Writing Workshop

Paragraph Format

What You’ll Learn:

Why It’s Important:

• The parts that make up a proper Paragraph.

• How to construct a proper Paragraph.

• The different types of Paragraphs.

•So you will know how to construct a proper

Paragraph.

•So you will have the basic skills to compose a writing composition.

Paragraphs:

A Paragraph is a series of sentences developing

one topic.

There are four (4) types of paragraphs:

The Narrative Paragraph which tells a story.

The Persuasive Paragraph which tries to

convince the audience.

The Descriptive Paragraph which describes

something.

The Expository or Explanatory Paragraph which gives information or explains something.

Topic Sentence:

The topic of a paragraph is stated in one sentence. This is

called the Topic Sentence.

The Topic Sentence is the first sentence of the paragraph

and should be clear and concise (short and to the point).

The first sentence in a paragraph is always indented.

An Indentation or Indention is a space between the

margin and the beginning of a line.

The standard Indentation for a Paragraph is five (5) spaces.

Margin

The most intelligent characteristic of a

Monkey is the manner in which it finds food.

They eat both vegetables and meat and they search for food day or night.

Indentation

Every sentence in a paragraph

should support the main idea expressed in the topic sentence.

Paragraph Body:

The rest of the paragraph consists of sentences that

develop or explain the main idea. This is called the Bodyof the paragraph.

Through the centuries

rats have managed to survive

all our efforts to destroy

them. We have poisoned

them and trapped them. We

have fumigated, flooded, and

burned them. We have tried

germ warfare. Some rats

even survived atomic bomb

tests conducted on Entwetok

atoll in the Pacific after

World War II.

Body

A topic sentence may

be developed by:

• Giving details.

• Giving examples.

• Telling an incident.

Main Idea

The Clincher Sentence:

A Clincher or Concluding Sentence clinches or sums up

the point made in the body of the paragraph.

Through the centuries rats

have managed to survive all our

efforts to destroy them. We have

poisoned them and trapped them.

We have fumigated, flooded, and

burned them. We have tried germ

warfare. Some rats even survived

atomic bomb tests conducted on

Entwetok atoll in the Pacific after

World War II. In spite of all our

efforts, these enemies of ours

continue to prove that they are

the most indestructible of pests.

Your Clincher Sentence

should summarize your

paragraph.

One way to do this is to

restate your topic sentence in different words.

Clincher Sentence

Coherence In a Paragraph:

Stick to the point: make sure your ideas have a clear

and logical relation to each other.

Put details, examples, and incidents in logical order:

• Chronological

• In relation to each other

• In order of importance4

3

2

1

When connecting sentences within

a paragraph, try to use transition words.

Connecting Sentences

Within the Paragraph

chronological

order

first

meanwhile

later

afterwards

finally

objects in relation to

one another

next to

in front of

beside

between

behind

in order of

importance

however

furthermore

as a result

in fact

yet

Transition words

Assignment:

Journal # 4: Your Favorite Animal (Paragraph)

•Take the ten (10) sentences from journal # 3 and put

them into paragraph format.

• Your first sentence should be your topic sentence.

• The body of your paragraph should support your topic

sentence.

• Make sure every sentence is a complete thought, begins

with a capital letter, and ends with a punctuation mark.

• Also be sure your paragraph follows a logical order.

M1

Assignment:

Journal # 4: Your Favorite Hobby (Paragraph)

•Take the ten (10) sentences from journal # 3 and put

them into paragraph format.

• Your first sentence should be your topic sentence.

• The body of your paragraph should support your topic

sentence.

• Make sure every sentence is a complete thought, begins

with a capital letter, and ends with a punctuation mark.

• Also be sure your paragraph follows a logical order.

M2

Assignment:

Journal # 4: Future Plans

•Take the ten (10) sentences from journal # 2 and put

them into paragraph format.

• Your first sentence should be your topic sentence.

• The body of your paragraph should support your topic

sentence.

• Make sure every sentence is a complete thought, begins

with a capital letter, and ends with a punctuation mark.

• Also be sure your paragraph follows a logical order.

M3