topic sentence for english essay

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30 Topic Sentence Examples

June 24, 2024

What is an essay without a topic sentence? Well, confusion. In your writing, the topic sentence introduces what the paragraph will be about. It should cover the topic of the paragraph and the prime focus of what you want to discuss in the next several lines. And it can assist in smoothly transitioning into the next paragraph, the next point you’re about to make. Depending on the complexity of your argument, the topic sentence can also weave together several paragraphs. So when the topic sentence is missing, it’s easy to lose track of what your specific message is. Below, you find 30 topic sentence examples.

Think of the topic sentence as a tool in your writing kit. It’s there to help you signpost and structure the argument of your essay. Having it, while making sure the topic is interesting and clear, is essential to help your reader truly understand your thesis.

How do you write a topic sentence?

When you’re about to write an essay, you won’t find yourself immediately thinking of every topic sentence example at once. Figuring out what your thesis is going to be, the very purpose and argument of your essay, will be a necessary first step . Then you might want to create an outline . The outline can draft out what you want to cover in each paragraph or how your argument will be supported.

This is where the topic sentence comes in. For every paragraph, you can begin to think of topic sentence examples that best sum up the rest of your idea. The more interesting you can make the topic sentence, the better it will be, so long as you can support it. Remember, the topic sentence will introduce what you are going to discuss and expand on in the rest of the paragraph.

Examples (Continued)

Let’s take a look at these six topic sentence examples below that introduce a paragraph:

1) Studies over the last ten years have shown that the use of social media has a significant role in teenage mental health.

2) Kate Jackson and her family, who have all been San Francisco residents for 30 years, noted that this was the hottest summer yet.

3) Book sales across the country have actually increased this year, contrary to popular belief.

4) During COVID-19, people rushed to adopt pets, but after the pandemic ended many of those pets were surrendered to shelters.

5) It is undeniable what impact the meat industry has had on our environment.

6) In the 19th century in France, the creation of the Braille system was a significant turning point for those with disabilities.

How do you imagine the rest of the paragraph will turn out? How can you best support your topic sentence to strengthen your overall essay?

Support your paragraph with evidence

The topic sentence of your paragraph will not hold well if it is not backed up with the right evidence. After writing a topic sentence like the topic sentence examples above, the rest of your paragraph should include strong examples of evidence to support your argument. Doing so will only help validate your topic sentence and allow your reader to have more insight into your thesis.

Considering each topic sentence examples above, try to think of what types of evidence you would expect in that same paragraph. There could be reports on statistics, interviews, and other forms of evidence provided. How will yours be?

Where should the topic sentence go?

Now you know that your topic sentence should be followed by the right evidence. So it’s safe to assume that the topic sentence belongs at the very beginning of the paragraph.

Yet depending on the paragraph you’re working on, you can also place your “main” topic sentence after an “intro” topic sentence. Let’s take a look at the two examples below:

7) Due to rising temperatures around the world, people have had to flee their homes and relocate to areas less prone to fires or floods. (Intro topic sentence)

8) However, many have found that even these “safer” locations are still susceptible to eventual natural disasters. (Main topic sentence)

When we combine the two sentences, we get:

Due to rising temperatures around the world, people have had to flee their homes and relocate to areas less prone to fires or floods. However, many have found that even these “safer” locations are still susceptible to eventual natural disasters.

The first (intro) topic sentence example is more generic and introductory, functioning like a summary of an observation. The second (main) topic sentence example then presents another contradictory argument to that first point. Depending on the tone or argument you want to make in your paragraph, you can format your topic sentences in such a way to further sharpen your thesis. Whenever you have doubt though, you can always place one topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph.

Sometimes less is more in writing the topic sentence

The topic sentence introduces the key concept of that paragraph, along with evidence and research findings. It can even be written as more than one sentence or perspective, as noted directly above. However, you also don’t want to say too much. Why?

You don’t want to give all of your information away at once. While it is imperative to write a clear, specific, and even complex topic sentence, it’s just as important to avoid being too general or too informative. Striking the right balance is going to help you structure the rest of your essay. After all, you have the rest of the paragraph and the rest of your essay to do that, which leads us to our next point.

Topic sentences for smoother transitions

Like a game of dominoes, your paragraphs are all connected and should flow smoothly into the next statement you are making. As you are building your outline, or even as you’re already writing, consider how your previous paragraph transitions into the next . This depends on the intention of each paragraph and how you are structuring your argument.

Topic sentences for paragraph transitions have many functions. They will elaborate on more examples. They can wrap up or summarize a preceding point you made, providing another perspective. Also, they can go against a fact or opinion you wrote, which is a great way to strengthen your overall thesis and they can also be posed as a question.

Take a look at these transitional topic sentence examples below:

9) In fact, walking as a form of exercise has shown to reduce cortisol levels.

10) Furthermore, city council representatives have said that environmental sustainability has remained at the top of the agenda, but activists have largely disagreed.

11) While the strike in Hollywood has come to an end, many writers are still without employment and searching for new ways to restart their careers.

12) However, grocery prices across the country still seem to have risen.

13) Despite the state’s discontinued funding for the arts, is there another feasible way for these students to gather together and flourish as young artists at their school?

More than one paragraph: Topic sentences that expand into several key points

So far we’ve covered topic sentences that elaborate on just one paragraph. However, you might find that one topic sentence (or two) can best address several paragraphs. This usually occurs when you’re trying to introduce a bigger argument to serve your essay.

Let’s take one of the single paragraph topic sentences from earlier above and expand it by adding a connecting topic sentence to it:

14)Book sales across the country have actually increased this year, contrary to popular belief.

15) A report from the Association of American Publishers’ StatShot program states that in April sales over a year there has been an 18% increase.

These two topic sentence examples can even serve as their own introductory paragraph. This can then lead into more paragraphs related to the topic of specific book sales increasing across the country:

Book sales across the country have actually increased this year, contrary to popular belief. A report from the Association of American Publishers’ StatShot program states that in April sales over a year there has been an 18% increase.

Make the topic sentence interesting, not obvious

Check out 15 more topic sentence examples below. How do they introduce the topic, and what does it make you want to learn more about? You can imagine what kind of paragraph, or paragraphs, might follow afterwards:

16) When brewed correctly, coffee can hold strong, subtle hints of flavors such as chocolate or fruit, depending on the level of acidity.

17) Although today life in 1920s Paris is often romanticized for its glamor, jazz, and fashion, the city was still struggling to recover from the devastation of World War I.

18) Strict social rules dominated the Victorian Era, despite Britain’s expansion around the world in pursuit of wealth and power.

19) Dogs have a keen sense of time, so much so that they can predict when you’re late to take them out for a walk.

20) Before winter arrives, birds such as cranes and waterfowl follow preferred aerial pathways during their yearly migrations.

21) Conservation methods have helped local farms in their efforts to prioritize sustainability.

22) Did you know that humans would have a better chance of reaching Mars if they had a base set up on the moon?

23) The Pacific Ocean covers more than 30 percent of the earth’s surface, and it is home to so many life forms that have not yet been studied.

24) It is often debated whether or not student athletes should be paid for their performance, considering the cost for them to succeed.

25) Becoming a successful CEO doesn’t just happen overnight.

26) Although purchasing a home is considered a great form of investment, potential buyers should look at the real estate market first.

27) Watching my mother work three jobs to support our family has taught me the importance of resilience and strong work ethic.

28) Historical fiction not only has the power to teach us of actual past events. It also allows us to step into the lives of those we would have never met.

29) Parents and teachers at Sunnyroad School District are advocating for schools to provide free computers for their students – but the administrators aren’t so sure.

30) Across the country, the debate around whether teenagers should be allowed to use smart phones on campus has been circulating.

The topic sentence as a guide

One way to look at topic sentences is to imagine them as guiding compasses of your essay. Whatever point you are trying to make, the topic sentence has the power to guide your reader down a certain path. Choose wisely! And if you’re ever unsure about how to steer your essay and you need a personal guide, we’re here to help .

Additional Resources

• 100 Creative Writing Prompts for Middle & High School
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• 160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024
• How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay (With Example)
• How to Write the AP Lang Argument Essay (With Example)
• 400 Adjectives to Describe a Person
• High School Success

Joanna Hong

With a BA from Pitzer College and an MA from University College London, Joanna has worked in London, Berlin, and Los Angeles covering many cultural and political issues with organizations such as Byline Media, NK News, and Free Turkey Media. A freelancer for The New York Times, her work has also appeared in Newsweek, Dazed and Confused Magazine, and The Guardian, among others. In addition, Joanna was the recipient of the 2021 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship in Fiction and is currently completing her first novel.

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How to Write a Topic Sentence: Compelling Paragraphs

Learning how to write a topic sentence will significantly improve the quality of your written work. It’s a crucial aspect of any essay or assignment, as it introduces the points you will make.

But, as we reveal in this article, a topic sentence does so much more than this. It also helps your work flow and brings in numerous arguments while presenting a specific perspective.

When you specifically consider and formulate compelling topic sentences, the reader of your work will appreciate it. Given that the reader is likely to be your professor or the person assessing your work, paying attention to topic sentences is in your interest.

In this article, we show you precisely how to write a topic sentence. We present examples that you can use and provide tips you can follow when writing an essay. We also show you how to use AI tools to create topic sentences that are clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Table of Contents

What is a topic sentence?

Before explaining how to write a topic sentence, we need to explain what it is and why it’s used. In most instances, it is the first sentence in a paragraph that is responsible for setting the tone and voice.

Given that the topic of an essay often changes from paragraph to paragraph, including a topic sentence is crucial to guide the reader. If you don’t include a topic sentence, the reader might get confused if you jump from one point to another without providing clarity.

An effective topic sentence in an essay should:

⭐️Present the main idea and topic of the paragraph.

⭐️Connect the current paragraph with the previous one, maintaining the flow of the article.

⭐️Provide a preview of what the reader can expect from the content that follows.

⭐️Be clear, concise, and easy to understand.

How to write a topic sentence: Use these tips to guide you

Here are some handy tips from our expert writers that will help you write the perfect topic sentences in your essays:

1: Hook the reader

Hooking the reader means that you grab their attention right away. Therefore, in your topic sentence, you might include a startling statistic or a memorable quote.

You shouldn’t just pluck the quote or statistic out of thin air, but if it’s relevant to the argument, it can be a great way to start the paragraph.

For example, if you’re writing about the compulsive nature of mobile phone usage, you could start with an alarming statistic:

Topic sentence example: Incredibly, teenagers spend more than seven hours  in front of screens every day, on average.

This statistic immediately hooks the reader and makes them want to learn more. You could follow the topic sentence with more information or a compelling argument about why reducing screen time is necessary.

2: Use the end of the previous paragraph as the link

Remember, we told you that an excellent topic sentence links the current paragraph to the previous one. Therefore, you can take the final sentence of the last paragraph to drive home a point at the start of this one.

You may also use the previous sentence to pivot slightly and to make a new point based on the information that you’ve already provided.

For example:

End of the previous paragraph: This highlights just how much time teenagers are spending on their devices, which is potentially leading to many mental health issues.

New paragraph topic sentence: Research  shows that up to 20% of teenagers will experience some form of depression by the time they reach their 17th birthday. Many experts point to excessive screen time and compulsive social media use as the main drivers.

3: Make it clear and concise

A topic sentence must be clear and concise to hook and engage the reader. They shouldn’t have to try and decipher the message or point that you’re making at the start of a new paragraph.

The best way to deliver a compelling message is to be clear and concise. Therefore, we recommend limiting your topic sentence to approximately 20 words to ensure you make your point as concise as possible.

You can always elaborate on the point you’ve made in the topic sentence. After all, that’s the point of the paragraph. Once you’ve hooked the reader, you can follow up with more details in the subsequent sentences, which will help you to make your points.

4: Remove fluff and filler content

Sometimes when writing with a word count in mind, it’s tempting to include fluff and filler content to pad out your work. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.

But from experience, teachers, professors, and assessors hate filler content. This is particularly true when you include it at the start of paragraphs, where you should be making a compelling point.

Let’s look at how fluff and filler content can negatively impact a topic sentence:

Example one (fluff & filler): Teenagers like to spend so much time on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, even while watching TV or playing games on their computers, thus increasing screen time even when they’re not really paying attention to anything in particular.

Example two (clear & concise): Teenagers spend too much time in front of screens. Often, they have multiple screens on the go simultaneously, limiting their ability to concentrate.

Identifying and removing fluff and filler content is a writing skill that will serve you well at university or college. It will sharpen your writing and make your arguments much more compelling. As a result, it will help you land better grades.

How to write a topic sentence: Examples of different approaches

In addition to using our tips above, there are a few other approaches you can take when writing topic sentences. Below, we reveal a few methods and some specific examples you can use to guide your work:

Example one: Ask a question

Asking a question can be a great way to begin a paragraph. Rhetorical questions are thought-provoking and encourage the reader to think about what’s coming next. It can also help them relate to the point you’re making or even emphasize with the reader. For instance:

• What would you do with unlimited data and no parental restrictions on your phone as a 16-year-old?
• How many teenagers would use their phones less if they had viable alternatives during their leisure time?

Example two: Transition to a new argument

Transitioning from one argument to another might be necessary at the start of your next paragraph. After all, you may need to cover numerous points of view in an academic essay, so transitioning to a new perspective is a good way to use a topic sentence. For example:

• It’s the pervasive view, but not all academics agree with this sentiment.
• Depression might be increasing among teenagers, but not all researchers think screen time is at fault.

Example three: Emphasize a point

Another way to utilize a topic sentence is to emphasize a point that you made in the previous paragraph. You might do this with statistics or by quoting an expert to show that numerous people share this perspective. For instance:

• Watts isn’t the only expert who has presented this viewpoint. Research from 2023 shows that increased anxiety among teens is a growing trend in all developed countries.
• Watts’ argument is backed up by Higgins, who presents compelling evidence showing the relationship between teen depression and screen time.

How to write a topic sentence with the help of AI

Learning how to write a topic sentence will make a big difference to the quality of your academic assignments. But did you know that Arvin’s AI chat tool  can help you?

By prompting our AI correctly, you can create a compelling topic sentence that’s perfect for your essay. Below is an example with screenshots to show how it works:

Step 1: Provide a prompt

To kickstart the process, ask Arvin AI to help you formulate a topic sentence. We kept things simple: “Help me to write a topic sentence.”

Step 2: Offer details of the paragraph that you’re working on

Next, provide the AI tool with an overview of the topic that you’re writing about. The more specific you are, the better and more relevant the topic sentence will be.

Step 3: Refine the sentence

Now, knowing how to write a topic sentence by referring to the tips and examples at the start of this article; we think the example provided here is too long.

It also doesn’t engage or hook the reader with a statistic. Therefore, we want the AI tool to create a better, more engaging topic sentence. This encouraged us to be more specific. We asked for a maximum number of words and requested a statistic.

Step 4: Check the topic sentence and include it in your paragraph

We were much happier with this sentence. It is 20 words long and provides an intriguing statistic that hooks the reader immediately. This topic sentence sets up the paragraph perfectly and allows us to write more about smartphone addiction, specifically how it relates to an increase in teen mental health issues.

The verdict: How to write a topic sentence in an assignment

The secret to writing a topic sentence is ensuring that it’s concise, relevant, and engaging. As it’s the start of a paragraph, it should hook the reader and provide details about what’s coming next.

The best topic sentences are short, engaging, and easy to understand. You should learn how to remove fluff and filler content to keep things short and sweet. We also recommend tying the sentence to the end of your previous paragraph to help the flow of your article.

Please also use our AI tools to create an engaging topic sentence for any paragraph. We also recommend using our AI Grammar Checker  to pick up any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or typos before submitting your work.

How to write a topic sentence FAQ

What is an example of a topic sentence.

Let’s say you’re writing about the best-paid sports stars in the world. An excellent introductory topic sentence might be: “Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s best-paid sports star  in 2024; he earned $260 million in the past twelve months.” You can then reveal other stars in the paragraph or provide more details of Ronaldo’s salary.

How do you write a good topic sentence?

You can use Arvin AI  to write a good topic sentence. You can prompt our chat tool to create the ideal topic sentence for any paragraph. We recommend being as specific as possible with your prompts, detailing how long you want the sentence to be and whether or not you would like a statistic. The more specific you are with your prompts, the better the sentence will be.

What is the formula for a good topic sentence?

We recommend the following formula: use 20 words or less + include a statistic + keep the language concise and easy to understand. If you follow this formula, you will successfully hook the reader, encourage them to read on and make a compelling point at the start of every paragraph in your academic essay.

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How to Write a Topic Sentence | Essay Writing Part 3

Guide Chapters

• 1. Thesis statement
• 2. Introduction structure
• 3. Topic sentence
• 4. Body paragraph structure
• 5. Conclusion

Heading goes here

text goes here

Welcome to part 3 in our Essay Writing Series, How to Write a Topic Sentence. 

Some common questions that students have are:

• How do I improve my essay structure?
• Are topic sentences important?
• What is the purpose of a topic sentence?
• How do I write an effective topic sentence?

In this post we will show you how to write a topic sentence. And explain how it fits into the broader essay structure.

Table of Contents

• What is a Topic Sentence

Signposting

• Connecting the thematic framework to the topic sentence
• Writing topic sentences – a step-by-step guide
• The next step?

How to write a topic sentence | Essay writing Part 3

Students often struggle as they try to produce sustained arguments, and then don’t know where they go wrong. They think it is their content they need to fix, when it is actually their structure. This is because students don’t understand how structure produces a clear and sustained thesis throughout an essay. Clear and consistent topic sentences are essential to this process. 

 A topic sentence is a statement that introduces the idea that will be discussed in a body paragraph. Topic sentences tell a reader what you will be arguing in a body paragraph. It is important that they are concise and direct, and also carry a direct connection to the introduction. This will help orientate the reader.

Structure plays a crucial role in conveying your ideas and arguments to your marker. You don’t want your reader to need to do any work when reading your essay. The argument must be laid out for them. This is what topic sentences do. They introduce the idea you will discuss in that paragraph.

Before we compose a topic sentence, let’s recap our understanding of essay structure and signposting.

Understanding signposting, topic sentences, and sustained arguments

Knowing how to write topic sentences and connecting them to your thesis is essential to good essay structure. In this post, we will discuss how to write a topic sentence that connects to your thesis statement. Remember, it’s one thing to have a solid thesis statement, but you need to know how to write a topic sentence that connects to your thesis to develop a sustained argument.

You will have heard your teachers talk about signposting. But what is it? As readers, we like to be told what the argument is, and how it will be structured, before we hear it.  Topic sentences are an integral part of this. They signal to your reader where they are in your essay. This helps your reader understand what you are about to argue, and, thus, aids them in following your argument.

Signposting is where you give clear signals to your readers about what you are discussing and how you will discuss it.

Topic sentences form a link between your thesis statement and thematic framework to your body paragraphs. Without topic sentences, your essay will lack structure and logic.  Signposting is achieved by connecting your thesis statement to your topic sentences . These connections will help you craft a sustained argument !

Let’s have a quick look at the structure of an essay to see how these parts fit together to make a sustained argument.

You will see that the thesis and thematic framework clearly connect to each other in the topic sentences. Clearly, knowing how to write a topic sentence is essential if you want to get good marks for English.

Remember, your  thesis statement is your answer to a question. It tells the reader the central idea you will argue in your essay or speech.

Let’s discuss how and why this works.

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Understanding the connection between topic sentences and the thematic framework

Your topic sentences are the statements you make at the start of a body paragraph to introduce the idea you will discuss in that paragraph. Topic sentences form a connection between the themes in your essay and your thesis.

This is a signpost to your reader reminding them of what you were going to discuss in the paragraph they are starting.

As we saw in the previous post, the thematic framework is where you introduce your themes and explain how you will discuss them. The statements you make about themes in the thematic framework will connect with your thesis statement to form your topic sentences .  

The aim of a good essay is to produce a sustained argument.  The connection between thesis and topic sentences is crucial to developing structural integrity in your essay. A thesis that has clear connections to the topic sentences that follow is essential for this. It will continually assert your argument throughout the essay! Thus, topic sentences are essential for orientating your reader in the logic of your essay.

Once somebody has read your thematic framework, the topic sentences will act as signposts signalling where you will discuss a key idea. This will help your markers understand how the various ideas you rely on support your argument. If you haven’t already, you should read our post   How to Structure Your Essay Introduction| Essay Writing Part 2 before continuing. If you have, let’s look at a step-by-step process for writing topic sentences.

How to write topic sentences – a step-by-step guide

Once you have a thesis and thematic framework, you can write your topic sentences.

Remember, topic sentences must clearly connect our body paragraphs to the introduction, this will develop a sustained argument and reflect the focus of our thesis.

Now, let’s look at how to do this.

Step 1: Understanding the topic sentence

As we have said, topic sentences provide a signpost for your markers that explains what idea you will explore in a particular body paragraph and clarify how it connects to the thesis and module. Similarly, topic sentences also serve as a reminder of what your specific argument should be. This will help you stay focused on a singular idea and present a sustained argument.

So, let’s see what our topic sentence needs to address.

In the last post we looked at the question:

“William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is not about revenge, it is a play concerned with morality and madness.”

To what extent do you agree with this statement? Make use of detailed references to the play in your response.

Step 2: Revisiting our argument

To recap, our argument was that:

• Macbeth is about morality;
• Macbeth goes mad with guilt; and,
• His fear of revenge, a convention of the play’s genre, is what leads to his madness.

Step 3: Revisiting our thesis

In the previous post, our thesis statement was:

“The resolution of The Tragedy of Macbeth (1606) is driven by revenge. However, it is Shakespeare’s interrogation of the morality of Macbeth’s actions and his subsequent descent into madness that is the central focus of the text.”

Step 4: Revisiting our thematic framework

And, similarly, our thematic framework introduced the following thematic points:

• “Macbeth’s madness is a response to his awareness of his immorality, it is driven by his fear of the revenge he feels he deserves.”
• “Macbeth’s actions are immoral, killing a king is regicide and the murder of his friends demonstrate his increasing depravity.”
• “As Macbeth’s madness emerges as he questions his morality and is plagued by visions and haunted by the spirits of his victims.”

A good topic sentence will take a key aspect of the thesis statement and combine it with the central idea from the thematic framework.

Remember, a topic sentence introduces the paragraph and signposts to the reader where they are in your argument.  Our topic sentences need to reflect this. This means that we need to take the idea from the thematic framework and combine it with your thesis.

Let’s write one!

Step 5: Writing the topic sentences

Now that we have a thesis, a thematic framework, and our structure, we can discuss writing topic sentences.

First we must take our thesis statement and look at its key ideas:

“The resolution of The Tragedy of Macbeth (1606) is driven by revenge . However, it is Shakespeare’s interrogation of the morality of Macbeth’s actions and his subsequent descent into madness that is the central focus of the text.”

We’ve bolded the key ideas pertaining to “revenge”, “morality”, and “action and madness”.

We now need to combine these ideas with the statements from the thematic framework.  Let’s look at how to do this effectively for each theme:

• Thematic framework for Revenge – “Macbeth’s madness is a response to his awareness of his immorality, it is driven by his fear of the revenge he feels he deserves.”

If we combine this theme with our thesis’ focus on “revenge” we get:

• Topic Sentence for Revenge – “Macbeth’s awareness of the violence and depravity of his actions makes him fear and expect vengeance to fall on him.”

This sentence indicates that our first paragraph will explain the role of revenge in the text. It also explains the importance of revenge to our argument. This reflects our thematic framework and thesis statement.

2. Morality

• Thematic framework for Morality – “Macbeth’s actions are immoral, killing a king is regicide and the murder of his friends demonstrate his increasing depravity.”

If we combine this theme with our thesis’ focus on “interrogating morality” we get:

• Topic sentence for Morality – “Macbeth’s struggle with his increasing immorality foreshadows the text’s depiction of vengeance”.

This topic sentence adheres to the order of our thematic framework while asserting the role of morality in our argument.

• Thematic framework for Madness – “As Macbeth’s madness emerges he questions his morality and is plagued by visions and haunted by the spirits of his victims.”

If we combine this theme with our thesis’ focus on “madness” we get:

• Topic sentence for Madness – “Macbeth descends into madness, and paranoia, as he struggles to come to terms with the murderer he has become.”

This topic sentence introduces the theme of madness and allows us to connect the three themes together. The reference to paranoia allows us to discuss the role of revenge in Macbeth’s madness and his flawed morality. This will allow us to finish our argument and tie the various ideas together.

These topic sentences connect clearly to the introduction’s thesis and thematic framework. This is what makes a sustained argument. While it may seem a little repetitious, it is forging an interwoven and nuanced response to the question. This is what your markers want. This is the structure you need to emulate!

What’s next?

Once you have produced the foundations of your essay, the next step will be to support your argument with evidence. This means writing body paragraphs.

You can read how to do this in our next post: How to Write a Body Paragraph | Essay Writing Part 4 .

To develop these skills further, you need to write practice essays.

Paragraph Structure: How to Write a Body Paragraph | Essay Writing Part 4

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How to Write a Strong Topic Sentence + Examples

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What’s Covered:

• What Is a Topic Sentence?
• 5 Steps to Writing a Good Topic Sentence

Elements of a Good Topic Sentence

Common pitfalls to avoid.

• Where To Get Your Essay Edited For Free

Crafting the perfect essay takes time and dedication. There are so many elements you have to worry about, such as tone, purpose, and correct spelling and grammar. Writing a strong topic sentences is another critical part in writing a cohesive essay. 

Without a strong topic sentence, you risk losing your reader and perhaps part of your grade. If it’s a college admissions essay, then you need it to be as strong as possible to back up your application. Learn about what steps you should take to write a strong topic sentence.

What Is a Topic Sentence? 

People often confuse a topic sentence with a thesis statement. A thesis statement is typically at the end of your opening paragraph, that dictates the main argument you’ll be making in your essay. 

Throughout your essay, you’ll have multiple topic sentences, as each paragraph should start off with one. This beginning sentence is used to direct the topic of the paragraph and outline the flow of the following sentences. It’s used to help guide your reader and to continue to keep them hooked on your overall essay. Without topic sentences, your essay will be unorganized, lack transitions, and sound very choppy. To write a good topic sentence, there are several steps to take.

Writing a Good Topic Sentence: 5 Steps

Step 1: decide what you’re going to write about..

When you see the essay prompt, you’ll have some time to think through what you want to say and why. You have to decide if it’s a persuasive essay, informative, narrative, or descriptive. Determine your purpose for writing the essay after reading through the prompt. Whether it’s an assignment for school or if it’s to get into college, you need to make sure you have that purpose clearly outlined. 

Step 2: Create a thesis statement.

One of the first things you need to do is create a thesis statement. This is typically a sentence with three points that you’ll back up throughout your essay. 

For example: The Office became a cultural phenomenon because it spurred the careers of many of today’s successful movie stars, it talked about situations that most American workers can relate to, and even 15 years later, offers funny, relevant content that helps to break down prejudices. 

You then use that thesis statement to create an essay around the points you want to make. 

Step 3: Make your essay outline.

Once you have the points you want to make within your thesis statement hammered out, make an outline for your essay. This is where you’ll start to create your topic sentence for each paragraph. You want to clearly state the main idea of that paragraph in the very first sentence. From there, you back up that main idea with facts and reputable sources. Make sure your topic sentence is clear, but does not just announce your topic. 

For example, do not write something like: “In this paragraph, I will discuss why it’s bad that poachers are killing giraffes.”

Instead, write something that clearly states your idea with a reasonable opinion and that gives direction to the paragraph: “Giraffes are a key part of the African ecosystem, so it’s important to enforce regulations against the poachers who are killing them for their body parts.” 

You’d then follow that up with reasons why giraffes are a key part of the African ecosystem and how poachers are destroying their population.

Step 4: Begin writing your essay.

Once you have your thesis statement and you’ve created an outline with supporting paragraphs and their topic sentences, you can begin writing your essay. It’s important to make that outline before just jumping in–a disorganized essay can spell disaster for you as you continue to write, and could result in a poor grade. Many times, teachers will even require you to turn in your outline as part of your overall essay grade. 

Step 5: Proofread and check your resources.

After you’ve written the essay, go back through it with a fine tooth comb. Read through each topic sentence and the paragraphs that follow to ensure that you’ve written clear, solid topic sentences throughout and that the paragraphs with them make sense. During the proofreading phase, you also need to recheck the sources you’re using. Make sure each source is reputable. In other words, do not use sites like Wikipedia where anyone can go in and edit an article to add misinformation. Use sites that:

• Are actual reputable news sources, such as the New York Times , CNN, CBS News
• Have domain names that end in .edu or .gov
• Come from an encyclopedia, such as Encyclopedia Britannica

Using sites that are not reputable could jeopardize the validity of your argument. 

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Now that you know the steps to set yourself up for success when writing a topic sentence, there are certain elements that go into a quality first sentence. Always make sure that your topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph. You don’t want to make your reader hunt for the point you’re trying to make. Check out some key elements of a good topic sentence:

Make sure your topic sentence isn’t too vague.

You need a topic sentence that has some specifics to it. It also needs to hook in your reader in some way with an opinion. A vague sentence makes it harder to write a paragraph that can clearly backs up your thoughts. For example:

DON’T: “In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bingley seems like a nice guy.”

DO: “When Mr. Bingley is first introduced, he comes across as a kind person because he speaks to everyone and doesn’t immediately pass judgment.”

Choose a reasonable opinion.

Your topic sentence should clearly outline whatever point you’re trying to make in the paragraph, but you want to pick a reasonable opinion that you can easily reinforce with facts and statistics. Here’s an example of what you should and should not do:

DON’T: “It’s obvious that Mr. Bingley was a total loser with no backbone.”

DO: “Mr. Bingley could have shown more confidence in his choices and stood up to Mr. Darcy when he found himself in love with Jane Bennet.”

You can then back that up with facts, saying that he was a wealthy Englishman and thus one of the key players in society at the time, which should have given him more confidence. If he’d been more confident, perhaps he would not have left and devastated Jane.

Use your topic sentence as a transition.

Along with telling the reader the point of your next paragraph, your topic sentence should also serve as a transition from the previous paragraph. Without a transition, the essay can feel like it’s choppy and disjointed. For example:

DON’T: “Mr. Bingley is a good man and here’s why.”

DO: “Although Mr. Bingley did break Jane’s heart by leaving, he ended up redeeming himself by returning to Netherfield Hall.”

Keep your topic sentence short.

A long, drawn-out topic sentence can risk losing your reader. Many times, it’s hard to determine the point of a sentence when it goes on for too long. You want a clear, concise sentence that draws in the reader but also leaves some room for you to expand on it in the following paragraph.

DON’T: “Throughout the novel of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bingley was often quite different from Mr. Darcy as he would treat all people in a friendly manner, considering them all his friends and acquaintances, even agreeing to throw a ball after Elizabeth’s sisters rudely demanded he do so and was gracious to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as well despite their manners.”

DO: “Overall, Mr. Bingley served as a foil to Mr. Darcy throughout the story by treating everyone around him equally with dignity and grace.”

Writing an essay can be overwhelming at times, but so long as you avoid some of these common pitfalls, it can be easier to get it done on time. 

Don’t wait until the last minute.

If your teacher assigns you an essay or tells you that you have an essay test coming up, don’t wait until the day before to do anything about it. You have to plan or study and you need to give yourself time to do that. If you know it takes you a while to write something, then start planning it as soon as you get the assignment.

Don’t forget to write an outline.

Along with planning, make sure you have that outline written up and planned out well. It will serve as your guideline for writing the essay. Without it, you’ll face the risk of a disorganized essay that does not clearly illustrate your point.

Ask for help if you need it.

This may be the most important pitfall to avoid. If you get in over your head while writing, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask a friend to review the essay or ask your teacher for guidance. 

Where to Get Your Essay Edited for Free

Once you’ve finished your essay, you may want additional input. There are tools out there to help, but CollegeVine’s free peer essay review tool can provide you with actionable feedback from students just like you. CollegeVine’s tool has helped many students and may be able to help you, too! Asking for peer feedback can help to refine your essay and it never hurts to have an extra set of eyes read through what you’ve written. Check out the free tool today!

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