My first day of college was a disaster. First, I went to the wrong classroom for math. I was sitting in the class, surrounded by people taking notes and paying attention to how to do equations, which would have been okay if I was supposed to be in an algebra class. In reality, I was supposed to be in geometry, and when I discovered my error, I had already missed the first twenty minutes of a one-hour class.
When I got to the correct class, all twenty-five students turned and looked at me as the teacher said, "You're late. My day seemed to be going better during botany class, that is, until we visited the lab. I had a sneezing fit because of one of the plants in the lab and had to leave the room.
When I finally finished my classes for the day, I discovered I had locked my keys in the car and had to wait for my brother to bring another set. Topic Sentence to begin paragraph: In the novel Sula , Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness.
In addition, the author uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her adolescent protagonists into self-awareness. Specificity Your topic sentence should be more narrowly focused than your thesis sentence, and you will want to make sure the claim you are making can be supported, argued, and analyzed within the body of your paragraph. Example: In the novel Sula , Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness. Direct Quotations Are Best Avoided Although it might be tempting to begin a paragraph with a compelling quotation, as a general rule, topic sentences should state the main idea of the paragraph in your own words.
Needs Improvement: As Morrison conveyed, the girls' "friendship let them use each other to grow on…they found in each other's eyes the intimacy they were looking for" p. Better: In the novel Sula , Morrison uses the physical bonds of female friendship to propel her characters into self-awareness. Pointing to the connection of eyes meeting and bodies growing together, Morrison makes coming-of-age an interactive physical process between the adolescent protagonists.
Specifically, Morrison describes how Sula and Nel have used "each other to grow on…they found in each other's eyes the intimacy they were looking for" p.
Extra Tips If you are finding it challenging to create effective topic sentences, you might consider outlining before beginning to write a paper. Related Resources. Student Wellness and Disability Services Any concerns about accessibility of materials on this site or compatibility with assistive technology should be addressed to disability mail.
Walden Departments, Centers, and Resources. It also gives readers the tools they need to clearly understand what you have to say. If you're ready to get started on your next writing assignment, learn how to create a five-paragraph essay outline that is sure to keep your writing organized. All rights reserved. Topic Sentences and Controlling Ideas Topic sentences introduce a paragraph and connect to an essay's thesis statement , which is the topic sentence of your entire essay.
Cats are very good pets for several reasons. Our school's dress code policy has many negative consequences for girls. The world population is strongly impacted by a lack of access to water. Topic Sentence Examples Now that you know the main parts of a topic sentence, take a look at how they look in different subjects. The topic is "pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world" and the controlling idea is "many reasons.
The topic is "To be an effective CEO" and the controlling idea is "certain characteristics. The topic is "global warming" and the controlling idea is "contributing factors. The topic is "exploring a shipwreck" and the controlling idea is "many difficulties. The topic is "dogs make wonderful pets" and the controlling idea is "because they help you to live longer. The topic is "crime in poverty-stricken areas" and the controlling idea is "systemic discrimination. Examples of Topic Sentences as Transitions Skillful writers use topic sentences to both introduce their paragraph and to transition from the previous paragraph.
Examples of topic sentences as transitions include: Another way to reduce teen pregnancy rates is improved education.
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