HOW TO IMPROVE PARAGRAPH WRITING

Because of many things that the students have to think to make a good writing, the students often get difficulties in expressing their ideas into a well composition.. A paragraph is made

TÊN CHUYÊN ĐỀ:

TABLE OF CONTENT

PART A INTRODUCTION 3

PART B CONTENT 3

I Overview about a paragraph 3

1.Whai is a paragraph? 3

2 The structure of a paragraph 3

II.Essential elements to make an effective paragraph 4

1 Paragraph Unity 4

2 Time order parargraph 4

3 Paragraph coherence Error! Bookmark not defined 4 Completeness 5

III Some techniques to improve paragraph writing 5

1 Generating ideas for writing 5

2 Setting up an outline 8

3 Considering paragraph length 9

4 Using linking words in the paragraph 9

5 Proof- reading 10

IV Sample of a paragraph 11

PART C CONCLUSION Error! Bookmark not defined

REFERENCES Error! Bookmark not defined

TÊN CHUYÊN ĐỀ:

"HOW TO IMPROVE PARAGRAPH WRITING"

Tác giả: Nguyễn Thị Lệ Thu PART A INTRODUCTION

Writing is one of the language skills that has to be mastered by the students as well as the three other skills Writing is considered the most difficult one because when doing writing activity, the students are required to pay attention to the content, organization, vocabulary, language use and mechanics simultaneously The students also should arrange and organize the ideas clearly so that the readers do not misunderstand on what they write The students also sometimes get difficulties in getting ideas to write Because of many things that the students have to think to make

a good writing, the students often get difficulties in expressing their ideas into a well composition So how to improve writing skills ? Everyone has a different reason why

for your English class at university Or maybe you want to start a blog about learning English or you need to respond to emails in English for your business.etc

This paper is written with the aim of sharing some of my experience about how

to improve paragraph writing, which is very necessary for the students taking part in the tests as well as in the national exams

PART B CONTENT

I Overview about a paragraph

1 What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is a number of sentences grouped together which relate to one topic in a coherent and logical sequence Every paragraph should have one topic, which is usually presented in the first sentence called the topic sentence All the other sentences in the paragraph must develop and support the topic

2 The structure of a paragraph

A paragraph is made up of three components: a topic sentence, supporting

sentences and a concluding sentence

II Essential elements to make an effective paragraph

1 Paragraph unity

Unity in a paragraph begins with the topic sentence Every paragraph has one single, controlling idea that is expressed in its topic sentence, which is typically the first sentence of the paragraph A paragraph is unified around this main idea, with the supporting sentences providing detail and discussion In order to write a good topic sentence, think about your theme and all the points you want to make Decide which point drives the rest, and then write it as your topic sentence

2 Time order paragraph

Order refers to the way you organize your supporting sentences Whether you choose chronological order, order of importance, or another logical presentation of detail, a solid paragraph always has a definite organization In a well-ordered paragraph, the reader follows along easily, aided by the pattern you’ve established Order helps the reader grasp your meaning and avoid confusion

3 Paragraph coherence

Coherence is the quality that makes your writing understandable Sentences within a paragraph need to connect to each other and work together as a whole One of the best ways to achieve coherency is to use transition words

There are a number of transition words you can use in a sentence to create coherence in a paragraph

Relationship Transition words

Space Nearby, next to, here, around the corner, to the right

Contrast However, on the other hand, otherwise, whereas, but, although

Compare Similarly, in the same way

Addition Furthermore, also, in addition, moreover, likewise, too

Time Finally, meanwhile, suddenly, previously, afterward

Cause and effect Consequently, therefore, hence, because, as a result

Example For example, that is, for instance, to illustrate

Summary In conclusion, finally, consequently, in other words

4 Completeness

Completeness means a paragraph is well-developed If all sentences clearly and sufficiently support the main idea, then your paragraph is complete If there are not enough sentences or enough information to prove your thesis, then the paragraph is incomplete Usually three supporting sentences, in addition to a topic sentence and concluding sentence, are needed for a paragraph to be completed The concluding sentence or last sentence of the paragraph should summarize your main ideas by reinforcing your topic sentence

III Some techniques to improve paragraph writing

1 Generating ideas for writing

When you are given a writing task, the first thing you should do is to think about the topic and find ideas for your task This activity is called brainstorming, which is useful for timed essays, such as in a test, or for a writing task

There are some popular ways for brainstorming

a Listing

Listing is an activity where you think about the topic and make a list of your ideas Example: Reasons for going to university

 To study a particular subject

 To get a good job in the future

 To make friends

 To have fun

b Mind- mapping.

A mind map is a strategy for making notes on a topic, prior to writing It is a structured strategy, which shows the (hierarchical) relationship of ideas, as opposed to

an unstructured strategy, such as brainstorming, in which students produce notes at random on paper

Having an organized display of information from the outset of the writing process may help some students, as it is more easily converted into a draft, whereas in brainstorming, the random recording of ideas might lead to problems Making a mind map should be a spontaneous pre-writing activity Students start with a topic at the centre and then generate a web of ideas from that, developing and relating these ideas

as their mind makes associations

Mind maps work well as their visual design enables students to see the relationship between ideas, and encourages them to group certain ideas together as they proceed Mind maps work especially well when created in groups, since the discussion this engenders aids the production of ideas, and makes the task livelier and more enjoyable

How to make mind maps with your students?

To draw a mind map, Students should:

- Write the topic in the center of a blank sheet of paper,

- Think of any word or phrase that is related to the topic and write it next to the topic

- Draw a line between the word and the topic

- Think of a new word related to either one of the two words on the sheet and write

it down

- Continue until you have enough ideas

Now this is a model of a mind- mapping

Internship programs

Future career

New class

clubs

tennis

To make friends

Reasons for going to university

to study a particular subject

Don’t have to

study what I

don’t like

Time for finding myself

travelling

Knowledgeable professors

Part-time jobs

Connection with companies

before starting to work

Flexible schedule Interesting

classes

2 Setting up an outline

Once a topic has been chosen, ideas have been generated through brainstorming and free writing, and a working thesis has been created, the last step a writer can perform in the prewriting stage is creating an outline An outline allows a writer to categorize the main points, to organize the paragraphs into an order that makes sense, and to make sure that each paragraph/idea can be fully developed Essentially, an outline helps prevent a writer from getting stuck when performing the actual writing

of the paragraph

A basic outline of a paragraph

Topic sentence:

A Supporting idea 1

1

2

3

B Supporting idea 2

1

2

3

C Supporting idea 3

1

2

3

Concluding sentence:

An outline example of a paragraph:

Topic sentence: Choosing a college or university can be difficult for high school

graduates

A Good preparation for your major

1 Thorough, solid curriculum

2 Qualified professors

B Affordability

1 Ability to pay tuition and living expenses

2 Possibility of scholarships

C Good Location

1 Study environment

2 Possibilities of part time job in major

Concluding sentence: Students should consider these points carefully so they can

choose the most appropriate college or university for them

3 Considering paragraph length – not too long and not too short

Generally, the paragraph length varies and each paragraph must be long enough

to cover the main points Paragraphs that are overly long can be tedious to read, and reduce coherency in your writing On the other hand, paragraphs that are overly short (consisting of only one or two sentences) can be distracting for the reader, making your writing appear disjointed and less cohesive

There are no hard-and-fast rules for how long a paragraph should be Instead, make sure there are natural breaks Each paragraph should contain one main idea and whatever writing supports it

4 Using linking words in the paragraph

Use linking words to achieve the effect of unbroken continuity For example, the words hence, so, therefore, but, and, or and then will connect the sentences and make the paragraph a well-knit whole Use expressions like on the other hand, on the contrary, nevertheless, but, yet and still to contrast ideas or present alternatives

The first sentence is the key sentence in a paragraph It should introduce the central topic The last sentence should round off the idea expressed in the paragraph

To list points:

- Firstly/ First of all/ In the first place/ To start with/ To begin with

- Secondly/ Thirdly/ Finally

 To list advantages

- One/ Another/ A further/ An additional (major) advantage/ benefit of is

- The main/ greatest/ first advantage of is

 To show addition

-besides, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, next…

 To list disadvantages

- One/ Another/ A further/ An additional (major) disadvantage/ drawback of

- The main/ greatest/ most serious/ first disadvantage/ drawback of

- Another negative aspect of is

 To introduce examples:

- For example/ For instance/ such as/ in particular/ especially

- Take for example

To conclude:

- In conclusion/ On balance/ All things considered/ Taking everything into account, it can be said claimed that/ it would seem that/ it is clear that/ there is little doubt that

- All things considered, the obvious conclusion to be drawn is that

- It is clear/ obvious that

5 Proof-reading

Once you have finished writing, it is essential that you re-read your paragraph two or three times to check it for misspelled words and poor grammar Spelling mistakes and bad grammar can significantly impact the perceived quality of your paragraph, even if the ideas and arguments it contains are of a high quality It is very easy to overlook small mistakes when writing, so don't skip this step, even if you're in

a rush

Ensure that each sentence has a subject and that all proper nouns are capitalized Also make sure that all of the subjects and verbs agree with each other and that you use the same tense across the entire paragraph.[6]

Use a dictionary to double-check the spelling of words that you are unsure about, don't just assume that they are correct You can also use a thesaurus to find synonyms for words, if you feel like you are using the same term too much Just remember to look up whatever word you choose from the thesaurus in the dictionary

to make sure you know the precise meaning of it Thesauruses group words very loosely, and they don’t all mean the same thing For example, the thesaurus gives

“chirpy,” “ecstatic,” and “merry” as synonyms for “happy,” but each of those words

has its own connotation, or particular shade of meaning, that can change the tone and

even meaning of your sentence if you aren’t careful

Check your paragraph for the proper use of punctuation, making sure that you use marks such as commas, colons, semicolons and ellipses in the correct context

IV Sample of a paragraph

Unit 7- English 10: The Mass Media

Write a paragraph about the advantages and disadvantages of one of the mass media

- Generating ideas by listing

Advantages of TV Disadvantages of TV

1 Television helps us to learn more about the

world and to know and see many new things

2 Television can make things memorable

because it presents information in an effective

way

3 It entertains us Watching it is an enjoyable

way to relax

4 It increases the popularity of sports and

games

1 Television can make us passive

We don’t have to think so our brain becomes lazy

2 It encourages us to buy things that we don’t need

3 It takes time away from activities such as reading and games

4 Some television programmes may make people violent

- Setting up an out line

Topic sentence: Television brings us a lot of advantages as well as disadvantages

Supporting sentences:

A Advantages

1 Helping us to learn about the world

2 Making thing memorable

3 Entertaining

4 Making us aware of our global responsibilities

B Disadvantages

1 Making us passive

2 Encouraging us to buy things that we don’t need

3 Taking time away from activities such as reading and games

4 Making people violent when watching some propgrams

Concluding sentence: Television is neither good nor bad and whether it is beneficial

or not depends on the way we use it

- Writing a paragraph

Television brings us a lot of advantages as well as disadvantages Firstly,

television helps us to learn more about the world and to know and see many

new things Secondly, it can make things memorable because it presents

information in an effective way Thirdly, it entertains us Watching it is an

enjoyable way to relax Finally, television makes us aware of our global

responsibilities

However, there are some disadvantages of television First of all,

television makes us passive We don’t have to think so our brains become lazy

Another disadvantage is that it encourages us to buy things that we don’t need

through advertisements In addition, it takes time away from activities such as

reading and games Furthermore, some television programmes may make

people violent

In conclusion, television is neither good nor bad and whether it is beneficial or

not depends on the way we use it