chapter 2
P ARAGRAPH
WRITING
2.1. Paragraphs
A paragraph is a number of sentences that expresses a certain meaning. Paragraphs can be as long as one sentence only or a whole page full of sentences,
depending on whether they complete the meaning in one sentence only or a
whole page.
Every paragraph has a topic or key sentence and other sentences to support it or add details.
Structure
The paragraph, which is a `miniature' essay in form, has its topic/key sentence either at the top, in the middle or at the end. Students should be aware
of the function of paragraphs, as essays are based on them. In the same way
that an essay has an introduction, development of the topic/topics and a
conclusion, so does a paragraph. The only difference is that a paragraph
deals with only one topic; if there are more topics to be discussed, they are
analysed in different paragraphs.
Let us take some examples:
People don't come to Prague just for our beer, most tourists come for our
culture! They come to see the numerous galleries, big and small, theatres,
museums and shops. There are things of interest everywhere, but one particular place has more than just interest on offer. You may not have heard of a
`full service' in the field of art and culture, but it exists.
If we analyse the above paragraph, we can have the following table:
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
Topic sentence
Explanation
Reinforcement
Conclusion
The paragraph starts with a key sentence which is the most important
statement in the paragraph. The second sentence explains the topic (which is
culture in Prague) or adds more detail to it. The third sentence develops the
topic further or reinforces it. The conclusion (sentence 4) could lead to a new
paragraph where the expression `full service' could be further developed.
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ESSAY WRITING FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES
As part of the second round of privatisations, Budvar will open its doors to
shareholders. Anheuser Busch having a stake in the company would open up
for them the benefits of access to the European market (particularly Germany and Austria) ÿ which has been so far denied to the Americans by
Budweiser's own trade-mark. On this question, the two companies have ÿat
the time of going to pressÿ yet to agree on the percentage of American ownership. But no doubt the Czech government will lend some advice.
Again if we analyse the paragraph, we have:
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
Topic sentence
Explanation
Development
Conclusion
In this paragraph again the first sentence is the topic sentence of the paragraph. The second and third sentences explain or develop the topic, (which in
this case is `open its doors to shareholders'). Finally, the fourth paragraph is
the conclusion (that could be developed in a paragraph to follow).
What really went wrong at Banco Latino? The picture is not yet clear, but
it seems likely that a witches' brew of mismanagement, lax regulation and
possibly even fraud have been at work. The bank has grown rapidly since
President Carlos Andres Perez freed interest rates in 1989. But, argues Christine Rodriguez, a partner at Metro Economica, it did so by making too many
illiquid (and ill-advised) medium- and long-term loans to industry, many of
them to construction firms.
The structure of this paragraph is as follows:
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
Introduction
Topic sentence
Explanation/Development/Support
Development/Support
In the above paragraph the first sentence introduces the subject. The second sentence is the topic sentence. Sentences 3 and 4 explain the topic or
further develop it.
World war I may have been the only conflict in which chemical weapons
were systematically employed. But in the 75 years since, fears of their prospective use have only grown. All the more reassuring that amid the turmoil
afflicting the world these days, 125 nations were willing to sign a United Na-
Chapter 2: PARAGRAPH WRITING
23
tions convention in Paris that forbids the manufacture, employment and transfer
of the toxic-gas weapons and gives signatories up to 15 years to destroy existing
stocks. The pact, negotiated for 24 years, was joined by the U.S., Russia,
China, India, and nations as small as Mauritania. Conspicuously absent were
members of the Arab bloc, notably Libya and Iraq, widely suspected of producing chemical arms. They refused to sign unless Israel joins them in renouncing nuclear weapons.
The structure followed in this paragraph is:
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
Sentence 5
Sentence 6
Introduction
Introduction
Topic sentence
Reinforcement/Development/Support
Reinforcement/Development/Support
Conclusion
Sentences 1 and 2 introduce the subject as it has been so far. Sentence 3 is
the topic sentence (the convention in Paris and its decision). Sentences 4 and
5 develop the topic (by mentioning the countries which will or will not join).
Sentence 6, the conclusion, refers to what two certain countries will do as
regards the convention.
For six relentless days, huge waves and strong winds mercilessly pounded
the oil tanker Braer, grounded on the rocks of Fitful Head in the unspoiled
Shetland Islands. Bit by bit, the cargo of 619,000 lb. of Norwegian light crude
leaked into the sea, turning it chocolate brown. On the seventh day, the
pounding caused spouts of oil to gush spasmodically from deck hatches,
making the tanker look like some pitiful beached whale blowing back blood
in the throes of death. The following day the ship did die, splitting into at least
three pieces and releasing all its remaining oil into the turbulent sea.
In this paragraph we have the following structure:
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
Introduction
Development/Support
Development/Support
Topic sentence
In this paragraph the first sentence introduces the subject (oil tanker
wrecked). Sentences 2 and 3 develop the subject further, by giving more details. Sentence 4 is the topic sentence of the paragraph.
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ESSAY WRITING FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES
The Institute for International Economics, a think-tank based in Washington, DC, recently commissioned research into 13 cases of radical economic change. In terms of the political setting, these ranged from Chile's
reforms (carried out after 1983 by a brutal authoritarian regime) to Spain's
(carried out after 1982 by democratically elected socialists). The main question the researchers addressed was this: how, if at all, did governments maintain
the political support that made reform possible?
The structure of the paragraph is the following:
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Introduction
Development/Support
Topic sentence
The first sentence introduces the subject (research into 13 cases of radical
economic change). Sentence 2 develops the subjects, whereas sentence 3 is the
topic sentence.
Exercise 9
Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions:
1. An operating system is a master control program which
controls the functions of the computer system as a whole
and the running of application programs. All computers
do not use the same operating systems. It is therefore
important to assess the operating system used on a particular model before initial commitment because some
software is only designed to run under the control of
specific operating systems. Some operating systems are
adopted as `industry standards' and these are the ones
which should be evaluated because they normally have a
good software base. The reason for this is that software
houses are willing to expand resources on the development of application packages for machines functioning
under the control of an operating system which is widely
used. The cost of software is likely to be lower in such
circumstances as the development costs are spread over
a greater number of users, both actual and potential.
a. Provide a suitable title for the above paragraph.
b. Find he key sentence or statement, and justify your
answer.
c. Say what is the function of all the other sentences.
Chapter 2: PARAGRAPH WRITING
25
d. Say how the sentences are connected, and find any
connecting or link words.
2. The Council's purpose is to bring beneficial change to
the processes of learning in education and training
through the development and application of educational technology.
Educational technology ÿor learning technology, as
it is sometimes knownÿ embraces everything from the
way computers, satellites and interactive video are used
in schools, colleges, and industry to issues of copyright
and flexible learning. Focusing on the learner, our purpose is to support change in the way we learn by applying the benefits of educational technology ÿespecially
the new information technologiesÿ to the process of
learning.
We design and produce learning materials in all subjects to support education and training. We carry out
research and manage projects, offer consultancy on
technical matters, support training for trainers and teachers and offer expertise in areas such as open and flexible learning, resource management and educational
software. We provide a comprehensive information and
enquiry service.
a. Provide a suitable title for the above paragraph.
b. Find he key sentence or statement, and justify your
answer.
c. Say what is the function of all the other sentences.
d. Say how the sentences are connected, and find any
connecting or link words.
3. Many of the robots in use today do jobs that are especially difficult for human workers. These are the types
of jobs that require great strength or pose danger. For
example, robots are particularly useful in the auto-manufacturing industry where parts of automobiles must be
welded together. A welding tool used by a human
worker weighs about 100 pounds or more and is difficult to handle. As mechanical supermen, robots may be
called upon to do anything from moving heavy compo26
ESSAY WRITING FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES
nents between workstations on a factory floor to carrying bags of cement.
a. Provide a suitable title for the above paragraph.
b. Find the key sentence or statement, and justify your
answer.
c. Say what is the function of all the other sentences.
d. Say how the sentences are connected, and find any
connecting or link words.
e. How would you continue the paragraph? What information do you think will have to follow?
Exercise 10
Here are some topic/key
sentences. Provide all the
other necessary sentences
(Introduction, Development
/Reinforcment, Conclusion)
to complete the paragraphs:
a.
It is worth taking home tangible things from Greece. . . .
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
b. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..........................................
: whether one should . . . . . . . negotiate with terrorists
..........................................
..........................................
c.
It was always hoped that information technology would
make workers more productive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
d. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
So, as Laszlo Zsuffa said, `Cleaning the environment is
very expensive and Hungary is a relatively poor country'.
Chapter 2: PARAGRAPH WRITING
27
Exercise 11
Here are the main points of
some paragraphs. Put them
together in sentences to
form clear paragraphs:
1. Law always make room for killers/ eg. soldiers kill, executioners kill, police officers kill/ even murder measured, depending on crime or character/ so U.S. law find
room for Shalada Burt.
2. The Shetlands accident show remarkable ability of nature to repair itself/ eg. oil spill/ oil spills not all the
same/ alarmist forecasts about ecological devastation
off the mark.
3. Mission to create next generation airplanes/ engineers
at Boeing Co., plan build monster jet for 21 cent./ 800
passengers/ begin take shape drawing boards, computer
screens.
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ESSAY WRITING FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES