How to Write Supporting Sentences

Supporting sentences describe, explain, or develop the topic or main idea in a topic sentence. To write supporting sentences, a writer must first brainstorm for supporting ideas by simply converting the topic sentence into topic question and answer that question. Look at the examples below:

• Topic sentence: People have three basic needs. 
→ Topic question: What are those three needs?

• Topic sentence: There are three disadvantages of mobile phone.
→ Topic question: What are the three disadvantages?

• Topic sentence: Angkor Wat is attractive for a few reasons.
→ Topic question: What make Angkor Wat attractive?

• Topic sentence: Poverty is caused by four main factors.
→ Topic question: What are those factors?

• Topic sentence: Vutha is a hard-working student.
→ Topic question: What make Vutha a hard-working student?

• Topic sentence: Internet revolutionizes the way we works in three ways.
→ Topic question: What are those three ways?

Good supporting sentences must include supporting ideas (also called major supporting sentences) and supporting details (also called minor supporting sentences).

• Supporting ideas: These ideas explain or support the topic sentence.
• Supporting details: The details can be fact, example, opinion about each supporting idea.They make the supporting idea more comprehensive.

Thus, we can say:

SUPPORTING SENTENCES = SUPPORTING IDEAS + SUPPORTING DETAILS

Look at the examples below.


People have three basic needs. First, people need foods. They need rice, bread, meat, and drinks to satisfy their hunger.  Second, people shelter. They need houses to stay and protect from unfavorable weather conditions. Last, people need clothes. They need things to wear to protect themselves from sunlight, rain, and coldness.