Writing

English Proficiency Class

 Defining our terms

– Paragraph: group of sentences that focus on a single idea

– Topic: the one thing a paragraph is about
– Topic sentence (opening sentence): the sentence that tells what the paragraph is
about
– Main Idea (approach) : the author’s message about a topic. It is often expressed
directly, or it can be implied.
– Thesis statement: one sentence that sums up the entire argument of a paper.
– Supporting details: pieces of information that the author uses as evidence.
 Topic

 A general word or phrase (NOT a sentence) that tells who or what the
passage is about.
 Schools in Iraq
 Medical costs
 Music
 The effects of e-cigarettes on youth
 Coronavirus as a serious disease

– To determine the topic, ask yourself this question:

– What words are repeated in this text? (be sure to note repeated
pronouns that refer to repeated subjects)
 topic
– Eagles are large birds of prey that are members of
the falcon family. Like all birds of prey, eagles have
very large hooked beaks, strong legs, and powerful
talons or claws. Another advantage that eagles have
is their keen eyesight. Eagles can spot their prey
from very long distances because they have large
pupils.
 What is the topic?

– There’s something almost quite magical about

visual information. It’s effortless. It literally
pours in. If you’re navigating a dense
information jungle, coming across a beautiful
graphic or lovely data visualization is a relief.
It’s like coming across a clearing in the jungle.
In a writing assignment, or in writing your
own research, you usually know what topic
you will be writing about. Now you need to
determine what is it that you are going to say
about your topic. This is called: Finding the
main idea or approach.
 Main Idea or Approach

– What do I want my readers to understand or believe about the

topic?
– Each paragraph in a text should contain a main idea.
– One strategy is: Brainstorming
– List all ideas about your topic that come to mind.
Mind Mapping/ Clustering/ Branching

– Helps visualize ideas by

connecting similar ideas and
grouping them.
– Write the topic (or topics) in
the middle of the page
– Add new words or phrases to
the map connecting it to the
topic with a line.
Main Idea

– Topic: Pollution…Main Idea: I want my readers to

recognize the role of disposable cutlery in pollution
– Topic: Standardized Testing….Main Idea: I want my
teachers to support my opinion that Iraqi education
should reduce standardized testing
 Topic sentence

– The sentence that identifies the main idea of a paragraph.

– It states the point the writer wishes to make about the subject
– Topic + main idea = topic sentence
– Usually found at the beginning of each paragraph but it can also be in
the middle or at the end
– Must be general enough to express the paragraph’s overall subject,
but specific enough that the reader can understand the paragraph’s
main subject and point.
Topic + main idea = topic sentence

– Topic: selfies
– Main idea: give an unrealistic picture of
someone’s life
– Topic sentence:
The selfies people post online paint an unrealistic
picture of their lives
Topic + main idea = topic sentence

– Topic: cooking at home

– Main idea: I want my readers to know that
cooking at home can save money
– Topic sentence:
– Cooking at home will help families save money
because raw materials cost less.
 Supporting details

– Pieces of information that the author uses as evidence.

– Anecdotes: examples told as a story.
– Descriptions: appearance of someone or something using words that appeal to the senses.
– Examples: specific instances or illustrations (for example, or for instance)
– Expert analysis: opinion of someone knowledgeable about a topic.
– Facts: information that most people generally agree to be true (scientific principles, historical
events)
– Reflections: thoughts and feelings of the author. Often stated in first-persons such as I or me.
– Statistics: numbers or percentages that represent research data.
Note!

Supporting details or points in a paragraph are used

to explain, expand, support, or prove the main idea
(or the topic sentence or the approach). They
should not include irrelevant ideas and should not
contradict the main idea of the paragraph.
Find the Main idea and supporting details

– The physical environment of a classroom is extremely important because

it can influence the way teachers and students feel, think, and behave. If a
student feels pressured, under stress, unhappy, or unsafe, it would be
impossible for them to learn the lessons planned by the educator. Likewise,
if a teacher feels unhappy or disorganized because of the classroom's lack
of order or detail, the ability for them to teach is greatly diminished. The
environment of a classroom serves four basic functions: security, social
contact, pleasure, and growth. For real learning and teaching to take place,
all four of those needs must be met by the class space.
Let’s try finding the topic, main idea,
and supporting details on Google Forms

– https://forms.gle/2H3h75ELfsHu7PaG6
 Find the main idea

– Some natural oils, particularly those from lemon-scented plants, have

been found to keep mosquitos at bay. Citronella oil is an essential oil
made from lemongrass and can be an effective insect repellant.
Eucalyptus oil, made from the leaves of eucalyptus plants, is another
popular, natural insecticide. Using a combination of several essential
oils will create a stronger bug repellant whether you make it at home
or buy it ready-made. One disadvantage of natural oils is that they
require more frequent re-application, usually every thirty to sixty
minutes.
 Thesis Statement

– A thesis statement is one sentence that sums up the entire

argument of a paper or essay.
– It is always broader than the topic sentence
– It almost always appears near the end of the introduction.
Topic sentence (on the paragraph level)
Thesis Statement (on the essay level)
– Topic: cooking at home
– Main idea: I want my readers to know that cooking at home can save money
– Topic sentence:
– Cooking at home will help families save money because raw materials cost less.
– Thesis Statement:
– Cooking at home will help families save money because raw materials cost less, no
service or delivery fees are included, and leftovers can be used to create new meals
for other days.
 20 Find the thesis statement

Pause Before You Post: Social Media Etiquette

– While social media is usually a place for fun pictures and updates, you’ve
probably seen posts that spark a lot of action in the comments section.
Suddenly, you see your aunt fighting with someone from your fourth-
grade class and with terrible grammar, too! Then, you notice your friend
posting about how he can’t stand his little brother even though his
brother will most likely see it. While social media makes it easy and fun
to share our lives and keep in touch with one another, there are general
guidelines to help maintain polite social media etiquette.
Composition of an essay
Question, story, interesting
fact, example

Definitions of terms

Restates the topic sentence

and connects to the
following paragraph
 Let’s Practice

– Topic: Life in a village

– Main idea (approach): I want my readers to know that life
in a village is better than life in cities
– Topic sentence: Nowadays, most people prefer living in
cities, but I prefer to live in a village because life there is
much better and healthy.
Use the google form to mark the points that you believe can contribute to this main
idea
Relevant Points Irrelevant Points

– No pollution – I live in Rome

– People know each other – Villages in the south of Spain

are bigger than in the north
– Friendly people
– Last year, I visited a very
– Contact with nature beautiful village
– Life is cheaper – Nightlife is boring is boring in
the village
– Village people gossip and
stick their nose in my
business
Questions? Please
raise your hand!