Paragraph Components - Writing
We discussed the framework of an English paragraph in the previous Word Document entitled: 1. Paragraph
Components. Now, put that understanding to work in composing a paragraph with four to six sentences on a topic or
subject of your choice; something you are familiar with. Give it a title, remembering that the title is frequently also the
topic/subject of your piece. Remember that the title is never a sentence (just a word or phrase) and answers the question:
'What's it about?' Be sure that you capitalize the first letter of each of the words.
The most likely place for the stated (explicit) main idea to be placed is at the beginning of the paragraph. Locate
yours in that position. We will talk about an unstated (implicit or implied) main idea paragraph in a moment. Keep in mind
that the main idea (whether stated or unstated) is always a sentence and answers the question: 'What's said about the
topic or subject?' As you know, the main idea supports the topic/subject.
Continuing with your composition, write several supporting detail sentences. A major supporting detail sentence will
support the main idea. If your paragraph contains any minor supporting detail sentences, each will support its respective
major supporting detail sentence.
Be certain that all of your paragraph stays focused on the topic/subject. Don't confuse the reader by adding
material which does not deal with the subject at hand. If a sentence strays from the matter being presented, then your
passage will be disjointed and you might 'lose' your audience.
Compare your work to the following:
Inoculation Procedure
'1 Proper inoculation procedure requires that the healthcare provider follows a series of steps. 2 First, the provider
should wash his hands. 3 Second, the proper volume of vaccine is slowly drawn from the medicine vial into the needle and
syringe. 4 Third, the injection site on the patient's upper arm is rubbed with an antiseptic pad. 5 Next, the patient's skin
area is squeezed firmly using the index finger and thumb of the healthcare worker, and the needle in inserted and the
syringe slowly emptied into the arm. 6 Finally, an adhesive bandage is placed over the insertion site.'
Inspecting the components of the preceding paragraph, we see that the title is the topic/subject. If someone asked
you what the passage was about, you would say: 'Inoculation Procedure'. If you were asked for the main idea, you would
point to sentence number one. Since the main idea is a sentence in the passage, it is a stated main idea. Each of the other
sentences are major supporting detail sentences.
There could have been a sentence after sentence number six: '7 The bandage will help keep the injection area
from becoming infected.' Sentence number seven is a minor supporting detail sentence. It supports the preceding major
supporting detail sentence (sentence number six).
Another thing worth pointing out deals with the signal words or transitional words in the passage. Were you helped
in your comprehension of the text by the following words: First, | Second, | Third, | Next, | Finally, ? These are signal
or transitional words that assist the audience in understanding the message. They are not required, but are helpful to the
reader. Look at the difference their removal makes:
Inoculation Procedure
'1 Proper inoculation procedure requires that the healthcare provider follows a series of steps. 2 The provider
should wash his hands. 3 The proper volume of vaccine is slowly drawn from the medicine vial into the needle and syringe.
4 The injection site on the patient's upper arm is rubbed with an antiseptic pad. 5 The patient's skin area is squeezed firmly
using the index finger and thumb of the healthcare worker, and the needle in inserted and the syringe slowly emptied into
the arm. 6 An adhesive bandage is placed over the insertion site.'
I mentioned unstated (implied, implicit) main idea earlier. Compose a new paragraph containing the same message
as your first piece. This time you will not have a stated main idea. The reader will only have details to work with. You are
making the audience 'work harder' at receiving your meaning. As the author, you will imply; causing the reader to look at
the details and construct a totally new sentence - the unstated main idea sentence. For this to work, you may have to do
something editing of your text.
This is how our inoculation piece would look:
Inoculation Procedure
'1 First, the provider should wash his hands. 2 Second, the proper volume of vaccine is slowly drawn from the
medicine vial into the needle and syringe. 3 Third, the injection site on the patient's upper arm is rubbed with an antiseptic
pad. 4 Next, the patient's skin area is squeezed firmly using the index finger and thumb of the healthcare worker, and the
needle in inserted and the syringe slowly emptied into the arm. 5 Finally, an adhesive bandage is placed over the insertion
site. 6 The bandage will help keep the injection area from becoming infected.'
The reader has to write a new sentence that represents the unstated main idea; answering the question: 'What's
said about inoculation procedure?' By examining the title and all of the sentences, one would say something like:
- 'Certain steps are followed during an inoculation procedure.'
or
- 'These are the things to do for an inoculation procedure.'
or
- 'An inoculation procedure involves a number of specific activities.'
or
- 'These guidelines are necessary for inoculating a patient.'
As you can see, the wording can vary as long as the key elements are included.