Matakuliah
Tahun
Versi
: Writing 1
: 2006-2007
:6
Pertemuan 12
The Paragraph
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Learning Outcomes
• By the end of this session the students are
expected to be able to:
– Understand what a paragraph is
– Identify the parts of a paragraph
– Write a simple but well written paragraph
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Outline of the Materials
• What is a paragraph?
• Parts of a paragraph
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What is a paragraph?
Definition:
A paragraph is a collection of sentences,
where all the sentences are inter-related
and support one main idea.
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Parts of a paragraph
• Topic Sentence:
– The topic sentence is usually the first
sentence in the paragraph.
– It tells the reader what the paragraph is about
– Sometimes, it also give the readers an
indication of how the information is arranged.
• Supporting sentences:
– The sentences that support and elaborate
more on the main idea in the topic sentence
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Example
There are three reasons why Canada is
one of the best countries in the world. First,
Canada has an excellent health care system. All
Canadians have access to medical services at a
reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high
standard of education. Students are taught by
well-trained teachers and are encouraged to
continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's
cities are clean and efficiently managed.
Canadian cities have many parks and lots of
space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a
desirable place to live.
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• In the example, the main idea is
– (There are three reasons why) Canada is one
of the best countries in the world.
• The supporting ideas:
– Canada has an excellent health care system.
– Canada has a high standard of education.
– Canada's cities are clean and efficiently
managed.
(Note: examples follow the supporting
sentences)
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Conclusion
A good paragraph
• Should have only one main idea (all
sentences are inter-related)
• Should have enough supporting ideas
• Should have examples, anecdote, or
explanation on the supporting sentences
• Should have correct punctuation, capital
letters, spelling and grammar
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