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COURSE TITTLE: WRITING 2( vb2)

 Lecturer: Le Thi Bich Vy, MA

 Course book: Alice, S & Masould, S.(2007) Effective Academic Writing Oxford

 Paragraph organization, paragraph format, unity and coherence in a paragraph

A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO PARAGRAPHS

1 Definition

- A paragraph is a group of sentences that develop an idea

- The sentences of a paragraph support and give examples of the main idea

- A paragraph begins with an indented sentence

- A paragraph can stand alone, or it can be grouped with other paragraphs to develop a more general idea, as in an essay

2 Kinds of paragraphs

- Descriptive paragraph: the writer describes a person, a place or a thing

- Narrative paragraph: the writer tells a story

- Process paragraph: the writer explains how to do or how to make something

- Example paragraph: the writer explains a story by giving examples

- Opinion paragraph: the writer expresses his or her feelings, ideas, and opinions about a topic

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3 Formatting a paragraph

- Margins: the paragraph must begin 1 inch (2, 25 cm) or ¼ inches from the edges of the

paper

- Spacing: a paragraph should be double-spaced

- Indenting: the first sentence of the paragraph must be indented

- Connected sentences: the sentences in a paragraph must be indented A well-supported

paragraph has at least 5 sentences

- Title (optional): a paragraph usually has a title which is one word or a group of words

telling what the topic is

Definition: topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph It briefly indicates what

the paragraph is going to discuss( main idea)

Writing good topic sentence

There are three important things to remember about a topic sentence

1 A topic sentence is a complete sentence; that is, it contains a subject, a verb and a complement

- Ex: Driving on freeways requires nerves of steel (A topic sentence)

Driving on free way (not a topic sentence)

2 A topic sentence contains both a topic and a controlling idea

Topic is what the paragraph is about

Controlling idea explain what the writer will say about the topic

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- Ex:

Topic controlling idea

My friend is an honest person

My friend is the funniest person I know

My friend has a terribly dangerous job

3 A topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph because it gives only the main idea It does not give any specific details

- Ex: American food is tasteless and greasy (A good topic sentence)

American food is tasteless and greasy because American use too many canned,

frozen, and prepacked food and because everything is fried in oil or butter (So

specific)

- Topic sentence has some positions in the paragraph

At the beginning of the paragraph (the most common) – deductive writing

In the middle

At the end of the paragraph – Inductive writing

Out of the paragraph (implied topic sentences)

- There are some crucial things to remember so as to write effective topic sentences

a Choose a manageable topic; that is, it must be both general enough to allow us to bring together interesting details that we will engage our reader and narrow or specific enough so that we can cover it adequately in a few sentences

Ex1: My parents have influenced my life

My parents helped me make decision to attend college

Ex2: Only 36 percent of American voted in the 1990 election (Too narrow)

Many Americans do not take their right to vote

As we narrow down a topic or controlling idea, should ask ourselves questions as: Why, Where, When, Why, What, which, How

b Do not include too many unrelated ideas in our topic sentence because if we do,

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our paragraph will not be unified

Ex: San Francisco is famous for its temperate climate, its many tourist attraction, and its Cosmopolitan atmosphere (Too many ideas)

San Francisco is famous for its cosmopolitan atmosphere

c Avoid announcing our topic It is unnecessary

Ex: This paragraph will discuss how to change a flat tire

Go directly to: changing a flat tire involves many steps

d Make sure the topic sentence is a complete thought

Definition: supporting sentences are the sentences that develop the topic sentence It means they

explain the topic sentence by giving supporting ideas

How to write good supporting sentences

1 Use relevant details: the details we choose to support the topic sentence must be relevant

Relevant means that each detail must directly explain and support the topic sentence

Relevant details help to clarify and strengthen our ideas whereas irrelevant details make our ideas unclear and confusing

2 Include sufficient detail: Sufficient details mean enough information to make our topic

sentence understandable and convincing

Kinds of supporting material:

1 Example: is a representative person, quality, or event It shows a common quality or

illustrates a general rule

2 Fact: is a piece of information that is true or an event that has happened

3 Anecdote: a short story about a person or event that illustrates or dramatizes a point

4 Quotation: an extraction of a book, magazine or someone‟s saying

Methods of organizing ideas

1 time order (chronological order )

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2 spatial arrangement

3 advantages and disadvantages

4 level of importance

5 Cause and effect

3 Use transitional words:

Transitional words allow the reader to move easily from one detail to another They show how details relate to one another Also they make your ideas flow smoothly

Reference list of transition words

Although, and yet, at the same time, but, despite, even though, however, in contrast, in spite

of, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, still, though, yet

 To show time:

After, afterward, as , as long as, as soon as, at last, before, during, earlier, finally, formerly, immediately, later, meanwhile, next, since, shortly, subsequently, then, thereafter, until, when, while

 To show place or direction:

Above, below, beyond, close, elsewhere, father on, here, nearby, opposite, to the left…

 To indicate logical relationship:

Accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, for this reason, hence, if, otherwise, since,

so, then, therefore, thus

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Definition: The concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the reader with

important points to remember

A concluding sentence serves three purposes:

1 signals the end of the paragraph

2 summarizes the main points of the paragraph

3 gives a final comment on the topic and leaves the reader with the more important ideas to think about In this way, it can warn the reader, make a prediction or give an opinion about the topic

End-of paragraph signals

All in all,

In conclusion,

in other words,

in short, in summary, on the whole, that is, therefore,

to sum up, generally speaking, in brief, Finally,

Indeed

We can see that………

It is clear that………

These examples show that………

There can be no doubt that………

The evidence suggests that…………

It goes without saying that………

PRACTICE:

a General organization

- Exercise 1,2(p.p.5-6)

- Exercise 6, 7(p.p.8-10)

- Exercise 2(p.24)

MORE PRACTICE:

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Practice 1: Read the following sentences about San Francisco Two of the sentences are topic

sentences, and the rest are supporting sentences Put a T in front of each topic sentence, and an

S in front of each supporting sentence

( ) San Francisco is usually warm and pleasant during the day

( ) Some of the country‟s most famous restaurants and hotels are in San Francisco

( ) There are many things to see and to do in San Francisco

( ) The city has many interesting tourist attractions

( ) There are many excellent art galleries

( ) The weather in San Francisco is very pleasant

( ) It is never too hot or too cold

( ) The nightlife is exciting

( ) San Francisco has a ballet company, an opera house and a symphony orchestra

( ) It is cool and breezy at night

( ) The winters are mild and it rarely snows

Practice 2: Identify the topic sentence, supporting sentences and the concluding sentence Put a

T in front of topic sentences, S in front of supporting sentences and C in front of concluding sentence

PARAGRAPH 1

( ) The best way to see San Francisco is by walking

( ) When you explore San Francisco by foot, you can experience all the city has to offer ( ) When you walk, you experience the different smells of the restaurants, the plants and sometimes the ocean

( ) You can stop and look in the windows of shops or sit on a bench for a short while and look at interesting people

( ) In a car or a bus, you cannot stop easily if you see something interesting because parking

is difficult

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PARAGRAPH 2

( ) Your delicious egg taco is ready to eat in just a few minutes

( ) Heat a flour tortilla in a small amount of water

( ) Scramble two eggs with a little salt and pepper

( ) An egg taco takes only five minutes to make

( ) When the eggs are done, slide them into the warm tortilla and fold it over

PARAGRAPH 3

( ) I was almost finished writing my paper, and I was checking it for error

( ) Suddenly, my computer screen went black, and the power was gone

( ) My paper is late because something happened to my computer

( ) The accident made me lose many hours of work, so I could not turn in my essay on time ( ) Later, I learned that a squirrel got on the power line and disrupted the electricity

PARAGRAPH 4

( ) The river walk is lower than the streets of the city

( ) You can walk down stairs to a canal with a stone path and plants on each side

( ) There are many shops, restaurants and hotels along the path

( ) The river walk is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon or evening in San Antonio ( ) I enjoy the river walk in San Antonio

b Writing the topic sentence

Practice 1: Identify the topics and controlling ideas in the sentences below

1 Hiking is the best way to explore nature closely

2 My uncle had a frightening experience as a young man

3 Text messaging has become popular among teenagers

4 Effective time management requires four easy steps

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5 Every college student should take a computer course

Practice 2: Choose the best topic sentence for each of the following paragraphs Circle the letter

in front of the sentence you chose

PARAGRAPH 1

a The city needs the money

b The city needs money to fix the buses

c The state has lots of money

Many buses need repair work City officials say there is not enough money to fix them They will borrow money from the state

PARAGRAPH 2

a Taxes should be raised

b Many teachers are not paid

c Tax money is used to build new roads

The city needs more money and will have serious problems if it is not raised soon We need money to pay for new roads and the repair of old roads We also need money to pay teachers’ salaries and to pay for services such as trash collection In addition, more tax money is needed for financial aid to the poor

PARAGRAPH 3

a Shopping is difficult

b The stores are crowded at Christmas

c It is better to do your Christmas shopping early

It will be more difficult for you if you wait until just before Christmas Many stores run out

of the more popular items, so it will be harder for you to find what you want The stores are also more crowded and the lines are much longer

PARAGRAPH 4

a Skiing is expensive

b Skiing is a popular sport

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c Skiing has many disadvantages

Many people enjoy it even though it is expensive and dangerous A lot of people spend every winter weekend skiing, and many families go on winter ski vacations Neither the high cost of equipment nor the severe cold keeps skiers away from the slopes

PARAGRAPH 5

a It is expensive to attend a university in the United States

b There are many things to consider when choosing a university

c A good education is important

First of all, you must consider the quality of the university’s academic program The university’s size and location should also be given careful thought Finally, you must always be sure to consider the tuition before you decide which university to attend

Practice 3: The following topic sentences are not effective State the reasons for their ineffectiveness

1 The way our society treats elderly people is unbelievable

2 The first car that I owned was a Ford

3 Computers have changed our society

4 People who eat a lot of red meat are almost three times more likely to get colon cancer

than people who eat mostly fish and chicken

5 Action must be taken against drugs

6 My last car was dependable, but many American cars are poorly made

7 The subject of this essay is daily prayer in our public schools

8 Soap operas show many stereotyped characters although they also portray real problems

in American life

9 I am going to write on my ideas concerning “F” grade

10 The strangest teacher I ever had taught me a lesson I will never forget

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Practice 4: Write the controlling idea for each of the following topic to make a complete topic

sentence

1 Smoking………

2 Living in a foreign country………

3 Owing a car ………

4 A good learner………

Practice 5: Write the topic sentence for each of the following paragraphs 1.………

It is always sunny and warm The beaches are gorgeous with soft, white sand and beautiful, and blue water There are many fine restaurants in the Miami area, and most of the big hotels offer terrific entertainment nightly 2………

He has collected stamps and coins ever since he was a child He is very proud of his valuable collections He also enjoys painting and drawing Recently he has become interested in gardening Out of all his hobbies, Paul‟s favorite one is reading He tries to read at least one book very week 3………

First of all, the plumbing does work properly and the landlord refused to fix it I also have noisy neighbors who keep me up every night Furthermore, there are so many bugs in my apartment that I could start an insect collection 4………

First of all, the work is very interesting I learn new things every day, and I get to travel a lot Secondly, my boss is very nice He is always willing to help me when I have a problem I have also made many new friends at my job And last but not least, the salary is fantastic 5………

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My plane was six hours late The hotel was horrible On the third day my wallet was stolen,

so I lost all my credit cards It rained every day I was gone except for one day, and on that day I got terrible sunburn

c Writing supporting sentences

Write at least 4 supporting sentences for each of the following topic sentences

1 There are certain characteristics I always look for in a good restaurant

2 Computers are useful in many ways

d Writing concluding sentence

- Exercise 8(p.11)

- More practice

Practice 1: Read the paragraph below Then read the concluding sentences that follow and

decide which one works best

There they are!

I feel happy whenever I am standing beside a train track because I am waiting for someone who is close to me I was the youngest child in my family, so my older brothers and sisters left home before I did However, they always returned for vacations and holidays My mother and father and I were always at the train station to greet them I enjoyed the smell of the train and the roaring noise it made as the big black engine pulled into the station I would jump up and down trying to see while everyone crowded around the doors.” There they are!” my mother would cry

I would run to jump into the arms of my beloved brother or sister…………

a In conclusion, I always had an enjoyable visit with my brothers and sisters

b In conclusion, my whole family likes train stations

c Now I am an adult, but I still feel joy when I go to the train station to meet someone I love

A Wise Shopper

A consumer can save a lot of money by shopping wisely This means he is always looking for sales and collecting coupons, but it also means the person is not a compulsive shopper In other words, the wise consumer does his research and makes a plan so that he knows what he is

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looking for He is not tempted by attractive products that are not necessary Sometimes he goes home without purchasing anything He might think he wasted his time but he knows he did not waste his money

a In conclusion, a compulsive shopper can never be a wise shopper

b In conclusion, a wise shopper also keeps a budget so that he knows how much he can spend

c In conclusion, a wise shopper finds ways to save money on the price and to avoid buying what he does not need

Practice 2: Write the concluding sentence for this paragraph

My Grandfather, the Baker

My Grandfather has a lot of respect in our community He is the owner of a bakery called” The Family Bread Factory.” The bakery has been his profession since he was young He started working there at the age of 13 He learned many recipes The most delicious and secret recipe uses oatmeal and other ingredients that only he knows This bread made him famous Nowadays

he makes some bread only once in a while because his legs bother him, and he gets tired easily Instead, he sits at the table, and the people of the town come to buy bread and to pay their

respects

………

UNITY AND COHERENCE( p.16& p.12)

THEORY:

- Unity means all of the supporting sentences must support or explain the controlling idea

- Coherence is also an important element of a good paragraph A paragraph is considered coherent when the sentences in it are bound together It means the movement from one sentence to another is logical and smooth

- There are four ways to achieve coherence:

1 Repeating key nouns

2 Using pronouns that refer back to key nouns

3 Using transition signals to show how one idea is related to the next

4 Arranging the sentences in logical order

PARAGRAPH 2

There are several reasons why many American women are waiting until they are thirty years old or older to have their first baby Some women have good jobs and want to continue their careers Many American couples have two children Other women don‟t want the responsibility of having children until they are older Still others are waiting until they are financially secure before they start a family

PARAGRAPH 3

Running has many positive effects on the body First of all, it increases the efficiency

of the heart and lungs Running also helps the body develop greater physical endurance However, many people prefer swimming Finally, it helps the body become more mechanically efficient

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PARAGRAPH 1

a After an attack by a great white, 462 stitches were required to sew an Australia scuba diver

b With their razor sharp teeth and strong jaws, great white sharks are very dangerous

c Nevertheless, one did that just near a public beach in Australia in 1985

d Even when they attack humans, however, great white do not usually eat them

e It bit in half and totally devoured a young female swimmer

f Great whites do not usually attack humans, but when they do, they always cause serious injury and even death

PARAGRAPH 2

a Another important change was that people had the freedom to work wherever they wanted

b The earliest significant change was for farming families, who were no longer isolated

c The final major change brought by the automobile was the building of superhighways, suburbs, huge shopping centers, and many theme parks such as Disney World in Florida

d The automobile revolutionized the American way of life

e The automobile enabled them to drive to towns and cities comfortably and conveniently

f In fact, people could work in a busy metropolitan city and drive home to the quiet suburbs

PARAGRAPH 3

a In time, this melted part rises as magma

b The formation of a volcanic eruption is a dramatic series of events

c As the plates sinks, friction and the earth‟s heat cause part of it to melt

d The magma produces heat, steam, and pressure