When you read a book or a blog or any article, what will be the first thing you would check? It is usually the topic. The topic of the content is selected so that it gives a slight hint of what your will be reading in the book or a blog. In a similar way, the topic sentence works. If this concept is new to you, don’t worry. We will cover all the major things to explain the concept in deep.
What is a Topic Sentence?
A topic sentence is a sentence that describes the main idea of a passage. This sentence provides a description to the reader of the paragraph and it continues describing the topic in the remaining paragraph.
It is considered to be the most important sentence in a paragraph because it helps in organizing the paragraph by summarizing all the information which a paragraph needs.
Not all passages start with point sentences. In a few, the topic sentence shows up in the center or toward the end. In others, the theme sentence is suggested or missing inside and out.
Every topic sentence has a subject to discuss and a controlling idea that helps to build up the detailed paragraphs.
Examples of Topic Sentences
Topic and Controlling Idea | Topic Sentence |
The topic is “pollution in XYZ Town is the most dangerous and worst in the world” and the controlling idea is “several reasons.” | There are several reasons why pollution in XYZ Town is the most dangerous and the worst in the world. |
The topic is “To be an effective CFO” and the controlling idea is “positive characteristics.” | To be an operative CFO it requires positive characteristics. |
The topic refers to the increasing effects of global warming and its impact on climate change. The controlling idea for this would be its “contributing factors.” | There are plenty of possibilities in contributing factors to global warming and climate change. |
The topic is “discovering a shipwreck” and the controlling idea is “several difficulties.” | Fortune hunters face several difficulties when discovering a shipwreck. |
The topic is “dogs make delightful pets” and the controlling idea is “because they help us to live life happily.” | Dogs make delightful pets because they help us to live happy life. |
The topic is “corruption in poverty-stricken areas” and the controlling idea is “systemic discrimination.” | Corruption in poverty-stricken areas occurs as a result of systemic discrimination. |
The topic is “adolescent pregnancy can be stopped” and the controlling idea is “improved education.” | Adolescent pregnancy can be stopped with the help of improved education. |
The topic is “cooking” and the controlling idea is “plenty of different skills.” | Cooking requires plenty of different skills. |
The topic is “purchasing a car” and the controlling idea is it’s “important to be mentally prepared.” | It is important to be mentally prepared before purchasing a car. |
The topic is “conducting a survey” and the controlling idea is “taking a final decision.” | Conducting a survey is most important for taking a final decision. |
The topic is “cooking food” and the controlling idea is a “difficult task especially because of no assistance.” | Cooking food for the guest is a difficult task especially because of no assistance. |
The topic is “remodeling a room” and the controlling idea is “requires proper research and a study.” | Remodeling a room with interest requires proper research and study. |
The topic sentence is sometimes called a focus sentence because helps to organize a paragraph by summarizing the information in a paragraph.
There are certain qualities in which all your topic sentences should have a solid basis for your essay writing:
- Short,
- Precision,
- Clarity.
The topic sentence has the potential to support the writing and focus on the main arguments. You can use it to direct the content to the readers.
How to Write Topic Sentence in Paragraphs and Essays?
While writing each topic sentence, you should ask about basic things. Whether the topic is related to the previous content/para. This simple step will help you in using different words in the same topic sentence and make it contextual. It will build a connection between the thoughts and paragraphs.
1. Emphasize and expand
If the paragraph is detailed or gives other examples to make a similar point, the topic sentence can use words that imply emphasis or similarity.
2. Summarize and anticipate
If you find that the paragraph is turning into a different context with the same subject, you have to sum up the topic sentence, This topic sentence will briefly conclude the previous content para, and the new information will be reflected in a new paragraph.
Next, in order to make an outline of the essay’s structure planning, we need to consider what we want to say in each paragraph and what evidence we should use.
When you are at this stage, you can use the techniques to write a topic sentence in order to explain the actual point of the paragraph. According to the experts, your topic sentence should have more relevance than the actual thesis sentences, facts, or statements. Make sure, they both are related to each other.
While using the title page, every paragraph will concentrate on a specific point. You need to specify what the section is about and how your reader will find it. You also have the flexibility to start sentences with simple sentences. It will be easy to summarise the paragraphs used in the article. After that, you can use a topic sentence that will shed light upon the current points or succeeding points.
Summary: Understanding the topic sentence is not very difficult. You just have to put in the effort to know the concept and apply it in the correct way. If you face any issues while understanding, you can reach out to us through the comment section. Till then stay tuned to EnglishBix for more updates.
Quick Links