1-1 Paragraph Structure

• Topic sentence: This is a sentence describing the main idea and focus of the paragraph. In order to be effective, a topic sentence can’t be too narrow, too broad, incomplete, or an announcement.
• Supporting sentences: These are the sentences that provide reasons and supporting details to expand upon the main idea and back it up with details and facts. In order to be effective, supporting sentences need to be focused, have supporting details, and be clearly related to the main idea.
• Concluding sentence: The concluding sentence summarizes, restates and reviews the main idea. An effective concluding sentence lets the reader know that the topic has been fully developed.

Topic Sentences

Ineffective Topic Sentences

• In the United States, drinking and driving kills more than 10,000 people every year. This is a fact. There is no idea here that can be developed further with reasons and support. It’s too narrow to be a topic sentence.
• Workplace harassment is bad. This can be developed with reasons, but it’s too broad. It needs to be focused. How is it bad? For whom? In what way?
• The many reasons why you shouldn’t use e-cigarettes. This is an incomplete sentence. While this may be a good topic, it is not a topic sentence because it is grammatically incomplete.
• I will now explain why it’s important to have open communication between roommates. This is an announcement. You don’t need to tell the reader what you are going to do; just do it!

Effective Topic Sentences

Having open communication with your roommates is important because it will help you understand each other and deal with problems before they get too serious.