MODULE 1

USING APPROPRIATE GRAMMATICAL SIGNALS OR EXPRESSIONS SUITABLE

TO EACH PATTERN OF IDEA DEVELOPMENT (GENERAL TO PARTICULAR,
CLAIM AND COUNTERCLAIM)

• A paragraph is a group of sentences about a certain idea or topic. It is considered as one

of the building blocks of essays and all other genres of prose.
• Structure – This refers to the main parts of your paragraph: the topic sentence, the
supporting sentences, and the concluding sentence.
• The topic sentence presents the main idea of the paragraph. This is usually found at the
beginning, but can also be stated in the middle or the end. The topic sentence directs and
summarizes the paragraph.
• The supporting sentences provide details, facts, explanations, examples, etc. to expand
and discuss the topic sentence.
• The concluding sentence sums up the ideas in the paragraph. Usually, it restates the main
idea and sometimes provides conclusions about the paragraph.
• Idea Development and Organization – An effective paragraph should be unified, clear,
coherent, and well-developed. In developing your ideas, you can use different patterns.

General to Particular/Specific
• This is also known as the deductive method.
• You may start the paragraph with a broad topic followed by supporting details. This can
be done by providing examples, explanations and vivid descriptions about the topic.
• Signal words or transitions can also be used to express general and particular ideas.
• General ideas are broad and unspecific statements that need to be explained further.
• Signal words used for general statements – generally, primarily, largely, in general
• Signal words used for major details – first, second, third, another, furthermore, moreover,
in addition, next
• Particular or specific ideas clarify, describe, illustrate, provide examples, or explain
general ideas. They support the general idea.
• Signal words used for particular ideas – for instance, for example, to illustrate, to be
specific, specifically, particularly, such as, like

Claim and Counterclaim

• This includes arguments, their reasons, and evidence that proves your stand.
• A claim refers to a person’s stand on a certain subject or issue.
• A counterclaim pertains to the opposing viewpoint on a topic or a stand.
• Reasons and evidence are important in this because they support and explain the validity
of an argument.
• The use of signal verbs may suggest your stand on a specific topic.
• You can also use transition words or phrases to make your paragraph clear and cohesive.
• Transition words and signal verbs may be used to exhibit the relationship of the claim, the
reason and the evidence.
• Signal verbs for claims – agree, claim, conclude, discuss, illustrate, observe, say, show,
suggest, support, think, state, propose, present, point out, explain
• Signal words/verbs for counterclaims – argue, refute, disagree, oppose, contradict,
however, but, in contrast, otherwise, notwithstanding, in opposition, nevertheless, on the
 other hand/on the contrary, although…/even though…, while it may be true…still, others
may say that…but
• Signal words for citing evidence – according to..., evidence shows…, the work of ______
indicates…, the study reveals…, based on the evidence/data…, (the author) claims

MODULE 2
USING APPROPRIATE GRAMMATICAL SIGNALS OR EXPRESSIONS SUITABLE
TO EACH PATTERN OF IDEA DEVELOPMENT (PROBLEM-SOLUTION AND
CAUSE-EFFECT)

Problem-Solution
• Problem and Solution Text Structure is a pattern of organization where the idea of the
passage is showed as a dilemma or concerning issue (a problem) and something that needs
to be done to remedy this issue (solution or attempted solution).
• Here are the signal words and phrases: problem, solved, because, answer, led to, since, so
that, dilemma, question, solution, issue, puzzle, as a result of, disadvantage, in order to,
cause, I propose, if/then, the dilemma is, should, the problem is, consequently, therefore,
thereby
Example:
Problem – The fire destroyed the school building.
Solution – The school thereby requested the Department of Education (DepEd) for a new
building

Cause and Effect Relationship

• Cause – refers to the driving force in the text. It is the reason why things happen. It is the
thing that makes other things happen.
• Effect – refers to the result of an action or cause. It is what happened next in the text that
results from a prior cause.
• Signal words or transitions are signposts that help guide the reader through the writer’s
thoughts. They help connect the ideas in a text or the events in a story. Often, they do this
by answering implicit questions.
• In the case of cause and effect, these are the what of the effect and the why of the cause.
Different signal words can be used to recognize each.
• Cause (The Why) – Because, Because of, Since, As a result of, As a consequence of, Now
that, Due to
• Effect (The What) – So, Therefore, This resulted in, Consequently, Hence, Accordingly
Example:
 MODULE 3
EXPANDING THE CONTENT OF AN OUTLINE USING NOTES FROM PRIMARY
AND SECONDARY SOURCES

• An outline is a brief summary of a specific topic arranged in a systematic order using

letters and numbers.
• It contains the title, the main idea, the subtopics, and the supporting details.
• All entries are indented. Main topic is written in Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.),
subtopics in capital letters (A, B, C, etc.) and supporting details in small letters (a, b, c,
etc.)
• Outline is used to organize information in a logical and systematic manner.
• We can develop an outline through researching information using primary and
secondary sources.
• There are two types of an outline — the topic outline and the sentence outline.
• Words and phrases are used in a Topic Outline.
• Ideas in forms of a sentences are in a Sentence Outline.
• Primary Source provides first-hand evidence that originally and directly comes from
the main source of information. Among the few examples are artifacts,
autobiographies, emails, diaries, interviews, letters, photographs, surveys and
speeches.
• Secondary Source on the other hand, gives second-hand observation and details from
other researchers. Biographies, commentaries, dictionaries, documentaries, history
books, literary reviews and textbooks are some secondary sources of information.

MODULE 4
SYNTHESIZING ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOUND IN VARIOUS SOURCES
• A parable is a short story based on the teachings in the Bible. A parable illustrates moral
values which are helpful to its readers.
• Synthesis is the combination of different pieces of information into a whole.
• Synthesizing is about summarizing and analyzing various sources to create something new
• and meaningful.
• McCombes (2020) views synthesis as going beyond summarizing ideas from various
sources. This means that after summarizing the text, one must analyze and combine his/her
generalization and conclusion to the analysis made.
 • The pieces in the jigsaw puzzle represent different things: (1) source no. 1; (2) source
no. 2; and (3) your ideas and observation.
• Once these pieces fit together, a new idea emerges which is necessary in writing
academic essays or research papers.
• Assignments and essays are usually the various forms of academic writing which
learners, like you, do all the time. When making assignments, you should not only copy
the ideas from your source but also analyze them to create meaningful interpretation.

How to make synthesis of various text sources

1. Brainstorming
• Brainstorming is a way to think and list the things you already know about the topic.
• List and provide as many related pieces of information/ideas/quotes as you can for your
chosen topic.

2. Reading and Noting Key Points

• Read, research and gather information about the topic you are writing or interested
about.
• Use a table to organize or summarize your notes and thoughts.
• Summary is shortening and condensing a text leaving only important and essential
points to easily grasp the meaning of the text.
• When writing, make specific notes through organization charts or tables to arrange
information in an orderly manner.
• Effective notetaking includes paraphrasing and direct quotation.
• According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, paraphrasing is the process of restatement
or rewording of a text to give it a new taste or form, and to avoid copying the exact idea
or work from others.
• Paraphrasing means providing a version of a text other than the originaltext without
replacing it.
• Effective paraphrasing comprises of these five (5) steps:
1. Read the text carefully and thoroughly to find the main idea.
2. Record or highlight key words related to the main idea.
3. Form new sentences using the key words listed.
4. Compare your work with the original text, but remember that paraphrasing is not
condensing the material, rather it offers another version of the text.
5. Record the sources to credit the author of the original text.

3. Identifying similarities and differences from the sources

• Rereading the original text is essential in synthesis, which include identifying the
similarities and differences among the sources.
• The Venn Diagram is an effective tool to show and highlight these.
 4. Analyzing and writing your own statement about the topic
• Pull together the information you gained from various sources read and write them
using your own words.
• Do not forget to include citations of information from the source to avoid plagiarism.

MODULE 5
COMPOSING EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPHS
• A paragraph is a group of several sentences connected together by a single idea. It consists
of a topic sentence that expresses the main thought of the paragraph. This main thought
should be discussed in a greater detail with supporting sentences.
• A topic sentence indicates what information will follow, so it usually appears as the first
or second sentence of a paragraph.
• A good paragraph possesses the following elements: unity, coherence, and adequate
development.
• Unity – A paragraph should express a single thought that unifies all the sentences it has.
• Coherence – All sentences in a paragraph should clearly relate to one another systemically
or logically.
• Adequate Development – The topic of a paragraph should be discussed entirely and
sufficiently by providing supporting details.
• There are many ways to elaborate the main idea of a paragraph. You can make sure that
your paragraph is well-developed by using one or more methods below.
o Define your terms.
o Provide examples and illustrations.
o Explain a procedure.
o Compare and contrast.
o Evaluate cause and effect.
• An effective paragraph is unified, coherent, and well-developed.
• A new paragraph is needed when:
o You are switching to a new idea
o Emphasizing a contrasting argument
o You want to break up a lengthy paragraph
• Moreover, it is important to note that ideas between sentences and paragraphs should be
related, so that they flow smoothly. To do this, transition words and phrases are needed.
• Using transition words and phrases make your writing easier to read.