The topic sentence

Introduction

To write a good paragraph, we should know the main elements an academic piece of writing, paragraph, needs. So, in this respect, we can distinguish seven elements which we are going to deal with separately.

The main elements we are going to develop are mentioned in the following table:

The main elements

Topic sentence

Supporting sentences

Concluding sentence

Transition signals

Unity

Coherence

A topic sentence

• What do we mean by the topic sentence? 

The topic sentence is the most general sentence in a paragraph as it gives only the main idea. It usually (but not always) comes at the beginning of a paragraph. It tells us what a paragraph is about.

The topic sentence includes two main parts which are:

1. Topic
2. Controlling idea or main idea

• a . What is a topic?

A topic is the subject we choice to talk about in a paragraph, for instance: Canoeing.

• b . What is a controlling idea?

A controlling idea means the specific or the limited area that the writer should respect in his or her discussion about the topic .That is, the role of controlling idea is mainly limiting the area of discussion on the topic. For example: the best way to relax.

If we try to combine the topic and the controlling idea, it looks like this: 

• Canoeing is the best way to relax.

Note: 

The topic sentence should be neither too general nor too specific. For example, we have the following sentences:

Native Americans have made many valuable contributions to modern U.S culture.

• modern U.S culture  (Topic)
• many valuable contributions  ( Opinion about the topic)

The expression ‘valuable contributions’ may be understood as the valuable participation of Native Americans in different areas of the modern U.S culture, for example, language, art, and food etc. as we notice the last sentence doesn’t indicate the one main idea the paragraph is going to develop. So it is too general and it could not serve as a topic sentence. The topic sentence of the last sentence may be look like: 

• Native Americans have made a valuable contribution in English language.

Native Americans had their clear mark to name many American cities.

• clear mark ( Topic)
• name many American cities ( fact)

This sentence is too specific, so it could not serve as a topic sentence. However, it serves as supporting sentence because it tells us about a fact that we can use as an evidence to support our opinion about the contribution or the clear mark on naming various American cities.

English language has been influenced by different languages.

• English language (Topic)
• by different languages (Opinion about the topic)

This expression ‘different languages’ probably means Spanish, French, or Arabic etc. But we know that a topic sentence indicates only one main idea to be dealt with in the paragraph. Hence, the sentence above is too general or too large, and it could not serve as a topic sentence. The topic sentence of the last sentence may look like this: 

• English language has influenced by French language.

The suffix ‘tion’ used in many English words is borrowed from French language.

• The suffix ‘tion’ used in many English words (Topic)
• borrowed from French language ( Fact)

This sentence is too specific, so it could not serve as a topic sentence. By contrary, it serves as supporting sentence because it tells us about a fact that we can use as an evidence to support our opinion about the great influence of French language on English language.

Here are some examples of a topic sentence:

People hold many superstitious beliefs about the moon.

• People (Topic)
• many superstitious beliefs about the moon (Main idea)

There are several advantages to growing up in a small town.

• growing up in a small town (Topic)
• several advantages (Controlling idea)

The Arabic origin of many English words is not always obvious.

• The Arabic origin of many English words (Topic)
• not always obvious (Main idea)