The Topic Sentence

                The topic sentence is usually the first or second sentence in a paragraph. It introduces a new idea. It presents the topic and explains what the writer will say about the topic. This explanation is called the controlling idea.

                Read the following topic sentences. In each one, the topic is my friend, the controlling ideas explain what the writer will say about the topic. These controlling ideas tell the reader what to expect in the supporting sentences.

My friend is the funniest person I know.

My friend has a terribly dangerous job.

My friend is an honest person. 

                A topic sentence must not be simple fact or a specific detail. The controlling idea must say something about the topic that can then be supported, developed, or demonstrated in the supporting sentences. The controlling idea must also not be too general, or the topic sentence will be unclear.

• A surprise party is a kind of party.                (too general)
• There were 14 guests at my surprise birthday party.           (too specific)
• My classmates gave me an unforgettable surprise party for my 18^th birthday.

                The last topic sentence is effective because it introduces the topic and has a controlling idea that can be developed in the supporting sentences. The paragraph will probably tell the story of the party.

Writing Topic Sentences                 When you write a topic sentence, remember these three points: 1.       A topic sentence must be a complete sentence, with a subject and a verb. 2.       A topic sentence should be neither too general nor too specific. If it is too general, the reader cannot tell exactly what the paragraph is going to discuss. If it is too specific, the writer will not have anything to write about in the rest of the paragraph. 3.       A topic sentence should not have unrelated controlling ideas.

           A.  Position of Topic Sentence

                The topic sentence is usually (but not always) the first sentence in a paragraph. Experienced writers sometimes put topic sentences in other locations, but the best spot is usually right at the beginning. Readers who are used to the English way of writing want to know what they will read about as soon as they begin reading.

Synonyms

Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have the same emotional meaning. For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean “careful with money”. However, calling someone stingy is an insult, but calling someone frugal is a compliment. Similarly, a person wants to be slender but not skinny, aggressive but not pushy. Therefore, you should be careful in choosing words because many so-called synonyms are not really synonymous at all.

                Sometimes a topic sentence comes at the end. In this case, the paragraph often begins with a series of examples. Other paragraphs may begin with a series of facts, and the topic sentence at the end is the conclusion from these facts.

Medical Miracles to Come

By the year 2009, a vaccine against the common cold will have been developed. B the same year, the first human will have been successfully cloned. By the year 2014, parents will be able to create designer children. Genetic therapy will be able to manipulate genes for abilities, intelligence, and hair, eye, and skin color. By 2020, most diseases will be able to be diagnosed and treated at home, and by 2030, cancer and heart disease will have been wiped out. These are just a few examples of the medical miracles that are expected in the next few decades.

       B.  The Two Parts of a Topic Sentence

                As notes earlier a topic sentences has two essential parts: the topic and the controlling idea. The topic names the subject of the paragraph. The controlling idea limits or controls the topic to  a specific area that you can discuss in the space of a single paragraph.

                                                          topic                      controlling idea

Convenience foods are easy to prepare

                The reader immediately knows that this paragraph will discuss how easy it is to prepare convenience foods and perhaps give some examples (canned soup, frozen dinners, and so on).

                                       controlling idea                                                          topic               

                Immigrants have contributed many delicious foods to U.S. cuisine.

                The reader of this topic sentence expects to read about various ethnic foods popular in the United Stated: tacos, egg rolls, sushi, baklava, pizza, and so on.

                A topic sentence should not have controlling ideas that are unrelated. The three parts of the following controlling idea are too unrelated for a single paragraph. They require three separate paragraphs (and perhaps more) to explain fully.

• Indie films are characterized by experimental techniques, low production costs, and provocative themes.  (too many ideas)

• Independent films are characterized by experimental techniques. (good)

Bibliography

Oshima, Alice and Hogue, Ann. 2006. Writing Academic English. N.Y: Pearson Education.