Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Supporting sentences are sentences in an essay that provide additional information, examples, evidence, or explanations to support the main idea presented in the topic sentence or thesis statement.
A thesis statement is a clear and concise sentence that presents the main argument or point of an essay. It serves as a roadmap for the reader, outlining the main ideas and supporting evidence that will be discussed in the essay.
A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main idea of a paragraph. It acts as a guidepost for both writer and reader, indicating what will be discussed in that particular paragraph.
Analysis refers to the examination and interpretation of evidence or examples in order to explain their significance and relevance to the main idea. It involves breaking down complex ideas into smaller parts and exploring their connections.