Writing Paragraph

PARAGRAPH WRITING

Writing good paragraph makes other people understand your written work.

WRITING A GOOD PARAGRAPH

Study the expository paragraph below.

EXPOSITORY PARAGRAPH

In an expository paragraph, you give information. You explain a subject, give directions, or show how something happens. In expository writing, linking words like first, second, then, and finally are usually used to help readers follow the ideas.

Studying at home due to coronavirus challenges many young people to stay positive. First, some students start doing things that made them smile and that gave them energy in the past. For example, making origami stimulates their creativity. Another example to free their emotions is to put their thoughts on a piece of paper or in a document on their laptop. Second, other students find other ways to entertain themselves through reading. When they are running out of books and the bookstores are closed, they access the Internet via their phone or laptop. Finally, other young people make handcrafts and play musical instruments to keep their mood up. They believe this is an opportunity to try new things and not only to do homework. So, doing different types of creativity makes these young people more prepared for current situation.

Let's analyse the paragraph above.

• The topic sentence (in green) in the example lets the reader know that the paragraph will talk about the activities done by students at home due to coronavirus.

• Immediately following the topic sentence is the first supporting sentence (all underlined) and followed by detail/example sentence(s) in red. Finally, the closing sentence neatly ties back to the topic sentence - in blue - by rephrasing it.

More ....

• Notice the use of transitional words (First, Second, Finally) to help the reader follow the ideas.

• Also, notice that there is no “I” or “you” words anywhere in the paragraph.

Tips for Writing an Argumentative Paragraph

• An argumentative  paragraph is used when you  are arguing for or against a CLAIM or when you are trying to persuade someone to agree with you.

• If you are asked to write a paragraph that: Argues, Evaluates, Proposes, Persuades

  you will be writing a persuasive paragraph.​

  
  

Organizing Your Argumentative Paragraph

• The organization of an argumentative paragraph is similar to an expository paragraph, but a persuasive paragraph includes a COUNTERARGUMENT.

• 
  

Study the paragraph below!

There are two reasons why I agree to the idea, "To encourage healthy eating, higher taxes should be imposed on soft drinks and junk food." First, consumers may ignore that soft drinks and junk food are high in calories from sugar and fat. They are harmful to their health. Imposing higher taxes on such products would discourage mass purchasing and positively impact our society by curbing obesity rates and heart attacks in people at young age. Second, the tax revenue collected can be used to subsidize fresh fruits and veggies that are naturally grown. By doing this, people will be drawn to buying fresh and healthful produce that currently it's too expensive. Being aware of harmful products and promoting affordable healthful food and drinks are the purposes of imposing higher taxes. 

Let's analyse the paragraph.

• The sentence in red is the topic sentence.

• The sentences in green are supporting sentences level-1 that support each topic sentence.

• The sentences in blue are supporting sentences level-2 that support supporting sentences level-1.

• The sentence in italic and underlined is concluding sentence.

Multiple Choice

Expository text should give information that is _________.

• non-fiction

• fictional

Multiple Choice

Which type of sentence would this topic sentence best go with: The Himalayan Mountains are the tallest mountains in the world.

• expository

• argumentative

Multiple Choice

A well‐written paragraph should ________ .

• focus on a single, coherent idea.

• consist of logically connected sentences.

• Both a and b

Multiple Choice

Most paragraphs can function as ________ .

• miniature essays, each with a main topic and related sentences to support it.

• thesis statements, summarizing the key arguments in the body of the paper.

Multiple Choice

Every argument begins with one of these.

• evidence

• claim

• reason

Multiple Choice

What is 'claim' in argumentative writing?

• The writer’s position that he/she is trying to prove

• Facts and statistics to support ideas

Multiple Choice

If your claim is, “Students should wear school uniforms,” your counterclaim would be ____

• I don’t like school uniforms because they are ugly.

• Students should not wear school uniforms.

Multiple Choice

What is an argument?

• A statement of position on an issue.

• A discussion that involves opposing views on an issue; a fact or statement offered as proof or evidence

Multiple Choice

Do you sate information about the argument in the introduction?

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Which two paragraphs are the most similar?

• Introduction and Conclusion

• Conclusion and Body Paragraphs

• Introduction and Body Paragraphs