How to Identify the Topic & Controlling Idea in a Sentence

Although no single sentence in this paragraph states the main idea, the entire paragraph focuses on one concept—that Luella is extremely old. The topic sentence is thus implied rather than stated. This technique is often used in descriptive or narrative writing. Implied topic sentences work well if the writer has a firm idea of what he or she intends to say in the paragraph and sticks to it. However, a paragraph loses its effectiveness if an implied topic sentence is too subtle or the writer loses focus.

So the vector of change in the value charge in this controlling idea/theme is viral. It spreads ideas, products, messages and behaviors. What it means is that simply, the writer sets down his controlling idea/theme and then he diligently provides the back up data and/or experiments that support his Big Idea. Then he wraps it up what is a controlling idea in writing with a reiteration of the Big Idea at the end. The beginning hook is the payoff, the middle build is the supporting evidence for the payoff, and the payoff is the reiteration of the payoff. Now we’re at the place on our Foolscap Global Story Grid where we’ll want to jot down the controlling idea/theme of The Tipping Point.

Controlling Idea in Essays Definition and Examples

“The life cycle of the frog” is the topic, and “has two stages” is the controlling idea. Thus, the remainder of a paragraph with this topic sentence would discuss each of the two stages of a frog’s life cycle. This formula is a good model for such things as some essay exams and standardized tests, but it is a formula and real-world writers don’t write by formulas. Rather than filling in some preconceived structure, they begin with an idea which they believe is important, and let that idea dictate the structure of an essay about it. First, let’s clarify what exactly a controlling idea is – and isn’t. One legitimate question readers always ask about a piece of writing is “What is the big idea? The controlling idea is the main idea that you want to present and develop.

Websites ending in .gov or .edu are generally more reliable than websites ending in .com or .org. Wikis and blogs are not reliable sources of information because they are subject to inaccuracies. In a text-heavy document, break up each paragraph with individual headings.

Articles

The topic is “graduating from high school” and the controlling idea is “many different reasons.” The topic is “teen pregnancy may be prevented” and the controlling idea is “improved education.” An important point to remember is that the topic sentence should contain all relevant information that’s going to be in the paragraph. There should be no information about romance or comedy. It should only talk about what made the movie exciting. This section will help you to understand what a controlling idea is and how to develop it, whether you are developing an expository or a persuasive essay.

Once you have decided on your details, you are ready to write the topic sentence. The most common place for a topic sentence is at the beginning of the paragraph because it explains what the paragraph is going to discuss. The initial placement helps the writer organize the paragraph and tells the reader what to expect right in the beginning. Keep in mind that the more specific your controlling idea is, the more effectively it will guide you as you write. By adding the reason why, the writer gives a clearer, fuller idea of what to expect, of what the essay is about.

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Transitional words and phrases are useful tools to incorporate into workplace documents. They guide the reader through the document, clarifying relationships between sentences and paragraphs so that the reader understands why they have been written in that particular order. You should avoid introducing any new ideas into your concluding sentence. A conclusion is intended to provide the reader with a sense of completion. Introducing a subject that is not covered in the paragraph will confuse the reader and weaken your writing. This technique is frequently used in persuasive writing. The writer produces detailed examples as evidence to back up his or her point, preparing the reader to accept the concluding topic sentence as the truth.

You would have to add background information before the thesis to complete the introductory paragraph. You would have one paragraph each for sections I, II, III, and IV, depending on how many sections are in your outline. Your concluding paragraph just sums up the proof in the body and restates the thesis. Under each of the topic sentences, include the details that fit into quote introduction this group. A thesis statement should include both the subject and the controlling idea. Concluding paragraph – sums up the proof and restates the thesis and/or draws an implication from the information presented depending on instructor preference. The topic sentence of a concluding paragraph is a restatement of the thesis and may go anywhere in the concluding paragraph.

I What is a Topic Sentence?

The topic sentence of a body paragraph belongs at the beginning of the paragraph. Circle the main idea and underline the controlling idea in each of the following topic sentences. The foundation of a good paragraph is the topic sentence, which expresses the main idea of the paragraph.

Your body paragraphs support it, and your essay lacks direction without it. It is the topic sentence for that paragraph of supporting detail, which will, no doubt, go on to tell of the varieties of fruits and vegetables and the benefits of eating them.

Note Topics and Controlling Ideas

On a sheet of paper, write your working thesis statement. The topic sentence expresses the main idea of the paragraph combined with the writer’s attitude or opinion about the topic.

These serve as useful navigation aids, enabling colleagues to skim through the document and locate paragraphs that are relevant to them. This essay will consider whether talent is required in the rap music industry. Union workers are crippling the economy because companies are unable to remain competitive as a result of added financial pressure.

Theme and Controlling Idea are NOT the Same Thing

There is no need to flagellate yourself because you are exploring a reiteration of a desperately needed statement of truth. Instead the reader intuits the message from the actions and results of those actions in the Story. A less obvious, but still powerful, way of inserting theme into your manuscript is the use of thematic patterning. Thematic patterning is not the reoccurrence of specific language, as with Leitwortstil, but rather the reoccurrence of ideas, concepts, images, and moments, often in the form of motifs. K. Chazda Albright suggests Leitwortstil is particularly effective in kid’s books and outlines three reasons why in this article. Look again at the complete paragraph to see how these words control and order the content of the paragraph.

• An important point to remember is that the topic sentence should contain all relevant information that’s going to be in the paragraph.
• The topic is “To be an effective CEO” and the controlling idea is “certain charactristics.”
• His work has appeared in college newspapers and literary magazines at Oklahoma Christian University and the Metropolitan State College of Denver, where he earned a B.A.
• In a text-heavy document, break up each paragraph with individual headings.

A topic sentence is especially important in essays, where topics change from paragraph to paragraph. This makes knowing how to write a topic sentence crucial for any student or writer. Effective writers prepare a formal outline to organize their main ideas and supporting details in the order they will be presented. When creating a workplace document, use the “top-down” approach—keep the topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph so that readers immediately understand the gist of the message. This method saves busy colleagues precious time and effort trying to figure out the main points and relevant details. A controlling idea is the main idea your attitude your evaluation of something. This controlling idea is expressed/stated in the form of a topic sentence.

Writing an Outline

Let’s start with the kinds of answers that are NOT appropriate. Developing a tight and original controlling idea is an essential part of the writing process. For something so simple and short, it does a lot of the heavy work defining and guiding your story’s central focus. Is general enough to invite exploration of the topic. If the topic sentence is too specific (for example, Webster’s New World Dictionary has more than 40,000 words.), there will be nothing else to say on the subject.

• This essay will consider whether talent is required in the rap music industry.
• This feature automatically sets indents and lets you use the tab key to arrange information just as you would in an outline.
• There are also many practice exercises and quizzes online like grammar-quizzes.com that can help you work on the process.
• It is also possible that a sentence could do more than one of these.
• The more you sort through the pieces of information you found, the more you will begin to see the connections between them.

The more you sort through the pieces of information you found, the more you will begin to see the connections between them. But only when you start to organize your ideas will you be able to translate your raw insights into a form that will communicate meaning to your audience. Then, if it is the case, it is possible to have 2 controlling ideas in a topic sentence.

Or maybe you’re looking at something else entirely. Either way, starting with large emotional themes sets you up on the right path. Then, all you need to do is determine what you want to say about this large emotional theme. A good starting point when formulating this is, of course, considering your movie or television show’s theme. Encompasses the how and why of the change that takes place throughout the story. Is the main takeaway from the film or show, expressed through the action and aesthetic emotion of the last act’s climax.