Writing: Structure of a paragraph

Writing: Structure of a paragraph

• Understanding a paragraph
• Paragraph organisation

What is a paragraph?

Read the explanation in your books on page 11 and answer the question.

Multiple Choice

In academic writing , how many sentences are there in an average paragraph?

• 2-3

• 3-5

• 5-10

• 10-20

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of the sentences in a paragraph?

• To make people read a lot of words

• To explain many ideas

• To answer an assignment question

• To explain the writers main idea

Understanding a paragraph p.11

Read this paragraph. It is the beginning of an article about Switzerland in a student newspaper. Then answer the questions.

Multiple Choice

What is the topic of the paragraph?

• Mountains

• Travelling

• Switzerland

• Europe

Multiple Choice

What is the main idea about the paragraph?

• Switzerland is a country with beautiful mountains, delicious food, wonderful places to go sightseeing, and polite people.

• Switzerland has many mountains.

• Switzerland is close to many interesting countries.

• Swiss cities have many modern buidlings.

Multiple Select

What ideas help explain the main idea?

Select all that apply

• Switzerland has many mountains

• Switzerland borders 5 countries

• There are 5 languages spoken in Switzerland

• Climbing or skiing is great fun

• There are many interesting places to visit in Switzerland

Paragraph Organisation

Read about the 3 parts of a paragraph on page 12 and then answer the questions.

Multiple Choice

Which part of the paragraph repeats the main idea and gives a final comment?

• The topic sentence

• The supporting sentences

• The conclusion

Multiple Choice

Which part of the paragraph introduces the main idea?

• The topic sentence

• The supporting sentences

• The conclusion

Multiple Choice

Which part of the paragraph explains the main idea?

• The topic sentence

• The supporting sentences

• The conclusion

Understanding a paragraph p.11

Read the paragraph on page 11 again and then answer the questions about paragraph organisation. Note there are 9 sentences labelled 1-9

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is the topic sentence?

• 1

• 2

• 6

• 9

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is the concluding sentence?

• 1

• 2

• 6

• 9

Multiple Select

Which of the sentences listed are supporting sentences?

Select all that apply

• 1

• 2

• 6

• 8

• 9

Good or bad?

Read paragraphs a, b & c on page 13 and then answer the questions about why they are good or bad?

Multiple Select

What are the problems with paragraph a?

select all that apply

• Not enough supporting sentences to explain the topic sentence

• No Concluding sentence

• Some of the supporting sentences are not connected to the topic sentence.

• There is no problem this is a good paragraph.

Multiple Select

What are the problems with paragraph b?

select all that apply

• Not enough supporting sentences to explain the topic sentence

• No Concluding sentence

• Some of the supporting sentences are not connected to the topic sentence.

• There is no problem this is a good paragraph.

Multiple Select

What are the problems with paragraph c?

select all that apply

• Not enough supporting sentences to explain the topic sentence

• No Concluding sentence

• Some of the supporting sentences are not connected to the topic sentence.

• There is no problem this is a good paragraph.