Supporting sentences

1. Module 2
Supporting Sentences
Information taken from: Butler, L. Fundamentals of
Academic Writing. Longman & Hogue, A. (2008).
First Steps in Academic Writing. Longman.
In Module 1 you learned about topic sentences. In this
module you will learn about supporting sentences.

2. Parts of a Paragraph
A paragraph has 3 main parts:
1. Topic sentence
2. Supporting sentences
3. Concluding sentence

3. Supporting Sentences
The middle sentences in a paragraph are
supporting sentences.
Supporting sentences explain or prove the
idea in the topic sentence.
The supporting sentences are the biggest part of
a paragraph, just as the filling is the biggest part
of a hamburger. They are the filling in our
paragraph “hamburger”.

4. Important!
Here is an important rule to remember when
you write supporting sentences:
A paragraph must follow the rule of unity. All
the sentences in a paragraph are about ONE
main idea.

5. Activity
Look at the following
paragraphs and decide if
they are good or bad
paragraphs.

6. Paragraph #1
Is this a good or a bad paragraph?
Are all sentences related to the topic sentence?
Employers look for three qualities in their employees. First of all,
employers want workers to be dependable. My friend John is
very dependable and I am dependable, too. Second,
employers want workers who are responsible. Can the boss give
the worker a Project to do and know that it will be done well?
Everybody should be responsible, even when you are at school
or at university. Third, employers look for workers who can work
well with others. I had a friend who couldn’t work with other
people and we always left him to work alone. To sumarize,
employers look for dependable, responsible team players.

7. Paragraph #2
Is this a good or a bad paragraph?
Are all sentences related to the topice sentence?
Employers look for three qualities in their employees. First of all,
employers want workers to be dependable. That is, they want
workers who come to work every day. Second, employers
want workers who are responsible. Can the boss give the
worker a Project to do and know that it will be done well?
Third, employers look for workers who can work well with others.
The ability to get along with coworkers is important to be
successful of a business. To sumarize, employers look for
dependable, responsible team players.

8. Answer
The good paragraph is:
Paragraph 2.
All sentences are related to the main idea.
The bad paragraph is:
Paragraph 1.
The following sentences do not support the topic sentence:
• My friend John is very dependable and I am dependable, too.
• Everybody shoudl be responsible, even when you are at school
and at university.
• I had a friend who couldn’t work with other people and we
always left him to work alone.
Even though they seem to be related to being dependable,
responsible and working with other people, these sentences do not
related to qualities in workers. They are comments from the authors
experience, and do not fit the paragraph.

9. Outlining
Making an outline, is a part of pre-writing. Once
you have your ideas about your topic, you need
to organize them. An outline helps you do this.

10. Model of Simple
Outline
Flight Attendants
Topic Sentence Employer look for three qualities in
their employees.
First main point A. To be dependable
Second main point B. To be responsible
Third main point C. To work well with others
Concluding Sentence To sumarize, employers look for
dependable, responsible team
players.

11. Writer’s Tip
When you write an outline, try to make the
main points (A, B, C and so on) the same – all
adjectives, all nouns, all verb phrases, or all
sentences.