WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?

Adapted from https://eltngl.com/assets/downloads/greatwi_pro0000000335/gw1_unit2.pdf

A paragraph is a group of sentences about one specific topic. It has three main parts: the
topic sentence, the body, and a concluding sentence:

 The topic sentence is one sentence that tells the

main idea of the whole paragraph. This sentence is
usually the first sentence of the paragraph.
 The body of a paragraph has sentences with
information that supports the topic sentence.
Therefore, they are called the supporting
sentences. Every sentence in the body must be
connected to the topic sentence.
 The concluding sentence is the end of the
paragraph. It is a brief summary of the information
in the paragraph.

THE TOPIC SENTENCE

A topic sentence:

 tells the reader what the paragraph is about.

 gives the general topic / main idea of the whole paragraph.

 should not be too specific or too general.

A paragraph without a topic sentence is confusing for the readers because the ideas are not
organized clearly.

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PRACTICE 1
Read each paragraph and the topic sentences below it. Choose the best topic sentence.
Make sure that the topic sentence gives the main idea for the whole paragraph.

Example
…………………………………………….. She works at Papa Joe’s Restaurant. She
serves about sixty people every day. Maria can remember all the dinner orders. If there is
problem with food, she takes it back to the kitchen immediately. Maria wants every customer
to have a good service and enjoy their meal at the restaurant.
a) My cousin Maria is an excellent server.
b) My cousin Maria works at Papa Joe’s Restaurant.
c) Maria’s customers do not eat big meals.

Paragraph 1
…………………………………………….. I love to see all the interesting things there.
The city is big, exciting, and full of life. I always visit the Empire State Building and Statue of
Liberty. I also visit Chinatown. At night, I go to shows on Broadway. The food in the city is
excellent, too. I enjoy New York City very much.
a) I like to see the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty.
b) New York is a very big city.
c) My favourite city in the world is New York City.
d) New York is a tiring place to live.

Paragraph 2
…………………………………………….. Snow is beautiful when it falls. After a few
days, the snow isn’t beautiful anymore. It starts to melt, and the clean streets become messy.
It is difficult to walk. The sidewalks are slippery. Snow also causes traffic problems. Some
roads are closed. Other roads are hard to drive on safely. Drivers have more accidents on
snowy roads. I understand why some people like snow, but I don’t like it very much.
a) In December, it usually snows.
b) Some people like snow, but I don’t.
c) I love snow.
d) Snow is an interesting natural phenomenon.

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Paragraph 3
…………………………………………….. Pasta tastes great. Sometimes I eat it plain. I
also like it with butter or parmesan cheese. I also like pasta because it has many different
types. Pasta includes spaghetti, macaroni, vermicelli, ravioli, lasagne, and many other kinds.
In addition, pasta is very easy to prepare. I make pasta in 10 minutes. Finally, pasta is a very
healthy food for me. A plate of pasta has about 300 calories, but it has only 3 grams of fat. I
love to eat pasta every day.
a) Everybody loves pasta.
b) Spaghetti and macaroni are kinds of pasta.
c) Pasta is my favourite food.
d) Pasta comes from Italy.

Paragraph 4
…………………………………………….. First, good teachers are patient. They never
rush their students. Good teachers explain things without getting bored. In addition, they are
organized. They always plan their lessons. Good teachers are also encouraging. They help
students understand the subject. Finally, good teachers are fair. They treat all the students the
same. These are some of the most important qualities of good teachers.
a) All good teachers are patient.
b) Good teachers have special qualities.
c) I like my teachers.
d) Some teachers are good, but some teachers are not.

Paragraph 5
…………………………………………….. Radio Station 97.5 FM plays Spanish music.
For people who like rock music, there is Station 98.1. The music on Radio Station 101.5 is all
jazz. Station 103.6 plays blues music during the day and jazz at night. Station 103.9 plays
many kinds of music. Young people listen to 105.7 for dance music. This city is lucky to have
so many kinds of music stations.
a) This city offers radio stations for everyone.
b) This city doesn’t have many Spanish music stations.
c) I do not like rock music very much.
d) I like jazz a lot.

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Paragraph 6
…………………………………………….. First, they keep you fit because you must take
them for walks. It is not often enough to go out for a walk only once. When you go out with
them twice or three times a day, you walk with them. This helps you to keep fit. Secondly,
when you are not at home, they guard the house. For example, when a thief tries to break into
the house, dogs start barking to warn everyone. This keeps the thieves away. Third, they are
great company for older people. Old people sometimes live alone and when there is no one at
home; dogs are like friends for them. So, having a pet dog is really a good idea for many
reasons.
a) Dogs are the best friends for elderly people.
b) If you want to choose a pet, you should prefer dogs to cats.
c) Dogs are useful for lonely people.
d) There are many reasons why dogs are popular as pets.

Paragraph 7
…………………………………………….. Many of these dangers are obvious. Stairs can
be dangerous. The sharp edges of a table are also dangerous. Another danger is fire, and
parents are usually careful about matches and candles. But other dangers are less obvious to a
parent. Many children die from poison in their homes. In fact, all kinds of things in the house
are poison to a child. Medicine, for example, is not harmful for an adult, but makes a child
seriously ill. We can say the same thing for soaps and chemicals, because children can eat and
drink them. All these things in the house can be dangerous for young children.
a) Soap and chemicals are harmful for children.
b) Most homes are full of dangers for small children.
c) Parents need to be careful about matches and candles for their children.
d) Homes are full of dangers for everyone.

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Paragraph 8
…………………………………………….. The main cause of depression is loneliness. In
the past, older people usually lived with other members of the family. They usually had
some responsibilities around the home. For example, older women could help take care of
the children or prepare meals. Older men could help their sons at work or around the house.
These days, married children often prefer to live on their own, sometimes far away from
their parents. Thus, older people may be cut off from family ties. They may feel cut off
from the world around them. Life has changed so much so quickly that older people
sometimes feel that they do not belong any more.
a) In industrialized countries today, many elderly people suffer from depression.
b) Elderly people cannot stay alone because of several reasons.
c) Young people in today’s world want to have a life without their parents.
d) Life in the past was much easier for elderly people.

Paragraph 9
…………………………………………….. Before a baby is born, the mother needs an
alarm clock in the morning, now the baby decides when she should wake up. Before the baby
is born, the parents spend their evenings watching TV or reading, but not now parents spend
their free time taking care of the new member of the family. In contrast to pre-baby days, their
life is more carefully planned. They could go out to see or meet their friends whenever they
want to, that is not possible any more. If they want to go out without the baby, they must
arrange for a baby sitter. Also, there aren’t any neat and tidy rooms anymore because on these
days, their apartment is full of baby things such as toys. Their friends can easily notice a
difference in the topic of conversation: it’s always about the baby.
a) Mothers have always difficulties while they are raising their babies.
b) Life in a household changes when a baby is born.
c) A baby needs extra care when it is born.
d) Parents cannot socialize with others because of their newly born baby.

THE BODY OF THE PARAGRAPH

The body consists of sentences that give supporting information and ideas about the topic
sentence. Therefore, every sentence must be related to the topic sentence. Supporting
sentences:
 provide support, details, or examples for the ideas in the topic sentence.
 cut out any unrelated or unconnected ideas.

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PRACTICE 2
Read each paragraph carefully. Underline the topic sentence.
In each paragraph, one supporting sentence is NOT directly connected to the topic sentence.
Find this irrelevant sentence in each paragraph.

Example:
Changing temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit is not difficult.
First, multiply the Celsius temperature by 9. Then divide this answer by 5.
When you finish, add 32 degrees to your answer. The result is the temperature
in Fahrenheit. Many countries report temperatures in Celsius, but the United
States uses Fahrenheit. For example, if the Celsius temperature is 20, you
multiply 20 by 9. Then you divide the answer, 180, by 5. The result is 36. Next,
add 32, and you have the correct Fahrenheit temperature. Now you know how
to change a temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

Paragraph 1
Keeping score in American football is more difficult than keeping score in soccer. In
soccer, each goal is worth one point. For example, if a team scores five goals in a game, then
the team’s score is five points. In American football, the scoring system is different. When a
player carries the ball across the end zone, he scores a touchdown. A touchdown is worth six
points. When a player kicks the ball between the goal posts, the team gets one point or three
points. Another sport that has easy scoring is basketball.

Paragraph 2
Chili is an easy dish to prepare. Fried chicken is also easy to prepare. To make chilli,
cut up two large onions. Then fry them in a little vegetable oil. You can add fresh garlic and
some diced chilli peppers. When the onions are soft, add two pounds of ground beef. Stir the
onions and beef until they are fully cooked. Sprinkle one tablespoon of red chilli powder on
top. Next, add four cups of diced tomatoes, two cups of water, and add one can of red beans.
Finally, add salt and pepper. Cover the saucepan and cook over low heat for about one hour.
If you follow this simple recipe, you will have a delicious meal.

PRACTICE 3
In each paragraph below, there are 2 irrelevant sentences. Find and cross out these sentences.

Example:
Four U.S. states begin with the word New. New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New
York are in the Northeast, but New Mexico is in the Southwest. Arizona is also in the
Southwest. New Hampshire is a small state with about one million people. New Jersey is also
a small state, but its population is about eight million people. The most well-know of the New
states is New York. The population of New York is about twenty million. New Mexico is the
largest of these four states, but its population is small. There are no states that begin with
the word Old. Although these cities begin with New, they are all very different.

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Paragraph 1
My neighbour, Mrs. Wills, is an amazing person. She is 96 years old. My grandmother
lived to be 87. Mrs. Wills lives alone, and she takes care of herself. In the morning, she works
in her beautiful garden. She also does all her own cooking. She does not like to cook rice. She
cleans her own house. She even puts her heavy garbage can by the street for trash collection.
She pulls to the can slowly to the curb, and she goes up and down the steps to het door by
herself. I hope to have that much energy and ability when I am 96 years old.

Paragraph 2
My office is a comfortable place to work. On the left side of the room, there is a big
wooden desk. My computer sits on the top of the desk, and the printer sits under the desk. I
keep paper files in the drawers. On the right of the room, there are two beautiful bookcases.
My father makes bookcases and other wood furniture. These bookcases are full of books,
magazines, and computer software. There is also a computer and a fax machine in my office. I
always forget my fax number. There is also a closet next to the fax machine. All my office
supplies are there. I enjoy my office very much.

THE CONCLUDING SENTENCE

A paragraph ends with the concluding sentence.

 It often gives a summary of the information in the paragraph.
 The information in the topic sentence is similar to the information in the concluding
sentence.

PRACTICE 4
Compare the topic and concluding sentences in the paragraphs below.
Are they similar or different?

Example:
I have a dream to visit Alaska. The weather is
beautiful there. I love cold weather. When the
temperature is low, I have energy! I also want to visit
Alaska because I love nature. Alaska is pure and
natural. I dream about its scenic landscape. In
addition, there are wild animals. Finally, I want to
learn important information about the native people of
Alaska. I hope to visit the wonderful state soon.
Topic sentence: I have a dream to visit Alaska.

Concluding sentence: I hope to visit the wonderful state soon.

Similarity: have a dream to visit/ hope to visit.

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Paragraph 1
My favourite color is blue. I have six blue shirts. I wear blue jeans almost every day I
have three pairs of light blue tennis shoes. I won a blue car, and my computer is blue. Other
colors are nice, but I like blue the best.
Topic sentence:

Concluding sentence:

Similarity:

Paragraph 2
I work in a popular building called the Franklin Building. This building is in
downtown Atlanta. The Franklin Building is over 100 years old. It is made of dark red brick.
It has many windows. The building has six floors. There is a different company on each floor.
Everyone likes the Franklin Building very much.
Topic sentence:

Concluding sentence:

Similarity:

PRACTICE 5
Choose the correct concluding sentence for each paragraph.
Example:
I hate Mondays for many reasons. One reason is work. I get up early to go to work on
Monday. After a weekend of fun and relaxation, I don’t like to go to work. Another reason is
that I have three meetings every Monday. These meetings last a long time, and they are very
boring. Traffic is also a problem on Monday. There are more cars on the road on Monday.
Drivers are in a bad mood, so I must be more careful than usual. ………………………………
a) Monday is worse than Tuesday, but it is better than Sunday.
b) I don’t like meetings on Monday.
c) These are some reasons why I don’t like Mondays.
d) I always feel tired on Monday mornings.

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Paragraph 1
Superstitions can mean good luck or bad luck. For example, some people believe that
the number 7 is lucky. Other people think that if you see a shooting star, you can make a wish
and it will come true. However, most superstitions are bad luck. For example, many people
believe that it is bad luck to open an umbrella inside a house. They also think that it is also
bad if a black cat walks in front of you. Other people think that if your left ear is burning,
someone is saying something bad about you. …………………………………
a) People believe exactly the same superstitions.
b) It is amazing how many good and bad superstitions there are!
c) The worst superstition is about breaking a mirror.
d) I believe it is bad luck if a black cat crosses my path.

Paragraph 2
Buying a car needs careful planning. Do you want a new or a used car? This depends
on how much money you can spend. Sometimes a used car needs repairs. What style of car do
you want? You can look at many different models to help you decide. Next, do you want extra
features in your car? Adding lots of extra features makes a car more expensive. Finally, you
have to decide where you will buy your car. …………………………………
a) It is important to think all these things when you are buying a car.
b) The most important thing is the kind of car that you want to buy.
c) Will you buy your car from a friend or car dealer?
d) Used cars can have hidden problems unlike new cars.

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