Basic Elements of a Paragraph—
Most writing in English is organized into paragraphs. A paragraph is a small unit of writing that contains information about one idea. A good paragraph follows this pattern—
Topic Sentence / Support / Conclusion
--Introduce the topic and give your opinion or idea about it in the topic sentence.
--Develop the topic with supporting sentences containing facts, details, and examples.
--Conclude with a sentence that refers to the topic.
Read the following paragraph. Notice the pattern.
My Hometown
My hometown—Burdens Landing—is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Stark River, which is very wide and beautiful. On either side of this river, which is 175 feet wide, are many willow trees which have long branches that can move gracefully in the wind. In autumn the leaves of these trees fall and cover the riverbanks like golden snow. Also, on the other side of the town is Sugar Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep.There are no trees around this hill, so it stands clearly against the sky and can be seen for miles away. Even though it is steep, climbing this hill is not dangerous because there are some firm rocks along the sides that can be used as stairs. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree, which is noteworthy for its age and great size. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old.It is so impressive looking that visitors come from all over to have their picture taken standing under its tremendous boughs. These three landmarks are truly amazing and make Burdens Landing a famous place.
Topic Sentence and Controlling Idea—
An effective topic sentence does two things—
--It introduces the topic of the paragraph.
--It contains a controlling idea that tells the writer’s opinion, attitude, or idea about the topic. The idea can be a fact, but it must be unique or interesting.
Effective Topic Sentence—
Many students attend college to prepare for a career that interests them.
Ineffective Topic Sentence—
Many students attend college.
Which of the following are effective topic sentences?
--Two year colleges have several advantages.
--My life is very busy because of family, work, and school obligations.
--My college’s registered nursing program prepares students well for the state nursing examination.
--Being a responsible student requires time, effort, and confidence.
--Grants, loans, and scholarships are the three best ways to cut the cost of a college education.
--Computer networking is a degree program at my university.
--My friend is majoring in accounting.
--Students have greater chances to succeed if they form study groups and use teachers as resources.
--The college computer lab has many computers with Internet access.
--There are several advantages to having a job and taking classes at the same time.