United Lesson

Writing a Topic Sentence

Writing a Topic Sentence

• Every paragraph you write needs a topic sentence.

• Usually, a topic sentence appears at the beginning of a paragraph.

• You can think of a topic sentence as your "focus sentence.
  

​The Topic Sentence

• A topic sentence organizes an entire paragraph.

• A topic sentence identifies the main idea of your paragraph.

• A topic sentence can also state the point that you (the writer) are trying to make about a subject
  

What is a Topic Sentence?

Multiple Choice

Let's look at some examples of paragraphs to better understand the topic sentence. Read the two paragraphs and compare them. Which one do you think is written better?

• All my family lives there. When I visit, I get to see all my cousins. We laugh and play all day. One thing I do with my cousins in the summer is walk down to the park a few blocks from Grandma's house. I love visiting Wisconsin.

• Do you have a favorite place to go visit? My favorite place to is Wisconsin because I get to see my family. When I visit, I get to see all. my cousins. We laugh and play all day. One thing I do with my cousins in the summer is walk down to the park a few blocks from Grandma's house. I love visiting Wisconsin.

Multiple Choice

What is the topic sentence of the following passage?

Do you have a favorite place to visit? My favorite place is Wisconsin because I get to see my family. When I visit, I get to see all my cousins. We laugh and play all day. One thing I do with my cousins is the summer is walk down to the park a few blocks from Grandma's house. After the park, everyone gathers around the table and we have a big family dinner. I love visiting Wisconsin!

• I love visiting Wisconsin!

• I get to see all my cousins.

• Everyone gathers around the table and we have a big family dinner.

• My favorite place is Wisconsin because I get to see my family.

• Every topic sentence has a TOPIC and a MAIN POINT.

• State your TOPIC clearly

• Next, ask your what is the MAIN POINT OR FOCUS of this paragraph?

• Pick one point to write about throughout the paragraph and then explain it.

How to Write a Topic Sentence

• Don't refer to your own writing

  -I am going to write about Theodore Roosevelt and his efforts to preserve our nations forests.

  -I am going to tell you about Benjamin Franklin.

  -This paragraph is about Theodore Roosevelt's efforts to preserve our nations' forest.

• These topic sentences don't really tell the main point and the topic of your paragraph.

  
  

What to Avoid with Topic Sentences

Multiple Choice

You should always start your topic sentence with I am going to tell you about (insert whatever you are writing about).

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

I am going to tell you how Benjamin Franklin was a man ahead of his time.

This sentence is a __________ of a topic sentence.

• bad example

• outstanding example

• good example.

• not a topic sentence

• Stay away from topic sentences that don't provide your reader with enough information.

  -The Revolutionary War had an impact on the United States.

• This sentence doesn't tell your reader what your paragraph is about.

  
  

What to Avoid with Topic Sentences

Multiple Choice

What is a better choice for the topic sentence on the last slide?

• The Revolutionary War was won by the United States.

• The Revolutionary War was fought between Britain and America.

• The Revolutionary War was fought along time ago.

• The Revolutionary War had a major political impact on the new United States because it allowed us to establish our own government.