Essay Writing. W4.

The Paragraph

THE INDEPENDENT PARAGRAPH

1. DEFINITION: the paragraph is a main unit of composition. It develops a single topic, and so has a distinct, independent unity.

2. STRUCTURE: title, topic sentence, supporting sentences, concluding sentences

2.1. Title – should reflect the topic of the paragraph and its approach.
2.2. Topic sentence (TS): presents the topic and explains what the writer wants to say about the topic / outlines the purpose of the paragraph.
- the 1st or 2nd sentence in a paragraph
- a specific idea, clearly expressed
- should not be a fact (e.g. There are approximately 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke. Too factual to be an effective TS)
- should not express very general ideas (Smoking is bad. Too general to be an effective TS)
- should have only one controlling idea!
2.1.1 Structure: Topic sentence = Topic + Controlling Idea (CI)
e.g.: New York is one of the loudest cities in the world.
New York = the topic
is one of the cities in the world= the controlling idea
a. The topic – anything can be a topic. The same topic can be approached through various controlling ideas.
b. The controlling idea (CI):
- tells the reader what to expect in the supporting sentences/ expresses a point of view
- limits the topic of the paragraph
- can divide the topic (e.g. Ramadan has three important days within the month of fasting)

2.3. Supporting sentences: the body of the paragraph – explain the topic sentence.
- facts, definitions, reasons, restatements, arguments, examples (offer good support), details.
a. Major supporting sentences (SS) –> support the TS
b. Minor supporting sentences (ss) –> support the SS before them.

2.4. Concluding sentence

- Has to be connected to the TS.
- Summarises the main points or restates the topic sentence in different words.
- Implications, generalisation of the argument, cautious prediction
- Conclusion signals: all in all, in brief, in conclusion, indeed, in short, in summary, to conclude, to summarise, to sum up, it is clear that, these
examples show that.
- Do NOT introduce a new idea!!!

3. TYPE
Descriptive paragraph – describes a person, place, thing etc
Expository paragraph – gives information on a topic in an organised format
Process paragraph – explains how to do something step by step
Opinion paragraph – the writer expresses his/ her ideas, options, thoughts on a topic.
Narrative paragraph – the writer tells a story

Exercise 1 on your handout:

Topic sentence: The way we use banks is currently changing. Topic: using banks (the way we use banks) + CI: is changing
Diagram:
TS (1)
SS (2 - major supporting sentence): This is partly…
ss (3 - minor supporting sentence, example): The personal computer…
SS (4)
ss (5, fact)
ss (6, reason)
CS (7, summary)

1. Read the paragraphs and identify the main structural elements:
Technology and banking
1
The way we use banks is currently changing. 2This is partly because of the
introduction of new technology in the last ten years. 3The personal computer
and the internet, for instance, allow customers to view their accounts at
home and perform operations such as moving money between accounts. 4At
the same time banks are being reorganised in ways that affect both
customers and staff. 5In the past five years over 3,000 bank branches have
closed in Britain and their activity was redirected to call centres. 6This has
happened because the banks discovered that staffing call centres is cheaper
than running a branch network. 7In conclusion, technology has redefined the
interaction between banks and their customers in such a way that bank
branches might soon become redundant.
2. Identify the topic and the controlling idea in the following topic
sentences (TS). Are they all effective TS?
a. Marriage is an event in a person's life.
b. The average age for people in the United States to marry has changed in
the past 100 years.
c. People who learn English use dictionaries.
d. Digital cameras have several advantages over film cameras.
e. Digital cameras take photos.
f. The Western world should have a day to celebrate senior citizens.
g. President Lincoln established Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in
November.
3. Draw the structural diagram of the following paragraph (use the
numbers of the sentences):
Golden Week
1
Golden week in Japan is a combined celebration of four holidays. 2 The
first takes place on April 29th, the birthday of Emperor Showa, and
commemorates the 64 years that he was in power. 3It is a time for the
Japanese people to remember this important period in their history. 4The
second holiday in Golden Week is Constitutional Memorial Day. 5This day
marks the establishment of the Japanese Constitution on May 3, 1947. 6The
next holiday, on May 4th, is called Midorino-hi and is a day for people to be
outside enjoying the environment. 7In fact, Midorino-hi means ‘green day.’
8
Children’s day, the fourth holiday of Golden Week, is May 5th. 9This
holiday celebrates the health and happiness of children. 10Traditionally, this
day was Boy’s Day, and some families still recognise this. 11For example,
they fly flags shaped like carp outside their homes to bring strength and
success to their boys. 12In short, Golden Week is a whole week of
celebration for the Japanese people.
4. Read the following paragraphs. In the topic sentences, circle the topic
and underline the controlling idea. What kind of supporting sentences
are used in support of the topic sentence? Analyse the concluding
sentences.
A. Celebrating the New Year
The New Year is celebrated throughout the world at many different times,
based on the solar or lunar calendar. January 1 is recognised throughout the
world as the beginning of the new year, but this date is the beginning of the
Christian year based on the Georgian solar calendar. The Jewish new year is
called Rosh Hashanah. It is celebrated in September or October because the
Hebrew calendar is lunar. The Chinese New Year, celebrated in many Asian
countries, follows a lunar calendar and comes on a day between January 10
and February 19. Islamic countries also use a lunar calendar. Their new year
celebration is in the spring, and the date varies depending on the year. In
short, Christians use the solar calendar, whereas Jews, Asians, and Muslims
use a lunar calendar to determine when to celebrate the new year.
Essay Writing. W4. The Paragraph
B Writing
Writing is a complex sociocognitive process involving the development of a
set of skills. The skills needed to write range from making the appropriate
graphic marks, through using the resources of the chosen language, to
anticipating the reactions of the intended readers. The first skill area
involves acquiring a writing system, which may be alphabetic (as in
European languages) or nonalphabetic (as in many Asian languages). The
second skill area requires selecting the appropriate grammar and vocabulary
to form acceptable sentences and then arranging them in paragraphs. Third,
writing involves thinking about the purpose of the text to be composed and
about its possible effects on the intended readership. One important aspect
of this last feature is the choice of a suitable style. Because of these
characteristics, writing is not an innate natural ability like speaking, but has
to be acquired through years of training or schooling.
5. Insert examples in the following paragraph where needed.
Students who go to study abroad often experience a type of culture shock
when they arrive in the new country. Customs which they took for granted
in their own society are not followed in the host country. Even everyday
patterns of life may be different. When these are added to the inevitable
differences which occur in every country students may at first feel confused.
They may experience rapid changes of mood, or even want to return home.
However, most students make new friends and, in a relatively short period,
are able to adjust to their new environment.
6. Reorganise the following sentences to form a paragraph. Analyse the
result and complete the paragraph with the missing element.
a. It is mainly formal, impersonal, and objective.
b. These include essays, research reports and articles, case studies, surveys,
dissertations, theses, and examination papers.
c. Academic writing is a particular kind of writing that can be recognised by
its style.
d. Other distinctive features will depend upon the specific types of academic
writing.
7. Analyse the structure and the information provided below and
transform it into a paragraph. You can use the TS and the CS provided.
Music Styles and Fashion
Different styles of popular music have produced their own fashion styles.
A. Punk fashion
1. Spiked hair
2. Theatrical makeup
3. Safety-pin jewellery
4. Ripped clothing
5. Body piercing
B. Hip-hop fashion
1. Baggy jeans, worn low
2. Hooded sweaters
3. Big, floppy hats
4. Do-rags (scarves) around head
C. Grunge fashion
1. Stonewashed jeans
2. Plaid flannel shirts
3. Baseball caps worn backward
4. Long, straight hair
5. Heavy boots
You can identify a person's musical taste by the clothes he or she wears.
Resources: Bailey, Stephen. Academic Writing: A Practical Guide for Students. Boardman, Cynthia A. & Jia Frydenberg. Writing
to Communicate. Paragraphs and Essays. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008. Jordan, R.R. Academic Writing Course. Longman
2003. Oshima, Alice & Ann Hogue. Introduction to Academic Writing. New York: Pearson Longman, 2006. Swales, John M.
Academic Writing for Graduate Students.