Learning about paragraphs

1. Learning about paragraphs *Parts of a Paragraph *How to Write a Paragraph *Kinds of Paragraphs

2. Parts of a Paragraph • Topic Sentence • Supporting Details • Closing Sentence

3. What is the topic sentence? The topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph. What does it do? It introduces the main idea of the paragraph. How do I write one? Summarize the main idea of your paragraph. Indicate to the reader what your paragraph will be about. Example: There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live. Topic Sentence

4. What are supporting sentences? They come after the topic sentence, making up the body of a paragraph. What do they do? They give details to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph. How do I write them? You should give supporting facts, details, and examples. Example: There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live. Supporting Details

5. What is the closing sentence? The closing sentence is the last sentence in a paragraph. What does it do? It restates the main idea of your paragraph. How do I write one? Restate the main idea of the paragraph using different words. Example: There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live. Closing Sentence

6. How to Write a Paragraph • Prewriting Paragraphs • Writing Paragraphs • Editing Paragraphs • Publishing Paragraphs

7. Prewriting Paragraphs • What is the prewriting stage? The prewriting stage is when you think carefully and organize your ideas for your paragraph before you begin writing.

8. Six Prewriting Steps: • Think carefully about what you are going to write. Ask yourself: What question am I going to answer in this paragraph or essay? How can I best answer this question? What is the most important part of my answer? How can I make an introductory sentence (or thesis statement) from the most important part of my answer? What facts or ideas can I use to support my introductory sentence? How can I make this paragraph or essay interesting? Do I need more facts on this topic? Where can I find more facts on this topic? • Open your notebook. Write out your answers to the above questions. You do not need to spend a lot of time doing this; just write enough to help you remember why and how you are going to write your paragraph or essay.

9. Six Prewriting Steps: 3. Collect facts related to your paragraph or essay topic. Look for and write down facts that will help you to answer your question. Timesaving hint: make sure the facts you are writing are related to the exact question you are going to answer in your paragraph or essay. 4. Write down your own ideas. Ask yourself: What else do I want to say about this topic? Why should people be interested in this topic? Why is this topic important? 5. Find the main idea of your paragraph or essay. Choose the most important point you are going to present. If you cannot decide which point is the most important, just choose one point and stick to it throughout your paragraph or essay.

10. Six Prewriting Steps: 6. Organize your facts and ideas in a way that develops your main idea. Once you have chosen the most important point of your paragraph or essay, you must find the best way to tell your reader about it. Look at the facts you have written. Look at your own ideas on the topic. Decide which facts and ideas will best support the main idea of your paragraph. Once you have chosen the facts and ideas you plan to use, ask yourself which order to put them in the paragraph. Write down your own note set that you can use to guide yourself as you write your paragraph or essay.

11. Writing Paragraphs • What is the writing stage?The writing stage is when you turn your ideas into sentences.

12. Writing Paragraphs • Five Writing Steps: • Open your notebook and word processor • Write the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and closing sentence. • Write clear and simple sentences to express your meaning.
 • Focus on the main idea of your paragraph. • Use the dictionary to help you find additional words to express your ideas.

13. Editing Paragraphs • What is the editing stage? The editing stage is when you check your paragraph for mistakes and correct them.

14. Grammar and Spelling • Check your spelling. • Check your grammar. • Read your essay again. • Make sure each sentence has a subject. • See if your subjects and verbs agree with each other. • Check the verb tenses of each sentence. • Make sure that each sentence makes sense.

15. Style and Organization • Make sure your paragraph has a topic sentence. • Make sure your supporting sentences focus on the main idea. • Make sure you have a closing sentence. • Check that all your sentences focus on the main idea. • See if your paragraph is interesting.

16. Kinds of Paragraphs • Definition • Classification • Description • Compare and Contrast • Narrative

17. Definition Paragraph When writing a definition paragraph, you take a thing or an idea and explain what it is. Example: Write a paragraph giving the definition of a pest. The following words can help you to write a good definition paragraph: • "is defined as” Example: A pest is defined as any animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property. • "is a kind of” Example: A pest is a kind of animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property.

18. Classification Paragraph When writing a classification paragraph, you group things or ideas into specific categories. Example:   Write a paragraph discussing two types of energy resources. Coal is a kind of non-renewable resource. Energy resources can be divided into two types. Coal is a type of non-renewable resource. Coal falls under the category of non-renewable resources. Coal belongs to the category of non-renewable resources. Coal is a part of the category of non-renewable resources. Coal fits into the category of non-renewable resources.

19. Description Paragraph In a description paragraph, you are writing about what a person, place, or thing is like. Sometimes, you may describe where a place is located. Example: Write a paragraph describing what a polar bear looks like. Polar bears are large and stocky with hind limbs that are longer than the forelimbs, and a long neck. They have large, furry feet that act as snowshoes. Their creamy-white fur is dense and water-repellent, enabling them to shake dry after swimming.

20. Compare and Contrast Paragraph In a compare and contrast paragraph, you write about the similarities and differences between two or more people, places, things, or ideas. Example:  To write a paragraph comparing the weather in Vancouver and Halifax, the following words can help you: Spring weather in Vancouver is similar to spring weather in Halifax. Both Vancouver and Halifax have rain in the spring. Halifax also has a rainy spring season. Halifax has a rainy spring season, too. As well, Halifax has rainy spring season. On the other hand, winter is much colder in Halifax. However, winter is much colder in Halifax. Vancouver has a mild winter, but Halifax has a cold one. In contrast to Vancouver, Halifax has a cold winter. Halifax differs from Vancouver by having a cold winter. While Vancouver has a mild winter, Halifax has a cold winter.

21. Narrative Paragraph The narrative paragraph tells about one main incident or happening. The author brings the incident to life so the reader shares the experience. It should be written in logical order. It describes what a person does over a period of time.

22. How to write a Narrative Paragraph How to Write the Narrative Paragraph: • Have a topic sentence that arouses the reader's interest. • You can describe a scene or introduce characters. • Build your paragraph around onemain incident. Here is where your action takes place. • Write the event in the orderthat it occurred. Do notskip around. • Your ending should satisfy your reader's expectations. Bring your paragraph to a close. Signal Words and Phrases: next, then, while, after, first after while, a little later, at the same time, during the morning, later that night

23. Narrative Paragraph Example of Narrative Paragraph:   Yesterday evening I got home from school around 4 o'clock.  My mother had dinner prepared which we ate as soon as Dad came home from work. After eating, I helped mother clear the table and do the dishes. After we got the kitchen cleaned, I had to sit and do my homework. Mother always says, "No television until your homework is done".  I finally got my math finished, so I went into the family room and turned on the television. I was watching American Idol, when the phone rang. It was my best friend, Amy. I talked to her for awhile then it was time for bed. I put on my pajamas and turned on my favorite CD. I finally started to get sleepy around 9:30. The next thing I knew, mother was calling me to get ready for school.

24. Descriptive Writing Techniques • Describe from memory Take the topic or object that you are going to write about and picture it in your mind. Take yourself to where that object is located. It maybe a room in your home, a favorite animal, or maybe it is fresh, homemade cookies. Imagine that you are close enough to touch the object. Can you feel it? Look at it closely. What does it look like? What do you feel as you are imagining the object you are going to describe? Use these thoughts to generate free writing. Write every detail about the object that you can remember. • Sketch Draw a picture of your object. Visualize it in your mind and sketch from memory, or place yourself comfortably near the object. Allow yourself to fully explore the object and then draw what you experience. Don't worry about not being an artist. This sketch is just for you to help you fully explore the details of the object. Sketching the object also gives you a creative outlet for when you are struggling with putting pen to paper.

25. Descriptive Writing Techniques • Objective and subjective data chart For many the best way to really get some ink flowing in all directions for a descriptive piece is to break apart the subjective and objective material. A good way to do this is to take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the top of one side of the line write the word objective and on the top of the other side of the line write the word subjective. Now, keeping your topic in mind write everything you can think of that is objective about the object. If you think of something subjective don't worry, just write it in the other column. Do this until you have exhausted yourself or the store runs out of paper. Don't worry about having complete sentences; just get ideas on paper. With this, you have a good start to writing a descriptive piece. All the details are right in front of you. You may also discover which way you would like to lean toward in regards to whether or not you want your piece of writing to be more subjective, more objective or balanced.

26. Descriptive Writing Techniques • Create a list of desired outcomes for your descriptive piece The big advantage to this is direction. If you have no idea where you are going with your piece of writing about your Kermit the Frog underwear, then you may want to do some brainstorming on what you want to accomplish. Do you want the reader to be moved by the piece because the object is special to you? Do you want the reader to rush out of their house and drive to yours because you are trying to sell your car? Think about what you for an outcome both for you and the reader. Write them down on a piece of paper (or type them).

27. Descriptive Writing Techniques • Different degrees of objective & subjective balance with different paragraphs When you have a good feel for your topic, write a couple of paragraphs with different objective and subjective balance. Write one paragraph that is completely objective. For example, something you would find in the classifieds section of your newspaper. Then write a short paragraph that is heavily subjective. Do a couple different paragraphs to get a feel for what would work best for your object with regards to your intended reader and your relationship to the object. For instance, if you are writing about your favorite chair, you may find it makes more sense, and is more fun to write about it with the balance leaning toward subjective writing.