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  • This is Justin Time at EnglishClip.com

  • with my digital friend, Ralph McBook.

  • Hello everyone. Justin, I’m writing about fast food, could you help me?

  • Writing? Youve never written anything before.

  • I know, but I've read a lot, so I can do it.

  • I think.

  • Okay. What’s the problem?

  • It’s starting the paragraph I’m not sure about.

  • You mean the topic sentence?

  • Yes, that’s the one.

  • What do you have so far?

  • Well, how about this? I will tell you about fast food.

  • No, Ralph. You have the topic, but you need a main point as well.

  • There are two parts in a topic sentence. For example; Fast food is bad for your health.

  • What about this one then? This is about fast food.

  • No, no main point.

  • Just tell the reader the topic

  • and what you will say about it.

  • Something like this;

  • Fast food chains are opening restaurants in Russia.

  • Here I will talk about fast food.

  • Nope, no good. No main point. Topic and main point.

  • Like this; Fast food is getting healthier. How about this one then?

  • I will introduce fast food? A topic sentence should introduce, yes?

  • Oh, Ralph, please stop, youre hurting me now. Are you listening?

  • Fast food is the topic, right? Yes.

  • So, what are you going to say about fast food; the main point?

  • Put that in a sentence with the topic, and youre golden. For example; Fast food in China is high status.

  • The topic, and what you are going to say about it.

  • Ah, so;

  • Fast food first became popular in the 1950s.

  • Wonderful.

  • Fast food is causing health problems for teenagers.

  • Marvelous!

  • I was beginning to the you had a loose wire.

  • No, no, I get it now; topic and main point.

  • Will you help me write a paragraph?

  • Okay, if I must.

  • I’m going to write about how fast food is getting better

  • so how about this for a topic sentence?

  • Fast food is getting healthier.

  • Yeah, that’s fine. Don’t forget that all the sentences that follow must support and

  • explain the topic sentence. Right, so how about this? Recently, in restaurants

  • such as McDonald’s you can find veggie burgers and salads on the menu.

  • Let’s see, fast food, health. Excellent, Ralph! A stroke of genius.

  • Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their name to KFC.

  • Yea... No, Ralph. You can’t say that. It’s not about health.

  • Okay, erm... Burger King even has special menus for people who have to avoid certain

  • foods for health reasons. Fast food, health. Yes, very good, interesting too,

  • I didn’t know that. They list all the ingredients for people to see.

  • Fast food, health. Great.

  • Good...

  • Is that it?

  • Yes...

  • What?

  • Well, you can’t just leave it there like an airplane stuck in the sky.

  • You have to come down and land. You need a concluding sentence

  • to make sure your readers remember your main point.

  • Oh, you mean something like this?

  • Things have really changed for the better

  • on the fast food scene.

  • Yeah, not bad. Were getting there.

  • Now, when you think of fast food,

  • it does not have to mean, bad food.

  • Spot on, Ralph! Brilliant, well done.

  • So, what do you think of this paragraph, Justin?

  • Well, it has all the right parts.

  • Topic sentence with a main point.

  • All the support sentences are about fast food,

  • and health, so they are good.

  • And, the concluding sentence

  • reminds us of the main point.

  • So, you like it?

  • Justin: Yes, it’s good.

  • But it needs a few more supporting sentences.

  • I was just getting interested, and then you stopped.

  • A good writer has to think about his readers.

  • What will they want to know?

  • How can I make this more interesting for them?

  • Can I give them some new information

  • or a new view on the topic?

  • Okay, I’ll work on it? Thanks, Justin!

  • Anytime, Ralph.

  • I hope this helps you, my dear listeners, to understand

  • how a topic sentence works in a paragraph.

  • For more help with your English,

  • stop by at EnglishClip.com.

  • It’s got to be fun!

  • Justin, can writing really be fun?

  • Of course it can!

  • Look into my eyes and say that again.

  • Get out of here!

This is Justin Time at EnglishClip.com

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