Exercices
Exercise 1
*Circle the letter of the topic sentence in each of the following paragraphs.
1.a. He won Rookie of the year in 1947. b. He broke the color barrier in professional baseball. c. He excelled despite encountering racist players, managers, and fans and receiving death threats. d. Jackie Robinson single-handedly brought equality and civil rights to professional sports.
2.a. There are two primary approaches to learning a foreign language. b. First, there is the textbook approach of understanding the grammar and linguistics while studying vocabulary. c. Second, there is immersion in a foreign language, either in a school or in a foreign country where the language is spoken. d. Ideally, learning a foreign language involves a combination of both methods.
3. a. Did I come to Venice to see the beautiful St. Mark's Basilica? b. Am I here to walk across the elegant white stone Bridge of Sighs? c. The main reason I am in Venice is to learn to pilot a gondola. d. A gondola is the traditional boat taxi of Venice's canals. e. It has a low hull and a steel prow and is rowed by a gondolier who wears an old-fashioned striped shirt and steers with a long oar.
EXERCISE 2
Circle the main idea and underline the controlling idea in each of the following topic sentences.
1. Exercising three times a week is the only way to maintain good physical health.
2. Sexism and racism are still rampant in today's workplace.
3. Raising the legal driving age to twenty-one would decrease road traffic accidents.
4. Owning a business is the only way to achieve financial success.
5. Dog owners should be prohibited from taking their pets on public beaches.
Exercise 3
Choose the most effective topic sentence from the following sentence pairs.
1. a. This paper will discuss the likelihood of the Democrats winning the next election.
b. To boost their chances of winning the next election, the Democrats need to listen to public opinion.
2. a. The unrealistic demands of union workers are crippling the economy for three main reasons.
b. Union workers are crippling the economy because companies are unable to remain competitive as a result of added financial pressure.
3. a. Authors are losing money as a result of technological advances.
b. The introduction of new technology will devastate the literary world.
4. a. Rap music is produced by untalented individuals with oversized egos.
b. The writer will consider whether talent is required in the rap music industry.
EXERCISE 4
Using the tips on developing effective topic sentences in this section, create a topic sentence on each of the following subjects. Remember to include a controlling idea as well as a main idea.
1. An endangered species
____________________________________________
2. The cost of fuel
____________________________________________
3. A first date
____________________________________________
4. A controversial film or novel
____________________