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Writing Paragraphs

The document provides guidelines for writing effective paragraphs, including: 1) Paragraphs should be unified around a clear main point or topic sentence. Supporting sentences should relate directly to developing or discussing this main idea. 2) Topic sentences state the main point and give direction, while supporting sentences provide examples, details, or explanations. Concluding sentences restate the topic without using the same words. 3) Paragraph structure, organization, length, and style are also addressed to help convey information in a clear and logical manner.

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Christian Anrango Medina
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100 views3 pages

Writing Paragraphs

The document provides guidelines for writing effective paragraphs, including: 1) Paragraphs should be unified around a clear main point or topic sentence. Supporting sentences should relate directly to developing or discussing this main idea. 2) Topic sentences state the main point and give direction, while supporting sentences provide examples, details, or explanations. Concluding sentences restate the topic without using the same words. 3) Paragraph structure, organization, length, and style are also addressed to help convey information in a clear and logical manner.

Uploaded by

Christian Anrango Medina
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Writing paragraphs

Paragraphs convey information in an organized way. They are unified


around a main point, and all sentences in the paragraph should clearly relate to
that point in some way. The paragraph's main idea should be supported with
specific information that develops or discusses the main idea in greater detail.

1. Structure of an argumentative paragraph

Topic sentence
Sentence with supporting idea 1
Sentence with fact, detail or example to complement supporting idea 1
Sentence with supporting idea 2
Sentence with fact, detail or example to complement supporting idea 2
Sentence with supporting idea 3
Sentence with fact, detail or example to complement supporting idea 3
Conclusion

2. Topic sentence

The topic sentence expresses the main point in a paragraph. It’s


purposes are to state the main point of a paragraph, to give the reader a sense
of direction (indicate what information will follow), and to summarize the
paragraph's main point.

You may create your topic sentence by considering the details or


examples you will discuss. What unifies these examples? What do your
examples have in common? Reach a conclusion and write that "conclusion"
first. Another option is to go from generalization to support, identifying examples
and facts that support your idea.

Write your main point as clearly as possible. Then focus on key words in
your topic sentence and try to explain them more in more detail. Keep asking
yourself "How?" or "Why?" or "What examples can I provide to convince a
reader?". After you have added your supporting information, review the topic
sentence to see that it still indicates the direction of your writing.

Topic sentences usually appear as the first or seconds sentences of a


paragraph and they are rarely at the end of a paragraph.

2. Sentences with supporting ideas

The following sentences should support your topic sentences by


adding information that is relevant to your argument. You can add examples,

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discuss a process, compare and contrast, use analogies, or discuss cause and
effect, for example. Always remember to connect your examples with the idea
they refer to.

3. How to arrange information within paragraphs

a) Order of time (chronology)

b) Order of importance (from least to most important or from most to least


important)

4. Conclusion

The concluding sentence should restate your topic sentence, but it


should NOT use the same words.​ Y ​ ou can mention your three main arguments
in your conclusion, or just ​summarize​ your entire paragraph.

Make sure to ​AVOID:​ 1. Apologizing for your view by saying such things
as "I may not be an expert" or “That is my opinion” and 2. Introducing a new
idea or topic.

5. Important details

- All paragraphs should be indented.


- Do not use contractions (isn’t, can’t, etc.).
- No first and second person pronouns.
- A paragraph should have between eight and ten sentences.
- Long sentences can be confusing. It is preferable to write shorter,
connected sentences to express your ideas.
- Writers must always answer the prompt.
- You can use an attention-catching sentence to begin your paragraph. If
you are using quotes, contextualize them and always cite your sources.
- Avoid the following flawed supporting ideas:
o Laws/human rights
o General ideas/common beliefs
o Using adverbs that express present time (e.g. nowadays) to talk
about something that is true for every generation.

6. Example

The best genre is science fiction. This is because science fiction can
represent all of the genres and present world-changing ideas. For example, the
television show Firefly was about humans after a devastating war. The main
characters were very similar to cowboys, and each planet they visited had its
own culture and rules. In that one science fiction program, viewers were able to

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think about global issues such as war, moral issues such as situational ethics,
and social issues such as individual rights. All of these topics were set in a
western-like style. In this way, viewers had a taste of the western genre while
still given relevant topics to think about. All of science fiction is like that. One
story could have romance, adventure, and horror all on a fantastic landscape
while another could have western, historical fiction, and military drama. No other
genre is like this. Therefore, science fiction is the best genre out there today.

7. General writing tips

- A sentence begins with a capital letter. All the other letters should not be
capitalized unless they are proper nouns (names, places, languages,
etc). All sentences must have a subject and a verb.

- Commas are used to separate phrases, words, or clauses in lists. The


two final items are separated by “and” or “or”, preceded by a comma.
This is called the “Oxford comma”. If I have only two items in a list, I will
use just “and” or “or”, without a comma.

▪ She is nice, intelligent, and beautiful.

▪ She is nice and intelligent.

▪ Today I ate chicken and tomatoes.

o If an adjective is modifying another adjective, we do not separate


them with a comma.

▪ She is wearing a bright red shirt.

- If you want to enclose details in a sentence, you should place commas


on each side of the insertion.

▪ Jason, who is Australian, has been to Ecuador seven


times.

- Commas are also used with tag questions and interjections (yes, no,
wait, etc.).

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