What is a topic sentence?

Put simply, a topic sentence expresses the topic to be discussed in a paragraph in a clear and concise way. It is the first sentence of the paragraph, and the body text expands, explains, and evidences the point expressed.

Writing an effective topic sentence is possibly the hardest part of writing an essay and, at the same time, the most effective way of improving your essay writing.

QuillBot’s free online Notepad can help you keep track of your essay notes, and our Paraphrasing Tool can help you to create effective topic sentences.

What is a topic sentence?: Academic writing

How many body paragraphs should be in an essay?: That depends on what the essay rubric says. Most high school and college essay tasks will come with a suggested length of essay, usually as a word count.

As a rough guide, a paragraph should be between 150 and 250 words, so a 2,000-word essay will comprise between 8 and 13 paragraphs, including the introduction and conclusion.

In high school, it is quite common to be asked for a five-paragraph essay. In this case, the word count is likely to be between 750 and 1,250 words.

Bear in mind that the introduction and conclusion might well be shorter than the main body paragraphs.

QuillBot’s Notepad is a helpful tool to use when planning and writing your essay. Additionally, our Word Counter can help you track your word and paragraph count and other helpful metrics.
How do I write a conclusion for a rhetorical analysis?: The conclusion to a rhetorical analysis essay should include a brief summary of the points you have made in your essay and a reframing or restatement of your main thesis statement.

It can be a challenge sometimes to write an effective conclusion because you don’t want to repeat yourself too much, but you also should not be including any major new points in the discussion.

A well-written conclusion wraps up the essay in a neat and satisfying way and leaves the reader with a clear idea of what they have read.
How do I start a rhetorical analysis essay?: As with any essay, a rhetorical analysis essay needs a clear introduction. This will lay out the outline of your essay and will give a clear statement of your main thesis.

An introduction doesn’t have to be long, but it should link back to the prompt or question and set out the direction for the essay.

Apart from examination essays, it is usually best to write your introduction once you have finished the main body paragraphs of your essay. That way you already know the direction your essay has taken.
What is the purpose of rhetorical analysis?: The purpose of rhetorical analysis can be one of several things. If you want to learn how to write persuasive, effective speeches or articles, then it is worth studying the art of doing so. Or if your interest is understanding how some people have managed to sway their audience particularly effectively, then you also might want to study rhetoric.

This can be of mere academic interest (e.g., a study of successful—or unsuccessful—marketing or political campaigns to understand why they succeeded or failed).

Or it can be of practical use, so that a campaign or speech can be crafted to be optimally effective. Certainly, studying the art of rhetoric can help anyone who wants to persuade someone to their point of view.

It is also of benefit for all of us to understand how advertisers, politicians, or bosses can seek to manipulate our opinions by their use of rhetoric.
What are claims, supports, and warrants?: A claim is, as the name suggests, a claim that the author is making, a key point. The evidence that is given to back it up is known as a support, and the link between the two is called a warrant.

A warrant can be explicit (e.g., “We need to reduce adolescent obesity rates because they have contributed to a terrifying spike in early-onset diabetes”) or implicit (e.g., “Adolescents today have higher rates of obesity, and there has also been an alarming rise in early-onset diabetes”). In this case, the reader is invited or expected to draw the link between the two halves of the statement.

Analyzing claims, supports, and warrants is often part of a rhetorical analysis essay.
How do I start a body paragraph?: To start a body paragraph when writing an essay, you should write a topic sentence that explains the main idea of the paragraph. Often, the beginning of this topic sentence will contain some sort of transition word or phrase.

Topic sentence examples
First body paragraph: To begin with, I’ll examine how Moreno’s use of hyperbole in dialogue builds readers’ emotional connection with her characters.

Second body paragraph: Along the same lines, Moreno employs imagery to increase the emotional resonance of her story.

Third body paragraph: Lastly, Moreno’s use of the symbol of the stuffed dog throughout the story invokes the readers’ natural nostalgia for childhood.
What should a strong conclusion in a literary analysis always include?: A strong conclusion in a literary analysis essay should always include a brief summary of your main points and a restatement and reframing of your overall thesis.

A conclusion can be a challenge to do well, because you don’t want to just repeat yourself, and you shouldn’t introduce any major new idea.

The QuillBot online Notepad can help you keep track of your ideas and plan your literary analysis essay. Additionally, you can use the QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool to help you rephrase your ideas to make your point without being repetitive.
What are the first steps to take when organizing a literary analysis?: Getting the first steps right when writing a literary analysis is like making sure a building’s foundations are done properly. If you get it wrong, it undermines the rest of your work.

The most important first steps are:

Make yourself familiar with the text. The deeper your knowledge, the easier it is to analyze it.

Compose your thesis statement.

Write your topic sentences and put them in the best logical order.

Write your body paragraphs.

Write your introduction.

Write the conclusion.

QuillBot’s free online Notepad can help you keep track of your ideas throughout the essay-writing process. When you have finished your first draft then it’s time to proofread your work, check the grammar and spelling (you can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker), check any citations (try the QuillBot Citation Generator), and check for plagiarism (using the QuillBot Plagiarism Checker).
How long is an essay paragraph?: There is no absolute rule for this, but in general, a paragraph will be between 150 and 250 words.

If it is much shorter than this, then you need to consider if the point you are making is substantial enough or if you have included enough evidence to support your point.

If it is much longer, then you need to consider breaking it down into smaller points when writing your essay.

That is not to say that a 300- or 350-word paragraph will always be too long. But it is a guideline to help you judge the effectiveness of your essay.

QuillBot’s Paraphrasing Tool can help you phrase paragraphs in the most effective way. Additionally, QuillBot’s Word Counter tool can help you track the word count and readability level of your essay.
What is the difference between a descriptive essay and a narrative essay?: A descriptive essay will generally have a tighter focus than a narrative essay. While a narrative essay will tell a story (probably with a beginning, middle, and end) a descriptive essay might simply focus on describing a more limited location or event.

Both essays allow for more creative license than many other types of academic essay, especially in the use of descriptive language.

QuillBot’s Notepad is an invaluable resource for keeping notes as you research and write, whatever type of essay you are writing or researching.
How do you start a paragraph in an essay?: The best way to start a paragraph in an essay is with a topic sentence. This is a sentence that expresses clearly and concisely the point that the paragraph will be making.

Possibly the most difficult aspect of essay writing is learning how to formulate your ideas into effective topic sentences. It takes practice, but it is well worth the time spent.

One further advantage of topic sentences is that you can easily create an outline using them, which is the basis of your plan.

QuillBot’s online Notepad can help you during the planning stages of your essay writing. You can also use QuillBot’s Paraphrasing Tool to come up with just the right words for your essay.
What is the best way to start an essay?: It depends a little on what type of essay you are writing. Most college and high school essays will be argumentative or expository, and they need a different introduction from a narrative or descriptive essay.

With an expository, argumentative, or analytical essay, you will need an opening sentence that refers back to the prompt and contains a brief statement of the overall thesis for your essay (e.g., “While there is no doubt that smartphones have eroded the mental health of adolescents, there are some positives that suggest hope if the right changes are made in a timely manner”).

With a narrative or descriptive essay, be more creative and capture the reader’s attention from the first opportunity (e.g., “The place I remember the best is the one that I wish with my whole heart I could forget”).

Although your essay will most likely be read by someone who has to read it, it’s still important to make it as engaging as possible. Remember, yours might be one of several hundred being graded, so do everything you can to make it outstanding.

QuillBot’s Paraphrasing Tool can help you come up with the best phrasing for your essay, and our online Notepad can help you throughout the planning and writing process.
What is a good narrative essay outline?: A good narrative essay outline will identify the topic or incident and include a topic sentence for each paragraph.

For example, an essay looking at what we might learn about life from our hobbies or pastimes might have the following outline:

Topic: Life lessons learned in a kayak

Introduction:

Hook: When I first sat in a kayak at the age of 15, I was immediately off-balance and mildly terrified.

Thesis: Little did I suspect that, over the course of the next two years, I would learn a host of lessons that would be valuable, not just for kayaking, but for life in general.

Life lesson one: Where your head is will determine what happens to you more than you realize.

Supporting story: learning to keep my head straight

Life lesson two: Just because something might seem to hold you back doesn’t mean it isn’t helping you to keep straight!

Supporting story: instructor tying a “skeg” to my boat

Life lesson three: Dangerous and frightening experiences can be prepared for so that when they happen, you are equipped to cope.

Supporting story: learning how to get out of a capsize

Conclusion: These are just a few of the life lessons that kayaking has taught me.

You can use these topic sentences to guide the content of each paragraph.
What are some narrative essay topics?: There are many possible narrative essay topics, including:

Personal Growth and Self-Discovery

Write about a time you stepped out of your comfort zone. What motivated you to take that step, and how did it change your perspective?

Reflect on a failure that shaped your character. How did you turn it into a learning experience?

Identity and Values

Who or what has had the greatest influence on your identity? Share a story that illustrates this impact.

Recount a time when you stood up for something you believed in. What was at stake, and how did it shape your values?

Connections and Relationships

Write about a meaningful conversation that changed the way you see the world. Who was it with, and what was the impact?

Describe a moment when you helped someone or made a difference in their life. How did that experience shape you?

Creativity and Curiosity

Describe a time when your curiosity led you to an unexpected discovery. What did you learn, and how did it inspire you?

Write about a creative project or passion that has been important to you. How does it reflect who you are?

Change and New Beginnings

Recount a time you moved to a new place, joined a new community, or faced a significant transition. What did you learn about adapting to change?

Describe an event or moment that sparked a change in your beliefs or worldview. How did it influence your actions?
What is the difference between a narrative essay and a descriptive essay?: A narrative essay usually has a broader focus than a descriptive essay. A narrative essay tells (“narrates”) a story, whereas a descriptive essay focuses on describing a place or a moment in time.

Both essay types require careful use of descriptive and figurative language so that the reader fully experiences the situation being described.

When you are writing a narrative essay or a descriptive essay, you have more freedom with your use of language than with an analytical essay, which requires more formal academic English.

You can use the QuillBot Paraphrasing Tool to express your thoughts and descriptions in different ways when writing a narrative essay or descriptive essay.
How do you use quotes in an essay?: Correct use of quotes in an essay can lift it above the normal and attract higher grades. Quotes are vital in backing up your argument or illustrating your point. You should aim to integrate or embed your quotes in your writing.

Consider this comment on The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot:

“Prufrock realizes when he sees ‘the eternal Footman hold his coat,’ that he is approaching death, and he is overwhelmed by a sense of failure and fear. Failure because his achievements are no more than a ‘moment of …greatness’ that has flickered out, and fear because he has ‘seen the eternal Footman …snicker,’ suggesting that what he faces in the afterlife is to be feared. This is confirmed in the last half line of the stanza, ‘in short I was afraid.”

Here, the quotations flow naturally as part of the point that is being made. There’s lots more to be said on the subject of paraphrasing and summarizing which is worth researching.

QuillBot’s Notepad is a great place to note your quotations as you research your essay, making them easy to locate and use. Additionally, QuillBot’s Word Counter tool can help you effectively track the word count of your quotes to ensure your writing doesn’t rely on too many quotations.
What is the most common type of essay at university?: The most common type of essay at university is the argumentative essay, although different courses (and different countries) might have other predominant types.

An argumentative essay takes a position on a topic and seeks to persuade the reader to agree with the author’s standpoint. Some examples of argumentative essays prompts in a range of subject areas include:

The relationship between money supply and inflation is the most significant problem facing central banks. [Economics]

Prison works. [Criminology]

Poetry is untranslatable. [Literature]

An argumentative essay requires careful planning and a clear structure. It should use formal academic English and the correct citation for your institution. It should also meet the word count requirements.

The QuillBot Citation Generator makes the task of citing sources correctly simple, with 21 verified styles catered for. Additionally, QuillBot’s Word Counter tool can help you effectively track your word count and other helpful metrics.
Is an expository essay the same as an argumentative essay?: No, an expository essay is different from an argumentative essay. Although both types of essay require careful planning and formal English language, an argumentative essay has a clear point to be made and argued, while an expository essay seeks to explain a position or topic.

Examples of an argumentative essay might include:

The relationship between money supply and inflation is the most significant problem facing central banks. [Economics]

Prison works. [Criminology]

Poetry is untranslatable. [Literature]

Examples of an expository essay include:

What has been the impact of widespread smartphone use on adolescents? [Education/Sociology]

To what extent can the oral tradition of poetry be seen as the root of modern rap? [Literature]

Discuss the impact of drug treatment programs on reoffending rates. [Criminology/Sociology]

Whatever type of essay you are writing, QuillBot’s Notepad is an invaluable resource for keeping notes as you research and write.

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What is a topic sentence?

What is a topic sentence?: Academic writing

Personal Growth and Self-Discovery

Identity and Values

Connections and Relationships

Creativity and Curiosity

Change and New Beginnings