Department of English Batna 2 University

Written Expression Course

First Year Students

Lecturer: Dr. Messamah

Chapter IV: The Writing Process for the Paragraph

WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?

A paragraph is a group of related sentences that develop a main thought, or idea, about
a single topic. The structure of a paragraph is not complex. There are usually three basic
elements: (1) a topic, (2) a topic sentence, and (3) supporting details.

 The Topic Sentence is an important feature of a paragraph. It is the most general sentence
in a paragraph, and it has two parts:

1. A topic: the subject or issue being discussed, and

2. A controlling idea: a point, opinion, or feeling about the topic.

Example: Snow skiing is a challenging sport with important requirements.

In this example, the subject of the sentence, snow skiing is the topic, and the predicate
of the sentence expresses the point or opinion about the topic: that it is challenging and has
important requirements. As the controlling idea, the rest of the paragraph will serve to
develop this point with supporting details.

 The topic sentence is typically the first sentence in a paragraph.

Example: Snow skiing is a challenging sport with important requirements. Bending

your knees and putting your weight on the downhill ski during turns will help you control
your speed as you ski. If you do not adhere to these requirements, you may ski too fast and
even fall.

The topic sentence can come later in a paragraph too.

Example: Bending your knees and putting your weight on the downhill ski during
turns will help you control your speed as you ski. Snow skiing is a challenging sport with
important requirements. If you do not adhere to these requirements, you may ski too fast and
even fall.

With this in mind, the diagrams in the figure below illustrate the placement of topic
sentences. The widest point of each diagram (the bases of the triangles) represents the topic
sentence of the paragraph. As details are presented, the topic becomes narrower and more
focused. The topic can precede the details, it can follow them, it can both precede and follow
them, or the details can surround the topic. There are surely more alternatives than those that

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are presented here, but this gives you an idea of some of the possible paragraph structures and
possible placements for the topic sentence of a paragraph.

 In a paragraph, the topic and controlling idea are developed with supporting details. Listed
here are some types of supporting details found in paragraphs along with an example of
each in a sentence:

Facts: statistics or evidence from research that can be verified

The office sold seven million dollars of real estate during the boom years (Stoff, 2011).

Opinions: statements, quotes, or paraphrases from subject matter experts (which may be you!)

According to expert tea maker, Stoff (2010), there are three easy steps to making tea.

Definitions: explanations of what a term or concept means

A “crossover” is a family vehicle with the features of a sedan, mini-van, and an SUV.

Examples: illustrations that show how something is or how it is done

Mario was a shy, introverted young man. For example, he had few friends and mostly kept to
himself.

Anecdotes: narrative accounts of one time or recurring events

When I visited the Washington Monument, I enjoyed the 180 degree view the most.

Descriptions: a visual or sensory depiction of a person, place, event, activity, or idea

Frostbit leaves crunched beneath our winter boots on the path through the snow frosted trees.

Features of An Effective Paragraph

There are four essential elements that an effective paragraph should consistently
contain: unity, coherence, a topic sentence, and sufficient development.

In order for a paragraph to maintain a sense of unity, the paragraph must focus solely
on a single idea, point, or argument that is being discussed. Therefore, the paragraph should

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not begin to stray and develop new ideas. If you begin to write sentence that wander from the
paragraph’s main idea, then it is time to start a new paragraph.

Coherence is more commonly referred to as the flow of your writing. When a

paragraph flows, the reader will be able to understand the main idea that you have presented.
How can you ensure that your paragraph maintains a flow? Well, after presenting your main
idea in your topic sentence, each sentence following must build upon each other in an
organized manner. After writing your paragraph, go back and read aloud what you have
written to make sure your ideas are clearly presented. If they are, you have developed a
coherent paragraph!

The topic sentence is the most important part of your paragraph; it tells the reader the
general idea of your paragraphs and should essentially “hook” them into wanting to read
more! The topic sentence helps to provide a “general summary” for your paragraph. A reader
should encounter the topic sentence and have a general idea of what the paragraph will
continue to discuss.

Now that your paragraph has a topic, it is essential that this topic be sufficiently
developed. Do not limit yourself to a set number of sentences. Yes, your paragraph should not
be too short or too long, but it should be an appropriate length to flesh out the entirety of your
paragraph’s idea. A reader should not be left with questions after a sufficiently development
paragraph. In order to achieve this, you can provide examples, cite work, provide necessary
definitions, describe, analyze, and organize your ideas.

Connecting your ideas

The connecting words within and between paragraphs are known as transition signals.
They may be single words or phrases. Transition words give your paragraph coherence and
demonstrate your writing skills. Moreover, they help the reader of your work to know, for
instance, that a sequence of ideas, additional information, an opposite idea, a result or an
example follows.

The two paragraphs below show how transition words provide logical organization of
your writing and enhance the meaning of your text. Paragraph 1 is written without transition
signals. Paragraph 2 is written with transition signals. While both paragraphs give the same
information, it is quite clear that paragraph 2 is easier to understand because the reader is led
from one idea to the next by the use of transition signals.

Paragraph 1 – without transition words

The concept of fairness is central to understanding plagiarism. Fairness means being

fair both to yourself and others. Everybody both gives and receives their proper due, and
nobody has anything to complain about. An incident involving unfairness could be taking
someone else’s work and passing it off as your own. The person whose work has been taken
receives no recognition or acknowledgment for their research and thinking. Writers who
plagiarise are not being fair to themselves either because they are not developing their own
independent academic skills. Students who do their own work with due acknowledgement of
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the work of others should develop their own academic skills and self-confidence far more than
those who merely misuse the work of others.

Paragraph 2 – with transition words

The concept of fairness is central to understanding plagiarism. Fairness means being

fair both to yourself and others. Moreover, everybody both gives and receives their proper
due, and nobody has anything to complain about. For example, an incident involving
unfairness could be taking someone else’s work and passing it off as your own. As a result,
the person whose work has been taken receives no recognition or acknowledgment for their
research and thinking. Furthermore, writers who plagiarise are not being fair to themselves
either because they are not developing their own independent academic skills. Therefore,
students who do their own work with due acknowledgement of the work of others should
develop their own academic skills and self- confidence far more than those who merely
misuse the work of others.

(Adapted from UNE , 2010 Avoiding coursework plagiarism and academic misconduct: Advice for students.)

Paragraph Length

You might be wondering, “how do I know when to start a new paragraph?” or “how
long should a paragraph be?” Usually, these questions are related to how well paragraphs are
developed and unified, and essentially, there is no one right answer. In extreme cases, you
might find a paragraph as short as one sentence or as long as a page if it achieves the writer’s
purpose. However, most paragraphs fall somewhere between these two extremes, and while
there are no hard and fast rules, there are a few principles you can use to determine proper
paragraph length:

1. The paragraph should be long enough to fully develop your topic.

2. The paragraph should focus on one topic

3. The paragraph length should support the effect you are trying to create. Keep in
mind that longer paragraphs slow readers down and shorter paragraphs are easier and quicker
to read.

4. A paragraph of over 12 sentences in an academic essay probably needs to be

divided.

5. A paragraph of 5 or fewer sentences in an academic essay probably needs to be

developed further or combined with another paragraph.

Moving from Outline to Paragraph

Outlines make you think about the topic and help you to organize your ideas. Here is
an example of how you can take your outline and expand it into a paragraph.

The Formula

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Topic sentence

A. supporting Idea

1. explanation, fact, example

2. explanation, fact, example

B. supporting idea

1. explanation, fact, example

2. explanation, fact, example

Concluding sentence

Example: Topic sentence: Having a job that is close to home is what makes a job great.

A. short distance

1. fast commute time

2. less gas

B. walk or cycle

1. great exercise

2. good for the environment

Concluding sentence: An ideal job is near home.

The Paragraph: Having a job that is close to home is what makes a job great. First, it is a
short distance to travel. The commute will save time and gas money. Secondly, being close to
work allows employees to walk or cycle. The walk or bicycle ride is great exercise. Moreover,
walking or biking to work is good for the environment. In conclusion, an ideal job is near
home.

Checklist for writing a paragraph

Step 1 – Write the topic sentence

The best starting point for a paragraph is a topic sentence. If you are writing the
paragraph in response to a specific question, this should not be a difficult task because the
wording of the question will assist you.
Step 2 – Brainstorm
Once you have written the topic sentence, you need to think of ideas to support it. Try
brainstorming. Jot down anything that relates to your topic sentence: facts, details or
examples. This might only take a few minutes, but it is an important part of the writing
process.

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Step 3 – Plan
Brainstorming will probably provide you with more ideas than you require. Read over
what you have written, and cross out those ideas which do not obviously relate to the topic
sentence. Arrange the remaining ideas in the order you wish to present them in your
paragraph.
Step 4 – Write the first draft
The first draft should include all the ideas in your plan. It is a good idea to use every
second line if you are writing the first draft on paper. This makes revision and editing much
easier. Once you have finished writing the first draft, think about what you have written. You
might consider a concluding sentence. Write one if you think it is necessary to complete the
paragraph.
Step 5 – Revise and edit
Revising and editing your paragraph means rethinking and rewriting. It may involve
making additions or corrections, rewriting sentences or rearranging details. Ask yourself the
following questions:
1. Is the topic sentence clear and relevant?
2. Do the facts, details and examples explain/develop the topic sentence?
3. Is there enough support?
4. Is the material presented in a systematic way?
5. Does one sentence lead smoothly to the next?
6. Step 6 – Check grammar, spelling and punctuation
7. Step 7 – Write the final draft
8. Step 8 – Proofread your paragraph

Exercises

EXERCISE 1: Read each of the following paragraphs, all of which are literary excerpts. Then
identify the main idea of each paragraph.

It appears slowly out of the mist, like something from an Arthurian legend, a large, inflatable
life raft, the depressing khaki and olive-drab of military camouflage. A man kneeling in front
directs the raft with a paddle. He waves when he sees me, stands up and calls out in an urgent
voice, but I can’t make it out. As the raft drifts closer I can see that the lone occupant is tall
and athletic-looking, dark-skinned, with a long jaw and flashing eyes. —from “Searching for
January, ” W. P. Kinsella

…………………………………………………………..

My father on the other hand, along with most of the early aviators, was not impressed by the
growing enthusiasm for parachute jumping as a sport. Young daredevils like my brother
could call it “sky-diving” if they wanted to, but the aviation pioneers referred to it
disgustingly as “jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.” In their day, a pilot only jumped
when he had to: if it was absolutely certain that the airplane was headed for a crash and the
parachute was his only hope for survival. —from “Flying, ” Reeve Lindbergh

……………………………………………………….
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The wagon, without any direction from Pierre, would roll three blocks down St. Catherine
Street, then turn right two blocks along Roslyn Avenue, then left, for that was Prince Edward
Street. The horse would stop at the first house, allow Pierre perhaps thirty seconds to get
down from his seat and put a bottle of milk at the front door, and would then go on, skipping
two houses and stopping at the third. So down the length of the street. Then, Joseph, still
without any direction from Pierre, would turn around and come back along the other side.
Yes, Joseph was a smart horse. —from “A Secret for Two, ” Quentin Reynolds

…………………………………………………………

In many countries where students outperform their American counterparts academically,

school dress codes are observed as a part of creating the proper learning environment. Their
students tend to be neater, less disruptive in class and more disciplined, mainly because their
minds are focused more on learning and less on materialism. It’s time Americans realized
that the benefits of safe and effective schools far outweigh any perceived curtailment of
freedom of expression brought on by dress codes. —from “Appearances Are Destructive, ”
Mark Mathabane

………………………………………………………….

Almost from her infancy Elizabeth was trained to stand in for ruling men, in case the need
should arise. So she had to master whatever they were expected to know and do. Her tutors
found the child to be an eager student. She learned history, geography, mathematics, and the
elements of astronomy and architecture. She mastered four modern languages—French,
Italian, Spanish, and Flemish—as well as classic Greek and Latin. She wrote in a beautiful
script that was like a work of art. The earliest portrait of her—when she was thirteen—shows
a girl with innocent eyes holding a book in her long and delicate hands, already confident and
queenly in her bearing. —from “Elizabeth I, ” Milton Meltzer in Ten Queens: Portraits of
Women in Power

……………………………………………….

EXERCISE 2: Write two to three supporting sentences for each of the following main ideas.
Make sure that each supporting sentence develops the main idea and that all the sentences are
related.

1. Staying up really late before an important test is not a good idea.

2. I will always remember the day a bear wandered into our cabin.
3. My friend Bob has no real basketball skills.
4. In tournament chess, players must keep an eye on the clock.
5. The school is making big cuts in its budget.

EXERCISE 3: Write a single paragraph to a pen pal in which you describe your favorite
season of the year. Use five or six sentences to explain why you enjoy this particular season.

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EXERCISE 4: Read each of the following paragraphs, all of which are excerpts from
literature. If the paragraph has a stated topic sentence, identify it. If the paragraph has an
implied topic sentence or main idea, tell what it is in your own words.

Life in the refugee camp was very difficult. Rice, fish vegetables, and water were delivered to
the camp, but the ration for each family was never enough. Many times, the food my family
received did not last until the next delivery. My parents went out to work in the fields to earn
a little extra money to buy food. As a child, I did not understand why we had to work so hard
and live so poorly. —from “An Unforgettable Journey, ” Maijue Xiong

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Time had always been on his side. Now it was his enemy. Where had the years gone? Lester
reviewed the thirty years he’d spent riding the rails. How different would his life have been if
he’d married Louise Henderson and had a gallon of children? What if he’d taken that job at
the mill down in Opelika? What if he’d followed his brother to Philly? How different? —from
“The 11:59, ” Patricia McKissack

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

But when I turned fifteen, it was as if my body, which hadn’t grown for so many years,
suddenly made up for lost time. I grew five inches in seven months. My mother was amazed.
Even I couldn’t get used to it. I kept knocking into things, my cloths didn’t fit right, I felt
awkward and clumsy when I moved. Dumb things that I had gotten away with, like paying
children’s prices at the movies instead of junior admission, I couldn’t do anymore. I wasn’t a
shrimp or a small fry any longer. I was suddenly normal. —from “Hollywood and the Pits, ”
Cherylene Lee

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Donald Macfarlane, the snake-man, may have been old and small but he was an impressive-
looking character. His eyes were pale blue, deep-set in a face round and dark and wrinkled as
a walnut. Above the blue eyes, the eyebrows were thick and startlingly white, but the hair on
his head was almost black. In spite of the thick leather boots, he moved like a leopard, with
soft slow cat-like strides, and he came straight up to me and said, “Who are you?” —from
“The Green Mamba, ” Roald Dahl

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EXERCISE 5: Write a topic sentence for each group of sentences below. Think about what
the details have in common—what they are describing or explaining.

EXAMPLE

Goldfish cost much less to own than a dog or cat does. Most pet stores have a large supply of
fish to choose from. Goldfish make no noise and require little care. Feeding consists of
sprinkling a few flakes in a bowl each day. Moreover, goldfish do not need to be walked once
a day. (Topic sentence: Goldfish are inexpensive, low-maintenance pets.)

1. The leaves are off all of the trees and the birds have flown south. The wind has grown
chilly and bitter. Snow blankets the ground.
……………………………………………………………………………………
2. The teacher passed out the tests. Most of the students looked nervous. Many were
thinking about their summer plans, which were only an hour away.
……………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Rays from the sun cracked through the darkness, illuminating the horizon. A rooster
crowed off in the distance. The chirping of birds filled the air.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. The cat lay motionless on the top of the sofa. She watched the mouse walk along the
woodwork, periodically stopping to sniff for food. Soon the mouse would be only a
leap away. The cat remained still.
……………………………………………………………………………………….
5. The stands are empty. Paper cups, scorecards, and other debris swirl about the
stadium in the brisk breeze. The bases and home plate have been removed. The once-
white chalk baselines are now barely visible.
………………………………………………………………………………………..

EXERCISE 6: Write down at least five ideas about your favorite holiday or special occasion.
Review your list and write five effective topic sentences—one for each of five different
paragraphs you might develop about the holiday.

EXERCISE 7: Identify the topic sentence in the following paragraph. Then identify one
example of sensory detail, one example of illustration, and one example of transition.

After Laos became a Communist country in 1975, my family, along with many others, fled in
fear of persecution. Because my father had served as a commanding officer for eleven years
with the American Central Intelligence Agency in what is known to the American public as the
“Secret War,” my family had no choice but to leave immediately. My father’s life was in
danger, along with those of thousands of others. We were forced to leave loved ones behind,
including my grandmother who was ill in bed the day we fled our village. For a month, my
family walked through the dense tropical jungles and rice fields, along rugged trails through
many mountains, and battled the powerful Mekong River. We traveled in silence at night and
slept in the daytime. Children were very hard to keep quiet. Many parents feared the

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Communist soldiers would hear the cries of their young children; therefore, they drugged the
children with opium to keep them quiet. Some parents even left those children who would not
stop crying behind. Fortunately, whenever my parents told my sisters and me to keep quiet,
we listened and obeyed. ---from “An Unforgettable Journey” Maijue Xiong

EXERCISE 8: Follow the directions to provide supporting details and/or transitions to each
topic sentence.

Example: Going to a park is a wonderful way to enjoy a weekend afternoon. (one

example/illustration, one comparison and contrast transition)

Visiting a park is a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon. A variety of activities can be
enjoyed such as tossing a Frisbee, flying a kite, playing catch, or even reading under a tree.
The open expanses of grass are inspiring, in contrast to the cramped offices where many
people spend much of their week.

1. I will always remember my tenth birthday. (one sensory detail, one time/chronological
order transition)

2. Negative actions produce negative consequences. (one example/illustration, one cause

and effect transition)

3. We need to elect Sara Sanford mayor of this town. (two examples/illustrations)

4. Robert Frost was one of the most popular poets of the twentieth century. (one
quotation, one cause and effect transition)

5. Your car should be retired to the junkyard. (one sensory detail, one place/spatial
order transition)

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EXERCISE 9: Write a one-paragraph letter to an overseas pen pal describing a typical day at
school. You may choose to write about the academic and/or social events of the day. Use at
least two different kinds of supporting details and at least two different transitions in your
letter. Use transitions that will make the chronological order of the day’s events clear to your
pen pal.

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