PARAGRAPH ACTIVITY I: Paragraph organization questions on the GED require that you understand that paragraphs are
each organized by a main idea. The sentences in each paragraph should give supporting details about this main idea. Use
the following activity to help improve your skills.
What is the
1.
topic being
2.
For centuries, people have been playing kicking games with a ball.
discussed in 1?
How does the
topic change in
3-6?
3.
The English probably gave soccer its name and its first set of rules.
4.
5.
Some people believe that the name "soccer" came from "assoc.," an abbreviation for the
word association.
Explain the
change at
sentence 7.
What is the
topic of 11?
What is the
topic beginning
at 13?
6.
Others believe that the name came from the high socks that the players wear.
7.
Organized soccer games began in 1863.
8.
9.
The goalie, who tries to keep the ball out of the goal, is the only player on the field who is
allowed to touch the ball with his or her hands.
10.
The other players must use their feet, heads, and bodies to control the ball.
11.
Every four years, soccer teams around the world compete for the World Cup.
12.
13.
Brazil is the home of many great soccer players, including the most famous player of all, Pelé.
14.
With his fast footwork, dazzling speed, and great scoring ability, Pelé played for many years
in Brazil and then later in New York.
15.
During his 22 years in soccer, he scored 1,281 goals and held every major record for the
sport.
What is the
topic beginning
at 16?
16.
People in more than 140 countries around the world play soccer.
17.
18.
Soccer is definitely the world’s most popular sport!
Activity: Where should the following sentences be inserted? Explain how each sentence supports
the main idea of the paragraph where you are placing it.
a. In European countries, soccer is called football or association football.
b. It is the national sport of most European and Latin American countries.
c. The game of soccer developed from some of these early games.
d. In soccer, two teams of eleven players try to kick or head the ball into their opponents’ goal.
e. The World Cup competition started in 1930.
You will write five paragraphs about yourself. Each paragraph will have a topic. Look at the following sample.
First, the writer composed some possible topics. Then, the writer chose five of the topics that she felt comfortable
writing about.
1.
Enjoy cooking
2.
Enjoy my dogs
3.
Enjoy watching movies with my family
4.
Grew up in Boston
5.
Enjoy learning new things
6.
Enjoy history
7.
Enjoy being outdoors
8.
Next, she used the left boxes below to list supporting details about each of the five topics. Then, she wrote each one as a
complete sentence on the right. Note that supporting details can give examples. They can even give information
answering the questions of: who, what, when, where, why, how.
1. Love to cook
-Like to cook different types of food
-enjoy making Japanese food
-favorite Japanese food is a vegetable pancake
-like to make pizza
-enjoy making barbecue pizza & veggie pizza
2. Have two dogs
-both dogs are rescue dogs
-Fremont a Maltese Oscar a dachshund
-walk & play with dogs every day
-relax and snuggle with dogs every day
3. Like to watch movies with my family
-Watch movies together weekends
-Love comedies
-Always looking for a new comedy
-Also love action movies and histories
4. Like to learn new things
-I am interested in many topics
-Landscaping
-Patio building
-Home repair
5. Like to be outside
-Enjoy going to the beach to look for shells
-Like to go to the mountains and hike
-Like to be in my back yard and in my garden
-Feels peaceful and relaxing
1. I really love to cook because it lets me be creative.
I actually love to cook different types of food.
For example, I enjoy making Japanese food.
My favorite Japanese food to make is a vegetable dinner pancake.
I also love to make pizza from scratch.
I enjoy making barbecue chicken pizza and vegetarian pizza.
I have two wonderful dogs named Fremont and Oscar.
I rescued both of my dogs from the Santa Barbara shelters.
Fremont is a Maltese dog. Oscar is a dachshund.
I walk and play with my dogs every day.
I also relax and snuggle with my dogs every day.
I love to watch movies.
I usually watch movies on the weekend when my family is together.
My favorite movies are comedies because I love to laugh.
I am always looking for a new comedy to watch.
I also enjoy watching action movies and histories.
I love to learn new things. I learn by reading and by doing research.
I find that I am interested in many topics.
Last year, I learned how to landscape my back yard.
I also learned how to build a cement patio.
Each year I try to learn something new because learning makes me
feel alive.
I enjoy being outside.
I really love to go to the beach and look for shells.
I also like to go to the mountains and hike.
I especially like to be in my back yard and in my garden.
I feel peaceful and relaxed when I am outside.
Now, you will prepare to write five paragraphs about yourself. You can write about things you enjoy doing, the type of
work you like to do, where you grew up, sports you have played, your family, etc. Brainstorm with a partner to help you
choose topics.
List some topics you could discuss about yourself. When you are done, choose five that you feel comfortable discussing.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Next, use the boxes below to list supporting details about each of the five topics you have chosen. Supporting details can
give examples. They can even give information answering the questions of: who, what, when, where, why, how.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.