eng8-u3-writing· UNIT 3. NATURE· ~22 min

Unit 3 Writing: Supporting sentences

Develop a topic sentence with main points, relevant details, and logical order.

Supporting sentences develop the topic sentence. They can explain, describe, give reasons, or provide examples. A writer first chooses broad main supporting points, then adds more specific details beneath them. Every sentence should stay relevant to the paragraph’s focus, and the ideas should follow a logical order. In this lesson’s practice model, a plan has two main points and two to four supporting sentences for each point; other writing tasks may use different lengths.

Key terms

supporting sentence — A sentence that develops the topic sentence with explanation, description, a reason, or an example.
main supporting point — A broad reason or idea that develops the topic sentence.
supporting detail — Specific information that develops one main supporting point.
relevance — A clear connection between a sentence and the point it is meant to support.
logical order — An arrangement of ideas that a reader can follow easily.
From topic to detail
LevelJobCheck
Topic sentenceStates the paragraph’s focusCan both main points develop it?
Main pointGives one broad supporting ideaCan several details explain it?
Supporting detailExplains, describes, gives a reason, or gives an exampleDoes it develop its main point directly?
✎Build one branch of an outline
  1. 1Topic sentence: ‘A school garden creates useful learning opportunities.’
  2. 2Main point: ‘Students practise science skills in the garden.’
  3. 3Supporting detail: ‘They measure plant growth and record the results each week.’
✎Test relevance
  1. 1Main point: ‘Trees make the playground cooler.’
  2. 2Candidate detail: ‘Their leaves shade the benches at midday.’
  3. 3Decision: Keep it because the shade explains how the trees make the area cooler.
🚫Do not switch subjects

An interesting sentence still does not belong if it starts a different topic.

💡Move from broad to specific

A main point organizes the idea; its supporting details show, explain, or prove it.

⚠️Treat the count as a lesson model

Use two to four supporting sentences for each main point in this practice; paragraph length can vary in other tasks.

Rules

  1. 1Make each main point develop the topic sentence directly.
  2. 2Place specific explanations, descriptions, reasons, and examples under the main point they support.
  3. 3Remove a sentence that begins a new subject instead of developing the paragraph’s focus.
  4. 4Arrange supporting sentences in an order the reader can follow.
  5. 5For this lesson’s Task 4 model, plan two main points and two to four supporting sentences for each one.
  6. 6Check both levels of the outline: each detail supports its main point, and each main point supports the topic sentence.

Practice

4 easy · 4 medium · 4 hard

Up to 10 random questions per test

EasyMediumHardMixed