TOPIC SENTENCES 184.ppt

7/29/2019 TOPIC SENTENCES 184.ppt

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TOPIC SENTENCES


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WHAT IS A TOPIC SENTENCE?

A topic sentence has four main characteristics

It is a sentence.

It is a part of a paragraph, usually the first sentence.

It has the topic of the paragraph

It has the controlling idea of the paragraph.

A topic sentence is the main idea of a paragraph.


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SO.

A topic sentences is a sentence that has a

topic and a controlling idea and is the

first sentence of a paragraph.


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A TOPIC SENTENCE

CANNOT BE

The best coffee.

Cell phones for emergencies.

ANINCOMPLETE

SENTENCE


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A TOPIC SENTENCE

CANNOT BE

The U.S. imports coffee from Columbia.

California is located on the West Coast.Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United

States.

A

FACT


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A TOPIC SENTENCE

CANNOT BE

Why do people drink coffee?

Why do people choose Southern California as a placeto live?

Why do Americans celebrate Lincolns

birthday?

A

QUESTION


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THE TOPIC

A topic tells the reader the subject of the paragraph.

Examples of topics for a paragraph.

coffee

getting a tattooFullerton College

cell phones


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B R O A D >>>>> NARROW

TOPICS

Sometimes a topic is too big to write about in one

paragraph. A paragraph is only 12-20 sentences.

Look at the following broadtopics.

marriage

Fullerton College

computers

It would be impossible to write about these topics in

ONE paragraph!


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HOW CAN TOPICS BE NARROWED?

marriage

teen marriage

cross-cultural marriage

age differences in marriage

Fullerton College Student services at FC

Fullerton College soccer team

Applying to FC

computers

Your turn..how can you narrowthis topic?


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CONTROLLING IDEAS

A controlling idea tells the reader what the writer is

going to say aboutthe topic. It might be an

opinion about the topic, or it might be the focus

or the direction that the writer is going to take the

topic.

Examples of controlling ideasgreat, dangerous, favorite, popular, exciting, funny


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A TOPIC SENTENCE IMPLIES A QUESTION THATTHE PARAGRAPH IS GOING TO ANSWER.

WHY? Why is it popular? the best? Why should

we.? Why was it terrible? HOW? How is it attractive? How did it change? How

is it terrible?

WHERE? Where should we go?

WHICH ONES? Which do youthink are the most

important, biggest, etc.

WHAT? What reasons? What effects?


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TOPIC SENTENCES

What question do you expect to be answered in a

paragraph with the following topic sentences?

Fullerton College has great student services.

Parking at Fullerton College is a horrible experience.

People get tattoos for three main reasons.

Tattoos should be illegal.

Cell phones make our life easier.

Cell phones are annoying.

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TOPIC SENTENCES 184.ppt