PARAGRAPH

Paragraph
-Group of sentences (at least 3)

- Develop a topic / one main idea

STRUCTURE OR A
PARAGRAPH
Paragraph organization

A typical paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting

sentences and a concluding sentence.
• * The topic sentence introduces the topic and tells what
the writer will say about the topic.
• * The sentences that follow further explain and support the
topic sentence. They are called supporting sentences
• * The concluding sentence often repeats the information
in the topic sentence in a different way
A university professor has many duties. In the
classroom, he or she lectures to the students and
answers questions. During office hours, students
are free to visit the professor for help on difficult
material or problems. In addition, a professor may
often work for many hours in a laboratory doing a
research project. Another professor might spend his
or her time writing a scholarly paper for a
professional journal. Still another one might spend
time writing a book. In conclusion, a professor is
always a very busy person.
 Exercise: Underline TS

Arranged marriages may have some

disadvantages. One obvious disadvantage is that
parents may make a poor choice, and the young
couple may never be happy together. A second
disadvantage is that a young man or woman may
already fallen in love with someone else. If the
parents force him or her to marry their choice,
the result will be three unhappy people.
 One advantage to having parents arrange a
marriage is financial security. Of course, money
doesn’t automatically bring happiness, but a lack of
money certainly causes stress in any relationship. A
second advantage of an arranged marriage is that
parents may make a better choice than their children,
as they are not only older but also wiser. They may be
better judges of character than young people, who
often let emotions influence their judgement. To
summarize, arranged marriages may be happy
because parents choose with their heads, not with their
hearts, and since the choice if from parents, they are
willing to help the young couple financially from their
first days of marriage.
The topic sentence

The topic sentence is usually the first or second

sentence in a paragraph. It introduces a new idea. It
presents the topic and explains what the writer will
say about the topic. This explanation is called the
controlling idea
 Important notes

A topic sentence must not be a fact or a specific

detail. The controlling idea must say something
about the topic that can then be supported,
developed, or demonstrated in the supporting
sentences. The controlling idea must also not be
too general, or the topic sentence will be
unclear.
 1._____ a. The calendars are different
_____b. The weekend starts on Friday instead of Saturday
_____c. The time is different because my country does not
follow Greenwich time.
_____d. There are some very specific differences between
my part of the world and the western countries.
 2._____a. I was travelling to Los Angeles to visit my cousin.

_____ b. My plane was delayed, so I was stuck at the

airport.
_____ c. I experienced a strange coincidence last year.
_____ d. I heard my teacher from my old hometown calling
my name.
 Topic sentence:
- Contain a topic
- Be a statement of intent /
opinion, not a statement of
fact
 Controlling idea:

* clear, focused on one aspect

* clear viewpoint
* not too broad nor general
Examples: Vague controlling idea

Drinking coffee is bad.

=> Drinking over four cups of coffee a day

can be harmful to pregnant women.

Examples: Weak Topic sentences

- We celebrate Christmas on December 25.

- You can buy a Wave Alpha for $800.

 Exercise: Circle topics and
underline controlling ideas
1. Most students at my college like to take
part in social activities.
2. Almost all my classmates at college are
fun-loving.
3. It is interesting to put the teachers of
English at my college into two groups:
those who are too strict, and those who are
too lenient.
4. Another way to reduce the rate of
inflation is to balance the federal budget.
5. One reason why I like the beach is its
solitary atmosphere.
6. Although pretty, Maria is a very shy girl.
7. Physical exercise is good for a person’s
mental health.
8. In addition to being unhealthy, smoking
can be offensive.
9. It is very difficult to be alone in a foreign
country.
10. One of the most recent technical
advances in the use of water is the
development of hydroelectric power.
11. My twin sons, Jack and Tom, differ in
hobbies.
12. It is difficult to quit smoking for three
reasons.
 Exercise: Choose better topic
sentence in each pair

1. a. Snow skiing on the highest

mountainsides requires great skill.
b. Snow skiing is fun.
2. a. Exercise is healthful.
b. Jogging is healthful for many reasons.
3. a. Camping is a great outdoor activity.
b. Camping requires a variety of special
equipment.
4. a. Small cars are popular.
b. Driving a small car saves money.
5. a. Hong Kong is an exciting city.
b. Hong Kong is a shopper’s dream
world.
6. a. The violence on TV can affect
children’s emotional well-being.
b. Watching TV is a waste of time.
7. a. Learning English is difficult.
b. What makes English difficult to learn
is pronunciation.
8. a. Gone with the Wind may be an old
movie, but it is still a good one.
b. The acting in Gone with the Wind is
superb.
9. a. The wide variety of merchandise
makes Maximark convenient.
b. Maximark is a convenient place to
shop.
10. a. Enrolling in college is not an easy
task.
b. Registration at State College is a
painful process.
 Exercise: Rewrite weak TS
1. My hometown is a wonderful place.
2. She has many problems.
3. There are many interesting things to do at
the park.
4. Las Vegas is a bad city.
5. Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in the
world.
6. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam.
7. Elephants are big animals.
1. The park is a place where you can spend
your free time due to its variety of
activities.
2. Climbing the highest mountain of the
world - Mt Everest, is challenging
3. HN – the capital of VN, is a perfect city for
relaxation and stress relief.
4. Elephants are big animals and it’s helpful
for Thai people
My hometown is a wonderful place.
My hometown is a wonderful place for
teenagers who want to explore the nature.
My hometown is a wonderful place for
developing eco tourism.
 Narrow the topic
Your college => Teaching staff =>
Teachers of English
Cigarettes => Effects of smoking =>
Effects on health
Cigarettes => Cigarette smokers =>
Woman smokers
Narrow the topic
Music => Pop music => Pop music
singers
Commercials => TV commercials
=> Funny TV commercials
Exercise: Narrow these subjects
My university=> Students at my
university => Ss at the Department of
FL
My university => The university facilities
=> …
Exercise: Narrow these subjects
Entertainment => …
Sports => …
Means of transport => …
Business management => …
 Write TS
Topic sentence (TS) = Topic +
Controlling idea (Why, How,
Who, What, When, Where)
 Narrow the topics

• Entertainment
• Economic recession
• Employment
• Sports
• Pressure at work
 Supporting sentences

1. examples / illustrations,
2. description,
3. definition (by synonym, class,
negation),
4. details of fact / personal experience,
5. comparison – contrast,
6. cause - effect
3. a. I like the way pp decorate their homes and
stores
b. I enjoy going shopping in cold weather
c. I enjoy the parties &celebrations of the winter
holiday
d. I really like the winter holidays
4. a. My new apartment has big closets
b. My new apartment is close to school and work
c. My new apartment is perfect for my roommate &
me
d. My new apartment is not too expensive
 Exercise: Write supporting
sentences for the following topics
1. Smoking in restaurants should be
prohibited for many reasons.
2. International students have difficulty
understanding lessons in class for
several reasons.
3. We should consider several criteria
before choosing a job.
SMOKING IN RESTAURANTS
SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FOR
MANY REASONS.
 Restaurant are in closed area  Smoke just goes
around the close space
 Smell of smoke can destroy the atmosphere and
spoil the food taste & smell as well
 There are some inflammable substances ( wine,
candles, table sheet… Easily to cause fire
 Restaurant are also public area  Smoke can
affect many pp
 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS HAVE
DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING
LESSONS IN CLASS FOR
SEVERAL REASONS.
 They have to use another language for studying
 Problems with listening & understanding
 They are not familiar with new teaching
methods
 They classmates are from different cultures 
Difficulty in pairwork or groupwork
 WE SHOULD CONSIDER
SEVERAL CRITERIA BEFORE
CHOOSING A JOB.

 Our own capability, strength &

weakness
 Opportunities for promotion
 Benefits from the job
 Concluding sentence

1. Restate main idea,

2. Warn readers,
3. Make a prediction,
4. Give an opinion
5. Add concluding comment
An egg taco take only 5 minutes to make
 Your delicious egg taco is ready to eat in
just a few minutes
 Heat a flour tortilla in a small amout of
water
 Scramble 2 eggs with little salt & pepper
 When the eggs are done, slide them into
the warm tortilla & fold it over
My paper is late because something happened
to my computer.
 I was almost finished writing my paper, and I
was checking it for errors
 Suddenly, my computer screen went black,
and the power was gone.
 The accident made me lose many hours of
work, so I could not turn in my essay on time.
 Later, I learned that a squirrel got on the
power line & disrupted the electricity
 Exercise: Write CS
1. My first day in school was a frightening
experience.
2. Watching television is a good way to
learn English.
3. You can lose weight if you follow these
steps.
4. Mountain climbing is a challenging
sport with important requirements.
5. Rita, my roommate, is very
inconsiderate.
 UNITY WITHIN A PARAGRAPH
A paragraph must have unity. A paragraph has unity
when all the sentences support a single idea.
* The paragraph must have one controlling idea in the
topic sentence. Otherwise the paragraph loses focus.
• The supporting sentences must support or explain
the controlling idea with examples, details, steps or
definitions. Otherwise, the paragraph will not be
about one single idea
• * The concluding sentence should restate the idea in
the topic sentence. Otherwise the main idea might
not be clear
 WRITING PROCESS
 Narrow down the topic
 Brainstorming

 Making an outline

Select the ideas

Arange the ideas  Order of organization :
 Chronological ( time)

 Spatial ( space)

 Logical

 Starting the first draft

 TYPES OF PARAGRAPHS

Descriptive paragraph
the writer describes a person, a place or a thing
Example paragraph
the writer explains a topic by giving examples
Process paragraph
the writer explains how to do st step by step
Opinion paragraph
the writer expresses his/her feelings, ideas & opinions
about a topic
Narrative paragraph
the writer tells a story
Comparison / contrast paragraph
the writer shows the similarites or/ and differences
between 2 items/ issues
Cause/ effect paragraph
the writer describes the reasons and / or consequences of
a certain issue
Descriptive paragraph: descibe a person, place or thing
so that the reader can picture it in the mind

 Topic sentence: introduces the item that the writer will describe. It
may include the writer’s general feeling or opinion about the item
 Supporting sentences: give some background infor about the item,
give descriptive details, describes how the item looks, smells, feels or
tastes, describe how the witer feels about the item.
 Concluding sentence: restates the idea in the topic sentence using
different words
My grandfather was special. He was tall and
bent with age but he used to climb our
mountain as easily as the wild goats that
roamed the area. He used to love winter and as
soon as the first snows arrived, he would take
us children to the wooden chalet up the
mountain for a week’s training in skiing and
tobogganing . I could hardly ever find anyone
as lively and energetic as my respected
grandfather.
Example paragraph:
Give examples so the the reader clearly understand the ideas about the
topic
 Topic sentence:

The 1st sentence, introduces the topic

Includes the controlling idea
 Supporting sentences
Give examples that support the controlling idea
Give clear picture of the writer’s specific meaning
 Concluding sentence
The last sentence, restates the topic & what the
writer has said about it
 ANIMAL CAMOUFLAGE
Many animals find security in blending in with
their environment. In birds, for example, it is
quite common for adult males to be brightly
colored and very noticeable, while adult female
and young chicks are light brown or sand
colored in order to blend into their background
and escape the sharp eyes of a predator. Many
mammals have also adopted the colors of their
surroundings over the
years. A zebra is almost invisible among
branches and stripes of sunlight in its native
Africa, and a lion is very hard to see when it is
sleeping on the beige sand of the plains. Most
fish are darkers on top than on the bottom;
from above they look like the land at the
bottom of the water, and from below, they look
like the water’s surface. The safety that these
animals’ protective coloring provides has
helped them survive over the ages
 Process paragrap: describes the steps necessary to
preform a process or task
 Topic sentence: in troduces the process that the writer
will explain
 Supporting sentences:
Describe a sequence of steps that give detailed infor
about the stages of the process
Give background details that help define the process
or explain why the process is useful
May include the tools needed fof the task
 Concluding sentence restates the topic sentence
Include a suggestion or warning to help readers to the
task more easily
 ROYALTY IN YOUR GARDEN
Roses are royalty among flowers. Many people say they
are as dificult to maintain as king & queens, but roses
are quite easy to grow. All you need is a shovel & a few
simple steps. In fact, growing roses can actually be fun.
First, go t o a nursery to purchase the rose plants. You
will probably see many beautiful varieties, but it’s best
to choose only 2 or 3 rose bushes to start with. You
should also purchase potting soil & rose food. After you
bring your rose plants hom, look for a sunny spot in
your garden because roses love sunshine. Then dig a deep
hole with a shovel & add a little potting soil & rose food.
Next, transplant your rose from the pot to the garden.
Cover the root with more potting soil & then give
your new roses a big drink of water. As long as they
have sunshine & water, your roses will stay health
all summer. When winter comes, your roses will lose
their flowers and leaves and look dead. As a result,
you might think about discarding them. Do not do
that. Instead, this is the best time to prune them. Cut
off the thin stems with garden shears so that the bush
canm become stronger the next spring. If you
continue to take care of your roses in this simple
way, they will produce beautiful flowres year after
year.
Opinion paragraph: present an opinion and tries to
persuade readers that the opinion is a good one. The
writer tries to make readers agree with him/her
 Topic sentence: introduce the topic & state the opinion
about it
 Supporting sentences:
Give reasons that support the opinion
Use facts explanation & personal experiences to
support
 Concluding sentence
Restates the opinion
Comment on the opinion in some way
Summarize the main reasons for the opinion
 InVietnam, the best palce to spend a honeymoon is
the beautiful mountain cirty called Dalat. For many
reasons, this romantic city has the perfect
atmosphere for a new husband and wife to celebrate
their marriage and plan their future. First of all, the
scenery provides a beautiful setting for walking and
talking. The climate is pleasant all year round
becausse it is high above the ocean. Sometimes, fog
comes in and the city becomes mysterious and
private. At other times, the sun shines, and Dalat is
cheerful and lively. There are beautiful flower
gardens and lovely French colonial architecture.
Young couples walk along the boulevards in the shade
of tall pine trees. They can sit on benches in the
flower parks and hold hands. In addition, Dalat is
fashionable . There are excellent hotels that have
special rooms for honeymooners with candles and
beautiful decorations. Also, the streets are full of
activiies, so the newlyweds can go out to one of the
stylish restaurants that are open until late at night.
The lights are soft, and the music is romantic. The
newlyweds can eat delicious food, listen to music,
and meet other couples in love. Dalat is the
Vietnamese people’s first choice for heneymoon
because it has lovely natural scenery, many romantic
place sto stay , and exciting things to do.
Narrative paragraph: tell a story
Topic sentence: tells what the story is about, when
& where it took place
Supporting sentences:

Tell the details of the story & the sequence of

events
Include sensory details: what the writer saw,
heard, smelled, tasted & felt
Concluding sentence

Wraps up the story

Includes a comment about why the experience
was important or how the writer felt after it
 Problems of paragraph

- Poor focus: no / many main idea(s)

- Lack of unity
- Unity is broken
- Lack of cohesion ( repetition, substitution,
synonyms, transitional expressions)  All
sentences should stick together in their
support of the topic
Lack of coherence (time, space,
climax / important)  All
sentences should be arranged in
a certain order according to a
principle : chronological , spatial
or logical oder
CRITERIA FOR GRADING
 Content ( inrteresting, relevant): 3m
 Accuracy ( grammar, structures, spelling ) : 3m

 Coherence, cohesion, unity, completenesss: 2

 Good expressions , idioms: 2m