Academic

English
Week 4 session 1

Mariyam Rehan
Introduction to
academic writing
and paragraphs
 Essay Level Paragraph Level
Thesis statement Topic sentence

Body paragraphs Supporting details, explanation, analysis

Conclusion Wrap-up sentence(s)

What is a paragraph?

•A paragraph is a group of sentences that convey an idea.

• Each sentence works together as part of a unit to create an overall thought or
impression.
• Paragraphs can stand alone or function as part of an essay, but each paragraph
covers only one main idea.
Structure of a paragraph
Topic sentence
Supporting details
Concluding sentence
Features of a paragraph
•A paragraph has a topic sentence that states the main idea.
•All of the sentences in a paragraph are about one topic.
•The first line of a paragraph is intended.
•The last sentence, or concluding sentence brings the paragraph to a logical
conclusion.
The most important sentence in your paragraph is the topic
sentence, which clearly states the subject of the whole
paragraph. The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of the
paragraph because it gives an overview of the sentences to follow.

The supporting sentences after the topic sentence help to

develop the main idea. These sentences give specific details
related to the topic sentence.

A final or concluding sentence often restates or summarizes the

main idea of the topic sentence.
Topic sentence
•A topic sentence is a precise statement that reflects the main idea of the paragraph.
• It should be carefully written as it will show the reader what you are going to talk
about.
•Words chosen for this should not be cluttered and ambiguous as readers will decide
to read further based on this.
•It is not necessary to write the topic sentence at the beginning of the paragraph. It can
be put anywhere, as long as it reflects the main topic.
• For instance, if you mention that you are going to talk about the advantages of using
the hand sanitizer, then in supporting sentence you should only talk about
advantages, not the features or anything else.
Supporting sentences
•Supporting sentences explain the topic sentence in detail.
•They expand the main topic and develop the main idea into the explanation.
• They explain the main topic using examples, facts, quotes, etc.
•They have to be related to the topic sentence.
•There can be two types of Supporting sentences, First, The major supporting
sentence; this sentence directly explains the main idea with some new fact or new
idea. Second, a minor support sentence helps the major supporting sentence develop
the controlling idea.
Concluding sentence
• A good concluding sentence brings a paragraph to a polished end.
•It may give a summary of the main topic, a concluding sentence also gives a final
take on the topic and leaves the reader with complete information.
• A good conclusion can either be just reiterating the topic again or it could be
concluded with a few main points which were not exclusively mentioned in the
paragraph.
Effective paragraphs
•An effective paragraph contains:
a topic sentence that states the main point of the paragraph
supporting sentences with details and specific examples as proof of your point
logical, coherent thoughts that are developed in order from one sentence to the next
a concluding idea that wraps up the point of the paragraph
Effective topic sentences
•An effective topic sentence:
informs the reader of the subject that will be discussed in the paragraph
asserts the writer’s point of view or attitude
intrigues the reader to continue reading
creates a sense of action
is not vague, rambling, too narrow or too broad
My first day
My first day of college was a disaster. First, I went to the wrong classroom for
math. I was sitting in the class, surrounded by people taking notes and paying
attention to how to do equations, which would have been okay if I was supposed to
be in an algebra class. In reality, I was supposed to be in geometry, and when I
discovered my error, I had already missed the first twenty minutes of a one-hour
class. When I got to the correct class, all twenty-five students turned and looked at
me as the teacher said, "You're late." That would have been bad enough, but in my
next class my history teacher spoke so fast I could not follow most of what they said.
The only thing I did hear was that we were having a quiz tomorrow over today’s
lecture. My day seemed to be going better during botany class, that is, until we
visited the lab. I had a sneezing fit because of one of the plants in the lab and had to
leave the room. When I finally finished my classes for the day, I discovered I had
locked my keys in the car and had to wait for my brother to bring another set. My first
day of school was so bad that I know the rest will have to be better.
In the above paragraph, the topic sentence appears in bold and the concluding
sentence in italics. The sentences in between support and develop the topic sentence
by giving specific examples and details. These examples are the writer’s “proof” of
their bad first day of school.
Expository Paragraph
An expository paragraph’s primary purpose is to provide information and or
explanation of something.
 The name “expository” suggests that a topic is “exposed” through the writing.
 In an expository paragraph, the writer would want to be sure to provide details and
explanations that allow the reader to better understand the topic.
Persuasive Paragraph
The purpose of a persuasive paragraph is to convince an audience to agree with the
writer’s point of view.
The writer must support the idea with relevant facts and examples.
 In order to be effective, the writer should consider the audience when making
choices about what kind of evidence to include in the paragraph.
Descriptive Paragraph
A descriptive paragraph uses sensory details to describe someone or something.
Sensory details are descriptions that appeal to the reader’s physical senses: sight,
sound, taste, touch, and smell.
 A well-written descriptive paragraph allows the reader to form a picture in his or her
mind as he or she reads.
Writers should include vivid adjectives and action verbs to help the reader with this
process.
Narrative Paragraph
A narrative paragraph tells about an event.
The term personal narrative means that the writer is writing about an event that
happened in his or her personal life experience.
Narratives should have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Most narratives are told in chronological order and use transitions (like “next” or
“then”) to help the audience understand the flow of time. Narratives utilize
descriptive writing and contain sensory details (imagery). Narrative writing is the
basis of both fiction and non-fiction stories.