Paragraph Organization
An overview
What is a paragraph
A group of related sentences
Develop only one main idea
Made up of 1-10 sentences
Long enough to clearly develop the main
idea
3 major structural parts
A topic sentence
Supporting sentences
A concluding sentence
Topic sentence
State the main idea of the paragraph
Name the topic of the paragraph
Limit the topic to specific areas to be
covered in a single paragraph
Is consisted of two parts
A subject
A controlling idea
Ex: Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two
important characteristics.
Supporting Sentences
To develop/explain the topic sentence
Give reasons, examples, facts, statistics, and
quotations
Example:
First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is
resistant to corrosion. (reason)
Another important characteristic of gold is its
usefulness to industry and science. (example)
The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits.
(fact)
Concluding Sentence
Signals the end of a paragraph
Leaves the reader with important
points to remember
Unity
Discuss only one main idea in a
paragraph
Main idea stated in the topic sentence
Supporting sentences develop the
main idea
Coherence
Paragraph is easy to read and
understand
Supporting sentences in logical order
Ideas connected by appropriate
transitional signals
Useful phrases
First of all, for example, another
important characteristic, in conclusion
Elements of a good paragraph
A topic sentence
Supporting sentences
A concluding sentence
Unity
Coherence
The Topic Sentence
States the topic and the controlling
idea of the paragraph
Is a complete sentence
Usually the first sentence in the
paragraph
Indicate what the paragraph is going to
discuss
The Topic Sentence
A complete sentence
(S+V+complemement)
Non-examples
1. Driving on freeways
2. The importance of gold
3. How to register for college classes
Position of Topic Sentence
The first or the last sentence in a
paragraph
The first and the last sentence in a
paragraph
Sandwich-style paragraph
1. Long paragraph
2. Second topic sentence is the
concluding sentence
The Topic Sentence
A topic + a controlling idea
Example:
1. Driving on freeways requires skills and
alertness
2. Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two
important characteristics
3. Registering for college classes can be a
frustrating experience for new students.
The Topic Sentence-Tips
A general statement
Not give any specific details
Not to include too many unrelated ideas in
your topic sentence
Example
1. The slang expression so long is probably a
corruption of the Arabic salaam.
2. English is a difficult language to learn.
3. The Arabic origin of many English words is
not always obvious.
The Topic Sentence
Example
1. American food is terrible.
2. American food is tasteless and greasy
because Americans use too many
canned, frozen, and prepackaged
foods and because everything is fried
in oil or butter.
3. American food is tasteless and greasy.
The Topic Sentence
San Francisco is famous for its
temperate climate, its many tourist
attractions and its cosmopolitan
atmosphere.
Supporting Sentences
Facts:
Traditional American family relationships have
changed greatly in the last thirty years.
1. X out of x marriages end in divorce
2. X out of x children live in homes with only
one parent
3. X percent of couples living together are not
legally married.
Supporting Sentences
Examples:
Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world.
1. Cost of a dinner at a medium-priced
restaurant
2. Rent for an average two-bedroom
apartment
3. Cost of a ride on public transportation
4. Cost of a medium-priced hotel room
The Concluding Sentence
To tell the readers that the paragraph is finished
Is a general statement
Remind the reader of the topic sentence
How to do it
1. State the topic sentence in different words
2. Summarize some (or all) of the main points in the
paragraph
Useful end-of-paragraph signals
Finally, In conclusion, In summary, Therefore, thus,
As a result, Indeed, In brief, In short
The Concluding Sentence
Examples
1. Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning,
do not always have the same emotional meaning.
Therefore, you should be careful in choosing words
because many so-called synonyms are not really
synonymous at all.
2. Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important
characteristics.
In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its
beauty but also for its utility.
