WAJ 3102

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

PISMP
SEMESTER 1
WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?
 a paragraph is a group of sentences complied together to
discuss a specific piece of writing.
 The paragraph can serve as an individual and intricate
part of a large piece of writing, such as an essay.
 the paragraph is a two fold creation

 organizes the ideas of the writer as well as allows the

writer to portray a message that the writer wishes the
reader to understand.
PURPOSES OF PARAGRAPHS
 first sentence, which is the topic sentence, immediately
draws the attention of the reader.
 indicate what the paragraph is about

 paragraph validates the strength of the thesis statement

using proportionate support of aspects of that thesis
statement,
WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE OF
PARAGRAPHS?
 they must express one idea at a time in the following
paragraph format:
one topic sentence, three main supporting g details, and
three sub-supporting details under each main supporting
detail, and the concluding statement. The structure is
enhanced by the use of transitional statements, which
come in the form of coordinating conjunctions and
conjunctive adverbs.
 The topic sentence must declare emphatically a point
that can be debated, a premise that must be proven, or a
concept that has to be explained.
WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE OF
PARAGRAPHS?
 The supporting details of your paragraph must explain,
validate, and reinforce the ideas that you write.
 These three modes of development are used principally
in writing effective paragraphs: narration, illustration,
and exemplification.
 With narration, you tell a story, most accurate a short
story or anecdote that helps the reader understand the
topic you are about to discuss.
 With illustration, you convey your message in writing to
your audience by using pictorial or descriptions.
EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPHS
 has unity,
 what makes paragraph one more unified than paragraph
involves two factors: paragraph focuses on one topic and
does not wander on to different topics.
 must also be coherent. Coherence means that the
paragraph is easier to understand for your readers.
 Therefore the paragraph you wrote must conform to your
audience’s educational level, comprehension level, and
competence level.
HOW TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS:
STEP 1
 Write an introductory sentence.
 Also know as a “topic sentence” which every paragraph
has to have one.
 This alerts the reader to what new information you are
introducing.
 This topic sentence tells the reader what you are about to
tell, without any of the specific details.
HOW TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS:
STEP 2
 Write supportive sentences.
 Supportive sentences tell the reader, specifically, what
you told them you were going to say in your introductory
sentence.
 It goes into the details of your topic sentence.

 You should list more than one reason for each of the
ideas you mentioned in your introductory sentence.
HOW TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS:
STEP 3
 Write a concluding sentence.
 the concluding sentence tell the readers that you did,
indeed, tell them what you said you would tell them in
your topic sentence.
 use your concluding to lead into the information you will
be introducing in the next paragraph.
HOW TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS:
STEP 4
 Be aware of the flow of your paragraphs.
 However you construct your paragraph, be sure to follow
the order of your introductory paragraph.
 Eg. : If you told your readers you were going to tell them
about “dogs, cats and hamsters,” do not write about
“cats, dogs and hamsters.” This will disrupt the flow of
your paragraph.
HOW TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS:
STEP 5
 Use proper grammar and punctuation.
 As obvious as this may sound, many writers throw out the
rules of grammar and punctuation because they feel their
words are sufficient to convey their message.
 This doesn’t always work well. You must know the rules of
grammar and punctuation extremely well before you can start
taking “creative liberties” with them.
 Many readers will be turned off by poor grammar and
punctuation, even if they do not know that much about the
rules. They will recognize that something “isn’t right” with
your prose, even if they can’t name the specific rule that you
have broken.