| 1. TOPIC SENTENCES--The topic sentence
is the general statement in a paragraph that explains what the whole
paragraph is about. It
is usually the first sentence in the paragraph.
2. STATEMENT (CONTROLLING IDEA)--
a. A topic sentence
contains a topic and a statement (controlling idea). The statement (controlling idea)
is what the writer intends to say about the topic.
TOPIC
STATEMENT (CONTROLLING IDEA)
Pollution
+ demands action.
Pollution
+ exists throughout
the world.
b. A topic sentence
implies an argument that must be proven. A statement of fact cannot be used
as a topic sentence since it does not need to be proven.
Statement of fact: Television stations broadcast news.
Topic sentence: Television news shows are biased.
c. Topic sentences
should not be too general.
Too general: Shakespeare was a great writer.
Topic sentence: Shakespeare's typical education seems unlikely
for a genius.
3. UNITY--Any sentence in the paragraph
that does not support the topic sentence is considered out of unity.
Check each sentence by using the word BECAUSE after the topic
sentence:
Topic sentence: Dogs
make excellent pets.
(BECAUSE) They are loyal.
(BECAUSE) They are playful.
(BECAUSE) They are useful.
The sentence "They are a lot of trouble to take care of" would be
out of unity since it does not explain why dogs make excellent pets.
4. SUPPORT--Paragraphs may have primary
(major) support as well as secondary (minor) support. Topic sentence:
Dogs make excellent pets.
Primary
support: First, they
are loyal.
Secondary
support: They are devoted
to their owners.
Primary
support: Next, they are
playful.
Secondary support: They
enjoy games like catch.
Secondary support: They
like to play with toys.
Primary support: Finally,
they are useful.
Secondary support: They
can protect property.
Secondary support: They
can warn of danger.
Look for transition markers (FIRST, ANOTHER, etc.) to identify primary
support.
5. CONCLUSION--The conclusion of a
paragraph should bring the paragraph to a close without bringing in
a new topic or idea. A
good concluding sentence for the paragraph in item 4 might be "Dogs
are truly man's best friend."
A poor concluding statement might be "Goldfish also make good
pets." |
