UNIT1: PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

UNIT GOALS
By the end of this unit students will be able to:

• Identify the structure of a paragraph

• Write the topic sentence, the supporting
sentences and the concluding sentence
• Evaluate a paragraph for its unity and
coherence
 What is the paragraph?
It is a group of sentences that develop one main idea.
Example:

Owning a car can be expensive. First, you have the purchase of the car itself. If
you get the cheapest new car in the showroom, you will end up paying about
$10,000. Before you can drive the car home, you have to finance the car.
Unless you have $10,000 in cash, you will have to get a loan with high interest
rates and pay a monthly note of around $250. Buying the car, however, is just
the beginning of your expenses. Next, you have to buy gasoline at over a dollar
a gallon. If you drive an average of 100 miles a week and get 35 miles per
gallon, you will end up spending $6 to $10 a week on gas. That is about $40 a
month. Add to that the expenses you have for maintenance, such as tune-ups
and lubrications, and you have another $35 per month. All of these add up to
about $350 a month—a big chunk of anyone's paycheck!
• What is the topic sentence?
- The first sentence in a paragraph
- Introduce the topic and the main idea of How many parts
the paragraph (controlling idea) are there in a
paragraph?
• What are supporting sentences?
- Provide supporting points that explain
the controlling idea. A paragraph is made up
of three components:
- Provide details that explain each
supporting point. - topic sentence
- supporting sentences
• What is the concluding sentence?
- concluding sentence
- The last sentence in a paragraph
- Restates the controlling idea and
summarizes the supporting points
 TOPIC CONTROLLING SUPPORTING
IDEA POINT 1

Owning a car can be expensive. First, you have the

purchase of the car itself. If you get the cheapest new car in
SUPPORTING
the showroom, you will end up paying about $10,000. Before DETAILS
you can drive the car home, you have to finance the car.
Unless you have $10,000 in cash, you will have to get a loan
with high interest rates and pay a monthly note of around
$250. Buying the car, however, is just the beginning of your SUPPORTING
expenses. Next, you have to buy gasoline at over a dollar a POINT 2
gallon. If you drive an average of 100 miles a week and get
35 miles per gallon, you will end up spending $6 to $10 a
week on gas. That is about $40 a month. Add to that the SUPPORTING
POINT 3
expenses you have for maintenance, such as tune-ups and
lubrications, and you have another $35 per month. All of
these add up to about $350 a month _ a big chunk of
anyone's paycheck! CONCLUDING
SENTENCE
The outline
Topic sentence: Owning a car can be expensive.
Topic: Owning a car
Controlling idea: can be expensive
Supporting sentences:
Supporting point 1: paying for the car
Supporting details:
- paying about $10,000
- Get a loan with high interest rates and pay a monthly note of around $250

Supporting point 2: paying for gasoline

Supporting details: spending $6 to $10 a week on gas
Supporting point 3: paying for maintenance
Supporting details: tune-ups and lubrications, and you have another $35 per month
Concluding sentence:

All of these add up to about $350 a month _ a big chunk of anyone's paycheck!
 Writing a topic sentence
What is a good topic sentence?
• It has a topic and controlling idea.
Example : Owning a car can be expensive.
• It focuses on one idea.
Example: Da Lat city is famous for its comfortable climate and its tourist attractions.
-> The correct topic sentence: Da Lat city is famous for its comfortable climate.
• It is not general.
Example: 1. The Starry Night is a good painting. (Too general)
• It is not a fact.
Example: In this painting there are many stars in the sky. (Too specific)
• This is a good topic sentence.
Example: The Starry Night, by Vincent Van Gogh, depicts a romantic starry sky over a
village. (Topic sentence)
 Writing supporting sentences
Good supporting sentences explain the topic sentence by giving reasons,
examples, facts, statistic, explanation, quotations... They often answer
questions who, what, where, when, why, how. ..
Example:
• explanation: The family moved from the village to the capital for
economic reason. (WHY)
• description: She lived in a lonely, three-story castle surrounded by forest.
(WHERE)
• reasons: Lan finally quit her job because of the stressful working. (WHY)
• facts: More than ten percent of the university's student population is
international. (HOW MANY)
• examples: Oranges and grapefruits grow in Mekong delta. (WHAT)
Writing a concluding sentence
The closing sentence signals the end of the paragraph. It
- summarizes the main point of your paragraph.
- gives a final comment on the topic
- leaves the readers with the most important ideas to think
about.
• The signals to end the paragraph:
Finally, As a result,
In conclusion, Indeed,
In summaryIn brief,
In a nut shell, In short,
Coherence and Unity
Coherence
- The ideas in a paragraph flow smoothly from one
sentence to the next sentence. --- the readers
can understand the writer’s thought easily.
- Two ways to make a paragraph coherent:
1. Organizing the supporting sentences in a logical
order
2. Using the transitional expressions to show the
relationship between sentences
• Time order: This is used in narration and
process. Details are listed as they occur in time.
• Space order: This is used in description.
One direction should be chosen and maintained:
- from far to near or near to far;
- from right to left or left to right;
- from the top to bottom or vice verse…
ORGARNIZATION
• Emphatic order: This is used when the ideas The order used to
are not equal in weight. arrange the points that
support the controlling
The order to present the ideas: idea
- from the most important idea to the least
important one
- from the least important idea to the most
important one.
-> The most important idea is often left to the
end to make a greater impact to the readers.
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EXAMPLE
Although the process for applying to an American university is
not complicated, it is important to follow each step. First of all,
choose several schools that you are interested in attending. Next,
write to these schools to ask for information, catalogs, and
applications. You may want to visit the schools’ Web sites. After you
have researched several schools, narrow your list to between three
and five schools. Then mail all the required forms and documents
only to your final list of three and five schools. If the school of your
choice requires you to take a standardized test, such as the SAT, ACT,
or TOEFL, be sure to do so early. In addition, ask various school
officials and teachers to write letters of recommendation for you if
the university requires them. Finally, almost all schools have an
application fee. This fee should be sent in the form of check or
money order. One last piece of advice is to start early because
thousands of high school students are all applying at the same time.
(Adapted from Keith et al., 2010)
Transitions are signals that help readers follow the direction of the

writer’s thought.
Additional signals:
EXAMPLE: in addition next moreover
furthermore also and
the second reason another reason
Change-of-direction signals: TRANSITIONS
EXAMPLE: but however
in contrast on the contrary
Although/ though otherwise
on the other hand
Illustration signals:
EXAMPLE: for example,/for instance
such as
Conclusion signals:
As a result In conclusion In summary
In brief In a nut shell In short
Consequently Last of all
Time signals:
first then next then after
before while meanwhile soon
Space signals:
next to on the opposite side across to the left/ to the right
above below nearby
 Impress for Success
When it is time to be evaluated by your professors, you want them to Topic
remember you in a positive way. As an experienced student, I know that it is easier sentence
to make a good impression on your course instructors if you follow these
fundamental steps. First, before you go to class, do all of the assigned reading
and homework. Good preparation will help you to follow the professor's lecture more
Supporting details

easily, ask intelligent questions, and keep up with the class. Second, arrive for class a
few minutes early. That way, you can get a good seat and have enough time to get
Supporting
organized. You want to be ready so that you will not disturb the professor or your sentences
classmates while the class is going on. For the same reason, you should also turn off
your cell phone as you are getting ready. Next, participate actively throughout the
lesson. Smile, nod, and make eye contact with your instructor. Take notes. If the Supporting
professor asks a question, it is not necessary for you to jump at the chance to answer. points
However, if no one else speaks up, show what you know. If there is something that you
do not understand, wait for an appropriate time to ask about it. Finally, when the
class meeting ends, remain seated. Take a few minutes to collect your belongings
and make last-minute additions to your notes. If you still have questions, talk to your
professor in the classroom. Alternatively, you can send an email or clear up your
confusion during the professor's office hours. If you follow these steps in all of your
courses, you will be better prepared for your tests, and your teachers will be Concluding
ready to give the good grades that you deserve. sentence
(Adapted from Oshima & Hogue, 2017)
Unity
Paragraph unity means that one
paragraph is about ONLY ONE main topic. If
your paragraph contains a sentence or some
sentences that are NOT related to the main
topic (irrelevant sentences), then it does not
have a unity.
Example
Read the paragraph and cross out the irrelevant sentences.

Smoking cigarettes can be an expensive habit. Smoking is hazardous

to your health. Considering that the average price per pack of
cigarettes is 75 cents, people smoke two packs of cigarettes a day
spend $1.50 per day on their habit. At the end of one year, these
smokers have spent at least $547.50. Several years ago, a medical
study clearly showed the link of nicotine found in cigarettes with the
development of cancer. However, the price of cigarettes is not the
only expense cigarette smokers incur. Since cigarette smoke has an
offensive odor clothing, stuffed furniture, and carpet, smokers often
find that these items must be cleaned more frequently than
nonsmokers do. Although it is difficult to estimate the cost of this
additional expense, one can see that this hidden expense does
contribute to making smoking an expensive habit.
(Adapted from Smalley, R.L., Ruetten, M.K., & Kozyrev J. R., 2001)
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Thank you for your attention!