TOPIC SENTENCE

Definition: It is a sentence which essentially tells what the rest of the paragraph is about. It can be
found at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the first paragraph. Generally, it is placed at
the beginning of the paragraph.

A topic sentence is compound of two elements: the topic and the controlling idea.

Here are some examples:

 Topic Sentence: There are many reasons why pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the
world.  
 The topic is “pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world” and the controlling idea is
“many reasons.”

Identify the topic and the controlling ideas in the following topic sentences

 Topic Sentence: There are many possible contributing factors to global warming.
 The topic is global warning
the controlling factor is the possible contributing factors
 
 Topic Sentence: Fortune hunters encounter many difficulties when exploring a shipwreck.  
 The topic is Fortune hunters
 the controlling idea is difficulties when exploring a shipwreck
 
 Topic Sentence: Dogs make wonderful pets because they help you to live longer. 
 The topic is Dogs make wonderful pets
 the controlling idea is they help you to live longer
 
 Topic Sentence: Crime in poverty-stricken areas occurs as a result of a systemic
discrimination. 
 The topic is crime in poverty stricken areas
 the controlling idea is systemic discrimination. 
 
 Topic Sentence: Teen pregnancy may be prevented by improved education.
 The topic is Teen pregnancy
 the controlling idea is may be prevented by improved education
 
 Topic Sentence: Cooking requires a number of different skills.
 The topic is Cooking
 the controlling idea is requires a number of different skills
 
 Topic Sentence: It is important to be ready before buying a house.
 The topic is buying a house.
 the controlling idea is It is important to be ready
 
The following groups of sentences can be rearranged to form paragraphs. Make a note of the
order in which they should be placed (e.g. b., d., c., a., e.) and put a ring around the letter that
corresponds to what you think is the topic sentence.

Paragraph 1

a. Next, add antifreeze to your windshield (parabrisas) washer fluid; otherwise, the fluid will
freeze and possibly break the container.
b. First, put on snow tires if you plan to drive on snowy, icy roads very often.
c. Driving in winter, especially on snowy, icy roads (carreteras congeladas), can be less
troublesome if you take a few simple precautions.
d. Finally, it is also a good idea to carry tire chains, a can of spray to unfreeze door locks, and
a windshield scraper (espatula) in your car when driving in winter weather.
e. Second, check the amount of antifreeze in your radiator and add more if necessary.

SOLUTION

C, B, E, A, D

Paragraph 2

a. A breakthrough (un descubrimiento) in one of these areas will hopefully provide a means of
(un medio de) relieving (aliviando) both the overstretched (ampliar) oil market and the
environment.
b. Researchers in the automobile industry are experimenting with different types of engines
and fuels (combustibles) as alternatives to the conventional gasoline engines (maquina).
c. One new type of engine, which burns diesel oil instead of gasoline, has been avaliable for
several years.
d. Finally, several automobile manufactureres are experimenting with methanol, which is a
mixture of gasoline and methyl alcohol, as an automobile fuel.
e. A further type is the gas turbine engine, which can use fuels made from gasoline, diesel oil,
kerosene and other petroleum distillates.
f. The increasing depletion of oil reserves, along with (junto con) environmental concerns,
have prompted (promover) some radical developments in car design over the past few years

SOLUTION

F, B, C, E, A, D

Topic: Radical developments in car design

The controlling idea is depletion of oil reserves and environmental concerns

Select the topic sentence to begin each of the following paragraphs.

1. Americans relaxing at home, for example, may put on kimonos, which is a Japanese word.
Americans who live in a warm climate may take an afternoon siesta on an outdoor patio
without even realizing (sin siquiera darse cuenta) that these are Spanish words. In their
gardens, they may enjoy the fragrance of jasmine flowers, a word that came into English
from Persian. They may even relax on a chaise longue (silla de Descanso) , while sipping
(sorbiendo) a drink made with vodka, words of French and Russian origin, respectively.
a. Americans are easygoing people and don´t care much about language.
b. Although the majority of Americans may not be aware of it (estar consciente de),
many features (aspectos/caracteristicas) of their culture and their language are in
fact imports from other cultures.
c. English is compound of many different languages
2. In European universities, students are not required to attend classes. In fact, professors in
Germany generally do not know the names of the students enrolled in their courses. In the
United States, however, students are required to attend all classes and may be penalized if
they do not. Furthermore (ademas), in the European system, there is usually just one
comprehensive examination at the end of the students' entire four or five years of study. In
the American system, on the other hand, there are usually numerous quizzes, texts, and
homework assignments, and there is almost always a final examination in each course at the
end of the semester.

a. American and European educational systems differ in many aspects

b. University systems and syllabi (curriculum) can vary considerably from country to
country and particularly from continent to continent.
c. American education is much more strict than education in Europe

3. For example, the Eskimos, living in a treeless (sin arboles) region of snow and ice,
sometimes build temporary homes out of thick (grueso) blocks of ice. People who live in
deserts, on the other hand, use the most available material, mud (pantano) or clay (arsilla),
which provides good insulation from the heat (caliente). In Northern Europe, Russia and
other areas of the world where forests are plentiful, people usually construct their homes
out of wood. In the islands of the South Pacific, where there is a plentiful supply (provision)
of bamboo and palm, people use these tough (aspero/duro), fibrous plants to build their
home.

a. House construction in various parts of the world depends mainly on the availability of
building materials.
b. Depending on the environments, the construction vary in terms of materials.
c. Ice, wood, mud and bamboo are the most common materials for construction around
the world.

Identify the topic sentences in the following paragraphs.

Paragraph 1
The maintenance (el mantenimiento) of order in prestate societies is rooted (se origina) in a
commonality of material interests. The greater the amount of common interests, the less need there
is for law-and-order specialists. Among (entre) band-level cultures law and order stem (proviene)
directly from the relations between people and the natural habitat from which subsistence is
derived. All adults usually have open access to this habitat: the rivers, lakes, beaches, oceans; all the
plants and animals; the soil and the subsoil. In so far as these are basic to the extraction of life-
sustaining energy and materials they are communal "property."

(Marvin Harris, (1975), Culture, people nature, p. 356)

Topic sentence: The maintenance of order in prestate societies is rooted in a commonality of

material interests.

Topic: The maintenance of order in prestate societies

The controlling idea: is rooted in a commonality of material interests.

Paragraph 2

Though the United States has spent billions of dollars on foreign aid programs (programas de
ayuda), it has captured neither the affection nor esteem (estima) of the rest of the world. In many
countries today Americans are cordially disliked; in others merely (unicamente) tolerated. The
reasons for this sad state of affairs (situacion) are many and varied, and some of them are beyond
the control of anything this country might do to try to correct them. But harsh (duro) as it may seem
to the ordinary citizen, filled as he is with good intentions and natural generosity, much of the
foreigners' animosity has been generated by the way Americans behave.

(Edward Hall, (1973), The silent language, p. xiii)

Topic sentence: In many countries today, Americans are cordially disliked; in others merely
tolerated

Topic: Americans are cordially disliked

The controlling idea: merely tolerated

Paragraph 3

Anthropology is the study of humankind, especially of Homo sapiens, the biological species to
which we human beings belong. (pertenecer) It is the study of how our species evolved
(evolucionar) from more primitive organisms; it is also the study of how our species developed a
mode of communication known as language and a mode of social life known as culture. It is the
study of how culture evolved and diversified. And finally, it is the study of how culture, people, and
nature interact wherever (donde quiera) human beings are found.

Topic sentence: Anthropology is the study of humankind, especially of Homo sapiens, the
biological species to which we human beings belong.

Topic: Anthropology
The controlling idea: study of Homo sapiens