Paragraph to Define

1. Think about what makes a paragraph. What can you compare it with? Write down your own definition of a paragraph.

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2. Why do you think some authors compare a paragraph with a tree? What might its trunk, branches, and leaves symbolize? Write your ideas in the picture.

X. What Comes into Paragraph?

1. Think of the structure of a paragraph and list all possible elements. What are the functions of each element?

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NOTE: The topic sentence is not always given in the introduction; sometimes it is part of the discussion or conclusion. Sometimes it is not stated, and the reader must infer the main idea from the discussion. See p. 14.

Then I work on each part of the paragraph separately. Students learn how to write an introduction, a conclusion. They also learn ways to develop the main idea and have lots of practice.

3. The following paragraph contains three details to develop the main idea. Two of them have examples, one does not. Which detail needs an example? Write it in the space provided.

I can’t imagine my life without a computer for a number of reasons. To illustrate, I learnt about the program Work & Travel USA and found a summer job in Minnesota. The second reason is that there are many educational programs stored in my computer. For example, I have a program with listening tasks to improve my pronunciation in French. Moreover, you can surf the internet for any information you need. For instance, when we are planning to talk at a seminar in History or Theory of Education, we can easily find useful data on the internet. To sum up, a computer is absolutely necessary for a student to succeed in studies.

From Suchkova, S., Dudnikova, G., Adaeva, О. (2015). Learn to Write with Us: a Process-based Writing Textbook (Students’ Book) (4th ed.).

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 914