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Paragraph Writing

Thank you for the informative presentation on the key elements of a strong paragraph: unity, coherence, and elaboration. I have a better understanding of how to structure paragraphs to clearly communicate ideas to readers. Maintaining unity by keeping all sentences focused on the main topic, using coherence transitions and a logical order of details, and elaborating with vivid language and examples all help create well-written paragraphs. This was a helpful lesson!

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Gladys Dizon
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52 views

Paragraph Writing

Thank you for the informative presentation on the key elements of a strong paragraph: unity, coherence, and elaboration. I have a better understanding of how to structure paragraphs to clearly communicate ideas to readers. Maintaining unity by keeping all sentences focused on the main topic, using coherence transitions and a logical order of details, and elaborating with vivid language and examples all help create well-written paragraphs. This was a helpful lesson!

Uploaded by

Gladys Dizon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PARAGRAPH

Writin
Warm Up -

• One partner closes his/her eyes.


• The other partner chooses an object.
• Describe the object to the other person WITHOUT
mentioning the name of the object.
• The person with eyes closed can only say, “I need
more details!” until they can guess what the object is.
Paragraphs
What is a paragraph?
• A paragraph is a group of sentences that
develops an idea.
• The first sentence of a paragraph should be
indented.
• The sentences in the paragraph support and
give examples of the main idea.
Paragraphs: A Bad Example
I live in a house in west Provo. I like the view
from our house. We have lived there since
November. We also have a car that I like very
much. We were in an accident a few months ago.
We hit a deer that was crossing the street at night.
I felt sorry for the deer, but it cost a lot of money
to repair the car.
Paragraphs: A Good Example
My husband and I bought our first house last
November, and we love it. It is located in west Provo
near Utah Lake. Although we cannot see the lake from our
house, we do have a beautiful view of Mount
Timpanogos. Our house has three bedrooms, two
bathrooms, a living room and a family room, and a large
kitchen and dining area. We also have a large backyard
and a small garden. We are very happy to own our own
home, and I hope that we will live there for several years.
PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH
TOPIC SENTENCE:
States the main idea of the paragraph. It tells the reader what
the paragraph will be about. A good topic sentence does two
things:
1. It names a subject
2.) It gives the focus or main point
Ex: Subject: Egypt Main Focus: Religion
Ex: Subject: Egyptian Religion Main Focus: Gods
PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH
SUPPORTING DETAILS:
Sentences that are connected to the main idea. They include
information or details the reader needs in order to understand
the topic. Sentences should be ordered in the best possible
order. Three main ways to do this is either by time, location or
importance.
CLOSING:
Sums up the paragraph’s message. It reminds the readers of the
topic.
Example:
My Dog Romeo is so much fun to play with. One reason he’s fun is
because he loves to play catch. What’s also fun is that he follows me
around the house with a toy and drops it on my foot, so I will kick it.
Additionally, he can catch just about anything, but his favorite thing
to catch is a Frisbee. Finally, he loves it when I pretend like I’m
falling dead, and he runs over to lick me. All these reasons show why I
really have fun playing with Romeo.

 Black is the Topic.


 Purple is the controlling idea.
 Red is the body.
 Blue is the conclusion.
Functions:
MICHAEL HARVEY discusses four basic functions and the corresponding
paragraph structures:

 EXAMPLE
Examples provide supporting evidence for your claim. A paragraph can
discuss one example in detail or give multiple examples.

 DESCRIPTION
Depending on your topic, you may be describing a picture, a place, an
event, a situation. Well-written descriptions are structured according to a
pattern that makes them easy to follow: from left to right, from top to
bottom, or from big to small, from the most important to the least
important.
Functions:
NARRATION
Narration describes a series of events, usually in chronological order.

DEFINITION
Definition answers the question, "What is X?" (e.g., "What is
education?"). As you attempt to define a complex term or idea, you often
discover that it doesn't lend itself to a conclusive definition. If you're
dealing with such a concept, your definition paragraph can explore its
various aspects or present different views on it, but normally you're still
expected to tell the reader how you will understand the concept in your
essay.
Functions:
Other common functions are CAUSE AND
EFFECT (to explain the origins or the consequences
of something: an event, idea, problem, etc.)

and COMPARISON/CONTRAST (to discuss


the similarities and/or differences among things).
“What Makes a Good
Paragraph?”
“We have to be able to
understand it!”

“What can we do to make our reader


understand our writing?”
3 Things Make a Good
Paragraph:

1.Unity
2.Coherence
3.Elaboration

“What do all of these mean?”


Let’s Start with Unity…
“What does unity mean to
you?”
• When a paragraph has unity,
all the sentences relate directly
to the main idea.

• If there is a sentence off topic


at all, this begins to create
Use only the most confusion for your reader.
important details!
LET’S SEE AN EXAMPLE…
Find the sentence in the paragraph that destroys the unity and doesn’t
belong.

The disappearance of Amealia Earhart remains a mystery. Earhart, who was the first woman
pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, crashed into the Pacific Ocean while attempting to fly
around the world. She was born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897. Some researchers believe that
she survived the crash into the Pacific, because radio distress calls were received. An intensive
search for the source of the signals was made. Searchers were not able to find her, however.
Finally, the distress signals ceased. In spite of continued searches by airplane and ship, no clue
about what became of Amelia Earhart has yet been found.
She was born in Atchison, Kansas in 1897. = Doesn’t relate directly to main idea.
#2:COHERENCE
• A coherent paragraph is one in which all of the
sentences logically fit together.

• When a paragraph has coherence, your reader


can easily see how all of the details are
connected.
“How can we create
coherence?”
There are
2 ways!

1.Order details in a way that makes


sense.
2. Show a connection by using
transitional words.
“Order Please!”
Not that kind of order!

Coherence Organizing your details in a specific order is 1 way to


make your paragraph clear and coherent.

Chronological Presents details in the order “Look at


Order they occur
the chart!”
Spatial Order Presents details according
to location Coherence
Order of Details are least important
Importance to most or the reverse

Logical Order Groups related details


together
Chronological Presents details in the order
Order they occur

Presents details according to


Spatial Order
location

Order of Details are least important


Importance to most or the reverse

Groups related details


Logical Order
together
2 Way to Create Coherence:
nd

Transitional Words
“We want to see a connection!”

Transitional words help the reader see a


relationship between ideas. after finally

soon
later
across beyond
meanwhile first
under around They tie things together!
next before
inside
then
down because
# 3: Elaboration

Elaboration “Give us
means: to add
more details, more details!”
so your
reader can get
a clear picture
of what you
mean.
Here are are Nine Ways to Elaborate!

1. Use Highly Descriptive Words: vivid adj.’s


& adv.’s, precise V’s & N’s.
2. Give a detailed Definition of the subject or detail.
3. Provide an Example that shows your point.
4. Use Comparison: Similes and/or Metaphors.
5. Use Contrast to show how your idea is different from something
else.
6. Include a Fact to support your main idea.
7. Use a Statistic (a fact in numerical form) to support your main
idea.
8. Use Sensory Details that appeals to one or more of the 5 senses.
9. Use Cause & Effect to explain how 1 thing causes another.
“Now you see what I am talking
about!”

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