PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT

IN WRITING
To write, writers must choose a topic; how?
1. Through INSPIRATION on what they see or observe everyday –things they see
on TV, newspapers, and social media, etc.
2. By BRAINSTORMING to “dig deeper” on forgotten topics hidden in the recesses
of our minds.
3. Or Viral Issues that catches everyone’s attention –through social media or the
traditional media (TV, Radio, newspaper, etc.)

After choosing the topic, writers can now create a “Thesis Statement” or the main
idea of the writing –it must be in this sentence (THESIS STATEMENT) so the readers
would know what to expect when reading the narrative or composition.
Ex. Of a thesis statement
”My childhood is filled with wonderful memories of me and my friends enjoying a
worriless sweaty afternoons playing in the big plaza fronting our houses”
After reading this thesis statement, the readers are
expecting that the narrative will be all about how the
writer remembers his childhood.

But a writer must develop his paragraphs thoughtfully

so he could sustain his readers interests. More than
one pattern of development may be used in writing a
series of paragraphs.
 CHOOSING A PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT

Paragraphs may be written using a variety of patterns to

begin developing your composition (it may be an essay or a
story narrative).
As you write the supporting details, look for ways to structure
your thinking; you may write your idea by narrating a series of
events, citing physical descriptions, or comparing things;
these patterns of paragraph development would eventually
develop your paragraphs into longer and yet interesting
body.
The following are techniques on how to develop interesting
paragraphs to complement creative writing.
 NARRATION
Narration establishes series of events
that tells the reader what happened. It tells a
coherent story or a part of a story. It follows a
chronological order, but it may also contain
flashbacks —interruptions that take the story
back to an earlier time.
•
This pattern or time line is usually easy to
understand. Note the use of transitional
words such as “first,” “next,” “then,” “after,”
etc.
 EXAMPLE OF NARRATION
“After her morning ritual of drying her hair and
brushing her teeth, Barbara proceeded to the kitchen
to prepare for her family’s breakfast. She went to the
cupboard and got her youngest kid’s favorite cereal
and pour it on a bowl, cold milk from the fridge will
complete the meal. Then she fried some eggs and
bacon for herself and her husband. Suddenly, from
the adjacent living room, out popped her eldest kid,
Levin, asking for more toast, it seems, he got up early
for work.”
 DESCRIPTION
• Description provides a physical picture or a
functional view of the topic.

• Physical description sketches a portrait of a

person, place, or thing by identifying the shapes,
materials, position, and functions of its subject.

• Use concrete and specific words that appeal to

one or more of the reader’s senses—sight, sound,
smell, taste, and touch. (cool breeze, loud crash,
putrid smell, bland flavor, rising tide)
 EXAMPLE OF DESCRIPTION
“ I am a fan of carnival rides but looking at that
looming monstrosity spinning the life out of its
sardine-caged occupants, I was dumbstruck. It was
huge, smoky, noisy, and intimidating. Ever since that
initial impression became fossilized in my imagination
many years ago in grade school, these rides have
reminded me of mythical beasts, amazing dinosaurs--
like in Jurassic Park-carrying off their screaming
passengers like sacrificial virgins to the slaughter. “
 EXAMPLES AND ILLUSTRATION

• Use exemplification in paragraphs where the topic

sentence is supported by examples that illustrate,
support, and clarify your main point.
• Examples are the most common pattern of
development, and they are enough to suggest the
truth of many topic sentences.
• Illustrations are extended examples, presented in
story form.
 EXAMPLE OF
ILLUSTRATION/EXAMPLES
“Mountain bike is not a simple sport or utility; it is
composed of a wide variety of choices. One can
choose to ride a recreational bike around the
neighborhood, or a full suspension bike to traverse
hills and mountains, or an xc or cross country bike or
road bike for smooth road use. A lot of development
has been poured into developing this simple two-
wheeled ride to adapt to the environment and times.”
 PROCESS

• Use process in paragraphs to develop sequences

that describe how an action is carried out or how
something works.
• It is patterned in time order, usually chronologically.
Note the concentration of action verbs and
transitional words.
 EXAMPLE OF PROCESS

• To create a tasty dish, first of all, wash the pig’s

tripe, tail, and leg well; then place them in a
large casserole and cover with plenty of water.
Bring the water to a boil while removing scum
as it rises. Cover and simmer until tender for
about 4 or 6 hours. Then, transfer the meat to a
plate; cool and cut into serving pieces. Finally,
strain the stock and measure 6 cups (you may
need less but it’s better to be prepared)…
 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

• Use comparison and contrast to develop a topic by

examining its similarities or differences to another
thing, process, or state.
• Comparison emphasizes the similarities, contrast the
differences. You may use both comparison and
contrast in a paragraph.
• The two subjects may be presented one at a time, or
a paragraph may proceed point by point, treating
the two subjects together, one aspect at a time.
 EXAMPLE OF C/C
“The most notable difference between fresh foods and canned
goods is their flavor. Fresh foods have great taste because they
keep all their natural goodness. Canned goods, on the other
hand, lack a lot of their spice because of the chemical products
added to the natural produce before packaging. Moreover,
canned goods are notorious for being higher in added salt and
sugar--not to mention the preservatives they often require (such as
emulsifiers and binders found in desserts) to prolong their shelf life
and apparent freshness. By comparison, fresh foods--provided
they have not been overcooked--arrive at your table with their
appearance largely unchanged, and their nutrients (including fiber
content) intact.”
 ANALOGY
• Use analogy to explain one object or process in
terms of another. It draws a comparison between
items that appear to have little in common.
• Use analogies to make the unfamiliar seem familiar,
to provide a concrete understanding of an abstract
topic.
• Note that just because two things may be alike in
one respect, you cannot conclude that they are
alike in all respects.
 EXAMPLE OF ANALOGY
“Ants are so much like human beings as to be an
embarrassment. They build homes, collect food, farm fungi,
raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into wars,
discriminate against other races (red ants fighting black
ants), use chemical sprays to confuse enemies, and capture
slaves. Some of them, like the weaver ants, even engage in
child labor by holding their larvae like shuttles to spin out the
thread that sews the leaves together for their fungus gardens.
They communicate and exchange information ceaselessly.
They do everything but watch TV, surf the Internet, and
exchange text messages.”
 CAUSE AND EFFECT

Use cause and effect in paragraphs when you are

tracking the development of one situation out of
another. It analyzes how events are influenced by or
caused by others—the linkage of causation. The
effect may be stated in the topic sentence, with the
causes listed in the body of the paragraph. Or it may
move from cause to effects.
 EXAMPLE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT
Smoking has many serious effects. The most obvious
effect is the deterioration of a smoker’s health.
Smoking increases the risk of lung disease, high blood
pressure, and heart attack--not least it reduces the
flow of oxygen to the brain. Smoking creates
respiratory problems. A smoker’s cough expels
phlegm--a disgusting substance that wants to escape
the body. Prolonged use may lead to emphysema
and the need to hook up to a machine to pump
enough oxygen into the lungs, -if not-the brain, so
one can think rationally.
 CLASSIFICATION AND DIVISION
Use classification and division to develop the subject
by relating its parts to wholes according to some
consistent principle.
In classification, you associate similar things or
processes by grouping them into classes/
categories—which should not overlap.
In division, you develop a topic by breaking it down
into smaller parts.
 EXAMPLE OF CLASSIFICATION
&DIVISION
“Roughly, there are three concepts of Manila. There is, first, the
Manila of the native who was born there, who takes the city for
granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and
inevitable. Second, there is the Manila of the daily commuter --
the city that is devoured by locusts (balangs) each day and spat
out each night like the pulp (sapal) of sugar cane (tubo). Third,
there is the Manila of the person who was born somewhere else
and came to the city in quest of something. Of these three
trembling cities, the greatest is the last--the city of final
destination, the city that is a goal. It is this third city that accounts
for Manila’s high-strung personality, its poetical nature, its
dedication to the arts and pop culture, and its incomparable
achievements.”
 DEFINITION
Use definition when you want to set working
generalizations that will help control the meaning and
scope of important terms.
A definition puts a word or concept into a general
class and then provides details to distinguish it from
others in the same class.
Extended definitions make use of other patterns of
development— like examples, comparison or
contrast, etc.
 EXAMPLE OF DEFINITION
“Pinoy Rock--or Filipino Rock--is that brand of rock
music originating in the Philippines and produced by
Filipinos, or, more specifically, as rock music with
Pinoy cultural sensibilities. It is a form of popular
music in the country with a prominent vocal melody
accompanied by guitar, drums, and bass. Many
artists also use keyboard instruments such as piano or
synthesizers, and some even use turntables and
ethnic or native instruments. Pinoy Rock usually has a
strong back beat, often revolving around guitar--
either electric or acoustic. It has its roots in 1950s-era
American and British rock ‘n’ roll.”
 ENUMERATION
Use enumeration in paragraphs when you want to
itemize or list a set of topics or a series of some kind.
It is a powerful way to establish a series of
observations and to emphasize each element.
 EXAMPLE OF ENUMERATION
How to Become a Rockstar
Okay, so you’re watching FB reels and videos and suddenly see a
popstar on screen for a few minutes, you think to yourself, “I wish I could be
a star like him/her.” The following steps may help you along your journey to
stardom, and hopefully, you’ll reach your dreams.
1. Practice, practice, practice, and keep believing in yourself. If you lose
hope in your talents, you’ll never make it anywhere. Remember this won’t
happen overnight.
2. Record some of your music, after you’ve memorized the lyrics or notes by
heart. It’s a good idea to make a demo track of a song to be posted on
social media.
3. Allow your closest friends to hear your music, and then consider their
opinions; if you think they are valid, change what you feel is best…
(In ENUMERATION, use numbers instead of connecting sentences)
With this knowledge of the different PATTERNS OF
PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT, it will be easier for you
because you now know how to use and combine
them to create the perfect sentences; your
sentences will eventually become paragraphs and
will support your thesis statement.
fin