Name: Date: Period:

G9 ECRS 11.1: The Purpose of a Sentence

Link to the ECRS: TDP 16: I dentify the purpose/role of a sentence or phrase in a paragraph.

Key Information:

A body paragraph in any essay has one general purpose: to prove the author's point. An author can
achieve this purpose in numerous ways, but the two most popular ways are through INDUCTIVE or
DEDUCTIVE logic. Inductive paragraphs go from specific to general reasoning, while deductive
paragraphs go from general to specific reasoning. We are more familiar with deductive paragraphs,
where the paragraph begins with the point and proceeds to explain and prove that point. However,
paragraphs that start with the details and then present the point, or "so there," at the end are no less
effective.

Sentences, therefore, serve 4 major purposes within a paragraph:
to introduce the point of the paragraph.
to add evidence to prove the point of the paragraph.
to explain the evidence presented in the paragraph.
to elaborate upon the evidence presented, linking it to the original point of the paragraph.

Application:

Directions: On the line provided, write the name of the type of sentence that is missing from the
following paragraph: point, evidence, explanation, or elaboration.

[The Trojan War] is one of the most difficult to write about, for so much of the action lies deep in Greek
mythology. Indeed, the entire war between the Greeks and Trojans is possibly nothing more than a literary exercise
rather than an historical event. Still, the excavations begun in the late nineteenth century by Heinrich Schliemann
give some basis for a real siege at a town on Asia Minor's Aegean coast sometime in the fourteenth to twelfth
century b.c. The main source for the action at Troy comes from Homer's epic work The Iliad, ... It is possible the
Trojans were inhabitants of a region rather than merely a city.

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(Paragraph courtesy of www.hubpages.com, written by contributor "balisunset.")

Your Turn:

Directions: Identify the purpose of the underlined sentences.

Some of the matters addressed in myths are more abstract than simply,
Dont kill your parents! (1) Myths such as those that chronicle the
flirtatiousness of Zeus, for example, address an all-too-common issue
regarding marital faithfulness. In Greek culture, women were expected to be
faithful to their husbands from the day they were married until the day one of
them died or they became divorced. The men, on the other hand, could very
nearly do whatever they pleased, so long as the doing was not with another
woman. Boys and young men, apparently, were free game as is made evident
in the myth of Zeus and Ganymede. Anymore, such behavior would be
considered wrong, but in the classical era, it was very normal and actually a
sign of social standing. The more male lovers a man had, implying that he
could afford to indulge them, the better off he obviously was. (2) By sticking
to the male gender as well, the man was not violating the rules of fidelity.
1. A. Point
B. Evidence
C. Explanation
D. Elaboration

2. A. Point
B. Evidence
C. Explanation
D. Elaboration

(Paragraph courtesy of www.urbis.com, 2010)



Writing:

Directions: Add evidence to the following paragraph so that it is effective. Don't forget to correct any
grammatical errors you recognize from previous ECRS chapters!

Even the immortal gods were not perfect. That is yet another aspect of Greek myth in particular. The
gods were very human. They looked human. Behaved as humans were known to behave. Even were the
parents of mortals themselves in some cases. __Many textbooks suggest gods and goddesses behave just
like humans.__This is evidence of myth and society working similarly to earlier examples. Where the
myths were created to explain why certain things were taboo or tradition. The myths that focus primarily
on the gods alone are there to allow the ancient Greek religion to hold a bit of familiarity. The Greeks
were not worshipping abstract beings that could not be seen touched or heard but rather they was
worshipping beings much like themselves only immortal and all-powerful. ____Gods are dont worship
anything but themselves.___________
To make things more comfortable in the long run. What better way to understand a higher power than to
personify it and give it a life of its own?
(Paragraph courtesy of www.urbis.com, 2010)

Reflection:

What have you learned this year about good writing?

___________Make sure there is unity in what you are writing. Check for grammatical errors. Make it
interesting and detailed. Use colons and semi colons when needed to improve a sentence.
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