For example, the first two topic sentences in a basic critical essay on the theme of Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 18’ might look like this: The first way in which Shakespeare explores the theme of ...

An essay is a piece of non-fiction writing ... idea of the paragraph before bringing in your evidence and examples. A topic sentence acts like a mini introduction to the paragraph.

It states, clearly and directly, your position on this topic or question (i.e., your thesis). In addition to grabbing the reader’s attention, the opening sentence of an essay sets up the structure of ...

Teaching children to express their thoughts persuasively is an invaluable skill that will serve them throughout their lives.

Writing a strong topic sentence that establishes the subject of the paragraph Using "echo words" -- i.e., consistent terms for the concepts throughout Applying transitions to link sentences logically ...