Grade 5 · Writing · Lesson 3

Write Topic Sentences and Transitions

A paragraph is a small team of sentences working on one idea. The captain of that team is the topic sentence — usually the first sentence — and its job is to tell the reader exactly what the paragraph will be about. Every other sentence either gives a detail, an example, or a reason that supports the captain. When you move from one paragraph to the next, transition words act like bridges that show the reader how the ideas are connected.

What this lesson teaches

1Write a topic sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph
2Use supporting details that all relate to one topic sentence
3Choose transition words that match the relationship between ideas
4Identify the four common transition categories: addition, contrast, cause/effect, and sequence

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