Detail Sentences

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Draft Supporting Detail Sentences for Each Primary Support Sentence

After deciding which primary support points you will use as your topic sentences, you must add details to

clarify and demonstrate each of those points. These supporting details provide examples, facts, or

evidence that support the topic sentence.

The writer drafts possible supporting detail sentences for each primary support sentence based on the

thesis statement:

The following paragraph contains supporting detail sentences for the primary support sentence (the topic

sentence), which is underlined.

Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books Saylor.org 352

E X E R C I S E 4

Using the three topic sentences you composed for the thesis statement in Note 9.18 “Exercise 1”, draft at

least three supporting details for each point.

Thesis statement: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 1: ____________________________________________

Supporting details: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 2: ____________________________________________

Supporting details: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 3: ____________________________________________

Supporting details: ____________________________________________

Tip

Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books Saylor.org 353

You have the option of writing your topic sentences in one of three ways. You can state it at the beginning

of the body paragraph, or at the end of the paragraph, or you do not have to write it at all. This is called an

implied topic sentence. An implied topic sentence lets readers form the main idea for themselves. For

beginning writers, it is best to not use implied topic sentences because it makes it harder to focus your

writing. Your instructor may also want to clearly identify the sentences that support your thesis. For more

information on the placement of thesis statements and implied topic statements, see Chapter 8 “The

Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”.

Tip

Print out the first draft of your essay and use a highlighter to mark your topic sentences in the body

paragraphs. Make sure they are clearly stated and accurately present your paragraphs, as well as

accurately reflect your thesis. If your topic sentence contains information that does not exist in the rest of

the paragraph, rewrite it to more accurately match the rest of the paragrap