Constructing Paragraphs for an Essay

University of the Sacred Heart

Department of Humanities

Center for Language Development Across the

DisciplinesLAD

Objective

To construct effective paragraphs for an essay

Before Starting to Write

Choose a topic to write about Brainstorm Research the topic you selected, and

make sure you keep track of your references

Review all the information before starting to write

Organize the ideas in a logical way

Focusing on Content

Writing with Attitude

Identify your audience Who will read your essay?

Identify the purpose and tone of your writing

Objective / Subjective Casual / Formal Persuasive / Informative Expository / Argumentative

The Basics of Writing

When writing, you must do three

basic things:

Introduce your topic (introduction)

Provide details that support your topic (body)

Write an appropriate conclusion

Outlining

Prepare an outline to:

Determine which information is related to the topic

Organize your ideas (order of importance, chronological order, spatial…)

Structure your essay (Introduction-Body-Conclusion)

Introductory Paragraphs

Capture your reader’s interest through

an attention getter by using

Anecdotes Quotes Unusual or interesting facts

Dialogue Statistics Vivid descriptions

Examples Incidents

Introductory Paragraphs

State the main idea

Establish the organization of the

essay

Introduce important terms or

situations relevant to your

writing

Developing Your Topic Present the ideas that will support

your thesis statement

Develop one paragraph for each supporting idea

Explain each supporting idea as much as you can, even if it seems too obvious

Connecting Ideas Use transitional words or phrases to

move from one idea to another.(for example, first, next, moreover, finally…)

You can do this by Using coordinating conjunctions,

subordinating conjunctions, and conjunctive adverbs

Repeating key words or phrases

Examples of Transitional Words and Phrases

First, second, third… Next, next step… Then…, Finally, last… Before, after… Meanwhile Three hours later… In the morning, in the evening… For example Moreover…

Conjunctions

Coordinating And But Or Nor For Yet

Correlative Either...or Neither…nor Whether…or Not only…but

(also) both…and

Subordinating Conjunctions After Before That Although Even if Than As Even though Though As if If Unless As long as In order that Until As soon as Provided that When As though Since Whenever Because So that While

ConjunctionsSubordinating

After Although As As if As long as As soon as As though Because Before

Even if Though Even though Unless

If Until In order that When

Provided that Whenever

Since While So That That Than

Conjunctive Adverbs Accordingly Also Besides Consequently Finally Furthermore However Indeed

Instead Later Moreover Nevertheless Otherwise Still Therefore Thus

Concluding Arguments

The conclusion may: Summarize the main points discussed

Ask questions that will make a reader think

Offer a solution for a problem

Make a recommendation

Make a prediction

Restate the main idea

Invite the audience to take action in the solution

For More Information…

You can visit the following web sites:

The Unicorn Pen. http://www.anitraweb.org/write/unicorn/essays.html

Index English Grammar and Composition

http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index2.htm

Center for Language Development Across the DisciplinesPrepared by: Thalia N. Nazario-Santiago

Coordinator for the Center for Languages and Cultures April-June 2003

Revised by: Patricia Kidd Administrative Assistant

Revised by: Prof. Delia Serrano January 2005

Thank you!