Paragraph Writing

UNIT 1

THE PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

UNIT GOALS

- Identify the structure of a paragraph

- Write the topic sentence, the supporting sentences
- Evaluate a paragraph for its unity and coherence

1. STRUCTURE OF A PARAGRAPH
Paragraph is a group of sentences that develops one main idea. A paragraph is made up of three
components: the topic sentence, the supporting sentences, and the concluding sentence.

Topic sentence:

- The first sentence in a paragraph

- Introduce the topic and the main idea of the paragraph (controlling idea)

Example: Convenience foods are easy to prepare.

Topic Controlling idea

Supporting sentences:

- Provide supporting points that explain the controlling idea

- Provide supporting details that explain each supporting point

Concluding sentence

- The last sentence in a paragraph

- Restates the controlling idea and summarizes the supporting points

Example

Owning a car can be expensive. First, you have the purchase of the car itself. If you get the cheapest
new car in the showroom, you will end up paying about $10,000. Before you can drive the car home,
you have to finance the car. Unless you have $10,000 in cash, you will have to get a loan with high
interest rates and pay a monthly note of around $250. Buying the car, however, is just the beginning
of your expenses. Next, you have to buy gasoline at over a dollar a gallon. If you drive an average of
100 miles a week and get 35 miles per gallon, you will end up spending $6 to $10 a week on gas. That
is about $40 a month. Add to that the expenses you have for maintenance, such as tune-ups and
lubrications, and you have another $35 per month. All of these add up to about $350 a month—a big
chunk of anyone's paycheck!

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Topic sentence: Owning a car can be expensive.

- Topic: owning a car

- Controlling idea: can be expensive

Supporting details:

- Supporting point 1: First, you have the purchase of the car itself.
- Supporting point 2: Next, you have to buy gasoline at over a dollar a gallon.
- Supporting point 3: Add to that the expenses you have for maintenance

Concluding sentence: All of these add up to about $350 a month—a big chunk of anyone's paycheck!

EXERCISE 1

Read the paragraph and answer these questions:

1. What is the topic sentence?

2. What are the supporting sentences?

3. What is the concluding sentence?

THE COST OF SMOKING CIGARETTES

Smoking cigarettes can be an expensive habit. Considering that the average price per pack of
cigarettes is 75 cents, people smoke two packs of cigarettes a day spend $1.50 per day on their habit.
At the end of one year, these smokers have spent at least $547.50. However, the price of cigarettes is
not the only expense cigarette smokers incur. Since cigarette smoke has an offensive odor clothing,
stuffed furniture, and carpet, smokers often find that these items must be cleaned more frequently
than nonsmokers do. Although it is difficult to estimate the cost of this additional expense, one can
see that this hidden expense does contribute to making smoking an expensive habit. To sum up,
smokers have to pay a lot if they want to enjoy themselves with cigarettes.

2. WRITING PRACTICE
A. WRITING THE TOPIC SENTENCE

Two important points that you have to remember when you write a topic sentence:

1. A topic sentence should be neither too general nor too specific. If it is too general, the readers
cannot know exactly what the paragraph is going to discuss. If it is too specific, the writer may have
nothing to say further.

Example

The Starry Night is a good painting. (too general)

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In this painting there are many stars in the sky. (too specific)

The Starry Night, by Vincent Van Gogh, depicts a romantic starry sky over o village. (Topic sentence)

2. You shouldn’t include too many unrelated ideas in your topic sentence because your paragraph
will not have unity.

Example: Dalat city is famous for its temperate climate, its tourist attractions, and its friendly people.

 The correct topic sentence: Dalat city is famous for its temperate climate.

EXERCISE 2

Circle the best topic sentence for each controlling idea.

1. Topic: Clubs at university

Controlling idea: There are three types of clubs at university.

Topic sentence:

a. Universities usually have many sport clubs.

b. Universities clubs can be classified into three types.
c. Many university students enjoy club activities after their classes are over.

2. Topic : Living in a university dormitory

Controlling idea: Living in a university dormitory has many benefits for university students.

Topic sentences:

a. When students start university, some of them move into a dormitory.

b. The main benefit of living in a dormitory is free air conditioning.
c. Living in a dormitory brings a number of benefits to university students.

3. Topic : Academic writing skills for university students

Controlling idea: Academic writing skills are essential for high grades in university.

a. Good academic writing skills help students in university and throughout their lives.
b. In university, having academic writing skills is important to achieve good marks.
c. The ability to write well is a requirement for top grades in literature.

EXERCISE 3

First, recognizing the effective topic sentences (V), draw one line under the topic and two lines
under the controlling ideas. Then write too general (TG) or too specific (TS) in appropriate space
next to each statement.

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Example Winter is a good season. TG

Winter weather is cold, and it snows. TS
The best season for kids is winter V
1. You need a leather ball to play soccer.
2. Soccer is a nice game.
3. There are many people in New York.
4. People from many cultures live in New York.
5. New York is one of the biggest cities in America.
6. Monolingual dictionaries have only one language, and bilingual ones have two languages.
7. Many language students prefer bilingual dictionaries to monolingual dictionaries.
8. Dictionaries that have two languages, such as French and English, are called bilingual
dictionaries.
9. French perfumes are expensive for a number of reasons.
10. My mother’s perfume smells flowery.
11. You can purchase perfumes in expensive blue crystal bottles.
12. Most of the girls in the class get higher grades in Spanish than the boys.
13. Research has shown that girls are better at languages than boys.
14. Many students like languages very much.
15. Cats are better than dogs for many reasons.
16. Cats and dogs are both mammals.
17. Cats can’t swim very well, but dogs can.
18. Yesterday I didn’t have lunch with my co-worker.
19. Yesterday, I went to work late.
20. Yesterday was the worst day of my life.

EXERCISE 4

Underline the controlling idea in each of the following topic sentences.

1. Good roommates have four characteristics.

2. College students should take volunteer works.
3. Tokyo has excellent public transportation systems.
4. I had an adventure in the jungle last year.
5. It is a good idea to live with your parents.

EXERCISE 5

Write your own topic sentences with the given topics.

1. Gap year

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Students and computer course

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B. WRITING THE SUPPORTING SENTENCES

Supporting sentences are like the foundation of a paragraph. Good supporting sentences explain the
topic sentence by giving reasons, examples, facts, statistic, and quotations. They often answer
questions: who? What? Where? When? Why? How? …

Example

Explanation The family moved from the village to the capital for economic reasons. (WHY)
Description She lived in a lonely, three-story castle surrounded by forest. (WHERE)
Reasons She finally quit her job because of the stressful working. (WHY)
Facts More than ten percent of the university’s student population is international.
(HOW MANY)
Examples Oranges and grapefruits grow in Mekong delta. (WHAT)

EXERCISE 6

Name the techniques that the writer used to write each supporting sentence.

Topic sentence: Low-fat diets are an excellent way to stay healthy and trim.

1 They are preferred by the general public because they help with weight reduction.
2 Low-fat diets are recommended by most physicians.
3 Low-fat foods include fruits, vegetables, and pasta.
4 Because they are easy to find in stores, low-fat foods are convenient.
5 Crispy steamed vegetable, grilled fish, meat, and chicken are all tasty parts of a low-
fat diet.

EXERCISE 7

Read the paragraph and make the outline.

TELEVISION ADVERTISING

Advertisements are one of the frustrating parts of watching television. In the first place, the
advertisements waste time. For instance, about 15 minutes is lost by watching the as during a single
news program. In the same way, the watcher wastes his time watching advertisements during a good
movie. In the second place, the advertisements interrupt the viewer. For example, the viewer may
forget the situation or show during the advertisement. Even worse, during a good movie, the
watcher loses his feelings when the ad comes on, and that has bad psychological influences. In the
third place, the ads make many products look more appealing than they really are. For example, an
expensive car is made to seem luxurious, or a bad product like deodorant is made to look very good

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by showing a beautiful amazing lady taking a shower. Accordingly, the television viewer must be
aware and critical of the ads in order to endure them.

OUTLINE

Topic sentence: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Supporting point 1: the advertisements waste time

Supporting details:

- The TV watchers waste time watching ads during the news program.
- The TV watchers waste time watching ads during the film.

Supporting point 2: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Supporting details:

- ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
- ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Supporting point 3:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Supporting details:

- ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Concluding sentence:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

EXERCISE 8

Read the paragraph and make the outline

THE COST OF SMOKING CIGARETTES

Smoking cigarettes can be an expensive habit. Considering that the average price per pack of
cigarettes is 75 cents, people smoke two packs of cigarettes a day spend $1.50 per day on their habit.
At the end of one year, these smokers have spent at least $547.50. However, the price of cigarettes is
not the only expense cigarette smokers incur. Since cigarette smoke has an offensive odor clothing,
stuffed furniture, and carpet, smokers often find that these items must be cleaned more frequently
than nonsmokers do. Although it is difficult to estimate the cost of this additional expense, one can
see that this hidden expense does contribute to making smoking an expensive habit. To sum up,
smokers have to pay a lot if they want to enjoy themselves with cigarettes.

OUTLINE

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Topic sentence: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Supporting point 1: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Supporting detail(s):

- ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Supporting point 2: the cost of cleaning the offensive odor of the cigarettes smoke

Supporting detail(s):

- ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Concluding sentence:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

EXERCISE 9

Read the topic sentences and make the questions that the supporting sentences should answer. The
first question is done for you.

1. Topic sentence: Smoking should be banned in all public facilities.

Question: Why should smoking be banned in all public facilities? (Give the reasons)

2. Topic sentence: Smoking cigarettes can be an expensive habit.

Question:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Topic sentence: Computer technology will one day eliminate the use of libraries.

Question:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4. Topic sentence: I will never forget the day my boyfriend broke up with me.

Question:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

5. Topic sentence: Learning to play the piano is not as difficult as people think.

Question:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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EXERCISE 10

Find the supporting points for each topic sentence below. Then write the concluding sentence.

1. Topic sentence: Smoking should be banned in all public facilities.

Supporting points:

1. Smoking has a bad effect on the people in the public place.

2.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Concluding sentence:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Topic sentence: Smoking cigarettes is an expensive habit.

Supporting points:

1.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Concluding sentence:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Topic sentence: Computer technology will one day eliminate the use of libraries.

Supporting points:

1.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Concluding sentence:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. Topic sentence: I will never forget the day my boyfriend broke up with me.

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Supporting points:

1.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Concluding sentence:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. Topic sentence: Learning to play the piano is not as difficult as people think.

Supporting points:

1.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Concluding sentence:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

TECHNIQUES TO WRITE THE SUPPORTING POINTS AND SUPPORTING IDEAS

FACTS: The use of factual evidence in academic writing is expected by the U.S. audience. Any piece of
information that can be easily verified can served as factual support. Included are numbers
(percentages, number of miles, etc.) and statistics as well as facts that can be found in books,
newspapers, and magazines.

EXAMPLES: another technique is the use of examples. Example can explain or define a controlling
idea, or they can prove an idea or a point made in the topic sentence. Sometimes, a series of short
examples is effective evidence for a topic sentence. Other times, a single extended example can
serve as solid support in a paragraph.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Another way to support a topic sentence is by using physical description, that
is, words and phrases that appeal to the five senses of the readers: sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Personal experience is used to support the topic sentence, particularly when
an ESL student can connect personal experience about a topic from his country.

USING MULTIPLE SUPPORTING TECHNIQUES: The writer can use more than one technique to support
his/her main idea.

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EXERCISE 11

Read the paragraph and underline the numbers and statistics used as evidences.

MILK: THE PERFECT FOOD

Milk is one of the most important sources of nutrition for human beings and animals. It is the first
food provided for newborn babies because milk contains a large variety of nutritional constituents,
and at the same time it is easily digestible. Milk is about 13% solids, and the solids contain 3.3%
protein, 5% carbohydrates, 4% fat, and many vitamins and minerals. Moreover, milk protein contains
all of the essential amino acids like casein and lactobacillus. Lactose is the principle carbohydrate of
milk is the only source of lactose in nature. Milk also contains all of the known vitamins: A, B, D, E,
and K. For all of these reasons, milk consumption is the keystone of human beings and animals.

EXERCISE 12

Read the paragraph and underline the examples

Advertisements are one of the frustrating parts of watching television. In the first place, the
advertisements waste time. For instance, about 15 minutes is lost by watching the ads during a single
news program. In the same way, the watcher wastes his time watching advertisements during a good
movie. In the second place, the advertisements interrupt the viewer. For example, the viewer may
forget the situation or show during the advertisement. Even worse, during a good movie, the
watcher loses his feelings when the ad comes on, and that has bad psychological influences. The
third place, the ads make many products look more appealing than they really are. For example, an
expensive car is made to seem luxurious, or a bad product like deodorant is made to look very good
by showing a beautiful amazing lady taking a shower. Accordingly, the television viewer must be
aware and critical of the ads in order to endure them.

EXERCISE 13

Read the paragraph and underline all the phrases that appeal to one or more of the five senses of
the readers.

MY OLD HOUSE

I like to remember my old house from San Luis Potosi, in Mexico, because there I enjoyed my infancy
and adolescence. Although it is small house, for me it always seems bigger, mainly the patio where I
played soccer with my cousins and friends. On the patio there was a small pool where I played with
small boats and paper. I remember each corner of my old house, but mainly my favorite place was

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the window of the living room. From this window I could see the rain in the summertime, and I could
feel the tranquility and freshness of the streets. Moreover, from this window, I could admire the
stars in the dark sky. For all these reasons, my old house occupies a special place in my mind.

EXERCISE 14

What is the writer’s experience presented in the paragraph below?

EELS
I’m afraid to eat food cooked with eel. In Thailand, eel is a kind of expensive and well – known fish.
This fish is about 1 – 2 feet long, usually yellowish dark brown and snake – like. It lives in fresh water,
but unlike most fish, it has no scales. Instead its skin is mucus – like, so in preparing to cook it, we
have to rub its body with sand or with the leaves of the “khoy” tree to remove the mucus. Once
when I was young, my aunt asked me to prepare the fish. First I beat their heads with a stick and
rubbed their skin with “khoy” leaves; then I cut their heads off and put them in a large bowl to wash.
When I poured the water into the bowl, the headless, pinkish white eels began to twist and swing left
and right. After that day, I never ate eel again.

EXERCISE 15

Read the paragraph and answer question: What techniques of support did the writer use in this
paragraph - facts, examples, physical description, or personal experience?

UNIVERSITY COSTS
The international student needs much money to study at the university in the U.S. the cost can be
divided into three categories. First is the price of house rent; that expense differs according to the
kind of house. For example, a single basement room with a small kitchen at one end and a bed at the
other costs at least $200 a month, but an apartment with a separate bedroom and kitchen costs at
least $350 a month. The second expense is the cost of food; this cost is also various for each person. I
spend at least $300 per month, so my daily cost for food is about $10. The final expense is the cost of
tuition. This cost is especially high. I need $2000 per semester for tuition at this university because I
am an “out – of – state” student. And that doesn’t even count the expenses for books, clothing, and
other expenses. Therefore, I need at least $4000 for each semester.

WRITING THE CONCLUDING SENTENCE

The closing sentence signals the end of the paragraph. It summarizes the main point of your paragraph.
It can also give a final comment on the topic and leaves the readers with the most important ideas to
think about.

The signals to end the paragraph:

Finally, Indeed,
As a result, In summary,
In conclusion, In brief,

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In a nut shell, It is clear that…

In short, These examples show that…
Thus, There can be no doubt that…
We can see that… The evidence suggests that…

3. COHERENCE AND UNITY

A. COHERENCE
Coherence literally means “to stick together”. Coherence in writing means that all the ideas in a
paragraph flow smoothly from one sentence to the next sentence. That makes the readers
understand the writer’s thought easily. There are ways to make the paragraph coherent:
- Organize the supporting sentences in a logical order
- Use the transitional expressions to show the relationship between sentences

THE COMMON ORDERS OF ORGANIZATION

Time order: Details are listed as they occur in time.
Space order: This is used in description. The description should be presented in one direction and
maintain it (from far to near or near to far, from the right to the left or the left to the right, from the
top to the bottom or vice verse, from inside to outside or vice verse)
Emphatic order: This is used when the ideas are not equal in weight. There are two ways to present
the ideas: from the most important idea to the least important one OR from the least important idea
to the most important one. However, the most important idea is often left to the end to make a
greater impact to the readers.

Example

Although the process for applying to an American university is not complicated, it is important to
follow each step. First of all, choose several schools that you are interested in attending. Next, write
to these schools to ask for information, catalogs, and applications. You may want to visit the schools’
Web sites. After you have researched several schools, narrow your list to between three and five
schools. Then mail all the required forms and documents only to your final list of three and five
schools. If the school of your choice requires you to take a standardized test, such as the SAT, ACT, or
TOEFL, be sure to do so early. In addition, ask various school officials and teachers to write letters of
recommendation for you if the university requires them. Finally, almost all schools have an
application fee. This fee should be sent in the form of check or money order. One last piece of advice
is to start early because thousands of high school students are all applying at the same time.

EXERCISE 16
Read the paragraphs and decide the kinds of order the writer used to write.
1. Emphatic order 2. Time order 3. Space order

SCHOOL UNIFORM SHOULD RECEIVE AN A+

School uniform should be mandatory for all students for a number of reasons. First, they make
everyone equal. In this way, the "rich" kids are on the same level as the poor ones. In addition,
getting ready for school can be much faster and easier. Many kids waste time choosing what to wear
to school, and they are often unhappy with their final choices. The most important reason is that
some studies show that school uniforms make students perform better. Many people might say that

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uniforms take away from personal freedom, but I believe the benefits are stronger than the
drawbacks.

EXERCISE 17
Read the paragraphs and decide the kinds of order the writer used to write.
1. Emphatic order 2. Time order 3. Space order

A LESSON IN FRIENDSHIP

I learn the hard way how to make friends in a new school. At my old school in New Jersey, I was on
the football team, so I was very popular and had lots of friends. Then, when I was sixteen years old,
my parents decided to move to Florida. Going to a new school was not easy for me. The first few days
in my new school were extremely hard. All the students dressed casually in shorts and T-shirts
instead of a school uniform. Some kids tried to be nice to me, but I didn’t want to talk to them. They
looked and acted funny! After a few weeks, I realized that no one even tried to talk to me anymore. I
began to feel lonely. Two months passed before I swallowed my pride and got the courage to talk to
a few classmates. Finally, I realized that they were normal people, just like me. I began to develop
some relationships. I learned a valuable lesson about making friends that year.

USING TRANSITIONS TO MAKE COHERENT

Transitions are signals that help readers follow the direction of the writer’s thought.

Additional signals:

in addition first of all The second reason next finally

moreover furthermore and also another

Time signals:

First Next After As now

Then before while Meanwhile soon
Finally during

Space signals:

Next to Across On the opposite side Above Nearby

Across To the left To the right below

Change-of-direction signals:

But Yet Although Though Still

However In contrast On the contrary Otherwise On the other hand

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Illustration signals:

For example For instance Specifically As an illustration Once Such as

Conclusion signals:

Finally In conclusion In summary In a nut shell Consequently

As a result Indeed In brief In short Last of all

EXERCISE 18

Decide which words from the list below to fill in the blanks.

First, In a word, However, Third, Second, Moreover, But, For, Last, For example

Today, modern airport resembles a city in itself, 1__________ it has many services to offer travelers.
2__________, like all cities, it offers food. If you want to Purchase something to eat restaurants and
snack bars abound, ranging from hotdog carts to sit-down restaurants. 3__________ , if you just
want a little quick energy, you can buy either your favorite candy bar or a bag of chips from one of
the many gift shops, which offer gifts, food, magazines, newspapers, and drugstore items.
4__________, like any city, the modern airport has entertainment. Many airports now have a
television area, 5 __________you could also read or perhaps browse among the paperbacks in the
airport's bookstores. 6__________, some airports now have art exhibits on display. Of course, you
can always entertain yourself just by watching people. 7 __________, if you were unable to get all
your shopping or errands done, modern airports have an array of shops and services, just like a mall
in a city. 8 __________, you can go to the bank or florist, buy clothes, or pick up last-minute gifts.
9 __________, if you want to arrive looking neat and clean, in many airports you can go to a unisex
beauty salon. 10 __________, waiting for a flight in modern airports no longer needs to be boring.

B. UNITY
Unity is a very important characteristic of good paragraph writing. Paragraph unity means that one
paragraph is about only ONE main topic. If your paragraph contains a sentence or some sentences
that are NOT related to the main topic (irrelevant sentences), then it does not have a unity.

EXERCISE 19

Read the paragraph and choose the irrelevant sentences.

(1) Smoking cigarettes can be an expensive habit. (2) Smoking is hazardous to your health. (3)
Considering that the average price per pack of cigarettes is 75 cents, people smoke two packs of
cigarettes a day spend $1.50 per day on their habit. (4) At the end of one year, these smokers have
spent at least $547.50. (5) Several years ago, a medical study clearly showed the link of nicotine

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found in cigarettes with the development of cancer. (6) However, the price of cigarettes is not the
only expense cigarette smokers incur. (7) Since cigarette smoke has an offensive odor clothing,
stuffed furniture, and carpet, smokers often find that these items must be cleaned more frequently
than nonsmokers do. (8) Although it is difficult to estimate the cost of this additional expense, one
can see that this hidden expense does contribute to making smoking an expensive habit.

Your answer: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. LANGUAGE AND GRAMMAR FOCUS

SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences or parts of sentences. A complete sentence must
contain at least one main or independent clause; however, something is missing (usually a subject or
a verb) in a fragment. Therefore, a fragment usually fails to convey a clear message.

EXAMPLE:

1. Because I love you.

It’s a fragment because it’s a subordinate clause (an adverb clause of reason). It needs a main clause
to complete the meaning of the sentence.

=> Because I love you, I do everything for you.

2. For example, the increase in the tuition at the university.

It’s a fragment because it has no main verb. It needs a main verb to complete the meaning of the
sentence.

=> For example, the increase in the tuition at the university makes more students work part time.

3. Looking at the yellow leaves on the street.

It’s a fragment because it is a participial phrase. It has no subject or verb. It needs a subject and a
main verb OR a main clause to complete the meaning of the sentence.

=> She is looking at the yellow leaves on the street.

=> Looking at the yellow leaves on the street, she felt really lonely.

EXERCISE 20
Recognize the complete sentences (S) or fragment (F) then correct the fragments.

1. _____The best movie that I saw last year.

2. _____Because I don’t value the grades in college.
3. _____Teaching practice classes are challenging when taught by experienced teachers.

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4. _____What made me leave my hometown.

5. _____Math classes taught by experienced teachers.

EXERCISE 21
Find and correct the five fragments in the following paragraph.

Shark attacks have been on the rise. We've all heard the heartbreaking news stories. Of people on
their honeymoons or children playing in only a few feet of water being attacked by sharks. Movies
like “Jaws” make us wary and scared. When we watch them. But their effects fade over time, and we
forget about the risks. Of entering the habitats of dangerous animals. Experts try to convince us. That
sharks and other powerful species are not targeting human beings on purpose. To a shark, a person is
no different from a seal or a sea turtle. Facts such as these prompt many of us to think twice. Before
we take a dip in the ocean.

Your answer:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………

REVIEW
EXERCISE 22
Read the paragraph and choose the correct option (A-C)
TELEVISION ADVERTISING
Advertisements are one of the frustrating parts of watching television. In the first place, the
advertisements waste time. For instance, about 15 minutes is lost by watching the ads during a
single news program. In the same way, the watcher wastes his time watching advertisements
during a good movie. In the second place, the advertisements interrupt the viewer. For example,
the viewer may forget the situation or show during the advertisement. Even worse, during a good
movie, the watcher loses his feelings when the ad comes on, and that has bad psychological
influences. The third place, the ads make many products look more appealing than they really
are. For example, an expensive car is made to seem luxurious, or a bad product like deodorant is

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made to look very good by showing a beautiful amazing lady taking a shower. Accordingly, the
television viewer must be aware and critical of the ads in order to endure them.
1. Which sentence is the topic sentence?

a. In the first place, the advertisements waste time.

b. In the same way, the watcher wastes his time watching advertisements during a good movie.
c. Advertisements are one of the frustrating parts of watching television.

2. How many supporting points are there?

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

3. How many examples are used to support the supporting points?

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

4. Which sentence is the concluding sentence?

a. Advertisements are one of the frustrating parts of watching television.

b. Accordingly, the television viewer must be aware and critical of the ads in order to endure
them.
c. For example, an expensive car is made to seem luxurious, or a bad product like deodorant is
made to look very good by showing a beautiful amazing lady taking a shower.

EXERCISE 23
IMPRESS FOR SUCCESS
When it is time to be evaluated by your professors, you want them to remember you in a positive
way. As an experienced student, I know that it is easier to make a good impression on your course
instructors if you follow these fundamental steps. First, before you go to class, do all of the assigned
reading and homework. Good preparation will help you to follow the professor's lecture more easily,
ask intelligent questions, and keep up with the class. Second, arrive for class a few minutes early.
That way, you can get a good seat and have enough time to get organized. You want to be ready so
that you will not disturb the professor or your classmates while the class is going on. For the same
reason, you should also turn off your cell phone as you are getting ready. Next, participate actively
throughout the lesson. Smile, nod, and make eye contact with your instructor. Take notes. If the
professor asks a question, it is not necessary for you to jump at the chance to answer. However, if no
one else speaks up, show what you know. If there is something that you do not understand, wait for
an appropriate time to ask about it. Finally, when the class meeting ends, remain seated, take a few
minutes to collect your belongings and make last-minute additions to your notes. If you still have
questions, talk to your professor in the classroom. Alternatively, you can send an email or clear up

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your confusion during the professor's office hours. If you follow these steps in all of your courses, you
will be better prepared for your tests, and your teachers will be ready to give the good grades that
you deserve.
Topic sentence:

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Supporting sentences

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Supporting points

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Supporting details:

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Concluding sentence

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

EXERCISE 24

DTC 18
Paragraph Writing

First, recognizing the effective topic sentences (V), draw one line under the topic and two lines
under the controlling ideas. Then write too general (TG) or too specific (TS) in appropriate space
next to each statement. The first sentence is done for you:
1. Winter is a good season. TG
Winter weather is cold, and it snows. TS
The best season for kids is winter. V
2. Soccer is the world’s most popular sport.
You need a leather ball to play soccer.
Soccer is a nice game.
3. There are many people in New York.
People from many cultures live in New York.
New York is one of the biggest cities in America.
4. Monolingual dictionaries have only one language, and bilingual ones have two languages.
Many language students prefer bilingual dictionaries to monolingual dictionaries.
Dictionaries that have two languages, such as French and English, are called bilingual dictionaries.
5. French perfumes are expensive for a number of reasons.
My mother’s perfume smells flowery.
You can purchase perfumes in expensive blue crystal bottles.
6. Most of the girls in the class get higher grades in Spanish than the boys.
Research has shown that girls are better at languages than boys.
Many students like languages very much.
7. Cats are better than dogs for many reasons.
Cats and dogs are both mammals.
Cats can’t swim very well, but dogs can.
8. Yesterday I didn’t have lunch with my co-worker.
Yesterday, I went to work late.
Yesterday was the worst day of my life.

EXERCISE 25
Circle the sense(s) that the paragraph appeals to the readers:

A GREAT LIVING ROOM

My living room may be small, but it is tidy and well organized. On the right, there is a wooden
bookcase with four shelves. On top of the bookcase is a small lamp with a blue base and a matching
lampshade. The first and third shelves are filled with carefully arranged books. On the second shelf,

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Paragraph Writing

there is an antique clock with faded numbers on its face. The bottom shelf has a few newspapers. On
the opposite side of the room is a television set with nothing on top of it. Between the television and
the bookcase is a large sofa. A fat, striped cat with long whiskers is curled up in a ball on the right
side of the sofa. Lying to the left of my cat is a single sock that the cat probably brought from another
room. Directly in front of the sofa, there is a long coffee table with short legs. On the right side of this
table lie two magazines. They are stacked one on top of the other. Perhaps the most striking item in
the room is the beautiful beach painting above the sofa. This extraordinary painting shows a peaceful
beach scene with a sailboat on the right, far from the beach. Although it is a small room, everything
in my living room is in its place.

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