2 Paragraph Basics

Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez

greets people from a train window in his hometown
of Aracataca, Colombia.

OBJECTIVES • Identify topic, supporting, and concluding sentences FREEWRITE Look at the photo and read the caption. What is happening? Why?
• Use adjectives
• Use subject and object pronouns
• Write an original paragraph

28    29
 ELEMENTS OF GREAT WRITING 3. Write the four things the writer does to relax on her porch.

a. She sits in comfortable chairs.

What Is a Paragraph? b.
A paragraph is a group of sentences about one topic or idea. It has four main parts:
c.
• an indented (moved in) first line
• a topic sentence that gives the main idea d.
• a body of sentences all about the main idea
• a concluding sentence 4. How many sentences are in this paragraph?

ACTIVITY 1 | Analyzing paragraphs 5. The concluding sentence is the last sentence. Write it here.

Read the paragraphs and answer the questions that follow.

PARAGRAPH 2.2
WORDS TO KNOW Paragraphs 2.1 to 2.2
amazing: (adj) causing great surprise or wonder comfortable: (adj) relaxed and restful
bother: (v) to annoy someone relax: (v) to stop work and enjoy oneself The Shanghai Tower
The Shanghai Tower in China is an amazing building. It is the tallest building in
Shanghai’s business district1, and the second-tallest building in the world. The tower
PARAGRAPH 2.1
has 128 floors, and there are more levels below the building. It has 107 elevators, and
they can move 40 mph. There are beautiful gardens on many floors, and the Shanghai
The Best Place to Relax Tower has one of the world’s highest observation decks2. In addition, the tower is good
My back porch is my favorite place to relax. First, it has a lot of comfortable chairs with for the environment. Special machines use the wind to make extra electricity for the
soft pillows. I feel so good when I sit in them. My back porch is also very quiet. I can sit and building, and the building uses rainwater to keep it cool inside. The Shanghai Tower is
think there. I can even read a great book and nobody bothers me. Finally, in the evening, amazing inside and out.
I can sit on my porch and watch the sunset. Watching the beautiful colors always calms 1
district: an area of a city or a country
me. I can relax in many places, but my back porch is the best. 2
observation deck: the top of a building where people can look at everything below

The Shanghai Tower rises above the Shanghai

World Financial Center and the Jin Mao Tower.

A colorful porch in New York, USA

1. The topic sentence is the first sentence. Write it here.

2. What is the main idea of this paragraph?

a. The writer likes watching the sunset.
b. The writer likes to read a book in a quiet place.
c. The writer likes to relax on her back porch.
30  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   31
 1. What is the topic sentence? Write it here. ACTIVITY 2 | Editing titles
With a partner discuss what is wrong with each title. Then edit each one to make it a good title.

2. What is the main idea of this paragraph? 1. AN INFLUENTIAL INVENTOR

a. The Shanghai Tower is good for the environment.
b. The Shanghai Tower is tall. 2. A Handbook For International Students In Canada
c. The Shanghai Tower is wonderful.
3. Three Types of Transportation.
3. Write six amazing things about the Shanghai Tower.
4. My Paragraph on a New Technology
a.
5. How to Become an Engineer at NASA in a Very Short Amount of Time
b.
6. The ten Best Movies of All Time
c.
7. This Was the Best Day of My Life.
d.

e. 8. My first car

f. 9. an Unusual Animal

4. How many sentences are in this paragraph? 10. the first female astronaut

5. What is the concluding sentence? Write it here. ACTIVITY 3 | Writing a paragraph

Answer the questions. Use complete sentences.

1. Who is a popular person in your country?

Mechanics: The Title of a Paragraph
A title gives the reader information about what is in a paragraph. A good title:
2. Where is this person from?
• tells the main topic, but does not tell about everything in the paragraph
• is usually short—sometimes only one word
• does not have a period at the end 3. What does this person do?
• does not begin with My Paragraph
• follows special capitalization rules
4. Why is this person popular?
The capitalization rules for titles are:

• always capitalize the first letter of the first word

• only capitalize the first letter of the important words in the rest of the title 5. Do you like this person? Why or why not?
• do not capitalize a preposition or an article unless it is the first word

How to Take a Good Picture with a Cell Phone Now write your sentences in paragraph form on a separate piece of paper. Remember to indent
An Amazing Vacation the first line and give your paragraph a title.

32  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   33

 Parts of a Paragraph: The Topic Sentence PARAGRAPH 2.4

A good paragraph has a topic sentence. The topic sentence:

My Favorite City
• tells the main idea of the whole paragraph
• is often the first sentence
• should not be too specific or too general I love to see all the interesting landmarks1 there. I always visit the Statue of Liberty
If a paragraph does not have a topic sentence, the reader may be confused because the and the Empire State Building. It is also fun to explore different areas of the city.
organization of ideas will not be clear. My favorites are Chinatown and Manhattan. Most importantly, New York City is
full of energy. People from all over the world walk on its streets, play in its parks,
and eat its wonderful food. I never feel bored or alone when I am there. I truly2
ACTIVITY 4 | Identifying topic sentences love New York City.
Paragraphs 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 are each missing a topic sentence. Read each paragraph. Then 1
landmark: a historic building or other point of interest
choose the best topic sentence. 2
truly: really; sincerely

WORDS TO KNOW Paragraphs 2.3 to 2.5

a. My favorite city is New York City.
accident: (n) a harmful or unpleasant event that explore: (v) to travel around to learn more; to
happens by surprise investigate b. New York City is a very busy city.
compete: (v) to participate in a contest extremely: (adv) very c. New York City is also full of energy.
damage: (v) to hurt or injure fan: (n) a person who likes something very much
danger: (n) a harmful situation traffic: (n) the movement of cars, trucks, and so
during: (prep) all through a time period on in an area PARAGRAPH 2.5 Cyclists on the cycling
energy: (n) activity Tour of Oman

Road Cycling
PARAGRAPH 2.3

In road cycling, cyclists compete on public1 roads. These

The Problems with Snow roads are usually good, but rain can make them very slippery.
Serious accidents are common during this weather. Cyclists
also ride very close together. If a rider falls, many of the others
Snow is beautiful when it falls. However, the snow is not beautiful for around him also fall. These accidents can damage bikes and
very long. When it starts to melt1, the clean streets become wet and hurt the riders. Finally, the cyclists are also in danger from
difficult to walk on. The sidewalks are slippery2. Snow also causes traffic their fans. Spectators2 stand along the roads as the bikes
problems. Some roads are closed. Other roads are difficult to drive on speed3 past. Fans often run next to the riders or try to touch
safely. Drivers have more accidents on snowy roads. There are more them, and this can cause terrible problems. Road cycling may
problems with snow than reasons to like it. look like a safe sport, but it can be extremely dangerous.
1
melt: to change from a solid to a liquid 1
public: meant for use by the people in the community
Heavy snow 2
slippery: causing people or things to fall or slide 2
spectator: someone who watches an event
stops traffic 3
speed: to move quickly
in Japan.

a. Road cycling can be a dangerous sport.

a. In December, it usually snows. b. Road cycling fans can be a danger to bike riders.
b. Snow does not cause many problems. c. Road cycling is an extremely exciting sport.
c. Snow is beautiful, but it causes many problems.

34  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   35

 ACTIVITY 5 | Writing topic sentences
Read the paragraphs and write a topic sentence for each one. Remember to indent. Then read
the paragraphs again. Make sure that each topic sentence gives the main idea for the whole
paragraph.

WORDS TO KNOW Paragraphs 2.6 to 2.8

check: (v) to look for information patient: (adj) calm; not easily upset
connect: (v) to reach by phone or Internet plan: (v) to prepare for something
explain: (v) to give information about; make clear taste: (v) to sense the flavor of food and liquids
organized: (adj) in good order
A math teacher in Afghanistan

PARAGRAPH 2.6
PARAGRAPH 2.8

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta Good Teachers

First, pasta tastes great. Sometimes I eat it plain1. However, I also like it with butter or
First, good teachers are patient. They explain things again and again. In addition,
cheese. Another reason I like pasta is the variety. There are many types of pasta, but my
they are organized. They plan for every class. Good teachers are also encouraging1.
favorites are spaghetti, macaroni, vermicelli, and lasagna. In addition, pasta is very easy
They help students understand the subject. Finally, good teachers are fair2. They do
to prepare. I can make pasta in less than 10 minutes. Finally, pasta is a very healthy food
not give too much or too little work, and they grade students on how good their
for me. A plate of pasta has about 300 calories2, but it has only three grams of fat. I love
work is. These are some important qualities3 of good teachers.
to eat pasta every day.
1
encouraging: giving strength or hope
1
plain: simple; with nothing added 2
fair: just; reasonable
2
calorie: a measure of energy produced by food 3
quality: something typical of someone’s character and personality

PARAGRAPH 2.7
Parts of a Paragraph: Supporting Sentences
Every paragraph must have sentences that support the topic sentence. These sentences make up
Why I Love My Tablet1 the body of the paragraph and are called supporting sentences. They:

• give more information about the topic, such as details, examples, or reasons
First, it connects me to my school and class. I check my class website for daily • should not include ideas that are unrelated or unconnected to the topic
assignments and videos. In addition, I put all the due dates2 for tests and homework
into the tablet's calendar so that I am always ready for class. All my textbooks are also Read the paragraph below. The two underlined sentences are unrelated to the topic.
on it. I do not need to carry many heavy textbooks anymore. Finally, I use the tablet to Making Chili
complete all my writing assignments. When I finish them, I just email my work to my
Chili is an easy dish to prepare. To make chili, cut up one large onion. Then fry it in a
teacher. I never go to school without my tablet.
little vegetable oil. Next, add fresh garlic and some chili peppers. When the onions are soft,
1
tablet: a portable computer controlled by touch add one pound of ground meat. Stir until the meat is cooked. Sprinkle one tablespoon of red
2
due date: the day something must be completed chili powder on top. There are many types of chili powder. After that, add four cups of diced
tomatoes, one cup of water, and one can of red beans. Cover the pot and cook over low heat
for about one hour. Fried chicken also takes about an hour to prepare. This simple recipe
creates a delicious dinner.

36  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   37

 ACTIVITY 6 | Identifying unrelated sentences PARAGRAPH 2.11

Underline the topic sentence and cross out the two unrelated sentences in each paragraph.
Changing Celsius to Fahrenheit
PARAGRAPH 2.9
Changing temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit is not difficult. First, multiply
My Office the Celsius temperature by 9. Then divide this answer by 5. When you finish, add 32
to your answer. The result is the temperature in Fahrenheit. Most countries report
My office has everything I need to do my work. On the left side of the room,
temperatures in Celsius, but the United States reports them in Fahrenheit. For
there is a large desk. My computer sits on top of the desk, and the printer sits under
example, if the Celsius temperature is 20, you multiply 20 by 9. Then you divide the
it. I keep important documents in its drawers. On the right side of the room, there are
answer, 180, by 5. The result is 36. If you get a different number, check your math
two beautiful bookcases. They are full of books, magazines, and computer software. My
mistake. Next, add 32, and you have the correct Fahrenheit temperature, 68. Now you
father makes bookcases and other wood furniture. A telephone and a fax machine are
can easily change a temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
on a small table next to my closet. I have trouble remembering my fax number. All my
office supplies are in the closet. I enjoy my office very much.
Grammar: Adjective + Noun
When you write, you can make a sentence much more interesting if you add descriptive words.
PARAGRAPH 2.10
These descriptive words are called adjectives. They describe nouns (people, places, things, and ideas).

An Energetic Neighbor ADJECTIVE(S) NOUN

I have a heavy bag.
My 96-year-old neighbor, Mrs. Wills, lives alone and takes care of herself. My This is my new bicycle.
grandmother lived to be 87. Mrs. Wills goes to the grocery store by herself, and she Michael goes to an excellent college.

does all her own cooking. She does not like to eat white rice. Mrs. Wills also cleans Rachel draws small ink pictures.

her own house. She puts her heavy garbage can by the street for trash collection every Sometimes you can combine two short sentences by putting the adjective(s) before the noun.
week. She exercises by walking on the beach. I hope to have that much energy when
TWO SHORT SENTENCES BETTER WRITING
I am 96 years old.       n    adj       adj  n
There is a volcano. It is huge. There is a huge volcano.
A Yupik elder woman harvests
      n       adj       adj    n
grass for baskets in Alaska, USA.
Susan is an athlete. She is talented. Susan is a talented athlete.

       adj   n    adj        adj adj  n

Sami drives an old car. It is silver. Sami drives an old silver car.

       adj   n         adj  adj     n

Lisa collects small photographs. These Lisa collects small antique photographs.

   n        adj

photographs are antique.

For more information about order of adjectives, see the Writer’s Handbook.

38  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   39

 WRITER’S NOTE Adjective Form
Grammar: Linking Verb + Adjective
A linking verb connects the subject to the words after the verb. Be is a linking verb. Other
Adjectives have only one form. There is no plural form.
linking verbs are related to the five senses: sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing. If the main verb
✔ The university has online classes. of a sentence is a linking verb, the adjective comes after the verb.
✗  The university has onlines classes. SUBJECT LINKING VERB ADJECTIVE
The boys are young.

I am sleepy.
ACTIVITY 7 | Describing nouns with adjectives
That house is big.
Combine the related sentences into one sentence. Some words are not used. Use correct
Justin looks ill.
capitalization and punctuation.
The grapes taste delicious.
1. Rob owns a car. The car is red. The hot water feels good.
Rob owns a red car. These flowers smell sweet.

Sohee’s plan sounds interesting.

2. I do not like this weather. The weather is cold.
Tony and Ron seem nervous.

3. Paris is a city in France. This city is beautiful.

ACTIVITY 8 | Identifying adjectives
There are ten adjectives in the paragraph. Find and underline them. Circle any linking verbs.
4. Ali has a job. The job is new.
WORDS TO KNOW Paragraph 2.12
5. They like to drink coffee. The coffee is very hot. culture: (n) ideas, activities, and behaviors that dream: (n) a hope for something
are special to a people, country, or region

6. Nina reads stories. They are funny.

PARAGRAPH 2.12

7. My mother grows roses. The roses are big. The roses are beautiful.
My Dream Vacation
I have a dream to visit Alaska. The weather is beautiful there. I love cold
8. Juan works for a company. The company is large. The company is international.
weather. When the temperature is low, I have energy! I also want to visit Alaska
because I love nature. Alaska looks so pure1. I dream about its amazing snowy
9. My grandparents live in a town. It is a farming town. The town is small.
mountains. In addition, there are unique2 animals to see. Finally, I want to learn
about the native3 people of Alaska. Their culture sounds very interesting to me. I
10. Sharon rents a house on Smith Street. The house is white. The house is tiny.
really want to visit this wonderful state soon.
1
pure: clean; not dirty or polluted
2unique: one of a kind
3native: coming from or belonging to a particular place

40  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   41

 ACTIVITY 9 | Writing sentences Sequence Words and Phrases
Look at the photo and read the caption. Write seven to nine sentences about the photo. Use We use sequence words and phrases to show the order of ideas in a paragraph. Notice the
there is/there are, prepositional phrases of place, and/or adjectives. sequence words in Paragraph 2.1, “The Best Place to Relax.”

My back porch is my favorite place to relax. First, it has a lot of comfortable chairs with soft
1. The market is in Indonesia.
pillows. . . . My back porch is also very quiet. . . . Finally, in the evening, I can sit on my porch
and watch the sunset.
2.
Some other sequence words and phrases are next, in addition, then, and last.
3.

4. ACTIVITY 10 | Ordering sentences

Put the supporting sentences in order from 1 to 8. The topic sentence (TS) is marked for you.
5.
  a.  Doctors say that one hour of exercise each day can keep you in good shape.
6.
  b.  First, you need to eat healthy food.
7.
TS   c.  It is easy to stay healthy if you follow some simple steps.
8.   d.  This allows your body to rest and become stronger.

9.   e.  The best types of food to eat are fruits and vegetables.

  f.  Exercise is also good for your mind.

Lok Baintan floating market in Indonesia   g.  Finally, you need to find time to relax.

  h.  You should eat a lot of them every day.

  i.  Next, you need to do some exercise.

42  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   43

 Grammar: Subject and Object Pronouns ACTIVITY 11 | Using subject pronouns
When you write about a topic, using the same noun again and again in your paragraph can Replace the noun(s) in parentheses with a subject pronoun.
make your writing sound repetitive.
PARAGRAPH 2.13
Alisa lives in the city. Alisa likes the noise and the crowds, but Alisa does not like the stress.
Alisa has many friends. She talks to these friends every day. She sees these friends Two Conservationists
every weekend.
Vitor Becker and Clemira Souza are interesting people. Vitor is a scientist.
To make your writing more interesting, replace some nouns with pronouns. 1 (Vitor Becker) is married to Clemira. 2 (Clemira
Subject pronouns come before the verb.
Souza) is a professor. 3 (Vitor and Clemira) are also conservationists.
SINGULAR SUBJECT PRONOUN PLURAL SUBJECT PRONOUN 4 (Vitor and Clemira) work to protect the rain forest and its animals
I live in Panama. We live in Panama.
in Brazil. 5 (Vitor and Clemira) created the Serra Bonita Reserve
You work in a bank. You work in a bank.
He/She/It is from Turkey. They are from Turkey. on old farmland. 6 (The Serra Bonita Reserve) is in the rain forest. 7
(The Serra Bonita Reserve) is Vitor and Clemira’s home. Scientists and
In the following sentence, the subject pronoun she takes the place of Alisa.
students visit the Serra Bonita Reserve. 8 (The scientists and students)
Alisa lives in the city. She likes the noise and crowds, but she does not like the stress.
study the plants and animals of this special part of the rain forest. Tourists also visit Serra
Object pronouns usually come after the verb. Bonita. 9 (The tourists) explore and learn about the reserve. Vitor
SINGULAR OBJECT PRONOUN PLURAL OBJECT PRONOUN and Clemira work hard every day of the week to help these visitors. 10
Mona likes me. Mona likes us.
(Vitor and Clemira) love their important home in the rain forest.
I know you. I know you.

Kevin understands him/her/it. Kevin understands them. The Serra Bonita Reserve in Brazil

In the following sentence, the object pronoun them takes the place of friends.

Alisa has many friends. She talks to them every day. She sees them every weekend.

An object pronoun can also come after a preposition.

PREPOSITION OBJECT PRONOUN

Assad walks with me.

us.
They give help to you.
him/her/it.
Jessica lives near them.

Only use a pronoun when the noun it is replacing is clear. In the following sentences, it is not
clear which noun they replaces, scientists or experiments.

The scientists do experiments in the lab. They are very interesting.

In this case, it is better to use the noun.

The scientists do experiments in the lab. These experiments are interesting.

44  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics     45

 ACTIVITY 12 | Using object pronouns Grammar: Possessive Adjectives
Replace the noun(s) in parentheses with an object pronoun. When you want to talk about something that belongs to someone or something, you can use
a possessive adjective. A possessive adjective answers the question Whose? as in Whose house?
PARAGRAPH 2.14 Whose books? and Whose television?
A possessive adjective comes before the noun that it describes.
My Best Friend
SUBJECT PRONOUN POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE EXAMPLE
My best friend Gretchen is a very interesting woman. I met 1
I my My house is on Mariposa Avenue.
(Gretchen) ten years ago. She is from Alabama. She comes from a very large family. you your Do you have your ticket for the airplane?

She has four brothers and three sisters. She does not live with 2 he his Nick lives with his father.

(her brothers and sisters). They live in Alabama with their parents. Gretchen studies she her Her purse is red and black.

veterinary medicine1 in another state. She loves 3 (veterinary medicine) it its A butterfly moves its wings quickly.

we our We write all our papers on a computer.

because she really cares about animals. Gretchen has three pets. She has a cat, a small bird,
they their The students will bring their CDs.
and a large horse, Hal. She likes 4 (her pets) all very much. However,
she likes Hal the best. In her free time, Gretchen plays tennis, reads books, and cooks. For information on possessive pronouns, see the Writer's Handbook.
I love 5 (Gretchen) like a sister. I hope that our friendship will stay
ACTIVITY 14 | Using possessive adjectives
with 6 (Gretchen and me) for many years.
Fill in each blank with the correct possessive adjective.
1
veterinary medicine: medicine that deals with the care of animals
PARAGRAPH 2.16

ACTIVITY 13 | Using pronouns Kate and Her Siblings

This paragraph uses the same nouns too many times. Cross out some nouns, and replace them Kate has a lot of siblings. She has two sisters and one brother.
with subject or object pronouns.
1 names are Ashley, Julia, and Nick. Ashley and Julia live with
PARAGRAPH 2.15 2 parents. They are high school students. Ashley likes to play
sports. 3 favorite sport is softball. She is a very good player. Julia
Our Big Move
We does not like sports, but she loves music. She plays 4 guitar every
Andy and I have a busy day today. Andy and I are very excited because we are moving into
afternoon after school. Ashley and Julia have the same friends. 5
a new apartment. Andy and I have many big things to move. I have a large flat screen television.
friends go to the same school. 6 brother, Nick, is in college.
Andy and I plan to put the television next to the window. Andy’s sister and her friends will 7 major is business administration. Kate’s brother and sisters are
help Andy and me move today, too. Andy’s sister and her friends will move our large couch
all very different, but she loves 8 siblings very much.
and chairs and put the couch and chairs in front of the television. Finally, Andy’s sister and her
friends will move our beds. Our beds may take a long time to move because our beds are so big.
However, Andy and I are not worried because Andy's sister and her friends will help Andy and
me quickly finish everything on our long moving list.

46  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   47

 ACTIVITY 15 | Using subject pronouns and possessive adjectives ACTIVITY 16 | Analyzing concluding sentences
Choose the correct subject pronoun or possessive adjective. Write the topic sentence and concluding sentence from each paragraph indicated. Then
underline the similar information. Discuss your answers with a partner.
PARAGRAPH 2.17
1. Paragraph 2.3
My Grandmother
Topic sentence:

A very important person in 1 (I / my) life is 2 (I / my) grandmother. 3 (She / Her)
Concluding sentence:

name is Evelyn Anna Kratz. 4 (She / Her) life is very interesting. 5 (She / Her) is 89 years
old. 6 (She / Her) comes from Poland. 7 (She / Her) speaks English well, but 8 (she / her) 2. Paragraph 2.4

first language is Polish. My grandmother comes from a large family. 9 (She / Her) has three Topic sentence:

sisters. 10 (They / Their) names are Karina, Dorota, and Maria. 11 (I / My) grandmother
Concluding sentence:

has one brother, too. 12 (He / His) name is Peter. When 13 (they / them) talk about 14 (they
3. Paragraph 2.5
/ their) lives, 15 (I / My) love to listen. In 16 (I / my) opinion, they are the most interesting
stories in the world. Topic sentence:

Concluding sentence:

Parts of a Paragraph: The Concluding Sentence

ACTIVITY 17 | Identifying concluding sentences
In addition to a topic sentence and body, a good paragraph has a concluding sentence.
The concluding sentence: Read each paragraph and choose the best concluding sentence.
• ends the paragraph with a final thought
• often expresses the same idea as the topic sentence using different words WORDS TO KNOW Paragraphs 2.18 to 2.19
• does not give any new information about the topic careful: (adj) aware of danger; cautious celebrate: (v) to do something to mark a special event
Look at the topic sentences and concluding sentences from a few paragraphs in this unit. Notice
how they express the same ideas in different ways. Words that are important to the topic may be
repeated. PARAGRAPH 2.18

TOPIC SENTENCE CONCLUDING SENTENCE Buying a Car

My back porch is my favorite place to relax. I can relax in many places, but my back porch is the best. Buying a car requires careful planning. First, you must decide to buy a new or
The Shanghai Tower is an amazing building. The Shanghai Tower is amazing inside and out. a used car. New cars can be expensive, but they are reliable. Used cars are cheaper,
but they often need repairs. You must also decide on what type of car to buy. You can
I have a dream to visit Alaska. I really want to visit this wonderful state soon.
research different types of cars on the Internet to help you choose. The final decision
is where to buy your car. Some places charge you more money than others.

a. It is important to think about all of these things when you are buying a car.
b. The most important thing is the kind of car that you want to buy.
c. You can buy your new car from a friend or a car dealer.

48  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   49

 ACTIVITY 18 | Writing a paragraph
Look back at Activity 10. Write the sentences in paragraph order. Remember to indent the
topic sentence. Then write a concluding sentence for the paragraph.

Staying Healthy

People enjoy Hanami in Kyoto, Japan.

PARAGRAPH 2.19

Hanami
Hanami, or flower viewing, is a popular Japanese tradition. Every spring, thousands
of cherry trees bloom all over Japan. For two weeks during Hanami, friends and
families gather in parks and the countryside to see the beautiful flowers and celebrate
the beginning of spring. People make a lot of food and have picnics under the trees.
There is a lot of music and dancing, and large groups of people walk through the parks
together. The celebrations often go into the night.

a. People like to be with their family and friends during Hanami.

b. Looking at flowers during Hanami is interesting. An AntiGravity yoga class in Boston, USA
c. Hanami is a Japanese custom many people love.

PARAGRAPH 2.20

Mondays
I hate Mondays for many reasons. One reason is work. I get up early to go to work
on Mondays. After a weekend of fun and relaxation, I do not like to do this. Another
reason that I do not like Mondays is that I have three meetings every Monday. These
meetings last a long time, and they are extremely boring. Traffic is also a big problem
on Mondays. There are more cars on the road on Mondays. Drivers are in a hurry, and
I must be more careful than usual when I drive.

a. Mondays are worse than Tuesdays, but they are better than Sundays.
b. I do not like meetings on Mondays.
c. These are just a few reasons why I do not like Mondays.

50  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   51

 accident check explore taste traffic
BUILDING BETTER VOCABULARY
6. delicious
WORDS TO KNOW
7. the dictionary
accident (n) compete (v) during (prep) organized (adj)
amazing (adj) connect (v) energy (n) AW patient (adj) 8. new places
bother (v) culture (n) AW explain (v) plan (v)
careful (adj) damage (v) explore (v) relax (v) AW
celebrate (v) danger (n) extremely (adv) taste (v) 9. a serious car
check (v) dream (n) fan (n) traffic (n)
comfortable (adj) 10. heavy

ACTIVITY 21 | Word forms

ACTIVITY 19 | Word associations
Complete each sentence with the correct word form. Use the correct form of the
Circle the word or phrase that is more closely related to the bold word on the left. nouns and verbs.
1. amazing very boring very interesting NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE SENTENCE PRACTICE
2. bother help annoy
3. careful cautious worried comfort comfort comfortable 1. My new dress is extremely .

4. celebrate do an everyday activity do something special 2. Parents often crying children.

5. compete try to finish try to win
6. danger something difficult something unsafe connection connect connected 3. People can with each other
7. during at the time after the time easily through the Internet.

8. extremely rarely really 4. I study at this library all the time because the WiFi
9. fan love hate
here is very good.
10. plan finish prepare
damage damage damaged 5. High-heeled shoes
ACTIVITY 20 | Collocations wooden floors.
Fill in the blank with the word that most naturally completes the phrase. 6. T
 he car does not work.

culture dream explain patient relax energy energize energetic 7. Young children can be very .

8. R
 iders need a lot of to
1. be while waiting complete a race.

2. clearly the directions

organization organize organized 9. T
 here are many ways to a closet.

3. after a long day 10. M

 y boss is a very woman.

4. my biggest

5. ancient Chinese

52  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   53

 ACTIVITY 22 | Vocabulary in writing ACTIVITY 24 | Editing sentences
Choose five words from Words to Know. Write a complete sentence with each word. Find and correct the errors. The number in parentheses tells how many errors each
sentence has.
1.
1. Amal a student at Seattle Community College. (1)
2.
2. There is 15 floors in this building. (1)
3.
3. Jim’s backpack difficult to carry. (1)
4.
4. Me shirt favorite is not clean. (2)
5.
5. Mysteries are a popular type of book (1)

6. The sun damages skin unprotected. (1)

BUILDING BETTER SENTENCES
7. The Shanghai Tower a building tall. (2)
ACTIVITY 23 | Editing from teacher comments
8. Is not raining today. (1)
Read the teacher’s comments. Then rewrite the paragraph correctly on a separate piece of paper.
9. There are a lot of information about the project (2)
PARAGRAPH 2.21
10. Everyone loves him beautiful smile. (1)
Aspirin
word order ACTIVITY 25 | Combining sentences
Aspirin is an incredible type of medicine. This small white pill is not a drug new. We do
Combine the ideas into one sentence. You may change the word forms, but do not change or
capitalization
not know exactly why or how it works. however, millions of people use aspirin every day. omit any ideas. There may be more than one answer. See Unit 1 for more information.
incorrect pronoun missing linking verb incorrect pronoun
They take them for many reasons. Aspirin_good for headaches, colds, and pain. They can help 1. There is a meeting.
capitalization word order The meeting is important.
with so many different health problems. aspirin is a simple medicine, but it so important is.
The meeting in on a calendar.
The calendar is Linh’s.

A climber with a headache from

2. Carlos rides a bike to work.
altitude sickness
The bike belongs to Carlos.
Carlos rides the bike every day.

3. I have friends.
These friends are new.
These friends are in my English class.

54  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   55

 ACTIVITY 27 | Peer Editing
WRITING Exchange books with a partner and look at Activity 26. Read your partner’s paragraph. Then
use Peer Editing Form 2 in the Writer's Handbook to help you comment on your partner’s
paragraph.
ACTIVITY 26 | Writing a paragraph
Write an original paragraph. Follow the instructions.
Additional Topics for Writing
• Answer the questions in the chart below. Use complete sentences or notes. Choose one or more of the topics to write about. Follow your teacher’s directions.
• Use at least two vocabulary words or phrases from the unit.
TOPIC 1: Review your Freewrite response for this unit. Who are you a fan of ? Why do you
• Copy your sentences into paragraph form on a separate piece of paper. Underline
like this person?
vocabulary from the unit.
• Give your paragraph a title. TOPIC 2: What are the qualities of a good friend? Why are these qualities important for a
good friend to have?

Topic 1. Who is the most interesting person you know? (This is your topic sentence.)
TOPIC 3: Write about your phone, computer, or other electronic device. How often do you
Sentence use it? What do you use it for? Do you like it? Why or why not?
The most interesting person I know is
TOPIC 4: 
Write about your favorite kind of entertainment. Why do you like this
entertainment? How do you feel when you experience it?
Body 2. Why is this person interesting? List three reasons. Give an example to support each reason.
Use adjectives in your descriptions. (These are your supporting sentences.) TOPIC 5: Write about something you do not like. What is it? Give three reasons why you do
not like it. Provide examples to support your reasons.
  Reason 1:

  Example 1:
TEST PREP
  Reason 2:

  Example 2: You should spend about 25 minutes on this task. Write a paragraph with six to ten sentences.
  Reason 3:
TIP
  Example 3: Before you start to write, read the question carefully. Then write a strong topic sentence that
answers the question. Use words from the question in your topic sentence. The rest of the
paragraph should explain or give reasons to support your topic sentence.
Concluding 3. Write a concluding sentence that gives information similar to the information in your topic
Sentence sentence. Use an adjective other than interesting.
Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or chances. Others believe that
success results from careful planning. In your opinion, what does success come from? Use specific
reasons and examples to support your answer.
Remember to indent the first line of your paragraph. Include a topic sentence, supporting
Editing sentences, and a concluding sentence. Check your work for correct use of pronouns
After you finish writing, check your work for errors. Use the checklist below to help you. and adjectives.

  The paragraph has a title.

 I wrote a topic sentence and a concluding sentence. They are connected in meaning.
  I indented the first line of the paragraph.
  My supporting sentences are related to the topic.
  I used adjectives in my descriptions.
  I used subject and object pronouns to add variety.
  I used possessive adjectives to show ownership.

56  UNIT 2 • Paragraph Basics   57