Paragraphs

Andrés Felipe Gil Rueda

Juliana Victoria Ballén Calixto

Tania Alexandra Castiblanco Navia

Paragraphs

such as papers, novels articles among others.

from para- + graphein to write.

Narrative

Expository

PersuasiveDescriptive

of any written expression

From Greek paragraphos

to write alongside,

Paragraphs are the building blocks

What is a paragraph?

Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. A paragraph is defined as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.

Paragraph Structure

COMPONENT FUNCTION

Topic sentence (s)

• To introduce and clearly state the main idea/point that you intend to develop

• To preview for the reader the kinds of information that the rest of the paragraph is likely to contain

• To link back to you thesis or the immediatly preceding argument

Development of ideas

• To elaborate the new idea that you have introduced. Elaboration may include analysis, examples and persuasion, or any combination of these

Concluding sentence

• To round off what you have said so far in your paragraph

• To qualify the views expressed• To link the current paragraph to the next one

Introductory Paragraph

Introduce the topic

Thesis of the essay

Announce your intentions

First impression

A topic sentence is a sentence that captures the

meaning of the entire paragraph

or group of sentences. It tells what the passage is mainly about.

Topic Sentence

1st.Idea

3rd.Idea

2nd.Idea

Development of Ideas

Besides

Furthermore ConsequentlyBesides

CertainlyHence

Meanwhile As a result

In additionStill

Finally

However

There are some adverbs and transition

words or phrases used

to connect one idea to

the next.

Concluding Sentence

Sums up the text, exposes

conclusions and sometimes

persuades the reader to agree to new ideas or different points

of view.

Types of paragraphs…

In chronological order or time order, items, events, or even ideas are arranged in the order in which they occur.

Another principle of organization is spatial/location order. In this pattern, items are arranged according to their physical position or relationships.

According to the order of time, events and

location

Argument: presents an idea in order to persuade the reader.

Conceptual: It gives information relevant to understand the text.

Enumeration: presents the order of the text

Descriptive: it includes details and information about a place person, object or a situation.

Explicative: it brings up more information about the main topic.

Expository: the reader finds information in an organized format

Narrative: tells a story usually in a time sequence.

According to the content

According to the logical structure

Comparison: similarities and differences between two or more people, places, things, or ideas.

Cause and Effect: it analyzes the reason of the cause and the reults that it causes.

Problem Solution: an issue that needs to be solved is explained and its possible solutions are suggested.

Sequence: a series of events are described.

Deductive: The main topic is presented and the development and conclusions are final.

Inductive: it presents conclusions and later develope the idea.

Conclusive: last paragraph where the final conclusions are stated.

Repeat key words or phrases. Particularly in paragraphs in which you define or identify an important idea or theory, be consistent in how you refer to it.

Create parallel structures. Parallel structures are created by constructing two or more phrases or sentences that have the same grammatical structure and use the same parts of speech.

Be consistent in point of view, verb tense, and number. Consistency in point of view, verb tense, and number is a subtle but important aspect of coherence.

Sentences and between paragraphs. Transitional expressions emphasize the relationships between ideas, so they help readers follow your train of thought or see connections that they might otherwise miss or misunderstand.

Coherence

To show addition: again, and, also, besides, equally important, first (second, etc.), further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, moreover, next, too

To give examples: for example, for instance, in fact, specifically, that is, to illustrate

To compare: also, in the same manner, likewise, similarly

To contrast: although, and yet, at the same time, but, despite, even though, however, in contrast, in spite of, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, still, though, yet

Transitions

Transitions

To summarize or conclude: all in all, in conclusion, in other words, in short, in summary, on the whole, that is, therefore, to sum up

To show time: after, afterward, as, as long as, as soon as, at last, before, during, earlier, finally, formerly, immediately, later, meanwhile, next, since, shortly, subsequently, then, thereafter, until, when, while

To show place or direction: above, below, beyond, close, elsewhere, farther on, here, nearby, opposite, to the left (north, etc.)

To indicate logical relationship: accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, for this reason, hence, if, otherwise, since, so, then, therefore, thus