Paragraph Writing
Cause and Effect
A cause and effect paragraph is a
paragraph that answers the question
“Why?” We know that many actions do
not occur without a reason, and that the
effects of these actions can be either
positive or negative. When we write a
cause and effect paragraph, we are trying
to understand or explain things that
happen in our lives. In the paragraph,
there will be reasons backing up the topic,
as well as supporting details that go with
each of the reasons.
Prewriting
– You will be asked to use the webbing
technique for this assignment. Your topic
(the effect) goes in the centre circle, and
your main reasons (the causes) go in the
set of circles that branch out from the
centre circle. Number your reasons in
order of their importance. Next, in the
third set of circles, attach a series of
details that might support each of the
reasons you have chosen. Provide more
details than you can actually use, then
read over them and decide which details
you will use to develop your paragraph.
You may want to also number the details
in the order you will use them.
Web
Detail
Detail
Detail
Cause 1
Cause 3
Effect
Cause 2
Detail
Detail
Detail
Detail
Time To Write
Writing – It is then time to begin
writing your paragraph, expanding
your points into full sentences. Decide
if you want to order your reasons
from most important to least
important or vice versa. Include
transitions that are appropriate to the
order you have chosen. As your work
on your paragraph, keep checking
your material for unity and support,
and make any necessary changes.
Revising – When you have finished
writing, edit the paragraph for
sentence-skills mistakes such as
spelling, punctuation, run-ons or
sentence fragments. You may
decide to add or delete all or part of
a sentence or to move it to a
different location. Be sure that the
spelling of the words you studied at
the beginning of this unit is correct in
your paragraph.
Choose a topic below, and write a wellconstructed paragraph.
your paragraphs must have a title, and
should be 7 – 10 sentences long.
Paragraph #1
Write a cause and effect paragraph on
ONE of the following topics:
a) The many reasons why people should
not smoke cigarettes
b) Why I had an excellent / awful time on
my last vacation
c) How drivers cause accidents
d) Canadians are more overweight now
than they were 50 years ago
e) Eating on an airplane is an unpleasant
experience
Compare and Contrast Paragraph
When we compare and contrast two
items, we are trying to understand
each of the two things more clearly.
We may make judgments about which
of the two things we prefer, or we
may simply show how they are similar
and/or different.
There are two methods of development in
compare and contrast paragraphs. The first
one is the one-side-at-a-time method. This
is when the first half of the paragraph clearly
and completely explains one side of the
contrast, and the second half of the paragraph
deals entirely with the other side. If you use
this method, be sure to use the same order
when presenting each side. The second
method of developing a compare and contrast
paragraph is a point-by-point method.
Instead of dealing separately with each of the
items you are comparing/contrasting, you will
contrast or compare each item one point at a
time, alternating throughout the paragraph.
For this particular assignment, you will be asked to use
the free-writing technique as your method of prewriting.
To write a compare/contrast paragraph, you will first
choose a topic. Then:
Make a decision on how long you will take to get your
ideas down on paper – in this case, three to five minutes.
You will write, in paragraph format, every thought about
each idea as it comes to you. The important thing is to
continue writing, non-stop, for the full allotted time.
If your mind hits a blank, write a key word over and over
until you think of another point to make on your topic.
Concentrate on getting down all of the information you
can think of that supports each point.
Once you have written continuously for the prescribed
time period, decide whether you will use a one-side-at-atime or a point-by-point method.
**The last stage of prewriting using this technique is to go
back and number the sentences in the order you believe
works best, and cross out any information you decide not
to use.
Use transition words (change of direction signals) like
firstly, in addition, in contrast, also, another difference, on
the other hand, but, although, however, and most
importantly to link your points together. As you write,
keep checking the paragraph for unity and support, and
make additions or changes.
Revising – When you have finished writing, edit the
paragraph for sentence-skills mistakes such as spelling,
punctuation, run-ons or sentence fragments. Decide if
you should add or delete all or part of a sentence or to
move it to a different location. Paragraph #2