Topic Sentences

What is a topic sentence?A topic sentence is a complete

sentence that expresses the main idea of a paragraph and captures the

reader’s interestEvery paragraph needs a topic sentence. Why? A topic sentence expresses the main idea of the paragraph. It is usually the first sentence in a paragraph. It should be thought of as the FOCUS sentence of your paragraph. You need a topic sentence so your reader knows what your paragraph is going to be about. When you are writing more than one paragraph, a topic sentence also

helps to organize your essay.

How Do You Write a Topic Sentence? To write a good topic sentence, you should have both a TOPIC and a MAIN POINT.

Examples:

Dogs make wonderful pets because they help you live longer.

Going to school to get an education is important so you can eventually

get a good job.

George Washington is known for becoming out first president, but he was also an accomplished General during the American Revolutionary

War.

What is the topic sentence of the paragraph? What is topic? What is

the main point?

While most people associate swimming with the summertime fun, swimming is also one of the best forms of exercise. Swimming is a full body workout that improves both your cardiovascular and muscular strength. As you swim, you strengthen your heart and lungs while building muscle. If you need a good workout, give swimming a try!

Read the subject and choose the best topic sentence.• Summer:

a) Summer is a great season for many reasons.b) The best thing about summer is the sunshine.c) In the summer, I go fishing, swimming, and ride my bike.

• My family:a) In my family I have my mom, dad, sister, and brother.b) There are many special things about my family.c) My family likes to go to the movies and the park together.

• Going to the park:a) There are so many things to do at the park.b) At the park you can play on the swings.c) When I go to the park I like to go down the slide and take a picnic

lunch.

Write a topic sentence that would go with each subject.• Favorite sport

• Best movie ever made

Write a topic sentence for the paragraph below.

To prepare for this time, bears have to eat a lot so they can gain weight and store fat for while they sleep. Bears also have to build

their own den to sleep in. While they hibernate, a bear’s body temperature drops and so does their heart rate. Sometimes, a

female bear will even give birth to cubs while she hibernates.

Let’s try our own