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Topic Sentences Worksheets

Topic sentences are a vital part of paragraph writing. They state the central focus of the paragraph and provide cohesion for the paragraph. It’s important for students to learn to write clear and concise topic sentences. The worksheets below are aimed to help your student become a master at recognizing and writing topic sentences. They are free for you to use at home or in the classroom. To view a worksheet or download a printable PDF, simply click on the title. Check out all of our writing worksheets !

Identify the Topic Sentence

Identify the Topic Sentence

The topic sentence in a paragraph states the main idea of the paragraph. While it is usually at the beginning of the paragraph, it also can be in the middle or end of it. Students underline the topic sentence in each activity.

Paragraphs and Topic Sentences: Informational

Paragraphs and Topic Sentences: Informational

This worksheet includes a list of informational topics. Students write a paragraph on each topic and underline their topic sentence.

Paragraphs and Topic Sentences: Opinions

Paragraphs and Topic Sentences: Opinions

This activity includes a list of opinion topics. Students write a paragraph on each topic and underline their topic sentence.

Topic Sentence: What’s the Topic?

Topic Sentence: What’s the Topic?

Students read the topic sentences provided and write what they think the topic is for each.

Write the Topic Sentence

Write the Topic Sentence

In this activity, students write a sentence for each of the topic sentences provided.

6 Exercises for Teaching Topic Sentences

Why should students learn about topic sentences?

A topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph. It tells the reader what the paragraph is about. If you don’t know how to write a topic sentence, your paragraph will probably be confusing. A well-written topic sentence can make your paragraph more interesting.

1 Introduction to topic sentences quiz

This quiz is a nice way to introduce topic sentences.

writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

(download PDF)

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2 Sentence starters for topic sentences

Sentence starters provide an easy and smooth way of getting students familiar with topic sentences.

writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

3 Understanding topic sentences

Topic sentences are essential for summarizing the main idea of an essay. This worksheet can be used to test students’ understanding of topic sentences.

Understanding topic ideas and topic sentences exercises

Understanding topic sentences exercises (PDF)

4 Writing topic sentences for essays and paragraphs (with possible answers)

In this worksheet students practice writing topic sentences by looking at the pictures, thinking about what kind of essay each picture might inspire, and writing an appropriate topic sentence.

Topic sentences writing exercise for academic writing students learning to write paragraphs and essays.

Writing topic sentences exercise (PDF)

5 Creating topic sentences from supporting ideas

This is another way to help students understand the function of a topic sentence.

writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

6  Writing topic sentences for paragraphs or essays (with possible answers)

Topic sentences are essential for summarizing the main idea of a paragraph. Paragraphs often have topic sentences supported by three ideas. So in this worksheet students practice writing topic sentences by looking at the pictures and trying to summarize three ideas in one topic sentence.

Writing topic sentences for paragraphs in sets of three ideas for elementary academic writing students.

Writing topic sentences for paragraphs or essays (PDF)

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7 Finding and creating topic sentences

This is a useful exercise to help students identify and create topic sentences.

writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

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  • How to Write Topic Sentences | 4 Steps, Examples & Purpose

How to Write Topic Sentences | 4 Steps, Examples & Purpose

Published on July 21, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on June 5, 2023.

How to Write Topic Sentences

Every paragraph in your paper needs a topic sentence . The topic sentence expresses what the paragraph is about. It should include two key things:

  • The  topic of the paragraph
  • The central point of the paragraph.

After the topic sentence, you expand on the point zwith evidence and examples.

To build a well-structured argument, you can also use your topic sentences to transition smoothly between paragraphs and show the connections between your points.

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Table of contents

Writing strong topic sentences, topic sentences as transitions between paragraphs, topic sentences that introduce more than one paragraph, where does the topic sentence go, frequently asked questions about topic sentences.

Topic sentences aren’t the first or the last thing you write—you’ll develop them throughout the writing process. To make sure every topic sentence and paragraph serves your argument, follow these steps.

Step 1: Write a thesis statement

The first step to developing your topic sentences is to make sure you have a strong thesis statement . The thesis statement sums up the purpose and argument of the whole paper.

Thesis statement example

Food is an increasingly urgent environmental issue, and to reduce humans’ impact on the planet, it is necessary to change global patterns of food production and consumption.

Step 2: Make an essay outline and draft topic sentences

Next, you should make an outline of your essay’s structure , planning what you want to say in each paragraph and what evidence you’ll use.

At this stage, you can draft a topic sentence that sums up the main point you want to make in each paragraph. The topic sentences should be more specific than the thesis statement, but always clearly related to it.

Topic sentence example

Research has consistently shown that the meat industry has a significant environmental impact .

Step 3: Expand with evidence

The rest of the paragraph should flow logically from the topic sentence, expanding on the point with evidence, examples, or argumentation. This helps keep your paragraphs focused: everything you write should relate to the central idea expressed in the topic sentence.

In our example, you might mention specific research studies and statistics that support your point about the overall impact of the meat industry.

Step 4: Refine your topic sentences

Topic sentences usually start out as simple statements. But it’s important to revise them as you write, making sure they match the content of each paragraph.

A good topic sentence is specific enough to give a clear sense of what to expect from the paragraph, but general enough that it doesn’t give everything away. You can think of it like a signpost: it should tell the reader which direction your argument is going in.

To make your writing stronger and ensure the connections between your paragraphs are clear and logical, you can also use topic sentences to create smooth transitions. To improve sentence flow even more, you can also utilize the paraphrase tool .

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As you write each topic sentence, ask yourself: how does this point relate to what you wrote in the preceding paragraph? It’s often helpful to use transition words in your topic sentences to show the connections between your ideas.

Emphasize and expand

If the paragraph goes into more detail or gives another example to make the same point, the topic sentence can use words that imply emphasis or similarity (for example, furthermore , indeed , in fact , also ).

Indeed , cattle farming alone is responsible for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions.

Summarize and anticipate

If the paragraph turns to a different aspect of the same subject, the topic sentence can briefly sum up the previous paragraph and anticipate the new information that will appear in this one.

While beef clearly has the most dramatic footprint, other animal products also have serious impacts in terms of emissions, water and land use.

Compare and contrast

If the paragraph makes a comparison or introduces contrasting information, the topic sentence can use words that highlight difference or conflict (for example, in contrast , however , yet , on the other hand ).

However , the environmental costs of dietary choices are not always clear-cut; in some cases, small-scale livestock farming is more sustainable than plant-based food production.

You can also imply contrast or complicate your argument by formulating the topic sentence as a question.

Is veganism the only solution, or are there more sustainable ways of producing meat and dairy?

Sometimes you can use a topic sentence to introduce several paragraphs at once.

All of the examples above address the environmental impact of meat-eating versus veganism. Together, they make up one coherent part of a larger argument, so the first paragraph could use a topic sentence to introduce the whole section.

In countries with high levels of meat consumption, a move towards plant-based diets is the most obvious route to making food more sustainable. Research has consistently shown that the meat industry has significant environmental impacts.

The topic sentence usually goes at the very start of a paragraph, but sometimes it can come later to indicate a change of direction in the paragraph’s argument.

Given this evidence of the meat industry’s impact on the planet, veganism seems like the only environmentally responsible option for consumers. However, the environmental costs of dietary choices are not always clear-cut; in some cases, small-scale livestock farming is more sustainable than plant-based food production.

In this example, the first sentence summarizes the main point that has been made so far. Then the topic sentence indicates that this paragraph will address evidence that complicates or contradicts that point.

In more advanced or creative forms of academic writing , you can play with the placement of topic sentences to build suspense and give your arguments more force. But if in doubt, to keep your research paper clear and focused, the easiest method is to place the topic sentence at the start of the paragraph.

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writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

Topic sentences help keep your writing focused and guide the reader through your argument.

In an essay or paper , each paragraph should focus on a single idea. By stating the main idea in the topic sentence, you clarify what the paragraph is about for both yourself and your reader.

The topic sentence usually comes at the very start of the paragraph .

However, sometimes you might start with a transition sentence to summarize what was discussed in previous paragraphs, followed by the topic sentence that expresses the focus of the current paragraph.

Let’s say you’re writing a five-paragraph  essay about the environmental impacts of dietary choices. Here are three examples of topic sentences you could use for each of the three body paragraphs :

  • Research has shown that the meat industry has severe environmental impacts.
  • However, many plant-based foods are also produced in environmentally damaging ways.
  • It’s important to consider not only what type of diet we eat, but where our food comes from and how it is produced.

Each of these sentences expresses one main idea – by listing them in order, we can see the overall structure of the essay at a glance. Each paragraph will expand on the topic sentence with relevant detail, evidence, and arguments.

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Practice Composing Effective Topic Sentences

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Commonly appearing at (or near) the beginning of a paragraph, a topic sentence expresses the main idea of a paragraph. What usually follows a topic sentence are a number of supporting sentences that develop the main idea with specific details . This exercise offers practice in creating topic sentences that will attract the interest of your readers.

Each passage below is lacking a topic sentence but contains a series of sentences with specific examples of a single character trait:

  • a frightful imagination
  • a love of reading

Your job is to complete each paragraph by creating an imaginative topic sentence that both identifies the particular character trait and creates enough interest to keep us reading. The possibilities, of course, are limitless. Nonetheless, when you're done, you may want to compare the topic sentences you have created with the ones originally composed by the student authors.

1. Patience

For example, recently I began taking my two-year-old dog to obedience school. After four weeks of lessons and practice, she has learned to follow only three commands--sit, stand, and lie down--and even those she often gets confused. Frustrating (and costly) as this is, I continue to work with her every day. After dog school, my grandmother and I sometimes go grocery shopping. Inching along those aisles, elbowed by hundreds of fellow customers, backtracking to pick up forgotten items, and standing in the endless line at the checkout, I could easily grow frustrated and cranky. But through years of trying times, I have learned to keep my temper in check. Finally, after putting away the groceries, I might go out to a movie with my fiance, to whom I have been engaged for three years. Layoffs, extra jobs, and problems at home have forced us to postpone our wedding date several times. Still, my patience has enabled me to cancel and reschedule our wedding plans again and again without fuss, fights, or tears.

2. A Frightful Imagination

For instance, when I was in kindergarten, I dreamed that my sister killed people with a television antenna and disposed of their bodies in the woods across the street from my house. For three weeks after that dream, I stayed with my grandparents until they finally convinced me that my sister was harmless. Not long afterward, my grandfather died, and that sparked new fears. I was so terrified that his ghost would visit me that I put two brooms across the doorway of my bedroom at night. Fortunately, my little trick worked. He never came back. More recently, I was terribly frightened after staying up late one night to watch The Ring . I lay awake until dawn clutching my cell phone, ready to ring 911 the moment that spooky little girl stepped out of my TV. Just thinking about it now gives me goosebumps.

3. Love of Reading

When I was a young girl, I would make a tent out of my blankets and read Nancy Drew mysteries late into the night. I still read cereal boxes at the breakfast table, newspapers while I am stopped at red lights, and gossip magazines while waiting in line at the supermarket. In fact, I'm a very talented reader. For example, I've mastered the art of talking on the phone while simultaneously reading Dean Koontz or Stephen King. But what I read doesn't matter all that much. In a pinch, I'll read junk mail, an old warranty, a furniture tag ("DO NOT REMOVE UNDER PENALTY OF LAW"), or even, if I'm extremely desperate, a chapter or two in a textbook.

Example Topic Sentences

  • My life may be a box full of frustrations, but learning how to overcome them has given me the gift of patience.
  • My family is convinced that I inherited my imagination from Edgar Allan Poe.
  • I envy you terribly because at this very moment you're doing what I have always loved doing more than anything else: you're  reading .
  • Practice in Supporting a Topic Sentence with Specific Details
  • What Is a Topic Sentence?
  • Paragraph Writing
  • How to Teach Topic Sentences Using Models
  • Writers on Writing: The Art of Paragraphing
  • Supporting Detail in Composition and Speech
  • How to Find the Main Idea
  • Definition and Examples of Body Paragraphs in Composition
  • 6 Steps to Writing the Perfect Personal Essay
  • How to Structure an Essay
  • Development in Composition: Building an Essay
  • How to Write a Great Essay for the TOEFL or TOEIC
  • Understanding Organization in Composition and Speech
  • Unity in Composition
  • Outlines for Every Type of Writing Composition
  • Best Practices for the Most Effective Use of Paragraphs

Paragraphing Exercise: Topic Sentences and Closing Sentences

The following three paragraphs have had their topic sentences and closing sentences removed and shuffled at the bottom of the page.  Read the headless and tailless paragraphs and match the correct topic sentences and closing sentences to each. 

Bonus: for each of the Topic Sentences, identify 1) the topic of the paragraph, and 2) any words indicating the author's opinion about that topic. These are the two components of a healthy topic sentence.

Forget about how cheap-looking the benches and lampposts might be - we don't even have sidewalks in most of suburbia (and besides, nobody walks there anyway) - so any benches and lampposts seem swell.  Americans love Disney World, above all, because it is uncontaminated by cars, except for a few antique vehicles kept around as stage props.  By and large, they do not know that this is the reason they love Disney World. 

The pattern of Main Street is pretty simple:  mixed use, mixed income, apartments and offices over the stores, moderate density, scaled to pedestrians, vehicles permitted but not allowed to dominate, buildings detailed with care, and built to last (though we still trashed it).  Altogether it was a pretty good development pattern.  It produced places that people loved deeply.  That is the reason Main Street persists in our cultural memory.  Many people still alive remember the years before World War Two and what it felt like to live in integral towns modeled on this pattern. 

Deep down, many Americans are dissatisfied with suburbia - though they have trouble understanding what's missing - which explains their nostalgia for the earlier model.  Their dissatisfaction is literally a  dis-ease .  They feel vaguely and generally un-well where they are.  Nostalgia in its original sense means homesickness.  Americans essay to cure their homesickness with costly visits to Disney World.  The crude, ineffective palliatives they get there in the form of brass bands and choo-choo train rides leave them more homesick and more baffled as to the nature of their disease than when they arrived - like selling chocolate bars to someone suffering from scurvy.

Topic Sentences:

  • Main Street USA is America's obsolete model for development - we stopped assembling towns this way after 1945. 
  • For all its apparent success, Suburban Sprawl sorely lacks many things that make life worth living, particularly civic amenities, which Main Street offered in spades.
  • The design quality of Disney World in Orlando, on the other hand, is about 1.5 notches better than the average American suburban shopping mall or housing division - so Americans love it.

Closing Sentences:

  • Americans are amazingly unconscious of how destructive the automobile has been to their everyday world. 
  • Pathetically, of course, they must return afterward to the very places that induce the   disease of homesickness.
  • Physical remnants of the pattern still stand in parts of the country for people to see, though the majority of Americans have moved into the new model habitat called Suburban Sprawl.

From James Howard Kunstler , Home from Nowhere:  Remaking our Everyday World for the 21 st Century (Simon and Schuster, 1996).

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Paragraphs: topic sentences, topic sentences video playlist.

Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

  • Academic Paragraphs: Introduction to Paragraphs and the MEAL Plan (video transcript)
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The best way to understand the role of the topic sentence in paragraph development is to imagine that any given paragraph is a miniature essay that has its own thesis, support, and conclusion. The parts of a paragraph easily correspond to the parts of an essay:

Just as an effective essay starts off with an introduction that presents the paper's thesis statement and indicates the specific claim or argument that the essay will develop, each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that indicates the focus of that paragraph, alerting the reader to the particular subtopic that the paragraph will provide evidence to support.

A strong topic sentence should be placed at or near the beginning of a paragraph. In addition, this sentence should focus on a specific issue, avoid the use of direct quotations, and leave room for support and analysis within the body of the paragraph. Read on to learn more about creating an effective topic sentence.

The topic sentence does not have to be the first sentence in the paragraph; however, it should come early in the paragraph in order to orient the reader to the paragraph's focus right away. Occasionally a writer may place a transition sentence before the topic sentence, to create continuity between topics.

Topic Sentence to begin paragraph:

In the novel Sula , Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness.

Transition Sentence + Topic Sentence to begin paragraph:

However, Morrison does not only use the emotional and spiritual bonds between her female characters to initiate their coming-of-age. In addition, the author uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her adolescent protagonists into self-awareness.

Specificity

Your topic sentence should be more narrowly focused than your thesis sentence, and you will want to make sure the claim you are making can be supported, argued, and analyzed within the body of your paragraph.

Example: In the novel Sula , Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness.

In this topic sentence, the essayist is arguing that physical bonds of friendship, specifically, make the female characters more self-aware. Because this idea can be refuted or supported by readers (based on how successfully the essayist persuades his or her readers with examples and analysis from the novel), and because the claim is narrow enough to address within a single paragraph, the above sentence is a successful topic sentence.

Direct Quotations (Are Best Avoided)

Although it might be tempting to begin a paragraph with a compelling quotation, as a general rule, topic sentences should state the main idea of the paragraph in your own words. Direct quotations have a place later in the paragraph, where they may be incorporated to support the topic sentence.

Needs Improvement: As Morrison (1982) conveyed, the girls' "friendship let them use each other to grow on…they found in each other's eyes the intimacy they were looking for" (p. 52).
Better: In the novel Sula , Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness. Pointing to the connection of eyes meeting and bodies growing together, Morrison makes coming-of-age an interactive physical process between the adolescent protagonists. Specifically, Morrison describes how Sula and Nel have used "each other to grow on…they found in each other's eyes the intimacy they were looking for" (p. 52).

In this second paragraph, the topic sentence appears first, immediately orienting readers to the main focus (or topic) of the paragraph. The quotation is used later in the paragraph as a form of evidence or support for the topic sentence.

If you are finding it challenging to create effective topic sentences, you might consider outlining before beginning to write a paper. The points and subpoints of an outline can then become the topic sentences for the paper's paragraphs.

Additionally, because the topic sentence functions similarly at the paragraph level to the thesis at the essay level, you may also find it helpful to check out our thesis statement construction information. Our resource on paragraphs has helpful information about the scope of a paragraph, as well.

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Paragraphs & topic sentences.

A paragraph is a series of sentences that are organized and coherent, and are all related to a single topic. Almost every piece of writing you do that is longer than a few sentences should be organized into paragraphs. This is because paragraphs show a reader where the subdivisions of an essay begin and end, and thus help the reader see the organization of the essay and grasp its main points.

Paragraphs can contain many different kinds of information. A paragraph could contain a series of brief examples or a single long illustration of a general point. It might describe a place, character, or process; narrate a series of events; compare or contrast two or more things; classify items into categories; or describe causes and effects. Regardless of the kind of information they contain, all paragraphs share certain characteristics. One of the most important of these is a topic sentence.

TOPIC SENTENCES

A well-organized paragraph supports or develops a single controlling idea, which is expressed in a sentence called the topic sentence. A topic sentence has several important functions: it substantiates or supports an essay’s thesis statement; it unifies the content of a paragraph and directs the order of the sentences; and it advises the reader of the subject to be discussed and how the paragraph will discuss it. Readers generally look to the first few sentences in a paragraph to determine the subject and perspective of the paragraph. That’s why it’s often best to put the topic sentence at the very beginning of the paragraph. In some cases, however, it’s more effective to place another sentence before the topic sentence—for example, a sentence linking the current paragraph to the previous one, or one providing background information.

Although most paragraphs should have a topic sentence, there are a few situations when a paragraph might not need a topic sentence. For example, you might be able to omit a topic sentence in a paragraph that narrates a series of events, if a paragraph continues developing an idea that you introduced (with a topic sentence) in the previous paragraph, or if all the sentences and details in a paragraph clearly refer—perhaps indirectly—to a main point. The vast majority of your paragraphs, however, should have a topic sentence.

PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

Most paragraphs in an essay have a three-part structure—introduction, body, and conclusion. You can see this structure in paragraphs whether they are narrating, describing, comparing, contrasting, or analyzing information. Each part of the paragraph plays an important role in communicating your meaning to your reader.

Introduction : the first section of a paragraph; should include the topic sentence and any other sentences at the beginning of the paragraph that give background information or provide a transition.

Body : follows the introduction; discusses the controlling idea, using facts, arguments, analysis, examples, and other information.

Conclusion : the final section; summarizes the connections between the information discussed in the body of the paragraph and the paragraph’s controlling idea.

The following paragraph illustrates this pattern of organization. In this paragraph the topic sentence and concluding sentence (CAPITALIZED) both help the reader keep the paragraph’s main point in mind.

SCIENTISTS HAVE LEARNED TO SUPPLEMENT THE SENSE OF SIGHT IN NUMEROUS WAYS. In front of the tiny pupil of the eye they put , on Mount Palomar, a great monocle 200 inches in diameter, and with it see 2000 times farther into the depths of space. Or they look through a small pair of lenses arranged as a microscope into a drop of water or blood, and magnify by as much as 2000 diameters the living creatures there, many of which are among man’s most dangerous enemies. Or , if we want to see distant happenings on earth, they use some of the previously wasted electromagnetic waves to carry television images which they re-create as light by whipping tiny crystals on a screen with electrons in a vacuum. Or they can bring happenings of long ago and far away as colored motion pictures, by arranging silver atoms and color-absorbing molecules to force light waves into the patterns of original reality. Or if we want to see into the center of a steel casting or the chest of an injured child, they send the information on a beam of penetrating short-wave X rays, and then convert it back into images we can see on a screen or photograph. THUS ALMOST EVERY TYPE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION YET DISCOVERED HAS BEEN USED TO EXTEND OUR SENSE OF SIGHT IN SOME WAY. George Harrison, “Faith and the Scientist”

In a coherent paragraph, each sentence relates clearly to the topic sentence or controlling idea, but there is more to coherence than this. If a paragraph is coherent, each sentence flows smoothly into the next without obvious shifts or jumps. A coherent paragraph also highlights the ties between old information and new information to make the structure of ideas or arguments clear to the reader.

Along with the smooth flow of sentences, a paragraph’s coherence may also be related to its length. If you have written a very long paragraph, one that fills a double-spaced typed page, for example, you should check it carefully to see if it should start a new paragraph where the original paragraph wanders from its controlling idea. On the other hand, if a paragraph is very short (only one or two sentences, perhaps), you may need to develop its controlling idea more thoroughly, or combine it with another paragraph.

A number of other techniques that you can use to establish coherence in paragraphs are described below.

Repeat key words or phrases. Particularly in paragraphs in which you define or identify an important idea or theory, be consistent in how you refer to it. This consistency and repetition will bind the paragraph together and help your reader understand your definition or description.

Create parallel structures. Parallel structures are created by constructing two or more phrases or sentences that have the same grammatical structure and use the same parts of speech. By creating parallel structures you make your sentences clearer and easier to read. In addition, repeating a pattern in a series of consecutive sentences helps your reader see the connections between ideas. In the paragraph above about scientists and the sense of sight, several sentences in the body of the paragraph have been constructed in a parallel way. The parallel structures (which have been emphasized ) help the reader see that the paragraph is organized as a set of examples of a general statement.

Be consistent in point of view, verb tense, and number. Consistency in point of view, verb tense, and number is a subtle but important aspect of coherence. If you shift from the more personal "you" to the impersonal “one,” from past to present tense, or from “a man” to “they,” for example, you make your paragraph less coherent. Such inconsistencies can also confuse your reader and make your argument more difficult to follow.

Use transition words or phrases between sentences and between paragraphs. Transitional expressions emphasize the relationships between ideas, so they help readers follow your train of thought or see connections that they might otherwise miss or misunderstand. The following paragraph shows how carefully chosen transitions (CAPITALIZED) lead the reader smoothly from the introduction to the conclusion of the paragraph.

I don’t wish to deny that the flattened, minuscule head of the large-bodied "stegosaurus" houses little brain from our subjective, top-heavy perspective, BUT I do wish to assert that we should not expect more of the beast. FIRST OF ALL, large animals have relatively smaller brains than related, small animals. The correlation of brain size with body size among kindred animals (all reptiles, all mammals, FOR EXAMPLE) is remarkably regular. AS we move from small to large animals, from mice to elephants or small lizards to Komodo dragons, brain size increases, BUT not so fast as body size. IN OTHER WORDS, bodies grow faster than brains, AND large animals have low ratios of brain weight to body weight. IN FACT, brains grow only about two-thirds as fast as bodies. SINCE we have no reason to believe that large animals are consistently stupider than their smaller relatives, we must conclude that large animals require relatively less brain to do as well as smaller animals. IF we do not recognize this relationship, we are likely to underestimate the mental power of very large animals, dinosaurs in particular. Stephen Jay Gould, “Were Dinosaurs Dumb?”

SOME USEFUL TRANSITIONS

(modified from Diana Hacker, A Writer’s Reference )

Produced by Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

On Paragraphs

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The purpose of this handout is to give some basic instruction and advice regarding the creation of understandable and coherent paragraphs.

What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. Learning to write good paragraphs will help you as a writer stay on track during your drafting and revision stages. Good paragraphing also greatly assists your readers in following a piece of writing. You can have fantastic ideas, but if those ideas aren't presented in an organized fashion, you will lose your readers (and fail to achieve your goals in writing).

The Basic Rule: Keep one idea to one paragraph

The basic rule of thumb with paragraphing is to keep one idea to one paragraph. If you begin to transition into a new idea, it belongs in a new paragraph. There are some simple ways to tell if you are on the same topic or a new one. You can have one idea and several bits of supporting evidence within a single paragraph. You can also have several points in a single paragraph as long as they relate to the overall topic of the paragraph. If the single points start to get long, then perhaps elaborating on each of them and placing them in their own paragraphs is the route to go.

Elements of a paragraph

To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the following: Unity, Coherence, A Topic Sentence, and Adequate Development. As you will see, all of these traits overlap. Using and adapting them to your individual purposes will help you construct effective paragraphs.

The entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with one focus or major point of discussion, it should not end with another or wander within different ideas.

Coherence is the trait that makes the paragraph easily understandable to a reader. You can help create coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical bridges and verbal bridges.

Logical bridges

  • The same idea of a topic is carried over from sentence to sentence
  • Successive sentences can be constructed in parallel form

Verbal bridges

  • Key words can be repeated in several sentences
  • Synonymous words can be repeated in several sentences
  • Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences
  • Transition words can be used to link ideas from different sentences

A topic sentence

A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with. Although not all paragraphs have clear-cut topic sentences, and despite the fact that topic sentences can occur anywhere in the paragraph (as the first sentence, the last sentence, or somewhere in the middle), an easy way to make sure your reader understands the topic of the paragraph is to put your topic sentence near the beginning of the paragraph. (This is a good general rule for less experienced writers, although it is not the only way to do it). Regardless of whether you include an explicit topic sentence or not, you should be able to easily summarize what the paragraph is about.

Adequate development

The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. Again, this varies from paragraph to paragraph, depending on the author's purpose, but writers should be wary of paragraphs that only have two or three sentences. It's a pretty good bet that the paragraph is not fully developed if it is that short.

Some methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed:

  • Use examples and illustrations
  • Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others)
  • Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases)
  • Use an anecdote or story
  • Define terms in the paragraph
  • Compare and contrast
  • Evaluate causes and reasons
  • Examine effects and consequences
  • Analyze the topic
  • Describe the topic
  • Offer a chronology of an event (time segments)

How do I know when to start a new paragraph?

You should start a new paragraph when:

  • When you begin a new idea or point. New ideas should always start in new paragraphs. If you have an extended idea that spans multiple paragraphs, each new point within that idea should have its own paragraph.
  • To contrast information or ideas. Separate paragraphs can serve to contrast sides in a debate, different points in an argument, or any other difference.
  • When your readers need a pause. Breaks between paragraphs function as a short "break" for your readers—adding these in will help your writing be more readable. You would create a break if the paragraph becomes too long or the material is complex.
  • When you are ending your introduction or starting your conclusion. Your introductory and concluding material should always be in a new paragraph. Many introductions and conclusions have multiple paragraphs depending on their content, length, and the writer's purpose.

Transitions and signposts

Two very important elements of paragraphing are signposts and transitions. Signposts are internal aids to assist readers; they usually consist of several sentences or a paragraph outlining what the article has covered and where the article will be going.

Transitions are usually one or several sentences that "transition" from one idea to the next. Transitions can be used at the end of most paragraphs to help the paragraphs flow one into the next.

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EXERCISES ON PARAGRAPH WRITING A) TOPIC SENTENCES

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Topic sentences

Grammar and Writing Workbook for Grade 3

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Writing introductory sentences

In these worksheets, students are given 2 short texts and write topic sentences for each text .

writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

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13 Topic Sentences ~ More Examples

Here is more practice on topic sentences :.

Signs

Topic sentences have a topic and an angle, just like thesis sentences. But the angle of topic sentences usually is smaller in range than that of the thesis sentence. Very often the topic remains the same from thesis to topic sentence, while the angle shifts as the writer brings in various types of ideas and research to support the angle in the thesis.

Look at this sample again; these are topic sentences created from the thesis sentence. The topic remains the same in all (regular exercise) and the overall angle remains the same (benefits). But the angle narrows and shifts slightly from topic sentence to topic sentence as the writer brings in different supporting ideas and research.

Realize that all paragraphs do not need topic sentences. Sometimes, you may need multiple paragraphs to help explain one topic sentence, because you have a lot of supporting information.

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ENGLISH 087: Academic Advanced Writing Copyright © 2020 by Nancy Hutchison is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Topic Sentences Worksheets

Related ela standard: w.4-6.1.a.

Constructing a well written and thought out topic sentence is paramount to a having a well crafted paragraph. This sentence organizes the entire paragraph and basically states the goal of the entire paragraph. The supporting sentences that follow all try to provide some form of evidence to validate the thoughts offered by the topic sentences. It is often helpful to reflect back to your topic sentences as you complete the entire paragraph. The reason these entries are so critical is because they act as the glue for your work. They will connect thoughts and concepts across all the paragraphs. Topic sentences are often positioned early in the body paragraph. You will often find them in the first or second paragraph of the work. These worksheets will help you develop topic sentence that serve as a foundation of any paragraph that you are writing.

Topic Sentence Worksheets:

Types of Topic Sentences - It is usually the first sentence, but it doesn't have to be.

What's the Topic? - Read each sentence. What is the purpose of it? Is it general (G), clueing (C), or specific (S)? Write your answer on the line.

Identify Them - The topic sentence of a paragraph gives you the concept of the paragraph, and a general idea about how it is going to be discussed.

True or False - Read each topic sentence. Write what you think the each sentence is going to be about.

Start with a Word - Given a single word, expand your horizons ten fold.

Wheeling It Out There - You will need to be very creative here.

Clueing Topic Sentence - For each topic write an original clueing sentence that uses a clue word.

Zero It In - For each clue word provided, write a topic sentence. Choose any thing that interests you.

Writing Topic Sentences - Write a topic sentence to go with each picture. Use the picture for inspiration.

Putting Some Work In - Write a topic sentence for each group of detail sentences provided.

Write the Topic Sentence - Make each sentence unique and not connected to the same theme or sequence.

It Backfires - Take a position on each of the thoughts below. Write a topic sentence that clearly indicates what your paragraph would be about.

Sentence Maps - There are three types of topic sentences: General sentences, Clueing sentences, and Specific sentences.

The Writeoff - Does anyone really know what a writeoff is anyway?

Start Well - Test what you have learned about topic sentences by answering the following questions. Circle true or false.

How to Write Topic Sentences?

A topic sentence is used to identify the purpose of each paragraph in writing. Here are some tips to keep in mind while writing topic sentences.

Start with The Idea

One of the best ways to write a topic sentence is to start with the idea. It is used to let the readers know what the entire content is going to be based on. It is best to give a clear cut view of your idea in the topic sentence. You can do so by questioning yourself the reason for your paper. The answer to that, organized in good words and structure, could be your topic sentence. It is important to make your topic sentence as good and understandable as possible, so that readers will know exactly about your thoughts and ideas. It is always a good option to start directly with the main point without wasting time in details.

Explain the Content

Another important tip to keep in mind while writing the topic sentence is to explain the content in the topic sentence. The topic sentence should contain characteristics of the entire text. It is important to mention some necessary details in the topic sentence so that the readers can have a better understanding of the topic. They will know if it is something of their interest or not. It will also provide them with the basic knowledge of the topic ahead. They will be able to predict the content better this way.

Use Transitioning

An important purpose of the topic sentence is to provide a transition from the previous paragraph to the next. It helps as a linking sentence between two different types of texts. Keep in mind the methods of transitioning while writing the topic sentences.

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Topic Sentence and Controlling Idea Exercises With Answers

Topic Sentence and Controlling Idea Exercises With Answers

Topic Sentence and Controlling Idea Exercises With Answers – Generally, a paragraph has 3 parts: topic sentences, supporting details, and conclusion. Topic sentences are usually at the beginning of the paragraph and in the first sentence.

To be able to understand this subject about Topic Sentences and Controlling Idea, you can work on these topic sentence and controlling idea exercises:

I. Double underline the topic and underline the controlling idea in each of the following topic sentence.

1. College students take many kinds of tests. 2. Good roommates have four characteristics. 3. Small cars have several advantages. 4. A baseball player must master several skills. 5. Big cars are safer than small cars for two reasons. 6. Living with your parents has certain advantages. 7. Talent and dedication are two characteristics of Olympic athletes. 8. Living with your parents has certain disadvantages. 9. Tokyo is one of the world’s most expensive cities. 10. The Middle East is the birthplace of three major religions. 11. Tokyo has excellent public transportation systems.

II. Read 5 paragraphs below. Choose and write the best topic sentence for each paragraph on the line provided.

1. ___________________________________________________________ . Firstly, living in a foreign country helps you learn another language faster than studying it at school. Secondly, you can learn directly about the history, geography, and culture of a country. Thirdly, you become a more tolerant person because you experience different ways of living. The last, living in a foreign country makes you appreciate your own country better.

A. You can learn by living in a foreign country. B. We should live in a foreign country for a while. C. Some benefits you can get by living in a foreign country.

2. __________________________________________________________ . There are some private colleges and universities in the United States. Private colleges and universities are usually more expensive because they do not get money from taxes. Meanwhile, some other colleges and universities are public. It means the citizens of each state pay some of the costs through their taxes so that public colleges are cheaper for students to attend. However, you can get a good education no matter which type of college you attend – public or private.

A. Two main types of colleges and universities in the United States are private and public. B. Private colleges and universities get money from taxes. C. There are only some colleges and universities in the United States.

3. _________________________________________________________ . First, the classes in small college are small. There are approximately twenty students in average class in a small college. Second, it is easy to meet with professors. Almost all professors in small colleges have time to help students and are usually happy to do so. Third, small colleges are friendly, so new students make friends quickly. Thus, small colleges are better than large universities for many students.

A. Small colleges are friendlier than large universities. B. Some reasons are stated for attending a small college instead of a large university. C. An excellent education you can get at a small college.

4. _____________________________________________________________ . One reason is that employers want workers to be dependable. They certainly want workers who come to work every day. The other reason is employers want workers who are responsible. The employers would like to give the worker a project to do and know that it will be done well. In addition, employers look for workers who can work well with others. The ability to get along with co-workers is important to the success of business. In short, employers look for dependable and responsible team players.

A. It is difficult to find good employers these days. B. Employers read job applications very carefully. C. The three main qualities the employers look for in their employees.

5. ____________________________________________________________ . Green curry is the hottest Thai curry. People who will enjoy green curry are those who like very spicy food. Red curry is medium hot. It doesn’t burn your mouth and is flavorful. Yellow curry is the mildest of all. This curry is usually the choice of people who eat Thai food for the first time. To summarize, you have three delicious choices when you order Thai curry.

A. Thai curry has three different colors. B. The meaning of different colors in Thai curry. C. Different colors have different meaning in Thai food.

I. 1. College students take many kinds of tests. 2. Good roommates have four characteristics. 3. Small cars have several advantages. 4. A baseball player must master several skills. 5. Big cars are safer than small cars for two reasons. 6. Living with your parents has certain advantages. 7. Talent and dedication are two characteristics of Olympic athletes. 8. Living with your parents has certain disadvantages. 9. Tokyo is one of the world’s most expensive cities. 10. The Middle East is the birthplace of three major religions. 11. Tokyo has excellent public transportation systems.

II. 1. C. Some benefits you can get by living in a foreign country. 2. A. Two main types of colleges and universities in the United States are private and public. 3. B. Some reasons are stated for attending a small college instead of a large university. 4. C. The three main qualities the employers look for in their employees. 5. A. Thai curry has three different colors.

These are the topic sentence and controlling idea exercises with answers. We hope this is helpful and thank you so much!

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writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

Create a form in Word that users can complete or print

In Word, you can create a form that others can fill out and save or print.  To do this, you will start with baseline content in a document, potentially via a form template.  Then you can add content controls for elements such as check boxes, text boxes, date pickers, and drop-down lists. Optionally, these content controls can be linked to database information.  Following are the recommended action steps in sequence.  

Show the Developer tab

In Word, be sure you have the Developer tab displayed in the ribbon.  (See how here:  Show the developer tab .)

Open a template or a blank document on which to base the form

You can start with a template or just start from scratch with a blank document.

Start with a form template

Go to File > New .

In the  Search for online templates  field, type  Forms or the kind of form you want. Then press Enter .

In the displayed results, right-click any item, then select  Create. 

Start with a blank document 

Select Blank document .

Add content to the form

Go to the  Developer  tab Controls section where you can choose controls to add to your document or form. Hover over any icon therein to see what control type it represents. The various control types are described below. You can set properties on a control once it has been inserted.

To delete a content control, right-click it, then select Remove content control  in the pop-up menu. 

Note:  You can print a form that was created via content controls. However, the boxes around the content controls will not print.

Insert a text control

The rich text content control enables users to format text (e.g., bold, italic) and type multiple paragraphs. To limit these capabilities, use the plain text content control . 

Click or tap where you want to insert the control.

Rich text control button

To learn about setting specific properties on these controls, see Set or change properties for content controls .

Insert a picture control

A picture control is most often used for templates, but you can also add a picture control to a form.

Picture control button

Insert a building block control

Use a building block control  when you want users to choose a specific block of text. These are helpful when you need to add different boilerplate text depending on the document's specific purpose. You can create rich text content controls for each version of the boilerplate text, and then use a building block control as the container for the rich text content controls.

building block gallery control

Select Developer and content controls for the building block.

Developer tab showing content controls

Insert a combo box or a drop-down list

In a combo box, users can select from a list of choices that you provide or they can type in their own information. In a drop-down list, users can only select from the list of choices.

combo box button

Select the content control, and then select Properties .

To create a list of choices, select Add under Drop-Down List Properties .

Type a choice in Display Name , such as Yes , No , or Maybe .

Repeat this step until all of the choices are in the drop-down list.

Fill in any other properties that you want.

Note:  If you select the Contents cannot be edited check box, users won’t be able to click a choice.

Insert a date picker

Click or tap where you want to insert the date picker control.

Date picker button

Insert a check box

Click or tap where you want to insert the check box control.

Check box button

Use the legacy form controls

Legacy form controls are for compatibility with older versions of Word and consist of legacy form and Active X controls.

Click or tap where you want to insert a legacy control.

Legacy control button

Select the Legacy Form control or Active X Control that you want to include.

Set or change properties for content controls

Each content control has properties that you can set or change. For example, the Date Picker control offers options for the format you want to use to display the date.

Select the content control that you want to change.

Go to Developer > Properties .

Controls Properties  button

Change the properties that you want.

Add protection to a form

If you want to limit how much others can edit or format a form, use the Restrict Editing command:

Open the form that you want to lock or protect.

Select Developer > Restrict Editing .

Restrict editing button

After selecting restrictions, select Yes, Start Enforcing Protection .

Restrict editing panel

Advanced Tip:

If you want to protect only parts of the document, separate the document into sections and only protect the sections you want.

To do this, choose Select Sections in the Restrict Editing panel. For more info on sections, see Insert a section break .

Sections selector on Resrict sections panel

If the developer tab isn't displayed in the ribbon, see Show the Developer tab .

Open a template or use a blank document

To create a form in Word that others can fill out, start with a template or document and add content controls. Content controls include things like check boxes, text boxes, and drop-down lists. If you’re familiar with databases, these content controls can even be linked to data.

Go to File > New from Template .

New from template option

In Search, type form .

Double-click the template you want to use.

Select File > Save As , and pick a location to save the form.

In Save As , type a file name and then select Save .

Start with a blank document

Go to File > New Document .

New document option

Go to File > Save As .

Go to Developer , and then choose the controls that you want to add to the document or form. To remove a content control, select the control and press Delete. You can set Options on controls once inserted. From Options, you can add entry and exit macros to run when users interact with the controls, as well as list items for combo boxes, .

Adding content controls to your form

In the document, click or tap where you want to add a content control.

On Developer , select Text Box , Check Box , or Combo Box .

Developer tab with content controls

To set specific properties for the control, select Options , and set .

Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each control that you want to add.

Set options

Options let you set common settings, as well as control specific settings. Select a control and then select Options to set up or make changes.

Set common properties.

Select Macro to Run on lets you choose a recorded or custom macro to run on Entry or Exit from the field.

Bookmark Set a unique name or bookmark for each control.

Calculate on exit This forces Word to run or refresh any calculations, such as total price when the user exits the field.

Add Help Text Give hints or instructions for each field.

OK Saves settings and exits the panel.

Cancel Forgets changes and exits the panel.

Set specific properties for a Text box

Type Select form Regular text, Number, Date, Current Date, Current Time, or Calculation.

Default text sets optional instructional text that's displayed in the text box before the user types in the field. Set Text box enabled to allow the user to enter text into the field.

Maximum length sets the length of text that a user can enter. The default is Unlimited .

Text format can set whether text automatically formats to Uppercase , Lowercase , First capital, or Title case .

Text box enabled Lets the user enter text into a field. If there is default text, user text replaces it.

Set specific properties for a Check box .

Default Value Choose between Not checked or checked as default.

Checkbox size Set a size Exactly or Auto to change size as needed.

Check box enabled Lets the user check or clear the text box.

Set specific properties for a Combo box

Drop-down item Type in strings for the list box items. Press + or Enter to add an item to the list.

Items in drop-down list Shows your current list. Select an item and use the up or down arrows to change the order, Press - to remove a selected item.

Drop-down enabled Lets the user open the combo box and make selections.

Protect the form

Go to Developer > Protect Form .

Protect form button on the Developer tab

Note:  To unprotect the form and continue editing, select Protect Form again.

Save and close the form.

Test the form (optional)

If you want, you can test the form before you distribute it.

Protect the form.

Reopen the form, fill it out as the user would, and then save a copy.

Creating fillable forms isn’t available in Word for the web.

You can create the form with the desktop version of Word with the instructions in Create a fillable form .

When you save the document and reopen it in Word for the web, you’ll see the changes you made.

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IMAGES

  1. Topic Sentences Worksheets

    writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

  2. 🔥 How to start a topic sentence. How do you write a topic sentence for

    writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

  3. 😝 How to create a topic sentence. Developing Topic Sentences. 2022-10-17

    writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

  4. Writing Paragraphs Worksheet

    writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

  5. Topic Sentence Worksheet 2nd Grade How to Teach Paragraph Writing

    writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

  6. Paragraph Writing Exercise

    writing topic sentences for paragraphs exercise

VIDEO

  1. Wrting the Intro & Paragraph development [A Double-Question Essay]

  2. Paragraph completion exercises

  3. paragraphs part II topic sentences

  4. Paragraph Lecture

  5. Three Sentences Essay

  6. Writing: Paragraphs and Topic Sentences

COMMENTS

  1. Topic Sentences Worksheets

    W.4.1.A, W.5.1.A, W.6.1.A Paragraphs and Topic Sentences: Informational This worksheet includes a list of informational topics. Students write a paragraph on each topic and underline their topic sentence. Grade Levels: 4th and 5th Grade, 6th - 8th Grade, Grades K-12 CCSS Code (s): W.4.1.A, W.5.1.A, W.6.1.A Paragraphs and Topic Sentences: Opinions

  2. PDF Topic Sentences Practice

    Topic sentences are used to focus ideas and express the main point of paragraphs. A strong set of topic sentences will worktogether to support a thesis. Practice: Practice using topic sentences to keep your ideas focused: Read the paragraph below: Find the topic sentence; can you find the irrelevant sentence?

  3. PDF TOPIC SENTENCES Worksheet 1: What is a topic sentence?

    one or two words. a complete sentence. Exercise 2: Read the paragraphs. Underline the topic sentences. would like to tell you about my uncle. His name is Juma and he is thirty-nine years old. He is my father's youngest brother. I really like Uncle Juma because he is very kind and very funny.

  4. 5 exercises for teaching and learning about topic sentences

    (download PDF) 6 Writing topic sentences for paragraphs or essays (with possible answers) Topic sentences are essential for summarizing the main idea of a paragraph. Paragraphs often have topic sentences supported by three ideas.

  5. How to Write Topic Sentences

    Step 1: Write a thesis statement The first step to developing your topic sentences is to make sure you have a strong thesis statement. The thesis statement sums up the purpose and argument of the whole paper. Thesis statement example

  6. Composing Topic Sentences Practice Exercises

    1. Patience For example, recently I began taking my two-year-old dog to obedience school. After four weeks of lessons and practice, she has learned to follow only three commands--sit, stand, and lie down--and even those she often gets confused. Frustrating (and costly) as this is, I continue to work with her every day.

  7. Paragraphing Exercise& Topic Sentences and Closing Sentences : Writing

    Paragraphing Exercise: Topic Sentences and Closing Sentences The following three paragraphs have had their topic sentences and closing sentences removed and shuffled at the bottom of the page. Read the headless and tailless paragraphs and match the correct topic sentences and closing sentences to each.

  8. Topic Sentences

    Topic sentences are essential for writing clear and coherent paragraphs. In this guide, you will learn how to craft effective topic sentences that introduce your main idea, support your thesis, and connect with your readers. You will also find video examples and exercises to practice your skills.

  9. Paragraphs & Topic Sentences

    A topic sentence has several important functions: it substantiates or supports an essay's thesis statement; it unifies the content of a paragraph and directs the order of the sentences; and it advises the reader of the subject to be discussed and how the paragraph will discuss it.

  10. Topic Sentences: How Do You Write a Great One?

    Matt Ellis Updated on June 2, 2022 Students A topic sentence, usually the first sentence in a paragraph, introduces the main idea of that paragraph and sets its tone. A topic sentence is especially important in essays, where topics change from paragraph to paragraph.

  11. Topic Sentences

    Paragraphing » Topic Sentences Topic Sentences In academic writing, many paragraphs or groups of paragraphs start with topic sentences, which are like mini-thesis statements. Topic sentences are idea indicators, or "signs" that help guide a reader along from idea to idea. Topic sentences have a topic and an angle, just like thesis sentences.

  12. On Paragraphs

    Purdue OWL General Writing Academic Writing Paragraphs and Paragraphing On Paragraphs On Paragraphs What is a paragraph? A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. Learning to write good paragraphs will help you as a writer stay on track during your drafting and revision stages.

  13. Paragraph Writing EAP Worksheets

    EAP Concluding Sentences Worksheet - Reading and Writing Exercises: Unscrambling, Paraphrasing, Writing Sentences, Identifying, Error Correction - Intermediate (B1) - 50 minutes In this handy concluding sentences worksheet, students practice writing concluding sentences by restating topic sentences and summarising supporting ideas.

  14. Writing: Building up paragraphs

    How to develop paragraphs in your writing and understanding topic sentences. Downloadable Worksheets Writing about a holiday Exercise in planning your writing and ordering ideas....

  15. PDF Paragraph Writing Worksheets

    Lessons 1 - 5 Paragraph Writing Checklist At least 6 sentences per paragraph & 100 - 230 words per paragraph (Write the number of words for each paragraph beside each paragraph.) Indent & Paragraph Form Type & Double space Begin each sentence with a capital letter. Put punctuation at the end of each sentence. Subject and verb in every sentence

  16. How To Write a Topic Sentence (With Examples and Tips)

    1. Identify the main point in your piece of writing. Think about the overall topic for your writing. Decide how you can introduce this idea to your readers with an interesting opening sentence. 2. Write a sentence that connects to your main idea with a what and a why. Write a clear topic sentence by describing the what and the why of an idea ...

  17. EXERCISES ON PARAGRAPH WRITING A) TOPIC SENTENCES

    (PDF) EXERCISES ON PARAGRAPH WRITING A) TOPIC SENTENCES | Phuong Nguyen - Academia.edu Download Free PDF EXERCISES ON PARAGRAPH WRITING A) TOPIC SENTENCES Phuong Nguyen The topic sentence is the most important sentence of a paragraph. It states the main idea and introduces the reader to the topic. See Full PDF Download PDF Related Papers

  18. 30 Examples of Topic Sentences (by grade level)

    30 Examples of Topic Sentences (by grade level) Yes! You are invited to use our tips for writing topic sentences as well as the examples of topic sentences listed below to help your students perfect their paragraph writing skills.

  19. Topic sentences worksheets

    Writing introductory sentences. In these worksheets, students are given 2 short texts and write topic sentences for each text. Worksheet #1 Worksheet #2 Worksheet #3 Worksheet #4. Worksheet #5 Worksheet #6.

  20. Writing a topic sentence: English ESL worksheets pdf & doc

    1. 1/2. Introduction on how to write a topic sentence. An example paragraph and a practice exercise.

  21. Topic Sentences ~ More Examples

    Here is more practice on Topic Sentences: In academic writing, many paragraphs or groups of paragraphs start with topic sentences, which are like mini-thesis statements. Topic sentences are idea indicators, or "signs" that help guide a reader along from idea to idea. Topic sentences have a topic and an angle, just like thesis sentences.

  22. Topic Sentences Worksheets

    Write the Topic Sentence - Make each sentence unique and not connected to the same theme or sequence. It Backfires - Take a position on each of the thoughts below. Write a topic sentence that clearly indicates what your paragraph would be about. Sentence Maps - There are three types of topic sentences: General sentences, Clueing sentences, and ...

  23. Topic Sentence and Controlling Idea Exercises With Answers

    Topic Sentence and Controlling Idea Exercises With Answers - Generally, a paragraph has 3 parts: topic sentences, supporting details, and conclusion. Topic sentences are usually at the beginning of the paragraph and in the first sentence.

  24. Create a form in Word that users can complete or print

    Show the Developer tab. If the developer tab isn't displayed in the ribbon, see Show the Developer tab.. Open a template or use a blank document. To create a form in Word that others can fill out, start with a template or document and add content controls.