Grouping Sentences
Year 8 Sentence Starters
Icons key:
For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation
Flash activity. These activities are not editable.
Extension activities
of 14
11 of
Web addresses
Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page
Accompanying worksheet
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Contents
In this unit you will…
Revise topic sentences
Learn how to group sentences in paragraphs
chronologically
Develop paragraphs using comparisons
Give examples to develop paragraphs
Consider how to structure a series of paragraphs
Write your own series of paragraphs
of 14
14
22 of
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Writing non-fiction paragraphs
No,
I knowHave
what you
I want
to
Hi
Megan!
finished
say but
I’m not
sure
to
your
history
essay
yethow
on the
structure my paragraphs.
Romans?
Can you help me?
Nearly.
Yes, of Have
course
you
I’ll finished
help you.it?
Let’s look at a non-fiction
paragraph…
3 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Beginning non-fiction paragraphs
Read Megan’s paragraphs. What do you notice about them?
The Roman
Classical
empire
Roman Empire
Empirewas
wasthe
thelargest
largest
Classical
empire
in the
still
visible
today.
It
the world
worldand
andits
itseffects
effectsare
are
still
visible
today.
spanned
from
31 31
BC,BC,
after
Julius
Caesar
wonwon
thethe
It spanned
from
after
Julius
Caesar
civil war against Pompey, to AD 1453. The Roman
Empire controlled most of Western Europe, parts of
Northern Africa and some of the Middle East – 2.3
million square miles in total! The population governed
by Roman rule is not known but it is estimate
estimatedtotobe
be
anywhere between 55 and over 120 million people.
Historians argue
first
emperor:
argue over
overwho
whowas
wasthe
the
first
emperor:
Julius Caesar
know
as as
Augustus).
Caesar or
orOctavian
Octavian(later
(later
know
Augustus).
Julius Caesar was know as Dicatator Perpetuus…
Each paragraph begins with a topic sentence.
4 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Topic sentences
Yes,
it’sknow
a sentence
Do
you
what a which
topic
sums up what
your
sentence
is Max?
paragraph is going to be
about...
Um, is it a sentence
about a topic?
Topic sentences are the best way to open non-fiction
paragraphs because they sum up what the paragraph is
going to discuss.
They signpost to the reader the subject of each paragraph,
making your purpose clear.
Try to write five topic sentences which Megan
could use in her essay.
5 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Grouping sentences
Did you know that
the body of a
paragraph needs to
support the opening
sentence?
That’s
called the
topic
sentence,
right?
In non-fiction, paragraphs usually begin with a topic sentence
which introduces what the paragraph is about. You can
develop paragraphs by grouping the other sentences to:
1. Describe an idea chronologically.
2. Make comparisons of ideas or things:
use connectives to show similarities and
differences.
3. Use examples to strengthen an idea or
argument.
6 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Writing chronologically
Writing chronologically means describing an idea or event
in the order that it occurs, e.g.
The egg will hatch into a chick and then grow into a chicken.
When might you need to describe something chronologically?
Try to write a short paragraph describing
an event chronologically.
7 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Grouping sentences chronologically
8 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Making comparisons
9 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Comparing people
Write a paragraph to compare these two people using some
connectives. Then share your ideas with the class.
What is similar?
What is different?
When might you need to make comparisons?
10 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Using examples in paragraphs
11 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Using examples
Think of a controversial topic. You may use an idea from the
box below or think of your own (but ask permission first!).
School
uniform
Fox
hunting
The death
penalty
Motorway
tolls
Think of an argument in favour of one side of the debate and
sum it up as a topic sentence. Add more sentences to give
examples to argue your point of view. Then use a connective
to discuss the other side of the debate.
12 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Writing paragraphs
So far we have considered three ways of grouping
sentences in paragraphs. You are now going to generate a
series of paragraphs. Use the following guidelines:
introduce each paragraph with an informative topic sentence
make sure that the rest of the paragraph supports your topic
sentence
think about ways to develop your sentences, such as using
relative and adverbial clauses
arrange the sentences within your paragraphs in the best
order:
1. chronologically
2. by making comparisons
3. by using examples
use your last paragraph to sum up the information.
13 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006
Writing a series of paragraphs
Do some research on orangutans and then using
your notes and the images above write a
‘documentary’. You can use the pictures in any
order but you must write connected paragraphs.
14 of 14
© Boardworks Ltd 2006