Teaching Paragraph Writing Dr R Kishore Kumar Professor

Teaching Paragraph Writing Dr. R. Kishore Kumar Professor

�Teachers of different subjects �Teachers of different languages �Teachers of English

�Write research papers �Write articles in college magazine

Do you like this paragraph? I am a teacher. Mumbai is a very big city. Once upon a time, there was a king. Sita and Gita are very different. There are many similarities between Ram and Shyam. There are many advantages and disadvantages of living in a city. Smoking must be banned in the country. Therefore, it is essential for all of us to do exercise in the morning. I feel everyone should be given freedom to do whatever they like. A thermometer is an instrument for measuring our body temperature. The process of making tea is very simple.

Different types of writing �Descriptive Argumentative �Narrative Persuasive �Comparison Cause and effect �Contrast Discursive �Opinion Compare and contrast Depending on the aim of our writing, we use different types of writing. And each type of writing has a different format.

Write a paragraph

Is this a good paragraph? �Cigarette smoking is injurious to health. Teenagers are very fashion conscious. Cinema heroes have a lot of influence on children. Peer group pressure is high on children. Parents are the last to know about the habits of their children.

Is this better? �Though teenagers know it is injurious to health, they smoke cigarettes for various reasons. Firstly, they are very fashion conscious and think smoking is cool. They are also sometimes influenced by the cinema heroes who glorify smoking. Moreover, the peer group also puts pressure on those who do not smoke and forces them to smoke. Finally, parents are usually the last ones to know about this and so they cannot take any preventive action.

�Cigarette smoking is injurious to health. Teenagers are very fashion conscious. Cinema heroes have a lot of influence on children. Peer group pressure is high on children. Parents are the last to know about the habits of their children. �Though teenagers know it is injurious to health, they smoke cigarettes for various reasons. Firstly, they are very fashion conscious and think smoking is cool. They are also sometimes influenced by the cinema heroes who glorify smoking. Moreover, the peer group also puts pressure on those who do not smoke and forces them to smoke. Finally, parents are usually the last ones to know about this and so they cannot take any preventive action.

One idea �Though teenagers know it is injurious to health, they smoke cigarettes for various reasons. Firstly, they are very fashion conscious and think smoking is cool. They are also sometimes influenced by the cinema heroes who glorify smoking. Moreover, the peer group also puts pressure on those who do not smoke and forces them to smoke. Finally, parents are usually the last ones to know about this and so they cannot take any preventive action.

Cohesive �Though teenagers know it is injurious to health, they smoke cigarettes for various reasons. Firstly, they are very fashion conscious and think smoking is cool. They are also sometimes influenced by the cinema heroes who glorify smoking. Moreover, the peer group also puts pressure on those who do not smoke and forces them to smoke. Finally, parents are usually the last ones to know about this and so they cannot take any preventive action.

Characteristics of a good paragraph �One controlling idea �Cohesive – use of connectors

Do you like this paragraph? �There are three reasons why Anil likes credit cards. He feels that credit cards are convenient and safe to carry. He does not have to withdraw money from the ATM, carry the currency in his purse, and worry about its safety. Also, he does not have to worry if the cards are stolen as he can always ask the banks to block them and issue him new credit cards. He does not have to pay immediately when he buys something in a shop. He gets an interest-free period of fifty days.

Is this better? �There are three reasons why Anil likes credit cards. Firstly, credit cards are convenient and safe to carry as compared to cash. He does not have to withdraw money from the ATM, carry the currency in his purse, and worry about its safety. He does not have to worry if the credit cards are stolen as he can always ask the bank to block them and issue him new credit cards. Secondly, he does not have to pay immediately for the things he buys. He gets an interest-free period of fifty days. Finally, he earns reward points every time he uses the cards which can be used for getting attractive gifts.

Which is better? � There are three reasons why Anil likes credit cards. He feels that credit cards are convenient and safe to carry. He does not have to withdraw money from the ATM, carry the currency in his purse, and worry about its safety. Also, he does not have to worry if the cards are stolen as he can always ask the banks to block them and issue him new credit cards. He does not have to pay immediately when he buys something in a shop. He gets an interest-free period of fifty days. � There are three reasons why Anil likes credit cards. Firstly, credit cards are convenient and safe to carry as compared to cash. He does not have to withdraw money from the ATM, carry the currency in his purse, and worry about its safety. He does not have to worry if the credit cards are stolen as he can always ask the bank to block them and issue him new credit cards. Secondly, he does not have to pay immediately for the things he buys. He gets an interest-free period of fifty days. Finally, he earns reward points every time he uses the cards which can be used for getting attractive gifts.

�There are three reasons why Anil likes credit cards. Firstly, credit cards are convenient and safe to carry as compared to cash. He does not have to withdraw money from the ATM, carry the currency in his purse, and worry about its safety. He does not have to worry if the credit cards are stolen as he can always ask the bank to block them and issue him new credit cards. Secondly, he does not have to pay immediately for the things he buys. He gets an interest-free period of fifty days. Finally, he earns reward points every time he uses the cards which can be used for getting attractive gifts.

Characteristics of a good paragraph �One controlling idea �Controlling idea should be fully developed �Cohesive – use of connectors

Is this a good paragraph? �The sun rises early during summer. Firstly, a person will have enough time to go for a morning walk and do some exercises. Secondly, he can reach his/her workplace in time without having to rush. However, he/she will feel fresh the whole day and remain active. This allows him/her to do more work in the day when compared to others who get up late in the morning.

�The sun rises early during summer. Firstly, a person will have enough time to go for a morning walk and do some exercises. Secondly, he can reach his/her workplace in time without having to rush. However, he/she will feel fresh the whole day and remain active. This allows him/her to do more work in the day when compared to others who get up late in the morning.

�There are many advantages of getting up early in the morning. Firstly, a person will have enough time to go for a morning walk and do some exercises. Secondly, he can reach his/her workplace in time without having to rush. However, he/she will feel fresh the whole day and remain active. This allows him/her to do more work in the day when compared to others who get up late in the morning.

Which is better? �There are many advantages �The sun rises early during of getting up early in the summer. Firstly, a person will morning. Firstly, a person have enough time to go for a will have enough time to go morning walk and do some for a morning walk and do exercises. Secondly, he can some exercises. Secondly, he reach his/her workplace in can reach his/her workplace time without having to rush. in time without having to However, he/she will feel rush. However, he/she will feel fresh the whole day and remain active. This allows him/her to do more work in the day when compared to others who get up late in the morning.

Characteristics of a good paragraph �One controlling idea �Controlling idea should be fully developed �Cohesive – use of connectors �The topic sentence and the rest of the paragraph should match

Do you like this paragraph? �Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday in a grand way. Last year also I celebrated it likewise. I invited all my friends. My parents decorated the living room. My brother placed an order for a big cake. In the evening, I cut the cake. Everyone wished me many happy returns of the day and gave me gifts. Some of my friends sang songs and all of us danced. Then we had dinner and we ate to our heart’s content. I gave my friends return gifts when they started to leave. It was one of the best birthdays I ever celebrated.

�Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday in a grand way. Last year also I celebrated it likewise. I invited all my friends. My parents decorated the living room. My brother placed an order for a big cake. In the evening, I cut the cake. Everyone wished me many happy returns of the day and gave me gifts. Some of my friends sang songs and all of us danced. Then we had dinner and we ate to our heart’s content. I gave my friends return gifts when they started to leave. It was one of the best birthdays I ever celebrated.

Characteristics of a good paragraph �One controlling idea �Controlling idea should be fully developed �Cohesive – use of connectors �The topic sentence and the rest of the paragraph should match �No irrelevant information

�I admire my friend Stella because she is so talented, intelligent, and kind. She is also very intelligent and can understand complex problems very quickly. Above all, she is very kind to others. I admire my friend for all these reasons.

Characteristics of a good paragraph �One controlling idea �Controlling idea should be fully developed �Cohesive – use of connectors �The topic sentence and the rest of the paragraph should match �No irrelevant information �There can be a concluding sentence �No repetition �Grammar, spelling and punctuation

�The two brothers were quite different. Bob was tall, fair, and slim; John was short, dark, and fat. Bob was like his mother, and John was like his father. Bob was never happier than when he had something practical to do; John, on the other hand, was clumsy with his hands. Bob rarely spoke to other people unless he was spoken to first, but John was always the centre of a group, talking and chattering as if his life depended on it. I am sure you have friends like this. In fact, they were so different that it was hard to believe they were brothers.

Characteristics of a good paragraph �One controlling idea �Controlling idea should be fully developed �Cohesive – use of connectors �The topic sentence and the rest of the paragraph should match �No irrelevant information �There can be a concluding sentence �No repetition �Subjective and objective paragraphs should not be mixed �Grammar, spelling and punctuation

�Mohan follows the same routine every weekday. At twenty past seven, he gets up. At seven forty-five, he eats breakfast. He goes to work at eight o’ clock. At eight-fifteen last week, he went to a gift shop and bought a present for his girl friend. In the evening, he watches TV or visits his friends. He gets back from work at five-forty. He usually goes to bed at about eleven.

Characteristics of a good paragraph �One controlling idea �Controlling idea should be fully developed �Cohesive – use of connectors �The topic sentence and the rest of the paragraph should match �No irrelevant information �There can be a concluding sentence �No repetition �Subjective and objective paragraphs should not be mixed �Explain things in the order in which they happen �Grammar, spelling and punctuation

�I like The Mall very much. Firstly, it is very modern and clean inside. It has air conditioning and the most up-to-date refrigeration equipment. Secondly, it is quiet and the shop assistants are friendly and polite. Housewives like to sit, have tea, coffee, or soft drinks, and gossip there after doing their shopping. Finally, The Mall is a good place to buy groceries, fruits and vegetables, clothes, stationery, electronics and furniture. There is always a large choice and the prices are always reasonable.

Structure of a paragraph Topic Sentence SS SS SSS CS SS - Supporting sentences SSS - Sub-supporting sentence CS – Concluding sentence SS

Structure of a paragraph TM Topic Sentence TM SS SS SSS CS SS - Supporting sentences SSS - Sub-supporting sentence CS – Concluding sentence TM – Transition Marker TM SS