Kinds of

Paragraphs

What is a paragraph?
A paragraph is composed by one or several sentences that are coherently
connected and explain a specific idea or topic. Also, a text can contain
different kinds of paragraphs depending on the necessities of the topic.
Elements of a paragraph:
Topic sentence
Supporting sentences
Concluding sentence

Opening Paragraph
The main purpose of the opening paragraph is to attract the readers attention, present the thesis or a problem.
Example: "The music was composed as a drinking song for an 18th-century London social club. The words were
written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key to commemorate a battle. And on March 3, 1931, "The Star-Spangled
Banner" officially became the national anthem of the United States. Ever since then, people have been
complaining that the tune is unsingable and the lyrics are offensive. In response to these complaints, a bill was
recently filed in Congress to replace "The Star-Spangled Banner" with "America the Beautiful" as our national
anthem. For a number of reasons, this bill deserves wide support."
(Shelby Wilson, Time for an Anthem the Country can Sing)

Reference:http://grammar.about.com/od/il/g/Introductory-Paragraph.htm

Transition Paragraph
A transition paragraph is used to continue a topic by making a smooth change
from one subject to the other.
Example: "Unfortunately, the characteristics of the spoiled child do not vanish
with childhood or even with adolescence. A university training does not
necessarily transform petulance into ripe wisdom. Literary ability may only
give fluent expression to a peevish spirit."
(Samuel McChord Crothers, The Spoiled Children of Civilization, 1912)
Reference:http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/Transitional-Paragraph.htm

Narrative Paragraph
A narrative paragraph tells the story of events, actions or people.
Example: "The barber was cutting our hair, and our eyes were closed--as they are so likely to
be. . . Deep in a world of our own, he heard, from far away, a voice saying goodbye. It was a
customer of the shop, leaving. 'Goodbye,' he said to the barbers. 'Goodbye,' echoed the barbers.
And without ever returning to consciousness, or opening our eyes, or thinking, we joined in.
'Goodbye,' we said, before we could catch ourself. Then, all at once, the sadness of the occasion
struck us, the awful dolor of bidding farewell to someone we had never seen. We have since
wondered what he looked like, and whether it was really goodbye."
(E.B. White, "Sadness of Parting." The New Yorker, May 4, 1935)
Reference: http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/narrative2term.htm

Descriptive Paragraph
Describes a person, animal, object or event by following a logical order.
Example: The Magic Metal Tube
Once in a long while, four times so far for me, my mother brings out the metal tube that holds her medical diploma.
On the tube are gold circles crossed with seven red lines each--"joy" ideographs in abstract. There are also little
flowers that look like gears for a gold machine. According to the scraps of labels with Chinese and American
addresses, stamps, and postmarks, the family airmailed the can from Hong Kong in 1950. It got crushed in the
middle, and whoever tried to peel the labels off stopped because the red and gold paint come off too, leaving
silver scratches that rust. Somebody tried to pry the end off before discovering that the tube falls apart. When I
open it, the smell of China flies out, a thousand-year-old bat flying heavy-headed out of the Chinese caverns
where bats are as white as dust, a smell that comes from long ago, far back in the brain.
By Maxine Hong Kingston
Reference:http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/samdescpars.htm

Persuasive Paragraph
Presents an idea and tries to convince the reader about it.
Example: Owning a pet from the pound or Animal Rescue League has many advantages. First of all, a child feels
good about rescuing an abandoned or abused animal and giving it a whole new life. Besides, if the animals from
the pound arent adopted right away, they might be put to sleep. Having a pet also means lots of responsibilities.
A child has to feed, clean up after, brush, and exercise the pet.
Once you adopt a pet from the Animal Rescue League, it will quickly become a part of your family. If you are
thinking of adopting a pet, you might consider choosing a dog or a cat. Dogs and cats can bring lots of happy
times to a family, and they can be excellent companions for a person who lives alone or someone who has lost a
loved one. Dogs are also a wonderful source of protection. Cats are funny, and they may help to calm people
down when they are sad or mad.Please consider adopting an animal. If you remember all of the advantages of
adopting a pet from the pound, you might find the bird, mouse, hamster, dog, or cat of your choice.
Adopting a Pet from the Pound
Reference:http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/mcarew/Grade%209%20English/persuasive_paragraph_sample.htm

Expository Paragraph
Explains problems and situations by following and order and using evidence and objective
language to proof a point.
Example: Going to college can be expensive. First, college tuition and room and board can cost
anywhere from $2,000 to more than $10,000 per semester. Other expenses make going to
college even more expensive. For example, books typically cost between $100 and $500 each
term. Second, materials are also very expensive. Paper, notebooks, writing utensils, and other
supplies required often cost more at the college bookstore than at any local discount department
store. For instance, a package of notepaper costing $2 at a discount store might cost $5 at a
college bookstore. Finally, there are all kinds of special fees added onto the bill at registration
time. A college student might have to pay a $50 insurance fee, a $20 activity fee, a $15 fee to the
student government association and anywhere from $500 to $100 for parking. There is another
fee if a student decides to add or drop classes after registration. The fees required to attend
college never seem to end.

Reference: http://www.time4writing.com/uncategorized/expository-paragraphs/

Expository Paragraph
You give information.
You explain a subject, give directions, or show
how something happens.
In expository writing, linking words like first,
second, then, and finally are usually used to
help readers follow the ideas

Expository Paragraph
This paragraph, like the others, organizes itself around
three parts.
A topic sentence allows the reader to understand what
you are writing about.
The middle part of the paragraph contains sentences
that follow one another in a logical sequence of steps.
The final sentence closes your subject with an emphasis
on the final product or process desired by the topic.

Example : Process
Chocolate cake with vanilla/almond frosting provides a tasty treat for any occasion. Follow the
directions for making any flavor of chocolate cake. While the cake bakes in the oven, prepare a box
of vanilla frosting mix added with roasted and buttered almond slivers. Evenly coated in melted
butter the almond slivers toast in a hot skillt for approximately ten minutes. Thoroughly toast the
slivers without turning them crispy. Cool the toasted almonds and set aside a handful for the final
touch. Fold the almonds into the vanilla frosting, and after covering the cake, sprinkle a handful of
toasted almonds on the top. After serving this desert to your guests theny generally ask for the
receipe of your chocolate/vanilla/almond cake. Now you have the opportunity to smile and...

Cause and Effect Paragraph

A paragraph that talks about the reasons of why something happened and the consequences of
this event.
Example: Sally, a computer salesperson, prepared extensively for a meeting with a client (ultimate
cause), impressed the client (immediate cause), and made a very large sale (effect). The chain
did not stop there: the large sale caused her to be promoted by her employer (effect)."
(Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz, Models for Writers, 6th ed. St. Martin's Press, 1999)

Reference: http://grammar.about.com/od/c/g/causeeffect.htm

Approach and Problem Resolution

Paragraph
It is divided in two parts. The first one presents the problem in an explicit way. The second part provides a solution for the probelm
Example: On most part, energy is created by burning fossil fuels -- coal, natural gas and oil. The problem with this is that these resources
are finite. At the current rate of use, it is expected that the world will run out of fossil fuels in thirty to forty years to come. As a result, it will
no longer be possible to generate power to operate factories and vehicles or to light and heat houses. This world-wide problem can be
resolved through the implementation of two possible solutions. The first solution is to improve conservation efforts. In order to do this,
governments can try to raise public awareness, discourage over-consumption and encourage recycling. For example, they can encourage
the installation of high-efficiency light bulbs in homes and offices. They can inform the public of the amount of energy saved by simply
turning off lights that are not being used or by using public transport more and cars less. They can also pass laws mandating the recycling
of whatever possible. Improvements in conservation will surely extend the life of current fuels but they are not complete answers to what
will happen when fossil fuels eventually run out. The second and better solution, therefore, is to use alternative sources of energy to meet
future needs. The current leading alternatives to fossil fuels are solar energy and fusion, which is the union of atomic nuclei to form
heavier nuclei. Solar energy is directly obtained from the sun so it is easily accessible and pollution-free. It can be used both to heat water
and buildings and to generate electricity but mostly in countries that have ample sunlight. Fusion, on the other hand, will make it possible
for nuclear power plants to generate enormous amounts of energy in order to meet the energy needs of the planet indefinitely. In addition,
despite public concern about safety and risk of contamination, fusion is a safe and clean source of energy as modern power plants take
strict safety measures to prevent potential nuclear disasters and leaks. In conclusion, in order to have sufficient energy for the next
century, it will be necessary to develop and encourage the use of alternative energy sources worldwide.
(Energy Sources: A Dilemma of the Twenty-First Century)

Reference: www.dbe.metu.edu.tr/student/groups/int/Prob.Solution%20Ss.%20Copy.pdf

Closing / Conclusion Paragraph

Concludes the main idea of the text and tries to leave a memorable message for the reader.
Example: For all we know, occasional viable crosses between humans and chimpanzees are
possible. The natural experiment must have been tried very infrequently, at least recently. If such
off-spring are ever produced, what will their legal status be? The cognitive abilities of
chimpanzees force us, I think, to raise searching questions about the boundaries of the
community of beings to which special ethical considerations are due, and can, I hope, help to
extend our ethical perspectives downward through the taxa on Earth and upwards to
extraterrestrial organisms, if they exist.
Sagan, "The Abstractions of Beasts"
Reference: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/concl.html