WRITING
PARAGRAPHS
DEFINITION:
A paragraph is a series of sentences
concerning ONE point or main idea.
A paragraph should consist of —
at the very least — FIVE sentences,
o for what can a writer truly prove or
illustrate adequately in less than a few
sentences?!
CONSTRUCTION
*PARAGRAPH OVERVIEW*
(1) TOPIC SENTENCE
(2) SUPPORT
(3) CLINCHER SENTENCE
CONSTRUCTION
(1) A paragraph should begin with a TOPIC
SENTENCE, which states the main idea of the
paragraph.
(2) The remainder of the paragraph is devoted to
SUPPORTING (proving or illustrating) that
main idea.
(3) A paragraph should conclude with a
CLINCHER SENTENCE, a statement that
reiterates the main idea of the paragraph.
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
DEFINITION:
 A TOPIC SENTENCE
o states the main idea of the paragraph.
o controls the focus and organization of its
paragraph.
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
ANALOGY:
 a topic sentence is to a paragraph as
 a thesis statement is to an essay
 That is, just as the thesis statement guides
the entire essay, so too does the topic
sentence guide the entire paragraph.
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
FORMULA:
TOPIC + MAIN IDEA
 TOPIC:
o About what are you writing? What is your
subject matter, concern, focus?
 MAIN IDEA:
o What are you saying about that topic? What is
your point, message, position, meaning,
purpose, goal?
(2) SUPPORT
Prove your point OR support your main idea
with any of the following evidence:
 anecdotes (short narratives)
 examples
 reasons
 details
 description
(3) CLINCHER SENTENCES
DEFINITION:
 A CLINCHER SENTENCE
o is the last sentence in a paragraph.
o is a concluding statement that reiterates the
main idea of the paragraph.
 In an essay, it looks forward to the next
point in the following paragraph; that is, it
works as a transition from one paragraph to
the next.
(3) CLINCHER SENTENCES
 Do not simply end your paragraph once
you have supported your point.
o bring your essay full circle
o repeat your main idea
o repeat your topic sentence –
• not word for word, but the gist of it
• like a Conclusion for your paragraph
(3) CLINCHER SENTENCES
 *Do NOT end a paragraph with some else’s
words or ideas.
o especially true in researched essays
o no direct quotes or paraphrases
• there should be no parenthetical at the end of a para.
o your essay = your words
PARAGRAPHS
in
ESSAYS
The GOLDEN RULE of
PARAGRAPHS
*only 1 idea per paragraph*
The GOLDEN RULE of
PARAGRAPHS
 That is, discuss ONLY ONE point in each
paragraph.
 You mentioned three points in your thesis
statement, so discuss each point in its own
paragraph.
The GOLDEN RULE of
PARAGRAPHS
 Thus, you will discuss ONLY ONE attribute,
reason, type, role, similarity, difference, or
characteristic per paragraph.
 Exceptions:
o In a Process-Analysis essay, you may group
related steps into phases and discuss such
connected steps within a single paragraph.
o Do the same in a Narrative essay.
The SILVER RULE of
PARAGRAPHS
*no fewer than 5 sentences per paragraph*
The SILVER RULE of
PARAGRAPHS
 A paragraph should consist of — at
the very least — FIVE sentences,
o for what can a writer truly prove or
illustrate adequately in less than a few
sentences?!
OVERVIEW
PARAGRAPH OVERVIEW:
*Follow the same level of deduction (GS)
you did in your Introduction.
1) Name (in a Topic Sentence)
2) Explain (briefly)
3) Illustrate (with specific examples)
4) Conclude (with a Clincher Sentence)
*no fewer than 5 sentences per paragraph*
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
DEFINITION:
 A TOPIC SENTENCE
o states the main idea of the paragraph.
o controls the focus and organization of its
paragraph.
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
ANALOGY:
 a topic sentence is to a paragraph as
 a thesis statement is to an essay
 That is, just as the thesis statement guides
the entire essay, so too does the topic
sentence guide the entire paragraph.
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
To write a topic sentence, answer:
 What is the focus of this particular
paragraph?
 What attribute, reason, type, role, similarity,
difference, or characteristic will I discuss
and illustrate in this paragraph?
 How is this idea related to my thesis?
 What transitional expression works best
with the organization of my essay?
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
 Refer to your thesis statement.
o In your topic sentence, you will repeat 2/3 of
your thesis statement.
o In other words, repeat the topic and the main
idea.
o Add to that the singular point you will discuss in
that paragraph:
o For an Example essay (Illustration or Argument)
on steroids:
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
THESIS:
 Steroids (topic) should be banned from
professional sports (main idea) because of
adverse health risks to athletes (support 1),
illegitimate claims to records (support 2),
and irreversible damage to the essence of
sports (support 3).
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
TOPIC SENTENCE #1:
 One reason to ban steroids from sports
involves adverse health risks to athletes.
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
TOPIC SENTENCE #2:
 In addition to the negative health risks,
another reason steroids should be banned
concerns illegitimate claims to legitimately
achieved records.
(1) TOPIC SENTENCES
TOPIC SENTENCE #3:
 While dangerous health risks and cheating
are strong arguments, the most important
reason steroids should be banned from
sports is because they cause irreversible
damage to the very essence of sports and
sportsmanship.
(2) EXPLANATION
 After you have written your topic sentence,
you should next briefly explain your point.
 Remember: “Brevity is the soul of wit.”
o You do not want to spend more time explaining
your point at the expense of illustrating it.
“In other words”
 “That is to say”
 “What this means is”
(3) SUPPORT
 You have talked the talked, now you must
walk the walk.
o Put up or shut up.
o You have made a claim and have explained it,
now you must prove it.
 Otherwise, all you have is opinion.
(3) SUPPORT
 Support your point with
o specific, relevant, unambiguous examples
o specific people and instances
o details
o descriptions
o anecdotes
o statistics
(4) CLINCHER
 Finally, wrap up the paragraph with a
clincher sentence.
 Similar to the clincher sentence in your
Conclusion.
 Bring it full circle.
(4) CLINCHER
 Repeat your point:
“Thus, Lyle Alzado’s case proves that
steroids can detrimentally effect an athlete’s
health.”
 Segue to your next point:
“Thus, steroids can detrimentally effect an
athlete’s health; they can also negatively
effect the record books.”
SUMMATION
*PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE*
(1) Name your point.
(2) Explain briefly your point.
(3) Illustrate your point with specific and
relevant examples.
(4) Repeat your point and segue to your next
point.