Lesson 1 Reading and Writing Skills – Patterns of Paragraphs Development

Introduction

Most academic essays have an overall structure – introduction leading to a thesis, body, and
conclusion. Essays also have topic sentences and units of support that constitute the body, and these
topic sentences and units of support need to be ordered logically in a way that’s appropriate to the
essay’s thesis.

In addition to the concept of the thesis indicating a general, logical order for the support,
there are actually many different ways to think about and organize information in the body of an
essay, using different patterns of development. These patterns, referred to academically as
“rhetorical modes,” mirror the ways in which humans think about their worlds and organize their
thoughts in order to communicate.

Knowing these common patterns of human thought will help you as a writer to both develop
and organize information in your essays. The following image identifies common patterns.
Although it refers to “paragraph” patterns, understand that these are also common patterns for
whole essays.

I. Objectives:

At the end of the lesson you are expected to:

a. differentiate the various types of patterns of development;

b. identify the patterns of development used in a paragraph; and
c. develop a sense of appreciation regarding the lesson through active class
involvement.

II. Concepts and Explanation

Consider these common patterns of thought and consider specific ways in which you’ve applied
each thinking pattern in your everyday life.

1. Narration

The purpose of narration is to tell a story or relate an event. Narration is an especially useful
tool for sequencing or putting details and information into some kind of logical order, usually
chronological. Literature uses narration heavily, but it also can be useful in non-fiction, academic
writing for strong impact.
1
Page
2. Description

The purpose of description is to recreate, invent, or visually present a person, place, event,
or action so that the reader can picture that which is being described. It is heavily based on sensory
details: sight, sound, smell, feel, taste.

3. Example

It’s common to see examples used in all kinds of situations—an idea can be considered too
general or abstract until we see it in action. Exemplification extends this idea even further: it carries
one or more examples into great detail, in order to show the details of a complex problem in a way
that’s easy for readers to understand.

4. Definition

Definition moves beyond a dictionary definition to deeply examine a word or concept as

we actually use and understand it.

5. Process Analysis

Analyzing a process can also be thought of as “how-to” instruction. Technical writing

includes a lot of process analysis, for instance. Academic writing can incorporate process analysis
to show how an existing problem came to be, or how it might be solved, by following a clear series
of steps.

6. Classification/Division

Classification takes one large concept, and divides it into individual types or . A nice
result from this type of writing is that it helps the reader to understand a complex topic by
focusing on its smaller parts. This is particularly useful when an author has a unique way of
dividing the concepts, to provide new insight into the ways it could be viewed.

7. Comparison/Contrast

Comparison focuses on similarities between things, and contrast focuses on their

differences. We innately make comparisons all the time, and they appear in many kinds of writings.
The goal of comparison and contrast in academic essays is generally to show that one item is
superior to another, based on a set of evaluations included as part of the writing.

8. Cause/Effect

If narration offers a sequence of events, cause/effect essays offer an explanation about why
that sequence matters. Cause/effect writing is particularly powerful when the author can provide a
cause/effect relationship that the reader wasn’t expecting, and as a result see the situation in a new
2

light
Page
9. Problem/Solution

This type of academic writing has two equally important tasks: clearly identifying a
problem, and then providing a logical, practical solution for that problem. It is a pattern of
organization where information in a passage is expressed as a dilemma or concerning issue (a
problem) and something that was, can be, or should be done to remedy this issue (solution or
attempted solution).

Figure 01. This shows the summary of the concept.

III. Practice Test

TASK 1-Directions: Read the passage and identify the method of paragraph development used.
Support your answer and provide justifications. (10 points)
A. Many people think that they can get sick by going into cold weather improperly dressed; however,
illnesses are not caused by temperature- they are caused by germs. So while shivering outside in
the cold probably won’t strengthen your immune system, you’re more likely to contract an illness
indoors because you will have a greater exposure to germs.

Answer: Cause/Effect

As stated that people think they can get sick by going into cold water, but
illnesses caused by germs may help change the perspective. In this paragraph,
it is shown that it is evident that the relation of cause & effect is distinguished.

B. Piranhas comprise more than 30-60 species of fish, depending on whom you ask. The many species
fall into four genera: Pygocentrus, Pygopristis, Serrasalmus, and Pristobrycon. Piranha in the
Pygocentrus genus are the most common variety, the kind you might find in a pet store. Pygopristis
3

piranha are herbivores, feasting on seeds and fruits, not flesh. In contrast, fish in the Serrasalmus
Page

genus eat only meat, and their teeth are razor-sharp. Pristobrycon are the least friendly of all
 piranhas; they often bite the fins of other fish, even fish of the same species. The label piranha,
then, refers to a wide variety of species.

Answer: Classification/Division
I think that this kind of paragraph development is Classification/Division, by the
cause of the description of Piranhas were categorized into its different kinds.

C. My most embarrassing moment happened when I was working in a Mexican restaurant. I was a
hostess working on a busy Friday night. As usual, I was wearing a blouse and a long Mexican skirt.
While I was taking some menus to a table, one of the waiters accidentally stepped on the hem of
my skirt. I didn’t even feel it fall off, and I walked through the whole dining room in my slip!
Almost every customer in the restaurant saw me without my skirt on!

Answer: Narration
It’s evident that narration was used in this paragraph. She was giving
a certain event which she experienced, in this paragraph we can also
see that it is presented in a understandable order.
.

D. According to The American Heritage Dictionary, gossip is a “trivial rumor of a personal

nature,” but this definition makes gossip sound harmless. At first, gossip might not seem
so bad. One person tells a second person something about someone, and that second person
tells a third person, and so on. The information passes from person to person. However,
gossip is much more than just information and rumor. As the rumor continues, it grows and
changes, People do not know all the facts, so they add information. As the gossip goes from
one person to another, the damage continues, and the person who is the subject of the gossip
can’t do anything to answer or protect himself or herself. Because the potential damage
may range from hurt feelings to a lost career, gossip is much worse than simply a “trivial
rumor.”

Answer: Definition

These paragraphs define the deep meaning of gossip, it presents a very

clear brief definition of the concept given. The writer uses examples to further
elaborate his idea of the concept and make us understand it better
TASK 2-Directions: Read each statement and identify the answer. Write on the space provided
before each item. (25 points)
Description 1. It explores the five human senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell.
Problem/Solution 2. It serves as a remedy to an issue.
4
Page

_Definition_3. This pattern shows, proves, or explains a general idea or point by using examples.
__Classification/Division 4. This provides concrete and specific details or information, which are
carefully chosen by a writer to paint a picture in the mind of the reader.
_Cause/ Effect 5. This pattern is used to change one’s belief or opinion about a certain situation
or subject.
6-10. Give samples of patterns of paragraph development and provide 3-5 sentences as a sample
for each. (20 points)

Narration
1. I went to Lugus, Sulu for the 1st time. It all started when my Mom told
me to go with them for a while. The day I arrived, it was the best feeling
I had in a while. Seeing my hometown was one the best feeling I’ve ever
experience, I want to stay there for a long time but my Mom told us to
come back because I have a class. She also said we can come back in
vacation, that’s why I’m very excited this summer.

2. We had a cat, her name was Riri. She was so jolly until she went
missing. It was around 7 am, I was playing since it was boring that time.
I went back home and it seems normal, and I went back to play. After I
played, I saw my brother mourning for our cat, saying that our cat Riri
passed away due to poisoning.

3. Learning to ride a bike for the 1st time was the best experience I had.
My cousin told me to learn how to ride bike because it’s fun. That’s
when I made my mind to do it. My cousin and I went to a vacant lot to
teach me how to ride a bike.

Example
1. Tom Brady was the greatest football player of all time.
Here are some of his achievements: three NFL MVP awards and four Super
Bowl MVP awards with New England (has five Super Bowl MVP awards
overall). He's the only player in NFL history to throw for more than 70,000
yards and 500 touchdowns with one franchise.
2. We should be prepared for any kinds of disaster that may happened
5

such as earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruption and etc.

Page
 3. Cartoon Movies that are manufactured by Disney are the best. You’ll
discover horror movies, fantasy, adventure and etc. Disney has become
famous for writing cartoon movies such as Lion King, Frozen, Finding
Nimo and etc.

Problem/Solution
1. The last time I cooked, it was burnt. So, I searched online how to do it
properly
2. It was cold. So, I made a cup of tea.
3. Because my knee sores, I went to a doctor for a checkup.

Cause/Effect
1. I was dehydrated since I didn’t drink a good amount of water.
2. I had to go pick up the mop since I spilled my juice.
3. Because the alarm was not working, I am late for my class.
Compare/Contrast
1. Apples and grapes are both rounds and great for our health, yet they
have different sizes.
2. Although the Cecile’s is larger than Joan’s, it serves the same purpose,
to provide medicines for the needs.
3. Datu Puti and Silver Swan are both Soy Sauce/Vinegar brands, yet they
don’t have the same price.

Classification/Division
1. Baseball, football, volleyball and soccer are all possibilities of a sport
to with your group of friends. Going to a court, playing at the park,
or play at a vacant lot, these are the area where you can play this
sport. In order to play, enjoy or just to buy some time.

2. Going to the gym, working out at home, or joining a sports team or

class are all examples of exercise. In order to lose, increase, or
6
Page
 maintain weight, dieting frequently entails a careful control of what
one consumes. By reducing hunger.

3. Pop music, Hip-Hop music, Rock and Heavy metal are all famous
genres of music. Music is affected by a combination of genres,
including jazz, gospel, blues, and African-American music, as well as
a variety of other influences.

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

ANSWER SHEET
7

Name: Al-Quin H. Juljani Strand/ Section: STEM - Abdul

Page