THE PARAGRAPH - · PDF fileQualities of a Good Paragraph. Unity (1) Every sentence in the paragraph must directly or indirectly support the main or central idea. A sentence is thus

THE PARAGRAPHOsei Yaw Akoto, KNUST –Kumasi, Ghana

Paragraph Defined •A paragraph is a group of relatedsentences that develops one mainidea.•Structural features of a paragraph•Indentation•Block

Questions for discussion

Is there a one-sentenceparagraph?

Qualities of a Good Paragraph

Unity (1)Every sentence in the paragraph mustdirectly or indirectly support the main orcentral idea. A sentence is thusmeaningless unless it is linked up withthe total development of the centralidea.

Coherence/Cohesion (2)• A paragraph is not a ‘forest of sentences’ rather sentences

that are interconnected/related. A good paragraph is saidto be cohesive when there is a ‘thread’ that ties all thesentences up to produce a ‘chain’.

• Cohesive strategies:

• Use of pronouns

• Repetition of key words

• Use of Synonyms of key words

• Use of transitional words (e.g. firstly, moreover,

Completeness (3)• It means that the central idea captured in theparagraph must fully developed.

•Some main ideas sometimes suffer:1. under-development2. overdevelopment: The writer may even end uprepeating ideas.3. wrong development : A different idea, rather than theone stated, is developed. (refer to the slide from theCollege, see desktop)

Thus, a good paragraph is a

UCC paragraph.

Paragraph Development

Functional Sentences in a Paragraph

1. Topic sentence2. Major supporting sentence

3. Minor supporting sentence

4. Concluding sentence

5. Transitional sentence

Topic Sentence (1)• It is the sentence that contains the main ideadeveloped in a paragraph•Types• Explicit: It is directly stated in the text, such that one can

easily underline it. Common in expository andargumentative discourses/writings/essays.• Implied : It is indirectly captured. One has to read the text

and make deductions. Common in narrative anddescriptive writings.

Placement of topic sentences (TS)•Three stages

1. Initial stage2. Medial stage3. Final stage The positioning of a TS is informed by a number of factors:1. Style2. Formality3. The subject matter (topic)4. Purpose of writing

Major Supporting Sentence (2)• This is the sentence that directly develop the topic sentence.

NB: There can be more than pone major supportingsentences in a paragraph.

• I am pursuing higher education for a number of reasons.One, I want to obtain a good first degree in my area of studyso that I can further to become the professor I haveconceived to be.

Minor Supporting Sentence (3)• It indirectly develops the topic sentence BUT directly develops the

major supporting sentence. NB: There can be more than oneMiSS to a MaSS.

• ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

• I am pursuing higher education for a number of reasons.One, I want to obtain a good first degree in my area ofstudy so that I can further to become the professor I haveconceived to be. I want to be an internationally acclaimedpracticing academic nurse professor in pediatrics. In fact, Iconceived this vision when I was made to act as a nurse ina sketch at class five.

Concluding Sentence (4)• The concluding sentence mostly is the last sentence in

a paragraph. It’s optional… but good to have one.

• It..

1. re-states the topic sentence in a paragraph

2. summarizes the main views in the body pf theparagraph

3. may give writer’s final remark on a topic sentence

Transitional Sentence (5)•It announces the ‘coming’ of thesubsequent paragraph. It’s optional.

E.g. Having discussed broken home, inthe next paragraph I will focus on peerpressure as another cause of teenagepregnancy.

Strategies for Paragraph Development

By this we mean how to develop thetopic sentence in a paragraph

Definition –1 • A number of factors account for why most first year students boast of

enviable CWA after the first semester. CWA refers to...

Explanation (2)A number of factors account for why most first year students boast of enviable CWA after the first semester. These factors can classified as social, academic, financial, emotional or psychological.

Exemplification (3)• For instance, for example, a case is…

• A number of factors account for why most first yearstudents boast of enviable CWA after the first semester.One of those factors is relative financial stability. Becausetheir admission fees usually include hostel fees and otheracademic user fees, it takes a chunk of what may beconsidered as ‘post-first year financial worries’. As result,they have mental tranquility to undertake their academicresponsibilities which include attending lectures, doingassignments, etc.

Description (4)•Appeal to the senses (at least one) of the readers.

•One of the factors of teenage pregnancy in postmodernGhana is broken home. A ‘home’ as we all know is a placeof peace, belongingness, security, we-feeling, and any goodthing that contribute to a positive self image of anindividual. But when, it is said to be ‘broken’, the ‘can’t beheld and therefore mere anarchy is loose upon the hithertoabode of joy. Father, who is the head (the roofing), istherefore disconnected from the mother and therefore thechildren are in most cases left to fend for themselves.Thus,…

Types of Paragraph • Introductory

•Body

•Concluding

• It is usually perceived that an essay is all about theBODY. But scholars in composition studies/writingliteracy/rhetoric have established that the MOSTimportant parts of an essay are the INTRODUCTIONand the CONCLUSION.

Why are the introduction and theconclusion considered the mostimportant parts of an essay?

Introductory Paragraph (1)• The introductory paragraph should also include the thesis

statement, a kind of mini-outline for the paper: it tells thereader what the essay is about. The last sentence ofthis paragraph must also contain a transitional "hook"which moves the reader to the first paragraph of the bodyof the paper

• Functions of Introduction paragraph1. Capture readers attention2. Announce thesis statement3. Sometimes the plan of development/map of the essay

Attention-getters for Introductory Paragraph

1. Definition

2. History

3. Short story

4. Statistical facts

5. Proverbs/quotes

6. General background information

Structure of Introductory Paragraph



Body Paragraph (2) •The one and only aim of BP to develop thethesis statement (thesis development)•The body paragraphs in your essay supportthe main idea in your thesis statement bybreaking it down into smaller ideas orsubtopics. Ideas in your paragraphs shouldrelate back to the thesis statement.

The Concluding Paragraph (2)• What the CP must not do:

• 1. development of a new idea not introduced in the body

• 2. re-writing of the introduction and body of the essay

What does it do?

1. re-states the thesis of the essay

2. Summarizes the body of the essay (a recap of the ‘top stories’)

3. Provides writer’s final remark: suggestion, recommendation,solutions, …

NB: The CP is a miniature essay (it has its introduction, boy andconclusion)

Signaling the end of an essay… • All in all,

• in conclusion,

• To end

• Indeed, the paper has focused on the benefits on being a student in KNUST.

• …

Paragraph Analysis

Read the following paragraphs carefully andanalyse them into topic sentence, majorsupporting, minor supporting and concludingsentences. Use the sentence numbers in youranalysis; do not write the entire sentence.

1THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1972 AND 1982 WAS THE DARKEST IN GHANA’S POST-

INDEPENDENCE HISTORY. 2First, it was characterized by political instability.3There were as many as five change of government within this period –N. R.

C. (1972), S. M. C. I (1975), S. M. C. II (1978), A. F. R. C. (1979), P. N. P. (1979),

P. N. D. C. (1981). 4In addition, political rulership changed frequently between

different forms of military dictatorship and totalitarianism and liberal

democracy. 5The economy of the country suffered a heavy setback during this

period. 6Inflation was higher than it had ever been. 7Per capita income was

lowest, and there was a serious scarcity of everyday essential commodities.8Further, economic malpractice reached an alarming height. 9The depression

of the period was manifested at the social level also. 10Hard-work gave way to

theft and laziness; and prostitution aggravated. 11Honesty gave way to deceit.12Ghanaians were taught disobedience, and hate the owners of property and

to punish them for acquiring property. (Source: Sekyi-Baidoo, 2003)

1Two main categories of people exist in this world –troublemakers and trouble-shooters. 2The former are people who mastermind all the chaos and atrocities inthis world.3 Talk of the two world wars and you will have them around their remoteand immediate causes.4 All the things in this world which are anti-human are theworks of their hands, heads and hearts. 5Examples of these ungodly activities arehuman tracking, child abuse, same-sex intercourse, cyber crimes, armed robberyand the likes. 6It is surprising that even though these people are God’s creations,they rather do not have the loving spirit of God in them. 7But thank God for theexistence of the other category of people who aims at transforming what thetroublemakers have deformed. 8For instance, when the troublemakers created virus,they manufactured anti-virus. 9They help create home for refugees who, due to thenefarious activities of the troublemakers, are homeless 10Without trouble-shooters,there will be no ‘heavens’ for those who have been made victims in the ‘hells’created by the trouble-shooters. 11Really, they make bitter life better to people.12Indeed, it is always good to have an eraser wherever there are pencils.

1Some scholars maintain that there are two broad causes of climate change.2Truly, the earth’s climate is influenced and changed through natural causes.3When volcano erupts, it throws out large volumes of sulphur dioxide (SO2), watervapour, dust, and ash into the atmosphere. 4Although, the volcanic activity maylast for a few days, the large volumes of gases and ash can influence climaticpatterns for years. 5Millions of tonnes of sulphur dioxide gas can reach the upperlevels of the atmosphere (called the atmosphere) from a major eruption. 6Thegases and dust particles partially block the incoming rays of the sun, leading tocooling. 7 But the world climate is not only changing through a natural dynamiccycle but also what the world is worried about is that the change that is occurringtoday has been speeded up by human activities. 8So, there are three types ofhuman activities which contribute to climate change. 9Industrialization is listed byscientists as the most significant human cause of climate change.10Indeed, climatechange can be said to be a negative consequence of both human-related andnatural factors.

Structure of an Essay

Structure of an Essay

Formative Exercise

Write a-one paragraph essay onhow lecturers can help studentsto achieve their aims.

Observation from students essays (1)

•Paragraph analysisIntroductory sentence (s)Topic sentenceMaSSMiSSConcluding sentence (s)


•Paragraph length: When is enough enough?


•Understanding of rubrics: ‘One paragraph’ not multiple paragraphs


•A major sentence without a minor one???????


•Catalogue of topic sentences

•Sentence 1: 1st Introductory sentence

•Sentence 2: 2nd Introductory sentence

•Sentence 3: Topic sentence

•Etc.

THE PARAGRAPH - · PDF fileQualities of a Good Paragraph. Unity (1) Every sentence in the paragraph must directly or indirectly support the main or central idea. A sentence is thus

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