Organization of a paragraph

A paragraph is made up of three kinds of sentences that develop the writer’s main idea, opinion, or feeling about a
subject. These sentences are:

1. The topic sentence

2. Supporting sentences
3. Concluding sentences

In the paragraph “River Rafting”, the first sentence is the topic sentence. It tells the reader what the paragraph is
about: requirements for river rafting. The fifteen supporting sentences that follow supply the details about river
rafting. The seventeenth sentence is the concluding sentence. It makes a final statement about the topic and tells the
reader that the paragraph is finished. The very last sentence is the writer’s comment about the subject.

The Topic Sentence

The topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph. It is the key sentence because it names the subject
and the controlling idea: the writer’s main idea, opinion, or feeling about that topic.

You write the topic sentence at the beginning of the text for two reasons. First, it will tell the reader what you are
going to say. Second, you can look back at the topic sentence often as you write the supporting sentences. It helps you
to stay on the subject as you write.

The topic sentence is a complete sentence. It has three parts: a subject, a verb, and a controlling idea.

Determining the subject sentence is a process of narrowing down an idea form general to specific. If you have to
write about a very general topic, such as college, vacations, or nuclear power, for a writing assignment, you have to
narrow it down to a limited topic that can be discussed in one paragraph. For example, the topic of sports is too
general to write about. There are many specific things about sports, such as professional sports, team or individual
sports, or water sports, that you can discuss. One writer might narrow down the subject of sports to the more specific
subject of river rafting.

Narrowing ideas: sports - water sports - on a river - dangerous - river rafting

I. Narrow the following ideas according to the example:

a) Science / space science / space exploration / unmanned exploration / Mars expedition

b) Sports / individual sports /

c) Vacation /
II. Study the following pairs of sentences and check the one you think would be a good, clear topic sentence for
a paragraph.

a) ( ) Snow skiing on the highest mountainsides requires great skill.

b) ( ) Snow skiing is fun.

c) ( ) Exercise is healthful.
d) ( ) Jogging is healthful for several reasons.

e) ( ) Camping is a great outdoor activity.

f) ( ) Camping requires a variety of special equipment.

g) ( ) The legal age for drinking alcoholic drinks should be twenty-one for several reasons.
h) ( ) Drinking is dangerous to your health.

i) ( ) Small cars are popular.

j) ( ) Driving an UP (Volkswagen car) saves money.

k) ( ) Miami is an exciting city.

l) ( ) Miami is a shopper’s dream world.

m) ( ) The violence on television can affect children’s emotional well being.

n) ( ) Watching television is a waste of time.

o) ( ) Smoking is a bad habit.

p) ( ) It is difficult to quit smoking for three reasons.

III. Write a topic sentence on the following topics. Ask wh- questions to limit the topic and the controlling idea.

Ex.: camping: To set up camp requires a variety of special equipment.

a) Sport heroes (Who? Which sport? Why?)

b) Classes (Which is my worst / best class? / Why? / How can I describe it?)

c) Television

d) Studying

e) Water sports

f) Watching sports on television