PARAGRAPHS
A paragraph is a group of words that talk about one main idea. An expository paragraph contains three parts: topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a conclusion. The first line of a paragraph is indented. This means the first word is moved in a little from the left margin.
Examples of paragraphs:
(indentation) Greenland has a very cold climate. This island is located in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, near the Arctic Ocean. More than 85 percent of Greenland is covered with an ice sheet or glacier. This far north the ice does not all melt during the summer. The summer sun causes icebergs to break off the ice sheet and to float down the rivers. It is dreadfully icy in Greenland.
(indentation) If you want to sell something you can make signs to put around your neighborhood. You will need large pieces of tagboard, a marker, and some lacks. First, write on your tagboard what you are selling, its price, and your address. Next, put up your signs. Be sure to put your signs where everyone can read them. Finally, place a sign near your home so people know where to find you. This is how you can prepare to sell anything.
(indentation)The story of the “Sleeping Beauty” is like the fairy tale “Snow White” in its characters, its magic, and its ending. First of all, both princesses live in forests. Then, Snow White and Aurora fall asleep under magic spells. Snow White bites a poisonous apple while Aurora pricks her finger on a spindle. Finally, the endings of both stories are also alike. A prince rescues each and they lived happily ever after. These stories share similar characters, the use of magic and happy endings.
The topic sentence is regularly the first sentence of the paragraph and indicates what the paragraph is about. In other words, the topic sentence expresses the main idea of the paragraph.
In the previous paragraphs is easy to identify their topic sentence. In each one of them the topic sentence is the first one.
- Greenland has a very cold climate.
- If you want to sell something you can make signs to put around your neighborhood.
- The story of the “Sleeping Beauty” is like the fairy tale “Snow White” in its characters, its magic, and its ending.
The supporting sentences add information about the topic sentence. Usually, supporting sentences give specific information that the topic sentence suggested.
By looking at the first paragraph we notice four detail sentences:
- This island is located in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, near the Arctic Ocean.
- More than 85 percent of Greenland is covered with an ice sheet or glacier.
- This far north the ice does not all melt during the summer.
- The summer sun causes icebergs to break off the ice sheet and to float down the rivers.
The second paragraph has five detail sentences:
- You will need large pieces of tagboard, a marker, and some lacks.
- First, write on your tagboard what you are selling, its price, and your address.
- Next, put up your signs.
- Be sure to put your signs where everyone can read them.
- Finally, place a sign near your home so people know where to find you.
The third paragraph has five detail sentences:
- First of all, both princesses live in forests.
- Then, Snow White and Aurora fell asleep under magic spells.
- Snow White bites a poisonous apple while Aurora pricks her finger on a spindle.
- Finally, the endings of both stories are also alike.
- A prince rescues each and they lived happily ever after.
The conclusion is at the end of the paragraph. It usually summarizes what the paragraph is about. The conclusion tells what the topic sentence says in a different way.
Look at the conclusions of the three paragraphs and compare them with their respective topic sentences.
- It is dreadfully icy in Greenland.
- This is how you can prepare to sell anything.
- These stories share similar characters, the use of magic and happy endings.