Good Vs. Bad Topic Sentences
Now that you know a little about the basics of writing good topic sentences (and how you can start to avoid writing bad ones), let’s take a look at some examples of each.
Bad: Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809.
Why isn’t this a good topic sentence? First and foremost, it tells the reader very little about what you are going to say. Not only that, but you are not using this valuable space in your paragraph to make a real point.
Good: Abraham Lincoln, born in 1809, was one of the most influential politicians in history.
With this topic sentence, you are making a strong point, which you will ideally back up with plenty of facts and good information. The reader also knows what to expect when you use this kind of statement.
Bad: I am going to discuss the Battle of Gettysburg.
While you are telling the reader what the topic is, you are still speaking in very broad terms with this kind of statement.
Good: The Battle of Gettysburg, fought in 1863, was the turning point in the Civil War.
You are making a strong point with this kind of statement, and narrowing down what you are going to talk about. In this case, you are discussing why the Battle of Gettysburg was such an important battle.
Bad: The Civil War had lasting effects on the American South.
With this topic sentence, you are saying what happened, but you are not saying why.
Good: Because the Civil War was fought mostly on Southern soil, it had lasting effects on the region.
With this topic sentence, you are describing a cause and an effect, and you can go into a little more detail in the following sentences.