2. What is a paragraph?
A paragraph is composed by one or several sentences that are coherently
connected and explain a specific idea or topic. Also, a text can contain
different kinds of paragraphs depending on the necessities of the topic.
Elements of a paragraph:
● Topic sentence
● Supporting sentences
● Concluding sentence
3. Opening Paragraph
The main purpose of the opening paragraph is to attract the readers attention, present the thesis or a problem.
Example: "The music was composed as a drinking song for an 18th-century London social club. The words were
written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key to commemorate a battle. And on March 3, 1931, "The Star-Spangled
Banner" officially became the national anthem of the United States. Ever since then, people have been
complaining that the tune is unsingable and the lyrics are offensive. In response to these complaints, a bill was
recently filed in Congress to replace "The Star-Spangled Banner" with "America the Beautiful" as our national
anthem. For a number of reasons, this bill deserves wide support."
(Shelby Wilson, “Time for an Anthem the Country can Sing”)
4. Transition Paragraph
A transition paragraph is used to continue a topic by making a smooth
change from one subject to the other.
Example: "Unfortunately, the characteristics of the spoiled child do not
vanish with childhood or even with adolescence. A university training does
not necessarily transform petulance into ripe wisdom. Literary ability may
only give fluent expression to a peevish spirit."
(Samuel McChord Crothers, “The Spoiled Children of Civilization”, 1912)
Reference:http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/Transitional-Paragraph.htm
5. Narrative Paragraph
A narrative paragraph tells the story of events, actions or people.
Example: "The barber was cutting our hair, and our eyes were closed--as they are so likely to be. . .
Deep in a world of our own, he heard, from far away, a voice saying goodbye. It was a customer
of the shop, leaving. 'Goodbye,' he said to the barbers. 'Goodbye,' echoed the barbers. And
without ever returning to consciousness, or opening our eyes, or thinking, we joined in. 'Goodbye,'
we said, before we could catch ourself. Then, all at once, the sadness of the occasion struck us,
the awful dolor of bidding farewell to someone we had never seen. We have since wondered what
he looked like, and whether it was really goodbye."
(E.B. White, "Sadness of Parting." The New Yorker, May 4, 1935)
Reference: http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/narrative2term.htm
6. Descriptive Paragraph
Describes a person, animal, object or event by following a logical order.
Example: The Magic Metal Tube
Once in a long while, four times so far for me, my mother brings out the metal tube that holds her medical diploma.
On the tube are gold circles crossed with seven red lines each--"joy" ideographs in abstract. There are also little
flowers that look like gears for a gold machine. According to the scraps of labels with Chinese and American
addresses, stamps, and postmarks, the family airmailed the can from Hong Kong in 1950. It got crushed in the
middle, and whoever tried to peel the labels off stopped because the red and gold paint come off too, leaving silver
scratches that rust. Somebody tried to pry the end off before discovering that the tube falls apart. When I open it,
the smell of China flies out, a thousand-year-old bat flying heavy-headed out of the Chinese caverns where bats
are as white as dust, a smell that comes from long ago, far back in the brain.
By Maxine Hong Kingston
Reference:http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/samdescpars.htm
7. Persuasive Paragraph
Presents an idea and tries to convince the reader about it.
Example: Owning a pet from the pound or Animal Rescue League has many advantages. First of all, a child feels
good about rescuing an abandoned or abused animal and giving it a whole new life. Besides, if the animals from
the pound aren’t adopted right away, they might be put to sleep. Having a pet also means lots of responsibilities. A
child has to feed, clean up after, brush, and exercise the pet.
Once you adopt a pet from the Animal Rescue League, it will quickly become a part of your family. If you are thinking
of adopting a pet, you might consider choosing a dog or a cat. Dogs and cats can bring lots of happy times to a
family, and they can be excellent companions for a person who lives alone or someone who has lost a loved one.
Dogs are also a wonderful source of protection. Cats are funny, and they may help to calm people down when
they are sad or mad.Please consider adopting an animal. If you remember all of the advantages of adopting a pet
from the pound, you might find the bird, mouse, hamster, dog, or cat of your choice.
Adopting a Pet from the Pound
Reference:http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/mcarew/Grade%209%20English/persuasive_paragraph_sample.htm
8. Expository Paragraph
Explains problems and situations by following and order and using evidence and objective language
to proof a point.
Example: Going to college can be expensive. First, college tuition and room and board can cost
anywhere from $2,000 to more than $10,000 per semester. Other expenses make going to college
even more expensive. For example, books typically cost between $100 and $500 each term.
Second, materials are also very expensive. Paper, notebooks, writing utensils, and other supplies
required often cost more at the college bookstore than at any local discount department store. For
instance, a package of notepaper costing $2 at a discount store might cost $5 at a college
bookstore. Finally, there are all kinds of special fees added onto the bill at registration time. A
college student might have to pay a $50 insurance fee, a $20 activity fee, a $15 fee to the student
government association and anywhere from $500 to $100 for parking. There is another fee if a
student decides to add or drop classes after registration. The fees required to attend college never
seem to end.
Reference: http://www.time4writing.com/uncategorized/expository-paragraphs/
9. Definition Paragraph
Provides the meaning, origin and functioning of things. They are usually found on technical and scientific texts.
Example: Deja vu is a French word meaning "already seen", it has also been described as a feeling or experience that one has
seen or done something before. For example, you are waiting in line to check out at the grocery store and the lady behind
you asks you to hand her a pack of gum. Suddenly you get an overwhelming feeling that you have been there in that exact
same spot, talking to the same lady, even the same brand of gum. Even though everything seems so familiar you know there
is no way that could have happened before. There are many theories as to why and how this phenomenon happens. One
theory is that deja vu is connected with temporal-lobe epilepsy, but people without a history of epilepsy have also
experienced deja vu. Psychiatrists believe it is something in your brain that confuses an event that happened in the past with
the present. Another theory is parapsychologist think it is connected with past life experiences. Whether deja vu is an
experience of the paranormal or simply some confusion in the brain, it is a perplexing feeling of having "already seen."
Copyright 2005 Courtney Ming
Reference: http://english120.pbworks.com/w/page/19006850/definition%20paragraphs
10. Classification paragraph
Defines something and places i in the belonging group.
Example: Daters Beware
Men can be categorized by the way they treat women while dating into three groups: a social addict, a content lover, or a keeper. The first
type, a social addict, is the type of man who is constantly late and everything is on his time. Social addicts are particularly self absorbed.
For your birthday this type of dater will give you a gift such as a necklace, so that everybody can notice it. When it comes down to
emotions and feelings, a social addict will say whatever he assume you want to hear at any given moment. The second type of dater, a
content lover, is a guy who will come and go as he pleases. These men just seem to be in attendance but not involved. When he is with
you, he will not open up and share his thoughts. A content lover will forget your birthday all together. Lastly there is the keeper who will
not keep you waiting; in fact, he always plans ahead and involves you in the decision making. To them, your birthday is tremendously
important. They will give you time for your friends and family; in addition, they always make unique plans for the two of you later that
evening. Unlike the other types of daters, the keeper will attempt to be 100% in touch with their feelings towards you and are willing to talk
about them. Men’s dating styles differ; nonetheless, it all comes down to what behavior you are in the mood for.
(2005 Kayla Maire Anfinson)
Reference: http://english120.pbworks.com/w/page/19006816/classification%20paragraphs
11. Process Analysis Paragraph
Describes events or a process by following a step by step order.
Example: The Lighter Side of Process Analysis: How to Make a Swing With No Rope or Board or
Nails "First grow a moustache A hundred inches long, Then loop it over a hick'ry limb (Make sure
the limb is strong). Now pull yourself up off the ground And wait until the spring-- Then swing!"
(Shel Silverstein, "How to Make a Swing With No Rope or Board or Nails." A Light in the Attic.
HarperCollins, 1981)
12. Chronological Paragraph
Refers to the chronological order in which an event occurred.
Example: "Put your eggs in a saucepan and cover them with about one-half inch cold water. Heat
the pan until the water is simmering and cook like this for seven minutes, using a timer. As soon
as the timer dings put the saucepan into the sink and turn on the cold tap, allowing the water to
overspill. It doesn't need to be galloping; a steady but vigorous flow will do. After a minute turn off
the tap and leave the eggs in the cold water for another couple of minutes, or until they are cold
enough to hold comfortably.
When time's up your eggs will be cooked, and with no soft center remaining."
(Bunty Cutler, 211 Things a Clever Girl Can Do. Perigee, 2008)
Reference: http://grammar.about.com/od/c/g/Chronological-Order.htm
13. Enumeration Paragraph
Has a sentence that provides the order of the text. It can be found at the
beginning or at the end of the idea.
Example: "When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every
village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to
speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men,
Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and
sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank
God Almighty, we are free at last!'"
(Martin Luther King, Jr., "I Have a Dream," August 1963)
Reference: http://grammar.about.com/od/e/g/Enumeratio.htm
14. Explanatory Paragraph
It explains, clarifies, and gives a deep description about the topic of the text.
Example: Important Swiss Customs for Foreigners
Three important Swiss customs for tourists to know deal with religion, greeting, and punctuality. The Swiss people
are very religious, and Sunday is their holy day. On Sunday, people rarely work in the garden, in the house, or
even on the car. Foreign tourists should know that the most drugstores, supermarkets, and banks are closed on
Sunday. The Swiss are also a formal people. For example, they seldom call acquaintances by their first names;
the German “Herr” and French “Monsieur” are much more frequently used in Switzerland than the English “Mister”
is used in the United States. A tourist should therefore say either “Herr” or “Monsieur” when greeting an
acquaintance, and only use the person’s first name if he is a close friend. In addition, Switzerland is the land of
watches and exactness. It is important to be on time to parties, business, meetings, and churches because Swiss
hosts, factory bosses, and ministers all love punctuality. It is especially important for tourists to be on time for
trains: Swiss train conductors never wait for late arrivers. In summary, Swiss customs are very easy to follow and
very important to remember!
( Paragraph Power George M. Rooks,10)
Reference: http://faculty.deanza.edu/wongletty/stories/storyReader$18
15. Comparative Paragraph
Shows the similarities and differences between two objects.
Example: Complaining vs. Moaning "Visitors to Britain are rarely able to grasp--sometimes after decades of residency--the vital
distinction its inhabitants make between complaining and moaning. The two activities seem similar, but there is a profound
philosophical and practical difference. To complain about something is to express dissatisfaction to someone whom you hold
responsible for an unsatisfactory state of affairs; to moan is to express the same thing to someone other than the person
responsible. The British are powerfully embarrassed by complaining, and experience an almost physical recoil from people
who do it in public. They do love to moan though. The background music of British life is a running aria of moaning about
pretty much everything--our weather, our politics, our permanently under-performing national sports teams, our reality-TV-
obsessed media, and so on. Moaning, a source of entertainment in its own right, is also an important psychic comfort
blanket, a way of venting resentment without taking responsibility for effecting change."
(John Lanchester, "Party Games." The New Yorker, June 7, 2010)
16. Cause and Effect Paragraph
A paragraph that talks about the reasons of why something happened and the consequences of this
event.
Example: “Sally, a computer salesperson, prepared extensively for a meeting with a client (ultimate
cause), impressed the client (immediate cause), and made a very large sale (effect). The chain
did not stop there: the large sale caused her to be promoted by her employer (effect)."
(Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz, Models for Writers, 6th ed. St. Martin's Press, 1999)
17. Approach and Problem Resolution
Paragraph
It is divided in two parts. The first one presents the problem in an explicit way. The second part provides a solution for the probelm
Example: On most part, energy is created by burning fossil fuels -- coal, natural gas and oil. The problem with this is that these resources
are finite. At the current rate of use, it is expected that the world will run out of fossil fuels in thirty to forty years to come. As a result, it will
no longer be possible to generate power to operate factories and vehicles or to light and heat houses. This world-wide problem can be
resolved through the implementation of two possible solutions. The first solution is to improve conservation efforts. In order to do this,
governments can try to raise public awareness, discourage over-consumption and encourage recycling. For example, they can encourage
the installation of high-efficiency light bulbs in homes and offices. They can inform the public of the amount of energy saved by simply
turning off lights that are not being used or by using public transport more and cars less. They can also pass laws mandating the recycling
of whatever possible. Improvements in conservation will surely extend the life of current fuels but they are not complete answers to what
will happen when fossil fuels eventually run out. The second and better solution, therefore, is to use alternative sources of energy to meet
future needs. The current leading alternatives to fossil fuels are solar energy and fusion, which is the union of atomic nuclei to form
heavier nuclei. Solar energy is directly obtained from the sun so it is easily accessible and pollution-free. It can be used both to heat water
and buildings and to generate electricity but mostly in countries that have ample sunlight. Fusion, on the other hand, will make it possible
for nuclear power plants to generate enormous amounts of energy in order to meet the energy needs of the planet indefinitely. In addition,
despite public concern about safety and risk of contamination, fusion is a safe and clean source of energy as modern power plants take
strict safety measures to prevent potential nuclear disasters and leaks. In conclusion, in order to have sufficient energy for the next
century, it will be necessary to develop and encourage the use of alternative energy sources worldwide.
(Energy Sources: A Dilemma of the Twenty-First Century)
Reference: www.dbe.metu.edu.tr/student/groups/int/Prob.Solution%20Ss.%20Copy.pdf
18. Inductive Paragraph
The main idea is at the end of the text. It uses the secondary ideas to get to
the general topic.
Example: “There are basketball players from the 1980s who have scored at
least 5 points on average.Therefore, basketball players from the 1980s
have scored at least 5 points on average” .
(Splice, Essay Tips Chief.Writer)
Reference: http://tipsforresearchpapersandessays.blogspot.com/2008/12/inductive-argument-examples.html
19. Closing / Conclusion Paragraph
Concludes the main idea of the text and tries to leave a memorable message for the reader.
Example: “For all we know, occasional viable crosses between humans and chimpanzees are
possible. The natural experiment must have been tried very infrequently, at least recently. If such
off-spring are ever produced, what will their legal status be? The cognitive abilities of
chimpanzees force us, I think, to raise searching questions about the boundaries of the
community of beings to which special ethical considerations are due, and can, I hope, help to
extend our ethical perspectives downward through the taxa on Earth and upwards to
extraterrestrial organisms, if they exist.”
—Sagan, "The Abstractions of Beasts"
Reference: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/concl.html
