topic sentence

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

See also:

• Developing a Topic Sentence With Examples
• Draft a Descriptive Paragraph
• Model Descriptive Paragraphs
• Practice in Composing Topic Sentences
• Supporting a Topic Sentence with Specific Details

Examples and Observations:

• "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)



• "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 key word--'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)



• "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)



• "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:
  
  
  1. Make sure you provide a topic sentence. . . .
  2. Put your topic sentence first. . . .
  3. 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)