Developing a Paragraph

What’s a paragraph?
 A group of sentences about a single topic.
 In academic writing, a paragraph is between 5 to
10 sentences long
A paragraph is a group of sentences that develop one theme
or idea. The theme of one paragraph should follow logically
from the theme of the last paragraph and should lead on to
the theme of the next paragraph.
Paragraph organisation
Topic sentence: The main idea of the paragraph
The supporting sentences: Sentences that talk about or explain the
topic sentence
The concluding sentence: It can finish a paragraph by repeating the
main idea or just give a final comment about the topic
Topic sentences
You should generally express the main theme of each paragraph by
one sentence (the main or topic sentence). This sentence is best
placed at the beginning of the paragraph as it will inform the reader
of your point early on in the paragraph. The rest of the paragraph
should then expand the theme contained in the main sentence, and
each idea around the main theme should be supported by further
information, evidence and argument.
Think of a topic sentence for the following topics

Listening skills
Motivation
Role play
Rural education
Academic writing
 Supporting sentences
The aim of the supporting sentences (note that there needs to be
more than one) is to develop the topic of your paragraph.

Topic Sentence: The consequences of not Reader: ‘What are these consequences?
moderating the intake of fast food are rather
alarming

Supporting sentences
1.What are these consequences?
2. What makes them alarming?
Developing supporting sentences
To help you develop relevant supporting sentences, it may help if you
ask questions of your topic sentence. You could then answer those
questions by doing the following:
Provide an explanation/reasons for the idea in the topic sentence.
Why is it so?
Provide evidence to support the topic sentence.
Provide examples where appropriate to expand on your claim in the
topic sentence.
Read the following paragraph
What’s the structure of the paragraph?
Concluding sentences
We suggested that you begin each paragraph with a topic sentence
to help guide your reader. To assist your reader further, you may also
choose to add concluding sentences at the end of the paragraphs.
This is particularly useful if your paragraph is long and you have
included a number of examples and supporting evidence. It is
possible that by the end of the paragraph your reader may have lost
the main point you are trying to make. By adding a concluding
sentence, you are reiterating your point before moving onto the next
paragraph.
Concluding sentences
It sums up the main point or restates the main idea in a different
way. It should give the same information in a slightly different way
( use different words, different word order)
It reminds the reader of what the writer’s main idea and
supporting points were
It should NOT introduce a new point
The rate of home ownership varies widely across the
developed world. Germany, for instance, has one of the
lowest rates, at 42 per cent, while in Spain it is twice as high,
85 per cent. Both the USA and Britain have similar rates of
about 70 per cent. The reasons for this variation appear to
be more cultural and historic than economic, since high
rates are found in both rich and poorer countries. There
appears to be no conclusive link between national
prosperity and the number of home owners.
This paragraph can be analysed:
1 Topic sentence The rate of home ownership varies widely across
the developed world.
2 Example 1 Germany, for instance, has one of the lowest rates, at
42 per cent, while in Spain it is twice as high, 85 per cent.
3 Example 2 Both the USA and Britain have similar rates of about 70
per cent.
4 Reason The reasons for this variation appear to be more cultural
and historic than economic, since high rates are found in both rich
and poorer countries.
5 Summary There appears to be no conclusive link between national
prosperity and the number of home owners.
Connecting ideas within sentences and
sentences within paragraphs
You also need to make clear to the reader how the various parts of
your paragraph are connected.
The information in the paragraph must flow easily from one
sentence to the next. To do this, it is important to structure your
information clearly and signal exactly what you want to say by the
use of signalling words.
Another useful way to show the connection between the ideas in a paragraph is
to start the second or subsequent sentence with a phrase such as ‘this problem’
or ‘this situation’. These phrases help provide a connection by summarising the
previous sentence.
Students often struggle to provide adequate links between sentences. This
problem can be overcome easily.
Connecting paragraphs
As writing an academic text consists of more than one paragraph,
you will need to link each paragraph in some way. signalling words
may also be of use to you when connecting paragraphs together. You
will find nevertheless that you often need a longer sentence to help
create a link from paragraph to paragraph. The topic sentence can
either form part of your linking sentence or it will follow it.
Imagine you are outlining the positive and negative issues of a given
topic. You may begin one of your ‘positive’ paragraphs with one of the
following:
One of the main advantages of X is . . .
One of the positive effects of X is . . .
You may then choose to start the next paragraph with one of these
phrases:
A further advantage (of X) is . . .
X is a further advantage (worth considering)
Another advantage (of X) is . . .
X is another advantage . . .
When you are ready to change your discussion to the negative
issues, you may write one of the following:
Having considered the positive effects of X, negative issues need to
be take into account.
Despite the positive effects outlined above, there are also negative
issues to be considered.
The important point here is that paragraphs should not be standing
in isolation. Do not expect your reader to make the connection in
your ideas, but make those connections explicit. This way, the reader
will be led in a logical order through your argument and will be
reminded of your current theme or angle.