TOPIC SENTENCES

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TOPIC SENTENCES
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What is a topic sentence?

• A topic sentence has four main characteristics
• It is a sentence.
• It is a part of a paragraph, usually the first
  sentence.
• It has the topic of the paragraph
• It has the controlling idea of the paragraph.
• A topic sentence is the main idea of a paragraph.

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SO.

• A topic sentences is a sentence that has a topic
  and a controlling idea and is the first sentence
  of a paragraph.

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A topic sentence CANNOT BE
AN INCOMPLETE SENTENCE

• The best coffee.
• Cell phones for emergencies.

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A topic sentenceCANNOT BE
A FACT

• The U.S. imports coffee from Columbia.
• California is located on the West Coast.
• Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the
  United States.

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A topic sentence CANNOT BE
A QUESTION

• Why do people drink coffee?
• Why do people choose Southern California as a
  place to live?
• Why do Americans celebrate Lincolns
  birthday?

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The Topic

• A topic tells the reader the subject of the
  paragraph.
• Examples of topics for a paragraph.

coffee
cell phones
getting a tattoo
Fullerton College
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In American writing

• A reader expects to have an idea of the topic and
  the focus of a paragraph.
• Each time the reader sees a new paragraph, he/she
  expects the topic (or focus) to change.
• Here are three paragraphs in an essay about
  Lincolns difficult childhood.
• (Par 1) One of the greatest difficulties young
  Lincoln faced was the death of his mother.
• (Par 2) Young Lincoln did not have many friends
  growing up.
• (Par 3) Finally, Lincoln could not attend
  school.

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B r o a d gtgtgtgtgt Narrow Topics

• Sometimes a topic is too big to write about in
  one paragraph. A paragraph is only 12-20
  sentences. Look at the following broad topics.
• marriage
• Fullerton College
• computers
• It would be impossible to write about these
  topics in ONE paragraph!

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How can topics be narrowed?

• marriage
• teen marriage
• cross-cultural marriage
• age differences in marriage
• Fullerton College
• Student services at FC
• Fullerton College soccer team
• Applying to FC
• computers
• Your turn..how can you narrow this topic?

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CONTROLLING IDEAS

• A controlling idea tells the reader what the
  writer is going to say about the topic. It might
  be an opinion about the topic, or it might be the
  focus or the direction that the writer is going
  to take the topic.
• Examples of controlling ideas
• great, dangerous, favorite, popular, exciting,
  funny

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A topic sentence implies a question that the
paragraph is going to answer.

• WHY? Why is it popular? the best? Why should
  we.? Why was it terrible?
• HOW? How is it attractive? How did it change?
  How is it terrible?
• WHERE? Where should we go?
• WHICH ONES? Which do you think are the most
  important, biggest, etc.
• WHAT? What reasons? What effects?

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Topic Sentences

• What question do you expect to be answered in a
  paragraph with the following topic sentences?
• Fullerton College has great student services.
• Parking at Fullerton College is a horrible
  experience.
• People get tattoos for three main reasons.
• Tattoos should be illegal.
• Green tea is becoming a popular drink in the U.S.
  
• Cell phones make our life easier.
• Cell phones are annoying.
• Lincoln had a difficult childhood.