TS, SS, CS

A: Topic Sentences
1. When writing topic sentences, state the main point of the paragraph as clearly as possible. Don’t make the
topic sentence too general or too specific.
a. Too broad
i. Studying overseas is very difficult.
b. Too narrow (specific)
i. I eat natto for breakfast at 7 o’clock every day.
c. More than one idea
i. Studying overseas is very difficult and working in Japan is also very difficult.
d. There is no main idea (boring fact)
i. Studying overseas in Australia.
The two parts of the topic sentence

A topic sentence contains:
1. A topic  example: studying overseas
2. A controlling idea (what you want to say about the topic)  example: … is very difficult…
The topic should not be a pronoun (he, she, his, this, it) because it makes the meaning of the paragraph unclear.
A: Look at these topic sentences. Circle the topic of these sentence. Underline the main idea.
a. There are so many subjects at the university that it is difficult to choose one major.
b. One good way to learn a language is to live in a country where that language is spoken.
c. Dogs make excellent pets.
d. Indonesia is a very interesting country to visit.
e. Summer is the best time to travel to the U.S.
f. My hometown is a very friendly place to live in.
B: In the following pairs, circle the best topic sentence. Write why it is the better topic sentence and why the other
is weak.
a. I like English. / English has been my favorite subject since I was a junior high school student.
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b. Today I ate natto and rice for breakfast at 7:15 am. / Natto and rice is my favorite breakfast.
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B: Supporting Sentences
There are some common problems with topic sentences.
 The sentences are not all about the same topic

 There are not enough sentences
 There is no topic sentence
 Some sentences say the same thing
Read the sentences below and if you think the paragraph is not good, say why (one paragraph has 2 problems).
a. My favorite hobby is playing drums. I like playing the drums. I spend a lot of my free time playing drums
because it is very enjoyable. I started learning to play drums when I was 9 years old. At that time I really
enjoyed playing the drums. I played in my school’s band. It was great fun. When I was 12, I got a private
drum teacher and started to really enjoy playing.
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b. There are 4 people in my family. My mother, father, sister and me. They are nice and kind. I love my family.
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c. First, I will go to Hokkaido with three friends. We will stay there for 4 nights and go to a hot spring. I like
cheese. Second, we will visit Sapporo and Asahikawa Zoo. I really like zoos and I want to see the polar
bears. Baseball is a popular game in Japan. So I am looking forward to this summer vacation.
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C: Concluding Sentences
 Restate the topic sentence (in different words)  Summarize the paragraph
 Make a prediction
 Make a suggestion
 Express hope
Read the paragraphs. Is there a concluding sentence? Write yes if there is none. If there isn’t, write one.
1. We can all learn from listening to our grandparents. My friend’s grandfather tells stories about his life. He’s
94 years old, but his voice is still strong and clear. He speaks quietly and slowly when he tells his stories. His
life was difficult when he was young. His family didn’t have much money, and he worked hard. Even though
his life was not easy, he is positive and optimistic. I think all teenagers should listen to their grandparent’s
stories.
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2. I will never eat dinner at The Little French Bistro again. The restaurant is not very clean. You can see dust in
the corners and on the shelves. The food is expensive, but the portions are small. I never felt full after I’ve
finished eating. In addition, the waiters are not very friendly. For these reasons, I will not visit that
restaurant again.
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A: Topic Sentences

The two parts of the topic sentence

 The sentences are not all about the same topic

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