How to write a strong topic sentence + examples (2023)

What is covered:

• What is a theme set?
• 5 steps to writing a good topic sentence
• Elements of a good theme set
• Common pitfalls to avoid
• Where you can get your essay edited for free

Creating the perfect essay takes time and dedication. There are so many elements that you need to deal with such as tone of voice, purpose and correct spelling and grammar. Writing strong topic sentences is another important part of writing a coherent essay.

Without a strong topic sentence, you risk losing your reader and maybe part of your note. If it's a college entrance essay, you need to be as strong as you can to support your application. Know the steps you should take to write a strong topic sentence.

What is a theme set?

People often confuse a topic sentence with a thesis statement. A thesis usually comes at the end of the introductory paragraph, which sets out the main argument you will make in your essay.

In your essay, you will have multiple topic sentences, since each paragraph should start with one. This opening sentence is used to advance the subject of the paragraph and to outline the flow of subsequent sentences. It is used to guide your reader and tie them to your dress essay. Without topic sentences, your essay will look cluttered, have no 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 will write about.

When you see the compose prompt, you have some time to think about what you want to say and why. You need to decide whether it is a persuasive, informative, narrative, or descriptive essay. Determine your purpose for writing the essay after reading the prompt. Whether it's an assignment for school or college entry, you need to make sure you have clearly outlined that purpose.

Step 2: Write a thesis.

One of the first things you need to do is create a thesis statement. Typically, this is a three-point sentence that you will endorse throughout your essay.

For example:The Office has become a cultural phenomenon because it ignited the careers of many of today's successful movie stars, addressed situations most working Americans can relate to, and even 15 years later provides fun and relevant content that helps break down prejudice to break.

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

Step 3: Sketch your essay.

After defining the points you want to emphasize in your thesis, create an outline for your essay. This is where you start creating your topic set for each paragraph. You want to clearly state the main idea of ​​this paragraph in the very first sentence. From there, back up that main idea with reputable facts and sources. Make sure your topic sentence is clear, but don't just announce your topic.

For example, don't write something like, "In this paragraph, I'm going to discuss why it's bad for poachers to kill giraffes."

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

You would then explain why giraffes are an important part of the African ecosystem and how poachers are destroying their population.

Step 4: Start writing your essay.

Once you have your thesis and have created an outline with supporting paragraphs and your topic sentences, you can start writing your essay. It's important to create this outline before you begin - a disorganized essay can spell disaster for you as you continue writing and could result in a bad grade. In fact, professors often require that you submit your outline as part of your overall writing grade.

Step 5: Review and confirm your features.

Once you've written the essay, go through it again with a fine-toothed comb. Read each topic sentence and the following paragraphs to make sure you've written clear, solid topic sentences and that the paragraphs with them make sense. During the correction phase, you also need to check the fonts you are using. Make sure each source is reputable. In other words, don't use sites like Wikipedia, where anyone can come in and edit an article to add misinformation. Use websites that:

• Real, reputable news sources like thatNew York Times, CNN, CBS News
• Do you have domain names ending in .edu or .gov?
• Coming from an encyclopedia such as the Encyclopedia Britannica

Using untrustworthy websites may affect the validity of your argument.

Elements of a good theme set

Now that you know the steps to be successful at writing a topic sentence, there are certain elements that go into a quality first sentence. Always make sure your topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph. You don't want to make your reader chase after the point you're trying to make. Consider some key elements of a good topic sentence:

Make sure your topic sentence isn't too vague.

You need a theme set with some specifics. He also has to somehow captivate his reader with an opinion. A vague sentence makes it harder to write a paragraph that can clearly support your thoughts. For example:

NO: "In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bingley seems like a nice guy."

DO: "When Mr. Bingley is first introduced, he seems like a friendly person because he talks to everyone and isn't immediately biased."

Choose a sensible opinion.

Your topic sentence should clearly state the point you are trying to make in the paragraph, but you want to choose a sensible opinion that can be easily backed up with facts and statistics. Here's an example of what you should and shouldn't do:

NOT: "It's obvious that Mr. Bingley was a total failure with no spine."

DO: "Mr. Bingley should have shown more confidence in his decisions and opposed Mr. Darcy when he fell in love with Jane Bennet.

You can then back this up with facts by saying that he was a wealthy Englishman and thus one of the leading figures in society at the time, which should have given him more confidence. If he had been more confident he might not have gone off and wrecked Jane.

Use your theme phrase as a transition.

Your topic sentence should not only tell the reader the point of your next paragraph, but also serve as a transition to the previous paragraph. Without a transition, the essay can feel choppy and disjointed. For example:

NO: "Mr. Bingley is a good man and here's why."

DO: "Although Mr. Bingley broke Jane's heart by leaving, he redeemed himself by returning to Netherfield Hall."

Keep your topic sentence short.

A long, drawn-out topic sentence can risk losing your reader. It's often difficult to get the gist of a sentence when it's going on for a long time. You want a clear, concise sentence that draws the reader in, but also leaves room for expansion in the next paragraph.

NOT: "Throughout Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bingley used to be very different from Mr. Elizabeth's sisters, rudely encouraged him to do so, and were also kind to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, despite his manners.

DO: "In general, Mr. Bingley served as a foil to Mr. Darcy throughout the story, treating everyone around her equally with dignity and grace."

Common pitfalls to avoid

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

Don't wait until the last minute.

If your teacher gives you an essay or tells you that a writing test is coming up, don't wait until the day before to do something about it. You have to plan or study and take the time to do it. If you know it will take a while to write something, start planning as soon as you get the task.

Don't forget to write an outline.

Along with planning, make sure you have written this outline and planned it well. It serves as a guide for writing the essay. Without this, you run the risk of ending up with a disorganized essay that doesn't clearly illustrate your point.

Ask for help when you need it.

This is possibly the most important pitfall to avoid. If you lose your mind while writing, don't be afraid to ask for help. Ask a friend to proofread your essay, or ask your teacher for advice.

Where you can get your essay edited for free

After you have completed your essay, you may want additional information. There are tools to help, but CollegeVine is freePeer-Writing-Review-Toolpractical feedback from students like you. CollegeVine's tool has helped many students, and it can help you too! Asking peers for feedback can help refine your writing, and it never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes reading what you've written. Try the free tool today!