PARAGRAPH
BASICS
As you improve your English writing skills, your teachers will begin asking you to
write paragraphs.
A paragraph is a unit of information. Paragraphs usually contain several sentences
grouped together around a main idea. Learning how to write an organized paragraph
will improve your essays and demonstrate your thinking skills.
Basic paragraphs include three elements:
• The topic sentence, often found at the beginning of the paragraph, tells the
reader the main idea, or topic, of the paragraph.
• The sentences following the topic sentence contain supporting details that
develop the main idea of the paragraph. Supporting details may include facts
or quotes from your research, personal anecdotes, or other information.
• At the end of the sentence is a concluding sentence that summarizes the main
point of the paragraph.
Here is a simple example paragraph.
Roasting a chicken is very simple. The only ingredients you need for a perfect
roasted chicken are the chicken, some salt, and an onion or lemon to stuff in the
chicken. Once you have your ingredients, rub salt on the outside of the chicken and
let it sit at room temperature for one hour. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. After
the chicken has been salted for one hour, stuff it with the onion or lemon and put it
in the oven. Roast it for 15 minutes per pound. Once the chicken is done, pull it out
of the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. After that, you will have a perfect
roasted chicken for you and your family to enjoy.
In this example, “Roasting a chicken is very simple” is the topic sentence. The
sentences that follow provide supporting details. The last sentence sums up the point
of the paragraph.
PRACTICE
Plan a paragraph based on the format discussed in this handout.
What is the main idea of your paragraph? ____________________________________
What is the topic sentence of your paragraph, based on your main idea?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
What is a supporting detail you can use to develop this main idea?
_______________________________________________________________________
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What is another supporting detail you can use to develop this main idea?
_______________________________________________________________________
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What is another supporting detail you can use to develop this main idea?
_______________________________________________________________________
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Write a concluding sentence using your main idea and supporting details.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Now put the ideas you've listed above into a complete paragraph. If you want to
make sure that you've written a strong paragraph, feel free to bring your work to the
English Center for a tutor to check.
