Understand Purpose, Audience, Organization, and Development in Writing

Recognize Effective Thesis Statements, Topic Sentences, and Supporting Details

A paragraph presents a collection of information unified by the main idea stated in the topic sentence. All the information in the paragraph must be relevant to the main idea. Relevance in a paragraph means that a piece of information is directly related to the topic sentence. The information must relate not only to the very limited subject but also to what you will show about it.

For the two topic sentences below, find any information listed that is not relevant.

Study the topic sentence below. Check the relevance of the information in the following sentences by seeing if it relates to the topic sentence. Identify the irrelevant sentences.

Topic Sentence: Some tiny insects can be deadly summer pests.
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1. The stings of bees, hornets, and yellow jackets can cause a serious allergic reaction in five percent of Americans.


2. Moths eat holes in fabrics such as woolens.


3. The bull's-eye shaped rash signals lyme disease from the bite of a tick.


4. The encephalitis virus carried by some mosquitoes can cause brain inflammation.


5. Disoriented behavior in skunks may indicate rabies.

Study the topic sentence below. Check the relevance of the information in the following sentences by seeing if it relates to the topic sentence. Identify the irrelevant sentences.

Topic Sentence: If you lose your job, you should take immediate action to curb your budget.
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1. Seek help with budgeting and payment plans from a nonprofit credit counseling service.


2. A good credit rating is important to a family.


3. Even families with good jobs can get into financial trouble.


4. Forgo unnecessary expenses.


5. A recession can reduce income.


6. Decide what payments must be made first.


7. Stop using your credit cards immediately.