The Paragraph
Each Body Paragraph
must contain the following:
Topic Sentence
Transition
Major Point
support
Transition
Major Point
support
Transition
Major Point
support
concluding point
Hook and Background information
 Stand
alone paragraphs may also
include a hook or attention
getter to stimulate the reader’s
interest.
 Also, background information
explaining a little about the topic
might also be required.
◦ You may combine the background
information with the topic
sentence.
Topic Sentence
Every topic sentence
must do the following
State Topic
[what paragraph is about]
Contol the topic
[explains the way you
talk about the topic]
Cuyamaca College: a Good Choice
What is your
topic?
How do you feel
about your topic?
Who would be
interested in the
topic?
How might I talk
about the topic?
Does this topic
sentence match
the ideas in my
paragraph?
Cuyamaca College is an excellent
choice for many students because
they save money, get classes they
need, and work closely with their
teachers.
Develop your paragraph by supporting the
topic sentence using main points or general
statements of support:
Cuyamaca College is an excellent choice for many students because they save
money, get classes they need, and work closely with their teachers.

Save Money (Main Point #1)
◦ Students at Cuyamaca College save a lot of money
because of low tuition, easy access to financial aid
programs, and free tutoring services.

Get the classes they need (Main Point #2)
◦ If you are a student at Cuyamaca, you won’t have to
worry about getting the classes you need.

Enjoy the benefits of close teacher relations
(Main Point #3)
◦ Small class size and professor office hours ensure
excellent teacher-student relations.
Develop your topic sentences with
specific details / examples
[don’t be repetitious]
How would you make the following paragraph more
detailed?
 The food at the cafeteria caused several of the students
to become ill. One girl felt sick after eating some
casserole. A boy felt dizzy after eating some casserole.
Another student had a more stomach after trying some
meat.
Some Tips to Add Details
 Give people names
 Use adjectives like color, size, shape,
weight, texture, taste and smell
 Make a word picture
Would you do things differently?
How would you make the following paragraph more
detailed?
The food at the cafeteria caused several of the
students to become ill. One girl felt sick after eating
some casserole. A boy felt dizzy after smelling the pasta.
Another student had a sore stomach after trying to eat
some meat.
Here’s a good example of good details

The food at the cafeteria caused several students to
become ill. First of all, Mary Brant suffered severe
cramps and diarrhea five minutes after tasting the
orange brick of casseroled tuna flakes. Then Brandon
May fell and cut open his head on a table corner. He
wasn’t being clumsy; he suffered an attack of nausea and
dizziness after smelling the tray of runny green spaghetti
surprise. Finally, Brad MacKenzie had to be rushed to
the hospital when he began projectile vomiting after
trying the fuzzy gray mystery meat called College Loaf.
Transitions

Pg 19-20 of
your
handbook
gives you
some solid
examples of
transitions
to use
between
your main
points
Paragraph on Cuyamaca College
Cuyamaca College is an excellent choice
for many students because they save money,
get classes they need, and work closely
with their teachers. Students at Cuyamaca
College save a lot of money because of low
tuition, easy access to financial aid
programs, and free tutoring services. If you
are a student at Cuyamaca, you won’t have
to worry about getting the classes you
need. Small class size and professor office
hours ensure excellent teacher-student
relations.