What is paragraph ?
A paragraph is
a group of related sentences that discuss one (and usually only one) main idea.
A paragraph can be as short as one sentence or as long as ten sentences. The
number of sentences is unimportant; however, the paragraph should be long
enough to develop the main idea clearly. A paragraph may stand by itself.
The three parts of a paragraph
All paragraph have a topic sentence
and supporting sentences, and some
paragraphs also have a concluding sentence.
The
topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph. It not only names the
topic of the paragraph, but it also limits the topic to one specific area that
can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. The part of the
topic sentence that announces the spesific area to be discussed is called the
controlling idea. For example:
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two
important characteristics.
TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA
Supporting sentences
develop the topic sentence. That is, they explain or prove the topic sentence
by giving more information about it
For
example:
first
of all, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made
25 centuries ago.
The concluding sentence
signals the end of the paragraph ad leaves the reader with important points to
remember. For example:
In
conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.
The
topic sentence
A topic sentence is the most
important sentence in a paragraph. It briefly indicates what the paragraph is
going to discuss. For this reason, the topic sentence is a helpful guide to
both writer and the reader. The writer can see what information to include (and
what information to exclude). The reader can see what the paragraph is going to
be about and therefore better prepared to understand it.
Here
are three important points to remember about a topic sentence:
- A topic sentence is a complete sentence; that is. It contains at least one subject and one verb. This following is not complete sentence because the sentence don’t have verb.
Driving on freeways.
2.
A topic sentence
contains both a topic and controlling idea. It names the topic and then
limits the topic to a specific area to be discussed in the space of a single
paragraph. For example :
Driving on freeways
requires skill and alertness.
3.
A topic sentence is
the most general statement in the paragraph because it gives only the main idea.
It doesn’t give any specific details. For example :
English has been influenced by other languages
• Position
of Topic Sentences: the topic
sentence is usually (but not always) the first sentence in a paragraph.
Experienced writers sometimes put topic in other locations (at the end), but
the best spot is usually right at beginning. For example:
Synonims
synonims,
words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have same emotional
meaning. For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean “careful with
money.” however, calling someone stingy is an insult, but calling someone
frugal is a compliment.
• The two parts of
Topic Sentence
A topic sentence has two essential parts: the topic and
the controlling idea. The topic names the subject of the paragraph. The
controlling idea limits or control the topic to a specific area that you can
discuss in the space of a single paragraph. For example:
Convenience foods are
easy to prepare
Topic Controlling idea
Supporting
sentences
Supporting sentence explain or prove the
topic sentence. There are several kinds of specific supporting details:
examples, statistics, and quotation. For example:
Synonims
Synonims,
words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have same emotional
meaning. For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean “careful with
money.” however, calling someone stingy is an insult, but calling someone
frugal is a compliment.
The
concluding sentence
A concluding sentence serves
two purposes:
- It signals the end of the paragraph
- It leaves the reader with the most important ideas to remember. It can do this in two ways:
•
By summarizing the main points of the paragraph OR
•
By repeating the topic sentence in different words.
A paragraph doesn’t always need s concluding sentence.
For single paragraphs, especially long ones, a concluding sentence is helpful
to the reader because it is a reminder of the important points. However, a
concluding sentence is not needed for every paragraph in a multiparagraph
essay.
End of paragraph signals followed by a
comma
|
End of
paragraph signals not followed by a comma
|
|
|
Exercises
Circle the topic and underline the controlling idea in
each of the following sentences.
- Driving on freeways requires skill and alertness.
- The volcano erupted much more violently.
- The automobile has changed our way of life.
- The furniture of japan is very attractive.
- Adventure travel is the hot heard in the tourism industry.
- A major problem for many student is the high cost of tuition and books.
- Idioms are of ten difficult for newcomers to understand.
- The caribbean island of Trinidad attracts tourist because of its calypso music.
9.
Where is the supporting details?
My hometown is famous
for severalamazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton
River, which is very wide and beautiful. Also, on the other side of the
town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it isvery steep. The
third amazing feature is the Big
Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably
about six hundred years old.
10. Where is the concluding sentence?
My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. First,
it is noted for the Wheaton
River, which is very wide and beautiful. Also, on the other side of the
town is Wheaton
Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep. The third amazing feature is
the Big Old
Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old. These three landmarks are truly amazing and make my hometown a famous place.
11. What is paragraph ?
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