The Topic Sentence = Topic + Controlling Idea
3) The topic sentence should be neither too general nor too specific.
Examples: 1) The importance of reading widely.
The Characteristics
1) The topic sentence must be a complete sentence. 2) The topic sentence should always contain both a
topic and a controlling idea.
• Industrial waste poured into Lake Michigan has led to dramatic changes in its ability to support marine life.
• In order to fully explore the wreck of the Titanic, scientists must address several problems.
• There are several advantages to growing up in a small town.
• Most US universities require a 550 point TOEFL score for a number of reasons.
• Air pollution in Mexico City is the worst in the world for a number of reasons.
Paragraph Writing
Paragraph Writing
What is the structure of a paragraph?
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Reading widely is very important in improving one’s reading comprehension. 2) Fire accidents in big cities. Recently years have witnessed a marked growth of fire accidents in big cities in our country. 3) To make all the decisions for children. Parents in China tend to make all the decisions for their children.
• Animals in danger of becoming extinct come from a wide range of countries.
• Effective leadership requires specific qualities that anyone can develop.
types of sentences paragraph:
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1.Topic sentence; (主题句 ) 2.Supporting sentences;(扩展句/阐述句 ) 3.Concluding sentence. (结论句/结尾句 )
sentences to give more detailed information about
the topic sentence.
a sentence to end a paragraph or to summarize(总结） the ideas.
The Topic Sentence
• The characteristics of a topic sentence • The positions of a topic sentence
Note: a controlling idea commits the paragraph to a specific aspect of the topic.
e.g.
1) Convenience foods are easy to prepare.
2) Alcoholic beverages should be banned from college campuses for two reasons.
3) There are quite a few unusual superstitions in China about marriage.
Read the following topic sentences and then identify the topic and the controlling idea in each sentence • People can avoid burglaries by taking certain precautions.
The topic tells the reader what the paragraph is about. (general)
The controlling idea is a key word or phrase that expresses the basic point of a paragraph.(specific)
• Fixing a flat tire on a bicycle is easy if you follow these steps.
• Riding a bicycle gives pleasure.
• There are several enjoyable ways to travel between the US and Queretaro.