واس
16-02-09, 03:38 PM
WRITING PARAGRAPHS
Here is EVERYTHING you need to know to write a good paragraph. This is what we want to see in your EAP entry exam:
Organisation – topic sentence, supporting sentences, details, examples.
Content – does each paragraph talk about one idea. Check that you have written about what the question asked you to write about!
Grammar – am I writing about present, past or future? Take care with 3rd person singular + Verb. Do I use a/an/the? Do I use “s” at the end of nouns to talk about things in general. Cats drink milk.
Section 1: What should my page look like?
Margin? Take a ruler and place it vertically on the left edge of the page. Draw a line from the top line to the bottom line. Do not write in this space.
Title? Leave one line for the paragraph title. When you have finished writing your paragraph, go back and write the title.
Double line spacing? This means on a computer, you leave two lines between each line of writing, BUT when you write by hand, write one line, leave one line.
How many lines between paragraphs? If you indent, you do not need to leave any spare lines before you begin the next paragraph.
Paragraph 1 Xxxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx
(1 line)
xx xxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxxx xxxx.
(1 line)
Paragraph 2 Xxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx xxxxx
(1 line)
xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxx xxxxx.
If you do not indent, leave two spare lines before you start the next paragraph.
Xxxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx
(1 line)
xx xxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxxx xxxx.
(2 lines)
Xxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx xxxxx
(1 line)
xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxx xxxxx.
Should I indent or NOT? It’s your choice, what do you like best?
If you want to indent, leave 2cm from the left edge of the page, then write your first word. ONLY indent on the first line of the paragraph.
Xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx
(1 line)
xxxx xxxxxx xxx xxx xxxxx xx xxxx.
If you do NOT INDENT, start all lines next to the margin.
Scroll down to the next page.
Section 2: Writing a paragraph:
How many sentences in a paragraph?
As many as you wish to explain your ONE idea BUT generally 5-10 sentences.
What is in a paragraph? One idea or one topic = one paragraph. New idea = new paragraph.
1. Topic sentence = topic + main idea
2. Supporting sentences that give details, stories, examples.
3. Concluding sentence (if you want.)
Every sentence in the paragraph is about the same topic. A paragraph gives information, tells an opinion, explains something, tells a short story.
1. What is a topic sentence?
Tells the reader two things: the topic OR the writer’s opinion or idea about the topic AND the main idea.
Examples of BAD topic sentences:
English is an interesting language. (too broad; this is a good way to start an essay BUT NOT a paragraph.)
Tea is a healthy drink. (too general; does not explain what we will read about in the paragraph.)
Examples of GOOD topic sentences:
Learning English could improve my career opportunities.
Green tea can help our bodies fight disease.
The first sentence. (In academic English, the topic sentence may be first or last, but don’t worry about that in General English; you will learn that later.)
2. Supporting sentences?
Come after the topic sentence.
Give more information about the topic such as details and explanations.
3. What is a concluding sentence?
Restates the topic
Summarises the main idea
Makes a suggestion about the future of the topic
The writer gives advice or an opinion.
Section 3: How do I know if my paragraph is good?
Can I circle the topic in my topic sentence?
Can I underline the main idea or writer’s opinion in my topic sentence?
Is there only ONE idea in this paragraph?
Is every supporting sentence connected to the topic sentence?
Do my sentences flow; is there a logical step from one sentence to the next?
Have I checked my formatting; does my paragraph have an indent, or do I start next to the margin?
Could my friend read my handwriting?
Could my friend understand my ideas?
Have I written on one line, then left a line free?
Is there a capital at the beginning of each sentence?
Is there a full stop at the end of each sentence?
Does every sentence have a verb?
Have I checked my use of articles + countable/uncountable/plural nouns?
Is there a title?
Combining 2 sentences with BUT
Use this order……word/comma/space/but
Combining 2 sentences with AND
Question: Sometimes there is a comma before AND; sometimes there is not. Which is correct?
Join two sentences and write the subject of each sentence. Use a COMMA I gave her an apple. He gave her an orange. I gave her an apple, and he gave her an orange. (‘I’ is the subject of the first sentence and ‘He’ is the subject of the second sentence.)
Join two sentences and only say the subject of the first sentence. I gave her an apple and an orange. NO COMMA.
NEVER START A SENTENCE WITH AND/BUT (although it is okay in informal or creative writing)
Use IN ADDITION = AND…..HOWEVER = BUT
Can I start a sentence with BECAUSE? Yes, but you must follow this rule.
Think about the comma in these sentences:
If I do X, y will happen. (COMMA)
Y will happen if I do X. (NO COMMA)
It is the same with BECAUSE: Y did this because X did that. (NO COMMA) Because X did that, Y did this. (COMMA)
It is important that you can:
Combine sentences with and/but.
Combine sentences with adjectives and commas: Her dress was short, black and trendy.
Use adjectives to describe places.
Use adjectives to describe people.
Other good ideas:
Start your paragraph with a gerund (-ing form of the verb) eg. Eating a healthy breakfast gives us the energy to keep going.
Past simple can be written in place of present perfect, past continuous and used to if you are not sure how to use present perfect, past continuous or used to…use past simple to be safe.
Take care with subject-verb agreement. He like/he likes
Take care to use might/may/will/will not/could, can + INFINITIVE.
You CAN mix tenses. Use all the tenses and word forms you know to make your writing interesting.
Do not use the same structure in all sentences. Change word غة الانجليزيةforms to make your sentences interesting.
Do not keep writing THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER JUST TO FILL UP THE PAGE.
I hope this helps!
Here is EVERYTHING you need to know to write a good paragraph. This is what we want to see in your EAP entry exam:
Organisation – topic sentence, supporting sentences, details, examples.
Content – does each paragraph talk about one idea. Check that you have written about what the question asked you to write about!
Grammar – am I writing about present, past or future? Take care with 3rd person singular + Verb. Do I use a/an/the? Do I use “s” at the end of nouns to talk about things in general. Cats drink milk.
Section 1: What should my page look like?
Margin? Take a ruler and place it vertically on the left edge of the page. Draw a line from the top line to the bottom line. Do not write in this space.
Title? Leave one line for the paragraph title. When you have finished writing your paragraph, go back and write the title.
Double line spacing? This means on a computer, you leave two lines between each line of writing, BUT when you write by hand, write one line, leave one line.
How many lines between paragraphs? If you indent, you do not need to leave any spare lines before you begin the next paragraph.
Paragraph 1 Xxxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx
(1 line)
xx xxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxxx xxxx.
(1 line)
Paragraph 2 Xxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx xxxxx
(1 line)
xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxx xxxxx.
If you do not indent, leave two spare lines before you start the next paragraph.
Xxxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx
(1 line)
xx xxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxxx xxxx.
(2 lines)
Xxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxx xxxxx
(1 line)
xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxx xxxxx.
Should I indent or NOT? It’s your choice, what do you like best?
If you want to indent, leave 2cm from the left edge of the page, then write your first word. ONLY indent on the first line of the paragraph.
Xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx
(1 line)
xxxx xxxxxx xxx xxx xxxxx xx xxxx.
If you do NOT INDENT, start all lines next to the margin.
Scroll down to the next page.
Section 2: Writing a paragraph:
How many sentences in a paragraph?
As many as you wish to explain your ONE idea BUT generally 5-10 sentences.
What is in a paragraph? One idea or one topic = one paragraph. New idea = new paragraph.
1. Topic sentence = topic + main idea
2. Supporting sentences that give details, stories, examples.
3. Concluding sentence (if you want.)
Every sentence in the paragraph is about the same topic. A paragraph gives information, tells an opinion, explains something, tells a short story.
1. What is a topic sentence?
Tells the reader two things: the topic OR the writer’s opinion or idea about the topic AND the main idea.
Examples of BAD topic sentences:
English is an interesting language. (too broad; this is a good way to start an essay BUT NOT a paragraph.)
Tea is a healthy drink. (too general; does not explain what we will read about in the paragraph.)
Examples of GOOD topic sentences:
Learning English could improve my career opportunities.
Green tea can help our bodies fight disease.
The first sentence. (In academic English, the topic sentence may be first or last, but don’t worry about that in General English; you will learn that later.)
2. Supporting sentences?
Come after the topic sentence.
Give more information about the topic such as details and explanations.
3. What is a concluding sentence?
Restates the topic
Summarises the main idea
Makes a suggestion about the future of the topic
The writer gives advice or an opinion.
Section 3: How do I know if my paragraph is good?
Can I circle the topic in my topic sentence?
Can I underline the main idea or writer’s opinion in my topic sentence?
Is there only ONE idea in this paragraph?
Is every supporting sentence connected to the topic sentence?
Do my sentences flow; is there a logical step from one sentence to the next?
Have I checked my formatting; does my paragraph have an indent, or do I start next to the margin?
Could my friend read my handwriting?
Could my friend understand my ideas?
Have I written on one line, then left a line free?
Is there a capital at the beginning of each sentence?
Is there a full stop at the end of each sentence?
Does every sentence have a verb?
Have I checked my use of articles + countable/uncountable/plural nouns?
Is there a title?
Combining 2 sentences with BUT
Use this order……word/comma/space/but
Combining 2 sentences with AND
Question: Sometimes there is a comma before AND; sometimes there is not. Which is correct?
Join two sentences and write the subject of each sentence. Use a COMMA I gave her an apple. He gave her an orange. I gave her an apple, and he gave her an orange. (‘I’ is the subject of the first sentence and ‘He’ is the subject of the second sentence.)
Join two sentences and only say the subject of the first sentence. I gave her an apple and an orange. NO COMMA.
NEVER START A SENTENCE WITH AND/BUT (although it is okay in informal or creative writing)
Use IN ADDITION = AND…..HOWEVER = BUT
Can I start a sentence with BECAUSE? Yes, but you must follow this rule.
Think about the comma in these sentences:
If I do X, y will happen. (COMMA)
Y will happen if I do X. (NO COMMA)
It is the same with BECAUSE: Y did this because X did that. (NO COMMA) Because X did that, Y did this. (COMMA)
It is important that you can:
Combine sentences with and/but.
Combine sentences with adjectives and commas: Her dress was short, black and trendy.
Use adjectives to describe places.
Use adjectives to describe people.
Other good ideas:
Start your paragraph with a gerund (-ing form of the verb) eg. Eating a healthy breakfast gives us the energy to keep going.
Past simple can be written in place of present perfect, past continuous and used to if you are not sure how to use present perfect, past continuous or used to…use past simple to be safe.
Take care with subject-verb agreement. He like/he likes
Take care to use might/may/will/will not/could, can + INFINITIVE.
You CAN mix tenses. Use all the tenses and word forms you know to make your writing interesting.
Do not use the same structure in all sentences. Change word غة الانجليزيةforms to make your sentences interesting.
Do not keep writing THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER JUST TO FILL UP THE PAGE.
I hope this helps!