1. Stage 1 – Topic Sentences
Yr9 English Unit 3
Stage 1 – Topic Sentences

2. Having some trouble with your topic sentences?
LOOK! The card he is holding says, “TEEL”

3. Break it down into these four steps
Read the essay question
Form a contention
Think about the three main points you would make to support your contention.
Write a topic sentence articulating each of those main points.

4. STEP 1: Read the essay question.
Being successful or talented doesn't necessarily make you a good person. With reference to the text After, to what extent do you agree?

5. But what is a contention?
STEP 2:
Form a contention.
But what is a contention?

6. What is a contention? Yes: Complete agreement
A contention is your point of view, stance, position or argument in response to a topic.
In response to a question like this, there are 4 positions you can take:
Yes: Complete agreement
Yes, however… : Partial agreement, whilst presenting other considerations in relation to the topic
No: Complete disagreement, present other view
No, however… : Partial disagreement, present other considerations of topic

7. So, let’s review those first two steps:
THE ESSAY QUESTION IS: Being successful or talented doesn't necessarily make you a good person. With reference to the text After, to what extent do you agree? Now you need to decide whether or not you agree with the statement. Yes Yes, however… No No, however… Whichever one you choose, that is your contention.

8. STEP 3:
Decide on your main points. Now you have established your contention, choose three main points that support your contention.

9. STEP 4: Write your topic sentences.
In an Analytical Text Response Essay, each of your main points would be the focus of one paragraph.
Each paragraph must have a topic sentence introducing the focus of the paragraph.
In this task, you don’t need to write an entire paragraph, you only need to write the topic sentence.