英文作文講義 ---- Supporting Sentences

What are supporting sentences?

Supporting sentences explain the topic by giving more information about it. Supporting
point sentences list the main points of the paragraph.
from Introduction to Academic Writing(朗文)
When you write a paragraph, you need to support your main idea. One way to
support the main idea is with examples. Examples will make your ideas clear to
your readers.
from Skills for Success (Oxford)

The students in the class come from many different parts

of the world. Some are from European countries such as

France, Spain, and Italy. Others are from Middle Eastern

countries, like Saudi Arabia and Israel. Many are from

Asian countries like Japan. The largest number is from

Latin American countries, such as Venezuela and Mexico.

What is the topic sentence?

What are the supporting sentences?

● Notice that all the sentences relate to the topic sentence.

● supporting sentences 一定是繞著主題句(topic sentence)的議題在轉。若出現
和 topic sentence 不同的議題者要刪除。這刪除的句子英文叫做 irrelevant
sentences. (irrelevant 不相干的)
Practice 1
Work with a partner in a small group. Read each topic sentence. Then fill in the
blanks with additional supporting sentences. Add as many supporting sentences as
you can, but you do not have to fill in all of the blanks.
1. Owning a small car has several advantages.
a. A small car is easier to park._______________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________
2. To keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright, do the following things.
a. Don’t eat sugary foods___________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________
3. A good friend has two/ three/ four important qualities.
a. He/ She can keep secrets.__________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________
4. A college education is important for these reasons.
a. It prepares you for a career.__________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________
from Introduction to Academic Writing(朗文)

Practice 2
Read the following sentences and decide which ones are irrelevant to the topic.
Topic sentence: It is interesting to visit foreign countries.
1. You can meet new people.
2. You can eat different kinds of food.
3. It is expensive.
4. You can see the way other people live.
Number ______ is irrelevant.

Topic sentence: There is a lot to do in New York City.

1. There are many museums to see.
2. It is the cultural center of the United States.
3. The subways are dirty.
4. The restaurants are interesting.
Number ______ is irrelevant.
Topic sentence: People prefer small cars for a number of reasons.
1. They are cheaper to buy.
2. They use less gas than bigger cars.
3. They are easier to park.
4. Some small cars do not have enough legroom.
Number ______ is irrelevant.

Topic sentence: Smoking cigarettes is a bad habit.

1. It is expensive.
2. It may cause cancer.
3. There are many kinds of cigarettes.
4. The smoke often bothers other people.
5. Cigarettes left burning can cause fires.
Number ______ is irrelevant.
from Ready to Write 敦煌

Practice 3
確認主題句及輔助句(Identifying Topic and Supporting Sentences)
Read the following sentences about Springfield Academy, a boarding school for high-
school students. There is too much information here for one paragraph. Some of
the sentences are about the quality of education. Label these Q. Some are about
the rules of the school. Label these R. With some of your classmates, read and
discuss all of the sentences.

1. ______ Springfield Academy is famous for the high quality of its education.
2. ______ Students are not allowed to leave campus without permission.
3. ______ Students are required to wear uniforms.
4. ______ The laboratories have the latest equipment.
5. ______ Stereos and televisions cannot be played after 7 p.m.
6. ______ Most of its graduates attend very good universities.
7. ______ Many of the students at Springfield Academy feel that the rules are too
strict and old-fashioned.
8. ______ Students who do not maintain a B average are put on probation.
9. ______ Teachers assign a minimum of one hour of homework per class.
Now divide the sentences into two groups.
The unity (統一性) and coherence (連貫性) in a paragraph
I. Unity 統一性：在英文作文中，一個段落中只包含一個主題(topic)，如此此
段落才有統一性，所以和此段落的主題不相關的句子或議題都要刪除。
以下幾段文字，因為句中帶有和主題無關的贅句、贅詞而顯得雜亂，不句統
一性,。請在贅句、贅詞底下劃線並寫出來。
1. Businessmen use advertisements to convince consumers to buy their products.
They place their advertisements everywhere-- in newspapers, in magazines, on the
radio, on TV, and even on the Internet. You can read news on the Internet, too.
Advertisers, it seems, will do just about anything to make you believe that their
products are better than their competitors’. They will even spend millions trying to
persuade you to spend just a few dollars.
(

)
2. It is convenient and economical to eat at a cafeteria or a “food stand.” These
kinds of places offer cheap, quick meals with a wide variety of choices, and you don’t
need to spend a lot of money. The surroundings are simple, not luxurious, but they
can also be interesting. At a food stand, for example, one can sit at a table on the
sidewalk and watch the people go by. It is fun to eat at an expensive restaurant, too.
(

II. Coherence 連貫性：在英文的作文中，每一段落都有段落的主題(topic )。

除
了一段落的內容必須繞著主題在說明外，段落中的陳述也必須具有連貫
性。
Rearrange each set of sentences below and rewrite them as a paragraph. Make sure
the sentences are all logically connected. Also, underline all the transitional words
you can find.

1. a. Before you make a comment in a meeting, make sure you don’t repeat what has
already been said.
b. Therefore, listen attentively and decide carefully when and how to express
yourself.
c. What’s worse, it could even cost you your job because your boss may get a bad
impression of you.
 d. If you do, others at the meeting will usually ignore anything you have to say
later.
( ______ → ______ → ______→ ______ )
2. a. Thinking about what to wear is also important.
b. For example, prepare in advance what you want to say to show that you are
qualified for the job.
c. Before you go to an interview, there are a lot of things you can do.
d. Finally, make sure you set off early enough for the interview. It will create a
very bad impression if you are late.
( ______ → ______ → ______→ ______ )
3. a. They are curious about everything, and their bodies are small enough to be
harmed by only a small amount of something.
b. Small children are highly susceptible to poisoning.
c. If parents put cleaning products away carelessly, their child could easily become
the next victim of a poisonous substance.
d. Also, many children put whatever they find into their mouths.
( ______ → ______ → ______→ ______ )
4. a. Welcome to the world, Jack Brown.
b. When the time came for Ted and Teresa Brown to name their son, they looked
everywhere for a name.
c. They looked to the Bible first, and consulted family relatives, too.
d. But when they saw the movie Titanic, and its hero, Jack, they knew they had
found the right name.
( ______ → ______ → ______→ ______ )
 英文作文講義 – The Concluding Sentence
What is the concluding sentence?
A concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph and remains the reader of the
main idea.
1. Begin with a conclusion signal. Most conclusion signals have commas after them;
others do not.
Concluding Signals
Followed by a Comma No Comma
All in all, In summary, It is clear that……….
In brief, To conclude, These examples show that ……
In conclusion, To summarize, You can see that…..
Indeed, To sum up,
In short,

2. Remind your reader of the main idea by one of the following methods.
⚫ Repeat the idea in the topic sentence in different words. Do not just copy
the topic sentence.
TS. Successful bidding on eBay requires patience and strategy.
CS. In conclusion, wait patiently and place your bid with precision timing,
and you will be the winning bidder every time.
⚫ Summarize the main point or points of the paragraph.
In conclusion, follow the steps I have outlined, and you will be the winning
bidder every time.
3. Never end a paragraph by introducing a new idea!
X In conclusion, you can spend a lot of money on eBay.
from Introduction to Academic Writing(朗文)

Practice 1 請找出下列各段的主題句及結論，並在底下劃線。
1.
Reading is a journey that each of us takes every day. When driving, we read
the road signs to figure out where we are going. When studying, we read the
textbooks to explore the world of knowledge. When relaxing, we read stories and
novels to take us to an imaginary world. Some of us may make all these reading
trips in one day. We human beings are indeed constantly exploring our world
through reading.
2.
My brother and I are quite different. He walks, talks, and eats slowly, whereas
I do everything quickly. He gets up early, whereas I like to sleep late. He always
does his homework carefully, whereas I often don’t do my homework at all. He
loves desserts, whereas I can’t stand to eat anything sweet. In fact, we are so
different that sometimes we wonder if we really are brothers!
3.
Robots are used in many ways. Manufacturing companies use them to help
assemble products and lift heavy objects in their factories. Scientists use them to
handle dangerous materials or to do work under the sea or in outer space. Doctors
use them to do more accurate surgery. It seems that in many areas robots are
becoming just as essential as human beings.
4.
There is a big difference between the educational system in Taiwan and the
system in America. In my country, they give tests almost every day, but here is
America tests are rare. In my country, students are serious and quiet in class but here
they often talk to each other during class. In Taiwan, teachers are quite formal, but
most teachers in America are friendly and they even let you call them by their first
names. The differences between the two systems are so great that it is a little hard
for me to get used to my life as a student in America.
5.
Newton was famous for his scientific attitude. He had a curious mind. He
was interested in finding out why things happen. He was also very observant. He
paid attention to everything around him, and he used his observations to support his
ideas. He was skeptical, too. He would not say something was true until he had
tested it and proved it. It is generally agreed that Newton’s success was due to his
scientific attitude.