| 📝 English Composition Writing FAQ | 1101 • 1102 • 📖 |
A topic sentence is a sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph. It serves as a mini-thesis statement for a specific paragraph, helping to guide the reader and to unify the paragraph’s ideas. The topic sentence is typically the first sentence in a paragraph, and it provides a clear and concise statement of what the paragraph will be about.
A strong topic sentence should do the following:
- Clearly state the main idea of the paragraph;
- Be specific and concise;
- Connect to the overall thesis or argument of the essay or paper;
- Provide a smooth transition from the previous paragraph (if applicable);
- Be supported by evidence and examples in the rest of the paragraph.
Topic sentences are important because they help readers to understand the purpose and focus of each paragraph, and they also help writers to organize their ideas and stay on track with their overall argument.
Example:
- The burning of fossil fuels is a major contributor to climate change, and reducing our reliance on them is crucial in mitigating its effects.
In this example, the topic sentence clearly states the main idea of the paragraph, which is to argue that reducing the use of fossil fuels is important for addressing climate change. It is specific and concise, and it connects to the overall thesis or argument of the essay. It also provides a smooth transition from the previous paragraph (if applicable) by introducing a new aspect of the argument. Throughout the rest of the paragraph, the writer would provide evidence and examples to support this argument.
| Written: 2002, 2022; Revised: 03-31-2023; Version: Beta 0.7 | 💬 |
