4.how To Write Paragraphs

How to write
paragraphs?
What is a
paragraph?
“The paragraph [is] a
mini-essay; it is also a
maxi-sentence.”
- Donald Hall
What is a paragraph?
A paragraph is a unit of thought composed by smaller units –
sentences. They help the reader follow thought patterns as a
specific topic is described, supported or explained. It focuses
on one subject, theme, or idea that you state in an
introductory sentence (a topic sentence)
The beginning – you begin getting the interest of the reader.
The middle - where you explain the details.
The end – where you re-state the thoughts explained in the

topic sentence.
Parts of the
paragraph: The
Basics.
Basics
The Beginning
The first sentence of a paragraph is the topic sentence.
The topic sentence tells what the paragraph will be about.
I go to school X ( weak topic sentence. It doesn’t tell anything about

what you will say about going to school)
I go to a very strange school ( interesting topic sentence. It tells

something about what you will be saying)
Basics
A Simple Formula
Music helps people relax.

FORMULA:
A limited topic (Music) + a specific impression (helps
people relax) = Topic Sentence
Basics
The Middle
The middle is the group of sentences (supporting details) that

follow the topic sentence and elaborate on the idea stated in
the topic sentence.
The details need to make the topic more interesting or help explain what you
mean. Every sentence in the middle of the paragraph, or the body, needs to be
about the topic stated in the topic sentence.
If you were to use the topic sentence about music, a middle sentence might say
“ whenever they are stressed out from working all day”
Basics
The End
The last sentence of your paragraph is the concluding

sentence, or closing. It summarizes the points made in a
paragraph.
This sentence reminds the reader of what the topic is about and what
it means.
For the paragraph about music, this could be closing sentence:

“ due of its calming and distractive qualities it is clear that music
definitely helps people relax.”
Just remember
That every paragraph, just like every story or
book, has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Example
School is fun. In school we learn about

many interesting subjects. We read and
write and play with our friends. I can’t wait
to go to school each morning.
Example
School is fun. In school we learn about

many interesting subjects. We read and
write and play with our friends. I can’t wait
to go to school each morning.
Example
My brother must be from another planet
My brother must be from another planet. First of all, he
doesn’t sit down and chew food like us earthlings; he inhales his food
as he passes by the table, and then he disappears. He has also been
known to emit some very peculiar odors which he seems to like to
collect and keep in the form of sweatsocks and dirty T-shirt which he
tucks into corners of his room and under the bed. If that is not
enough, he makes very odd sounds that seem to be a kind of
screeching language from his native planet, “ ehhhhhhhhcccchhssssss
bellllpppppppp, gggggggggrrrroooooggghhhhhh.” And so, it is clear
that my brother is not an earthling at all. I wonder if my parents
have figured this out?
example
My brother must be from another planet
My brother must be from another planet. First of all, he
doesn’t sit down and chew food like us earthlings; he inhales his food
as he passes by the table, and then he disappears. He has also been
known to emit some very peculiar odors which he seems to like to
collect and keep in the form of sweatsocks and dirty T-shirt which he
tucks into corners of his room and under the bed. If that is not
enough, he makes very odd sounds that seem to be a kind of
screeching language from his native planet, “ ehhhhhhhhcccchhssssss
bellllpppppppp, gggggggggrrrroooooggghhhhhh.” And so, it is clear
that my brother is not an earthling at all. I wonder if my parents
have figured this out?
Example
I love food, but I do not like to cook. First of all, I am not very good at
cooking. I cut myself, I burn food, and I spill things that stain all my clothes.
My clothes are nice things that cost most of my money, even though I usually
get them on sale. The other day I stained a nice corduroy shirt which made
me really mad. It was robin’s egg blue. Then there is something about the
ingredients that is a great mystery to me. I usually like mysteries-in fact, I
check out mysteries each week at the library. I salty, too sweet, or just too
weird. And then there’s the mess. I need to clean up my room, too. It is such a
big mess right now. The food sticks to post and pans and stains the sink.
There is a really strange stain on the ceiling in the hallway; it looks like an
octopus. The floor, the dog, and I get covered in flour or onion jice. When I
get finished with all that labor, I’m anxious to taste my masterpiece, but it is
always a disappointment , and there are so many diches that I don’t have time
to go out and get something really good to eat! I should just give up cooking
altogether.
Example
I love food, but I do not like to cook. First of all, I am not very good at
cooking. I cut myself, I burn food, and I spill things that stain all my clothes.
My clothes are nice things that cost most of my money, even though I usually
get them on sale. The other day I stained a nice corduroy shirt which made
me really mad. It was robin’s egg blue. Then there is something about the
ingredients that is a great mystery to me. I usually like mysteries-in fact, I
check out mysteries each week at the library. I can follow a recipe very
closely, but it never comes out right. The food might be too salty, too sweet, or
just too weird. And then there’s the mess. I need to clean up my room, too. It
is such a big mess right now. The food sticks to post and pans and stains the
sink. There is a really strange stain on the ceiling in the hallway; it looks like
an octopus. The floor, the dog, and I get covered in flour or onion juice. When
I get finished with all that labor, I’m anxious to taste my masterpiece, but it is
always a disappointment , and there are so many diches that I don’t have time
to go out and get something really good to eat! I should just give up cooking
altogether.
Let’s write
Topic Sentence
Choose one and write a topic sentence for one limited topic:
1. Dancing:
________________________________________.
2. Bubble gum:
________________________________________.
3. Vegetables:
________________________________________.
4. Birthdays:
________________________________________.
Supporting Details
For the topic sentence you wrote, write 3 good supporting
sentences.
Remember that supporting details:
o Explain the main idea.
o Work to help the main idea become clearer.
o This is where one uses specific details like who, what, when,
where, why, and how.
Vegetables.
Vegetables were put on earth to torture little kids.
1.________________________________________.
2.________________________________________.
3.________________________________________.
Just remember
Use transition words like: first, second, third,
however, but, so, then, next, after that, also, and
finally.
Concluding sentences
Complete the paragraph you have, stating a very good
concluding sentence.
Remember:
o They express the specific feeling, attitude, or point of the
paragraph.
Vegetables were put on earth to torture little kids. First,
they are green. Why would anyone want to eat something that
is green? Next, they have strange textures. For instance, take
celery, this thing has strange leaves that feel horrible in your
mouth. Also, they look like aliens, these little friends have
shape as if they came from another universe. _____________
____________________________________________________
______________________________________________.
Complete paragraph
Vegetables were put on earth to torture little kids. First,
they are Green. Why would anyone want to eat something
that is green? Next, they have strange textures. Take Celery,
this thing has strange leaves that feel horrible in your mouth.
Also, They look like aliens, these little Friends have shape like
if they came from another universe. Something that makes
them disgusting. That’s why I think that vegatables were sent
to this planet to torture kids.
This is it…
Read your paragraph.
How does it look like?
Does it have all three parts?
If so,
you have created a
nice, coherent, and
complete paragraph
Thanks!
Any questions?
Retrieved from: How to write a paragraph? By Kathleen Christopher Null

Writers INC By Patrick Sebranek
Adapted by Marcos Cerrato Hernández and Alejandra Escalante

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How to write

The beginning – you begin getting the interest of the reader.

The middle - where you explain the details.

The end – where you re-state the thoughts explained in the

The first sentence of a paragraph is the topic sentence.

The topic sentence tells what the paragraph will be about.

I go to school X ( weak topic sentence. It doesn’t tell anything about

I go to a very strange school ( interesting topic sentence. It tells

Music helps people relax.

The middle is the group of sentences (supporting details) that

The last sentence of your paragraph is the concluding

For the paragraph about music, this could be closing sentence:

School is fun. In school we learn about

School is fun. In school we learn about

Retrieved from: How to write a paragraph? By Kathleen Christopher Null

Adapted by Marcos Cerrato Hernández and Alejandra Escalante

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