Writing Effective Paragraphs

Chapter 8

Structure of a Paragraph
Topic Sentence

Supporting Details

Concluding or Transitional
Sentence

Identifies what the paragraph is about

Makes a point about the topic
Connects to the previous paragraph

Explain the topic sentence

Support the topic sentence with evidence
such as examples, facts, statistics, personal
experience, and definitions

Draws the paragraph to a close or

Leads to the next paragraph

Writing a topic sentence

A topic sentence states the main point of a
paragraph
Unfocused:
Focused:

Some members of minority groups do not

approve of affirmative action.
Some members of minority groups do not
approve of affirmative action because it implies
that they are not capable of obtaining
employment based on their own
accomplishments.

Writing a Topic Sentence

Unfocused:
Focused:

Many student believe that hate groups should be

allowed om campus.
The neo-Nazis, a group that promotes hate
crimes, should not be permitted to speak in our
local community college because most students
find its members views objectionable.

Both examples include a because clause that introduces reasons

for the reader to believe the assertion.

 A topic sentence should support your thesis

You state your main point and then explain it

A topic sentence should be strategically placed

When one or two sentences at the beginning of a
paragraph are needed to smooth the transition from
one paragraph to the next, the topic sentence may
follow the transition sentence

Topic Sentence Last

Common in argumentative writing, this allows
writer to present convincing evidence before
stating their point about the issue.

Exercise 8.7
1. The topic sentences are sentence 1, para. 2; sentence 2,
para. 2; sentence 1 para. 3; sentence 1, para 4. Each relates
to one of the main ideas in the thesis, either learning or
friendship.
2. Ferguson uses a portion of her story about becoming a
literacy volunteer to support each paragraph.
3. Para 2chronologically (sequence of presentations w/in a
lesson); para 3illustrations of Maries literacy, from most to
least important; para 4 and 5 chronological order
progression from student teacher relationship to friendship
4. Transitions of time: when and as, establish contrast: as
though, and transitions that introduce illustrations: for
example and in fact.