Lesson 5 Paragraph,What is a paragraph?,A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the following: Unity, Coherence, A Topic Sentence, and Adequate Development.,1. Unity:,The entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with a one focus or major point of discussion, it should not end with another or wander within different ideas.,2. Coherence:,Coherence is the trait that makes the paragraph easily understandable to a reader. You can help create coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical bridges and verbal bridges.,logical bridges:,The same idea of a topic is carried over from sentence to sentence Successive sentences can be constructed in parallel form,verbal bridges:,Key words can be repeated in several sentences Synonymous words can be repeated in several sentences Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences Transition words can be used to link ideas from different sentences,(1) There are three reasons why I want to learn English. (2) One reason is that English has become an international language. (3) It is now used by most international companies, including the company where I work, for business communication. (4) Another reason why I want to learn English is so that I can travel to English-speaking countries. (5) The United States, England, Australia and many other countries all use English as their primary language. (6) Finally, I want to learn English because I plan to move to the U.S. in the future. (7) I will become a manager for my company soon. (8) For all these reasons, I am very excited about learning English.,Parts of a Paragraph,Go=Topic Sentence Continue=Supporting Details Stop=Closing Sentence,A topic sentence,A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with. Summarize the main idea of your paragraph. Indicate to the reader what your paragraph will be about.,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, Canadas 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.,Adequate development,The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. You should give details to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph.,Closing Sentence,The closing sentence is the last sentence in a paragraph. It restates the main idea of your paragraph. Restate the main idea of the paragraph using different words.,How to Write a Paragraph,Prewriting Paragraphs,1. Think carefully about what you are going to write.,What question am I going to answer in this paragraph or essay? What is 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? 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.,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,Decide which facts and ideas will best support the main idea of your paragraph. Then 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.,Writing Paragraphs,Some methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed:,Use examples and illustrations Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others) Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases),Use an anecdote or story Define terms in the paragraph Compare and contrast Evaluate causes and reasons,Examine effects and consequences Analyze the topic Describe the topic Offer a chronology of an event (time segments),Classroom activity,Write