The paragraph
WELCOME, STUDENTS! We are getting closer to exam season and I hope that you have been doing all you can to prepare for all the exams for which you have been entered. This week we will be looking at the paragraph, a critical feature of all the extended written pieces you will be required to do. Once you are able to understand what paragraphs entail, then you should become better at producing them.
WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?
This is a group of sentences or a sentence that develops a single idea or expresses a complete thought. It is important to note that a paragraph can comprise one sentence, depending on the purpose of the writer. The single-sentence paragraph is usually seen in stories or newspaper articles and is done to achieve a specific effect. Please note that it should not be overdone. The paragraphs that you are expected to produce for your persuasive essays, letters and speeches in the English A examination, however, should have more sentences.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PARAGRAPH
Unity: All sentences in the paragraph deal with the main idea stated in the topic sentence.
Order: This refers to the way you organise your supporting sentences. Two examples of organisational patterns are chronological and order of importance. Coherence: The paragraph is clear, logical and grammatically correct. It should be written so that the reader can follow the ideas being presented.
Completeness: This is achieved when the topic sentence in a paragraph is fully supported and developed. A well-constructed paragraph focuses on one topic or idea and is typically fully developed.
PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH
The topic sentence: This is the sentence that communicates the main idea. It is usually found at the beginning of a paragraph, but it can be found in the middle or at the end.
The supporting sentences: These sentences develop the main idea by providing relevant details. They use facts, reasons or examples. The concluding sentence: This sentence brings the paragraph to a close.
ORGANISING A PARAGRAPH
There are several ways to organise a paragraph. The organisation you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few examples. Narration: Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. Description: Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organise spatially, in order of appearance or by topic. Process: Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence – first, second, third. Classification: Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic.
Illustration: Give examples and explain how those examples prove your point.
EXAMPLE OF A PARAGRAPH
Whales, one of nature’s largest mammals, can be divided into two categories. Baleen whales are one kind of whale. Baleen whales have a type of keratin, called baleen, that hangs in their mouths and sifts food from the ocean waters. Baleen whales can consume up to 9,000 pounds of fish a day. The toothed whale is the other type of whale. The toothed whales have teeth instead of baleen. They gnaw and chew on their meals. Like the baleen whales, the toothed whales consume large portions of food each day. Though many varieties of whales exist in our oceans, they are all categorised according to whether they have baleen or teeth inside their gigantic mouths. Source: college.cengage.com/devenglish/wong/paragraph_essentials/1e/students/exercises/ch2_1.html
TASK
Arrange the following sentences to make a meaningful paragraph. Write alphabets of respective sentences as your answer.
A. He used to go to his school, and enjoyed studying and midday meals there.
B. Besides, they needed his help in odd jobs in the house as well as their fields.
C. Karma lived with his parents in a thatched, small house in a silent corner of the village.
D. This all stopped as his parents could not afford to send him to school to impart further education to him.
Answer: CADB
You should strive to write effective paragraphs. Competence in producing organised and developed paragraphs requires close attention and practice. Your letters, stories and essays depend on your efforts to improve your paragraphing skills.