Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, Baku · May 19, 2013
Taught to eighteen selected intermediate and advanced students and observed by five professors of the Academy. Step through the lesson below.
Step 1 · The idea
What does a topic sentence do?
A topic sentence tells the reader what a paragraph is about and what the writer will say about it. Every other sentence in the paragraph supports it.
Topic
What the paragraph is about
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Controlling idea
What the writer says about the topic
Online classesgive working adults more control over their time.
Step 2 · Read
The first sentence is missing.
Read the paragraph. What is it really about?
_ College students know this well. While being a college student is an exciting time in one’s life, it can also be a stressful time. Many college students are living away from home for the first time, and they have to adjust to being independent and managing their coursework at the same time. They may have difficulty focusing and finding time for everything. Without their parents to remind them not to stay up too late, they might come to class without enough sleep. Without the support of family for day-to-day concerns, they have even less time for studying. Unless managed well, stress levels for college students can affect their academic performance, health, and relationships.
Step 3 · Find the clues
Let the paragraph tell you.
Watch the paragraph. The highlights show what every sentence has in common.
“this” points back to the missing sentenceThe main idea: stressCauses of the stressEffects of the stress
Step 4 · Choose
Which sentence fits the blank?
Step 5 · Think bigger
From topic sentence to thesis.
A topic sentence controls one paragraph. A thesis statement controls a whole essay. Each main point in the thesis becomes one body paragraph.
Thesis statementCollege is an exciting time, but the stress of living independently, losing sleep and missing family support can harm students’ grades, health and relationships.
Body paragraph 1
Living independently
Body paragraph 2
Losing sleep
Body paragraph 3
Missing family support
Step 6 · Check
Check your understanding.
Score: 0 / 4
Step 7 · Your turn
Write your own topic sentence.
Write a new topic sentence for the paragraph about college students. Then compare it with two model answers.
For many college students, stress is the hardest part of university life.
College can be exciting, but it also puts students under a great deal of stress.
✓
Lesson complete
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