Paragraph Pattern

Paragraph Pattern
• A paragraph pattern is a plan.

• It shows the parts of a paragraph and how they are put together.
PARAGRAPH
A set of sentences about a topic (subject).
Parts of a paragraph:
-a main idea
-supporting ideas
-linking (transitional) words, phrases, and sentences (called signals.)
Main Ideas
The main idea:
–the subject of the paragraph.
–what the paragraph is about.
Writers use paragraph patterns based on the types of topic sentences they use.
Types of topic sentence writers use most often:

 Questions to be answered
 Problems to be solved
 Topics to be discussed
The paragraph patterns: the types of topic sentences with their supporting ideas
The Question-Answer Pattern
The question is the topic sentence and carries the main idea. The answer is in the sentences
carrying the supporting ideas.
The Problem-Solution Pattern
The problem is stated in the topic sentence. The solution—the answer to the problem—is in the
sentences carrying the supporting ideas.
The Topic-Discussion Pattern
The topic is the main idea. It comes in the form of a statement carried in the topic sentence. The
discussion is in the sentences carrying the supporting ideas.
TRANSITION
• Transitions: links among ideas.
• They may be:
• one word,
• groups of words (phrases),
whole sentences.
• They join main ideas to supporting ideas.
• They also join supporting ideas to supporting ideas.
• They join sentences since sentences carry the ideas.
• They show relations between and among sentences.
OTHER NAMES OF TRANSITION
• guides to coherence,
• signal words,
• signs,
• sign words, and
• direction words.
• We will call them linking devices.
Why Is Using Paragraph Patterns in Finding Main Ideas and Supporting Ideas Valuable?
• It gives you the writers’ plan.

• It gives you the picture of what the parts are and how they are put together.
• Finding the pattern makes it much easier for you to understand the paragraph.
 The main idea shows you what the paragraph is about
 The supporting ideas tell you about the main idea
 The linking devices show you how all the ideas go together.
Methods
How Do You Find Paragraph Patterns?

By finding the parts of the paragraph and how they are put together:
• Find the main idea.
• Find the supporting ideas
• Find the linking devices.
• Decide which form the main ideas and supporting are in:
oQuestion—answer pattern
oProblem-solution pattern
oTopic-discussion pattern
How Do You Find Directly Stated Main Ideas in Paragraph Patterns?
• Look for the topic sentence. Here are some ways to help you find it.
• Look for headings, that is, titles for the paragraphs.
The writers may put all or part of the main idea in a heading. Headings are easy to find. They are in
different type (or print) from the rest of the paragraph. They are in a different place—above the
paragraph or before the first sentence within the paragraph.
• Look at the relations among the sentences.
The topic sentence is the most general statement. The other sentences are about it more than they are
about each other.
• Use the linking devices. The topic sentence may be joined to the supporting sentences by words like
for example, namely, because, and so on.
•Use place clues. Writers may put topic sentences anywhere in the paragraph—at the beginning, at the
end, or within the paragraph. However, in any one selection, a writer may pick a certain way of writing
and stick to it in all the paragraphs.
How Do You Find Implied Ideas?
Implied ideas, of course, are not directly stated. Instead, they are suggested by the sentences in
the paragraph taken together.
How Do You Use Linking Devices to Find Ideas Within Paragraph Patterns?
• Use linking devices to find relations among ideas: among main ideas, among supporting ideas, and
among main ideas and supporting ideas.
• Linking devices are points joining ideas in the different kinds of relations.
• Pinpoint the linking devices and you can find the supporting ideas faster.
• Look for these linking devices that writers use very often:
Transition (Linking Devices/Signals)
1. Conjunctions : words that join together two or more ideas. Writers use many conjunctions to show
relations.
•Joint relations: and, also, in addition, furthermore, moreover, in other words.
•Cause-effect relations: therefore, because, consequently, so, thus, accordingly, as a result, for this
reason.
•Similarities: similarly, in the same way, in a like manner, likewise.
•Differences: however, nevertheless, on the contrary, or, not, on the other hand, still, yet, rather.
•Time relations: beforehand, afterwards, meanwhile, subsequently, then, now, soon.
2.Repeating Content
Some writers repeat an idea throughout the selection. They may use three forms of repetition: using
certain content again (a word, a phrase, or a sentence); making pronouns stand for content: and having
synonyms stand for content.
3.Parallel Structures
Some writers use the same form of words, phrases, clauses, or sentences to show ideas of equal
importance.
4.Enumeration
Some writers show links by marking their ideas. They may use letters (a, b, c, …) or numerals (one, two,
three ...;first, second, third,…).
5.Writers’ Notes
Sometimes, in longer selections, writers tell you what ideas they present and how they arrange them.
6.Headings and Subheadings

Writers may use main headings and subheadings to show relations among parts. Different orders of
headings and subheadings go with different levels of ideas. The different orders of headings and
subheadings are shown by the different sizes and kinds of type.
How Do You Find Supporting Ideas in Paragraph Patterns?
• Remember the three paragraph patterns that writers usually use: question-answer, problem-solution,
topic- discussion.
• You found the main idea when you pinpointed the topic sentence. It was a question, a problem, or a
topic.
• Finding the supporting ideas is pinning down the other part of the pattern.
• If a question is given as the topic sentence, then the supporting sentences come in the answer to that
question.
• If a problem is given as the topic sentence, then the supporting sentences are in the solution to that
problem.
• If a topic is stated in a sentence, then the supporting sentences are in the discussion of that topic.
• Writers will choose among a number of methods to develop answers for the questions, solutions to
the problems, and discussions of topics.
• Each method of development has linking devices to put together the ideas.
What Is an Example of Finding Main Ideas and Supporting Ideas within Paragraph Patterns?
Read the paragraph about listening to your body.

1. The paragraph pattern is the topic—discussion pattern.
2. Find the topic.
It is in the topic sentence:
You should listen to your body because your body will tell you how things are going with your health .
This idea is stated in short form in the paragraph’s title or heading. Then, it is stated in long form in the
topic sentence, the first sentence in the paragraph
3. The topic is pinned down further in the next sentence, starting with the linking words more
specifically. This sentence links the main idea to signs of good health to look for.
4. Next, we have the supporting ideas—the discussion. The discussion is the list of signs of good health.
5. Look at the linking words.
The discussion is linked to the topic sentence by for example, which starts an independent clause that
ends with a colon (:).
The main link is the parallel structure starting with the word that, which follows the colon and is
repeated at the start of each dependent clause giving an example of a sign.
Finally, the last link is in the ending sentences—the words all these signs. This link serves to bring
together the supporting ideas—the signs—and tie them back in with the state of your health, which
listening to your body will tell you about.

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Paragraph Pattern

• A paragraph pattern is a plan.

Types of topic sentence writers use most often:

• It gives you the writers’ plan.

How Do You Find Paragraph Patterns?

How Do You Find Directly Stated Main Ideas in Paragraph Patterns?

Transition (Linking Devices/Signals)

6.Headings and Subheadings

How Do You Find Supporting Ideas in Paragraph Patterns?

Read the paragraph about listening to your body.

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