OPEN

TUTORING

SESSION

WRITING: HOW TO WRITE A

PARAGRAPH

CENTRO COLOMBO AMERICANOAUGUST 2011

•Identify the elements a good paragraph Identify the elements a good paragraph

has.has.

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

•Understand the importance of following Understand the importance of following concrete steps to write a good concrete steps to write a good paragraph. paragraph.

•Get familiar with some online tools you Get familiar with some online tools you can use to practice writing.can use to practice writing.

According to your experience, discuss what you think about the following statements:

REFLECTIONREFLECTION

I agreeI disagreeWell, I’m not so sure!

Writing helps me recycle and improve grammar.Writing is an important skill to reinforce vocabulary.Writing helps me communicate with people from other countries.Written tasks help me discover different types of texts.Feedback on my writing helps me identify my mistakes.

Number the following Number the following statements from 1 to 5 (1 statements from 1 to 5 (1 being the easiest and 5 being the easiest and 5 being the most difficult for being the most difficult for you .)you .)

Number the following Number the following statements from 1 to 5 (1 statements from 1 to 5 (1 being the easiest and 5 being the easiest and 5 being the most difficult for being the most difficult for you .)you .)

SOME DIFFICULTIESSOME DIFFICULTIES

- - Starting to write is really Starting to write is really challenging. It takes a long time to challenging. It takes a long time to

find the first things to writefind the first things to write..

- - Starting to write is really Starting to write is really challenging. It takes a long time to challenging. It takes a long time to

find the first things to writefind the first things to write..

- - It is difficult to express all ideas It is difficult to express all ideas you want at the moment of writing a you want at the moment of writing a

paragraphparagraph..

- - It is difficult to express all ideas It is difficult to express all ideas you want at the moment of writing a you want at the moment of writing a

paragraphparagraph..

- - MMistakes in terms of grammar, istakes in terms of grammar, spelling, vocabulary and word order spelling, vocabulary and word order

are often commonare often common..

- - MMistakes in terms of grammar, istakes in terms of grammar, spelling, vocabulary and word order spelling, vocabulary and word order

are often commonare often common..

- - PParagraphs generally lack aragraphs generally lack organization and interestorganization and interest..

- - PParagraphs generally lack aragraphs generally lack organization and interestorganization and interest..

Find out how similar or different you are from your partner!Find out how similar or different you are from your partner!Find out how similar or different you are from your partner!Find out how similar or different you are from your partner!

- - It is easy to correct compositions It is easy to correct compositions using the correction symbols used using the correction symbols used

by the teacher.by the teacher.

- - It is easy to correct compositions It is easy to correct compositions using the correction symbols used using the correction symbols used

by the teacher.by the teacher.

THE WRITING PROCESS STEPS

1. CHOOSE A TOPIC AND NARROW IT

DOWN.

For a writing assignmnent, you must narrow the topic down

to a limited topic.

NARROWING THE TOPICNARROWING THE TOPIC

* Examples are taken from: Oshima, A. and Hogue, Anna. ( 1997) Introduction to Academic Writing. Second Edition. New York: Longman

* Examples are taken from: Oshima, A. and Hogue, Anna. ( 1997) Introduction to Academic Writing. Second Edition. New York: Longman

NARROWING THE TOPIC

RIVER RAFTING

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

Husband-wife/ at home / family/ relationships

space exploration/ science/unmanned exploration/space science

Put in order the ideas given to narrow down each topic:

2. BRAINSTORM SOME IDEAS AND FIND SOME INFORMATION.

ListingGrouping

Mind-mapping

STEP 2:STEP 2:

WRITING A PARAGRAPHWRITING A PARAGRAPH

The writing process starts with a paragraph. The writing process starts with a paragraph. A A paragraphparagraph is a group of ideas put together in logical is a group of ideas put together in logical order to describe, explain or support a main idea. A order to describe, explain or support a main idea. A good paragraph is made of:good paragraph is made of:

CONCLUDING CONCLUDING SENTENCESSENTENCESTOPIC SENTENCETOPIC SENTENCE

SUPPORTINGSUPPORTING SENTENCESSENTENCES

What is a paragraph? What are its What is a paragraph? What are its parts?parts?

• It mentions the It mentions the topic and what it is topic and what it is about (controlling about (controlling idea).idea).

TOPIC SENTENCETOPIC SENTENCE

• It is neither too It is neither too general nor too specific.general nor too specific.

• A topic sentences introduces the A topic sentences introduces the main idea of a paragraph.main idea of a paragraph.

Topic sentences start with a main idea or topic which is then expanded by a controlling idea. They help create a more concrete context.

What is river rafting like?What is river rafting like?

Why is river rafting dangerous?

Why is river rafting dangerous?

Who practices river rafting?Who practices river rafting?

What do you need to practice it?What do you need to practice it?

River rafting is a challenging sport with important requirements.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

FamilyFamily husband/wife at home relationships

What questions would you ask to specify the controlling idea? What would your complete topic sentence be like?

How have family relationships changed over the past decades?How have family relationships changed over the past decades?

Who’s the bread maker in Colombian families?Who’s the bread maker in Colombian families?

Traditional Colombian family relationships have changed greatly in the last thirty years.

.Men are not longer the only providers at home.

Study the following pairs of Study the following pairs of sentences and check the one sentences and check the one you think would be a good, you think would be a good, clear topic sentence for a clear topic sentence for a paragraph. Explain your choice. paragraph. Explain your choice.

Don’t write on the photocopies.Don’t write on the photocopies.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

Once your topic sentence Once your topic sentence is ready, you can use all is ready, you can use all your supporting ideas to your supporting ideas to develop your paragraphdevelop your paragraph..

- - They explain the topic They explain the topic sentence.sentence.

SUPPORTING SENTENCESSUPPORTING SENTENCES

- - They give facts based on your They give facts based on your research or experience.research or experience.

- - They describe your ideas They describe your ideas using examples, statistics, using examples, statistics,

studies or quotes.studies or quotes.

- - They need to be They need to be convincing and interesting.convincing and interesting.

In order to choose details to support the topic sentence, rephrase it as a question, and then

answer that question with your supporting sentences.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

Rephrase the topic sentence as a question and then answer that

question with your supporting sentences.

Traditional Colombian family relationships have changed greatly in

the last thirty years.

- - They end the paragraph refering They end the paragraph refering to the topic sentence using to the topic sentence using

different words.different words.

CONCLUDING SENTENCESCONCLUDING SENTENCES

- - They generally include They generally include concluding transition signals concluding transition signals

such as such as all in allall in all, , in summaryin summary, , to to concludeconclude, , to sum upto sum up, , in briefin brief, , in in

conclusionconclusion, , consequentlyconsequently or or as a as a resultresult,, among others. among others.

- - They never introduce a new They never introduce a new idea or concept.idea or concept.

When you write a concluding When you write a concluding

sentence you can use one of the sentence you can use one of the

following methods:following methods:

•State the topic sentence in different

words. Do not just copy the topic

sentence.

•Summarize some of the main points

in the paragraph.

River rafting is a River rafting is a challenging sport with challenging sport with

important requirements.important requirements.

In short if you are fearless and in

good physical condition and can

react quickly, river rafting is the

ideal outdoor sport for you.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

Write the concluding sentence for the topic we have been working on.

All in all due to the increase of divorce rate, single parenting and free unions, the traditional Colombian family relationships are very different from what they were thirty years ago.

Some links:

http://www.readwritethink.org

https://web.gsc.edu/fs/mhorton/LSenglish/compasspractice/passage1/compass1.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCuExRE6N-4&NR=1&feature=fvwp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4XK0uV_hpY&feature=related

FINAL REFLECTIONFINAL REFLECTION

WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT STEPS TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH?

HOW CAN YOU IDENTIFY A TOPIC SENTENCE?

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER ELEMENTS A PARAGRAPH HAS?

We hope the tips we presented here today help you improve your writing skills.

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THANK YOUTHANK YOU