Topic Sentences

​Topic Sentences

What are topic sentences?​

-1st sentence of each body paragraph

-Reintroduces the supporting reasons

-Provides a road map for the each body paragraph​

​Things to avoid in a topic sentence.......

• Using textual evidence (that comes later in the paragraph)

• Personal stories

• Opinions

• Copying exactly word for word what the thesis says ​

Body Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence: The trauma of warfare is shown through Laila losing her brothers Noor and Ahmed.

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Body Paragraph 2 Topic Sentence: The author conveys the trauma of warfare through the death of Laila's parents when their house was bombed. ​

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Body Paragraph 3: The author's message about the trauma warfare causes when Laila has to stop going to school, because her neighborhood is no longer safe to walk around. ​

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Thesis: Khaled Hosseini, author of A Thousand Splendid Suns, ​illustrates the traumas of warfare through the character Laila with the loss of her brothers, loss of her parents, and interrupted education.

Multiple Choice

Where are topic sentences usually located within a paragraph?

• last sentence

• in the middle

• first sentence

Multiple Choice

A strong topic sentence ........

• be very general.

• be very specific.

• shouldn't be too general or too specific.

Multiple Choice

The topic sentence for the first body paragraph should include.....

• your opinion of the book

• the first supporting reason listed in your thesis

• the entire thesis