The Paragraph Is A Series of Sentences Developing Topic.: © Capital Community College
The Paragraph Is A Series of Sentences Developing Topic.: © Capital Community College
© Capital Community College
The rest of the paragraph consists
of sentences that develop or
main
explain the main idea. idea
• Through the centuries rats
have managed to survive all our
efforts to destroy them. We
have poisoned them and trapped
them. We have fumigated,
flooded, and burned them. We
have tried germ warfare. Some
rats even survived atomic bomb
tests conducted on Entwetok
atoll in the Pacific after World
War II. In spite of all our
efforts, these enemies of ours
conclu
din continue to prove that they are
senten g
ce the most indestructible of pests.
© Capital Community College
Developing a Paragraph
A topic
sentence
may be
develop
ed
by givin
g t o p ic
example A a y
c e s. ce m
i c se n t e n se n t e n ed
• A t o p v e l o p
e v e l o p e d b e d e
ing
m a y b e d by t e l l
d e t a i l s . an
by giving in c i d e nt
© Capital Community College
Unity in the Paragraph
Every sentence in a paragraph should support the main
idea expressed in the topic sentence.
main idea
sent
ence
t en ce
sen
senten
ce
n ce
en t e
s
© Capital Community College
The concluding or
clincher sentence
• Restate the topic sentence in different words.
© Capital Community College
Coherence in a Paragraph
• Stick to the point: The ideas have
a clear and logical relation to each other.
in order of importance
© Capital Community College
Connecting Sentences
Within the Paragraph
Transition words
© Capital Community College