5509213 WRITING FOR ECONOMICS TEXTBOOK – 2022

Table of Contents

Unit Title Pages

1 Writing Exercises 2‐5
2 Phrases and Clauses 6‐9
3 Sentence Structure 10 ‐ 27
4 Paragraph Structure 28 ‐ 40
5 Advanced Paragraph Structure 41 ‐ 46
6 Paraphrasing 47 ‐ 58

Mid‐Term Break

7 Connecting Causes and Effect/Results 59 ‐ 75

8 Understanding Cause and Effect 76 ‐ 82
9 Comparing and Contrasting 83 ‐ 91

Final Exam

1
UNIT 1: WRITING EXERCISES

Exercise 1:

Work on your own. Organise the notes below into the proper order; then rewrite the
text as a complete, well‐structured paragraph. Check your grammar carefully.

The Polite Thieves

in fact, they write note thanking susan for wonderful meal

they walk around house until they find kitchen

two men hungry so they make themselves something to eat

there unusual break‐in susan home last night

after burglar finish meal, wash dishes and clean‐up kitchen

in end, polite thieves not steal anything before leave

they sit down at table and eat late‐night dinner

two burglar enter house through susan bedroom window while sleeping

Write your paragraph below this line.

2
Exercise 2:

There are eight grammatical errors in the 12 underlined words and phrases in this
paragraph. Highlight the errors and write your corrections in the space below.

There are many reasons why I think students [1] should not allow to drive to school. First of
all, at school [2] has little space for parking, which is barely enough to accommodate even
[3] teachers’ cars. Secondly, students, young as they are, tend to be reckless drivers and
many road accidents are [4] unnecessary caused by them. Thirdly, many students consider
[5] owning a car, especially an expensive one, as a symbol of wealth and prestige. These
students are often seen [6] driven around with no [7] particulary purpose, revving the
engine of their car just to draw people’s attention, and thus [8] becomes a great nuisance to
the public. Moreover, having a car [9] facilitates them cutting class and going around in a
group, which often [10] lead them to other, more serious misbehaviour such as taking drugs
or visiting brothels or gambling dens. Finally, for [11] economic reasons, students should
refrain from driving to school to help their parents [12] saving some money, which
otherwise will have to be spent on gasoline and car maintenance.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

3
Exercise 3:

Use the code below to identify the kind of error made in each case in Exercise 2.

MW missing word X unnecessary word WP wrong preposition

VF incorrect verb form WF incorrect word form SP spelling

WW wrong word [WO] word order P punctuation

C capitalization AP Active/Passive SS sentence structure

Exercise 4:

Using the same codes, identify and correct each of the 10 underlined errors in the
following paragraph. Type your answers in the table below.

The Effects of Climate Change

There are several problems that happen because of climate changing1. First, increasing air
and water pollution cause the2 extreme temperatures and some infectious diseases. For
example3 malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever. These diseases can kill many people in a
week. In addition, environmental problems are causing4 by sudden heat waves leading to
natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. These phenomenons5 result in people dying,
and there is no way to protect them. Finally, rising temperatures bring about the economic
problem6. Crops can’t grow in very high temperatures, so many farmers lose their
liveliness7. In concluding8, climate change cannot be ignored because9 the severe problems
it causes on10 health, the environment and the economy.

Number Correction Code

4
 4

10

Exercise 5 (Optional):

Now, share your Polite Thieves paragraph with a friend. Using the same correction code
as above, identify and mark the errors in your friend’s work.

5
UNIT 2: PHRASES AND CLAUSES

Phrases

A phrase consists of one or more words that can be used to build clauses and
sentences. There are five main kinds of phrases:

A noun phrase has a noun (or pronoun) as its main word:

…the sale of goods and services….

A verb phrase has a main verb as its main word:

…has been rising…

An adjective phrase has an adjective as its main word:

…much better than…

An adverb phrase has an adverb as its main word:

…and just as steadily as…

A prepositional phrase has a preposition as its first word:

…in the last decade…

Clauses

Clauses are the important parts of sentences. A clause is a group of words that contains
(at least) a subject and a verb. The verb must have a tense (that is, the verb cannot be
the infinitive or gerund form of the verb).

These are clauses:

The audience laughed.

Starbuck's will open four new coffee shops in Pattaya.
Although the rate of inflation is rising,

These are phrases and not clauses (where present, the verbs do not have a tense):

to reduce unemployment
without any increase in inflation
the result of rising oil prices

6
There are two kinds of clauses:

a. independent (or main) and

b. dependent (minor or subordinate).

An independent clause contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete idea. It
can stand alone as a sentence.

An independent clause contains a Subject + Verb (+ Complement)

The following sentences contain examples of independent clauses:

Because of competition from Japanese car makers, sales of Ford cars dropped last
year.

If demand increases, prices will rise.

Gold is imported from India, and diamonds are imported from Israel.

Robinson will not increase investment because the company is losing money.

In recent years, multinational corporations have received a lot of criticism.

A dependent clause begins with a subordinator such as after, because, if, that or who,
followed by a subject, verb, and complement. It does not contain a complete idea and it
cannot stand alone as a sentence. (A list of subordinators is provided on page 8.)

A dependent clause contains a Subordinator + Subject + Verb (+ Complement)

The following sentences contain examples of dependent clauses:

The largest chain of convenience stores is CP Seven Eleven, which dominates the
market with over 2,000 outlets nationwide.

Although some convenience store chains would like to develop new outlets, they
are facing difficulties in buying good locations as supermarket and discount store
operators have been competing to open smaller outlets to attract new customers.

7
Lists of Linking Words (For Reference)

LIST 1: A list of some common subordinators that can be used to introduce dependent
clauses.

after although as as if as soon as

because before even though how if

since so that that though unless

until what when whenever where

wherever whom whether which while

who

LIST 2: The seven coordinators that connect independent clauses (FANBOYS)

, for , and , nor , but , or , yet , so

LIST 3: A list of some commonly used adverbs that can be used to connect independent
clauses. Note the punctuation:

; consequently, ; furthermore, ; indeed, ; instead,

; hence, ; however, ; nevertheless, ; in contrast,

; likewise, ; meanwhile, ; moreover, ; thus,

;nonetheless, ; otherwise, ; therefore ; for example,

; in addition, ; on the other hand,

8
Exercise 1

Write "I" next to the independent clauses; write "D" next to the dependent clauses;
write "P" next to the phrases. Decide which items could be combined to form sentences
‐ you should be able to make six sentences. Change punctuation and capitalization to do
this.

No. I, D, or P Text
Fewer new cinemas will be opening this year than in the previous
1
few years.
As operators are finding it increasingly difficult to find good
2
locations.
3 SF Cinema City may open a new complex at a provincial site.
4 Where it is currently negotiating with a landowner.
SF built up a successful operation over two decades on the Eastern
5
Seaboard.
6 Before starting to expand aggressively into Bangkok three years ago.
New cinemas have been opening at a rapid pace in the last five
7
years.
8 Because operators saw opportunities in a market.
9 Which they say is still "underscreened".
10 This year, operators are expected to step up marketing activities.
11 To strengthen their existing branches and to maximize ticket sales.
However, Wichai Poolwaraluk, the executive president of EGV
12 Entertainment, believes that ample market opportunities still
remain.
13 Due to fast‐growing audience demand.

9
UNIT 3: SENTENCE STRUCTURE

1. SENTENCE TYPES

There are basically four types of sentences which are distinguished by the kind of
clauses they contain.

A simple sentence contains one independent clause

A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more

dependent clauses

A compound‐complex contains two or more independent clauses and

sentence one or more dependent clauses

2. SIMPLE SENTENCES

Each sentence contains one independent clause. Be careful ‐ simple does not mean
easy.

Exercise 1

Underline all subjects and verbs in the following six sentences.

One subject and one verb

a. John went to O'Reilly's pub last Saturday night.

b. An increase in demand leads to a rise in price.

One subject and two verbs

c. John went to O'Reilly's pub last Saturday night and drank orange juice.
d. The company both increased investment and reduced the size of its
labour force.

Two subjects and two verbs

e. Karl and John went to O'Reilly's pub last Saturday night and drank beer.

10
 f. An increase in demand or a decrease in supply leads to a rise in the price
of oil and causes inflation to get worse.

Exercise 2

Write one simple sentence with one subject and one verb.

Write one simple sentence with one subject and two verbs.

Write one simple sentence with two subjects and two verbs.

3. COMPOUND SENTENCES

These sentences contain two or more independent clauses which are of equal
importance and which are actually simple sentences. That is, they make sense by
themselves. Equal importance means that the writer will develop both ideas equally in
the rest of the text.

There are three ways to join independent clauses to form compound sentences (in all
cases, pay careful attention to the punctuation):

a. With a coordinator (See LIST 2)

Some examples:

In the world of business, eating out is often more than just a meal, and the venue
often needs to have more than just fine food.

The ideal place for someone to close a deal should have a quality menu, with a
good selection of drinks and a fine wine list, and it should be quiet, private, and
in the centre of the business district.

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 b. With a conjunctive adverb (LIST 3)

Some examples:

The Four Seasons Hotel has a great location on Rajadamri Road; moreover, its
Biscotti, Madison, and Lobby Lounges provide a varied menu of fine dishes and
an urban garden to suit local and multinational tastes.

One of the keys to success in business is to make connections; therefore, a

popular meeting place will attract people who want to see and be seen.

c. With a semi‐colon:

Some examples:

Another popular meeting place is Calderazzo on Lang Suan Road; its menu and
private function rooms ensure that it is packed with business people at both
lunchtime and dinner.

Some business people recommend the Diplomat Bar at the Conrad Hotel on
Wireless Road, particularly for its afternoon tea; it provides an ambience of style
and privacy that makes it a hit with many foreigners who choose to stay at a
deluxe business hotel.

Here is a slightly more detailed look at each of the three:

i. Compound Sentences with Coordinators (LIST 2)

Independent clause + comma + coordinator + independent clause

Alan is from Ireland, but Phil is from England.

There are seven coordinators ‐ FANBOYS ‐ as listed:

for* and nor but or yet so

(* "for" is very rarely used and you are advised to avoid using this word. Leave it
where it belongs ‐ in grammar books and TOEFL tests.)

12
Exercise 3

Look at the following. In each case, highlight the coordinator and the punctuation used:

a. About half of all Japanese couples who choose to honeymoon in Europe choose
Italy, for many Japanese are attracted by Italian tastes in food, clothing and
architecture, and by the Italians' evident enjoyment of life.

The first clause is a result; the second clause is the reason

b. Many Japanese honeymooners go on package tours to visit Italy, and they then
add on two‐day extensions to visit Paris or London.

The two clauses express equally important and related ideas

c. Destinations in Thailand are having little success in attracting the lucrative

Japanese honeymoon market, nor are they attracting honeymooners from other
Asian countries.

Nor = "and not", and is used to join two equally important negatives; notice that
the "nor" clause uses question word order ‐ "are they attracting".

d. The continuing reduction in the average length of honeymoons leveled off after
2005, but the decline has now resumed.

The two clauses express equally important, contrasting ideas.

e. Thai resorts and hotels need to rethink their marketing strategies, or they will
never attract Japanese honeymooners.

The two clauses express alternatives or possibilities.

f. Average income in Japan was lower in 2005 than in the previous year, yet
expenditure per couple on honeymoons increased.

The second clause is an unexpected contrast to the information in the first clause.

13
 g. Most Japanese honeymooners have traveled abroad before their marriage, so
they see a honeymoon abroad as a necessary feature of a modern wedding.

The second clause is a result of the first clause.

Exercise 4

Add another independent clause to the following independent clauses to form

compound sentences. You must use the coordinator that you are given.

Make sure that you punctuate the sentences correctly.

a. (So) Oil prices have risen this year

b. (Yet) The company spent 50% more on advertising last year

c. (And) The company will begin to export to Europe this year

d. (Or) The company must reduce its debts

e. (But) The company introduced two new models last year

f. (So ) Sales are falling

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 g. (Nor) The students don't read English‐language newspapers

(ii) Compound Sentences with Conjunctive Adverbs (LIST 3)

Independent clause + semi‐colon + conjunctive adverb + comma + independent

clause

Todd comes to Chula on a skateboard; however, Marc prefers to jog to work.

Note the punctuation used in this sentence.

There is a list of these connecting adverbs on Page 8. Here is another list given by
meaning. Be careful ‐ they are not totally interchangeable.

Conjunctive Adverbs Arranged by Meaning

furthermore, besides, moreover, in additional idea – more of the same

addition

however, nevertheless, still, nonetheless, opposite idea or contrasting idea. Note

in contrast, on the other hand, instead that on the other hand is used when there
are only two ideas being discussed.

otherwise choice ‐ or else

consequently, therefore, thus result

accordingly, hence, as a result

for example example

Note: Avoid using besides unless you are adding unrelated information. For example: The
movie was great, and besides, the tickets did not cost much. In this sentence, the cost of the
tickets was not related to how good the movie was. It is just additional information.

15
Exercise 5

Add an adverb and another independent clause in each case. Combine the notes which
you are given to form the second clause. Choose the correct form of the verb (correct
tense). Choose an appropriate adverb. Check your grammar. Check your punctuation.

a. Bangkok's transport infrastructure has improved considerably over the last few
years

Notes: Contrast (traffic jams/be/still common/city)

b. Many foreign tourists are concerned about the security situation in the South of
Thailand

Notes: Result (the number of foreign visitors/not increase/this year)

c. Chonburi Concrete Products plc (CCP) expects sales this year to reach 2.7 billion
baht ‐ up 23% over last year. This increase is expected to be driven by massive
state investments in infrastructure projects which started flowing in the second
half of the year

Notes: Additional Idea (sales/boost/through the company's expansion into retail

sales through its Kanyong Homestore chain)

d. Last year CCP invested almost two billion baht in several major business projects

16
 Notes: Example (company/expand/the number of ready‐mixed concrete
plants/17 to 22 /and establish/two more Kanyong Homestore branches)

Exercise 6

Write two compound sentences of your own using adverbs.

iii. Compound Sentences with Semi‐colons

Independent clause + semi‐colon + independent clause

Phil is a Leeds United fan; John supports Liverpool.

When the two independent clauses are closely related, they can be connected by using
a semi‐colon. Here are three more examples:

I cannot go on holiday with you to Japan; the airfare is too expensive.

At one time money was made from precious metals; these days, money is made
of paper or plastic.

An economy is simply a stock of factors of production ‐ land, labour, and capital;

economics is the study of how those relatively scarce resources are used to meet
the almost infinite needs of a particular society.

Exercise 7

Write two compound sentences of your own using semi‐colons to join the independent
clauses. Ensure that there is a close connection between the two ideas in the clauses.

a.

17
 b.

4. COMPLEX SENTENCES

This type of sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent
clauses. The more important idea is placed in the independent clause while the less
important idea is placed in the dependent clause.

There are three kinds of dependent clauses used in complex sentences:

4.1 ADVERB CLAUSES

These begin with a subordinating conjunction (LIST 1); however, not all subordinating
conjunctions are adverbs. An adverb clause says something more about the idea in the
main clause ‐ for example, when or where or why or how it happened.

There are two patterns:

Pattern A: dependent clause + comma + independent clause

Pattern B: independent clause + dependent clause

(Notice there is NO comma in pattern B)

Exercise 8

In each case, bold the subordinating conjunction, underline the dependent clause, and
highlight the punctuation.

a. Wherever he goes, Psy is recognised by Thais.

b. Even though it is not good for me, I love eating chocolate.

18
 c. Because the economic climate has become more difficult, the prospects for
fortune‐tellers have become brighter. Economic conditions have a certain level
of influence over people's psychological condition. As economic uncertainty
makes people feel more insecure and anxious about their future, this prompts
more people to seek advice from fortune‐tellers.

d. When uncertainty over economic and social conditions is on the rise, people turn
to fortune‐tellers.

Exercise 9

In each case, bold the subordinating conjunction, underline the dependent clause and
highlight any punctuation.

a. I felt at home in Florence as soon as I arrived; my life will be incomplete unless I

can visit the city again.

b. Tough competition has stopped experienced fortune‐tellers from raising their

prices. The slower economic conditions have actually forced some to lower their
prices so that they could attract more customers.

c. About ten years ago, Khun Thanawat Sirithanasub was the first fortune‐teller to
open an outlet at Tha Chang pier. This area has recently become the second‐
largest hub of fortune‐telling outlets in Bangkok after Tha Phrachan because
many newcomers have set up businesses in the area.

d. Khun Thanawat is one of many fortune‐tellers at the pier who can speak good
English since he has had many opportunities to practise his skills by interacting
with international tourists.

4.2 RELATIVE or ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

These clauses begin with a relative pronoun such as:

19
 who whom which whose

or one of the relative adverbs

where when why.

A relative clause describes the noun or noun phrase that is located immediately before
the start of the relative clause. There are two major types: defining and non‐defining
relative clauses (see below).

Note that these types of clauses are also called restrictive and non‐restrictive clauses in some
textbooks.

There are two patterns:

Pattern A: independent clause + dependent clause

Pattern B: subject + dependent clause + verb + object

The dependent clause goes between the subject and the verb of the independent
clause.

Defining relative clauses contain essential information that is necessary for the reader
to be able to correctly identify the noun or noun phrase being described. These clauses
do not use commas. Here are two examples:

a. Chula students who like hamburgers should go to McDonald's tonight; the

restaurant is offering free food to all students in uniform.

(The subject is "Chula students who like hamburgers" and not "students".)

b. I like people who never smile.

(The object is "people who never smile" and not "people".)

Non‐defining relative clauses contain additional but non‐essential information about

the noun or noun phrase. These clauses use commas. Here are two examples:

a. Bangkok, which is the capital of Thailand, is expanding rapidly.

(The subject is "Bangkok"; the relative clause can be omitted since the city is
readily identifiable. Compare this to the following sentence: The city which is the

20
 capital of Thailand is expanding rapidly. In this case, omission of the relative
clause would prevent identification of the subject.)

b. Surprisingly, Liverpool, where John was born, is a centre of culture and the arts.

(The subject is "Liverpool" and is readily identifiable ‐ even if we have never been
there ‐ without the relative clause.)

Exercise 10

Identify the adjective/relative clauses and highlight the nouns or noun phrases that they
describe.

a. The distinguishing factor for De Beers LV will be outstanding diamonds that have
a fashion attitude.

b. Alain Lorenzo, who is the chief executive of De Beers LV, believes that high‐end
jewellery is often about designing formal pieces, which are intended for special
occasions.

c. Although De Beers LV would also like to attract customers with the kind of
jewellery (that) they require for great occasions, the company also wants to
design trendy pieces which would make a statement about the customer's
personality and which could be worn casually.

d. The new line of jewellery, which went on sale in De Beers LV first store in London
recently, ranges from small pendants starting at around $750, to diamond‐
studded leather chokers selling for $14,000 and delicate necklaces (that are)
made up of some 2,000 pave diamonds selling for $105,000.

e. De Beers Consolidated Mines is investing heavily in Canada, where large

quantities of diamonds can be found.

21
These relative clauses modify nouns or noun phrases ‐ they give additional information
about:

(i) "outstanding diamonds"

(ii) "Alain Lorenzo"

(iii) "formal pieces"

(iv) "trendy pieces"

(v) "The new line of jewellery"

(vi) "Canada"

Note that the relative clause immediately follows the noun that it qualifies (as does the
relative clause in this sentence).

4.3 NOUN CLAUSES

These begin with signal words:

that a wh‐question word whether if

The board has questioned whether he is able to do the job.

There are two patterns:

Pattern A: dependent clause + verb + object

Pattern B: subject + verb + dependent clause

Notice that the dependent clause takes the place of either the subject (Pattern A) or the
object (Pattern B) in the independent clause. Pattern B is very common in English
whereas Pattern A, while still used, can sound old‐fashioned.

Unlike adverb and relative clauses, in complex sentences with noun clauses, it is often the
dependent clause that carries the most important information.

22
Exercise 11

Underline the noun clauses in each of the following and highlight the signal words.
Decide whether the noun clause is the subject (S) or the object (O) in the sentence.

a. I do not know why the sales promotion campaign failed to increase sales. S / O

b. That we need a completely new product range is obvious. S/O

c. I do not know whether De Beers LV will be able to successfully compete with

Cartier, Tiffany and Bulgari. S/O

d. I want to find out when De Beers Consolidated Mines was established. S / O

e. Whether or not we open a new store in the heart of Paris is a major investment
decision. S/O

Exercise 12

Review ‐ Complex Sentences

Add a dependent clause to each of the following independent clauses. Make sure that
you write a clause and not a phrase. Check this carefully. Make sure that you use
correct punctuation.

a. (Noun Clause) I don't know why

b. (Relative Clause) My sister works for Nokia

23
 c. (Adverb Clause) The company's profits began to increase significantly

d. (Relative Clause) The company has decided to move its head office to Singapore.

e. (Adverb Clause) The company has decided to move its head office to Singapore.

f. (Noun Clause) is a mystery to

me.

Exercise 13

Combine the following simple sentences into complex sentences. Remember to try to
avoid unnecessary repetition. The first one is done as an example.

a. Bangkok is about to become more fun.

Asia's first indoor go‐karting stadium is to be built.

The indoor go‐karting stadium is to be built in the centre of Bangkok.

Bangkok is about to become more fun as Asia's first indoor go‐karting stadium is
to be built in the centre of the capital.

b. The new stadium will be located at RCA Plaza on Royal City Avenue. Royal City
Avenue is a popular nightspot area. Royal City Avenue is on Rama IX Road.

c. The stadium is scheduled to open in July. The stadium will cost 60 million baht.
The stadium is 40% completed.

24
 d. For the first time, this motor sport experience will be brought to a stadium in
Bangkok. At this stadium in Bangkok, go‐karting enthusiasts will be able to enjoy
racing without having to buy their own equipment. Go‐karting equipment is very
expensive.

e. Kart racing requires a relatively small area. Kart racing is a fast entertainment.
Kart racing is a safe entertainment. Kart racing is the closest that most people
will ever get to Formula One.

5. COMPOUND‐COMPLEX SENTENCES

These sentences contain two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent
clauses.

Exercise 14

Identify the clauses in the following examples as either independent (I), dependent
adverb (ADV), dependent adjective (ADJ), or dependent noun (NOUN).

a. The world's largest theme park featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown and other
Peanuts characters will open in Shunde City, which is a leading production centre
for electrical appliances in southern Guangdong province, next May; the 40,000‐
square‐metre park, which will be located in the downtown area of the city, will
be the first of its kind in mainland China.

25
b. Thailand is becoming a more popular destination for foreign movie‐ makers
because it offers exotic locations, low production costs and professional team
support, and foreign producers, among which are many Hollywood companies,
have already made a commitment to spend 1.1billion baht in the first five
months of this year.

c. The British retailer Boots plans to continue to build Thailand as its production
and export base for Asia, and the company will focus on building business locally
through partnerships; therefore, although the company does have some stand‐
alone units, future development will concentrate on expanding links with local
retailers such as Central and Robinson department stores and Tops.

d. Boots intends to have more of its products made in Thailand for local and Asian
buyers. Products made locally, which account for 20% of Boots' total sales in
Thailand, include medicines, whitening and anti‐ aging products, and some of
these products are exported to Taiwan and Hong Kong, where Boots has a strong
presence.

e. While it is giving its local Thai‐style suki chain a facelift, Coca Holding
International will open restaurants in the United States under a plan to become
a global business in three to five years; a total of 21 restaurants will be opened
on the east and west coasts of the United States in stores which will be operated
by a major American retailer.

f. Although there is economic uncertainty in the United States, which is partly

caused by concern over the situation in the Middle East, Coca is confident of
success, and the company expects to open its first outlet inthe United States in
July after it seals a joint venture with its American partner next month.

g. That food is a low‐risk business and that Thai cuisine is very popular in the United
States are the main factors that lie behind the company's confidence; however,
Coca is not targeting only the United States as it also plans to break into the
Chinese and the South Korean markets this year.

26
6. SIMPLE, COMPOUND or COMPLEX? – A GUIDE

It is often possible to say the same thing with all three different sentences structures.

a. The board had a meeting, and it was agreed to divest. (…………………………………)

b. When they had a meeting, the board agreed to divest. (…………………………………)
c. At the meeting, the board agreed to divest. (…………………………………)

Write the sentence type (simple, compound, complex) in the space above

Does it matter which one you choose? Yes, it does. Good writers try to vary their
sentence structures within a paragraph. A paragraph of nothing but simple sentences
reads as choppy and childish, like this:

The board had a meeting. It started at 10.00 am. There were 10 people there. The
CEO was there, too. Everyone agreed to divest. The meeting ended at 10.15 am.

A better paragraph would result from simple sentences with phrases:

The board met at 10.00 am. There were ten people there, including the CEO. By
the time the meeting ended at 10.15 am, everyone had agreed to divest.

However, a mix of sentence structure improves the style even more:

The board met at 10.00 am. The CEO and nine other board members agreed that the
company would divest. It was all over by 10.15 am.

The simple sentences at the beginning and end (with a complex sentence sandwiched
between them) gives the paragraph some impact. Short, simple sentences can be very
useful for stating main ideas and conclusions in a direct way, making the meaning sound
important. Compound and complex sentences are usually better when used for
supporting details, explanations and connecting ideas such as cause and result,
comparison, and contrast.

A writer should use compound sentences to express related ideas which are more or
less equal, and which the writer wants to stress equally. Complex sentences should be
used to show that one idea is being given more weight than another. Since readers
usually want to know what the writer thinks is important, the use of complex sentences
generates more interesting and more effective writing.

27
UNIT 4: PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

1. Structure

A paragraph is a basic unit of organization in writing in which a group of related sentences

develop one main topic. It can be as short as one sentence or as long as ten sentences. The
number of sentences is unimportant; however, the paragraph should be long enough to
develop the topic clearly.

A paragraph can stand by itself, or it may be part of a longer piece of writing.

The following ten‐sentence paragraph is a very simple model that contains all the elements
of a good paragraph. Try to analyse its structure.

(1) Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. (2) First of all,
gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. (3) Therefore, it is suitable
for jewellery, coins, and ornamental purposes. (4) Gold never needs to be polished
and will remain beautiful forever. (5) For example, a Macedonian coin remains as
untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty‐three centuries ago. (6) Another
important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. (7) For
many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications. (8) The most
recent use of gold is in astronauts' suits. (9) Astronauts wear gold‐plated heat shields
for protection outside the spaceship. (10) In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for
its beauty but also its utility.

(from Hogue ‘Writing Academic English’ 3rd Ed, Longman)

Exercise 1

Write down a word or a few words to describe the function of each sentence: (e.g. detail,
example, main idea)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

28
(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

2. THE THREE PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH

The model above contains the three major structural parts that are commonly found in
good paragraphs: a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.

The topic sentence states the topic of the paragraph and says something specific about that
topic ‐ it contains the main idea of the paragraph. It not only names the topic of the
paragraph, but it also limits the topic to one or two areas that can be discussed completely
in the space of a single paragraph. The specific area can be referred to as the "controlling
idea". The first sentence in the above model states both the topic and the controlling idea:

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics.

(Topic) (Controlling Idea)

Supporting sentences develop the topic sentence ‐ they develop the topic sentence by
giving reasons, examples, facts, statistics, and quotations. There are eight supporting
sentences in the ‘Gold’ model paragraph, which discusses the two important characteristics
of gold. Notice that the writer uses different kinds of supporting details.

Supporting sentences should follow logically one after the other and use signal words and
conjunctions from Lists 1, 2 and 3 (see p.8, Unit 2) to add logical coherence. This is explained
in more detail on the next page in Unity and Coherence.

The concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph and reminds the reader of the
paragraphs main point(s). Concluding sentences restate the topic sentence: in short, they
have the same function of stating the topic and controlling idea. As such, concluding
sentences and topic sentences should be more or less interchangeable. For example, you
could start the Gold paragraph with the concluding sentence and end it with the topic
sentence, with only a few minor grammatical revisions.

A concluding sentence is common if the paragraph stands alone as a piece of writing; if the
paragraph is part of a longer piece, there may well be a sentence to link it with the next
paragraph, or the link may come at the beginning of the following paragraph.

29
3. UNITY AND COHERENCE

Unity means that only one main idea is discussed in a paragraph. The main idea is stated in
the topic sentence, and then each and every supporting sentence develops that main idea.
For example, if the topic sentence states that two important characteristics of gold will be
discussed, then ONLY those two important characteristics should be discussed ‐ beauty and
utility; everything else, such as the price of gold or the history of gold, should be ignored.

Exercise 2

In the paragraph about gold, how many references are there to the following words?

gold

beauty

utility

Coherence means that the paragraph is easy to read and understand. This follows if the
supporting sentences come in a logical order, and the ideas are connected by the use of
appropriate transitions or linking words. In the paragraph about gold, there are two
supporting ideas ‐ gold is beautiful and gold is useful. Each of these ideas is discussed
entirely one after the other (discrete logical order); each is developed with more specific
details that themselves naturally flow from one idea on to the next. Where there are sudden
changes in the text — such as introducing a new idea or example — transition words are
used to signal these changes to the reader.

Exercise 3

On the next page is another paragraph that, when completed, displays good unity and
coherence. Try to fill in the gaps with suitable transitions:

THE INCREASE IN CREDIT CARD SPENDING

There are three main causes of the increase in credit card spending. i , credit
cards are easy and convenient to carry around. Their small size means they can simply fit
into a wallet or pocket, making them less troublesome than carrying around a large amount
of cash. ii , credit cards enable shoppers to have greater spending power.

30
Cardholders can spend a large amount of money whenever they want, but they only have to
repay a small amount each month. iii , they can buy things they otherwise would have
to save up for over a long period of time. iv , almost all shops now accept credit
cards. This makes it easier for cardholders to make transactions using credit cards instead of
cash. v , credit card spending has increased because of credit cards’ convenience,
greater spending‐power and wide acceptability.

I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.

4. THE TOPIC SENTENCE

Usually, a good paragraph has a topic sentence, which clearly states the topic and the
controlling idea of the paragraph. The topic sentence is often ‐ but not always ‐ the first
sentence in the paragraph. Sometimes a paragraph has no topic sentence ‐ the topic is
implied in the entire paragraph without a simple direct statement. In academic writing
generally, you should avoid implied topics.

The topic sentence limits the topic to a particular area.

Look at the topic sentences in the gold and credit cards paragraphs:

(a) Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics.

(b) There are three main causes of the increase in credit card spending.

The topic in a. is gold; the controlling idea is that only two characteristics will be discussed
(not three or four; not unimportant characteristics, not its price nor its worth relative to
something else such as silver).

In b., the topic is the increase in credit card spending; the controlling idea is that three
causes of it will be discussed (not two or four causes; not any effects of an increase in credit
card spending).

31
Exercise 4

In the following paragraph, highlight the topic, and underline the controlling idea.

Agriculture utilizes up to 95% of the water humans use each year. It takes roughly 3,000
litres to grow enough food for one person for one day, or about one litre for each calorie.
Moreover, since the world's population is growing, and people are eating more than they
used to, water consumption in agriculture is increasing. Projections suggest that if nothing
changes, agriculture will consume twice as much water by 2050 as it does today.

The topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph.

A topic sentence tells the reader what a paragraph is about; it should be so specific that it
does not need supporting details, nor should it be so general that it is unclear how it will be
developed. Consider the following statements:

a. English is a difficult language to learn.

This sentence is probably too general to be a good topic sentence. It is not clear how
the paragraph will develop the idea of difficulty. There are lots of reasons why
English is difficult to learn, and it would need much more than one paragraph to
discuss them. Limiting the topic to a specific number of reasons makes a much more
effective topic sentence:

b. There are several reasons why English is a difficult language to learn.

This tells the reader that the topic will be developed with just three or four main
points.

c. The slang expression 'so long' (meaning goodbye) is probably a corruption of the
Arabic 'salaam'.

This sentence is probably too specific to serve as a topic sentence. It would be

difficult to add much supporting detail to this statement. On the other hand,

d. The Arabic origins of many English words is not generally recognised.

This sentence would make a better topic sentence as it allows the possibility to give
a number of different example of English words with Arabic origins that are not
generally recognised.

32
5. THE POSITION OF TOPIC SENTENCES

When reading, the topic sentence may be the first or the last sentence in a paragraph;
sometimes it is the first and the last sentence, especially if the paragraph is long.

Sometimes the topic sentence comes in the middle of the paragraph. Remember that
sometimes there may be no topic sentence at all ‐ the topic of the paragraph is then implied
by all the sentences. However, in your writing, it is good practice (and helps the reader) to
always put topic sentences at the beginning.

Exercise 5

Underline the topic sentence(s) in each of the following paragraphs. You should also try to
identify the topic and the controlling idea.

a. The library was packed with students. Every table and chair was occupied with
someone intently studying or frantically poring over books and articles. A feeling of
concentration and tension came from every corner. Crowds clustered at the card
catalogue, and the two Xerox machines were so overworked that they were literally
heating the space around them. It was exam time at Chulalongkorn University.

b. In their relentless pursuit of a healthy diet, many American consumers are turning to
a new breed of egg. Designer eggs, produced by chickens which are fed sea kelp, flax
seed, and other nutritious ingredients, are finding their way to more and more
markets and menus. Some consumers even say that they taste better than regular
eggs, and sales are booming.

c. After one of the most difficult years in the company's history, Danish toymaker Lego
is expecting a $237.6m pre‐tax loss, which is its worst ever. In response, the
company has fired executive vice president and chief operating officer Poul
Plougmann over failed marketing strategies and Francesco Ciccolella, who has been
in charge of corporate development. Additionally, the company is considering laying
off some 8,000 workers worldwide. It seems that a company's lack of profitability
can have serious repercussions for staff at both the top and the bottom of the
company's hierarchy.

d. Albert Einstein, one of the world's geniuses, failed his university entrance
examinations on his first attempt. William Faulkner, one of America's noted writers,

33
 never finished college because he could not pass his English courses. Sir Winston
Churchill, who is considered one of the masters of the English language, had to have
special tutoring in English during elementary school. These few examples show that
failure in school does not always mean failure in life.

e. Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have the same
emotional meaning. For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean careful
with money. However, to call a person stingy is an insult, while the word frugal has a
much more positive connotation. Similarly, a person wants to be slender but not
skinny, and assertive but not pushy. Therefore, you should be careful in choosing
words because many so‐called synonyms are not really synonyms at all.

f. Hurricanes, which are also called cyclones, exert tremendous power. These violent
storms are often a hundred miles in diameter, and their winds can reach velocities of
seventy‐five miles per hour or more. Furthermore, the strong winds and heavy
rainfall that accompany them can completely destroy a town in a couple of hours.
The energy that is released by a hurricane in one day can exceed the total energy
consumed by humankind throughout the world in one year.

g. Clothing and camping gear manufacturer Kellwood Co. is set to acquire Phat
Fashions, adding hip‐hop urban fashion to its mix of clothing brands that include
fashion designer Calvin Klein and preppy‐mainstay Izod. Kellwood wants to diversify
its brand mix and gain a foothold in the increasingly important urban lifestyle
market. American consumers spend about $10 billion annually in this segment of
the market. The deal will also benefit Phat Fashions by providing it with access to the
infrastructure and resources it needs to expand.

Exercise 6

A. Read the body of the following paragraph. Then:

i. Find the Topic:

ii. Find the Controlling Idea:

iii. Write the Topic Sentence to start the paragraph:

34
 Firstly, the pizza itself never seems to be properly cooked; it is always either slightly
overdone or slightly underdone. Secondly, the service is very poor. Waiting 15
minutes to be served is not uncommon, and waiting at least 30 minutes for the food
to arrive is quite normal. Thirdly, the prices are fairly expense by Bangkok standards
as they are on average 20% higher than at the very popular Phil's Pizza Palace on
Phya Thai Road. Finally, the owner, John himself, is not very friendly, and he never
tries to make the customers feel welcome. As a result, business is poor at John's
Pizza Delight pizza parlour.

B. Read the body of the following paragraph. From the list given, choose the best clause
to complete the topic sentence.
i. exceeded its revenue target for last year as it had expanded its product lines and
opened new branches.
ii. will close 10 underperforming outlets this year but will replace them with new
ones at other locations.
iii. forecasts that it will earn 700 million baht in revenue this year.
iv. is expanding into both new services and new products.

Topic Sentence: The beauty and cosmetics store chain Oriental Princess

The beauty business is lucrative and has been affected very little by the economic
downturn, so there are good prospects for growth. The Thai‐owned company
recently opened two Beauty Institutes offering facial massage at Central Rama II and
Central Bang Na, and two more centres are planned for this year. The company is
examining the possibility of exporting food supplements made by local
manufacturers, and it is exploring the possibility of offering slimming services in the
near future.

C. Read the body of the following paragraph. Then:

i. Find the Topic:

ii. Find the Controlling Idea:
iii. Complete the Topic Sentence:

at Dell Computer Corporation.

35
 The company plans to release its latest range of ultra‐thin notebooks without
traditional internal hard drives next month. Instead, the notebooks will be equipped
with solid‐state drives that provide significant increases in performance. Although
computer users have been storing data on hard disk drives for many years, Dell
believes that its customers will find the increased speed and greater reliability of
solid‐state drives a more attractive proposition than the older technology. For those
who have storage requirements that exceed the capacity of the solid‐state drives,
Dell recommends connecting the new notebooks to external portable hard drives.

D. Read the body of the following paragraph. Choose the best clause to complete the
topic sentence.

i. is looking for ways to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of its operations.
ii. is increasing its focus on corporate customers by offering more customised
services and new wireless applications.
iii. has introduced a customized bill management system through its customer‐care
network.
iv. has entered an agreement with NEC Communications Systems to launch new
non‐ voice services on its mobile phones.

Advanced Info Service Plc

The new marketing strategy comes at a time of shrinking margins on individual

mobile‐phone use and when all operators are seeking more lucrative sources of
revenue. Among the new corporate offerings will be mobile paging, which will allow
clients to send short messages to all corporate handsets at the same time.
Multimedia messaging, which allows users to take and send pictures wirelessly, will
be offered to users such as insurance companies, whose claims assessors will be able
to send pictures from accident scenes. Also available will be a fleet management
service, which will allow transport companies to track the locations of their vehicles.

E. Read the body of the following paragraph. Choose the best clause to complete the
topic sentence.

i. A retailing executive who asked not to be named said yesterday that entering an
agreement such as the one proposed would not only go against normal business
strategies but would also affect plans that SET‐listed companies had outlined to
their shareholders.

36
 ii. Although the companies did not send representatives to the ministry yesterday,
they did deliver a message on behalf of the Thai Retailers Association.
iii. The convenience store operator Siam FamilyMart Co did not sign, claiming it
needed approval from its parent company in Japan first.
iv. Large retailers continue to resist government attempts to make them agree to
freeze store expansion.

Officials waited all day yesterday at the Commerce Ministry for executives of the
retailers to arrive to sign the agreement but not a single one came. An attempt last
week to secure an agreement was similarly rejected. The Ministry has been seeking
the cooperation of the big operators as a response to increasing protests from small
family‐owned shops about threats to their survival.

F. Read the body of the following paragraph. Choose the best clause to complete the
topic sentence.

i. has announced plans to issue 19 million new shares to raise funds for expansion.
ii. exports furniture to the United States, Canada, Japan and Europe.
iii. posted a net profit of 373 million baht for the first six months of 2006
iv. has purchased land in Phang‐Nga and is negotiating to purchase property at two
other locations.
v. is planning to invest 170 million baht to upgrade machinery to increase capacity.

Fancy Wood Industries Plc

Shares will be offered next week at 45 baht each, with a par value of five baht per
share. The company plans to use the funds to expand its operations in Surat Thani,
where it has recently purchased land. The company is also planning to invest 350
million baht in new machinery to produce bedroom furniture. The company's bank
expects that the new issue will be fully subscribed as recent profit figures have been
very positive despite the uncertain political and economic situation.

Exercise 7

Read the bodies of the following paragraphs. Then write a topic sentence for each.

a. Insert a Topic Sentence

37
 A receptionist at the An An Lao Restaurant on Soi Thong Lo said that only a few chicken
dishes from their menu had been ordered since the first cases of bird flu were reported;
however, she said that the restaurant's Peking duck (roasted duck) was still a popular
dish with the customers. A restaurant supervisor at Sui Sian Chinese Restaurant at the
Landmark Hotel said that the scare had affected orders of chicken; duck dishes, on the
other hand, were still selling well. It was the same story at the Golden Dragon Chinese
Restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 26 ‐ the restaurant had stopped selling chicken but was still
offering duck.

b. Insert a Topic Sentence

The price will now be 47,600 yen ($410) instead of the originally planned 59,800 yen
($515). The reduction will increase competition in the next‐generation gaming war
against rivals Microsoft and Nintendo as the Play Station 3 will now be in the same range
as the Xbox 360 and HD DVD player when it goes on sale in Japan on 11 November. Sony
has no plans to lower prices in other market

c. Insert a Topic Sentence

Changes in the popularity of different ways to purchase music are driven by listener
preference as well as the music industry’s shift of focus away from sales. This can be
seen in the way that music was accessed by consumers in 2018. Of all the music that
U.S. fans listened to in that year, 77 percent was through music‐streaming services like
Spotify and Apple Music, while 17.3 percent was through album sales, and only 5.7
percent through the sales of singles. Those numbers in 2017 were 66 percent, 24.6
percent, and 9.3 percent, respectively.

6. THE CONCLUDING SENTENCE

A concluding sentence is not always necessary; in fact, in a multi‐paragraph essay a

concluding sentence in each paragraph would be unusual. However, for single paragraphs,
especially long ones, a concluding sentence is helpful to the reader because it signals the
end of the paragraph and because it is a reminder of the important points.

38
A concluding sentence serves three purposes:

(i) It signals the end of the paragraph.

(ii) It summarizes the main points of the paragraph.

(iii) It gives a final comment on your topic and leaves the reader with the most important
ideas.

You can use one of the following end‐of‐paragraph signals to introduce your concluding
sentence:

In conclusion,

In summary,

In sum,

It is clear that

It can be seen that

Note that the last two phrases should be avoided unless you have made your position very
clear in the paragraph. Just because it is clear to you does not mean it is also clear to the
reader.

You have already seen examples of two different types of concluding sentences. The first
type of concluding sentence paraphrases the topic sentence ‐ it repeats the main idea of the
topic sentence. This is seen in the paragraph about John’s Pizza Parlour, for example. The
second type of concluding sentence summarizes the main point(s) which (is/are) not
specifically stated in the topic sentence. This is seen in the paragraphs about gold and credit
card spending, respectively. When you write concluding sentences in formal or business
paragraphs, you should use one of these two patterns.

Exercise 8

Writing concluding sentences.

In the paragraphs below, underline the topic sentence. Then add a good concluding
sentence that either paraphrases the topic sentence or summarizes the main points.

Remember to use an end‐of‐paragraph signal.

39
a.
You can reduce gas consumption in your car by careful driving and good
maintenance. Do not speed. Gas consumption is about 10 per cent higher at 60 miles
per hour than at 50 miles per hour and even greater at higher speeds. Avoid fast
stops and starts because they wear your tyres out in addition to using a lot of gas.
Check your tyre pressure often because underinflated tyres reduce gas mileage
considerably. Get your car tuned up regularly because an inefficiently operating
engine results in inefficient fuel consumption.

b.
In the coming decades, income growth and urbanization are likely to have a
profound effect on agriculture and food consumption in China. As incomes rise, the
demand for meat, fish, vegetable oils, and dairy products will grow particularly fast.
This will occur at the same time as the agricultural sector loses both workers and
land space to increasing urbanization. Secondly, the country’s transition from rural
semi‐subsistence to urban lifestyles will have significant impacts on consumption
patterns, shifting demand from self‐grown rice, wheat, and vegetables to fish, meat,
processed foods, and restaurant meals. Consequently, consumers will begin to pay
more attention to food quality, and they may demand foods with specific attributes.
Niche diets such as those seen in the West, for example, are likely to arrive in China
as concerns grow around the nutritional value of mass‐produced food products.

40
UNIT 5 ADVANCED PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

In the previous unit, you saw the basics of how to structure a coherent, concise paragraph.
In this unit, you will look at more advanced paragraphs which adhere to the same rules but
add more focused content and target a particular audience.

1. PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE REVISITED

The following ten‐sentence paragraph contains all the elements of a good paragraph that
you saw previously. However, it has some important differences.

Try to analyse its structure.

How to launch a new technology product

(1) There are two crucial things a company needs to understand about successfully
launching a new technology product. (2) First, the company should prioritise research and
development. (3) A technology product needs to be both innovative and distinct. (4) For
example, Apple spend considerable time developing goods that not only fulfil a
technological need but are also markedly different from their competitors. (5) Copycat
products mass‐ produced just for the sake of having something on the market rarely do well,
as both Sony and Blackberry discovered in 2012 when they tried unsuccessfully to sell
tablets modelled on Apple’s iPad. (6) Second, the product launch should involve as much
pageantry and press as possible. (7) The marketing department should begin advertising the
launch itself months in advance to create the appropriate buzz. (8) However, most of the
technical information regarding the product should be disclosed during, rather than before,
the launch. (9) This results in the novelty of the product being revealed at the same time it is
available to buy. (10) In conclusion, if enough time is spent on R&D and creating an
attention‐grabbing launch, consumers will rush to obtain what will be the latest and best
product of its kind to hit the market.

EXERCISE 1

Write down a word or a few words to describe the function of each sentence.

(1)

(2)

(3)

41
(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

Exercise 2

Examine the vocabulary on the left in the context of the paragraph and match each with the
alternate meanings on the right:

Word Matching Definition

Letter
crucial a. known, published
prioritise b. unique features
markedly c. excitement
innovative d. demand
distinct e. put the most emphasis on
copycat f. extremely important
modeled on g. spectacle, show, glamour
buzz h. on sale, in stock
pageantry i. product specifications, features
novelty j. based on, derived from
revealed k. different
available to buy l. significantly
rush to obtain m. imitation, derivative
hit the market n. original, ground‐breaking
technical information o. be released, launched

2. TOPIC SENTENCES REVISITED

Suppose you were asked to write a paragraph about the benefits/advantages of one
particular brand of training shoe. Here are a number of possible topic sentences. Which do
you think is best?

42
Exercise 3

Choose ONE answer. For EACH of the others, write a reason why you did not choose it.

a. There are two advantages of the new Nike Excelsior training shoe.

(If you did not choose this answer, say why not below.)

b. There are two important things you should know about Nike’s Excelsior training
shoe.
(If you did not choose this answer, say why not below.)

c. The Nike Excelsior training shoe offers two distinct advantages over its competitors.
(If you did not choose this answer, say why not below.)

d. There are two reasons why the new Nike Excelsior training shoe is the best shoe for
consumers.
(If you did not choose this answer, say why not below.)

e. Consumers should buy the new Nike Excelsior training shoe because it is better for
their feet and is considerably cheaper than its competitors.
(If you did not choose this answer, say why not below.)

Exercise 4

Write your own appropriate topic sentences for each of the following paragraph ideas:

a. A paragraph about why the reader should visit Bangkok

X There are two reasons why you should visit Bangkok.

43
 b. A paragraph about why the reader should invest in gold

X There are two reasons why you should invest in gold.

c. A paragraph about two things the reader should know about the opposite sex.

X There are two things every man should know about a woman.

d. A paragraph about two things the reader should know about being a freshie student.

X There are two things ever freshie student should know.

Exercise 5

Choose one of the topics in the previous exercise and write a concise, logical paragraph for
it.

3. PARAGRAPHS – REVIEW QUESTIONS

a. What are the three most important characteristics of a paragraph?

A good paragraph has:

i.
ii.
iii.

b. Name three things which a good topic sentence should identify:

i.
ii.
iii.

44
 c. Name three techniques that can be used to achieve paragraph coherence:
i.
ii.
iii.

d. Which of the following statements are true?

i. A good paragraph should mostly be simple sentences.
ii. Simple sentences are often highly effective for stating main ideas.
iii. A concluding sentence should restate but not repeat the paragraph’s topic
sentence.
iv. All the main ideas in a paragraph should be fully stated in the topic sentence.
v. A concluding sentence should summarize all the main points in a paragraph
and remind the reader of the supporting details.
vi. A grammatically well‐written, logical and coherent paragraph whose content
fails to tell the reader anything they did not already know is usually a waste of
the reader’s time.

e. Why is a compound sentence a poor choice for a topic sentence?

4. Sentences and Paragraphs

The following text uses simple sentences only. Rewrite it using compound sentences and
complex sentences. Make any changes which help improve the quality of the writing.

Remember to avoid repetition.

The ideas between each number should be written as ONE sentence.

Do not change the underlined sentences. These are topic sentences, which are generally
best as simple sentences for clarity and emphasis.

You should read the entire text before you begin to write.

45
 The Tortoise and the Dragon

(1) China and India have roughly the same population, of a billion or so. It is possible to
compare China and India. It is possible to compare mobile phone use in China and India.
There is a big difference between China and India in terms of mobile phone use. (2)
Mobile‐phone services were launched in India seven years ago. There are only 10 million
mobile‐ phone users in India. In China, there are 5 million new subscribers every month.

Geography and culture explain some of the difference. (3) In China, economic activity is
concentrated in the eastern coastal region. The concentration of economic activity gave
mobile phone operators big economies of scale. Big economies of scale mean lower costs.
Lower costs allow lower prices. (4) In China, mobile telephones quickly came to be regarded
as fashion items. In India, mobile telephones have only very recently come to be regarded as
fashion items.

However, the main difference is government regulation. (5) India introduced a licensing
policy. India's licensing policy divided the country into 22 regions. Each of the 22 regions has
two licences to operate mobile‐telephone services. (6) Bidders for the licences could only
bid in one region. The government hoped that allowing bidding in only one region would
promote competition. (7) Unfortunately, the policy has led to a very large number of
operators. None of the operators is big enough to achieve significant economies of scale. (8)
This has a result. Costs of production remain relatively high. Consequently, prices remain
relatively high.

46
UNIT 6 PARAPHRASING

A paraphrase is a restatement of a passage that uses different words and structures that
change the style but not the meaning of the original text.

There are several reasons why you might need to paraphrase:

a. perhaps you have interviewed some people for the purpose of writing a report. The
interviews will probably be in informal language while the report may need to be written
in formal language.

b. perhaps you have obtained information from texts that use formal language, but you
wish to use the information in a spoken presentation. Talks usually involve less formal
language.

c. perhaps you want to summarize a passage. Summaries often restate the main points of
an argument in different words.

d. perhaps you want to use someone else's ideas without simply copying them word for
word. In academic writing, stealing someone else's ideas is not acceptable. (It is called
plagiarizing.) Paraphrasing, however, allows us to use another person’s ideas so long as
we also provide a citation that identifies the original author.

In order to paraphrase, you need:

a. to have a clear understanding of the meaning of the original passage.

b. to be able to rewrite the original sentences in your own style.

There are many techniques used in paraphrasing. Here are some of the most common, with
examples and practice exercises:

1. CHANGE KEY WORDS

This can mean substituting one word for another.

Some employees got a pay rise.

Some employees received a pay rise.

Luckily, none of the students failed the test.

Fortunately, none of the students failed the examination.

47
This can mean substituting ONE word for A GROUP of words OR vice versa.

For example :

Originally, the university offered only B.A. and B.Sc. degrees.

At first, the university offered only undergraduate degrees.

At the moment, Coca Cola is the largest producer of soft drinks in the world.

Currently, Coca Cola is the number one producer of soft drinks worldwide.

Exercise 1

In each of the following, replace the words that are underlined with other words which have
the same meaning (or almost the same meaning). Rewrite the sentences in full.

a. In the past, some developing nations discovered that selling products abroad to
European or North American countries was one road to achieve a higher GDP.

b. The number of people out of work in the United States reached its peak during the
Great Depression of the thirties.

c. The CEO has stated that the company will not take out a loan in order to pay for
buying new machinery.

2. USE ALTERNATIVE WORD FORMS

This is a very important skill, and it involves lots of possibilities. Here are some of the most
common. (You will notice that each change requires other changes in the sentence too.)

a. Change nouns to verbs

For example:

We need to spend more on product advertisements.

We need to spend more on advertising the new product.

48
 b. Change verbs to nouns

For example:

The economic situation improved after Thai Rak Thai came to power in 2001.

There was an improvement in the economic situation after Thai Rak Thai came to
power in 2001.

c. Change adverbs to adjectives

For example:

Nokia now operates globally.

Nokia is now a global operation.

d. Change adjectives to adverbs

For example:

From a financial point of view, the decision was a mistake.

Financially, the decision was a mistake.

e. Change adjectives to nouns

For example:

She is a gifted pianist.

She has a gift for playing the piano.

The market is highly competitive.

There is intense competition in the market.

Exercise 2

In each of the following, change the form of the words which are underlined.

49
Make sure that you make any other necessary changes to produce a grammatically correct
sentence in each case.

a. My prediction is that Liverpool are destined for another year without winning a
trophy. (noun to verb)

b. Prices have risen recently and worsened inflation. (verb to noun)

c. Oil prices have fallen sharply over the last six months. (adverb to adjective)

d. She has a beautiful smile. (adjective to adverb)

e. The economic situation has worsened considerably. (adjective to noun)

3. CHANGE ACTIVE TO PASSIVE VOICE (OR VICE VERSA)

Remember that the passive voice is formed by the verb to be plus the past participle (verb
3).

For example:

Prices were increased by 15%. (Passive Voice)

The company increased its prices by 15%. (Active Voice)

Thailand imports gold from India. (Active Voice)

Gold is imported from India. (Passive Voice)

Exercise 3

Change the sentence from active to passive or passive to active.

a. The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

50
b. The Bank of Thailand will lower interest rates next month.

c. The company is organizing training courses for its new employees.

d. A meeting should be held next week.

4. CHANGE AFFIRMATIVE TO NEGATIVE (AND VICE VERSA)

For example:

Studying in England is more expensive than in Canada.

Studying in Canada is less expensive than in England.

or

Studying in Canada is not as expensive as in England.

Exercise 4

Change the sentence from affirmative to negative or negative to affirmative.

a. It is not easy to get an "A" in this course.

b. English people are less friendly than Thais.

c. Economic growth is higher in Germany than in Italy.

51
5. CHANGE THE WORD ORDER

For example:

I cannot tell you what our profits were last year.

I cannot tell you last year's profits.

Americans first walked on the Moon in 1969.

In 1969, Americans first walked on the Moon.

Exercise 5

a. Since 1945, the Japanese economy has improved dramatically.

b. There is fierce competition in the market for mobile phones.

6. CHANGE THE SENTENCE CONNECTORS

This simply means changing the linking words. Notice that other changes usually need to be
made to ensure that the paraphrase is grammatically correct.

For example:

Gross domestic product fell because of falling demand for exports.

Falling demand for exports brought about a fall in Gross Domestic Product.

Economic growth was high last year; however, many poor people did not benefit at
all.

Economic growth was high last year, but many poor people did not benefit at all.

Although economic growth was high last year, many poor people did not benefit at
all.

52
Exercise 6

Change the linking word in the following sentences.

a. Although he tried hard, he failed all his examinations.

b. The government needs to borrow money because the cost of megaprojects is rising
rapidly.

7. CHANGE SENTENCE TYPES

This means, for example, changing simple sentences into compound sentences, or changing
compound sentences into complex sentences. You have already seen an example of this
when changing but to although – this involves changing a compound sentence into a
complex sentence.

For example:

Students who are studying Calculus should attend this lecture. (Complex)

Calculus students should attend this lecture. (Simple)

Calculus is so interesting that I spend 12 hours a day reading about it. (Complex)

Calculus is very interesting; I spend 12 hours each day reading about it. (Compound)

Exercise 7

Change the following into different sentence types.

a. He did not study, so he failed the exam.

b. Microeconomic theory is difficult; I do not understand it.

(Rewrite using "too difficult".)

53
 c. The government reduced interest rates, but consumer spending did not rise.
(Rewrite using "although".)

8. CHANGE PHRASES TO CLAUSES OR CLAUSES TO PHRASES

This can mean changing clauses into verb phrases ‐ infinitive, "ing" and participle. For
example:

The government lowered taxes so that consumer spending would be encouraged.

(clause)

The government lowered taxes to encourage consumer spending. (infinitive)

The government should do more to help those people who are suffering from
poverty. (clause)

The government should do more to help people suffering from poverty. ("ing"
participle phrase)

The money that was raised from the sale of assets was not enough to pay off the
company's debts. (clause)

The money raised from the sale of assets was not enough to pay off the company's
debts. (‐ed participle phrase)

This can also mean changing clauses into prepositional phrases. For example:

I rent an apartment. I share it with two friends.

I rent an apartment with two friends.

When I was a child, I lived in an apartment which was on the sixty‐sixth floor of the
building.

In my childhood, I lived in an apartment on the sixty‐sixth floor of the building.

54
Exercise 8

Paraphrase by change clauses to phrases and phrases to clauses.

a. She never learned how to swim. She is scared of water.

b. The man who is wearing a red shirt is the chief economist.

9. PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Examine the following paragraph and the way it gradually changes as each technique is
applied in turn. Compare the first paragraph with the final one to see how the techniques
result in a complete paraphrase.

I am worried about my closest friend as he has faced some hard times. His mother, father,
and brother are dead. I know he is in pain, but he is getting violent. It seems like he takes
everything out on me. I do not want him to hurt himself or anyone else. I want to help him,
but I am not sure what to do.

Step 1. Replacing some key words with synonyms.

I am concerned about my best friend as he has had to deal with some difficult problems. His
parents and brother have passed away. I know he is hurting, but he is getting aggressive. It
seems like he takes everything out on me. I do not want him to harm himself or anyone else.
I want to help him, but I do not know what to do.

Step 2. Change word forms and change active voice to passive voice.

I am concerned about my best friend as he has had to deal with some challenges in his life.
His parents and brother have passed away. I know he is hurting, but he is behaving
aggressively. It seems like everything is taken out on me. I do not want him or anyone else
to come to harm. I want to be helpful, but I do not know how.

55
Step 3. Change the sentence structure and the order of ideas within a sentence.

My best friend, whom I am concerned about, has had to deal with some challenges in his
life. His brother and parents have passed away. I know he is behaving aggressively because
he is hurting. It seems like everything is taken out on me. I do not want him or anyone else
to come to harm. Although I do not know how, I want to be helpful.

Step 4. Change paragraph structure and the order of ideas in the paragraph.

For example, the last sentence could become the first. Other changes can continue to be
made. Compare the final product below with the original at the top of the page:

Although I do not know how, I want to be of help to my best friend, whom I am worried
about. He has had to deal with some challenges in his life; for example, his brother and
parents have all passed away. I know he is behaving aggressively because he is hurting, but
it seems like everything is taken out on me. I really do not want him or anyone else to come
to harm.

Exercise 9:

Paraphrase the following in any way that works.

a. There was a sharp rise in Thai exports in February due to increased demand for Thai
agricultural products.

b. Nike plans to raise the prices of its shoes and sports clothing significantly next year;
this is because production costs are rising.

c. Many businesses in the South of Thailand have been badly affected by the recent
flooding; however, they are expected to recover quickly.

56
 d. American car companies are currently not doing as well as Japanese ones.

e. Communicating with customers in an open and honest way when things go wrong is
a basic principle of good management in a time of crisis.

f. The fact that many British conglomerates chose to sell off non‐core assets in the
1980s was a result of negative growth in the economy.

Exercise 10

Writing Practice

Use both sources to produce a well‐structured paragraph on the following topic:

Two reasons why Finland’s economic prospects looked bleak in 2012

Pay particular attention to the tenses you use. Make sure you paraphrase any text taken
from the sources. Cite this material by placing the following in‐text citations after any ideas
or information you paraphrase from the sources.

(Ando, 2012)

(“One Firm,” 2012)

Add the references for the two sources at the end of your paragraph.

Source 1

The Finnish government has played a particularly big role in traditional industries such as
forestry and metals. State shareholdings, however, have not protected paper mills or steel
makers from global competition. Papermakers Stora Enso and UPM‐Kymmene have been
closing mills and cutting jobs in recent years due to pricing pressure and weak demand.
With some exceptions, such as the sale of Stora's Summa Mill to Google, Inc. for a server

57
farm, mill closures are often permanent. Finnish unemployment is not too high for Europe
at 8.5 percent, but is at 24 percent for people under 24. "Many of these jobs are lost
forever," said Sampo Bank Chief Economist Pasi Kuoppamaki. "We need real industry to
replace what we've lost."

Ando, R. (2012, May 17). Jobs Lost Forever. Reuters.

Source 2

NOKIA contributed a quarter of Finnish growth from 2001 to 2010, according to figures from
the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA). Over the same period, the mobile‐
phone manufacturer’s spending on research and development made up 30% of the
country’s total, and it generated nearly a fifth of Finland’s exports. In the decade to 2007,
Nokia was sometimes paying as much as 23% of all Finnish corporation tax. No wonder that
a decline in its fortunes—Nokia’s share price fell by 90% since 2007 to 2011, thanks partly to
Apple’s ascent—clouded Finland’s outlook.

One Firm Economies: The Nokia Effect. (2012, August 25). The Economist.

Important note: The following notes and exercises are for the second half of the course
(after the midterm exam). They will form the basis of your final exam.

58
UNIT 7 CONNECTING CAUSES AND RESULTS / EFFECTS

There are linking words to perform many different functions. This unit concentrates on one
of the most important functions ‐ linking causes and results ‐ and shows several ways to do
this.

1. TOPIC SENTENCES

The following sentence patterns are useful for writing topic sentences and thesis statements
for cause‐effect paragraphs and essays:

a.

There are several causes of + noun phrase

There are three main reasons for + noun phrase

There are three main effects of + noun phrase

Examples:

There are several causes of the rising rate of inflation in Thailand.

There are four main effects of poverty on Thai society.

b.

There are two main reasons why + independent clause

Examples:

There are three main reasons why Free Trade Agreements may have a negative
impact on the Thai economy.

There are two main reasons why the rate of economic growth is falling.

c. noun phrase + has had several important effects on + noun

phrase.

59
 Examples:

The economic crisis of 1997 had three important effects on the Thai economy.

Inflation has four important effects on an economy.

Exercise 1

Using a different sentence pattern each time, write a topic sentence for each of the
following essay topics.

a. The causes of poverty in Thailand.

b. The effects of poverty on Thai society.

2. CONNECTORS WITHIN INDIVIDUAL SENTENCES

When writing individual sentences of cause and effect, there are three steps:

a. decide what is the cause and what is the effect;

b. decide whether the cause and the effect are to be written as clauses or
phrases;

c. decide upon an appropriate connector.

60
Look at the following seven patterns and complete the sentences using an appropriate verb.
Think carefully about the correct tense in each case.

Pattern Cause Verbs Result

NOUN / NOUN PHRASE NOUN / NOUN PHRASE

The financial crash and a fall in the value of

the floating of the baht to lead to the Thai currency.
in 1997
to bring about
A
Lower water levels in to result in water shortages in
several major dams some parts of the
to cause country later this year.

Rising oil prices a rise in the rate of

inflation.

Pattern Cause Verbs Result

NOUN / NOUN PHRASE NOUN / INFINITIVE

VERB

Rising oil prices over the inflation to rise.

last few months

B to cause
Low interest rates at the saving to decline.
moment

It is predicted that the foreign investors to be

situation in the south of cautious.
the country

61
Pattern Cause Verbs Result

NOUN / NOUN PHRASE NOUN + INFINITIVE

WITHOUT ‘TO’

Uncertainty about the oil prices rise.

supply of oil and rising
demand in countries
such as India and China

C to make
The next political, most foreign investors
meteorological or give up on the country.
financial crisis to affect
Thailand

Without a doubt, the foreign investors lose

incompetence of the confidence in the
current government country.

Pattern Cause Joining Words Result

CLAUSE / SENTENCE Consequently, CLAUSE / SENTENCE

In 2007, the government Therefore, consumer spending

D decided to raise VAT. As a result, was depressed for
several months
Hence, afterwards.

Thus,

62
Pattern Cause Joining Words Result

NOUN / NOUN PHRASE As a result of INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

increased protectionism Because of the company is seeking

E in Europe, new opportunities in
Owing to
China.
Due to

Pattern Result Verbs Cause

NOUN / NOUN PHRASE to be due to NOUN / NOUN PHRASE

Anti‐American prejudice to be brought about by envy of American

to be a result of success.

Next quarter’s trade to be caused by a fall in manufacturing

deficit output and a drop in
to be a consequence of
exports.
F result from

come from

arise from

stem from

sometimes

likely

63
 Pattern Result Joining Words Cause

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE because DEPENDENT CLAUSE

A sharp fall in RIM’s since there was a lack of

G share prices occurred confidence in the
as
last year CEO’s ability to
manage the company.

Note:

For both Pattern E and Pattern G, you can reverse the order of cause and result.

Remember the punctuation rule:

If the sentence begins with the phrase or a dependent clause (DC), there is a comma
between them. There is no comma if the independent clause (IC) comes first.

IC DC. or DC, IC.

Exercise 3

Complete the following ‐ sometimes more than linking words need to be added.

a. Land prices abroad are attractive to the Japanese _____________________ the

strength ________________ yen.

b. The massive Japanese influence on the economies of some Asian countries

_____________________ Japan's immense economic power.

c. The advanced nature of Japanese technology _____________________ many

foreign companies want to establish joint‐ventures _____________________
Japanese.

d. The existence of demand for Japanese products in certain foreign countries

_____________________ the Japanese to want to stimulate that demand.

64
 e. The political stability of certain foreign countries _____________________ a desire
on the part of the Japanese to invest in them.

f. The increased focus among Japanese investors on investing overseas

_____________________ partly _____________________ the strength
_____________________ yen.

g. Economic bonds between Japan and its partners are very strong
_____________________ each party wants to make as much money as possible.

h. Japan is certain to continue to have a significant influence on its trading partners.

_____________________ it is necessary for Japan’s competitors to monitor how
their relationships develop.

Exercise 4

Combine the two ideas in each of the following. Show the cause and result relationship with
an appropriate linking expression.

a. real estate in Thailand a major target for foreigners / controls on foreign ownership
introduced

b. Japanese investment / some new jobs created in Thailand

c. towns / Northeast / unable to attract capital / relatively few employment

opportunities

65
 d. until recently / most China people / live in east of country / suitability of land for
farming

e. Businesses need customers to survive / the saying “the customer is always right”.

Exercise 5

Combine each set of ideas into a single sentence using the connector suggested in brackets.

a.

using the internet is now an environmental issue

the enormous worldwide power consumption of computers using the internet

(because)

b.

the cost of living is rising

the price of basic necessities has increased (because of)

c.

Obama’s public healthcare plan may not be approved by Congress American voters’
disapproval of paying more taxes (hence)

66
 d.

Steve Jobs has had great success as an innovator

Steve Jobs is now an icon of the modern technology industry (make)

e.

Singha Corporation and Asia Golden Rice have become partners

Singha Corporation wants to boost its non‐alcoholic product businesses (be + the
result of)

3. CAUSES AND RESULTS PARAGRAPH PRACTICE

Exercise 6

Use the information in the table to complete the paragraph stating reasons for the growing
popularity of Thailand’s gems and jewellery. Remember to write an effective topic sentence
and use appropriate markers of cause and effect.

The Growing Popularity of Thailand’s Gems and Jewelry

excellent skills and quality of gems and jewelry

workmanship of Thai manufactured in Thailand
workers assured

experienced local designers stylish items which better suit

fashion and tastes of overseas
customers produced and
exported

67
 lower labour costs compared Thailand’s gems and jewelry
to Europe and America more competitive in the world
market

renowned craftmanship of rapid increase Thailand to become centre of

Thai gem cutters in amount of diamond cutting business in
diamonds near future
 being shipped 
to Thailand for
cutting and
polishing

__________________________________________________________________________.
First, the high quality of manufacturing in Thailand is assured ___________ the excellent
skills and workmanship of Thai workers. Second, ________________________________
stylish items which better suit the fashion and tastes of overseas customers. Third, the
labour costs _____________________________________ compared to Europe and
America. ___________________ , Thailand’s gems and jewellery
________________________________ in the world market. Finally, __________________,
the amount of diamonds being shipped to Thailand for cutting and polishing,
__________________.

Exercise 7

Use the following information to write a paragraph stating the reasons why Ecco, a Danish
shoemaker, has decided to invest more in Thailand.

Remember to give the paragraph both a title and an effective topic sentence. Use different
connecting words to show cause and effect.

shoemaking skills of Thai Ecco’s plan reducing its manufacturing

workers to make in Europe

+ Thailand
its biggest +
production
base

68
 Thailand offering attractive foreign investors, including
new tax incentives
+ Ecco, are encouraged to
locate their regional
headquarters in Thailand

more predictable Thai possibility of foreign

government policy
+ investors to make a long‐
term strategic plans

Thai government’s Thailand’s investment

attempt to reduce
bureaucratic red tape
+ climate improving

4. PARAGRAPH WRITING STUDY NOTES

Using Conditionals and Modals for Credibility

a. Credibility

This is high‐school writing:

A: People who work hard get rich.

This is university writing:

B: If you work hard, you might be able to get rich. However, the majority
of people work hard, but only a minority of people are rich. Therefore,
on the balance of probabilities, hard work on its own is unlikely to
make your rich.

Sentence A shows a lack of thought about other possible outcomes and inexperience
(or naivety ‐ a good word to look up…) about the subject. The sentences in B show
credibility (that the author knows what she is talking about and is a reliable source of
information).

What is the difference between A and B? Two characteristics: conditionals and

modals.

b. Conditionals

It is almost impossible to write well about effects or to make credible predictions

when doing causal analysis without using conditionals.

69
 However, since you did conditionals in your previous course with the Market Leader
texts, we are not going to cover them again here. You will be expected to show that
you know how and when to use the zero, first, second, and third conditionals;
therefore, it would be a good idea to review the material from the previous course
as a self‐study activity.

c. Modals

For our purposes, we can think of a modal as any word or phrase that shows
possibility, certainty, recommendation, or permission.

Typical modal verbs include:

can could might may

should is likely is possible

(Each of these can also be used in the negative with not.)

Common modal adverbs are:

maybe possibly perhaps

Common modal noun phrases are:

The possibility/impossibility of....

The likelihood of...

It is likely/unlikely that + [dependent noun clause]

It is possible/impossible that+ [dependent noun clause]

70
5. HOW TO REFERENCE ELECTRONIC SOURCES – APA STYLE

a. Electronic journal
b. Magazine and newspaper articles

Include the author(s), the date or year, article title, journal or magazine title, volume,
issue number, pages numbers, and the URL.

You may not be able to find page numbers for some electronic articles, even if there is a
print equivalent.

Example

Toibin, C. (2006, June 3). Pure Evil. The Guardian. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/jun/03/fiction.colmtoibin

c. Other websites

Include the author(s), title, year, and the location (URL).

Example

Crick, B. (2011, February 17). George Orwell: Voice of a Long Generation. BBC.
Retrieved from
https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwtwo/orwell_01.shtml

If you cannot identify an author, reference the work by title.

Example

Sheffield Botanical Gardens. 2008. Retrieved from http://www.sbg.org.uk/

Note: References should be listed in alphabetical order.

71
6. LANGUAGE FOCUS: CAUSE AND EFFECT

Cause Verb Effect

cause

bring about

noun phrase lead to noun phrase.

result in

cause noun + to + infinitive.

make noun + infinitive.

Cause Connector Effect

, so

; thus,
clause clause.
; therefore,

; consequently,

; as a result,

; for this reason,

; because of this,

72
 Cause Marker Effect

Thus,

Therefore,
sentence. clause.
Consequently,

As a result,

For this reason,

Because of this,

Connector Cause Effect

Because of

Due to noun phrase, clause.

Owing to

Effect Verb Cause

BE + due to

BE + the result of
noun phrase noun phrase.
BE + brought about by

BE + caused by

result from

come from

73
 Effect Connector Cause

because of

clause noun phrase.

due to

owing to

Effect Connector Cause

because

clause clause.
as

since

Exercise 8

A noun phrase does not contain a verb with a tense. These are noun phrases:

• the rising crime rate in American cities

• unemployment in urban areas

a. Change each of the above noun phrases into a clause. Use present continuous for
the first phrase and present simple tense for the second.

A clause must have a subject and a verb. These are clauses:

• The baht is depreciating.

• There has been an increase in exports.

74
b. Change each of the above clauses into a noun phrase.

c. Use the words/phrases given below to combine or link the cause and effect in (b). Be
sure you use the correct tense and punctuation.

1. result in

2. cause exports to …

3. so

4. consequently

5. Therefore

6. Due to

7. BE + due to

8. BE + brought about by

9. because of

10. since

75
UNIT 8 UNDERSTANDING CAUSES AND EFFECTS

1. COMPREHENSION

Read the following text and answer the questions below.

The Chinese government has decided to put quality‐of‐life concerns ahead of maximizing
economic growth when it comes to two of the country’s largest industries: housing and
autos.

Premier Wen Jiabao has imposed a strict ban on purchases of second and subsequent
homes, in the hope that discouraging real estate speculation will improve the affordability of
homes. While the ban has resulted in a steep decline in residential real estate prices, it has
also precipitated a sharp fall in housing construction and widespread job losses among
construction workers. The ban on buying homes as investment means rows of empty
apartment buildings line highways outside major cities all over China.

At the same time, the municipal governments in some of China’s largest cities have sharply
reduced this summer the number of new car registrations allowed so as to reduce traffic
congestion and air pollution.

The Chinese auto industry has grown tenfold in the last decade to become the world’s
largest, looking like a formidable challenger to Detroit. However now, the Chinese industry is
starting to look more like Detroit in its dark days in the 1980s. Inventories of unsold cars are
soaring at dealerships across the nation, and the Chinese industry’s problems show every
sign of growing worse, not better. So many auto factories have opened in China in the last
two years that the industry is operating at only about 65 percent of capacity — far below the
80 percent usually needed for profitability.

Despite the oversupply, so many new factories are being built that, according to the Chinese
government’s National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s auto
manufacturing capacity is on track to increase again in the next three years by an amount
equal to all the auto factories in Japan, or nearly all the auto factories in the United States.

“I worry that we’re going down the same road the U.S. went down, and it takes quite some
time to fix that,” said Geoff Broderick, the general manager of Asian operations at J.D.
Power & Associates, the global consulting firm. “Inventory used to flow in and out. Now, it
just sits there, and there’s more of it.”

Source:

76
Bradsher, K. (2012, October 8). China Confronts Mounting Piles of Unsold Goods. New York
Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/business/global/chinas‐
economy‐besieged‐by‐buildup‐ of‐ unsold‐goods.html

Exercise 1

Answer the questions below by paraphrasing from the text. Remember the techniques you
have been taught such as changing the sentence structure, the order of ideas, using
keywords, and replacing common words with synonyms and antonyms.

a. What was the reason did the government give for banning people from buying more
than one home?

b. What policy did the government enact in order to reduce pollution and traffic jams
in major cities?

c. What two effects has the ban had on buying second homes?

d. Explain why the policy on reducing pollution could make things worse for China’s
auto industry.

2. EXPRESSING YOUR OPINION

77
According to the text, the government’s attempt to improve the quality of life of its citizens
is having ‐ or likely to have ‐ negative impacts on the economy.

Based on the text and your answers to the questions above, write a single paragraph giving
your opinion on whether the Chinese government has made the correct policy decision to
prioritize quality of life over the economy.

To do this, you will have to decide whether quality of life or economic growth is more
important in this particular situation.

Remember to support your main ideas (at least two) with details and examples from the
text. You must paraphrase and cite anything you use from the text. Write in the 3rd person
(do not use I, We, or You in your writing).

Be sure to provide a properly formatted reference at the end of your paragraph

3. IMPROVING UNITY AND COHERENCE

Read the following text. Note the use of in‐text citations. If an article does not have an
author, one to three words from the title of the article can be used along with the year in
the in‐text citation. For example, in the text below, the article Facebook and the digital
economy does not have a listed author. Therefore, the in‐text citation is (“Facebook,” 2012)
since this is sufficient to distinguish it from the other article by G. A. Fowler.

[1] There are two reasons why investors should avoid buying shares in Facebook. [2] First,
the extent to which Facebook’s revenues can grow may be limited. [3] Facebook’s customer
base seems to be almost saturated. [4] The Economist (“Facebook,” 2012) recently reported
that in America and much of Europe, almost everyone who might want to join already has.
[5] This means that long‐term revenue growth must come from members it already has
rather than simply by adding new ones. [6] However, the prospects of that happening seem
slim. [7] The ratio of daily to monthly users has ticked down in North America, Europe and
Asia—a sign to some of “Facebook fatigue”, according to The Economist (“Facebook,” 2012).
[8] Secondly, Facebook needs to generate revenues increasingly from customers using
mobile devices. [9] Most Facebookers now check the site on mobile devices, with 56.9% of
monthly users doing so in the second quarter of this year (Fowler, 2012). [10] The problem
here is that there is little space for ads on a smartphone, and ads must not just avoid
irritating users but also make them click. [11] Unfortunately, click‐throughs on ads from
mobile devices are reportedly less than one‐fifth that of the same ads viewed on desktops
and laptops (“Facebook,” 2012). [12] This suggests that as mobile devices become the
preferred way to browse the Facebook site, advertising revenues are going to decrease. [13]

78
In sum, despite the site’s huge popularity with users, investors would be well‐advised to look
elsewhere for good returns.

References

Facebook and the digital economy. (2012, August 17). The Economist. Last accessed on 14
October 2012 at http://www.economist.com/node/25490157

Fowler, G. A. (2012, October 4). Facebook: One billion and Counting. Wall Street Journal.
Last accessed on 14 Oct, 2012 at http://wsj.online.com/sbloo.html

Exercise 2

Now look at the paragraph again and notice how each sentence raises a question that is
answered by the next sentence. Here are the first seven:

1. After reading the first sentence, the reader might ask:

What are the two reasons?

Sentence [2] starts to answer that question by stating the first reason.

2. After reading the second sentence, the reader might ask:

Why would FB’s revenues be limited?

Sentence [3] explains that there are not many new customers for FB.

3. After reading the third sentence, the reader might ask:

Why should I believe that there are no new customers?

Sentence [4] provides evidence to help the reader believe the claim in [3].

4. After reading the fourth sentence, the reader might ask:

So what? How does that connect with limited revenues stated in sentence [2]?

Sentence 5 explains the logical connection. Notice that ‘This means that’ is used to
link [4] to [2].

5. After reading the fifth sentence, the reader might ask:

Why is getting revenue from existing members a problem?

Sentence 6 answers that by stating that it is unlikely that FB will be able to generate
continuous growth from existing members.

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6. After reading the sixth sentence, the reader will want to know:

Why is that unlikely?

Sentence 7 answers that question by citing some facts to support the claim, as well
as giving the citation so that readers can check those facts for them‐ selves if they
need to.

Now it is your turn. Read each of the remaining sentences in the paragraph about
Facebook again and try to figure out what question the reader is likely to think of
after each one.

7. After reading the seventh sentence, the reader might ask:

Sentence 8 answers that question by stating the second reason.

8. After reading the eighth sentence, the reader might ask:

Sentence 9 answers that question by citing some facts to support the claim, as well
as giving the citation so that readers can check those facts for themselves if they
need to.

9. After reading the ninth sentence, the reader might ask:

Sentence 10 gives two reasons why advertising on smartphones is difficult.

10. After reading the tenth sentence, the reader might ask:

But is that really a serious problem?

Sentence 11 explains by citing some facts as well as giving the citation so that
readers can check for themselves if they need to.

11. After reading the eleventh sentence, the reader might ask:

Sentence 12 shows the logical connection between advertising revenues and mobile
devices.

12. After reading the previous twelve sentences, the reader will want to know:

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 So, what is it that I should remember about this text?

Exercise 3

Practice ‐ what questions do these sentences ask?

For each of the following, try to add one or more sentences that answer a question the
reader might think of after reading the previous ones.

a. Smoking is bad for human health and the economy. Every year, 50,000 people die of
smoking‐related diseases.

Clue: the next sentence needs to connect smoking with the economy.

b. Russian women started to gain equality earlier than women in the United States. The
concept of equal rights and responsibilities was part of communist philosophy as far
back as 1917. In the US, few women had jobs outside of the home prior to 1939 and
the outbreak of the Second World War. However,

As a result,

Clue: the next sentence needs to connect war with women and work. What question
might this then raise, and which needs to be answered after ‘As a result’...?

c. When a currency depreciates, exports tend to go up. This is because

This can lead to

Consequently,

Clue: what effect might a rise in exports have on employment? What might this do for
the economy?

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What you should have learned from the previous exercises:

a. In order to have good unity and coherence – i.e., good logical structure – in your
paragraphs, every sentence must follow logically from the previous one.
b. You can achieve this by always making sure each sentence answers a question raised
by the previous one.

Now it is your turn. Try to complete this within 45 minutes ‐ it is good practice for the quiz
and exam. Plan what you want to write before you start to think how to write it. Aim to
demonstrate good unity and coherence.

Paragraph Topic

In your opinion, what would be the effects of having no quizzes, exams or grades in all
English courses at Chula?

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UNIT 9 COMPARING AND CONTRASTING

This unit focuses on both sentence and paragraph structure for using comparison and
contrast in an effective and logical way.

1. PARALLELISM

Parallel construction is the repetition of grammatical patterns within a sentence or a series

of sentences. It is especially useful when you wish to list more than one property belonging
to the subject.

In order to make the ideas in your sentences clear and understandable, words, phrases and
clauses should have parallelism ‐ that is, the sentence structures should be grammatically
balanced.

A: Parallel:

Many hope that technology will help us solve the energy crisis, overpopulation, and
global warming.

B: Not Parallel:

Many hope that technology will help us solve the energy crisis, there being too many
people on the planet, and global warming.

In the parallel structure A, you can see that all three items in the list have the same
structure. In B, however, the second item uses a different structure from the first and the
last item and hence it ruins the flow of the sentence.

Exercise 1

Compare the following pairs of sentences. Which sentence is parallel in each case?

a. Plant‐based meat substitutes remain unusual and difficult‐to‐find menu items for
consumers.

b. Plant‐based meat substitutes remain unusual and are difficult‐to‐find menu items
for consumers.

c. The company, Beyond Meat, plans to promote their plant‐based meat substitutes
heavily this year and add new products.

d. The company, Beyond Meat, plans to promote their plant‐based meat substitutes
heavily this year and adding new products.

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e. The company's plans include introducing ready‐to‐eat vegetable patties blended
with Chinese herbs and black mushrooms this year and developing vegetable patties
mixed with green beans and black pepper for next year.

f. The company's plans include introducing ready‐to‐eat vegetable patties blended

with Chinese herbs and black mushrooms this year and to develop vegetable patties
mixed with green beans and black pepper for next year.

Exercise 2

Correct the mistakes in parallel structure in these sentences:

a. Economics is both interesting and use.

b. Always check your verbs for tense and agree.

c. Most visitors to London and Paris spend their time visiting museums and to shop.

d. What I say and I do are two entirely different things.

e. The Swedish electrical appliance firm Electrolux has chosen Thailand as its
manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia because of its large market size, the growth of
the domestic market, its geographical location and its development infrastructure.

f. The proposed new system would be expensive to operate but much more efficient
than the old one; therefore, it is strongly recommended that the company should
purchase and the system should be installed as soon as possible.

2. PARALLELISM AND CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS

both ... and either ... or neither ...nor not only ... but also

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These words are placed directly before the words they join in the sentence. Notice that
there is no punctuation. Compare this with the rules for FANBOYS conjunctions discussed in
an earlier unit.

Exercise 3

Highlight the correlative conjunctions and underline the parallel structures in the following
examples. The first one has been done for you:

a. Retained profits are needed for both research into new products and investment in
new technology.

b. The company must either reduce its debt or face the possibility of being forced into
liquidation.

c. Establishing strong brand loyalty is neither quick nor easy.

d. The company is investing not only in new forms of energy but also in ways to make
the use of existing forms of energy more efficient.

e. Both the quality of construction and the design of Bangkok’s newest airport have
been questioned by international aviation and accident prevention experts.

Exercise 4

Complete the blanks in the following sentences:

a. The new models are _________________ more economical but also more
___________.

b. Industrialization has brought about not only a rise in the standard of living through
better wages and increased employment for many ____________ the _________ of
technology in sanitation and hygiene, in maternal care, and in modes of recreation.

c. The company has neither enough capital ______________ resources to attempt to

break into the Japanese market at the present time.

d. We either redesign the prototype, which would be risky as we still might not be able
to solve all the problems, ____________________ the model and go back to the
drawing board to start again from scratch.

e. The company is both raising its prices _____________ its costs in an attempt to
avoid incurring a loss for the third successive year.

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Exercise 5

Rewrite the following sentences to demonstrate good parallelism:

a. The production supervisor warned Karl to punch in on time, to dress appropriately

for the job, and he should stop taking extra breaks.

b. Our small Honda provides good mileage; more comfort for longer journeys is
provided by our larger sedan.

c. The philosopher's advice is to live for the present, to find some joy in each day, and
by helping others.

d. Last year consumption rose by 7%, investment increased by 3%, government

expenditure went up by 5% and a 6% rise in exports.

e. Successful business leaders develop the skills of time management, thinking clearly,
and responsibly acting.

f. US economic growth has been hampered by high energy prices, construction

projects are being delayed, and there is the reducing of government spending.

3. CONTRAST SIGNAL WORDS: CONCESSION (UNEXPECTED RESULT)

These words are used to show an unintended or unexpected consequence.

List 1 (Complex sentences, subordinators)

although even though though

List 2 (Compound sentences, FANBOYS)

but yet

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List 3 (Compound sentences, adverbs)

however nevertheless nonetheless still

List 4 (Simple sentences)

despite (+ noun) in spite of (+ noun)

Examples

Although the economy has been doing well lately, a lot of people are still struggling to
provide for their families.

The economy has been doing well lately, yet a lot of people are still struggling to provide for
their families.

The economy has been doing well lately; however, a lot of people are still struggling to
provide for their families.

Despite the fact that the economy has been doing well lately, a lot of people are still
struggling to provide for their families.

4. CONTRAST SIGNAL WORDS: DIRECT OPPOSITION

These words are used to show that two things are direct opposites. When contrasting direct
opposites, the signal word can introduce either piece of information.

List 1 (Complex sentences, subordinators)

while whereas

List 2 (Compound sentences, FANBOYS)

But

List 3 (Compound sentences, adverbs)

however in contrast on the other hand

on the contrary (in/by) comparison

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List 4 (Simple sentences)

differs from compared (to/with) BE + unlike

BE+ different from BE + dissimilar to

Examples

While Japan is prospering due to the recent strengthening of the Yen against the Dollar,
America is suffering.

America is suffering due to the recent strengthening of the Yen against the Dollar, but Japan
is prospering.

Japan is prospering due to the recent strengthening of the Yen against the Dollar; on the
other hand, America is suffering.

America is suffering due to the recent strengthening of the Yen, unlike Japan.

The effect of a stronger Yen against the Dollar on Japan is different from that on America.

Exercise 6

For each of the following, first decide whether the ideas are in direct opposition or indicate
concession. Then write one sentence using an appropriate contrast signal word.

a. South Korea is fast becoming an economic superpower. It is a small country with few
natural resources.

b. The banking industry is paying out huge bonuses to its top executives. Most banks
failed to meet their targets last year.

c. It seems that Steve Jobs will be remembered for his creativity. Bill Gates will likely be
remembered for his philanthropy.

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d. It seems inevitable that there will be no summer ice in the Arctic by 2020 due to
global warming. Oil companies are now drilling for oil in the Arctic region.

Exercise 7

Demonstrate the patterns used in the previous pages by writing a sentence using the
directions given.

a. (Contrast a successful leader with an unsuccessful one — use direct opposition)

b. (Contrast some technology today with the same technology when you were a small
child — use concession)

c. (List three qualities of a well‐written paragraph — use parallelism)

d. (Suggest two traditional behaviours in Thailand that should be changed — use

‘both...and’)

e. (Consider two choices a student must make to pass a course— use ‘either...or’)

f. (Make a statement about the benefits of education — use ‘not only...but also’)

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5. COMPARE/CONTRAST PARAGRAPH PRACTICE

Use the information in the diagram to complete the paragraph on comparing and
contrasting Egyptian and Mexican pyramids. Note that the gap‐fill paragraph has a topic
sentence, main points with support, and a conclusion.

TYPES OF PYRAMIDS

POINTS OF EGYPTIAN MAYAN

COMPARISON

DESIGN Made of large stone blocks Made of stone and mortar

built as a pyramid with smooth Built as a series of stepped

sides platforms with a small temple on
top

FUNCTION used as tombs for dead rulers used as tombs for dead rulers

equally symbolized the power of used for regular religious rituals

the dead ruler

DECORATION some interior walls covered with interior and exterior covered with
painted scenes of royal life carved and painted mythological
and historical figures

Gap-Fill Exercise

While the pyramids of the Giza plateau in Egypt and the Yucatan peninsula in
Mexico share some superficial similarities, __________________ significant
differences. First, the pyramids in __________________ locations were
__________________ and have a pyramidal form; however, the construction

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techniques of the builders were different, possibly because of the differences in local
geology and architectural traditions. Another common feature is that the Egyptian
and the Mayan pyramids were built to house __________________.
__________________, only the Yucatan pyramids contained __________________.
__________________, the structures in Egypt, __________________ those in Mexico,
also functioned equally as __________________. Lastly, __________________ of
pyramid contain some form of decoration, but in Egypt, this is restricted to some of
the interior walls which were __________________. __________________,
__________________ the interiors of the Mayan pyramids __________________ the
exteriors were decorated with paintings and carvings of mythological and historical
figures. In conclusion, a comparison of Egyptian and Mayan pyramids reveals that
their differences __________________ their similarities.

6. WRITING EXERCISE

At the end of the 1950s, the potential for economic growth of Thailand and Burma was
quite similar. They had a similar labour force, natural resources, and productivity rate. Still,
more than fifty years later, their level of economic growth is quite different.

Use the information below to write your own compare/contrast paragraph to describe the
situation in 2019. Think carefully about which tense you will need. For the purposes of this
exercise only, you do not need to worry about citation or references.

Thailand vs. Myanmar 2019

Factor Thailand Myanmar

GDP US$545 billion; growth rate US$69.2 billion; growth
2.4% in 2019; average growth rate 6.8% in 2019;
rate 3.44% (2015‐2019) average growth rate
6.38% (2015‐2019)
Macroeconomics export oriented, open pervasive government
economy; good controls in some
infrastructure industries; inefficient
economic policies; poor
infrastructure

Trade 243 billion in 2019; declined 17.4 billion; increased by

by 3.2% 4.8%; this excludes the
extensive illegal drug and
gemstone trade.

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