The Importance of Topic Sentences: A Guide for Effective Writing

The Importance of Topic Sentences

Purpose of the Topic Sentence

A topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph. It summarizes the main idea or thesis of the paragraph and helps organize the information within it. In formal writing, the topic sentence is usually the first sentence in a paragraph, but it doesn't have to be.

The topic sentence tells readers what the rest of the paragraph is about. All sentences after it should provide more information, prove the topic sentence with facts, or describe it in more detail.

Topic sentences also need to relate back to the thesis statement of the essay. The thesis statement is like a road map that tells the reader where the essay is going and how it will be treated.

Topic Sentences and Controlling Ideas

Every topic sentence has a topic and a controlling idea. The controlling idea shows the direction the paragraph will take.

Here are some examples:

• Topic Sentence: There are many reasons why pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world.
• Topic: Pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world
• Controlling Idea: Many reasons

• Topic Sentence: To be an effective CEO requires certain characteristics.
• Topic: To be an effective CEO
• Controlling Idea: Certain characteristics

• Topic Sentence: There are many possible contributing factors to global warming.
• Topic: Global warming
• Controlling Idea: Contributing factors

How to Write a Good Topic Sentence

The first sentence of your paragraph should be the topic sentence. It should contain the most important and relevant point you wish to make regarding your topic, thus summarizing the paragraph as a whole.

Don't use an obvious fact as your topic sentence. Instead, feel free to start with a vague idea if you feel stuck, and improve it once you've finished the paragraph.

Every other sentence you write should support the topic sentence and provide further detail and discussion of the issues or ideas it raises. If any sentence you write cannot be directly related to the topic sentence, it should not be included in this particular paragraph.

More experienced writers can include their topic sentence at any point in the paragraph, but writers who are new or less comfortable with paragraph writing should stick with having the topic sentence first, as it will help to guide you throughout the rest of the paragraph.

Your topic sentence should not be too broad or too narrow. If your topic sentence is too broad, you will not be able to discuss its ideas adequately in your paragraph. If it’s too narrow, you won’t have enough to discuss.