ENG-205
Academic Reading
and Writing
Topic Sentence
Ahmad Mujtaba Ali
Department of English
GC Women University, Sialkot
Identifying the Main Idea / Topic sentences
What is a
Word?
What is a
Sentence?
What is a
Paragraph?
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Identifying the Main Idea / Topic sentences
• A paragraph is a group of sentences about one main idea.
• A good paragraph should have the following 3 types of
sentences:
– A topic sentence which contains the main idea. It gives the
readers a clear idea about the content of the paragraph.
– One or more detail sentences which support, prove, provide
more information, explain, or give examples.
– A concluding sentence which restates the main idea
Remember!
All the sentences in a paragraph must be connected to the
Topic Sentence.
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1. Practice
Jason bought his first house last October, and he
loves it. It is located near the West Lake. The
house has three bedrooms, a living room, a large
kitchen, and a dining area. It also has a small
backyard and beautiful garden. He is very happy
to own a house, and he hopes to live in it for
several years.
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2. Practice
Fast food is getting healthier. Recently, in
restaurants such as McDonald’s you can find
veggie burgers and salads on the menu. Burger
King even has special menus for people who
have to avoid certain foods for health reasons.
They list all the ingredients for people to see.
Things have really changed for the better on the
fast food scene. Now, when you think of fast
food, it does not have to mean, bad food.
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3. Identifying a Topic Sentence
__________________________________________. First,
many schools require two or more years of foreign language
study for graduation. Secondly, learning other languages helps
us communicate with people from other countries. Also,
knowing a foreign language can lead to job opportunities.
Finally, for many people, studying foreign languages is fun!
There are many reasons to learn a foreign language.
Choose the best Topic Sentence for the above given
paragraph:
1. In the USA, many students study Spanish language.
2. It is important to learn foreign languages.
3. In college, people need to know foreign languages.
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How to find the Topic Sentence?
• The topic sentence is usually first but could be in any position in the
paragraph.
• A topic is usually more "general" than the other sentences, that is,
it talks about many things and looks at the big picture.
• Detail sentences are usually more "specific" than the topic, that is,
they usually talk about one single or small part or side of an idea.
• Most of the detail sentences support, give examples, prove, talk
about, or point toward the topic in some way.
• Compare the sentences in a paragraph with each other to figure out
whether you have a topic or detail sentence.
• How can you be sure that you have a topic sentence? Try this trick:
Switch the sentence around into a question. If the other sentences
seem to "answer" the question, then you've got it.
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How to find the Topic Sentence?
Topic Sentence = Topic + Main Point
Just by focusing on the Topic Sentence and the
Concluding Sentence, you should be able to
know what the paragraph is all about. The Topic
Sentence is a general umbrella sentence that
covers all aspects of the paragraph. It is incharge
of the paragraph and previews the content
therein.
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4. Practice
What is the topic in the following paragraph?
What does the writer say about the topic? (Main Idea)
Summer is a wonderful time to spend at West
Beach. It is a beach with light- colored, soft
sand. The coastline goes on for a long way and
many people enjoy walking along it. Children
like to play in the surf and walk along the
rocks that are visible at low tide. This is a fun
beach for people of all ages.
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4.i. Practice
• What is Topic in the following paragraph?
West Beach
• What is the writer saying about the topic? (Main Idea)
Summer is a wonderful time to spend at West Beach.
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5. Practice
First find the Topic, and then identify the Topic Sentence in the following paragraph
Gram or chickpea flour, more popularly known as
besan, is a highly nutritious food with lots of
health benefits. Owing to its high protein content
it can easily be consumed to meet your protein
needs on days when you don’t feel like eating
meat. Being a versatile item, the gluten-free
besan has found a permanent place in our
kitchens. Besan has fewer calories than whole-
wheat flour, so it not only supplies you with a
truckload of health benefits but also helps you
lose weight along the way.
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6. Practice
First find the Topic, and then identify the Topic Sentence in the following paragraph
The entire country seems to be in love with the
idea of going out to eat. Because of this, a real
variety of restaurants has come about
specializing in all kinds of foods. McDonald’s is
the king of a subgroup of restaurants called fast-
food restaurants. Chances are, no matter where
you live, there is a McDonald’s restaurant near
you. Now McDonald’s is trying something new. It
is called McDonald’s Express, which is set up in
petrol stations. This allows you to fill up with
petrol and fill up on food at the same time. What
will they think of next?
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