Recognizing Function Of Sentences

A. Supporting Sentences Explain The Topic Sentence

The supporting sentences of a paragraph develop the main idea presented in the topic
sentence. This development can come in the form of examples, reasons, description.
Depending on the purpose of your paragraph. If, for example, you are writing an
opinion-based paragraph, your supporting sentences will consist of reasons and details.
If, on the other hand, you are writing a description, your supporting sentences will
contain specific details to help the reader form a mental image.
It is essenteial that your supporting sentences stay on topic and clearly relate to the
main idea of the topic sentence. This connection between the supporting sentences and
the topic sentence is called unity. If your supporting sentences are irrelevant or off-
topic, your paragraph will not be strong and may be unclear.
The supporting details of a reading can be divided into major supporting details and
minor supporting details, and they are found in the supporting paragraphs, or body
paragraphs, of an article or essy.
Supporting sentences usually have one of the following functions:

 They provide specific and factual details.

 The explain important terms.
 They support the point made the topic sentence, often with a quotation or
paraphrase.
 Give examples to illustrate the point made in the topic sentence.
 They may summarize what has been said so far, particularly towards the
end of the paragraph.
Example:
(1) Early childhood education programs such as Head Start provide cognitive benefits
well beyond preschool.
(2) Recent studies that compare student test scores show that children who are
exposed to structured learning activities outside the home environment are
better able to adapt to formalized instruction in grades kindergarten through
third grade than children who remain at home.
 (3) This is particularly true among children from low-income families and children
whose parents have a limited proficiency in English.
(4) Children living in states that do not provide early childhood programs, on the
other hand, lag behind their peers.
(5) State and local governments must continue to bridge the achievement gap so
that students may reach their full potential at an early age.

1. Major and Minor Supporting Sentences

Major supporting details provide the basic, necessary information for the reader to
understand the topic of the paragraph or text. These can be viewed as the essential
outline of the topic that the reader can focus on to fully understand the main idea if he
does not want to delve deeper into the specific details. There are usually at least two or
three of these per paragraph.
Minor supporting details are more specific and offer superfluous information that the
reader does not need to know. This information can be overlooked if the reader is not
interested in such specific details. Minor supporting details reinforce key points that
come up within the major supporting details and dig deeper into the topic.
Both major and minor supporting details are necessary to fully build the topic, and the
paragraph's development depends on these details, although major ones are more
essential Supporting details in general support the main topic sentence of a paragraph
There are two kinds of supporting details major and minor. The main idea and its major
supporting details form the basic framework of paragraphs. The major details are the
primary points that support the main idea. Paragraphs often contain minor details as
well. While the major details explain and develop the main idea, they, in turn are
expanded upon the minor supporting details.
Example of Main Idea and Major Detail:
 Studies reveal that people's first names can have an influence on them.
 Some names reflect on people in a positive way. However, other names can have
a negative impact.
Example of Main Idea and Major and Minor Detail:
 Studies reveal that people's first names can have an influence on them.
  Some names reflect on people in a positive way. For example, one survey showed
that American men consider them name Susan to be very attractive. And
participants in a British study thought.
 Tony to be the name of someone very friendly.
 However, other names can have a negative impact. In one study, for instance,
teachers gave lower grades to essay supposedly written by boys.

B. Supporting Sentences Suggest The Main Idea

Supporting sentences in a paragraph give information in order to explain, describe,
and develop the main idea in the topic sentences.
Example:
True happines is finding meaning in life, and that is what i found. I felt so good about
myself because all i did was help others all day. I helped families get a new place to live
and built schools or community centers where people can learn and work together to
make a better life. I felt really good helping others. For example, the Rodriguez family of
6 people, had their house destroyed by a hurricane. They had lived in a tent for four
years. I helped them finally have a proper home again. It was the most amazing gift i
have ever given someone.
The final sentences of the paragraph often reminds the reader about the topic and
main idea of the paragraph. It describes the main idea one more time, but with different
words.

C. Supporting Sentence Describe The Topic

Supporting sentences are connected to the main idea and do not get off topic.
Example:
Fast food and soft drinks are not good for our health. The more frequent
consumption of food and drink will cause obesity, liver damage and diabetes. Not only
that, our body will also lack of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and others that we
cannot get by consuming fast food and soft drinks. Those food are delicious and being
loved by everyone strating from children to adults but not many knows about the harm
that they can bring for human’s health. Position supporting sentence usually always
placed after topic sentence because of the function as explanation from main idea.

D. Transitional Sentences
Transition usually involves some sort of change of scenery (moving), or of jobs
(transfer) or maybe a change of some other format. Provide the reader with directions
on how to piece together your ideas into a logically coherent argument. Passage from
one from, state, style or to another. Passage from one subject to another in discourse. A
word, phrase, sentence, or series of sentences connecting one part of a discourse to
another.
Transition-sentences bring out the logical relation between ideas. You want your
paper to read like a continuous argument which good transitions help to facilitate.
Words like 'however’, 'so’, ‘additionally' do indicate a logical relation between
paragraphs, but they are weak. A strong transition makes the relation explicit.
 No transition: In some cultures, sympathy plays a role in moral decision - making.
 Weaker transition: However, conflicts between principle and emotion more often
occur when there is a conflict between the moral values of different cultures.
 Stronger transition: While conflict between morality and sympathy can occur in
the context of a single cultural code, it more often arises in cross-cultural
conflicts. You also want to avoid using pronouns like 'this' to refer to an entire
idea, as it's not always clear what idea you intend to refer to. It is always good to
make things explicit.
 Weaker transition: Even if this is wrong, relativism does not necessarily promote
human well-being and justice.
 Stronger transition: Even if a society is able to collectively define its culture and
establish its own moral code, relativism does not necessarily promote human
well-being and justice.

Here is an extended example taken from an actual student essay:

Virgil's acknowledgement and acceptance of the fact that the Roman Empire is not a
perfect institution make it possible for Virgil to write realistically and with a sense of
objectivity. In writing about the death of Palinuras he is able to communicate his
understanding of the empire's integral flaws. In Book V. 1.1120-23, Parlinurus asks

And who are you asking me to act as if I did not know the face of this calm sea and it's
still waves? Do you ask me to trust this monster?

Virgil is using the sea as a metaphor to show the dual-nature of the Roman Empire.
The "face of calm" that Palinurus mistrusts is the empire's appearance of civility and
lawfulness. The "monster" that Palinurus guards against is the ugly nature of empirical
rule and the brutal means by which it is established. Virgil is telling the Roman people
that they must exercise caution in trusting the empire just as Palinurus knows he must
exercise caution in trusting the sea because both entities can be pernicious. The sea may
have "still waves" but they only hide the rage beneath the surface. Likewise, the empire
may be a wonderful idea but, undeniably, it is driven by a violent force.
The violent characteristics of the empire are made painfully clear with the tragic death
of Palinurus, who, in all ways, is the epitome of a good Roman man. In composing The
Aeneid Virgil gave Palinurus the role of the pilot to further affirm his role as a guide, not
just as the steersman of a ship, but as a guide in all aspects of life. Palinurus' admirable
qualities make him a respected and valued advisor to Aeneas. Throughout this narrative,
Palinurus trust in his instincts and his knowledge from past experiences. Palinurus has
faith in his sophic wisdom: "no even if high Jupiter himself should guarantee his
promise, could I hope to reach the coast of Italy beneath a sky like this" (Aeneid. V. 11-
22-25). Even though Palinurus is able to acknowledge Aeneas' destiny, he cannot
surrender all of his judgment to the prophecies of the gods. The sentence in purple is an
example of how to illustrate the significance of a passage. When citing from the text,
you want to show what the passage illustrates and how it provides evidence for the
claim you are making.

The sentence in blue is an example of a good transition sentence that brings out the
logical relationship between these two paragraphs:
[1] The violent characteristics of the empire are made painfully clear with the tragic
death of [2] Palinurus, who, in all ways, is the epitome of a good Roman man.
Here is a good illustration of what I mean by transitions bringing out the relation
between paragraphs, thereby making the paper "flow" more smoothly.
[1] summarizes the point of the previous paragraph (i.e., that the empire is held
together by violence).
[2] summarizes the point of the current paragraph.
The sentence as a whole connects the two points.

E. EMPHATIC SENTENCES
Emphatic Sentence is also called the affirming sentence, which is a sentence to find
out what is done / not / not + infinitive. Here are some examples of sentences to find
meaning in sentence form and to express "really / really/ truly".

DO
I+DO
WE+DO
THEY+DO
YOU+DO
Example: I do hate you

DOES
HE+DOES
SHE+DOES
IT+DOES
Example: She does love you (past time)
Example: Junita did come here last night.
Emphatic sentence can also be made in the from of a command sentence.
Example:
- please, do read these books!
- please, do come there pn time!

The emphatic form is made using the auxiliary verb do with the base form of the verb.
Example:
- I don't owe you any money.”
- No, according to the terms of our agreement, you do owe me money.”
- She doesn't study very hard."

You can use the emphatic form in the following tenses:

1) Past emphatic: "I did send him the package."
2) Present emphatic: "I do enjoy a good burger."
3) Future emphatic: "I will follow up with her today."

You can also use adverbs as emphasizers:

- She literally stopped in the middle of the road."
- I really think you're overreacting."

F. CONCLUDING SENTENCES
Concluding sentences link one paragraph to the next and provide another device for
helping you ensure your text is cohesive. While not all paragraphs include a concluding
sentence, you should always consider whether one is appropriate.

Concluding sentences have three crucial roles in paragraph writing.

They draw together the information you have presented to elaborate your controlling
idea by:
 summarizing the points, you have made.
 repeating words or phrases (or synonyms for them) from the topic sentence.
 using linking words that indicate that conclusions are being drawn, for example,
therefore, thus, resulting.

They often link the current paragraph to the following paragraph. They may anticipate
the topic sentence of the next paragraph by:
 introducing a word/phrase or new concept which will then be picked up in the
topic sentence of the next paragraph.
 using words or phrases that point ahead, for example, the following, another,
other.

They often qualify the information or perspectives developed in elaboration. They may
qualify this information by:
 using concessive conjunctions to foreground the importance of some
perspectives and background others.
 making comparisons and contrasts between perspectives.
 using other language that clearly indicates the perspective they favor.

Concluding sentences often begin with a transition word to signal the reader that the
sentence is the end of the paragraph. Transition words include:
 all in all
 in other words
 in any event
 in brief
 in short
 therefore
 thus
Example:
 There are three different types of burns: first-, second-, and third-degree burns. First
degree or superficial burns are considered mild compared to other burns. They involve
only the top layer of skin (epidermis). Second degree or partial thickness burns affect
the top layer of skin and a portion of the lower layer of skin (dermis). Third degree or
full thickness burns are the worst burns. The burns destroy the first and second layer of
skin and damage deeper tissues. These three burns penetrate the skin's surface on
different depths.

The bulk of an expository paragraph is made up of supporting sentences (major and

minor details), which help to explain or prove the main idea. These sentences present
facts, reasons, examples, definitions, comparison, contrasts, and other pertinent details.
They are most important because they sell the main idea.
The last sentence of a paragraph is likely to be a concluding sentence. It is used to sum
up a discussion, to emphasize a point, or to restate all or part of the topic sentence so as
to bring the paragraph to a close. The last sentence may also be a transitional sentence
leading to the next paragraph.

Of course, the paragraphs you'll be reading will be part of some longer piece of writing -
a textbook chapter, a section of a chapter, or a newspaper or magazine article. Besides
expository paragraphs, in which new information is presented and discussed, these
longer writings contain three types of paragraphs: introductory, transitional, and
summarizing.

Introductory paragraphs tell you, in advance, such things as (1) the main ideas of the
chapter or section; (2) the extent or limits of the coverage; (3) how the topic is
developed; and (4) the writer's attitude toward the topic. Transitional paragraphs are
usually short; their sole function is to tie together what you have read so far and what is
to come - to set the stage for succeeding ideas of the chapter or section. Summarizing
paragraphs are used to restate briefly the main ideas of the chapter or section. The
writer may also draw some conclusion from these ideas, or speculate on some
conclusion based on the evidence he/she has presented.