Development of Paragraphs

A paragraph is a group of related sentences that discuss one (and usually only one) main idea. A
paragraph can be as short as one sentence or as long as ten sentences. The number of
sentences is unimportant; however, the paragraph should be long enough to develop the main
idea clearly. A paragraph may stand by itself. In academic writing, you often write a paragraph
to answer a test question such as the following: "Define management by objective, and give
one example of it from the reading you have done for this class." A paragraph may also be one
part of a longer piece of writing such as an essay or a book. We mark a paragraph by indenting
the first word about a half inch (five spaces on a typewriter or computer) from the left margin.
The following model contains all the elements of a good paragraph. Read it carefully two or
three times. Then answer the Writing Technique questions that follow, which will help you
analyze its structure.

Model Paragraph Structure

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First

of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion.
Therefore it is suitable for jewellery, coins and ornamental purposes.
Gold never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. For
example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it
was made 25 centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is
its usefulness to industry and science. For many years it has been used
in hundreds of industrial applications, such as photography and
dentistry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts
wear gold-plated heat shields for protection when they go outside
spaceships in space. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its
beauty but also its utility.

Writing Technique Questions

1. What is the topic of the paragraph?

2. What two main points does the writer make about the topic?

3. In which two sentences does the writer say that there are two main
points?

4. What examples does the writer use to support each point?

The Three Parts of a Paragraph

All paragraphs have a topic sentence and supporting sentences, and
some paragraphs also have a concluding sentence. The topic sentence
states the main idea of the paragraph. It not only names the topic of
the paragraph, but it also limits the topic to one specific area that can
be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. The part of
the topic sentence that announces the specific area to be discussed is
called the controlling idea. Notice how the topic sentence of the model
states both the topic and the controlling idea:
TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics.

Supporting sentences develop the topic sentence. That is, they explain
or prove the topic sentence by giving more information about it.
Following are some of the supporting sentences that explain the topic
sentence about gold.

First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion.

For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the
day it was made 25 centuries ago.

Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry

and science.

The most recent use of gold is in astronauts' suits.

The concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph and leaves
the reader with important points to remember:

In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its
utility.

Concluding sentences are customary for stand-alone paragraphs.

However, paragraphs that are parts of a longer piece of writing usually
do not need concluding sentences.

The Topic Sentence

Every good paragraph has a topic sentence, which clearly states the
topic and the controlling idea of the paragraph.
A topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph. It
briefly indicates what the paragraph is going to discuss. For this reason,
the topic sentence is a helpful guide to both the writer and the reader.
The writer can see what information to include (and what information
to exclude). The reader can see what the paragraph is going to be about
and is therefore better prepared to understand it. For example, in the
model paragraph on gold, the topic sentence alerts the reader to look
for two characteristics.

Here are three important points to remember about a topic sentence.

1. A topic sentence is a complete sentence; that is, it contains at least

one subject and one verb. The following are not complete sentences
because they do not have verbs:

Driving on freeways.

How to register for college classes.

The rise of indie films!

2. A topic sentence contains both a topic and a controlling idea. It

names the topic and then limits the topic to a specific area to be
discussed in the space of a single paragraph.

TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA .

Driving on freeways requires skill and alertness.

TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA

Registering for college classes can be a frustrating experience for new

students.
TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA

The rise of indie films is due to several factors.

3. A topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph

because it gives only the main idea. It does not give any specific details.
A topic sentence is like the name of a particular course on a restaurant
menu.

When you order food in a restaurant, you want to know more about

a particular course than just "meat" or "soup" or "salad." You want to

know generally what kind of salad it is. Potato salad? Mixed green
salad?

Fruit salad? However, you do not necessarily want to know all the

ingredients. Similarly, a reader wants to know generally what to expect

in a paragraph, but he or she does not want to learn all the details in
the first sentence.

Following is a general statement that could serve as a topic sentence.

The Arabic origin of many English words is not always obvious.

The following sentence, on the other hand, is too specific. It could serve
as a supporting sentence but not as a topic sentence.

The slang expression so long (meaning "good-bye") is probably a

corruption of the Arabic salaam.
This sentence is too general.

English has been influenced by other languages.

Position of Topic Sentences

The topic sentence is usually (but not always) the

first sentence in a paragraph.
Experienced writers sometimes put topic sentences
in other locations, but the best spot is usually right
at the beginning. Readers who are used to the
English way of writing want to know what they will
read about as soon as they begin reading.
Synonyms.
Words that have the same basic meaning
do not always have the same emotional meaning.
For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean
"careful with money." However, calling someone
stingy is an insult, but calling someone frugal is a
compliment. Similarly, a person wants to be slender
but not skinny, aggressive but not pushy. Therefore,
you should be careful in choosing words because
many so-called synonyms are not really
synonymous at all.
Sometimes a topic sentence comes at the end. In
this case, the paragraph often begins with a series
of examples. Other paragraphs may begin with a
series of facts, and the topic sentence at the end is
the conclusion from these facts.

Medical Miracles to Come

By the year 2009, a vaccine against the common
cold will have been developed. By the same year,
the first human will have been successfully cloned.
By the year 2014, parents will be able to create
designer children. Genetic therapy will be able to
manipulate genes for abilities, intelligence, and hair,
eye, and skin color. By 2020, most diseases will be
able to be diagnosed and treated at home, and by
2030, cancer and heart disease will have been
wiped out. These are just a few examples of the
medical miracles that are expected in the next few
decades.
PRACTICE I
Recognizing Topic Sentences
A. Remember that a topic sentence is a complete
sentence and is neither too general nor too specific.
Step 1
Read the sentences in each group, and decide which
sentence is the best topic sentence. Write best TS
(for "best topic sentence") on the line next to it.
Step 2
Decide what is wrong with the other sentences.
They may be too general, or they may be too
specific, or they may be incomplete sentences.
Write too general, too specific, or incomplete on
the lines next to them.
The first one has been done for you as an example.

Group 1
Too specific__ a. A lunar eclipse is an omen of a
coming disaster.
Too general__ b. Superstitions have been around
forever.
Best TS____ c. People hold many superstitious
beliefs about the moon.
incomplete__ d. Is made of green cheese.

Group 2
________ a. The History of astronomy is interesting.
________ b. Ice age people recorded the
appearance of new moons by making scratches in
animal bones.
________ c. For example, Stonehenge in Britain,
built 3500 years ago to track the movement of the
sun.
________ d. Ancient people observed and recorded
lunar and solar events in different ways.

Group 3
________ a. It is hard to know which foods are safe
to eat nowadays.
________ b. In some large ocean fish, there are high
levels of
mercury.
________ c. Undercooked chicken and hamburger
may carry
E. coli bacteria.
________ d. Not to mention mad cow disease.
________ e. Food safety is an important issue.
Group 4
________ a. Hybrid automobiles more economical
to operate than gasoline-powered cars.
________ b. The new hybrid automobiles are very
popular.
________ c. Hybrid cars have good fuel economy
because a computer under the hood decides to run
the electric motor, the small gasoline engine, or the
two together.
________ d. The new hybrid automobiles are
popular because of their fuel economy.
Group 5
________ a. The North American Catawba Indians
of the Southeast and the Tlingit of the Northwest
both see the rainbow as a kind of bridge between
heaven and earth.
________ b. A rainbow seen from an airplane is a
complete circle.
________ c. Many cultures interpret rainbows in
positive ways.
________ d. Rainbows are beautiful.
_______ e. The belief that you can find a pot of gold
at a rainbow's end.

B. Remember that the topic sentence is the most

general statement in a paragraph. Read the
following scrambled paragraphs and decide which
sentence is the topic sentence. Write TS on the line
next to that sentence.
Paragraph 1
__ a. A notes/memo function lets you make quick
notes to yourself.
__ b. Other capabilities include word processing,
spreadsheets, and e-mail.
__ c. A voice recorder that uses a built-in
microphone and speaker works like a tape recorder.
__ d. Basic tools include a calendar to keep track of
your appointments, an address and phone number
book, to-do lists, and a calculator.
__ e. MP3 playback lets you listen to digital music
files, and a picture viewer lets you look at digital
photos.
__ f. Most personal digital assistants (PDAs) have
tools for basic tasks as well as for multimedia
functions.
__ g. A few models also include a built-in digital
camera and keyboard.

Paragraph 2
__ a. Twelve years after Sputnik, the United States
caught up by becoming the first nation to land a
man on the moon.
__ b. The Europeans have joined the competition,
vowing to land European astronauts on the moon
by 2025 and on Mars by 2035.
__ c. The number of nations competing in the
"space race" has grown since the early days of
space exploration.
__ d. China joined the competition in 2003 when it
launched Shenzhou 5.
__ e. Initially, the former Soviet Union took the lead
when it sent the first man into Earth orbit in the
spaceship Sputnik in 1957.
__ f. For almost 50 years, the United States and
Russia were the only competitors in the contest to
explore space using manned spacecraft.
Paragraph 3
__ a. Another important change was that people
had the freedom to live and work wherever they
wanted.
__ b. The earliest significant change was for farming
families, who were no longer isolated.
__ c. The final major change brought by the
automobile was the building of superhighways,
suburbs, huge shopping centers, and theme parks
such as Disney World in Florida.
__ d. The automobile revolutionized the way of life
in the United States.
__ e. The automobile enabled them to drive to
towns and cities comfortably and conveniently.
__ f. In fact, people could work in a busy
metropolitan city and drive home to the quiet
suburbs.
Paragraph 4
__ a. In time, this melted part rises as magma. I
__ b. The formation of a volcanic emption is a
dramatic series of events.
__ c. As the plate" sinks, friction and Earth's heat
cause part of it to melt.
__ d. The magma produces heat, steam, and
pressure.
__ e. First of all, most volcanoes are formed where
two plates collide.
__ f. Then one of the plates is forced under the
other and sinks.
__ g. When the heat, steam, and pressure from the
magma finally reach the surface of Earth, a volcanic
emption occurs.

The Two Parts of a Topic Sentence

As noted earlier a topic sentence has two essential
parts: the topic and the controlling idea. The topic
names the subject of the paragraph. The controlling
idea limits or controls the topic to a specific area
that you can discuss in the space of a single
paragraph.
TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA

Convenience foods are easy to prepare.

The reader immediately knows that this paragraph
will discuss how easy it is to prepare convenience
foods and perhaps give some examples (canned
soup, frozen dinners, and so on).
CONTROLLING IDEA TOPIC

Immigrants have contributed many delicious foods to US cuisine.

The reader of this topic sentence expects to read about

various ethnic foods popular in the United States: tacos,
egg rolls, sushi, baklava, pizza, and so on.
A topic sentence should not have controlling ideas that
are unrelated. The three parts of the following
controlling idea are too unrelated for a single paragraph.
They require three separate paragraphs (and perhaps
more) to explain fully.
Indie films are characterized by experimental techniques,
low production costs, and provocative themes.
Independent films are characterized by experimental
techniques.

Identifying the Parts of a Topic Sentence

Circle the topic and underline the controlling idea in each
of the following sentences. The first one has been done
for you as an example.
1. Driving on freeways requires skill and alertness.
2. Driving on freeways requires strong nerves.
3. Driving on freeways requires aggressive attitude.
4. The Caribbean island of Trinidad attracts tourists
because of its calypso music.
5. Spectacular beaches make Puerto Rico a tourist
paradise.
6. Moving away from home can be a stressful experience
for young people.
7. Many religious rules arose from the health needs of
ancient times.

8. A major problem for many students is the high

cost of tuition and books.
9. Participating in class discussions is a problem for
several different groups of students.
1O.ln my opinion television commercials for
cosmetics lie to women.
11.Owning an automobile is a necessity for me.
12. It is an expensive luxury to own an automobile
in a large city.
13. Taste and appearance are both-important in
Japanese cuisine.