Topic Sentence

The topic sentence is the most important sentence in a

paragraph. It has two parts: a topic and a controlling idea.
The topic names the subject of the paragraph. The
controlling idea tells what the paragraph will say about
the topic. It is called the controlling idea because it
controls or limits the topic to a very specific point or
points.

a) Some marriages are a union of two families.

b) Some marriages are a union of two individuals.
c) Some weddings are very elaborate.
d) Some weddings take place in unusual locations.
 Aspect of topic sentence: Not Too General, Not Too Specific

Marriage is an event in a person's life.

This is too general because there is no specific

controlling idea. The reader has no idea what the
paragraph will say about marriage except that it happens.

The average age for people in the United States to marry

in the year 2000 was 25 for a woman and 27 for a man,

The average age for people in the United States to marry

has changed in the past 100 years.
 Sentence Structure

A sentence is a group of words that (a) contains at least

one subject and one verb and (b) expresses a complete
thought. (c) It starts with a capital letter and ends with a
full stop.

There are four kinds of sentences in English: simple

sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences, and
compound-complex sentences.
 Sentence Structure

1. The Star Wars movies were international hits.

Sentence formula SV
2. Young people and adults enjoyed them. SSV

3. The films entertained and thrilled audiences everywhere.

4. Luke Skywalker and his friends

svv battled evil and
made us laugh at the same time. ssvv
 Run-ons and comma splices

Men like to shop quickly women like to browse.

Men like to shop quickly, women like to browse.

A comma splice error happens when you join two simple

sentences with a comma alone.

Men like to shop quickly, but women like to browse.

 Sentence Structure

John worked hard. He succeeded.

John worked hard, he succeeded.
John worked hard, so he succeeded.
S V , Cor. S V .

A compound sentence is composed of at least two

simple sentences joined by a comma and a coordinating
conjunction.
 Sentence Structure
Anna was absent. She was ill.
Anna was absent, she was ill.
Anna was absent. Because she was ill.
Anna was absent, because she was ill.
S V , subordinating S V .

Complex sentence is a combination of one independent

clause and one (or more) dependent clause(s).
joined by a subordinating conjunction.

Because she was ill, Anna was absent.

 Time Subordinators
1)He goes to school after he finisheswork.
2)Several overcrowded buses passed as we were waiting.
3)She felt better as soon as she took the medicine.
4)Before you apply to college, you have to take an entrance
exam.
5)It has been a year since I left home.
6)We can't leave the room until everyone has finished the test.
7)When you start college, you sometimes have to take a
placement test.
8)Whenever I don't sleep well, I feel sick the next day.
9)Several overcrowded buses passed while they were waiting.
 Contrast signals

Most baby animals can walk within a few hours of

birth. In contrast/On the other hand/However, a
human baby needs about 12 months to learn this skill.
Use yet when one idea is a surprising or unexpected
continuation of the other idea. It is also possible to use
but: The left side of the brain controls logic and
reasoning, yet it also controls language.
Use while and whereas when the ideas are exact
opposites. While and whereas can begin either clause.
Always use a comma even when the independent clause
comes first. This is an exception to the usual rule.