InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus

GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn

LearningAbouttheStructureandComponentsofaParagraph

1. Whatisaparagraph?
Aparagraphisacollectionofsentencesthatdescribe,discuss,orexplainonecentral
idea(Folse,VestriSolomon,&Clabeaux,2015,p.4).
2.Whatisthestructureofaparagraph?
Thestructureofaparagraphconsistsofthreeimportantelements:
thetopicsentence
aminimumofthreesupportingdetailsentences,and
theconcludingsentence.
3.Whatistheminimumnumberofsentencesaparagraphshouldhave?Whatisthe
maximum?
Theminimumnumberofsentencesaparagraphshouldhaveis5andthemaximumis7.
Thisisnotafixedrestrictionthough.Thewriterhastheflexibilityofchangingthisratioaslong
ashe/shestaystruetothestructureoftheparagraphandtheelementsofgoodwriting.
TheTopicSentence
Thetopicsentenceisthemostimportantsentenceinanyparagraphandusuallyappearsat
thebeginningofitplacedasthefirstsentence.Itguidesordirectstheflowofideasthatthe
writerhasconsideredfortheentireparagraph.Agoodtopicsentenceneedstwoimportant
elements:
themainsubject= thewriterstopicofchoicefortheparagraph
thecontrollingidea= whatspecificaspect(s)aboutthetopicwillbedevelopedthroughout
theparagraphbyaskingquestionsthatcanbeansweredinthree
sentencesormore


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
Italsohassomeimportantfeaturestorememberandconsidertomakeitastrongone:
notbeingawellknownfact Dogsareanimals.
notbeingspecific

Sharingisfun.

beingwaytoospecific

IlovespendingtimewithmyclassmatesbecauseIget
towitnessdifferentpersonalities,upbringings,and
culturesinjustoneplace.

PracticeI

Instructions: Payattentiontothefollowingtopicsentencesandconsiderthefollowing:

1. Identifythemainsubjectandcontrollingideaforeachtopicsentenceand
writethemdowninthespaceprovided.
2. Writeacheckmark()infrontofthetopicsentencesthatfollowthe
componentsofagoodtopicsentenceandanXinfrontofthosethatdonot
followthesecomponents.

_____

1. Computerscanbeusedinmanydifferentsituations.
MainSubject:
ControllingIdea:

_____

2. Computershavechangedenormouslyinthepast20years.
MainSubject:
ControllingIdea:

_____

3. Differentcomputerscanappealtodifferentpeople.
MainSubject:
ControllingIdea:

_____

4. Computerswereinventedinthetwentiethcentury.
MainSubject:
ControllingIdea:


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
TheSupportingDetailSentences
Thesupportingdetailsentencesservethepurposeofansweringthequestionspresented
bythecontrollingideainthetopicsentence.Thisanswershouldcomeintheformofa
minimumofthreesentencesthatcanfurtherdescribe,explain,clarify,orgive
examples/reasons/factsaboutthemainsubject.Someofthequestionsthatsupportingdetail
sentencesanswerare:
What?
When?
Where?
Who?
Why?

How?
Describe.
Explain.
Discuss.
Others

Unlikethecontrollingidea,thesupportingdetailsentencescanansweralltypesofquestions.
Themorespecifictheanswercanbe,thebetterthesupportingdetailsentencewillbe.Even
thoughtheanswershouldbeprovidedincompletesentence(s)whenwritingtheparagraph,the
answeritselfcanbeawordoraphrasewhenconsideringitsrelevancetothetopic.

IMPORTANT: Alwaysrememberthatatopicsentenceonlyletsreadersknowwhatthe
paragraphtheyareabouttoreadwillbeabout.Itdoesnotprovideany
specificity.Thesupportingdetailsentences,ontheotherhand,provide
specificinformationaboutthetopicthathasbeenintroducedinthetopic
sentence.Inotherwords,thesesentencesworkhandinhandwiththetopic
sentence.Theynevercompeteagainsteachotherintermsofinformation.

ExamplesofDifferentTypesorKindsofSupportingSentences
1. Supportingsentencethatexplains
TopicSentence: Therearemanysupportservicesforstudentsattheuniversity.
SupportingSentence: Theseservices,suchastutoring,aregenerallyfreeforstudents.
explainsthesupportservicesavailableforstudentsattheuniversity


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
ExamplesofDifferentTypesorKindsofSupportingSentences(Continuation)
2. Supportingsentencethatdescribes
TopicSentence: Iwillneverforgetmychildhoodhome.
SupportingSentence: Thehousehadalargeentrancewithaspiralstaircaseinthe
center.
describesthewriterschildhoodhouse
3. Supportingsentencethatgivesareason
TopicSentence: Notetakingisoneofthemostimportantstudyskillstolearn.
SupportingSentence: Reviewinggoodnotesbeforeatestwillhelpstudentsbecome
morefamiliarwiththeinformation.
givesareasonthatproves
whynotetakingisanimportantstudyskilltolearn
4. Supportingsentencethatgivesafact
TopicSentence: Joggingisnotaseasyasitappears.
SupportingSentence: Ninetysevenpercentofpeoplecannotjogthreemileswithout
stopping.
givesafactaboutjogging
5. Supportingsentencethatgivesanexample
TopicSentence: Brazilhasmanynaturalresources.
SupportingSentence: Itisoneoftheleadingproducersofbauxite*,aprincipal
ingredientformakingaluminum.
givesanexampleofoneof
Brazilsmanynaturalresources
*Pronunciation:[boksait]


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
PracticeII

Instructions: Eachitemcontainsthreesupportingsentencesandonetopicsentence.Write
SSbesidethesupportingsentencesandTSbesidethetopicsentence.

1. a. Finally,shebeganthrowingatennisballforherdog,whobarked
loudlyinappreciation.

b. Then,sheputonaCDbyagroupcalledARASHIandturnedthe
volumeup.

c. First,sheturnedonthetelevisiontoprovidebackgroundnoise.

d. Itwastooquietintheroom,soDianadecidedtomakesomenoise.

2. a. Inthesecondbook,HarrymeetsDobby,ahouseelfwhonearlykills
Harryinanefforttohelphim.

b. J.K.Rowlingspopular
HarryPotter
booksfollowtheadventuresofa
youngwizardashelearnshiscraft.

c. Inthefirstbook,Harry,whohasalwaysfeltliketheoddoneout,finds
outthatheisawizardandbeginstodiscoverhispowers.

d. ThethirdbookintroducesHarrytoamysteriouscharacternamed
SiriusBlackandtothesoulsuckingguardiansofAzkabanPrison.

3. a. Beinglateisaharmfulhabit.

b. Peoplewhoarelatetoclassesormeetingsoftenmissimportant
information.

c. Peoplewhoarrivelateforappointmentsormeetingsoftenangerthose
whohavetowait.

d. Althoughtheimpressionmaybeinnacurate,peoplewhoarelateare
oftenperceivedasrudeorselfish.


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
PracticeII(Continuation)

Instructions: Eachitemcontainsthreesupportingsentencesandonetopicsentence.Write
SSbesidethesupportingsentencesandTSbesidethetopicsentence.

4. a. Forexample,tiresthatarenotproperlyinflatedcanposeadangerto
bothdriverandpassengers.

b. Windshieldwipersthatareexcessivelyworncanalsoposeadangerin
rainyweather.

c. Baldtires,worntires,andunevenlyworntreadingeneralcancausea
cartolosetractionontheroad.

d. Failuretotakecareofsmalldetailsofcarmaintenancecanmake
drivingdangerous.

5. a. Thebiggestbenefitrevolvesaroundtheclosecompanionshipthat
arisesbetweentheadoptedanimalandhis/herownerbecauseithelps
tocreateahealthyfamilyenvironmentforbothpartiesandeveryone
elsearoundthem.

b. Fromanemotionalperspective,ifshelteranimalsarenotadopted,they
areeuthanized,soadoptingapetfromthepoundisbeneficialbecause
alifeisbeingsaved.
c. Adoptingapetfromtheanimalsheltercanbenefitbothanimaland
owner.

d. Fromaneconomicperspective,poundpuppiesandkittenspresent
morebenefitsthanbuyingpurebredanimalsbecausetheyareusually
spayedorneuteredbeforeadoption,savingtheownerveterinaryfees.


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
TheConcludingSentence
Asitsnamesuggests,theconcludingsentenceconcludesorwrapstheparagraphupand
isusuallyplacedattheendofitasthelastsentence.Itistightlyconnectedtothetopicsentence,
foritconsidersthemainsubjectandcontrollingideaaswell.Theonlydifferenceisthatthe
concludingsentencealsoconsidersthesupportingdetailsentencesintheformofasummaryand
providesanendingfortheentireparagraph.Thus,itstwoimportantelementsare:
restatingthetopicsentenceandsummarizingthesupportingdetailsentences,and
offeringasuggestion,anopinion,oraprediction.

PracticeIII
Instructions:

Readthefollowingparagraphandanswerthequestionsthatappearatthe
endinordertoanalyzethebasicfeaturesorcomponentsofaparagraph.


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
PracticeIII(Continuation)
Instructions: Readthefollowingparagraphandanswerthequestionsthatappearattheend
inordertoanalyzethebasicfeaturesorcomponentsofaparagraph.


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
TheFiveElementsofGoodWriting

1. Purpose

Itisthereasonwhytheparagraphiswritten.Inotherwords,[t]he
purposeisthegoalthewriteristryingtoachieve(p.40).
Itoffersthewriterthepossibilitytostayfocusedonthetopic
he/shehasdecidedtowriteabout.
Itsthreemaingoalinacademicwritingare:toinform,topersuade,
andtoentertain.However,therearemanymoretouseand
consider.
Onceidentified,itoffersthewriterthepossibilitytocomeupwith
apurposestatementfortheparagraphthatcanhelphim/hercreate
agoodtopicsentenceasaresult.
_____
NOTE:Thepurposeandthepurposestatementarenotthesame.Thefirst
oneiswrittenasaphrase(ininfinitiveform)whereasthesecondoneis
writtenasacompletesentencethatfollowsagivenformat(Thepurposeof
thisparagraphis).

2. Audience

Itreferstothereadersofaparagraph.
Toneverlosetrackoftheimportancereadershavewhenwriting,
thepointsofview(1st,2nd,or3rd)andtheformal/informal
writingoftheparagraphshouldalwaysbeconsidered.

3. Clarity

Itmakessurethattheparagraphiseasyenoughforthereaderto
understandbyincorporatingspecificandconciselanguagesuchas
descriptivewordsandclearpronounreferencesthatshouldnotbe
overused.Theclearerthementalpictureis,theeasieritwillbefor
theaudiencetointerpretthewriterspurposeandmessage.

4. Unity

Itmakessureorevaluatesthatallthesentencesintheparagraph
stayconnectedtothetopicsentence.Ifasentencehasnothingto
dowiththemainsubjectandcontrollingideapresentedinthetopic
sentenceofagivenparagraph,then,unityislost.Inordertofix
thisproblem,eliminatingthesentenceisalwaysrecommended.

5. Coherence

Itmakessureorevaluatesthatalloftheideaspresentedinthe
paragraphmakesenseandfollowalogicalorder.Tomakesure
thatthiselementwillnotbedisruptedinanygivenparagraph,the
writermustpayattentiontothechronologicalorderoftheideasor
sentences,therepetitionofkeywords(necessityvs.overuse),the
useoflanguageorvocabulary(understandablevs.complicated),
andtheuseoftransitions(smoothflowvs.roboticflow).


InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
PracticeIV
PartI. Readeachofthefollowingtopicsandwriteapurposeandapurposestatementfor
eachoneofthem.

1.

Topic: HowtoPlayAmericanMahJongg
Purpose:
PurposeStatement:

2.

Topic: TheEffectsofInsufficientSleep
Purpose:
PurposeStatement:

3.

Topic: TheMostImportantInventionoftheLast50Years
Purpose:
PurposeStatement:

4.

Topic: TheWorstDayofMyLife
Purpose:
PurposeStatement:

5.

Topic: ThePositiveandNegativeAspectsofAcknowledgingHolyWeekasa
Holiday
Purpose:
PurposeStatement:

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InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
PracticeIV(Continuation)
PartII. Readeachtopicanddecidewhetheritrequiresfirst,second,orthirdperson.Then,
decidewhetherthewritingshouldbeformalorinformal.Theremaybemorethan
onecorrectanswer.

TypeofWriting

Person

LevelofWriting

1. Aparagraphabouttheimportanceof
voting

2.Alettertoyourbestfriend

3.Adescriptionofyourbestvacation

4.Anemailtoyourcousin

5.AparagraphaboutthefirstOlympic
Games

6.AparagraphaboutyourtriptoMexico

7.Aparagraphtellinghowtobakebread

8.Aparagraphtellingwhyyouwould
makeagoodclasspresident

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InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
PracticeIV(Continuation)
PartIII.

Readthefollowingparagraphandanswerthequestionsthatappearattheend
inordertoevaluateclarity.

1. Writeallthewordsthatnamespecificpeople.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Howdothesewordsaddtotheclarityofthewritersmessage?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Writeoneofthewordsorphrasesthatmeanstodosomethingquickly.
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Identifythespecificadjectivesthatwereusedtodescribethefollowingnouns:

SpecificAdjective

Noun

a.

place

b.

pace

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InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
PracticeIV(Continuation)
PartIII.

Readthefollowingparagraphandanswerthequestionsthatappearattheend
inordertoevaluateclarity.

4. Identifythespecificadjectivesthatwereusedtodescribethefollowingnouns:
c.

plates

d.

sinks

e.

flow

f.

jugglingact

PartIV.

Readthefollowingparagraphandanswerthequestionsthatappearattheend
inordertoevaluateunity.

1. Doallofthesentencesmaintainunity.Ifnot,whichsentence(s)createaunityproblem?
Explainyouranswer.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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InteramericanUniversityofPuertoRicoMetropolitanCampus
GEEN1103:EnglishasaSecondLanguageIII
20152016MarchThroughMayTrimester
Prof.DavielizVillafaeColn
References
Arlov,P.(2012).
Wordsmith:Aguidetoparagraphs&shortessays
.NJ:PearsonEducation.
Folse,K.S.,VestriSolomon,E.,&Clabeaux,D.(2015).
Greatwriting3:Fromgreat
paragraphstogreatessays
(3rded.).Boston,MA:NationalGeographic
Learning/CengageLearning.

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