Identify an effective topic sentence
In each group of sentences, there is one sentence that is a more effective
topic sentence. Read each of the sentences and choose the sentence that
would be the best topic sentence.
1. Topic: Niagara Falls
1. Niagara Falls is a really big waterfall.
2. I will describe Niagara Falls, the largest waterfall.
3. Have you seen Niagara Falls? It is amazing to visit.
4. Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the United
States.
2. Topic: Dances
1. Bachata is a very popular type of dance in South America.
2. I want to talk about how Hip hop dancing is fun.
3. Irish clogging requires special shoes with metal pieces to create
loud sounds on the stage.
4. Dancing all over the world.
3. Topic: Restaurants
1. Do you think restaurants have delicious food? I do.
2. 85% of people in the world like to eat at restaurants, especially
when it has authentic food from their country such as real
Mexican tamales or Chinese noodles.
3. Food trucks are becoming a more popular place for students to
eat in Provo.
4. I want to talk about why I like to eat at McDonald’s and Burger
King.
Exercise 3: Write your own topic sentences
Read each paragraph. Write a topic sentence for each paragraph.
Make sure your topic sentence includes a controlling idea.
Paragraph A
1. ______________________________________________________________________.
First, a good teacher needs to be patient. There are many skills that
take a long time to learn and students will make many mistakes during
the learning process. Students will also have a lot of questions. A good
teacher will be patient when the students make mistakes and ask
questions because she knows that it takes time to learn new things.
Another quality of a good teacher is that they are passionate. A good
teacher is excited about teaching and can help the students be excited
about learning. During a difficult learning process, students need a
passionate teacher so they want to continue studying. Both of these
qualities are important for a teacher to have.
Paragraph B
2. ______________________________________________________________________.
We can find courage in special situations like when we feel fear or
danger or when we suffer or are tired. We need courage, for example,
when there is a war or other bad things. Courage is when people risk
their lives to help and save people in danger. When we have an
accident or an illness, overcoming the physical or mental difficulties
takes courage. It takes courage to find joy and hope in life. When we
are tired, we need courage to continue, such as when an athlete
continues to the finish line in a marathon. Abbe Pierre said, “The
biggest failure is not having the courage to dare.” I agree with this. In
our lives, we need to have courage in difficult things.
Paragraph C
3. ______________________________________________________________________.
First, many people turn to YouTube when they want to know how to do
something new. For example, many people have learned how to play
musical instruments, how to fix a car, how to apply makeup, or even
cook a new dish. This educational use of YouTube can be very fun and
worthwhile. Another reason people watch YouTube videos is to be
entertained. There are many YouTube channels that specialize in telling
stories, making music, or showcasing unique talents. These
entertaining YouTube videos are shared with friends or posted to social
media because they are funny or interesting. These are just two of the
many reasons why people like to spend time on YouTube.
Identify supporting sentences
For each topic sentence, read the supporting sentences and identify which
supporting sentences support the controlling idea. Multiple correct answers
may be possible.
1. TS: A shared room has many advantages.
1. Shared rooms are less expensive than private rooms.
2. It is easier to clean the apartment since there are multiple
people.
3. Buying a house is very expensive.
4. Sharing a room can be difficult.
5. Also, having a roommate gives you a chance to talk about your
day.
2. TS: Modern cell phones have many convenient applications.
1. My sister is addicted to a game on her phone.
2. I like to watch documentaries because I can learn about new
things.
3. For example, you can learn a language using an app.
4. App designers try to encourage users to use their cellphones
frequently.
5. Almost all Americans have a smartphone, young and old.
3. TS: Reading a book is a great way to learn new vocabulary.
1. Writing vocabulary down will help you keep a journal of the
words that you are learning.
2. When you read, keep a notebook nearby to write down unknown
words.
3. To increase your reading comprehension you should start with
books that have only about 5 new words per page.
4. Many books also have been made into movies.
5. As you read new genres, you are introduced to more context-
specific words
Identify supporting and topic sentences
Read each sentence. Identify it as a topic sentence (TS) or supporting
sentence (SS).
1. For example, by using the panoramic feature, the photographer can
generate a wider perspective in the photo.
2. An ideal student participates.
3. Running, for instance, is a great way to burn calories.
4. Eating fruits and vegetables increases the amount of natural vitamins and
minerals you have in your body.
5. Participation helps students to connect their learning environment 100% of
the time.
6. There are many interesting features to a digital camera.
7. When a student goes to an activity, they participate in activities and help
as needed.
8. Our bodies are made up of at least 60% water.
9. Being able to view a picture before printing it helps photographers to edit
and add additional artistic features to the photo.
10. The human body needs two important things to stay healthy.
Write supporting sentences
Read the following topic sentence. Write 3-5 supporting sentences that
support the topic sentence and a concluding sentence.
There are a few simple steps to excel in English language at
university.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________