“METHODS OF PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENTS”
Reporter:
Dannah Lizle D. Barbante
Norhaina D. Embang
Enrique A. Jayme
Paragraph Development
Development means to delve deeper into an idea.
Immature writers avoid depth by giving in to generalities and repetition, resulting in
bland writing.
How to address Development
Look for the statements that go unexplained
Read over your paragraph the way a potential reader might.
“Sense” where additional information is needed.
1. Narrative
It tells a story of an event or an experience.
Good Narration
Reveals something of importance.
Includes all the important events of the story.
Brings the story to life with a detailed account of what happened.
Presents events in a clear order.
Narrative Paragraph Example
My most embarrassing moment happened when I was working in a Mexican restaurant. I
was hostess working on a busy Friday night. As usual, I was wearing a blouse and a long
Mexican skirt. While I was taking some menus to a table, one of the waiters accidentally stepped
on the hem of my skirt. I didn’t even feel it fall off, and I walked through the whole dining room
in my slip! Almost every customer in the restaurant saw me without my skirt on.
2. Definition
Explains what a term means. It uses denotation or connotation.
Good Definition
Tells readers what term is being defined.
Presents a clear and precise basic definition.
Uses examples to show what the writer means.
Uses words and examples that will understand.
Definition Paragraph Example
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, gossip is a “trivial rumor of a personal
nature,” but this definition makes gossip sound harmless. At first, gossip might not seem so bad.
One person tells a second person to a third person, and so on. The information passes from one
person to person. However, gossip is much more than just information and rumor. As the rumor
continues, it grows and changes, people do not know all the facts, so they add information. As
the gossips goes from one person to another, the damage continues, and the person who is
subject of the gossip can’t do anything to answer or protect himself or herself. Because the
potential damage may range from hurt feelings to a lost career, gossip is much worse than simply
“trivial rumor.”
3. Descriptive
Description creates a clear and vivid impression of the topic. Description
translates your experience of a person, place, or thing into words, often by
appealing to the physical senses.
Good Description
Creates a main impression-an overall effect, feeling, or image-about the topic.
Uses concrete, specific details to support the main impression.
Uses details that appeal to the five senses.
Description Paragraph Example
The subway is an assault on your senses. You walk down the steep, smelly steps on
the subway platform. On the far right wall, a broken clock shows that the time is four-thirty. You
wonder how long it has been broken. A mother and her child are standing to your left. She is
trying to clean dried chocolate syrup off the young child’s face. Father to the left, two old men
are arguing about the most recent tax increase. You hear a little noise and see paper trash roll by
like a soccer ball. The most interesting thing you see while you waiting for your subway train is
a poster. It reads “Come to Jamaica.” Deep blue skies, a lone palm tree, and sapphire waters call
you to this exotic faraway place.
4. Comparison & Contrast
Show similarities and differences among people, ideas, situations, or items. They are
used to explain two subjects and help you decide between two options.
Good Comparison and Contrast
Uses subjects that have enough in common to be compared/ contrasted.
Serves a purpose-either to help readers make a decision or understand subjects.
Present several important, parallel points of comparison/ contrast.
Arranges points in a logical organization.
Compare and Contrast Paragraph Example
When they get lost while driving, women and men have very different ways to find the
right route. As soon as a woman thinks she might be lost, she will pull into a store or gas station
and ask for directions. As she continues on, is she’s still not sure of the directions, she will stop
again and ask someone else for help. Until they know they are on the right track, women will
continue to ask for directions. In contrast, men would rather turn around and go home that stop
and ask directions. First, a man doesn’t readily admit he is lost. When it is clear that he is, he will
pull over and consult a map. If he still finds himself lost, he will again pull out that map. Either
the map will finally put the man on the right route, or-as a last resort- he will reluctantly stop at a
store or gas station and let his wife go in and ask for directions. Many battles of the sexes have
raged over what to do when lost in the car.
5. Classification
Organizes, or sorts, people or items into categories.
A good classification paragraph:
Make sense of a group of people or item by organizing them into categories.
Uses useful categories.
Uses a single organizing principle.
Gives example of what fits into each category.
Classification Paragraph Example
Test questions generally fall into categories, depending on how they are answered:
objective and subjective. The first kind, objective questions, have definite right and wrong
answers. Multiple choice, matching and fill in the blank questions are objective. Although they
can be tricky because of their wording, most students prefer objective questions. The answers are
already there, and the students just have to choose the right one. Subjective test items, such as
short-answer and essay questions, have no single correct answer. There is arrange of possible
responses. Students have to know the information in order to answer each question, and they
have to present it in their own words. You can make a lucky guess on an objective question, but
a subjective question doesn’t offer much hope for a student relying on dumb luck.
6. Cause and Effect
Explain what made an event happen and what occurred as a result.
A Good Cause and Effect paragraph:
Clearly distinguish between cause and effect.
Give clear and detailed examples of causes and/or effects.
Cause and Effect Paragraph Example
Much to her surprise, lottery winner Sylvie Lee found that sudden wealth was a mixed
blessing- the results were both good and bad. After her win as announced, she was constantly
hounded by people who wanted to sell her something. She got an unlisted phone number, but the
more aggressive sales people just out on her doorstep. Another negative result was the people
started treating her differently “I was shocked,” said Lee. “Everyone from the checkout clerk at
the supermarket where I’ve shopped for years to my next-door neighbor acted as though I had
changed. I’m still the same; I’ve just got money now.” Lee admits, though, that mot of the
changes has been positive. “It’s really a relief not worrying about money all the time. I actually
went on my first shopping spree ever, and it was great.” Lee expects that other new and
unexpected results of her sudden wealth are yet to come, but she’s not discouraged: so far, at
least, the pluses far outweigh the minuses.
7. Illustration
Uses examples to show, explain, or prove a point.
Good Illustration:
Makes a point.
Gives detailed and specific examples.
Gives enough examples to get the point across.
Illustrative Paragraph Example
Although they don’t consider it stealing, many people regularly take thins from their jobs.
The most common items to disappear are pens and pencils that the employees almost
unconsciously stuff into their purses and pockets. Over time, they may accumulate a lot of them.
Another big item is all kinds of paper: pads of limed paper: little notepads, and file folders.
Finally, one of the most significant ways people steal from their employers is by taking home
samples of products the company makes. Employees think they are entitled to these products and
even give them to friends. These examples many not seem like stealing, but the results are the
same: extra costs to the company, which may result in lower pay raises.
