Com UNIT 2 THE TOPIC SENTENCE

UNIT 2: WRITING THE TOPIC SENTENCE
Lesson focuses:
 Definition of the topic sentence
 Positions of the topic sentence in a paragraph
 Parts of the topic sentence
 Features of an effective topic sentence
Time allocation table: 4 periods
Order
1

2
3

-

Contents
Time
st
Definition of the topic sentence
1 period
Positions of the topic sentence in a
paragraph
Parts of the topic sentence
2nd period
Features of an effective topic 3rd and 4th period
sentence

2.1. The topic sentence
2.1.1. Definition([1], p.7, [2], p.17, [3], p.6)
Activity 1: Choose the best topic sentence for each of the following short
paragraphs. Circle the letter in front of the sentence you chose.

(1 )
a. The city needs the money.
b. The city needs money to fix the buses.
c. The state has lots of money.
Many buses need repair work. City officials say there is not enough money to fix
them. They will borrow money from the state.
(2)
a. Taxes should be raised.
b. Many teachers are not paid.
c. Tax money is used to build new roads.


The city needs more money and will have serious problems if it is not raised soon.
We need money to pay for new roads and the repair of old roads. We also need money to
pay teachers’ salaries and to pay for services such as trash collection. In addition, more
tax money is needed for financial aid to the poor.
(3)
a. Shopping is difficult.
b. The stores are crowded at Christmas.
c. It is better to do your Christmas shopping early.
It will be more difficult for you if you wait until just before Christmas. Many stores
run out of the more popular items, so it will be harder for you to find what you want. The
stores are also more crowded and the lines are much longer.
(4)
a. Skiing is expensive.
b. Skiing is a popular sport.
c. Skiing has many disadvantages.
Many people enjoy it even though it is expensive and dangerous. A lot of people
spend every winter weekend skiing, and many families go on winter ski vacations.
Neither the high cost of equipment nor the severe cold keeps skiers away from the slopes.

(5)
a. It is expensive to attend a university in the United States.
b. There are many things to consider when choosing a university.
c. A good education is important.
First of all, you must consider the quality of the university’s academic program. The
university’s size and location should also be given careful thought. Finally, you must
always be sure to consider the tuition before you decide which university to attend.
2.1.2. Position of the topic sentence([2], p.21)
- The first sentence( deductive method)


-

The last sentence( inductive method)
Both the first and the last sentence( sandwich-style)
Out of the paragraph( implied topic sentence)

Activity 2: Find the topic sentence in each of the following paragraphs and state its
position.

My Uncle
Patricio is an elderly man now, with white hair sticking up all over his head.
Beneath his messy hair, he has a wrinkled brown face and powerful dark eyes that show
many emotions. Patricio is tall and skinny. He wears baggy pants and a plaid shirt. He
has a tattoo of a heart on his arm. The heart has the word Rosa written across it in red and
black letters, but he has never told me who she is. Actually, my uncle has a rather
interesting appearance that can easily catch the other attention at the first sight.
An embarrassing incident
One day, an American friend invited me to her birthday party. I was very excited,
but at the same time very nervous. I wanted her family to like me, and I wanted to use my

best manners. Slowly, I walked up to the house and rang the bell. My friend ran out with
a big smile, telling me she was happy that I came. Then she let me in and introduced me
to her parents. They smiled and said hello. Later she said,” Come here! I want you to
meet my grandfather.” I followed her into the living room where her grandfather was
sitting. She introduced us, and he reached out his hand. He was going to shake hands, but
I thought he was expecting me to kiss his hand, so I did. He pulled his hand away and
looked at me in a strange way as if he did not like what I had done. Everyone else in the
room looked at me, and my friend started laughing. I was very confused. I sat down and
tried to figure out what had happened. Just then, a little boy ran to my friend’s
grandfather and jumped into his lap. The little boy started to hug and kiss the grandfather.
When I saw this, I got up and took the little boy by hand and said, ”No.” I guess I said it
pretty loudly because the room became very silent and all eyes were on me.
Hurricanes


Hurricanes, which are also called cyclones, exert tremendous power. These violent
storms are often a hundred miles in diameter, and their winds can reach velocities
(speeds) of seventy-five miles per hour or more. Furthermore, the strong winds and heavy
rain fall that accompany them can completely destroy a small town in a couple of hours.
The energy that is released by a hurricane in one day exceeds the total energy consumed
by humankind throughout the world in one year.
Synonyms
Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have the same
emotional meaning. For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean” careful with
money.” However, to call a person stingy is an insult, while the word frugal has a much
more positive connotation. Similarly, a person wants to be slender but not skinny, and
aggressive but not pushy. Therefore, you should be careful in choosing words because
many so-called synonyms are not really synonyms at all.

2.1.3. Parts of the topic sentence( [2], p.23&[3], p.6)

The topic sentence has 2 essential parts: TOPIC and the CONTROLLING IDEA
 The topic names, the subject or main idea of the paragraph.
 The controlling idea makes a specific comment about the topic, which indicates
what the rest of the paragraph will say about the topic. It limits or controls the
topic to a specific aspect of the topic to be discussed.
Examples:
Topic

Controlling idea

My friend

is an honest person.

My friend

is the funniest person I know.

My friend

has a terribly dangerous job.

Activity 3: Identify the topic and controlling idea in the sentences below.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Hiking is the best way to explore nature closely.
My uncle had a frightening experience as a young man.

Text messaging has become popular among teenagers.
Effective time management requires four easy steps.


5. Every college student should take a computer course.
6. Driving on freeway required skill and alertness.
7. The spread of HIV can be slowed by educating the public.
8. In my opinion, many commercials for cosmetics lie to women
9. Smoking cigarettes is very harmful to our health.
10. Water-melons are healthy fruits.
11. Living in the countryside is good to the elderly’s health.
12. It is necessary for students to attend classes regularly.
2.1.4. Tips for writing effective topic sentences([4], p.40 &[5], pp.14-16)
Should and shouldn’t:
- Choose a manageable topic- neither too general nor too specific
- Do not include unrelated ideas
- Avoid announcing the topic
- Make sure the statement is a complete thought
Activity 4: In the following pairs, circle the number of the best topic sentence. Then
explain your choice to a partner. Use one or more of these reasons:
 It is too broad.
 It is too narrow.
 There is no main idea or opinion.
 There is more than one main idea.
1.
a. Many people in England and the United States have cats.
b. Cats are good company for their owners.
2.
a. Studying English at secondary school helps you get a better job.
b. We study English at secondary school.

3.
a. My grandfather has helped me in many ways.
b. My grandfather is 86 years old.
4.
a. The food and people in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea are very interesting and
different and so are the buildings.
b. Traditional Japanese food is different from Korean food.
5.
a. I really like sports.
b. Rugby has taught me many things about life.
6.
a. There are many environmental problems around the world.
b. It is important to save the rainforests in South America.
Activity 5: Write the topic sentence for each of the following paragraphs


1.…………………………………………………………………………………………
It is always sunny and warm. The beaches are gorgeous with soft, white sand and
beautiful, and blue water. There are many fine restaurants in the Miami area, and most of
the big hotels offer terrific entertainment nightly.
2……………………………………………………………………………………………
He has collected stamps and coins ever since he was a child. He is very proud of his
valuable collections. He also enjoys painting and drawing. Recently he has become
interested in gardening. Out of all his hobbies, Paul’s favorite one is reading. He tries to
read at least one book very week.
3……………………………………………………………………………………………
First of all, the plumbing does work properly and the landlord refused to fix it. I also have
noisy neighbors who keep me up every night. Furthermore, there are so many bugs in my
apartment that I could start an insect collection.
4……………………………………………………………………………………………

First of all, the work is very interesting. I learn new things every day, and I get to travel a
lot. Secondly, my boss is very nice. He is always willing to help me when I have a
problem. I have also made many new friends at my job. And last but not least, the salary
is fantastic.
5……………………………………………………………………………………………
My plane was six hours late. The hotel was horrible. On the third day my wallet was
stolen, so I lost all my credit cards. It rained every day I was gone except for one day, and
on that day I got terrible sunburn.


1. What does the topic sentence function in the paragraph?
2. How many parts does the topic sentence have? Name them.
3. How are the parts of the topic sentence different from each other?
4. What are the positions of the topic sentence in a paragraph?
5. What do you think are the features of a good topic sentence?




HOME WORK

Exercise 1: Look at these topic sentences. Circle the topic of the sentence and
Underline the main idea.
1.
2.
3.
4.

My sister is my best friend.
The last CD I bought changed my life positively.

There are three reasons why my mobile phone is useful.
Reading books, such as the Harry Potter stories, can help students improve their
English.
5. My part-time job taught me several new skills.
6. Disneyland was a great place for our family holiday.
Exercise 2: The following topic sentences are not effective. State the reasons for their
ineffectiveness.
1. The way our society treats elderly people is unbelievable.
2. The first car that I owned was a Ford.
3. Computers have changed our society.
4. People who eat a lot of red meat are almost three times more likely to get colon
cancer than people who eat mostly fish and chicken.
5. Action must be taken against drugs.
6. My last car was dependable, but many American cars are poorly made.
7. The subject of this essay is daily prayer in our public schools.
8. Soap operas show many stereotyped characters although they also portray real
problems in American life.
9. I am going to write on my ideas concerning “F” grade.
10. The strangest teacher I ever had taught me a lesson I will never forget.
Exercise 3: Rewrite the topic sentences in Activity 5 to make them better.
Exercise 4: Improve these topic sentences. Circle the topic. Choose a main idea for
each topic and write the topic sentence.
1. I have a photo of my girlfriend.
Idea:…………………………………………………………………………………..
Topic sentence:……………………………………………………………………….
2. I have a new jacket.
Idea:…………………………………………………………………………………..
Topic sentence:……………………………………………………………………….
3. The Internet is good.
Idea:…………………………………………………………………………………..

Topic sentence:……………………………………………………………………….
4. My friend is nice.
Idea:…………………………………………………………………………………..
Topic sentence:……………………………………………………………………….
5. I learn English at school.
Idea:…………………………………………………………………………………..
Topic sentence:……………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 5: For each of the following topics, write a topic sentence with the
controlling idea.
1. Pets
2. A first date
3. A teacher
4. A favorite food/ fruit/ or drink
5. A favorite entertainment
Example: Pets are good companions for older people
1) ………………………………………………………………………………………
2) ………………………………………………………………………………………
3) ………………………………………………………………………………………
4) ………………………………………………………………………………………
5) ………………………………………………………………………………………
References:
[1]Blanchard, K.& Root, C. Ready to Write.(2nded). Addition-Wesley Publishing
Company. 1994
[2]Oshima, A.&Hogue,A. Introduction to Academic Writing.(2nded). Longman. 1997
[3]Savage.A.& Shafield, M. Effective Academic Writing 1: The Paragraph. Oxford
University Press. 2007
[4] Mc Whorter, K.L. The Writer’s Express: A Paragraph and Essay Text with Readings.
Houghton Mifflin Company. 1993

[5] Zemach, E.D & Islam, C. Writing in Paragraphs: from sentence to paragraph.
MacMillan. 2006.