Academic English Writing 1

The IELTS Tutor ACADEMIC ENGLISH WRITING
Achieve IELTS Success! UNIT 1: PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
What is a paragraph?
• group of related sentences

• one main idea
• 1-10 sentences
• stands by itself
• example test question: “Define management by objective, and give
one example of it from the reading you have done for this class.”
• one part of a longer piece of writing (eg. essay/book)
• marked by indentation (ie. spacing 1st word about ½ inch = 5 spaces
on computer from left margin)
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GOLD
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of
all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is
suitable for jewellery, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs
to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. For example, a
Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25
centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to
industry and science. For many years, it has been used in hundreds of
industrial applications, such as photography and dentistry. The most recent
use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields
for protection when they go outside spaceships in space. In conclusion,
gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.
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Writing Technique Questions
1. What is the topic of the paragraph?

2. What two main points does the writer make about the topic?
3. In which two sentences does the writer say that there are two
main points?
4. What examples does the writer use to support each point?
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The Three Parts of a Paragraph
1. topic sentence
2. supporting sentences
3. concluding sentence
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Topic sentence
• main idea
• topic of paragraph
• limits topic to specific area
• controlling idea
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GOLD
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Supporting sentences
• develop topic sentence

• give more information
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GOLD
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Concluding sentence
• end of paragraph
• provides important points to remember
• customary for stand-alone paragraphs
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GOLD
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The Topic Sentence
• most important sentence in paragraph

• shows what paragraphs is going to discuss
• better prepared to understand
3 important points to remember:

1. A topic sentence is a complete sentence:
one subject + one verb
eg Driving on freeways (not topic sentence)
How to register for college classes (not topic sentence)
The rise of indie films (not topic sentence)
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The Topic Sentence

1. A topic sentence is a complete sentence.
2. A topic sentence contains both a topic and controlling idea.
• names the topic and then limits the topic to a specific area to
be discussed
Example:
• Driving on freeways requires skill and alertness.
• Registering for college classes can be a frustrating experience for
new students.
• The rise of indie films is due to several factors.
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The Topic Sentence

1. A topic sentence is a complete sentence.
2. A topic sentence contains both a topic and controlling idea.
3. A topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph
because it gives only the main idea. It does not give any sepcific
details.
Example:
• The Arabic origin of many English words is not always obvious.
• The slang expression so long (meaning “good-bye”) is probably a
corruption of the Arabic “salaam”.
• English has been influenced by other languages.
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Position of Topic Sentences
• usually (but not always) the 1st sentence in a a paragraph

• sometimes in other locations
Synonyms
Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning, do not always
shave the same emotional meaning. For example, the words “stingy”
and “frugal” both mean “careful with money”. However, calling
someone stingy is an insult, but calling someone frugal is a
compliment. Similarly, a person wants to be slender but not skinny,
aggressive nut not pushy. Therefore, you should be careful in choosing
words because many so-called synonyms are not really synonymous at
all.
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Position of Topic Sentences
• sometimes appears at the end

• begins with series of examples
Medical Miracles to Come
By the year 2020, a vaccine against the common cold will have been
developed. By the same year, the first human will have been
successfully cloned. By the year 2034, parents will be able to create
designer children. Genetic therapy will be able to manipulate genes for
abilities, intelligence, and hair, eye, and skin colour. By 2050, most
diseases will be able to be diagnosed and treated at home, and by
2080, cancer and heart disease will have been wiped out. These are just
a few examples of the medical miracles that are expected in the next
few decades.
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Practice 1: Recognising Topic Sentences
Step 1:
• Read sentences in each group
• Decide which sentence is the best topic sentence
• Write TS on the line next to it
Step 2:
• Decide what is wrong with other sentences
• Are they too general? Too specific? Incomplete sentences?
• Write too general, too specific, or incomplete on the lines next to
them
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Group 1
1. A lunar eclipse is an omen of a coming disaster. too specific
2. Superstitions have been around forever. too general
3. People hold many superstitious beliefs about the moon. best TS
4. Is made of green cheese. incomplete
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Group 2
1. The history of astronomy is interesting. _______________
2. Ice age people recorded the appearance of new moons by making
scratches in animal bones. _______________
3. For example, Stonehenge in Britain, built 3500 years ago to track
the movement of the sun. _______________
4. Ancient people observed and recorded lunar and solar events in
different ways. _______________
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Group 3
1. It is hard to know which foods are safe to eat nowadays. __________
2. In some large ocean fish, there are high levels of mercury. ________
3. Undercooked chicken and hamburger may carry E. coli bacteria.
4. Not to mention mad cow disease. _______________
5. Food safety is an important issue. _______________
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Group 4
1. Hybrid automobiles are more economical to operate than gasoline-
powered cars. _______________
2. The new hybrid automobiles are very popular. _______________
3. Hybrid cars have good fuel economy because a computer under
the hood decides to run the electric motor, the small gasoline
engine, or the two together. _______________
4. The new hybrid automobiles are popular because of their fuel
economy. _______________
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Group 5
1. The North American Catawba Indians of the Southeast and the
Tlingit of the Northwest both see the rainbow as a kind of bridge
between heaven and earth. _______________
2. A rainbow seen from an aeroplane is a complete circle.
_______________
3. Many cultures interpret rainbows in positive ways. _______________
4. Rainbows are beautiful. _______________
5. The belief that you can find a pot of gold at a rainbow’s end.
_______________
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Paragraph 1
1. A notes/memo function lets you make quick notes to yourself.
_______________
2. Other capabilities include word processing, spreadsheets, and e-mail.
_______________
3. A voice recorder that uses a built-in microphone and speaker works like a
tape recorder. _______________
4. Basic tools include a calendar to keep track of your appointments, an
address and phone number book, to-do lists, and a calculator.
_______________
5. MP3 playback lets you listen to digital music files, and a picture viewer lets
you look at digital photos. _______________
6. Most smartphones have tools for basic tasks as well as for multimedia
functions. _______________
7. A few models also include a built-in digital camera and keyboard.
_______________
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The IELTS Tutor ACADEMIC ENGLISH WRITING

Achieve IELTS Success! UNIT 1: PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

• group of related sentences

Writing Technique Questions

1. What is the topic of the paragraph?

The Three Parts of a Paragraph

• develop topic sentence

The Topic Sentence

• most important sentence in paragraph

3 important points to remember:

The Topic Sentence

The Topic Sentence

3 important points to remember:

Position of Topic Sentences

• usually (but not always) the 1st sentence in a a paragraph

Position of Topic Sentences

• sometimes appears at the end

Practice 1: Recognising Topic Sentences

Practice 1: Recognising Topic Sentences

Practice 1: Recognising Topic Sentences

Practice 1: Recognising Topic Sentences

Practice 1: Recognising Topic Sentences

Practice 1: Recognising Topic Sentences

Practice 1: Recognising Topic Sentences

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