2016-06-30 Writing: topic and concluding sentences

Greg Malivuk
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http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk
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Homework: Finish your outline and add listing-order transition words to it
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handout p. 44-45 - With a partner, choose the best topic sentences for paragraphs 2, 3, and 4
2 a
  (not b, because it’s not just about public college, not c, because it’s not about how many schools, and it’s more specific than that)
3 b
  (not a or c, because those only mention one reason to choose a small college, but the paragraph is about several)
4 c
  (not a, because the paragraph doesn’t say it’s difficult, not b, because the paragraph doesn’t talk about how carefully employers look at applications)
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A good topic sentence should introduce all the details of the paragraph. (Make sure it is not too general, about more than the paragraph includes, and also not too specific.)
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Topic sentences have a topic and a controlling idea.
The topic is the subject, and the controlling idea is what the sentence tells us about the subject.

Topic sentences go at the beginning of a paragraph.
Topic sentences tell readers what to expect in a paragraph.
Topic sentences contain the main idea of a paragraph.
- The topic is “topic sentences”, but each one has a different controlling idea.
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p. 54 - With the same partner, choose the best concluding sentence for paragraphs 1 and 2
1 c - The paragraph has two supporting reasons, and only sentence (c) includes two reasons.
2 a
  (c is not a conclusion, it’s an additional reason; b is about small towns, but the paragraph is about big cities)
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Basic structure of English academic writing:

Introduction: This is what you’re going to read about.
Body: Here are the details of what you’re reading about.
Conclusion: This is what you have just read about.
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Homework: p. 46, 47, 55 - Write your own topic and concluding sentences for the paragraphs.