Putting It All Together (Part 2)
Goal
To understand how paragraphs and essays are
related.
To understand the basic steps in composing an essay.
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• The steps in writing a paragraph are similar to
the steps in writing a good essay. After you
brainstorm a suitable topic for an essay or
paragraph, you think about an introduction,
supporting ideas, and a conclusion. For an
essay, an important step is to make an outline.
Here is an outline of "The Most important
Invention in the Past Century" that you just
read. Reread the essay before you read the
outline.
• Then compare the essay information with the
outline to help you understand its organization
better.
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•
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•
•
I. Introduction (Paragraph 1)-Many important
things have been invented in the past century, but
the most important was the discovery of antibiotics.
II. Body (Paragraph 2 )-Hundreds of years ago,
millions of Europeans died from bubonic plague.
III. Body (Paragraph 3)-Medicine was limited until
the invention of penicillin in the early twentieth
century.
IV. Body (Paragraph 4)-Antibiotics are currently
used for a variety of ailments.
V. Conclusion (Paragraph 5)-The invention of
antibiotics promoted good health and longer lives.
Varying Your Vocabulary
•
Vocabulary is a key part of good writing. The level of
vocabulary that you use is an indication of your English
proficiency. Better vocabulary often favorably influences
the reader's opinion of your writing.
•
Note that the vocabulary in the outline is not always the
same as the vocabulary in the essay. VARIETY is important!
In your essays, try to use synonyms, phrases, and sometimes
whole sentences to say the same information in a different
way. Avoid repeating the same vocabulary.
Varying Your Vocabulary
Activity 3
•
•
We learned that the most important part of any
paragraph is the topic sentence. The first paragraph of an
essay has a similar sentence that is called a thesis
statement. It tells the reader what the essay is about.
The thesis statement also indicates what the organization
of the essay will be. The thesis statement is usually the
last sentence in the introduction paragraph. Find and
reread the thesis statement in "The Most Important
Invention in the Past Century:' (Answer: "All of these
inventions have been very important to humans, but the
one that has been the most important in improving
people's health over the centuries is the discovery of
antibiotics.")
• Now read these examples of thesis statements.
1. Three things make traveling to Southeast Asia an unforgettable
experience.
2. Serving in the military offers not only professional advantages
but also personal benefits.
3. Computer literacy is one of the fastest growing needs for young
adults.
4. The person I most respect and admire is my aunt Josephine.
As you can see, the topics for the essays with these thesis
statements range from serious subjects to personal stories. The
thesis statement that you write will depend on the assignment
that your teacher
gives you.
Activity 4: Thesis Statements
•
Essays need Supporting Ideas just like
paragraphs. Writers should have two or three ideas
that support the thesis statement. Each of these
ideas will eventually become a separate paragraph.
Asking a question about the thesis statement is a
good way to come up with material for supporting
paragraphs. Remember that it is important to
provide specific examples and details within the
paragraph.
•
Here are some questions to ask and ideas to develop
about the thesis statements you read above.
1. Three things make traveling to
Southeast Asia an unforgettable
experience.
• Question: Why is it an unforgettable
experience?
• Ideas to develop: The people are very
friendly; there are beautiful places to
see; the food is incredibly delicious.
2. Serving in the military offers not only
professional advantages but also personal
benefits.
• Question: What are these advantages and
benefits?
• Ideas to develop: Professional advantages:
a full-time job with good benefits,
vocational training.
• Personal benefits: a sense of pride in
serving your country, developing maturity
3. Computer literacy is one of the
fastest growing needs for young adults.
• Question: Why is the need for
computer literacy so important?
• Ideas to develop: Computer literacy is
essential for advanced studies
(college or university), for the
workplace, and for life in general
(banking, buying and selling, etc.).
4. The person I most respect and
admire is my aunt Josephine.
• Question: Why do you admire
her so much?
• Ideas to develop: She taught
me about hard work; she loved
me unconditionally; she always
gave me excellent advice.
Activity 5: Supporting
Ideas