topic sentence
1
3.5
- noun
- /ˈtɑːpɪk ˈsɛntəns/
:
oración temática
- A strong topic sentence helps guide the reader through the main ideas of a paragraph.
- write a topic sentence
- develop a topic sentence
Examples
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When permitted to draft, students were only to write the topic sentence and gain approval before adding details.
Academic text (2014) -
Use topic sentences to orient everybody.
Academic text (2009) -
Start with the topic sentence.
Fiction book (2000) -
Which sentence is the topic sentence?
Fiction book (2000) -
Like we discussed yesterday, I really want you all to focus on topic sentences more.
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Better, your topic sentence should contain some reference to the previous paragraph.
Academic text (2010) -
For example, Ms. L told the students to write only the topic sentence of their text because she wanted to approve it before the students added details.
Academic text (2014) -
Each paragraph needs to contain a topic sentence, and paragraphs are to be arranged sequentially.
Academic text (2001) -
One way to assure coherence is to use the demonstrative adjective this or these in the topic sentence of the new paragraph.
Academic text (2010) -
Every essay should start with a well-defined topic sentence that summarizes the main argument.
How Central
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a sentence that states the main idea' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'topic' (subject of discussion) with 'sentence' (a grammatical unit). This straightforward noun+noun composition follows common English and cross‑linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Topic sentence comes from basic writing practice: the first sentence of a paragraph names the paragraph's topic and is a complete sentence, like a sign that shows what follows. That's why a topic sentence today means the sentence that states the paragraph's 'main idea' or 'subject'.