What are Supporting Sentences?
Supporting sentences come after the topic sentence in a paragraph. Their job is to explain, prove, or give details that help the reader understand and believe the main idea introduced in the topic sentence. If the topic sentence is the “main idea,” then supporting sentences are the “proof” or “evidence.”
Types of information in supporting sentences:
- Reasons
➤ Why is the main idea true or important? - Explanations
➤ How does something work? What does it mean? - Examples
➤ Short stories or situations that show your point in action. - Numbers and Data
➤ Facts, statistics, or measurements make your point stronger. - Names of People or Organizations
➤ Experts, researchers, or official groups give your paragraph authority. - Cause and Effect
➤ Show how one thing causes or affects another. - Comparisons or Contrasts
➤ Compare two things to clarify your idea. - Descriptions of Experiences
➤ Sensory details (what you saw, heard, felt, etc.) help readers imagine the idea more clearly. - Quotations
➤ The exact words of a person, often an expert or witness, that support the main idea. - Definitions
➤ A clear explanation of a word or concept that is key to understanding the paragraph.
Example Supporting Sentences: