Basic Paragraph Structure

A paragraph is a group of related sentences about a single topic. A paragraph has three main
parts.
1. Topic sentence: tells the topic or main idea of the paragraph.
2. Supporting sentences: explain or prove the topic sentence.
3. Concluding sentence: summarizes the paragraph and adds a final comment.

The Topic Sentence

It is called the topic sentence because it tells the reader what the topic of the paragraph is. In
other words, it tells the reader what he or she is going to read. The topic sentence is usually
the first sentence in a paragraph.

A topic sentence has two parts: a topic and a controlling idea.

 The topic part: names the topic; tells what the paragraph is about.
 The controlling part: limits what the paragraph will say about the topic.

Usually, the topic comes fist and the controlling idea comes second in the topic sentence.
However, the controlling idea may come first sometimes.

Example:

a. Violence in American society has several causes.

b. There are several causes of violence in American society.

Exercise 1

Underline the topic and the controlling idea in the topic sentences below

1. A good architect is both an artist and a mathematician.

2. Artistic talent and mathematical ability are two qualities of a good architect.
3. Beaches are fun in summer and in winter.

Exercise 2

1. What is the title of the paragraph?

2. Which sentence is the topic sentence? What information does it give?
3. How many supporting sentences are there?
4. Does this paragraph have a concluding sentence? What is it?
 Goldfish

Goldfish make the best pets for three reasons. First of all, goldfish are
very quiet. They don’t bark, howl, meow, chirp, squawk, screech, or race
around the house at night while you and your neighbors are trying to sleep.
Second, they are economical. You can buy a goldfish at your local pet store for
about 50 cents, and a small bowl for it costs less than $3.00. Water is
practically free. Also, they eat only a pinch of dried fish food daily, so their
food bill is quite low. Third, goldfish are very well behaved. They don’t have
teeth, so they can’t chew your furniture or bite your guests. They don’t ever go
outside, so they can’t dig holes in your garden. In addition, you don’t have to
spend hours teaching them commands such as “Sit!” or “Heel!” If you want a
quiet and economical pet that doesn’t cause any trouble, visit your nearest
goldfish store.

Think of a restaurant you have visited in the past. Write a paragraph in which you
recommend (or don’t recommend) the restaurant. Include the following information:

1. location
2. atmosphere
3. menu
4. service
5. prices

Write a paragraph about a vacation you have taken in the past. Include the following
information:

1. type of vacation
2. location
3. description of the vacation
4. what you did, ate, or saw there
5. what the people were like

Write a paragraph about a pet you have decided to have.

1. Which animal will be your pet

2. Description of its appearance (color, shape, fur or leather…)
3. Why you want to have it
4. What it will benefit you
5. Where you will keep it (in a cage, inside your house, or build it a pet house) and why.