Elements of a Paragraph

Learning how to write a paragraph can be beneficial particularly to students like you. It can always help you in answering essay type exam questions. It can also help you express your thoughts through writing. But how do you know that you are doing the right thing. Knowing the elements of a paragraph can help you organize your thoughts.

Writing a successful paragraph is like creating a sandwich. In making a sandwich, you need all the right ingredients: a bun (the top and the bottom) and a variety of fillings. In writing a paragraph you need the top bun (or loaf bread) which serves as your topic sentence. The topic sentence contains (or introduces) the main idea of the paragraph. The topic sentence helps you to organize/keep your thoughts together. The fillings, on the other hand, adds flavor to your sandwich. In writing, these fillings are the supporting details that provide enough evidence/support to your topic sentence. The fillings make you want to have more of the sandwich while the supporting details in your paragraph make it more interesting for the readers to continue reading your work. The bottom bun (or loaf bread) ensures that your sandwich stays in place. In writing, the bottom bun (or loaf bread) holds all the supporting details together Can you imagine eating your sandwich without the bread? So you see? A delicious sandwich is complete with all the ingredients; likewise, a good paragraph has all the necessary elements it needs to make it a successful one.

What is good writing?

Good writing is an indication that a student has already mastered how to write effectively.

But how does one write effectively? There are several things one can consider to improve his/her writing.

A. Bear in mind to be clear with what you have to say.

B. Remember to use the idea of KISS (Keep it Short and Simple)

C. Use transition words and phrases to connect ideas and to achieve coherence.

D. Have a logical order or arrangement.

E. Maintain your focus.

Prewriting Activities - Generating Topics

Writing is a task most students do not want to accomplish. Students are sometimes faced with difficulties especially when asked to choose their own topics. To solve this problem, there are things which a writer can do to choose a possible topic.

1. Freewriting - writing without stopping for 10 minutes. There is no need to worry about spelling, punctuations or grammar rules. The idea is to write as freely as possible. After ten minutes, you stop. Read what you have written and from there find out a possible topic for discussion. click to see a sample of freewriting

2. Listing - just list down anything you know about the topic.

3. Brainstorming - is an spontaneous sharing of ideas. This can be done alone or in group. Ideas can be either in words, phrases or fragments.

4. Clustering - is a visual representation of ideas which are closely related or connected.

Blog Assisted Language Learning

I am currently doing a research on "Blog Assisted Language Learning and College Freshmen Students' Writing Attitude and Performance." This will look into the possibility of using blogs in teaching writing. The same lessons (prescribed by the school) will be taught to you except that you will post your writing activities online.

You may post or publish your (other) thoughts but they will not be marked. Only the prescribed activities / projects will be graded.

General comments will be posted after each activity. Corrections will be sent to your accounts but will not be viewable by the public. So, you can rest assured that the public won't be able to see those correction comments.

thelma

welcome note

hi. welcome to espresso. this is where your ideas will be brewed and enjoyed by "coffee lovers". make this your refuge when you need to:share stories, jokes, lessons, and other similar things; learn a trick or two in writing; unload burdens; and most importantly, publish your thoughts. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO UNLEASH YOUR THOUGHTS, LET DOWN YOUR GUARD, AND BE AS SPONTANEOUS AS YOU CAN BE!