sentence is broad enough to relate to the larger meaning of the essay, and not so narrow that there is nothing to discuss.
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Attract readers. One of the many important roles of the topic sentence is to engage the reader. [5] X Research Sources Brainstorm the questions you intend to answer. An effective way to do this is to get them straight to the point. Whether your writing is fiction or factual, you can do this in several ways: [6] X Research Sources
- Depicts a character. You can describe the person physically or mentally.
- Use dialogue. If there is an appropriate dialogue that might grab the reader’s attention, consider using part of that dialogue to start the paragraph.
- Describe an emotion. Use opening sentences to express feelings in front of the reader.
- Use details. You shouldn’t write a lengthy sentence because it contains too many details, but it’s also a good idea to use sensory language in your topic sentence to create interest.
- Avoid rhetorical questions (questions not intended to find answers). While you want the reader to form questions in their mind, you shouldn’t ask them.
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Write short and light. The topic sentence should state your intent without forcing the reader to figure it out. A brief sentence will help you clarify your intentions. The topic sentence should act as an intermediary in the paragraph: it should be a little more specific than the thesis, but it should not include information about the entire paragraph. [7] X Research Sources A brief topic sentence will also help the passage flow. [8] X Research Sources
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Make a reasonable point of view. The body of the paragraph must support the topic sentence. Therefore, the topic sentence needs to state something that can be supported by strong evidence. You can state your point of view in the topic sentence, but only if you can prove it in the paragraph you are about to write. [9] X Research Source Take, for example, the topic sentence “Growing herbs makes you more interested in cooking with fresh food”. The phrase “makes you more interesting” states what you believe, and then you can use the rest of the paragraph to explain why you believe it.
- Don’t just state the facts in the topic sentence. While facts or data may be compelling, they neither introduce the passage nor draw the reader into it. If you want to include a fact in the passage, you also need to add your own opinion. For example, instead of writing “Every dog needs food,” try writing, “Every dog needs constant care, including adequate feeding, and children are the best people to do that.” there.” Or you can save the facts as evidence for the body of the paragraph. [10] X Research Source
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Use the topic sentence as a transition sentence. Topic sentences also act as transition sentences, helping to guide the reader through your arguments, keeping them from getting lost. Think of these sentences as a “bridge” between the main idea of the previous paragraph and the main idea of the next paragraph. [11] X Research Source
- Using transition words like “Besides”, or “On the contrary”, is a good way to show the connection between your ideas.
- Example: “While gardening has many health benefits, people still need to be cautious when outdoors.” This topic sentence establishes a connection with the main idea of the previous paragraph (“health benefits of gardening”) and points to the direction of the following (“cautions”).
Make an outline for topic sentences
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Write an outline for the essay. Each paragraph in your essay should have a main idea, point, or goal that you want to express. The topic sentence will state the main idea. To write a good topic sentence, you need to know what your paragraphs will be about. Outlining your essay will help you do this.
- You don’t need to write a serious outline with Roman numerals or the like. Even an outline with scattered ideas can help you figure out how you want to develop.
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Understand the connection between thesis and topic sentences. The thesis statement introduces the main idea, purpose, or argument of the essay. Maybe it’s an analytical thesis like, “In King Lear, William Shakespeare uses the theme of fate to critique the religious faith of his day.” Or maybe it’s an argument to convince the reader of something, like, “Education budgets need to be increased.” Topic sentences are like small thesis statements for each paragraph. [12] X Research Source
- Unlike a thesis, a topic sentence does not need to provide an argument. The topic sentence can give the reader “pre-screening” of what the passage will argue or discuss.
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See some examples. If you are new to writing topic sentences, you can see some examples. Purdue OWL has many pages featuring sample topic sentences. [13] X Research Resources UNC Chapel Hill provides a helpful online guide to paragraph development, which includes a “sample” passage and explains how to develop your own, from sentences topic to the conclusion. [14] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to source
- For example, a topic sentence might look like this: “In addition, increased funding for public roads in Jackson County will improve the quality of life for local residents.” The remaining sentences in this paragraph should relate to the main idea of the public road system and how they benefit local residents.
- A bad topic sentence might be: “The increased budget for the public road system has resulted in a 20% reduction in vehicle density.” While this may be a good idea in your argument, it’s too narrow to be a topic sentence. The topic sentence should address the overall idea of the paragraph.
Avoid common problems
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Avoid introducing yourself. While everyone’s topic sentences are different in structure and content, at least two things can be determined about your writing: 1) you have a title and an entire essay to introduce the topic, and 2) your personal information will be somewhere in the essay. Therefore, never use statements like “I am going to talk about…” or “My essay is about…” or “I have researched [this issue], it is important because [like this]” . Your paragraph/essay should provide the reader with that information without resorting to such clumsy topic introductions. [15] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to Source
- Unless it’s an article about your subjective opinion, avoid using the word “I” in the topic sentence.
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Make sure the wording is clear. While it may sound tempting to include the words “big bangs” in your topic sentence, if your topic sentence isn’t clear your efforts will only make the reader feel forced and confused. You need to tell the reader right away what the passage is about. Don’t hang around with vague opinions or confusing words. Write concise and clear sentences. [16] X Research Source
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Do not list all the information. While you want to give your readers a preview of what to expect in the next paragraph, you shouldn’t “face” the cards in the first place. Don’t list everything you’re going to cover, but give only a small clue as to what you’re about to write in the passage. You don’t have to explain everything in your topic sentence, just mention it so the reader knows what awaits them.
- Instead of writing, “In this story, Amelia does many good things such as helping her friends, talking to her parents, and helping her team at school,” write, “Thanks to the activities Amelia has been involved in. , she is recognized as having a positive influence on the community”.
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Avoid opening with a quote. Maybe you have a great quote in mind that would be perfect for introducing your topic. But the point is…it’s not your word. The topic sentence should introduce the passage, and hopefully state your own opinion and no one else’s. If the quote is an opinion, replace it with your own. If the quote is factual, save it for the body of the paragraph. [17] X Research Source
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Don’t mention an issue you don’t intend to analyze further. A problem raised in the topic sentence must be explained in the paragraph. Whether it is a demonstration, a commentary, or both, you need to make the analysis clear in the passage and tie it closely to the topic sentence. Do not fill the topic sentence with other material that you do not intend to further explain.
Advice
- Avoid using words like “you” or “we” because it implies that you know the reader, but you don’t actually know them.
- In formal writing, avoid abbreviations like “don’t,” “can’t,” and “isn’t,” but write them out in full, like “do not,” “can not” and “is.” not.”
- Write down in words every number under ten. Do not write affirmations as questions.
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This article was co-written by Megan Morgan, PhD. Megan Morgan is a graduate program advisor at the School of Public & International Relations at the University of Georgia. She received her doctorate in English from the University of Georgia in 2015.
There are 12 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 48,121 times.
Perfecting your topic sentences is essential to the success of an essay. Topic sentences usually appear at the beginning of a paragraph and tell the reader what is about to be covered in each paragraph. Think of it as a preview of a movie or the title of an article, highlighting the “main point” that is about to be presented in the passage. [1] X Research Source Make sure to write the topic sentences of each paragraph well, and the rest of your work will be as light as the breeze.
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