Paragraph Structure.ppt

1、1. What is a paragraph?,A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic.,1) Why does an essay usually have several paragraphs? for a better logical construction and smooth delivery of ideas step by step.,2) What makes a good paragraph?,To be as effective as possible, a p

2、aragraph should contain each of the following traits 特性 or elements: unity, coherence, a topic sentence, adequate development, a brief conclusion (dispensable).,Unity:,The entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with a focus or major point of discussion, it should no

3、t end with another or wander within different ideas.,Coherence:,Coherence helps to make the paragraph easily understandable to a reader. You can help create coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical bridges逻辑的衔接 and verbal bridges词汇的衔接.,logical bridges:,The same idea of a topic is carried ove

4、r from sentence to sentence in a logically natural way.,verbal bridges:,Key words can be repeated in several sentences; Synonymous words can be repeated in several sentences; Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences; Transition words and phrases can be used to link ideas from different sent

5、ences.,2. Parts of a Paragraph,Go=Topic Sentence Continue=Supporting Details Stop=Closing Sentence,Topic Sentence,Supporting sentence 1,Supporting sentence 2,Supporting sentence 3,Concluding Sentence,Structure of a Paragraph,Structure of a Paragraph,a. A topic sentence,A topic sentence is a sentence

6、 that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going to deal with. It summarizes the main idea of the paragraph and indicates to the readers what your paragraph will be about.,2. Parts of a Paragraph,E.g. There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the w

7、orld. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a an affordable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at universities. Finally, Canadas cit

8、ies are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.,Topic Sentence,the topic sentence should not:,be too specific be too broad contain phrases like “I think”, “In my opinion”, etc.,Dos and Dont

9、s of topic sentence. Dos： 1. A good topic sentence includes a topic and a controlling idea. 包含一个主题和中心思想。 2. A good topic sentence is limited. 有具体的陈述。 3. A good topic sentence must lead itself to development. 有助于段落的展开。,Donts: 1. A topic sentence should not be a simple statement or fact. E.g. We celeb

10、rate Christmas on Dec. 25. 2. A topic sentence should not be too general. E.g. Travelling can broaden my outlook on life. 3. A topic sentence cannot be too detailed and specific. E.g. I do push-ups and sit-ups each morning.,3. How to Write a topic sentence?,Topic sentence= topic+ controlling idea Th

11、e topic is what you are going to say in the paragraph, and the controlling idea narrows down the topic, so the topic sentence should not:,3.How to write a topic sentence?,A. be too specific be too broad contain phrases like “I think”, “In my opinion”, etc.,* Gold, a precious metal, is treasured for

12、two important characteristics. * The spoken word is a very different thing from written word.,Good The Arabic(阿拉伯的)origin of many English words is not always obvious. Too specific The slang expression “so long” (meaning goodbye) is probably a corruption （变体）of the Arabic “salaam. (This better serves

13、 as an example),Are they good topic sentences?,5. Television is very important. 6. Television plays an educational role in our daily life.,He sent his wife a diamond ring on her thirtieth birthday. He always surprises his wife on her birthdays.,3. They decided to change for a new apartment for sever

14、al reasons. 4. They sold the old apartment because of the leaking roof屋顶漏水.,7. To improve reading ability, one needs to acquire some reading skills. 8. To improve English proficiency is very important.,9. The Americans and the British not only speak the same language but also share a large number of

15、 social customs 10. The Americans and the British have many things in common.,Are they good topic sentences?,3. The position of the topic sentence,The topic sentence is usually found at the beginning of the paragraph, but can come at the end or even in the middle of the paragraph. It is also possibl

16、e that no topic sentence is to be found in a paragraph but the main idea is implied in it.,No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements. Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us. In th

17、eir efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified all our little weaknesses.,3. The position of the topic sentence,Now lets look at an interesting example with color. If you own a blue car, and you know it is blue even if

18、it is in bright sunlight, in darkness or under a yellow street light. Your eyes tell you that it changed color in these different situations, but your brain knows better不会上当. You have learnt that cars dont change color all the time, and so your brain interprets the information your eyes give you.,3.

19、 The position of the topic sentence,My parents have gone out for the evening. Just as I settle down to read or watch TV my little brother demands that I play with him. If I get a telephone call, he screams in the background or knocks something over. I always have to hang up to find out whats wrong w

20、ith him. Baby-sitting with my brother is no fun. He refuses to let me eat a snack in peace. Usually he wants half of whatever I have to eat. Then, when he finally grows tired, it takes about an hour for him to fall asleep.,3. The position of the topic sentence,b. Adequate development,The topic (whic

21、h is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. The sentences to develop the topic or support the main idea are called supporting sentences.,2. Parts of a Paragraph,A supporting sentence should support the topic sentence by giving: reasons examples facts statistics q

22、uotations,What are supporting sentences? They come after the topic sentence, making up the body of a paragraph. What do they do? They give details to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph. How do I write them? You should give supporting facts, details, and examples. Example: There are t

23、hree reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged

24、to continue studying at university. Finally, Canadas cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.,Supporting sentences,A major supporting sentence directly serves as the explanation o

25、f the topic sentence. Major supporting sentences are not necessarily related to each other. A minor supporting sentence is to further develop the opinions presented by the major supporting sentence. It usually support the latter by giving examples, statistics, facts or quotations.,Please single out

26、the sentence that fails to develop the topic sentence:,1. I easily give up doing my homework. I always start to feel hungry and go into the kitchen for a snack. Ill leave my study to investigate ay noise I hear. While I study, I try to listen to the music. For me, physics is the hardest subject. I often leave my desk to go the mirror to comb my hair.,2. One should know better than to be misled by advertisements. Look at the