Understanding Paragraphs and
Topic Sentences
Worth Weller
The Paragraph…
• Stephen King
maintains that
the paragraph
is the basic unit
of writing
The Paragraph…
• “I would argue that the
paragraph, not the sentence,
is the basic unit of writing—
• the place where coherence
begins and words stand a
chance of becoming more
than mere words.”
What is a paragraph?
• A paragraph is __________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
Effective paragraphs
• To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the
following:
• ______________
• ______________,
• _____________________.
Unity
• The entire paragraph
______________________
______________________
______________________.
• If it begins with one focus
or major point of
discussion, it should
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________.
http://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/taylorse
The Topic Sentence
• A topic sentence is a
sentence
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________.
• It comes at
_____________________
_______of the paragraph.
coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/ibc.html
The Topic Sentence…
• Needs to be:
• ____________
• ____________
• ____________
http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/oaa/act/ACTtransformreasons.htm
Formula
• A topic sentence =
________________________
+ ________________________
_________________________
• Example:
• The fear that Americans feel
(limited topic) comes partly
from the uncertainty related to
this attack (a specific thought
about the topic)
Paragraph Development
• Use _______________
____________________
• ___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
• ___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
http://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/taylorse
• Use
__________________
__________________
• _____________in the
paragraph
Paragraph Development
www.emporia.edu/writinglab/paragraphs.html
• Compare and contrast…
• or evaluate causes and
reasons…
• or examine effects and
consequences…
• or analyze the topic…
• or describe the topic..
• or offer a chronology of an
event.
Maintaining Your Own Voice
• Make sure all the topic
sentences are
______________________ and
______________________
• Do NOT quote your sources to
________________________
________________________
• Use your sources __________
_____________________ (not
to make them)
• Make sure all paragraphs begin
with _________________,
_____________________
Summary
• Put only one main idea per paragraph.
• Aim for three to five sentences per
paragraph.
• Make sure each paragraph starts with
the point you want to make in that
paragraph (the topic sentence)
• Develop each topic thoroughly, with
transitional elements and a sentence
that “rounds off” the paragraph.
• Include on each page about three
paragraphs.
• Look at your paper to check for
“balanced” paragraphs