Advanced: Topic Sentence vs. Supporting Detail

Distinguishing Between a Topic Sentence and Supporting Details

Preparation for Writing Stuctured and Coherent Expository Paragraphs

Expository Essay:

a genre that is written with the purpose to inform or explain

Expository essays have a specific structure.

When you write, you should follow this structure so that your ideas are clear and coherent.

Read this paragraph.

Is this paragraph clear and coherent?

Multiple Choice

Is this paragraph clear and coherent?

• No, it is confusing and disorganized.

• Yes, it is clear and coherent.

This paragraph is not clear and coherent because -

• it does not follow a structure

• it does not have a controlling idea (i.e. a topic sentence)

• it does not include supporting details

Read this paragraph.

Is this paragraph clear and coherent?

Multiple Choice

Is this paragraph clear and coherent?

• No, it is confusing and disorganized.

• Yes, it is clear and coherent.

This paragraph is clear and coherent because -

• it follows a structure

• it has a controlling idea (i.e. a topic sentence)

• it includes supporting details

Multiple Choice

Select the picture with the highlighted topic sentence.

The controlling idea is another way of saying main idea.

All of the sentences in a paragraph relate to the controlling idea.

Notice how this paragraph has no controlling idea.

Many of the sentences have nothing in common.

Multiple Choice

What is the controlling idea of this paragraph?

• Bad Bunny is a popular musician.

• Bad Bunny is from Puerto Rico.

• Bad Bunny has over 30 million YouTube Subscribers.

Today we will practice distinguishing between a topic sentence and a supporting detail.

Remember that supporting details relate to the topic sentence, but they are more specific.

Bad Bunny is a popular musician.

Bad Bunny has 30 million subscribers on YouTube.

Read the sentences.

Think: Which one is the topic sentence?

Multiple Choice

Bad Bunny is a popular musician.

Bad Bunny has 30 million subscribers on YouTube.

Select the topic sentence:

• Bad Bunny is a popular musician.

• Bad Bunny has 30 million subscribers on YouTube.

Almost one third of the population in Europe died because of the Black Death.

The Black Death is a deadly disease.

Read the sentences.

Think: Which one is the topic sentence?

Multiple Choice

Almost one third of the population in Europe died because of the Black Death.

The Black Death is a deadly disease.

Select the topic sentence:

• Almost one third of the population in Europe died because of the Black Death.

• The Black Death is a deadly disease.