What is a topic sentence in a paragraph?

Last Updated: May 02, 2017     Views: 178864

A topic sentence is a sentence that introduces a paragraph by presenting the one topic that will be the focus of that paragraph. 

The structure of a paragraph should imitate the organization of a paper. Just like the thesis statement gives the main idea of the paper at the essay level, the topic sentence gives the main idea at the paragraph level. The rest of the paragraph then supports that topic.

Topic sentences should:

• Be specific and have a narrower focus than your thesis statement.

• Appear in or near the first sentence of the paragraph.
• Introduce the topic of the paragraph.

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Related Topics

1. Career development
2. How To Write a Topic Sentence (With Examples and Tips)

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated February 22, 2021 | Published November 5, 2020

Updated February 22, 2021

Published November 5, 2020

When you compose a piece of writing, it's important to organize your ideas so readers understand your main point and sub-points. Creating a topic sentence for your introductory paragraph and supporting paragraphs is an essential part of non-fiction writing. Learning how to write effective topic sentences can help you present your main idea and supporting information clearly to your audience.

In this article, we explain the purpose of a topic sentence, show you how to write a topic sentence and share examples and tips to help you craft strong topic sentences in your own writing.

What is a topic sentence?

A topic sentence is the opening sentence to a paragraph that gives the general idea (topic) of what the writing will be about. It needs to give broad enough information to allow for multiple subtopics and examples without being so general that it makes the purpose of the writing unclear.

Topic sentences help guide the reader by introducing the subject of the rest of the paragraph. They relate to the main idea of the entire piece of writing and present the specific topic that is the focus of a paragraph. Topic sentences provide structure to a paragraph and piece of writing as a whole.

Related: How to Write an Intro Paragraph

How is a topic sentence different from a thesis statement?

A thesis statement is the sentence that states the repeated focus for an entire piece of writing. The thesis statement of an essay is usually written after a hook and or topic sentence of the introductory paragraph to make a point that will be supported by examples throughout the entire essay. A topic sentence, however, can be used to back up the thesis by introducing the topic of each supporting paragraph.

Here's an example:

• Opening paragraph topic sentence: Tea has long been studied and enjoyed for its beneficial properties.

• Thesis: Drinking tea has positive effects on a person's overall health because of the compounds it contains.

If you were composing an essay using these examples, you would create multiple paragraphs to explain what compounds are in tea and why they are good for your health. The topic sentence for each paragraph would introduce a topic like "cancer-fighting compounds in green tea" or "how tea lowers cholesterol." Both of these topics support the thesis that tea has positive effects on a person's health because of the compounds they contain.

Related: How to Write a Thesis Statement (With Tips and Examples)

How to write a topic sentence

Follow these ideas to create a topic sentence for multiple paragraphs:

1. Identify the main point in your piece of writing

Think about the overall topic for your writing. Decide how you can introduce this idea to your readers with an interesting opening sentence.

2. Write a sentence that connects to your main idea with a what and a why

Write a clear topic sentence by describing the what and the why of an idea that relates to your main point. State what the topic is and why it matters. Here is an example of using the what and why structure with the previous topic of tea.

Example:

• What: Tea has long been studied and enjoyed

• Why: For its beneficial properties

3. Use the sentence you created as an opening statement

Compose an opening sentence to your piece of writing that introduces the main point for the entire work using the what and why structure. Place this sentence before your thesis statement to act as an introduction to both the thesis and main idea of the entire piece of writing.

4. Create the first sentence in each supporting paragraph

Write a sentence that begins each supporting paragraph by introducing the new topic for that section and connects readers back to the main idea of your piece of writing. Continue to use the what and why structure as you create new topic sentences for each paragraph.

Tips for writing a topic sentence

Here are some helpful ideas for creating and using topic sentences in your writing:

Use new information

Create a topic sentence that gives readers something interesting to think about instead of an obvious statement (something everybody knows). When you create a topic sentence, present the information in a new way that is not just a fact statement.

Example:

• Obvious statement: Tea is a hot beverage that you steep.

• Interesting statement: Tea, a hot brewed beverage, is steeped to release the full taste of the leaves that create this drink.

Make your topic sentence complex or compound

Compound and complex sentences make topic sentences sound stronger and more high-level. Create a compound sentence with two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction and a comma. Compose a complex sentence with a subordinate clause and an independent clause joined by a comma and a subordinating conjunction.

Example:

• Compound sentence: The Victorian Era was a time of invention, but (coordinating conjunction) it was also ruled by strict social cues.

• Complex sentence: When (subordinating conjunction) birds migrate for winter, they follow aerial paths that have been used by their flock for generations.

Try transition words

Words like "although," "another" and "even though" act as transitions to begin a new paragraph. You can use these in a topic sentence that starts a support paragraph or possibly in your opening statement topic sentence.

Example:

• Another way local farms support sustainability is by using conservation methods.

• Even though hurricane season starts in June, most major hurricanes come toward the end of August or later.

Topic sentences are used for most nonfiction writing

Learning to use topic sentences effectively can help you write nearly any piece of nonfiction. Here are some examples of common forms of non-fiction writing that use topic sentences:

• Different types of essays (expository, persuasive and narrative)

• Blogs

• Articles

• Speeches

Use a topic sentence later in the opening paragraph

You don't have to always make a topic sentence the first sentence in a paragraph. In an opening paragraph, you can use a topic sentence after the hook to get readers interested with a statement that grabs their attention.

Related: How to Write a Great Career Goals Essay

Examples of topic sentences

Here are examples of topic sentences with a main idea listed to help you see how the topic sentence supports the main point of a piece of writing:

Example 1:

• Main idea: President James Polk expanded the physical land of the United States during his presidency.

• Topic sentence: Before leaving office, President Polk acquired territory in the western United States.

Example 2:

• Main idea: Space agencies are planning a crewed mission to Mars within the next two decades.

• Topic sentence: Humans can more easily reach Mars by using the moon as a launch base.

Example 3:

• Main idea: The ocean is the most unexplored place on our planet.

• Topic sentence: Many deep areas of the Pacific Ocean have never been studied by humans.