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 PERSUASIVE EXPOSITORY DEFINITION
PARAGRAPH

It retells the stories or gives background information It tries to convince the reader about something and It clarifies or explains problems and phenomena It is written to explain the meaning, origin and

of past events.
PARAGRAPH

may make recommendations.

PARAGRAPH

basing strictly on evidence and objective language.

PARAGRAPH

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 tengsaman@yahoo.com

Version: March 31, 2011

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
Giving examples

TRANSITIONS (LINKING WORDS)

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

Adding information

Summarizing

Sequencing ideas

Giving a reason

Giving a result

Contrasting ideas

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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, TRANSITION, TRANSITION, TRANSITION, SUPPORTING SENTENCE 1 = SUPPORTING IDEA + DETAILS SUPPORTING SENTENCE 2 = SUPPORTING IDEA + DETAILS SUPPORTING SENTENCE 3 = SUPPORTING IDEA + DETAILS 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 SPECIFIC

i.e., it must contain one and only one controlling idea, i.e., it should be direct, precise and relevant to the topic.
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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. 2. 3. Dorothy E. Zemach (2004). Paragraph Writing: From Sentence to Paragraph. MacMillan Keith S. Folse et al (2010). Great Writing 2. Third Edition. Heinle Cenage Learning. USA http://www.suite101.com/content/seven-types-of-paragraphs-a99946

2011 tengsaman@yahoo.com

Version: March 31, 2011