The University of Cambodia
SUBJECT:
Topic:
COLLEGE ENGLISH (ENG101) Effective Paragraph Writing
PRESENTER:
Lecturer
Mr. Sun Sima
Cheng Vichet
ID: 60200091
Content
Paragraph Structure
Introduction
Supporting Sentences
Topic Sentence
Concluding Sentence
Introduction
What is a paragraph?
Paragraph is
Paragraph is aa group
group of
of sentences
sentences that
that develops
develops
one main
one main idea
idea or
or aa single topic..
single topic
All sentences
All sentences of
of the
the paragraph
paragraph explain
explain the
the main
main
idea of
idea of writer.
writer.
In academic
In academic writing,
writing, aa paragraph
paragraph is
is often
often
between five
between five and
and ten
ten sentences
sentences long,
long, but
but it
it can
can be
be
longer or
longer or shorter,
shorter, depending
depending on
on the
the topic.
topic.
Paragraph Structure
There are three basic parts of paragraph .
Topic sentence
Supporting sentence
Concluding sentence
Topic sentence
What is topic sentence?
Topic sentence
Topic sentence is
is the
the main
main idea
idea of
of the
the paragraph.
paragraph.
ItIt usually
usually comes
comes first
first in
in aa paragraph
paragraph and
and helps
helps
the reader
the reader understand
understand what
what the
the paragraph
paragraph is
is going
going
to talk
to talk about.
about.
ItIt isis the
the most
most general
general statement
statement in
in the
the paragraph
paragraph
because itit gives
because gives only
only main
main idea.
idea. ItIt does
does not
not give
give any
any
specific details.
specific details.
ItIt clearly
clearly states
states the
the topic
topic and
and controlling
controlling idea
idea of
of the
the
paragraph.
paragraph.
Topic and Controlling idea
Topic sentence = topic + controlling idea
Topic is
Topic is aa particular
particular issue
issue or
or idea
idea or or what
what you
you
want to
want to write
write about
about and
and itit can
can be
be aa person,
person, aa thing,
thing, aa
place, an
place, an animal
animal etc…
etc…
Example
Example Topic: Cambodia
Topic: Cambodia
Controlling idea
Controlling
idea is is the
the writer’s
writer’s idea
idea or
or opinion
opinion
about the
about the topic
topic that
that need
need to
to describe
describe oror explain.
explain.
ItIt can
can also
also be
be list
list of
of subdivision
subdivision or
or sub-topics
sub-topics that
that
need to
need to explain,
explain, describe
describe oror develop
develop inin
supporting sentences.
supporting sentences.
Example
Example Controlling
Controlling idea:
idea: is
is aa great
great place
place for
for visitors.
visitors.
Notes
A. good
A. good topic
topic sentence
sentence should
should include
include either
either of
of the
the following
following
One clear
One
clear topic:
topic:
Countryside
Countryside is
is aa great
great place
place for
for healthy
healthy living.
living.
An opinion
An
opinion or
or idea
idea about
about topic:
topic:
Studying
Studying Bokator
Bokator has
has given
given me
me strength
strength ,self-
,self-
confidence and
confidence and self-discipline.
self-discipline.
Notes
B. A
B. A good
good topic
topic sentence
sentence should
should notnot be
be ::
Too
Too broad/general
broad/general (too
(too much
much to
to write
write about)
about)
Smoking
Smoking isis bad.
bad. (( too
too general)
general)
Smoking
Smoking advertisements
advertisements are
are harmful
harmful influence
influence on
on children.(specific
children.(specific idea)
idea)
Too
Too narrow/
narrow/ (not (not enough
enough to
to write
write about
about // is
is just
just aa
simple fact)
simple fact)
School
School starts
starts at
at 8:30
8:30 AM.
AM. (weak)
(weak)
Getting
Getting ready
ready for
for school
school in
in the
the morning
morning isis more
more difficult
difficult than
than any
any of
of
my classes.
my classes. (Strong)
(Strong)
Not
Not so
so detail
detail or
or too
too specific.
specific.
American
American food
food isis tasteless
tasteless and
and greasy
greasy because
because of of Americans
Americans useuse too
too many
many canned,
canned, frozen,
frozen, and
and
prepackaged foods
prepackaged foods andand because
because everything
everything isis fried
fried in
in oil
oil or
or butter.
butter.
American
American food
food isis tasteless
tasteless and
and greasy.
greasy. (( good)
good)
Supporting Sentence
What are the supporting sentences?
Supporting sentences
Supporting sentences areare the
the sentences
sentences
that talk
that talk about
about or
or explain
explain the
the topic
topic sentence
sentence..
They are
They
are more
more detailed
detailed ideas
ideas that
that follow
follow
the topic
the topic sentence.
sentence.
Concluding Sentence
What is the concluding sentence?
Concluding sentence
Concluding sentence summarizes
summarizes or or
restates the
restates the main
main idea
idea in
in different
different words
words ,,
and gives
and gives aa final
final comment
comment on on the
the topic
topic and
and
leaves the
leaves the reader
reader with
with the
the most
most important
important
ideas to
ideas to think
think about
about..
It often
It
often comes
comes at
at the
the end
end of
of the
the
paragraph.
paragraph.
Concluding Sentence
Concluding sentence
Concluding
sentence usually
usually ends
ends the
the
paragraph with
paragraph with transitional
transitional signals
signals as
as follow:
follow:
Theses transition words are Theses transition words are
followed by a comma not followed by a comma
Finally, We can see that…
In conclusion, It’s clear that…
To summary, These example show that…
Therefore, The evidence suggests that…
Thus, There can be no doubt that…
As a result,
In brief,
In short,
Paragraph Example
Why Canada
Why Canada is
is one
one of
of the
the best
best countries
countries
There are
There are three
three reasons
reasons why
why Canada
Canada is
is one
one of
of the
the best
best Topic sentence
Topic
sentence
countries in
countries in the
the world.
world. First,
First, Canada
Canada has
has an
an excellent
excellent health
health
care system.
care system. All
All Canadians
Canadians have
have access
access to
to medical
medical services
services
at aa reasonable
at reasonable price.
price. Second,
Second, Canada
Canada has
has aa high
high standard
standard
of education.
of education. Students
Students are
are taught
taught by
by well-trained
well-trained teachers
teachers Supporting sentence
Supporting sentence
and are
and are encouraged
encouraged to
to continue
continue studying
studying at
at university.
university.
Finally, Canada's
Finally, Canada's cities
cities are
are clean
clean and
and efficiently
efficiently managed.
managed.
Canadian cities
Canadian cities have
have many
many parks
parks and
and lots
lots of
of space
space for
for
people to
people to live.
live. As
As aa result,
result, Canada
Canada is
is aa desirable
desirable place
place to
to
sentence
Concluding sentence
Concluding
live.
live.
THANK YOU!