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    Paragraph Writing

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    Paragraph Writing

    Uploaded by

    samsoum1
    78 views4 pages

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    58875951 Paragraph Writing (1)

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    Paragraph Writing

    Uploaded by

    samsoum1

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 4

    PARAGRAPH: HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH?

    Intermediate

    PARAGRAPH WRITING

    WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?

    A paragraph is a group of sentences that focuses on one topic, or one main idea,
    which stated in the topic sentence.

    WHAT ARE THE COMMON KINDS OF PARAGRAPH?


    The common types of a paragraph are

    DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPH – It describes people, animal, things or event.


    NARRATIVE PARAGRAPH – It retells the stories or gives background information
    of past events.
    PERSUASIVE PARAGRAPH – It tries to convince the reader about something and
    may make recommendations.
    EXPOSITORY PARAGRAPH – It clarifies or explains problems and phenomena
    basing strictly on evidence and objective language.
    DEFINITION PARAGRAPH – It is written to explain the meaning, origin and
    function of things.
    CLASSIFICATION PARAGRAPH – It explores the meaning of things as compared to
    one another, and as positioned in related contexts.
    PROCESS ANALYSIS PARAGRAPH – It usually guides readers through a process or
    action to be performed; that is, a how-to paragraph.

    WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A PARAGRAPH?


    There are three elements of a paragraph: a topic sentence, supporting sentences,
    and a concluding sentence.

    TOPIC SENTENCE: It is the main sentence which states or introduces the topic.

    SUPPORTING SENTENCES: They are the sentences that develop, describe, or


    explain the topic (in topic sentence).

    CONCLUDING SENTENCE: It is a sentence that summarizes all key points,


    restates the topic sentence, makes prediction about the topic, or makes
    suggestion about the topic.

    © 2011 [email protected] Version: March 31, 2011


    1
    PARAGRAPH: HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH? Intermediate

    Note!
    There are three
    elements of a
    paragraph: a topic
    sentence [which tell the
    topic or main idea],
    supporting sentences
    [which develop the topic
    or main idea], and a
    concluding sentence
    [which marks an end of a
    paragraph].

    Moreover, a paragraph also includes LINKING WORDS or TRANSITIONAL WORDS


    to connect ideas or sentences together; as in the table below:

    USAGE TRANSITIONS (LINKING WORDS)


    for example; for instance;
    Giving examples
    namely; such as...
    and; in addition; as well as; also; too;
    Adding information furthermore; moreover;
    apart from; besides ...
    in short; in brief; in summary; to summarize; all
    Summarizing in all; to conclude; in conclusion, as I have
    described above ....
    at the beginning, after that, at the end....
    Sequencing ideas firstly, secondly, finally, lastly....
    the first point is...
    due to / due to the fact that;
    Giving a reason owing to / owing to the fact that;
    because; because of ; since; as ....
    therefore; so; consequently;
    Giving a result
    this means that; as a result ....
    but; however; although / even though ;
    despite / despite the fact that; in spite of / in
    Contrasting ideas
    spite of the fact that ;
    nevertheless; nonetheless; while; whereas...

    © 2011 [email protected] Version: March 31, 2011


    2
    PARAGRAPH: HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH? Intermediate

    WHAT ARE THE CHARISTERISTICS OF A GOOD PARAGRAPH?


    A good paragraph shall have unity and coherence.

    UNITY: A paragraph should be about one topic or one main idea. All of the
    sentences, especially supporting sentences, should develop the topic stated
    in the topic sentence.

    COHERENCE: The word “coherence” comes from the word “cohere” which
    means “to hold together.” So, writers are supposed to link from one idea to
    another idea.

    HOW DO I ORGANIZE A PARAGRAPH?


    PARAGRAPH TOPIC

    TOPIC SENTENCE = TOPIC + CONTROLLING IDEA

    TRANSITION, SUPPORTING SENTENCE 1 = SUPPORTING IDEA + DETAILS

    TRANSITION, SUPPORTING SENTENCE 2 = SUPPORTING IDEA + DETAILS

    TRANSITION, SUPPORTING SENTENCE 3 = SUPPORTING IDEA + DETAILS

    TRANSITION, CONCLUDING SENTENCE = (see 4 ways below)

    HOW DO I DEVELOP A PARAGRAPH?

    How to write a topic sentence:

    Topic sentence = a topic + a controlling idea

    TOPIC – It is what you are going to focus on.


    CONTROLLING IDEA – It is the limitation or number of ideas you are going to
    present/write.

    NOTE: A good topic sentence must be:


    COMPLETE – i.e., it must consist of a subject and a predicate. Moreover, it must
    express one and only one controlling idea,
    LIMITED – i.e., it must contain one and only one controlling idea,
    SPECIFIC – i.e., it should be direct, precise and relevant to the topic.

    © 2011 [email protected] Version: March 31, 2011


    3
    PARAGRAPH: HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH? Intermediate

    How to write supporting sentences:

    Supporting sentence = Supporting idea + details

    SUPPORTING IDEA – It is the idea that supports topic sentence.


    DETAILS – They can be explanations, description, reasons, facts, examples,
    evidence, or definitions that you add to your supporting idea.

    How to write a concluding sentence:

    There are four ways, which you can use either of them, to write a concluding
    sentence:

    RESTATING THE TOPIC SENTENCE:


    You can rewrite the topic sentence but in different words.

    SUMMARIZING THE KEY POINTS:


    You can summarize all important points (especially supporting ideas)
    which you have described in supporting part.

    MAKING A PREDICTION ABOUT THE TOPIC:


    You can make a short prediction about the topic, but do not introduce a
    new topic.

    MAKING A SUGGESTION ABOUT THE TOPIC:


    You can make suggestion about the topic, but never introduce a new topic.

    REFERENCE:

    1. Dorothy E. Zemach (2004). Paragraph Writing: From Sentence to Paragraph. MacMillan


    2. Keith S. Folse et al (2010). Great Writing 2. Third Edition. Heinle Cenage Learning. USA
    3. http://www.suite101.com/content/seven-types-of-paragraphs-a99946

    © 2011 [email protected] Version: March 31, 2011


    4

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