Lesson 4

The Paragraph
 Is a group of related
sentences joined together
to develop one idea. This
single idea is called the
main idea, and the subject
matter it deals with is the
topic.
Definition of a Paragraph
How to Write a
Paragraph
What is the prewriting stage?

The prewriting stage is

when you think carefully
and organize your ideas
for your paragraph before
you begin writing.
Prewriting Paragraphs
Six Prewriting Steps:

1. Think carefully about what you are going to write. Ask

yourself: What question am I going to answer in this paragraph
or essay? How can I best answer this question? What is the most
important part of my answer? How can I make an introductory
sentence (or thesis statement) from the most important part of
my answer? What facts or ideas can I use to support my
introductory sentence? How can I make this paragraph or essay
interesting? Do I need more facts on this topic? Where can I find
more facts on this topic?
2. Open your notebook. Write out your answers to the above
questions. You do not need to spend a lot of time doing this; just
write enough to help you remember why and how you are going
to write your paragraph or essay.
3. Collect facts related to your paragraph or essay topic. Look
for and write down facts that will help you to answer your
question. Timesaving hint: make sure the facts you are writing
are related to the exact question you are going to answer in your
paragraph or essay.

Prewriting Paragraphs
Six Prewriting Steps:

4. Write down your own ideas. Ask yourself: What else do I

want to say about this topic? Why should people be interested in
this topic? Why is this topic important?
5. Find the main idea of your paragraph or essay. Choose the
most important point you are going to present. If you cannot
decide which point is the most important, just choose one point
and stick to it throughout your paragraph or essay.
6. Organize your facts and ideas in a way that develops your
main idea. Once you have chosen the most important point of
your paragraph or essay, you must find the best way to tell your
reader about it. Look at the facts you have written. Look at your
own ideas on the topic. Decide which facts and ideas will best
support the main idea of your paragraph. Once you have chosen
the facts and ideas you plan to use, ask yourself which order to
put them in the paragraph. Write down your own note set that
you can use to guide yourself as you write your paragraph or
essay.

Prewriting Paragraphs
What is the writing stage?

The writing stage is

when you turn your
ideas into sentences.

Writing Paragraphs
Five Writing Steps:
1. Open your notebook and word
processor.
2. Write the topic sentence, supporting
sentences, and closing sentence.
3. Write clear and simple sentences to
express your meaning.
4. Focus on the main idea of your
paragraph.
5. Use the dictionary to help you find
additional words to express your ideas.

Writing Paragraphs
What is the editing stage?

The editing stage is

when you check your
paragraph for mistakes
and correct them.
Editing Paragraphs
Grammar and Spelling
1. Check your spelling.
2. Check your grammar.
3. Read your essay again.
4. Make sure each sentence has a subject.
5. See if your subjects and verbs agree
with each other.
6. Check the verb tenses of each
sentence.
7. Make sure that each sentence makes
sense.
Editing Paragraphs
Style and Organization
1. Make sure your paragraph has a topic
sentence.
2. Make sure your supporting sentences
focus on the main idea.
3. Make sure you have a closing sentence.
4. Check that all your sentences focus on
the main idea.
5. See if your paragraph is interesting.

Editing Paragraphs
What is the publishing stage?

The publishing stage is

when you produce a
final copy of your
paragraph to hand in.

Publishing Paragraphs
Three Publishing Steps:

1. Make a paper copy of your paragraph.

2. Show your work to your teacher, tutor,
or parents.
3. Ask them for hints on how to improve
your writing.

Publishing Paragraphs
 Parts of a
Paragraph
 TOPIC
SENTENCE
The sentence of the paragraph that
expresses the main idea. Usually
found at the beginning or ending of
the paragraph.
What is the topic sentence?
The topic sentence is usually the first
sentence in a paragraph.
What does it do?
It introduces the main idea of the
paragraph.
How do I write one?
Summarize the main idea of your
paragraph. Indicate to the reader what
your paragraph will be about.

Topic Sentence
Example 1

 There are three reasons why Canada is one

of the best countries in the world. First,
Canada has an excellent health care system. All
Canadians have access to medical services at a
reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high
standard of education. Students are taught by
well-trained teachers and are encouraged to
continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's
cities are clean and efficiently managed.
Canadian cities have many parks and lots of
space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a
desirable place to live.

Topic Sentence
Example 2

Dark clouds blocked the sun as it peeked

over the farthest mountain. The clouds
above the mountain moved forward and
slowly overtook them. The clouds began
to release large drops of rain. With the
clouds the wind made its entrance, and it
swirled across hillsides. A storm was
brewing.

Topic Sentence
 Supporting
Details
Other sentences in the
paragraph that gives facts,
details and examples to support
or develop the main idea
What are supporting sentences?
They come after the topic sentence,
making up the body of a paragraph.
What do they do?
They give details to develop and support
the main idea of the paragraph.
How do I write them?
You should give supporting facts, details,
and examples.

Supporting Details
Example:
 There are three reasons why Canada is one of
the best countries in the world. First, Canada
has an excellent health care system. All
Canadians have access to medical services
at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a
high standard of education. Students are
taught by well-trained teachers and are
encouraged to continue studying at
university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean
and efficiently managed. Canadian cities
have many parks and lots of space for
people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable
place to live.

Supporting Details
Example 2

Dark clouds blocked the sun as it peeked

over the farthest mountain. The clouds
above the mountain moved forward
and slowly overtook them. The clouds
began to release large drops of rain.
With the clouds the wind made its
entrance, and it swirled across
hillsides. A storm was brewing.

Supporting Details
Closing Sentence
What is the closing sentence?
The closing sentence is the last sentence
in a paragraph.
What does it do?
It restates the main idea of your
paragraph.
How do I write one?
Restate the main idea of the paragraph
using different words.

Closing Sentence
Example:
There are three reasons why Canada is one
of the best countries in the world. First,
Canada has an excellent health care system.
All Canadians have access to medical
services at a reasonable price. Second,
Canada has a high standard of education.
Students are taught by well-trained teachers
and are encouraged to continue studying at
university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean
and efficiently managed. Canadian cities
have many parks and lots of space for people
to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable
place to live.

Closing Sentence
Example 2

Dark clouds blocked the sun as it

peeked over the farthest mountain.
The clouds above the mountain moved
forward and slowly overtook them. The
clouds began to release large drops of
rain. With the clouds the wind made its
entrance, and it swirled across hillsides. A
storm was brewing.

Closing Sentence
 Qualities of a Good
Paragraph(2)
------Coherence ， Continuity ， Completeness
 To indicate enumeration of what is being said;

First furthermore finally one two

Three etc. above all
Last but not least First and foremost then
next, lastly, finally
 Toindicate addition, reinforcement,
confirmation;

Also again furthermore moreover

What is more in addition above all
indeed actually

CONNECTIVE DEVICES
 To indicate transition which can lead to a new
stage in the sequence of thought;

Now with reference/respect regard to

let us not turn to That reminds us

 To indicate summation of what has proceeded;

In conclusion altogether thus to sum up

in brief
 To refer back to previous sentences or to
parallel or related references;

i.e, that is in other words

viz, namely or
e.g., for example such as
 Toindicate result or consequence of what was
said before;

Therefore accordingly consequently

Because of this/that
 To
indicate reformulation or to express in other
way;

Rather in other words

to put it (more) simply
 Toindicate replacement or to express an
alternative to what has preceded:

Again alternately on the other hand

The alternative is another possibility would be
 (for chronological order)

After finally next afterward

first now At last formerly
previously before last soon
During later then earlier
meanwhile until Eventually

 (for spatial order)

Above beneath in the distance

ahead beyond near
Around in front of next to
away inside outside
Behind in the center to the right below
 (for order of importance)

Also furthermore next another

least one Even greater more
perhaps the finally moreover greatest reason
First most second for one reason
most important third

 (for comparison and contrast)

Also instead on the other hand although

just as similarly besides Like
similar to both likewise so also but nevertheless
Whereas However on the contrary yet in contrast

 (for other logical orders)

Accordingly for example in fact additionally

For instance namely along with Furthermore
therefore and in addition thus
as a result in conclusion Consequently indeed
 Seven Steps of
Effective writing
VIDEO CLIP
 Kinds of Paragraphs
The first sentence or the first few
sentences of your composition could
determine whether the reader would
continue to read your selection or “drop
it”.
There are many effective
ways of introducing a topic to
your readers. You may start
with asking question, A
startling (surprising)
statement, definition and an
anecdote (a tale or story).

Opening Paragraph
The first sentence or paragraph of a
composition should catch the
interest of your reader. It should
make the reader find out the
succeeding ideas which he
anticipates would be contained in the
composition. In other words, your
first sentence or paragraph should
be attention-getting and interesting.

Opening Paragraph
1. A description of an event, people, place or
system can be an effective opening
paragraph.

Example:
Early in the year, as the winter clouds begin
to thicken, Hong Kong’s cultural pulse begins
to quicken. This is the season for the annual
international Arts Festival, drawing
participants from many parts of the world
and diverse artistic traditions to the
territory’s concert halls and theaters.

Other types of beginning

paragraphs:
2. An incident can be recalled vividly to start an article
in order to catch the attention of readers. Consider the
example below.

At a little more than half past midnight on

Tuesday, March 12, 1996, a dense crowd of teenage
revelers was partying at the Ozone discotheque in
Quezon City. All were celebrating the end of the school
year; many had just graduated from high school, and
were looking forward to earning their college degrees.
Then some faulty wiring in the DJ’s booth burst into
flames. Within moments, the Ozone was an inferno. In
the ensuing panic, some kids manage to escape
unscathed-but 157 didn’t. Nearly all burned to death
right then and there; a few got out, only to die at their
injuries over the next few days.

Other types of beginning

paragraphs:
3. A history or background of an event
or object of interest or a place can be a
good opening for an article.

Example:
In 1966, Vital Alsar set off on his first
expedition from Guayaquil in Ecuador to
Australia on a balsa wood draft, identical
to those built by the primitive aborigines
of Ecuador.

Other types of beginning

paragraphs:
4. The statement of the problem, purpose or
theme of an undertaking, conditioning or a
particular issue or cause makes an enlightening
opening paragraph.

Example:
Mental depression is America’s most common
psychiatric illness. All of us have our “blue” days;
but, according to a recent survey reported by the
National Institute of Mental Health, 15 percent of
U.S. adults aged 18 to 7 4-20 million people-
suffer from significant depressive illness every
year.

Other types of beginning

paragraphs:
5. A short dialogue can be a very effective way of
opening an article. For example,

The moving story of a 19-year old girl’s often

terrifying journey along the frontiers of medical
research.
A young intern at Vandelbilt University Hospital in
Nashville, Tenn., broke the news to me. “ Linda,
“ he said,” you have a disease of too many white
cells.”

“ Does this disease have a name?” I asked.

“Yes”, he said. “Leukemia.”

Other types of beginning

paragraphs:
6. A quotation directly taken from a
source is an effective way of starting an
article.

“To err (make a mistake) is human, to give

is divine.” Sure. But to err deliberately is
diabolical-unless one does it so often…

Other types of beginning

paragraphs:
7. An example ca be given at the beginning
of the article to catch the interest of the
reader.

One could never know whether he could

find a seat or stand all the way to and
from home to school every time one takes
a bus ride during the “Zero Hours” of the
day. This is just an example of over
crowding in Metro Manila today.

Other types of beginning

paragraphs:
8. An analogy is a very effective way of
presenting ideas.

“Just like a seed which needs a special care

before it can grow into a mature
productive tree, so is a student.”

Other types of beginning

paragraphs:
Activity
Write a beginning paragraph for each
topics. Be sure to get the initial interest of
the readers with your beginning
paragraph.

3.Television:
Harmful or Helpful
4.This Computer Age
5.The Educated Person
6.What Loyalty Means to me
 Concluding Paragraph
If a writer wishes to create a lasting impression on his
readers or if he wants to change their attitude or prod
them into a certain action, he should end his composition
effectively.
Write a Brief Summary
Retell an incident/anecdote
Give your conclusion
Bring out the most important point
Prod (urge) the reader to a certain action
of to adopt a certain attitude
Ask a rhetorical question
Make up prediction
Give the significance of the subject
Make an emotional statement

Ways to End a Composition

 NARRATIVE WRITING
Narration relates what occurred by
presenting a series of events. It is mainly
concerned with capturing action through
graphic language to help the reader
witness what happened.
It narrates
It informs
It entertains
It criticizes
PURPOSES OF NARRATIVE WRITING
 Choose an experience- real or imagined that you
can tell in a series of events and translate into
clear language.
 Decide on the point from which you will tell your
story.
 Determine any secondary purpose and any mood
that the passage will convey.
 Decide on and write a main point that either
conveys the general truth your story illustrate or
that sets the scene and launches the action in
the story.
 List the events that are parts of the experience
you want to relate.
 Arrange the events in some kind of logical order.

Guidelines to Good Narrative

Writing
Narrative Paragraph can
be developed in any one
of three ways:
Chronologically
Spatially
Logically
 This type of development is very common
in historical writings and biographies. It
is
perhaps the oldest and most frequently
used of the three methods. People usually
tell what happened and use the
chronological method of writing. The writer
records events in the order in which
they
occurred.

CHRONOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
Chronological development uses transitional
words that refer to time like:

Then Their main purpose is to

make time relationships
When between events clear.
During When the time
After sequence is clear and
straightforward, your
Before
readers can follow a
Meanwhile narrative with ease

CHRONOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
Roy C. Sullivan, a park ranger in Virginia, USA was
struck by lightning seven times in his entire life. He
miraculously survived through it all—a feat that is now
a world record!

He was first hit by lightning in 1942 (he lost his big toe
nail). Then it happened again in July 1969 (eyebrows
lost), in July 1970 (left shoulder seared), on 16 April
1972 (hair set on fire), on 7 August 1973 (hair set on
fire again and legs seared), on 5 June 1976 (ankle
injured), on 25 June 1977 (chest and stomach burns).
In September 1983 he committed suicide, reportedly
rejected in love.

Lighting Couldn’t Kill Him,

but Love Did
What happened to Sullivan in 1942?
1969?
How many times was his hair set on fire
and when did this happen?
What tragic incident happened to him
again in 1976?
What finally happened to him in 1983?
Why?

Guide Questions:
One important thing to remember about
Chronological Narration is the proper sequence
of events according to the time they occurred.

In Chronology, you need not mention the year

always. Terms like sometime later, a few
years,
some three or four years after that, shortly
after that, a decade later, will help the reader
follow easily the events as they happened.

Learning About the Method

ACTIVITY
Getting ready for
school
The trip from home to
school
Preview and Printout a
document
Using chronological order,
write a paragraph on one of
these topics:
 Assignment
GROUP WORK

Do some research into the historical beginning of your

school
 Spatial Narration is one method of
paragraph development which describes
physical setting. A writer may start from
the left to the right, from top to bottom or
from far to near. (Direction) His purpose is
to arrange
the description so that his reader may
easily visualize the setting which he is
describing.

SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT
When you enter my house, you’ll find a sofa on the
right and another on the left side of the sala.
Near the far end of the sofa on the right side is a
stand fan. A television set and a VHS are found
in one corner. Nearby is the telephone. Side
tables are found near the sofa on the left side.
A cabinet which doubles as a divider separates the
sala from the dining room. The side of the
cabinet that faces the sala contains books,
cassettes, plaques and other decorative items.
The side facing the dining room contains
beautifully arranged sets of dinnerware and
silverware. The cabinet is covered with glass.

Example Paragraph using Spatial

Order
What do you find on the right
side of the sala upon entering
the house?
How about on the left side?
What do you find in the corner
near the window?
What divides the sala from the
dining room?
Guide Questions
 ACTIVITY
Imagine yourself on top of AMA Building.
As you visualize the scene, write the
details on a sheet of paper. Arrange
these details into a paragraph using
spatial order.
 Logical Narration follows the
rule of logic or reasoning.
The sun, for example, has to
rise in the morning before it
can light our world. It has to
set in the evening before
darkness overcomes our
place.
LOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
 ACTIVITY
Arrange the events in
logical order using the
letters A to E.
________You become steady
________You begin to notice each other
________You end up before the altar
vowing to love and to hold till death.
________You begin to enjoy each other’s
company
________The young man proposes
marriage to the young woman.

“Falling in Love”
 ACTIVITY
Narrate an experience that led
you to a near realization about
someone else or about yourself.
 Descriptive Writing
Description is a form of composition which attempts to
present in words a picture of some person or object or
scene.

Descriptive paragraphs recreate sense impressions: sight,

sound, smell and taste. The words used usually appeal to
the readers sense and emotions as well as the readers
understanding.
 If I Were to Paint Man
By Ceciliano J. Cruz

Man lives in an ugly world, full of sins, therefore, if I were to

paint him, I would paint him in different hues.
His skin, for example, should be black- to show the effect on him
misery and discontentment he met in life. Yellow are his hands—
revealing his desire for wealth and power and brown are his feet,
brown with experience.
His head—sky blue to denote the distance and inconsistency of
his practicality and his philosophy. His hair, silver white should
be pale with experience of his unhappy past and his confusion of
the present.
But man consists of an immortal soul. He owns a life breathed
unto him by the Lord. He was promised completeness in the
next world. So, I’ll paint his eyes white and denote his hope for
perfection. Gold should be the color of his heart, for inspite of
himself, his defects and weakness, love still throbs in his human
heart.
Flaming red his lips should be, burning with prayers to re-make
what he has unmade of himself.
1. The writer concludes that man lives in an ugly world. Do
you agree or disagree with him. Give reasons to support
your answer.
2. God creates man as a perfect being. What has man done
that unmade him?
3. What should he do to remake himself? Cite an Example.
4. Despite man’s liabilities, what are his God-given assets
that ultimately help him achieve perfection.
5. Today, we use colors to depict ideas; yellow for example
stands for jealousy. How about green? Blue? Red?
White? Black?
6. Explain the following expressions

 Green-eyed monster Black sheep of the family

 Golden opportunity Lonely and blue
 White lie White Christmas
 Brown race Red tape

GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. Be familiar with what you’re describing.
2. Choose exact, vivid words that will make
the readers see, taste, hear or feel what
you’re describing.
3. Use an occasional figure of speech to
capture a picture.
4. Choose specific details that will create a
picture in your reader’s mind.
5. State at the beginning of your paragraph
the main impression you want your reader
to get.
6. Describe; never enumerate.

Guidelines to Observe in
Descriptive Writing:
 Activity
Description Through
the Senses
Identify the underlined words and phrases in the following sentences
as to what particular sense they appeal. Choose from the senses
written below. Write the letters only.

___1. A light wind kissed ____9. The old lady gave me

___2. He wore thick faded a part on the shoulder.
maong pants. ____10. The little girl sold
___3. The patter of the fragrant sampaguita to help
raindrops on the window sill augment her family’s
was music to my ears. income.
___4. Sweet-scented perfume ____11. Smoke stung her
filled the air. eyes unexpectedly.
___5. His hand was raised ____12. His deep, throaty
with a sword in anger. voice fascinate me.
___6. The honking of the LRT ____13. The men had nothing
train awakened him in his but fried rice and dried fish
deep slumber. called “tuyo”.
___7. The heat of summer is ____14. The evening is rather
terrible. chilly tonight.
____8. The cat’s paw is hurt. ____15. Her laughter filled
the empty room nearby.
Picture in your mind the person you like
most. Write a paragraph that would best
describe him/her.

Use the following for your guidance:

General Personal Impression

Age
Height
Weight
Built

Description of the Person I Like Most

 Definition
To define means to give the exact meaning of (a word etc.),
to describe or to explain the scope of (something).

If we are to use definition as a method of developing a

paragraph, we observe the following pattern:

TERM CLASS DISTINGUSHING CHARACTERISTICS

(Genus) (Differentia)
TERM is the word defined.

CLASS or GENUS is the form, type or

kind to which the term belongs.

DISTINGUISSHING CHARACTERISTICS
are the attributes or qualities that
make the term different from other
members of the class to which it
belongs.
The Sampaguita is a flower which is tiny,
has 5 white petals and is the national
flower of the Philippines.

-sampaguita (term) belongs to the class

flower and is different or distinguished
from other flowers by its tiny size, five
tiny white petals and its being our national
flower.

Example
What is a Gentleman? What is a lady?

Board Work
 Activity
Write you own composition using
Definition as your method of paragraph
development on any of these suggested
topics.

3.What is humility?
4.What is Christian Charity?
5.What makes the Industrious Man?
 COMPARISON
AND CONTRAST
 The modern Filipina dress is a far cry from the
Maria Clara dress of yesteryears. The Maria Clara
carries the usual characteristics of its predecessors
in which sleeves become wider at the base
reaching up to the wrist. The loose skirt of
alternating stripes reaches the ground. On the
other hand, the mestiza dress is characterized by
the currently style and fashion trends. Generally, it
has a wide open neckline. The upper portion
extend to the skirt which reaches the ground. The
cut fits the body and displays the figure of the
Filipina woman.

The Filipina Dress

1. How is the modern Filipina dress considered
compared to the Maria Clara?
2. What characteristics of the Maria Clara’s
predecessors are still carried in the Filipina
dress?
3. How would you describe the skirt?
4. How would you characterize the modern
Filipina dress?
5. What are the different changes that make the
modern Filipina dress?
6. Can you point out some words to show
comparison and contrast?

Guide Questions
Comparison and Contrast
May be effectively developed by pointing
out similarities between two objects,
persons or ideas. The idea is made vivid by
comparison with the simple and the
familiar.

Similar in construction but logically

composite to comparison is contrast. It is
holding up two actually similar but not
identical objects or situations for the sake
of discovering their points of variance.
The opposite pattern which means
writing everything about one point
and then everything about the other.

The alternative pattern is writing

alternately about both points
through the composition.

2 Basic Methods in developing

comparison and contrast.
Although Where as
Even though In spite of the fact
Though that
Even if Not withstanding
While reversely the fact
On the contrary Despite
On the other hand

Words and Phrases may be used

to show COMPARISON &
CONTRAST
Activity
Column A Column B

1. camper a. Sled
2. tomato b. Violin
3. mouse c. Sports car
4. cactus d. Fern
5. eagle e. Lighthouse
6. crown f. Trumpet
7. flute g. Cat
8. push cart h. Quail
9. tower i. Avocado
10. ukulele j. scepter

Match each item in column A with

the item in Column B which may
be logically compared to it.
Write about the differences and
similarities between the following:
Getting married stay single

Learning English learning

your language

Working in an office working

in a factory
 Cause and
Effect
A cause and effect relationship examines why an event or
action occurred (the causes) or what resulted from the event
or action (effect) or both.

Analysis of the cause and effects can help us understand the

past.

It can also help us look to the future.

1. Single cause/single
effect
2. Single cause/many
effects
3. Many-causes/single
effect
How to Organize a Cause and
Effect Analysis
In this pattern a single
cause leads to a single
effect.

Example:

Love begets love.

Single cause/Single effect

One cause may lead to several effects.
Here, the cause maybe written in the
introduction; write a paragraph about
each effect, then a conclusion may be
established in the end. The diagram will
show you how easy it is.
effect
cause effect
effect

Single cause/Many effects

 A cause ca also lead to series of
effects. In this organization, a cause
leads to an effect which starts
another cause, which then leads to
another effect and so on in a series.
Some call this casual chain.

Cause effect cause effect

 Another way of presenting your ideas is by
using this kind of organization-many-causes-
single effect. In this pattern the effect may
be presented in the introduction and devote a
paragraph to each cause in the body.

cause effect
cause
cause
cause

Many-causes/Single effect