HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH
WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?
A paragraph is a group of closely-related
sentences that develop a single idea or topic.
THE PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH
⚫ Topic Sentence
⚫ Supporting Sentences
⚫ Concluding Sentence
WHAT IS A TOPIC SENTENCE?
The topic sentence:
⚫ Expresses the main idea of the paragraph; what the
paragraph is about.
⚫ It’s almost always the first sentence.
⚫ It’s usually the most general sentence in the paragraph.
⚫ Tip: Start with something simple and straightforward
and then make it more sophisticated
EXAMPLE OF A TOPIC SENTENCE
Canada is one of the best countries in the
world to live in.
WHAT IS A SUPPORTING SENTENCE?
Supporting Sentences:
⚫ Develop, explain, and support the main idea of the
paragraph.
⚫ Contain facts, examples, and details that
relate to and say something about the topic of the
paragraph.
⚫ Explain why the main idea is true.
⚫ Tip: Try to write at least three supporting sentences per
paragraph.
EXAMPLES OF SUPPORTING SENTENCES
Canada has an excellent health care system.
Canada has a high standard of education.
Canada’s cities are clean and efficiently
managed.
EXAMPLES OF SUPPORTING DETAILS
Canada has an excellent health care system.
⚫ All Canadians have access to medical services
at a reasonable price.
⚫ Canadian life expectancy is 81 years, almost 3
years higher than in the U.S.
PUTTING THE EVIDENCE TOGETHER…
Canada is one of the best countries in the world to live in.
First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All
Canadians have access to medical services at a
reasonable price. As a result, Canadian life expectancy at
birth is 81 years, almost 3 years higher than in the U.S.
Second, Canada has a high standard of education.
According to Time, Canada is the only nation in which
more than half the population has college degrees. Third,
Canada’s cities are clean and efficiently managed.
Calgary was recently named the cleanest city in the
world.
WHAT IS A CONCLUDING SENTENCE?
The Concluding Sentence:
⚫ Is the last sentence of the paragraph.
⚫ Restates the main idea of the paragraph
⚫ Indicates why the topic is important.
⚫ May prepare the reader for the following
paragraph.
EXAMPLES OF CONCLUDING SENTENCES
As a result, Canada is an extremely desirable
place to live.
For these reasons, Canada attracts a lot of
immigrants.
Canada is a great model for other countries to
follow.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER…
Canada is one of the best countries in the
world to live in. It has an excellent health care
system. It also has a high standard of education.
Finally, Canada’s cities are clean and efficiently
managed. For all these reasons, Canada attracts
a lot of immigrants, and is a great model for other
countries to follow.
CHECK THE STRUCTURE OF THIS
PARAGRAPH…
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. Some rats even survived atomic bomb tests
conducted in the Pacific after World War II. In spite of all
our efforts, these enemies of ours continue to prove that
they are the most indestructible of pests.
IDENTIFYING THE TOPIC, SUPPORTING,
AND CONCLUDING SENTENCES…
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. Some rats
even survived atomic bomb tests conducted in
the Pacific after World War II. In spite of all our
efforts, these enemies of ours continue to prove
that they are the most indestructible of pests.
THE HAMBURGER SCHOOL
REVIEW
⚫ Start with a topic sentence that states the main
point of the paragraph.
⚫ Write three supporting or “detail” sentences that
are about the topic and help illustrate the main
point.
⚫ Write a concluding sentence that restates the
topic using different words and indicates why the
topic of the paragraph is significant.
⚫ Don’t forget to proofread and polish!
PARAGRAPHS SHOULD BE:
⚫ Unified – All the sentences in the paragraph
should be related to the main idea.
⚫ Related to your thesis.
⚫ Coherent – The sentences should proceed in
a logical manner.
⚫ Well Developed – Every idea discussed in
the paragraph should be explained and
supported with evidence
Exercise 1:
Write a paragraph to describe yourself. Follow the guidelines below to
write your paragraph:
1. Write an introductory topic sentence. The introductory topic
sentence must express a fact you want the reader to know
about you. For example, if you are into Facebook for making
friends over the Internet, then write a topic sentence like: "I
have been a Facebook fan since I was thirteen-years old in
sixth grade, living in Tokyo."
Exercise 1:
b. Write supporting sentences. 3 to 5 complete sentences are
good enough for this exercise. In your supporting sentences,
you can make sentences to answer to the "what", "who",
"when", and "why" questions. These are some examples:
a. "what" question. What made you become a facebook fan?
b. "who" question. Who influenced your attraction to facebook?
c. "when" question. When did you first find out about facebook?
d. "how" question. How did you find out about the people you have made
friends with in facebook? How did you carry on with these friendships?
Are you still friends' with those people? How did you like your experience
with facebook?
Exercise 1:
c. Write a conclusion sentence. Can you think of a good
conclusion sentence? For example: Being a Facebook fan has
boosted my interest in getting to know all these people I met
there. If it wasn't for Facebook, I would have never made
those friends.
This is a posible result:
I have been a Facebook fan since I was thirteen-years old in sixth grade,
living in Tokyo. First, when I opened Facebook back then I realized I could
contact a lot of people, not only in Japan, but also my friends and family back
home. Secondly, I found out the possibility of meeting new people through
Facebook, and that’s something very important in Japan, because people
tend to get lonely back there. Finally, after all these years, I have kept meeting
more and more people and, in most cases, I’ve kept in contact with those
friends. All in all, being a Facebook fan has boosted my interest in getting to
know all these people I met there. If it wasn't for Facebook, I would have
never made those friends.