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• How to Write Topic Sentences | 4 Steps, Examples & Purpose

How to Write Topic Sentences | 4 Steps, Examples & Purpose

Published on July 21, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on June 5, 2023.

Every paragraph in your paper needs a topic sentence . The topic sentence expresses what the paragraph is about. It should include two key things:

• The  topic of the paragraph
• The central point of the paragraph.

After the topic sentence, you expand on the point zwith evidence and examples.

To build a well-structured argument, you can also use your topic sentences to transition smoothly between paragraphs and show the connections between your points.

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Table of contents

Writing strong topic sentences, topic sentences as transitions between paragraphs, topic sentences that introduce more than one paragraph, where does the topic sentence go, frequently asked questions about topic sentences.

Topic sentences aren’t the first or the last thing you write—you’ll develop them throughout the writing process. To make sure every topic sentence and paragraph serves your argument, follow these steps.

Step 1: Write a thesis statement

The first step to developing your topic sentences is to make sure you have a strong thesis statement . The thesis statement sums up the purpose and argument of the whole paper.

Thesis statement example

Food is an increasingly urgent environmental issue, and to reduce humans’ impact on the planet, it is necessary to change global patterns of food production and consumption.

Step 2: Make an essay outline and draft topic sentences

Next, you should make an outline of your essay’s structure , planning what you want to say in each paragraph and what evidence you’ll use.

At this stage, you can draft a topic sentence that sums up the main point you want to make in each paragraph. The topic sentences should be more specific than the thesis statement, but always clearly related to it.

Topic sentence example

Research has consistently shown that the meat industry has a significant environmental impact .

Step 3: Expand with evidence

The rest of the paragraph should flow logically from the topic sentence, expanding on the point with evidence, examples, or argumentation. This helps keep your paragraphs focused: everything you write should relate to the central idea expressed in the topic sentence.

In our example, you might mention specific research studies and statistics that support your point about the overall impact of the meat industry.

Step 4: Refine your topic sentences

Topic sentences usually start out as simple statements. But it’s important to revise them as you write, making sure they match the content of each paragraph.

A good topic sentence is specific enough to give a clear sense of what to expect from the paragraph, but general enough that it doesn’t give everything away. You can think of it like a signpost: it should tell the reader which direction your argument is going in.

To make your writing stronger and ensure the connections between your paragraphs are clear and logical, you can also use topic sentences to create smooth transitions. To improve sentence flow even more, you can also utilize the paraphrase tool .

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As you write each topic sentence, ask yourself: how does this point relate to what you wrote in the preceding paragraph? It’s often helpful to use transition words in your topic sentences to show the connections between your ideas.

Emphasize and expand

If the paragraph goes into more detail or gives another example to make the same point, the topic sentence can use words that imply emphasis or similarity (for example, furthermore , indeed , in fact , also ).

Indeed , cattle farming alone is responsible for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions.

Summarize and anticipate

If the paragraph turns to a different aspect of the same subject, the topic sentence can briefly sum up the previous paragraph and anticipate the new information that will appear in this one.

While beef clearly has the most dramatic footprint, other animal products also have serious impacts in terms of emissions, water and land use.

Compare and contrast

If the paragraph makes a comparison or introduces contrasting information, the topic sentence can use words that highlight difference or conflict (for example, in contrast , however , yet , on the other hand ).

However , the environmental costs of dietary choices are not always clear-cut; in some cases, small-scale livestock farming is more sustainable than plant-based food production.

You can also imply contrast or complicate your argument by formulating the topic sentence as a question.

Is veganism the only solution, or are there more sustainable ways of producing meat and dairy?

Sometimes you can use a topic sentence to introduce several paragraphs at once.

All of the examples above address the environmental impact of meat-eating versus veganism. Together, they make up one coherent part of a larger argument, so the first paragraph could use a topic sentence to introduce the whole section.

In countries with high levels of meat consumption, a move towards plant-based diets is the most obvious route to making food more sustainable. Research has consistently shown that the meat industry has significant environmental impacts.

The topic sentence usually goes at the very start of a paragraph, but sometimes it can come later to indicate a change of direction in the paragraph’s argument.

Given this evidence of the meat industry’s impact on the planet, veganism seems like the only environmentally responsible option for consumers. However, the environmental costs of dietary choices are not always clear-cut; in some cases, small-scale livestock farming is more sustainable than plant-based food production.

In this example, the first sentence summarizes the main point that has been made so far. Then the topic sentence indicates that this paragraph will address evidence that complicates or contradicts that point.

In more advanced or creative forms of academic writing , you can play with the placement of topic sentences to build suspense and give your arguments more force. But if in doubt, to keep your research paper clear and focused, the easiest method is to place the topic sentence at the start of the paragraph.

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A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

Topic sentences help keep your writing focused and guide the reader through your argument.

In an essay or paper , each paragraph should focus on a single idea. By stating the main idea in the topic sentence, you clarify what the paragraph is about for both yourself and your reader.

The topic sentence usually comes at the very start of the paragraph .

However, sometimes you might start with a transition sentence to summarize what was discussed in previous paragraphs, followed by the topic sentence that expresses the focus of the current paragraph.

Let’s say you’re writing a five-paragraph  essay about the environmental impacts of dietary choices. Here are three examples of topic sentences you could use for each of the three body paragraphs :

• Research has shown that the meat industry has severe environmental impacts.
• However, many plant-based foods are also produced in environmentally damaging ways.
• It’s important to consider not only what type of diet we eat, but where our food comes from and how it is produced.

Each of these sentences expresses one main idea – by listing them in order, we can see the overall structure of the essay at a glance. Each paragraph will expand on the topic sentence with relevant detail, evidence, and arguments.

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What’s Covered:

• What Is a Topic Sentence?
• 5 Steps to Writing a Good Topic Sentence

Elements of a Good Topic Sentence

Common pitfalls to avoid.

• Where To Get Your Essay Edited For Free

Crafting the perfect essay takes time and dedication. There are so many elements you have to worry about, such as tone, purpose, and correct spelling and grammar. Writing a strong topic sentences is another critical part in writing a cohesive essay. 

Without a strong topic sentence, you risk losing your reader and perhaps part of your grade. If it’s a college admissions essay, then you need it to be as strong as possible to back up your application. Learn about what steps you should take to write a strong topic sentence.

What Is a Topic Sentence? 

People often confuse a topic sentence with a thesis statement. A thesis statement is typically at the end of your opening paragraph, that dictates the main argument you’ll be making in your essay. 

Throughout your essay, you’ll have multiple topic sentences, as each paragraph should start off with one. This beginning sentence is used to direct the topic of the paragraph and outline the flow of the following sentences. It’s used to help guide your reader and to continue to keep them hooked on your overall essay. Without topic sentences, your essay will be unorganized, lack transitions, and sound very choppy. To write a good topic sentence, there are several steps to take.

Writing a Good Topic Sentence: 5 Steps

Step 1: decide what you’re going to write about..

When you see the essay prompt, you’ll have some time to think through what you want to say and why. You have to decide if it’s a persuasive essay, informative, narrative, or descriptive. Determine your purpose for writing the essay after reading through the prompt. Whether it’s an assignment for school or if it’s to get into college, you need to make sure you have that purpose clearly outlined. 

Step 2: Create a thesis statement.

One of the first things you need to do is create a thesis statement. This is typically a sentence with three points that you’ll back up throughout your essay. 

For example: The Office became a cultural phenomenon because it spurred the careers of many of today’s successful movie stars, it talked about situations that most American workers can relate to, and even 15 years later, offers funny, relevant content that helps to break down prejudices. 

You then use that thesis statement to create an essay around the points you want to make. 

Step 3: Make your essay outline.

Once you have the points you want to make within your thesis statement hammered out, make an outline for your essay. This is where you’ll start to create your topic sentence for each paragraph. You want to clearly state the main idea of that paragraph in the very first sentence. From there, you back up that main idea with facts and reputable sources. Make sure your topic sentence is clear, but does not just announce your topic. 

For example, do not write something like: “In this paragraph, I will discuss why it’s bad that poachers are killing giraffes.”

Instead, write something that clearly states your idea with a reasonable opinion and that gives direction to the paragraph: “Giraffes are a key part of the African ecosystem, so it’s important to enforce regulations against the poachers who are killing them for their body parts.” 

You’d then follow that up with reasons why giraffes are a key part of the African ecosystem and how poachers are destroying their population.

Step 4: Begin writing your essay.

Once you have your thesis statement and you’ve created an outline with supporting paragraphs and their topic sentences, you can begin writing your essay. It’s important to make that outline before just jumping in–a disorganized essay can spell disaster for you as you continue to write, and could result in a poor grade. Many times, teachers will even require you to turn in your outline as part of your overall essay grade. 

Step 5: Proofread and check your resources.

After you’ve written the essay, go back through it with a fine tooth comb. Read through each topic sentence and the paragraphs that follow to ensure that you’ve written clear, solid topic sentences throughout and that the paragraphs with them make sense. During the proofreading phase, you also need to recheck the sources you’re using. Make sure each source is reputable. In other words, do not use sites like Wikipedia where anyone can go in and edit an article to add misinformation. Use sites that:

• Are actual reputable news sources, such as the New York Times , CNN, CBS News
• Have domain names that end in .edu or .gov
• Come from an encyclopedia, such as Encyclopedia Britannica

Using sites that are not reputable could jeopardize the validity of your argument. 

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Now that you know the steps to set yourself up for success when writing a topic sentence, there are certain elements that go into a quality first sentence. Always make sure that your topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph. You don’t want to make your reader hunt for the point you’re trying to make. Check out some key elements of a good topic sentence:

Make sure your topic sentence isn’t too vague.

You need a topic sentence that has some specifics to it. It also needs to hook in your reader in some way with an opinion. A vague sentence makes it harder to write a paragraph that can clearly backs up your thoughts. For example:

DON’T: “In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bingley seems like a nice guy.”

DO: “When Mr. Bingley is first introduced, he comes across as a kind person because he speaks to everyone and doesn’t immediately pass judgment.”

Choose a reasonable opinion.

Your topic sentence should clearly outline whatever point you’re trying to make in the paragraph, but you want to pick a reasonable opinion that you can easily reinforce with facts and statistics. Here’s an example of what you should and should not do:

DON’T: “It’s obvious that Mr. Bingley was a total loser with no backbone.”

DO: “Mr. Bingley could have shown more confidence in his choices and stood up to Mr. Darcy when he found himself in love with Jane Bennet.”

You can then back that up with facts, saying that he was a wealthy Englishman and thus one of the key players in society at the time, which should have given him more confidence. If he’d been more confident, perhaps he would not have left and devastated Jane.

Use your topic sentence as a transition.

Along with telling the reader the point of your next paragraph, your topic sentence should also serve as a transition from the previous paragraph. Without a transition, the essay can feel like it’s choppy and disjointed. For example:

DON’T: “Mr. Bingley is a good man and here’s why.”

DO: “Although Mr. Bingley did break Jane’s heart by leaving, he ended up redeeming himself by returning to Netherfield Hall.”

Keep your topic sentence short.

A long, drawn-out topic sentence can risk losing your reader. Many times, it’s hard to determine the point of a sentence when it goes on for too long. You want a clear, concise sentence that draws in the reader but also leaves some room for you to expand on it in the following paragraph.

DON’T: “Throughout the novel of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bingley was often quite different from Mr. Darcy as he would treat all people in a friendly manner, considering them all his friends and acquaintances, even agreeing to throw a ball after Elizabeth’s sisters rudely demanded he do so and was gracious to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as well despite their manners.”

DO: “Overall, Mr. Bingley served as a foil to Mr. Darcy throughout the story by treating everyone around him equally with dignity and grace.”

Writing an essay can be overwhelming at times, but so long as you avoid some of these common pitfalls, it can be easier to get it done on time. 

Don’t wait until the last minute.

If your teacher assigns you an essay or tells you that you have an essay test coming up, don’t wait until the day before to do anything about it. You have to plan or study and you need to give yourself time to do that. If you know it takes you a while to write something, then start planning it as soon as you get the assignment.

Don’t forget to write an outline.

Along with planning, make sure you have that outline written up and planned out well. It will serve as your guideline for writing the essay. Without it, you’ll face the risk of a disorganized essay that does not clearly illustrate your point.

Ask for help if you need it.

This may be the most important pitfall to avoid. If you get in over your head while writing, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask a friend to review the essay or ask your teacher for guidance. 

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Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Topic sentences and signposts make an essay's claims clear to a reader. Good essays contain both.  Topic sentences   reveal the main point of a paragraph. They show the relationship of each paragraph to the essay's thesis, telegraph the point of a paragraph, and tell your reader what to expect in the paragraph that follows. Topic sentences also establish their relevance right away, making clear why the points they're making are important to the essay's main ideas. They argue rather than report.  Signposts , as their name suggests, prepare the reader for a change in the argument's direction. They show how far the essay's argument has progressed vis-ˆ-vis the claims of the thesis. 

Topic sentences and signposts occupy a middle ground in the writing process. They are neither the first thing a writer needs to address (thesis and the broad strokes of an essay's structure are); nor are they the last (that's when you attend to sentence-level editing and polishing). Topic sentences and signposts deliver an essay's structure and meaning to a reader, so they are useful diagnostic tools to the writer—they let you know if your thesis is arguable—and essential guides to the reader

Forms of Topic Sentences

 Sometimes topic sentences are actually two or even three sentences long. If the first makes a claim, the second might reflect on that claim, explaining it further. Think of these sentences as asking and answering two critical questions: How does the phenomenon you're discussing operate? Why does it operate as it does?

There's no set formula for writing a topic sentence. Rather, you should work to vary the form your topic sentences take. Repeated too often, any method grows wearisome. Here are a few approaches.

Complex sentences.   Topic sentences at the beginning of a paragraph frequently combine with a transition from the previous paragraph. This might be done by writing a sentence that contains both subordinate and independent clauses, as in the example below.

 Although  Young Woman with a Water Pitcher  depicts an unknown, middle-class woman at an ordinary task, the image is more than "realistic"; the painter [Vermeer] has imposed his own order upon it to strengthen it. 

This sentence employs a useful principle of transitions: always move from old to new information.  The subordinate clause (from "although" to "task") recaps information from previous paragraphs; the independent clauses (starting with "the image" and "the painter") introduce the new information—a claim about how the image works ("more than Ôrealistic'") and why it works as it does (Vermeer "strengthens" the image by "imposing order"). 

Questions.   Questions, sometimes in pairs, also make good topic sentences (and signposts).  Consider the following: "Does the promise of stability justify this unchanging hierarchy?" We may fairly assume that the paragraph or section that follows will answer the question. Questions are by definition a form of inquiry, and thus demand an answer. Good essays strive for this forward momentum.

Bridge sentences.   Like questions, "bridge sentences" (the term is John Trimble's) make an excellent substitute for more formal topic sentences. Bridge sentences indicate both what came before and what comes next (they "bridge" paragraphs) without the formal trappings of multiple clauses: "But there is a clue to this puzzle." 

Pivots.   Topic sentences don't always appear at the beginning of a paragraph. When they come in the middle, they indicate that the paragraph will change direction, or "pivot." This strategy is particularly useful for dealing with counter-evidence: a paragraph starts out conceding a point or stating a fact ("Psychologist Sharon Hymer uses the term Ônarcissistic friendship' to describe the early stage of a friendship like the one between Celie and Shug"); after following up on this initial statement with evidence, it then reverses direction and establishes a claim ("Yet ... this narcissistic stage of Celie and Shug's relationship is merely a transitory one. Hymer herself concedes . . . "). The pivot always needs a signal, a word like "but," "yet," or "however," or a longer phrase or sentence that indicates an about-face. It often needs more than one sentence to make its point.

Signposts operate as topic sentences for whole sections in an essay. (In longer essays, sections often contain more than a single paragraph.) They inform a reader that the essay is taking a turn in its argument: delving into a related topic such as a counter-argument, stepping up its claims with a complication, or pausing to give essential historical or scholarly background. Because they reveal the architecture of the essay itself, signposts remind readers of what the essay's stakes are: what it's about, and why it's being written. 

Signposting can be accomplished in a sentence or two at the beginning of a paragraph or in whole paragraphs that serve as transitions between one part of the argument and the next. The following example comes from an essay examining how a painting by Monet,  The Gare Saint-Lazare: Arrival of a Train,  challenges Zola's declarations about Impressionist art. The student writer wonders whether Monet's Impressionism is really as devoted to avoiding "ideas" in favor of direct sense impressions as Zola's claims would seem to suggest. This is the start of the essay's third section:

It is evident in this painting that Monet found his Gare Saint-Lazare motif fascinating at the most fundamental level of the play of light as well as the loftiest level of social relevance.  Arrival of a Train  explores both extremes of expression. At the fundamental extreme, Monet satisfies the Impressionist objective of capturing the full-spectrum effects of light on a scene.

 The writer signposts this section in the first sentence, reminding readers of the stakes of the essay itself with the simultaneous references to sense impression ("play of light") and intellectual content ("social relevance"). The second sentence follows up on this idea, while the third serves as a topic sentence for the paragraph. The paragraph after that starts off with a topic sentence about the "cultural message" of the painting, something that the signposting sentence predicts by not only reminding readers of the essay's stakes but also, and quite clearly, indicating what the section itself will contain. 

Copyright 2000, Elizabeth Abrams, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

How to Generate Strong Essay Topics, With 30 Topic Examples

Whether you’re writing an analytical essay, a reflective essay, or a compare-and-contrast essay, you are generally focused on one central theme. An essay topic is the subject—it’s what an essay is about. Essay topics can be broad or narrow, simple or complex—every essay has a topic. Determining your topic is generally the first step in writing an essay.

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What is an essay topic?

Essay topics are the broad subjects essays discuss. The purpose of an essay topic is to shape your essay. By defining your essay topic, you determine what you’ll explore in your writing, how you will investigate the topic, the elements you’ll cover (and which you’ll leave out), and the sources you will use to support your thesis statement.

For example, you might write an argumentative essay in support of requiring all students at your university to take a media literacy course during their first year . This potential new requirement would be your essay topic.

Sometimes, your instructor will assign an essay topic. When this is the case, you can jump right to thinking up ways of exploring that topic and developing your thesis statement. Other times, you will need to determine your own essay topic—and your instructor might or might not provide guidance in choosing the topic. When you’re on your own with determining ideas for an essay topic, there are a few different strategies you can use:

• Freewriting. Start with the type of essay you’ve been assigned (analytical, compare-and-contrast, personal, etc.) and let your mind wander. Write down any questions that come to mind, insights you have, observations about these questions or insights, and points that interest you.
• Researching others’ thoughts about the subject. This strategy works when you have a general idea of the subject you’d like to write about. You can familiarize yourself with the discourse surrounding that subject and read what others have said about it. Getting familiar with others’ writing can inspire you to add your take to the existing body of knowledge surrounding the subject.
• Answering the question you want to know the answer to. Think about the type of essay you plan to write and questions you would find satisfying to have answered in essay form.
• Finding gaps in the existing knowledge about your subject. This piggybacks on the strategy of exploring what others have said about it—what hasn’t been said? This could be your opportunity to write a thought-provoking original essay about your topic.

You can use these strategies for other kinds of writing, too, like creative writing and blog posts.

How to come up with an essay topic

Before you start exploring potential essay topic ideas, think about the kind of essay you are planning to write. Strong essay topics vary between types, so make your essay’s goal a significant part of choosing a topic. Keep the following in mind for each of the following types of essays :

Argumentative

An argumentative essay needs to support an argument. It also needs to demonstrate the flaws in a counter-argument. When you’re tasked with writing an argumentative essay, generate essay topics that have clear “sides” that can be supported and defended by discussing specific pieces of evidence. Choose an issue you can support through strong evidence, such as likely repercussions for changing the legal voting age.

Compare-and-contrast

In a compare-and-contrast essay , you need to show the similarities and differences between two subjects. Kick-start your topic development (or brainstorm if it’s a collaborative project) by thinking about subjects you can compare and contrast, such as the themes in two poems. Think about the specific angles you can take on the subjects you’ll focus on, and consider the comparisons you’ll make in your writing.

A political essay is an essay that examines present social and political challenges and proposes solutions to them. For example, a political essay might propose improvements to the housing market in the United States. To generate essay topics for a political essay, think about the issues that affect you or people you know, or historical trends and current events. You might have a unique perspective on proposed legislation or present political challenges, or you might simply provide a fresh voice in this discourse. Another strategy is to read the news and find a topic that’s trending, relevant, and something you have the knowledge and/or resources to write a strong essay about.

An analytical essay drills down to the components present in a work or an issue and addresses these components to reach conclusions. For example, your analytical essay topic might be how online classes have changed our relationship to education forever. As you explore essay topics for an analytical essay, think about something that interests or confuses you. In your analytical essay, you engage with the topic by questioning it and breaking it down, so choose a topic that’s got room to dive deep.

A personal essay is a reflective piece of writing that explores and discusses a topic from your own life. Unlike other kinds of essays, which support their positions through objective references to facts, statistics, scholarly insights, and other written works, a personal essay discusses its author’s own thoughts and feelings. There is no pressure to be objective in a personal essay; think of it as a chapter from your autobiography or a diary entry. To come up with essay topic ideas for a personal essay, think about events and experiences that have left a lasting impression on you.

Similar to an argumentative essay, a persuasive essay aims to persuade the reader to support a specific action or stance. The difference is that in a persuasive essay, the author’s goal is to persuade the reader to agree with their position, while an argumentative essay aims to show the reader why its thesis statement is objectively true. Strong persuasive essay topics are topics that are trending and divisive, such as the merits of dropping SAT scores from university admissions decisions.

Essay topic vs. thesis statement

An essay topic isn’t the same as its thesis statement. However, the two are closely related. An essay’s thesis statement concisely states the author’s position on the essay’s topic. In other words, the thesis statement narrows the topic down to a specific statement that the author then explores, analyzes, and—depending on the type of essay—defends in the body paragraphs.

Here are a few examples of essay topics and accompanying thesis statements:

Topic: Changing the legal voting age

Thesis statement: When nations lower the legal voting age to 16, youth civic participation increases. To combat low voter turnout among young adults, the United States should reduce the voting age to 16.

Topic: Does exercise matter if you eat a healthy diet?

Thesis statement: Research shows that while diet plays a significant role in an individual’s overall health and fitness, regular exercise plays a crucial role in strengthening bones and muscles, maintaining weight, and reducing an individual’s risk of disease.

Similarly, an essay topic is not the same as an essay title—but there is a relationship between an essay’s topic and title. An essay title should make its essay’s topic clear to the reader.

30 essay topic examples

Persuasive essay topics.

• The harms of single-use plastic
• Planned obsolescence
• Pineapple on pizza
• How can we be better neighbors?
• Ways to make writing easier for high school students

Personal essay topics

• My grandmother’s cooking
• My favorite dinosaur
• A pivotal trip I took
• My reaction to reading my own published writing
• Why I’ll never have another pet pig

Argumentative essay topics

• Should cars be banned from downtown?
• Why do we get addicted to social media?
• Should the library be open 24/7?
• Should high schools eliminate summer vacation?
• Are we too apathetic about the amount of data we share?

Analytical essay topics

• Themes of love in Frankenstein and House of Leaves
• Grammar’s role in communication
• Information retention when writing notes by hand
• Dogs as symbolism in Wuthering Heights
• Music education in elementary schools

Political essay topics

• The Electoral College’s validity in modern elections
• Student debt forgiveness
• Strategies for increasing voter turnout
• Potential outcomes of redrawing voting districts
• What if we let AI govern us?

Compare and contrast essay topics

• For commuters, are trains or buses a more environmentally friendly option?
• Vegan versus vegetarian diets
• A comparison of the writing styles of Toni Morrison’s early and later works
• Qualitative versus quantitative data in sociology
• The Handmaid’s Tale television show versus the original novel

Essay topics FAQs

An essay topic is a subject area about which an essay is written. An essay topic can be fairly broad or quite narrow.

What’s the purpose of an essay topic?

The purpose of an essay topic is to give the author something to discuss in their writing. An essay topic is what an essay is “about,” giving the author a subject to explore, analyze, discuss, defend, or describe.

What’s the difference between an essay topic and a thesis statement?

An essay topic is much broader than a thesis statement. A thesis statement summarizes the essay author’s position on the essay’s topic or a specific aspect of the essay’s topic.

What are examples of strong essay topics?

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12.2: Topic Sentences

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What is a topic sentence and why is it useful?

Imagine reading one long block of text, with each idea blurring into the next. We are likely to lose interest in writing that is disorganized and spans many pages without breaks. Paragraphs separate ideas into logical, manageable chunks. By exploring one idea at a time, the writer has a chance to explain and support that idea. The reader can then digest the idea before moving on to the next, related paragraph.

A  topic sentence  is a sentence that summarizes the main idea of a paragraph, just as a thesis summarizes a whole essay. As the unifying sentence for the paragraph, the topic sentence is the most general, whereas other, supporting sentences provide more specific information, such as facts, details, or examples.

Each topic sentence should clearly relate to the essay's thesis. We will talk more about how to make that connection in the next sections, 12.3: Showing How a New Idea Fits in (Transitions)   and 12.4: Referring Back to Make the Connection (Cohesion) .

What makes a good topic sentence?

The goal of a topic sentence is to help readers focus on and remember the main idea of the paragraph. So the trick is to write a sentence that covers all the points of the paragraph but does not cram in too many words or details.  We want to give a sense of what the paragraph will contain without listing all the specifics.

Example \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Vague topic sentence : "First, we need a better way to educate students."

Explanation : The claim is vague because it does not provide enough information about what will follow, and it is too broad to be covered effectively in one paragraph.

Revised version : "Creating a national set of standards for math and English education will improve student learning in many states."

Explanation : The sentence replaces the vague phrase “a better way” and leads readers to expect supporting facts and examples as to why standardizing education in these subjects might improve student learning in many states.

In addition, we want to make sure that the topic sentence gets right to the point. A good topic sentence is clear and easy to follow.

Example \(\PageIndex{2}\)

Confusing topic sentence : "In general, writing an essay, thesis, or other academic or nonacademic document is considerably easier and of much higher quality if you first construct an outline, of which there are many different types."

Explanation : The convoluted sentence structure and unnecessary vocabulary bury the main idea, making it difficult for the reader to follow the topic sentence.

Revised version : Most forms of writing can be improved by first creating an outline.

Explanation : This topic sentence cuts out unnecessary verbiage and simplifies the previous statement, making it easier for the reader to follow. The writer can include examples of what kinds of writing can benefit from outlining in the supporting sentences.

Where should I put a topic sentence?

In academic   writing, the topic sentence is usually the first sentence or second sentence of a paragraph and expresses its main idea, followed by supporting sentences that help explain, prove, or enhance the topic sentence. In most college essays, placing an explicit topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph (the first or second sentence) makes it easier for readers to follow the essay and for writers to stay on topic.

However, ultimately what matters is whether the reader can easily pick up on the main idea of the paragraph.  Sometimes, especially in narrative or creative writing, a writer may choose to build up to the topic sentence or even leave it implied. The following examples illustrate varying locations for the topic sentence. In each example, the topic sentence is underlined.

Topic Sentence Begins the Paragraph (General to Specific)

Paragraphs that begin with the topic sentence move from the general to the specific. They open with a general statement about a subject and then discuss specific examples. This is the common pattern for most academic essays.

After reading the new TV guide this week I wondered why we are still being bombarded with reality shows, a plague that continues to darken our airwaves . Along with the return of viewer favorites, we are to be cursed with yet another mindless creation. Prisoner follows the daily lives of eight suburban housewives who have chosen to be put in jail for the purposes of this fake psychological experiment. A preview for the first episode shows the usual tears and tantrums associated with reality television. I dread to think what producers will come up with next season and hope that other viewers will express their criticism. These producers must stop the constant stream of meaningless shows without plotlines. We’ve had enough reality television to last us a lifetime!

Here, the first sentence tells readers that the paragraph will be about reality television shows, and it expresses the writer’s distaste for these shows through the use of the word bombarded. Each of the following sentences in the paragraph supports the topic sentence by providing further information about a specific reality television show and why the writer finds it unappealing. The final sentence is the concluding sentence. It reiterates the main point that viewers are bored with reality television shows by using different words from the topic sentence.

Topic Sentence Ends the Paragraph (Specific to General)

Sometimes, especially in persuasive writing, we might want to save the general statement for last, when we have given enough supporting details to convince the reader.  If we build up to the topic sentence, then the reader might feel they are coming to the conclusion along with us.  The risk is that the reader will want to know sooner where the paragraph is going.

In the paragraph below, the topic sentence comes last. Specific examples, a cat that tracked down its owners and a dog that can predict seizures, prepare us for the general conclusion: animals’ senses are better than humans’.

Last year, a cat traveled 130 miles to reach its family, who had moved to another state and had left their pet behind. Even though it had never been to their new home, the cat was able to track down its former owners. A dog in my neighborhood can predict when its master is about to have a seizure. It makes sure that he does not hurt himself during an epileptic fit. Compared to many animals, our own senses are almost dull.

Topic Sentence in the Middle of the Paragraph

Occasionally, a writer might choose to hook the reader or introduce a concept before giving the topic sentence in the middle of the paragraph. In the paragraph below, the underlined topic sentence expresses the main idea—that breathing exercises can help control anxiety. The preceding sentences enable the writer to build up to their main point by using a personal anecdote. The supporting sentences then expand on how breathing exercises help the writer by providing additional information. The concluding sentence restates how breathing can help manage anxiety.

For many years, I suffered from severe anxiety every time I took an exam. Hours before the exam, my heart would begin pounding, my legs would shake, and sometimes I would become physically unable to move. Last year, I was referred to a specialist and finally found a way to control my anxiety—breathing exercises . It seems so simple, but by doing just a few breathing exercises a couple of hours before an exam, I gradually got my anxiety under control. The exercises help slow my heart rate and make me feel less anxious. Better yet, they require no pills, no equipment, and very little time. It’s amazing how just breathing correctly has helped me learn to manage my anxiety symptoms.

If you notice that you have used a topic sentence in the middle of a paragraph in an academic essay, read through the paragraph carefully to make sure that it contains only one major topic.

Implied Topic Sentences

Some well-organized paragraphs do not contain a topic sentence at all, a technique often used in descriptive and narrative writing. Instead of being directly stated, the main idea is implied in the content of the paragraph, as in the following narrative paragraph:

Heaving herself up the stairs, Luella had to pause for breath several times. She let out a wheeze as she sat down heavily in the wooden rocking chair. Tao approached her cautiously, as if she might crumble at the slightest touch. He studied her face, like parchment, stretched across the bones so finely he could almost see right through the skin to the decaying muscle underneath. Luella smiled a toothless grin.

Although no single sentence in this paragraph states the main idea, the entire paragraph focuses on one concept—that Luella is extremely old. All the details in the paragraph can work together to convey the dominant impression of Luella’s age. In a paragraph such as this one, an explicit topic sentence such as "Luella was very old" would seem awkward and heavy-handed. Implied topic sentences work well if the writer has a firm idea of what he or she intends to say in the paragraph and sticks to it. One risk is that an implied topic sentence may be too subtle for the reader to catch.

Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

In each of the following sentence pairs, choose the more effective topic sentence and explain what makes it better.

• This paper will discuss the likelihood of the Democrats winning the next election.
• To boost their chances of winning the next election, the Democrats need to listen to public opinion.
• The unrealistic demands of union workers are crippling the economy for three main reasons.
• Union workers are crippling the economy because companies are unable to remain competitive as a result of added financial pressure.
• Authors are losing money as a result of technological advances.
• The introduction of new technology will devastate the literary world.
• Rap music is produced by untalented individuals with oversized egos.
• This essay will consider whether talent is required in the rap music industry.

Attributions

Some sections of the above are original content by Anna Mills and others are adapted from the following sources:

• Writing for Success , created by an author and publisher who prefer to remain anonymous, adapted and presented by the Saylor Foundation and licensed  CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 .
• Successful College Composition , also licensed CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 , which was itself adapted from Writing for Success .

Writing Topic Sentences — Purpose, Structure, and Examples

What is a topic sentence?

A topic sentence in academic writing identifies how a body paragraph relates to the overall purpose of an essay stated in the thesis statement . Topic sentences are usually at the beginning of a paragraph and identify the paragraph’s controlling idea.

While an essay’s thesis statement identifies the point of the essay in its entirety, the topic sentence has a much narrower focus, as it relates only to the paragraph in which it is located.

What is the purpose of a topic sentence?

The purpose of a topic sentence is to inform the reader of the main idea of the paragraph and how it connects to the overall objective of the essay. An effective topic sentence accomplishes one or more of the following:

Makes a claim

Supports other claims made in the paper

Identifies the purpose of the rest of the paragraph

Relates the paragraph to the purpose of the paper

Precedes information that defends a claim

How to write a topic sentence

To write a topic sentence, incorporate the following guidelines:

Determine the thesis of the essay.

Identify the main supports that help prove the thesis.

Use each main support to structure a topic sentence for each paragraph.

Compose a sentence that answers the following questions:

What will the paragraph prove?

How does the paragraph connect to the thesis?

Where is the topic sentence in a paragraph?

Topic sentences can be placed at the beginning or end of a paragraph.

Although it does not need to be the first sentence, the topic sentence should be placed at the beginning of the paragraph so the reader can quickly identify the purpose of the paragraph.

While not a common placement for a topic sentence, some writers use topic sentences at the end of a paragraph. Writers who choose this method want the reader to deduce the main point of the paragraph by presenting the evidence first.

Topic sentence examples

The following list identifies topic sentences based on the provided thesis statements for five-paragraph essays:

Thesis Statement: Capital punishment should be banned because it is inhumane, unconstitutional, and ineffective at deterring crime.

Support Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence: The inhumane nature of the death penalty proves it should be abolished.

Support Paragraph 2 Topic Sentence: Capital punishment should be outlawed because it violates the Constitution.

Support Paragraph 3 Topic Sentence: Because the death penalty does not effectively deter criminal behavior, states should not continue to use it.

Thesis Statement: College athletes should be financially compensated because they sacrifice their minds and bodies, cannot hold an outside job, and increase the school’s revenue.

Support Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence: Student athletes should be paid for their performance because of sports’ impact on their minds and bodies.

Support Paragraph 2 Topic Sentence: Because most college athletes cannot play their sport and hold a job, colleges should give them a living wage.

Support Paragraph 3 Topic Sentence: Student-athletes’ ability to increase their college’s revenue proves they should be awarded financial compensation.

Thesis Statement: Using alternative energy sources can help lessen the impact of global climate change.

Support Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence: Through the widespread use of solar power, countries can limit the environmental impact of other energy sources.

Support Paragraph 2 Topic Sentence: Utilizing more wind turbines as a power source can help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Support Paragraph 3 Topic Sentence: Using geothermal power will effectively decrease the world's reliance on fossil fuels.

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Topic Sentence

Learn How to Write a Topic Sentence that Stands Out

Published on: Jan 13, 2021

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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As a student, you have probably heard the term "topic sentence" thrown around a lot in your English or writing classes. But do you really understand what it means and how important it is for effective writing?

Well, many students struggle with crafting strong topic sentences that effectively convey their ideas. They may find themselves unsure of how to make their topic sentence stand out in a sea of other ideas.

In this blog, we will explore the art of writing a great topic sentence, with examples and tips to help you enhance your skills. By the end of this blog, you will have a better understanding of how to craft a topic sentence that will make your writing clear, concise, and engaging.

So let’s get started!

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What is a Topic Sentence?

A topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph in an essay that introduces the main idea or topic of that paragraph. It serves as a roadmap for the reader, letting them know what to expect in the upcoming paragraph. 

Purpose of Topic Sentence

The purpose of a topic sentence is to clearly and concisely convey the main point of the paragraph to the reader. 

It helps to guide the reader through the essay, making it easier for them to follow the overall argument or narrative.

Features of a Good Topic Sentence

A good topic sentence has a few key features. Let’s take a look: 

• Expresses the main idea of the paragraph or essay clearly and concisely.
• Is specific and focused , avoiding vague or overly general statements.
• Introduces the main point and is typically located at the beginning of the paragraph or essay.
• Presents a claim or position that is arguable or debatable, which the rest of the paragraph or essay will support.
• Can be a complete sentence or a concise phrase that effectively conveys the main idea.
• Is relevant to the thesis statement and overall topic of the essay.
• Engages the reader by creating interest and highlighting the significance of the topic.
• Is well-written and avoids grammar and spelling errors.
• Provides a roadmap for the rest of the paragraph or essay by indicating what will be covered.
• Encourages coherence and unity in the writing by linking the paragraph or essay to the broader topic.

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Types of Topic Sentences

There are several different types of topic sentences that can be used in writing to introduce the reader through a paragraph or essay.

Simple Statement Topic Sentence This is the most common type of topic sentence, which straightforwardly states the main point or idea of the paragraph or essay.

Example: The rise of social media has revolutionized the way people communicate with each other.

Complex Topic Sentence This type of topic sentence is more nuanced and may require some explanation or elaboration to fully understand.

Example: While the rise of social media has had many positive effects on communication, it has also led to concerns about privacy and online harassment.

Pivot Topic Sentence A pivot topic sentence begins by connecting the current paragraph or idea to the previous one, before pivoting to introduce a new point or idea.

Example: Building on the idea of social media's impact on communication, it is important to consider how it has also affected business and marketing strategies.

Question Topic Sentence A question topic sentence poses a question that the rest of the paragraph or essay will answer or explore.

Example: How has social media changed the way businesses interact with customers and advertise their products?

Command Topic Sentence This type of topic sentence gives a directive or instruction, often used in persuasive or argumentative essays.

Example: Support local businesses by shopping at independently owned stores instead of large chains.

How to Write a Topic Sentence?

Here are a few instructions to help you write a good topic sentence. 

Step#1 Clearly State The Main Idea

A topic sentence is the first paragraph of the paragraph. It must clearly explain the particular subject that would be discussed in the paragraph. This should be stated in very clear language so that the reader can easily understand the idea. 

Also, it should include a bit of your personal opinion and also the main idea. 

Step#2 Hook Your Reader

Grab your reader's attention with an intriguing topic sentence. It would excite and make the reader curious about the content and convince them to read the particular part. 

Look out for some amazing hook examples and see what fits your essay type. 

Use a meaningful and relevant question or a fact as a topic sentence of the paragraph. Make sure that you have identified your audience and are developing everything accordingly. 

Step#3 Keep It Short and Precise

The paragraph topic sentence must be expressive enough that a reader understands your point of view effortlessly. This is only possible if you keep everything to the point, short, and meaningful. 

Choose the words in such a way that they help you express your idea in an ideal way. Avoid using complex sentences and use independent clauses.  

A topic sentence acts as a link between a paragraph and the main thesis statement. It should be specific and connected to the overall essay. Keeping it short and precise helps maintain the paragraph's flow and its relevance to the rest of the writing.

Step#4 Give A Reasonable Opinion

The body paragraph explains a topic sentence. This is why it is important that you should write this sentence in such a way that it can be explained in the paragraph.  If you are mentioning a fact in the topic statement, make sure that you have authentic evidence to support it. 

While the topic sentence is an integral part of the paragraph, it should stand out and possess a distinctiveness that sets it apart from the other sentences. This can be achieved by employing transition words and establishing connections between sentences.

Step#5 Use The Topic Sentence As A Transition

The topic sentences that serve as transition sentences can be considered a guide for the readers. This way, they can help the reader to move through the essay in a flow. 

Write this sentence in such a way that it creates a gateway between the previous paragraph and the rest of the essay. Moreover, it will also help keep the essay organized, and the reader understands the point of a paragraph.

Step#6 Look For Some Good Examples

Examples can help you learn a thing in a better way. If you are new to writing topic sentences, it can help to look at some examples. Find some great examples of topic sentences relevant to your essay topic.

Difference Between Topic Sentence and Thesis Sentence

Here's a table outlining the differences between a topic sentence and a thesis statement:

Good Topic Sentence Examples

Here are ten examples of good topic sentences:

•  "Despite the advancements in technology, traditional forms of communication are still essential in today's society."
• "The theme of power is prevalent throughout Shakespeare's play, Macbeth."
• "In recent years, there has been a growing concern over the impact of climate change on our planet."
• "The legalization of marijuana has been a topic of debate for many years." "Education is the key to success in life."
• "The rise of social media has greatly impacted the way we communicate with one another."
• "The effects of childhood trauma can have a lasting impact on mental health."
• "The concept of justice is explored in depth in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird."
• "Eating a balanced diet is crucial for maintaining good health."
• "The Industrial Revolution had a profound effect on the world as we know it today."

The Bottom Line!

An opening sentence is crucial to grab your reader's attention and set the tone for your piece of writing. The topic sentence introduces the controlling idea and acts as an important sentence in the essay outline. 

Effective topic sentences are necessary for a well-structured and organized essay. It's an integral part of the writing process that should not be overlooked. 

Make sure to spend time crafting a compelling topic sentence that clearly conveys your main point and guides your readers throughout your essay. You can even take ideas from an AI essay generator to get started.

However, if you find yourself struggling to write a good opening sentence, don't worry! CollegeEssay.org is here to help you with all your writing needs. We have the best online essay writing service providing top-quality essays that are sure to impress your professors.

So, why wait? Contact our essay writing service now and take the first step toward academic success!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a topic sentence.

A topic sentence can be multiple sentences long. The first sets the context for your ideas, while the second provides more depth on what you are saying beyond just stating it outright.

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What is a Topic Sentence? (Definition, Examples, How to Use)

What is a topic sentence ? A topic sentence , the first sentence of a paragraph, presents the main concept discussed in the paragraph. It must contain sufficient information to support numerous examples and subtopics without being too broad to obscure the essay’s intended purpose. The remaining sentences in the paragraph will act as supporting statements, providing evidence and examples for the main idea.

Importance of topic sentences

In essays or articles , where subjects can shift from one paragraph to another, a topic phrase is particularly crucial. The topic sentences, superficially, may seem to serve the purpose of only acting like the initial or introductory sentence of a paragraph. But it has numerous other purposes that make it an important part of essays.

• Topic sentences link paragraphs together to improve the sentence flow and make reading easier. When topic sentences are not used, switching between paragraphs can feel abrupt and jarring to the reader. Authors can maintain the rhythm of their writing using topic sentences and facilitate smooth transitions.
• Topic sentences show the reader a sample of what to expect from the paragraph. The readers can determine from the topic sentence whether the paragraph will comprise a narrative, a list, anecdotal evidence, statistical data, persuasive opinions, or some other form of evidence.
• If two conflicting viewpoints are presented in a single paragraph, authors can use more than one topic sentence to inform the readers about the changes in the main concept. For example, paragraphs that “compare and contrast” require more than one topic sentence. In these kinds of paragraphs, authors can start with a topic sentence introducing the first idea and follow it up with proof or evidence supporting the idea. Then they can introduce the second topic sentence conveying the opposing viewpoint, followed by proof or evidence supporting it.

Different types of topic sentences

The different types of topic sentences include:

Simple statement

This topic sentence is used by authors to make a general observation or statement and then elaborate on it in the body of the paragraph.

New studies are emerging indicating the link between climate change and the emergence of numerous new virus strains.

Interrogative or question

This is used by writers in less formal settings. Authors can start a paragraph using implicit or explicit questions related to the topic of discussion to engage the readers.

How many nations are ready to adapt to rising sea levels?

Complex topic sentences are used when the author is discussing a complicated concept that encompasses multiple ideas. Such topic sentences cover more than a single core idea.

Although many people believe that a mother bird will reject its chick if it is touched by humans, the truth is that birds do not abandon their babies after humans touch them.

Authors can use their topic sentences to make explicit demands or pleas to their readers. This will be helpful in breaking the monotony of the essay.

Let’s look at the data from the latest research.

Purely transitional

Though topic sentences are generally responsible for facilitating a smooth transition between paragraphs, occasionally they are purely transitional. These function best when the main topic shifts abruptly by highlighting the switch.

But not everybody agrees.

Pivot sentences are not found at the beginning of a paragraph but rather in the middle, indicating a change in the topic. Conjunctive adverbs like however, furthermore, and meanwhile are frequently used with them.

However, the undisputed king of tennis, Roger Federer, was dethroned in 2008 at Wimbledon.

How to create good topic sentences

A good topic sentence can be created using some simple steps:

1. Determine the key point of your essay

Writers should first form an understanding of the topic of the essay and then create topic sentences to attract the attention of readers. Constructing a good thesis statement can assist the writer in forming better topic sentences.

2. Have an outline for the essay

The author should form a plan or roadmap beforehand on the topics they want to discuss in a paragraph and the evidence they want to use as supporting statements.

3. Be coherent and clear

Writers should make their topic sentences clear and comprehensible so that the reader can form a clear understanding of what to expect in the paragraph.

4. Share opinions

It is advisable to share the opinion or viewpoint of the author in the topic sentence to attract the attention of the reader. Authors should also refrain from writing obvious facts in the topic sentences.

5. Use specific wordings

The topic sentences ought to be precise enough so that the authors can use a few sentences in the paragraph to support them.

6. Transitions should be added between paragraphs

To give the essay or paper a throughline, authors can create topic sentences that refer to the prior paragraph. A topic sentence can make a reference to the preceding paragraph while introducing the next part by using transitional words.

7. Use new, relevant information

Instead of using an obvious fact that everybody knows as the topic sentence, authors can give new information. It is also important to present them in an interesting way.

8. Create a compound or complex topic statement

Compound or complex topic statements feel advanced and stronger. Authors can create such topic statements to add a high level of sophistication to their text.

Many beginner writers and students confuse thesis statements with topic sentences. In essence, thesis statements establish the major idea discussed in the entire essay or paper, as opposed to topic sentences, which introduce the central concept of a paragraph.

Both of these sentences are responsible for giving the readers a sample of what to expect, but in entirely different capacities. Suppose a person is writing a thesis about the different compounds present in coffee and the health benefits it offers.

The thesis statement will be a generalized statement indicating that there are numerous compounds in coffee that benefit the health of humans. But the topic sentence of each paragraph will introduce any single health benefit or compound present in the coffee.

Topic sentences are typically found at the beginning of a paragraph. But this does not mean that they cannot be placed elsewhere in the paragraph. In some cases, when the details discussed can be summarized into a general statement, topic sentences can be included at the end.

Similarly, in some paragraphs where multiple concepts are discussed, topic sentences may be used in the middle of the paragraph. The placement depends on the number of topics being discussed and the way they are discussed.

• Merriam Webster – topic sentence – Definition
• Wikipedia – Topic sentence
• wikiHow – How to Write a Good Topic Sentence
• Scribbr – How to Write Topic Sentences | 4 Steps, Examples & Purpose

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About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Topic Sentences

What is a topic sentence.

• A statement at the beginning of each body paragraph
• Indicates the topic of the entire paragraph
• In a short essay, it reflects one of the main points of the thesis statement (link to thesis statement handout)

Main Point + Details

An effective topic sentence expands on a main thesis point by including details and explanation. It has two organizational purposes:

• Relate back to the thesis statement
• Summarize the paragraph

An effective topic sentence is like a mini-thesis statement for each paragraph.

Example Thesis: Health-conscious individuals should consider substituting strawberries for desserts because strawberries are healthy , sweet , and versatile .   Topic of Body Paragraph 1: Strawberries are healthy   Topic of Body Paragraph 2: Strawberries are sweet   Topic of Body Paragraph 3: Strawberries are versatile

Topic Sentence for Body Paragraph 1: Strawberries are a healthy substitute for desserts because they have a much lower carbohydrate count and are rich in nutrients and fiber.  

Notice that the topic sentence includes the first main point of the thesis statement, but it expands on the idea with further details. Now the paragraph can elaborate further on these details, and it should relate back to the main argument – that strawberries can be substituted for desserts.

The second body paragraph would start with a topic sentence about the second main point: strawberries are sweet . The third body paragraph would start with a topic sentence about the third main point: strawberries are versatile .

Longer Essays

Not all papers will have a three point thesis statement. If this is the case, the topic sentence may not contain a word-for-word point stated in the thesis statement.

Example Thesis statement: The literary techniques used by Leo Tolstoy in The Death of Ivan Ilych unveil an extraordinary sense of depth within the novella that is imperative to truly understanding Tolstoy’s ideas.

Example Topic Sentence: When Leo Tolstoy employs the technique of symbolism, inanimate objects like Ivan’s golden pocket watch and the drapes on his windows convey hidden meanings that further clarify important themes in the story.

From DBU Writing Center  http://www3.dbu.edu/uwc/documents/TopicSentencesAug15.pdf

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How to Write a Topic Sentence for an Essay: Steps & Examples

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A topic sentence is the first sentence in a body paragraph that summarizes its main idea. It's like a mini-thesis statement for each body paragraph. A well-crafted topic sentence should be focused and specific, so that your audience has a clue of what the paragraph will be about.

While it's usually 1 sentence long, students often find it tricky to highlight the key idea of a passage. That's why our essay writing service is here to help you. In this blog, we will shed more light on how to write a topic sentence for a body paragraph of an essay and provide decent examples to help you engage your readers. But before we get down to suggestion, let's begin with a definition.

What Is a Topic Sentence: Definition

A topic sentence is the first sentence of a body paragraph that captures its central point. By providing a succinct preview of the whole section, it serves as a roadmap and keeps writing organized. 

A good topic sentence should be clear, concise and connected to a thesis statement. Your task is to grab the reader's attention, encouraging them to continue reading. Additionally, you will need to back up your key point by evidence and in-depth analysis.

Topic sentences also act as transitions that link paragraphs to one another. It's like building a bridge between sections allowing readers to move fluently throughout your essay.

Topic Sentence vs Thesis: What's the Difference?

Quite often, students confuse a topic sentence with a thesis statement. Let's clarify the difference between these 2 components.

A thesis statement is the main argument of the whole paper. It usually appears at the end of an essay introduction and presents your central position or claim. A topic sentence introduces the main idea of a single paragraph and should relate back to your thesis.

Take a glance at this example to understand the distinction.

Thesis: The widespread use of social media has had a significant impact on society, affecting communication, relationships, and self-image. Topic sentence 1: Social media has transformed the way we communicate, providing new opportunities for connection and interaction. Topic sentence 2: The rise of social media has also had an impact on relationships, both positive and negative, with increased access to information and social pressure affecting how people relate to one another. Topic sentence 3: Social media has been linked to negative effects on self-image, with the constant pressure to present a perfect online persona leading to increased anxiety and decreased self-esteem.

What Is the Purpose of a Topic Sentence?

The primary purpose of a topic sentence boils down to emphasizing on the point you want to make in any specific section. It also serves other goals:

• Guides the writer in developing content of each paragraph
• Ties your paragraph back to the larger argument of your paper
• Allows readers to follow your line of thought
• Creates coherence of your writing piece
• Makes ideas easier to follow.

Now that you know what a topic sentence in an essay body is and its purpose, let's discuss its main types.

Types of Topic Sentences and Examples

There are multiple approaches to previewing your paragraph's main point. Depending on the essay type, you may opt for different types of topic sentences – cause and effect, problem-solution, comparison and contrast. They can also appear in the form of a suggestion, question or a simple transition. Below we will define each type and provide topic sentence examples.

General to Specific

This type of topic sentence begins with a broad statement and then narrows down to a specific point.

Many factors contribute to climate change, but one of the most significant is the burning of fossil fuels.

Specific to General

In this case, you will start with a particular detail and then broaden out to a larger point.

The amount of trash in our oceans is staggering, highlighting the urgent need for more effective waste management policies.

Cause and Effect

Such sentences present a causal relationship between 2 ideas, events or phenomena. This type of topic sentence is usually used in cause and effect essays .

Poor nutrition can lead to obesity.

Comparison and Contrast

Sometimes, you may be assigned to compare 2 different concepts.  If you are writing a compare and contrast essay , you will need to build topic sentences for each paragraph that reflect the comparison.

While traditional classroom learning has many benefits, online learning offers greater flexibility and convenience for students with busy schedules.

Problem-Solution

As the name suggests, this type of sentence primarily focuses on how to solve a  specific issue. You will use this approach when working on a problem-solution essay .

It is becoming increasingly difficult for families to afford housing in major cities, suggesting that governments should pursue policies aimed at making rental costs more affordable.

Advice/Suggestion

Suggestions are an integral part of most kinds of essays. Whether you are writing a persuasive essay or a how-to guide, you need to express an opinion and provide a call for action. That's when you will turn your topic sentence into a piece of advice or guideline.

It is important for young people to develop an understanding of financial literacy, including budgeting and saving.

Sometimes, you may open a paragraph with a question in order to entice the reader and make them more interested in your opinion.  Such  questions should be used sparingly and confined to the introduction.

What can individuals do to reduce their impact on climate change?

When you are navigating from one paragraph to another, it is important that you make a seamless connection between ideas. The goal is to make the reader feel like they are continuously progressing through your essay. That's when essay transition words come into play. Here's how to create a topic sentence that can be used for linking.

On the other hand, this approach has its shortcomings that cannot be ignored.

How to Write a Good Topic Sentence for an Essay: 5 Easy Steps

When writing a topic sentence, there are 2 important aspects to keep in mind:

• You should be specific and focus only on a single idea or point.
• Stay on the point and don’t cover too many specifics in one sentence.

Now let’s take a look at the steps involved in the process. Follow these detailed guidelines on how to write a topic sentence and arrange your essay properly.

1. Determine the Main Idea of Your Writing

Before you write a topic sentence for body paragraphs, identify your essay’s main idea, or the point you’re trying to prove. The key argument is usually hidden in your thesis statement. Read through your thesis and think about the overall point that you are trying to make.  Powered by the main idea, you can start thinking how to structure your body paragraphs and what specific points to discuss in each section.

The modern educational system should be redesigned to ensure that all students receive a well-rounded education.

2. Break Down the Main Idea into Smaller Pieces

The next step is to split your idea into smaller points. Try to recognize major supporting points or subtopics that reinforce your thesis statement. It can be helpful to create an outline or diagram to map out the essay structure and organize your arguments. By doing so, you will see how your central idea can be separated into more manageable subpoints.

• Subpoint 1 : Prioritizing teaching arts, music, and physical education along with core subjects
• Subpoint 2: Engaging students in experiential learning (internships, service learning)
• Subpoint 3: Enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

>> Read more: How to Write an Essay Outline  

3. Make Sure Each Body Paragraph Serves a Specific Purpose

The purpose of each body paragraph is to take one of the subpoints and explain it in detail. In order to do that, make a topic sentence focused and to the point.

One common mistake is integrating too many details in one sentence. 

Remember, the goal of your topic sentence is to introduce a single idea. For that, you need to establish the evidence and examples you want to use in your paragraph. Once you are clear on the goal of each paragraph, you can start creating your topic sentence.

❌ Example of a weak topic sentence

Fostering a well-rounded education should involve offering more classes in music, art and physical education, but also providing more opportunities for students to be involved in experiential learning.

In the above topic sentence example, a student combines 2 different ideas in 1 sentence. Eventually, this may lead to unnecessary confusion. Here's how this sentence may be improved.

✓ Example of a strong topic sentence

In order to nurture a well-rounded education, schools should prioritize teaching music, art, and physical education along with core subjects.

4. Grab Reader's Attention

The best topic sentence is the one that sounds compelling and captivates the reader's attention. Just like in the essay introduction, here you also need to integrate a hook. There are several hook techniques that you can use to involve your audience in your body paragraph:

• Using surprising facts or statistics that challenge the reader's assumptions or expectations
• Opening your paragraph with a rhetorical question that encourages to consider a new angle
• Starting a topic sentence with an anecdote or personal story illustrating your point.

Have you ever wondered why many schools are not providing enough classes in music, art and physical education?

>> Learn more: How to Write a Hook for an Essay

Trigger words can also be used to persuade your audience read further. These are the words and phrases that evoke emotions or psychological reactions. Below you can find some of the most efficient trigger words for your topic sentences. 

Popular trigger words

When you write a topic sentence that elicits a strong emotional response, you will be able to interest more readers.

5. Write a Topic Sentence

Before you get down to actually writing a topic sentence for an essay body paragraph, remember that it should contain condensed information on your point. Still, you don't want to give away all supporting details or evidence from the get-go. Try to find balance between introducing your ideas and leaving some space for developing your argument further in the body.

Keep in mind the overall structure and flow of your essay. Your topic sentence should match a larger claim stated in your thesis. Otherwise, it will appear out of context and may potentially  ruin the entire argument.

Examine good topic sentences examples for essays presented below to get more ideas on how to create your own.

Essay Topic Sentence Examples

Whether you're writing an argumentative , descriptive , or narrative essay , a strong topic sentence plays a crucial role in setting the stage for your main ideas. In this section, we will offer multiple examples of topic sentences. Inspect each topic sentence example for an essay to see how theory can be implemented in practice.

Topic sentence example for an argumentative essay

Social media has a negative impact on mental health , as it creates unrealistic expectations and promotes constant comparison to others.

Descriptive essay topic sentence example

The salty ocean air and the sound of seagulls created a calming and peaceful atmosphere on the beach.

Example of a topic sentence for cause-and-effect writing

Due to the increase in air pollution, many cities are experiencing a rise in respiratory illnesses among their populations.

Topic Sentence Writing Tips

Here are some valuable tips for writing a powerful topic sentence in a paragraph.

• Keep it brief but informative. Your topic sentence should contain only relevant information that directly supports the main point.
• Associate it to your primary claim. Make sure that your subpoints are intertwined and contribute to your fundamental assertion.
• Be precise. Make sure that you use specific language and avoid generalizations.
• Make it flow. Each body paragraph should build on the previous one and lead the reader towards your essay conclusion .
• Apply active voice. Using an active voice in your topic sentence can help to create a sense of urgency and engagement.

Bottom Line on How to Write a Topic Sentence

Crafting a powerful topic sentence is not easy, but with practice, you will be able to start your paragraphs in a convincing manner. Make sure that each opening is  clear and reflects your main idea in a brief, yet, meaningful way. Keep these tips and examples in mind when writing topic sentences for your next essay.

Reach out to StudyCrumb, and have your essay written by an expert. Each academician is experienced in such tasks and can deliver a perfect paper quickly upon ‘ do my homework ’ request.

FAQ About Writing Topic Sentences

1. how to start off a topic sentence.

A good way to start a topic sentence is by introducing the specific idea or concept that you are going to discuss. It should be concise and directly related to the point of your essay. For example: " The increase in air pollution has led to an alarming rise in respiratory illnesses in cities ." This sentence states the main point of your topic and sets the tone for what follows.

2. Can a topic sentence be a question?

Yes, a topic sentence can be a question. In fact, beginning a paragraph with a question can create a sense of curiosity and encourage readers to think critically about your topic. Be sure to follow up the question with a clear and concise statement that provides a direct answer.

3. How long should a topic sentence be?

A topic sentence should be concise and to the point, ideally no longer than 1 or 2 sentences long. It should make a preview to the main idea of the paragraph, while also leaving enough room for developing your arguments and evidence.

4. How to write a strong topic sentence?

To compose a strong topic sentence, clearly state the main idea of your body paragraph. Avoid vague or general statements. Instead, your topic sentence should grab the reader's attention and make them want to keep reading. It's suggested to link it to your thesis statement of your paper to ensure that you stay on track.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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What Is a Topic Sentence?

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

A topic sentence is a  sentence , sometimes at the beginning of a paragraph , that states or suggests the main idea (or topic ) of a paragraph.

Not all paragraphs begin with topic sentences. In some, the topic sentence appears in the middle or at the end. In others, the topic sentence is implied or absent altogether.

Examples and Observations

• " Salva and the other boys made cows out of clay. The more cows you made, the richer you were. But they had to be fine, healthy animals. It took time to make a lump of clay look like a good cow. The boys would challenge each other to see who could make the most and best cows." (Linda Sue Park, A Long Walk to Water . Clarion, 2010)
• " Momma bought two bolts of cloth each year for winter and summer clothes. She made my school dresses, underslips, bloomers, handkerchiefs, Bailey's shirts, shorts, her aprons, house dresses and waists from the rolls shipped to Stamps by Sears and Roebuck. . . ." (Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings . Random House, 1969)
• " You discover what it is like to be hungry. With bread and margarine in your belly, you go out and look into the shop windows. Everywhere there is food insulting you in huge, wasteful piles; whole dead pigs, baskets of hot loaves, great yellow blocks of butter, strings of sausages, mountains of potatoes, vast Gruyère cheeses like grindstones. A snivelling self-pity comes over you at the sight of so much food. You plan to grab a loaf and run, swallowing it before they catch you; and you refrain, from pure funk." (George Orwell, Down and Out in Paris and London . Victor Gollancz, 1933)
• " The flavor that salt imparts to food is just one of the attributes that manufacturers rely on. For them, salt is nothing less than a miracle worker in processed foods. It makes sugar taste sweeter. It adds crunch to crackers and frozen waffles. It delays spoilage so that the products can sit longer on the shelf. And, just as importantly, it masks the otherwise bitter or dull taste that hounds so many processed foods before salt is added." (Michael Moss, Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us . Random House, 2013)
• " The very idea of retirement is a relatively new invention. For most of human history, people worked until they died or were too infirm to lift a finger (at which point they died pretty fast anyway). It was the German statesman Otto von Bismarck who first floated the concept, in 1883, when he proposed that his unemployed countrymen over the age of 65 be given a pension. This move was designed to fend off Marxist agitation—and to do so on the cheap, since few Germans survived to that ripe old age." (Jessica Bruder, "The End of Retirement." Harper's , August 2014)
• " Grandma's room I regarded as a dark den of primitive rites and practices. On Friday evenings whoever was home gathered at her door while she lit her Sabbath candles. . . ."  (E.L. Doctorow, World's Fair . Random House, 1985)
• " Genealogy is an ancient human preoccupation. The God of Hebrew Scripture promised Abraham descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. The apostles Matthew and Luke claim that Abraham's lineage went on to include King David and eventually Jesus, though the specifics of their accounts are contradictory. Muslims trace Mohammed's line back through Abraham, to Adam and Eve." (Maud Newton, "America's Ancestry Craze." Harper's , June 2014)
• " O nce, in a restaurant in Italy with my family, I occasioned enormous merriment, as a nineteenth-century humorist would have put it, by confusing two Italian words. I thought I had, very suavely, ordered for dessert fragoline —those lovely little wild strawberries. Instead, I seem to have asked for fagiolini —green beans. The waiter ceremoniously brought me a plate of green beans with my coffee, along with the flan and the gelato for the kids. The significant insight the mistake provided—arriving mere microseconds after the laughter of those kids, who for some reason still bring up the occasion, often—was about the arbitrary nature of language: the single 'r' rolled right makes one a master of the trattoria, an 'r' unrolled the family fool. . . ." (Adam Gopnik, "Word Magic." The New Yorker , May 26, 2014)
• " In seventeenth-century Europe, the transformation of man into soldier took on a new form, more concerted and disciplined, and far less pleasant, than wine. New recruits and even seasoned veterans were endlessly drilled, hour after hour, until each man began to feel himself part of a single, giant fighting machine. . . ." (Barbara Ehrenreich, Blood Rites: Origins and History of the Passions of War . Henry Holt and Company, 1997)
• " What is the appeal of train travel? Ask almost any foamer, and he or she will invariably answer, 'The romance of it!' But just what this means, they cannot really say. It's tempting to think that we are simply equating romance with pleasure, with the superior comfort of a train, especially seated up high in the observation cars. . . ." (Kevin Baker, "21st Century Limited: The Lost Glory of America's Railroads." Harper's , July 2014)
• " Because science fiction spans the spectrum from the plausible to the fanciful, its relationship with science has been both nurturing and contentious. For every author who meticulously examines the latest developments in physics or computing, there are other authors who invent 'impossible' technology to serve as a plot device (like Le Guin’s faster-than-light communicator, the ansible) or to enable social commentary, the way H. G. Wells uses his time machine to take the reader to the far future to witness the calamitous destiny of the human race." (Eileen Gunn, "Brave New Words." Smithsonian , May 2014)
• " I passed all the other courses that I took at my university, but I could never pass botany. . . ." (James Thurber, My Life and Hard Times . Harper & Row, 1933)
• " What is there about this wonderful woman? From next door, she comes striding, down the lawn, beneath the clothesline, laden with cookies she has just baked, or with baby togs she no longer needs, and one's heart goes out. Pops out. The clothesline, the rusted swing set, the limbs of the dying elm, the lilacs past bloom are lit up like rods of neon by her casual washday energy and cheer, a cheer one has done nothing to infuse." (John Updike, "One's Neighbor's Wife." Hugging the Shore: Essays and Criticism . Knopf, 1983)
• " Television. Why do I watch it? The parade of politicians every evening: I have only to see the heavy, blank faces so familiar since childhood to feel gloom and nausea. . . ." (J.M. Coetzee, Age of Iron . Random House, 1990)
• " Anyone who has made the coast-to-coast journey across America, whether by train or by car, has probably passed through Garden City, but it is reasonable to assume that few travelers remember the event. It seems just another fair-sized town in the middle--almost the exact middle--of the continental United States. . . ." (Truman Capote, In Cold Blood . Random House, 1966)
• " Rodeo, like baseball, is an American sport and has been around almost as long. . . ." (Gretel Ehrlich, The Solace of Open Spaces . Viking Penguin, 1985)
• " What a piece of work is a book! I am not talking about writing or printing. I am talking about the codex we may leaf through, that may be put away on a shelf for whole centuries and will remain there, unchanged and handy. . . ." (William Golding, A Moving Target . Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1982)

Characteristics of an Effective Topic Sentence

• "A good topic sentence is concise and emphatic . It is no longer than the idea requires, and it stresses the important word or phrase. Here, for instance, is the topic sentence which opens a paragraph about the collapse of the stock market in 1929: "The Bull Market was dead."(Frederick Lewis Allen) Notice several things. (1) Allen's sentence is brief . Not all topics can be explained in six words, but whether they take six or sixty, they should be phrased in no more words than are absolutely necessary. (2) The sentence is clear and strong: you understand exactly what Allen means. (3) It places the keyword—'dead'—at the end, where it gets heavy stress and leads naturally into what will follow. . . . (4) The sentence stands first in the paragraph. This is where topic sentences generally belong: at or near the beginning." (Thomas S. Kane, The New Oxford Guide to Writing . Oxford Univ. Press, 1988)

Positioning a Topic Sentence

"If you want readers to see your point immediately, open with the topic sentence . This strategy can be particularly useful in letters of application or in argumentative writing. . . . "When specific details lead up to a generalization, putting the topic sentence at the end of the paragraph makes sense. . . . "Occasionally a paragraph's main idea is so obvious that it does not need to be stated explicitly in a topic sentence." (Andrea Lunsford, The St. Martin's Handbook . Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008)

Guidelines for Composing Topic Sentences

"The topic sentence is the most important sentence in your paragraph. Carefully worded and restricted, it helps you generate and control your information. An effective topic sentence also helps readers grasp your main idea quickly. As you draft your paragraphs, pay close attention to the following three guidelines:

• Make sure you provide a topic sentence. . . .
• Put your topic sentence first.
• Be sure your topic sentence is focused. If restricted, a topic sentence discusses only one central idea. A broad or unrestricted topic sentence leads to a shaky, incomplete paragraph for two reasons:
• The paragraph will not contain enough information to support the topic sentence .
• A broad topic sentence will not summarize or forecast specific information in the paragraph."

(Philip C. Kolin, Successful Writing at Work , 9th ed. Wadsworth, 2010)

Testing for Topic Sentences

"When testing your article for topic sentences , you should be able to look at each paragraph and say what the topic sentence is. Having said it, look at all the other sentences in the paragraph and test them to make sure they support it. . . .

"If you find that you have come up with the same topic sentence more than once, you have two paragraphs doing the same work. Cut one of them out.

"If you find a paragraph that has several sentences that don't support the topic sentence, see if all the outlaw sentences support some other topic sentence and turn the one paragraph into two." (Gary Provost, "How to Test Your Articles for the 8 Essentials of Nonfiction." Handbook of Magazine Article Writing , ed. by Jean M. Fredette. Writer's Digest Books, 1988)

Frequency of Topic Sentences

"Teachers and textbook writers should exercise caution in making statements about the frequency with which contemporary professional writers use simple or even explicit topic sentences in expository paragraphs. It is abundantly clear that students should not be told that professional writers usually begin their paragraphs with topic sentences."  (Richard Braddock, "The Frequency and Placement of Topic Sentences in Expository Prose." Research in the Teaching of English . Winter 1974)

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Essay Topic Sentence

Crafting an impeccable essay often hinges on the strength of its topic sentence. This pivotal sentence sets the tone, offers a glimpse into the content, and captivates the reader’s curiosity. Delve into the nuanced world of essay topic sentences, explore sterling Sentence examples , and arm yourself with tried-and-true tips to perfect this vital writing element.

What is the Essay Topic Sentence? – Definition

An essay topic sentence is the opening sentence of a paragraph that provides a concise summary of what the paragraph will address. It serves as a roadmap, guiding readers through the main idea or argument of that particular section, ensuring clarity and coherence.

What is the best Example of an Essay Topic Sentence?

Imagine writing an essay about the benefits of a balanced diet. An exemplary topic sentence might be: “A balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, plays an indispensable role in maintaining optimal health and preventing various ailments.” This sentence not only introduces the topic of a balanced diet but also hints at the benefits that the subsequent sentences in the paragraph will explore in detail.

100 Essay Topic Sentence Examples

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Essay topic sentences are the guiding lights of your paragraphs, illuminating the main ideas and ensuring readers navigate smoothly through your piece. Crafting a compelling topic sentence is paramount for grasping attention and setting the tone for the ensuing discussion. Here are 100 sterling examples that encapsulate various subjects and themes, each with its distinct allure to captivate readers instantly.

• The Renaissance era ushered in a wave of unparalleled artistic and intellectual achievements.
• Urbanization poses both challenges and opportunities for modern societies.
• Climate change impacts global ecosystems, from polar ice caps to tropical rainforests.
• Social media platforms influence contemporary communication and human interactions.
• Mental well-being plays an equally significant role as physical health in overall wellness.
• Education systems require ongoing reforms to cater to the evolving needs of society.
• Space exploration holds the promise of discoveries beyond our planetary confines.
• Wildlife conservation ensures the preservation of Earth’s rich biodiversity.
• Digital advancements reshape business models and consumer behaviors.
• Historical monuments stand as testament to a civilization’s legacy and prowess.
• Reading habits enrich the mind, offering both knowledge and escapism.
• Global economies interact in intricate networks of trade and diplomacy.
• Alternative energy sources promise a sustainable solution to environmental concerns.
• Emotional intelligence plays a pivotal role in interpersonal success and leadership.
• Modern transportation bridges geographical divides, bringing cultures closer.
• Culinary arts reflect the rich tapestry of world cultures and histories.
• Migration patterns reveal socio-economic factors and global trends.
• Sustainable farming practices benefit both the environment and consumers.
• Oceanic ecosystems harbor mysteries yet to be fully unraveled by science.
• Artificial intelligence challenges the boundaries of technological capabilities.
• Childhood memories shape our adult personalities and choices.
• Green technology offers innovative solutions to pressing environmental issues.
• Philanthropic endeavors aim to bridge societal disparities and uplift communities.
• Literary classics transcend time, remaining relevant across generations.
• Photography captures fleeting moments, turning them into timeless memories.
• Global tourism boosts economies while fostering cross-cultural understanding.
• Musical genres evoke emotions, from nostalgia to exhilaration.
• Ancient civilizations laid the foundations for contemporary societies and norms.
• Virtual reality immerses users in simulated environments, from gaming to training.
• Language evolution tracks societal shifts and historical influences.
• Modern architecture melds functionality with aesthetic appeal.
• Astronomical studies probe the mysteries of the cosmos.
• Entrepreneurial ventures drive innovation and economic growth.
• Fitness regimes promote holistic health and longevity.
• The fashion industry sets global trends while reflecting societal shifts.
• Psychological theories delve into the intricate workings of the human mind.
• Parenting styles influence a child’s development and worldview.
• Technological disruptions challenge traditional business models.
• Documentary films highlight societal issues and human stories.
• Gardening offers therapeutic benefits and a connection with nature.
• Modern medicine offers revolutionary treatments and hopes for chronic ailments.
• Cultural festivals celebrate a community’s heritage and traditions.
• Robotics is transforming sectors from healthcare to manufacturing.
• Urban planning addresses the challenges of rapidly expanding cities.
• Environmental policies aim to mitigate the effects of industrialization.
• Video games merge entertainment with interactive storytelling techniques.
• Graphic novels combine visual art with narrative depth.
• Theatre arts encompass a spectrum of genres, from tragedy to farce.
• Digital marketing targets consumers using online platforms and data analytics.
• Ancient mythologies provide insights into early human beliefs and values.
• Quantum physics challenges our understanding of the universe’s fundamental nature.
• Human rights movements fight for equality, justice, and freedom globally.
• Online education facilitates learning beyond geographical boundaries.
• Microfinance initiatives empower marginalized communities through financial inclusivity.
• Space telescopes capture awe-inspiring images of distant galaxies and stars.
• Holistic therapies combine traditional and modern practices for overall wellness.
• Archaeological digs reveal secrets of bygone eras and lost civilizations.
• Modern sculptures reflect contemporary societal values and artistic experimentation.
• Nano-technology holds potential for advancements from medicine to electronics.
• Digital art allows limitless creativity with the help of technology.
• Global collaborations foster advancements in research and innovations.
• Local cuisines represent the heart of a culture, infused with history and flavors.
• Renewable energy initiatives combat the global energy crisis and climate change.
• Ethical consumerism encourages responsible production and purchasing behaviors.
• Wildlife documentaries raise awareness about endangered species and habitats.
• Start-up ecosystems boost economic growth and technological innovations.
• Classic literature resonates with themes that remain relevant across ages.
• Mental health awareness breaks stigmas and fosters supportive communities.
• Biographical works provide a window into influential personalities’ lives.
• Adventure sports push human limits and offer adrenaline-filled experiences.
• Underwater exploration uncovers marine biodiversity and submerged secrets.
• E-commerce platforms reshape the shopping experience in the digital age.
• Sustainable fashion champions eco-friendly materials and ethical production.
• Forensic science plays a crucial role in solving criminal cases.
• Digital privacy measures protect user data from breaches and misuse.
• Animated films enthrall audiences with imaginative stories and visuals.
• Hydroponic farming offers soil-less agricultural solutions.
• Artificial neural networks simulate human brain processes for machine learning.
• Classical dance forms preserve age-old traditions and storytelling techniques.
• 3D printing technology revolutionizes manufacturing and prototyping processes.
• Ancient cartography charts historical perceptions of the world and explorations.
• Digital currencies are reshaping the landscape of financial transactions globally.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy offers tools to reshape negative thought patterns.
• Space tourism heralds a new era of extraterrestrial travel for civilians.
• Marine conservation efforts strive to protect our oceans’ fragile ecosystems.
• Molecular gastronomy melds culinary arts with scientific principles.
• Traditional craftsmanship preserves skills passed down through generations.
• Augmented reality applications blur the boundaries between the digital and real worlds.
• Public transportation systems facilitate urban mobility and reduce carbon footprints.
• Jazz music captures improvisational brilliance and rhythmic complexities.
• Antique collecting cherishes artifacts from bygone eras, each with its unique story.
• Gene editing techniques hold the promise of eradicating genetic disorders.
• Organic agriculture prioritizes natural growth processes and shuns chemical interventions.
• Adventure travel invigorates the spirit with challenges and uncharted experiences.
• Photojournalism chronicles real-life events, capturing moments that resonate deeply.
• Neuroscience research explores the intricate workings of the human brain.
• Contemporary dance expresses emotions and stories through fluid movements.
• Ecosystem restoration projects aim to revive habitats and promote biodiversity.
• Pet adoption campaigns advocate for giving shelter animals a second chance.
• Solar-powered solutions present sustainable alternatives to conventional energy sources.

Each of these topic sentences encapsulates a distinct theme or idea, forming a foundation upon which a robust, engaging essay can be constructed. By crafting clear and compelling topic sentences, writers can navigate their readers through diverse landscapes of thought, ensuring a coherent and memorable journey.

Is a topic sentence 1 sentence?

Absolutely, a topic sentence is typically one sentence that succinctly captures the main idea or central theme of a paragraph. Its primary role is to provide clarity and direction, giving readers a concise overview of what to expect in the subsequent lines. The topic sentence functions much like a thesis statement for a paragraph, presenting the focal point around which other sentences revolve. By offering a clear snapshot of the paragraph’s intent, it helps readers grasp the essence of the content and understand the progression of ideas.

Are topic sentences always the first sentence?

Traditionally, topic sentences often appear at the beginning of a paragraph, setting the tone and direction for the following sentences. However, they don’t always have to be the first sentence. The placement can vary based on the writing style, structure, and the purpose of the text.

• Beginning: In academic and many forms of informative writing, topic sentences usually start the paragraph. This placement offers immediate clarity and direction to readers.
• Middle: Sometimes, writers might begin with a few introductory sentences before delving into the main idea, which is then presented in the form of a topic sentence in the middle of the paragraph. This can be especially effective in narrative or creative writing where setting a scene or building anticipation is crucial.
• End: In certain cases, the topic sentence might conclude a paragraph, serving as a summarization or a transitional point leading to the next section.
• Implied: Occasionally, especially in more narrative or descriptive paragraphs, the main idea might be implied rather than explicitly stated in a single topic sentence.

Regardless of its position, the role of the topic sentence remains the same: to anchor the reader and provide a clear focus for the paragraph. The key is to ensure that wherever the topic sentence is placed, it should effectively guide the reader through the content and highlight the central theme.

How do you write Essay Topic Sentences? – Step by Step Guide

The quality of an essay often hinges on its topic sentences. These crucial components anchor each paragraph, guiding the reader and establishing a clear focus. Here’s a step-by-step guide to crafting compelling essay topic sentences:

• Understand the Paragraph’s Purpose: Before penning a topic sentence, grasp the main idea or argument your paragraph intends to convey.
• Be Clear and Concise: The topic sentence should succinctly summarize the paragraph’s central theme. Avoid ambiguity or overly complex language.
• Stay Relevant: Ensure your topic sentence aligns with the thesis or main argument of your essay.
• Use Specific Language: Instead of broad generalities, be precise. For instance, instead of “Books are beneficial,” say “Reading classic literature enriches one’s vocabulary and cognitive skills.”
• Avoid Mere Statements of Fact: A topic sentence should provide insight or a perspective rather than just stating an obvious fact.
• Incorporate Transitional Words: Especially in longer essays, use transitional phrases like “Furthermore,” “However,” or “In contrast” to guide the reader and indicate the flow of ideas.
• Test its Strength: Once written, check if your topic sentence provides a clear roadmap for the paragraph. It should set expectations for what’s to come.
• Iterate and Refine: Don’t be afraid to revise your topic sentence multiple times until it feels just right. It’s an integral part of the writing process.

Tips for Using Essay Topic Sentences

Topic sentences can elevate the quality of your essay when used effectively. Here are some tips to make the most of them:

• Maintain Consistency: Ensure that your topic sentences are consistent in style and tone throughout the essay.
• Vary Sentence Structures: While maintaining clarity, try different structures to keep your writing dynamic and engaging.
• Link to Previous Ideas: Especially in longer essays, make sure your topic sentences build upon the ideas from previous paragraphs. This creates a cohesive flow.
• Stay On Topic: A common pitfall is to deviate from the main idea. Ensure your topic sentence and the subsequent content remain aligned.
• Avoid Overly General Statements: Aim for specificity in your topic sentences to give readers a clear idea of what to expect.
• Seek Feedback: Have someone review your essay, paying particular attention to topic sentences. Fresh eyes can often spot inconsistencies or areas of improvement.
• Practice Regularly: Like any skill, crafting excellent topic sentences improves with practice. The more you write and revise, the more intuitive the process becomes.

By mastering the art of essay topic sentences, you can guide your readers smoothly through your content, ensuring clarity, engagement, and a strong narrative flow.

Essay Topic Generator

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What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse?

It almost time! Millions of Americans across the country Monday are preparing to witness the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse as it passes over portions of Mexico, the United States and Canada.

It's a sight to behold and people have now long been eagerly awaiting what will be their only chance until 2044 to witness totality, whereby the moon will completely block the sun's disc, ushering in uncharacteristic darkness.

That being said, many are curious on what makes the solar eclipse special and how is it different from a lunar eclipse.

The total solar eclipse is today: Get the latest forecast and everything you need to know

What is an eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when any celestial object like a moon or a planet passes between two other bodies, obscuring the view of objects like the sun, according to NASA .

What is a solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching our planet, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," whereby observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, presents a spectacular sight for viewers and confuses animals – causing nocturnal creatures to stir and bird and insects to fall silent.

Partial eclipses, when some part of the sun remains visible, are the most common, making total eclipses a rare sight.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. When this happens, Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon’s surface, Earth's shadow falls on it.

Lunar eclipses are often also referred to the "blood moon" because when the Earth's shadow covers the moon, it often produces a red color. The coloration happens because a bit of reddish sunlight still reaches the moon's surface, even though it's in Earth's shadow.

Difference between lunar eclipse and solar eclipse

The major difference between the two eclipses is in the positioning of the sun, the moon and the Earth and the longevity of the phenomenon, according to NASA.

A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours, while a solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes. Solar eclipses also rarely occur, while lunar eclipses are comparatively more frequent. While at least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, total lunar eclipses are still rare, says NASA.

Another major difference between the two is that for lunar eclipses, no special glasses or gizmos are needed to view the spectacle and one can directly stare at the moon. However, for solar eclipses, it is pertinent to wear proper viewing glasses and take the necessary safety precautions because the powerful rays of the sun can burn and damage your retinas.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Doyle Rice, USA TODAY