Paragraphs

Before you listen

You are going to watch a short lecture on paragraphs. Before you watch, read the sentences below
and complete them using the words from the box.

particular idea clearly states

always longer four elements

1. There are ___________ ___________ that you need to know about paragraphs

2. In academic texts, the paragraphs are nearly ___________ ___________ .

3. The sentences in the paragraph are all related to one ___________ ___________ .

4. This is the topic sentence that ___________ ___________ the paragraph’s main idea

Listening

Now watch the lecture and check your answers. You can look at the video to read the examples or
read them below.
Listen again

How much of the lecture can you remember? Work with a partner to try to answer the following
questions. Then watch the lecture again and see if your answers are correct.

1. What is the least number of sentences you should write in a paragraph in this course?

__________________________________________________

2. How many main ideas should there be in a paragraph?

__________________________________________________

3. What are the two main parts of a paragraph?

__________________________________________________

4. What is the purpose of a topic sentence?

__________________________________________________

5. What makes a good topic sentence?

__________________________________________________

6. The supporting sentences in example 2:

q introduce fruit and vegetables.

q contribute to good health.

q give three ways fruit and vegetables are good for health.

7. The supporting sentences in example 3:

q are not so good.

q are about different types of fruit and vegetables and how they improve health.

q are not about fruit and vegetables.

8. For example 4, why is sentence D the best topic sentence?

__________________________________________________
Focus on writing: Topic sentences

The three paragraphs below do not have topic sentences. Choose the topic sentence which best
introduces the topic and main idea of the paragraph.

a) Paragraph 1

___________________________________________. Flights can be bought through travel agents,

the internet or directly from airlines. To minimise costs, the best advice is to shop around and
compare prices. Try to travel early in the day or late at night as flights at these times are often less
expensive. Also, avoid travelling during peak times like Christmas or Chinese New Year. At these
times, prices can be over double their usual cost.

The best topic sentence is:

a) Air tickets are hard to find.

b) Cheap air tickets can be found quite easily.

c) Travel is a great way to broaden your education.

d) Travelling by air is the fastest way to go.

b) Paragraph 2

___________________________________________. It accounts for around 2% of an adult's total

body weight, which is a larger proportion than any other mineral. Most of the body's calcium (about
99%) is found in the teeth and the bones. Calcium is also found in almost every cell in the body,
where it is used to send messages through the nervous system, help blood clot and regulate the
heart’s rhythm.

The best topic sentence is:

a) Calcium is the most plentiful mineral found in the human body.

b) Calcium is a mineral found in the human body.

c) Calcium is a mineral.

d) Calcium is found in a range of foods.

c) Paragraph 3

___________________________________________. A single tree can take up 2000 litres of water

from the ground every year. It releases most of this water from its leaves as water vapour. This
water vapour is then added to water vapour from other sources to form clouds. It eventually returns
to the ground in the form of rain or snow. Trees’ ability to move large amounts of water from one
place to another has a significant effect on the global climate.
The best topic sentence is:

a) Water is important for trees.

b) Trees’ use of water has a vital role in the world's climate.

c) Trees form clouds by releasing water.

d) The world climate is affected by nature.

Writing

Read the supporting sentences for each paragraph and write a topic sentence that clearly states the
topic and main idea of the paragraph.

Paragraph 1

_____________________________________________________________________________.
Cocoa, from which chocolate is made, contains chemicals which have been shown to relax blood
vessels and lower blood pressure (Wang et al, 2014). When blood pressure is lowered, there is a
reduced risk of health problems such as stroke and heart disease. The effects of cocoa consumption
on the heart have been found to be similar to those of blood pressure medicine (Suarez, 2015).
Therefore, research indicates that small amounts of chocolate can result in heart-health benefits.

Paragraph 2

_____________________________________________________________________________.
Reading to children actually helps them to learn to read because it helps them to see the link
between words on a page and the meanings they have (Jones & Mitchell, 2013). It also help infants
to see books and reading as a positive experience. This is because ‘story-time’ is usually a relaxed
and enjoyable, one-to-one experience between a parent and child. To help children learn, adults
should read to children.