WRITING PARAGRAPHS

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WRITING PARAGRAPHS
WORD SENTENCE PARAGRAPH ESSAY

• PARAGRAPHA group of five or more sentences
  (thats the rule in Mrs. Morris
• class) that all relate to a single idea.
• It has a clear, unmistakable structure
• It contains good support of its topic
• The parts all go together well and are about
  the same topic (unity)
• The reader should always clearly know where
  they are in the paragraph. Writers do
• this by using signals to let them know
  (transitions), thus the paragraph will have
• a logical order (coherence)

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• tell readers what youre going to tell them
• tell it to them with examples
• then repeat what you just told them!

OVERVIEW OF A STAGE I PARAGRAPH
TOPIC SENTENCE-This is the main idea what you
want your readers to accept. It must
contain an opinion EX. William Shakespeare
wrote Hamlet. William Shakespeare was
the most talented poet of the seventeenth century.
MIDDLE SENTENCES-These sentences present specific
support for your topic sentence.
You may use quick examples, narrative
examples, statistics, and
authoritative examples.
CONCLUDING SENTENCE-This sentence indicates that
you are finished with this
particular idea. It may restate your topic using
different words or it may clinch
your idea with a creative twist.
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WHICH TYPE OF SUPPORT DO YOU THINK IS USED MOST
OFTEN IN STAGE I PARAGRAPHS?
If you guessed quick examples, you are correct!
BASIC OUTLINE OF A STATE I PARAGRAPH TOPIC
SENTENCE SPECIFIC SUPPORT SPECIFIC
SUPPORT SPECIFIC SUPPORT CONCLUDING
SENTENCE
TOPIC SENTENCE-a precise statement of the opinion
you wish to persuade your readers to accept.
It is only your opinion until you use your
three (at least) pieces of support to persuade
your audience to accept it fully.
WEAK EXAMPLES Hitchhiking is dangerous. A
toupee is better than real hair.
MUCH BETTER Hitchhiking has proved to be the
last ride for many unfortunate people.
MUCH BETTER Todays toupees are so well made
that they look like a persons own hair.
A good topic sentence has two parts 1. a
limited subject 2. a precise opinion
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ALL PARAGRAGHS MUST HAVE
UNITY-oneness for a paragraph to have unity, it
must have one- ness. This means that each idea
must clearly support the main point of the
topic sentence AND the paragraph should have NO
irrelevant ideas.
COHERENCE-each sentence must have a logical
connection or relationship to the others.
DOG!
FIRE!
HOUSE!
THREE WAYS TO ACHIEVE COHERENCE
Explain the support youve used (do not assume
your reader is smart)
Remind the reader of your opinion (use synonyms
to repeat your opinion)
Use appropriate transitions to guide the reader
along
TRANSITIONS-Words used to help the reader know
where he/she is going help the paragraph flow
smoothly (road signs) Some examples although,
finally, last, in conclusion, also, furthermore,
etc. See page 40 in TPW for more.
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STAGE II PARAGRAPHS
A stage II paragraph is more detailed and
sophisticated than a stage I paragraph. The
biggest difference between the two is that a
Stage II has more sentences. This is because
SUBTOPIC SENTENCES are used to further support
the topic sentence.
SUBTOPIC SENTENCE--generalizations within the
paragraph that support the overall opinion set
forth by the topic sentence. Subtopic sentences
address the topic sentence by asking why to
the topic sentence.
Example The Chicago Cubs are the best team in
the National League. (topic sentence)
Now ask the topic sentence why are the Cubs the
best?
They are the best because of their fantastic
offensive power. (subtopic sentence)
Now ask another questionwhat is another reason
why theyre the best?
They are the best because of their skillful
pitching staff. (subtopic sentence)
Might there be another reason why they are the
best? Ask why again!
They have the best coaches in the entire league.
(subtopic sentence)
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Lets now take the topic from the previous slide
and diagram a Stage II paragraph.
Topic Sent Cubs are best team in National
League. (why?) Subtopic I Fantastic
offensive power support Derrick Lee support
Aramis Ramirez support Ryan Theriot (why
else?) Subtopic II Skillful pitching staff
support Carlos Zambrano support Ryan
Dempster (why else?) Subtopic III Best
coaches in the league support Lou Piniella
support Larry Rothchild Concluding Sent When
mixing all of the above ingredients, it soon
becomes glaringly apparent that the Cubs will
win the World Series this season.