This document provides general guidelines about writing paragraphs: its elements and its structure.

1. What is a Paragraph?
• A paragraph is a basic unit organization in
writing in which a group of related sentences
develops one main idea.
• A paragraph can be as short as one sentence
or as long as ten sentences.
• The number of sentences is unimportant;
however, the paragraph should be long
enough to develop the main idea clearly.

2. How to Write a Paragraph
Or How to Build a Big
Mac

3. Big Mac Cheeseburger
•What are the ingredients of a Big Mac
Cheeseburger?
Top Bun
Lettuce
Tomato
Cheese
Onion
Special Sauce
Hamburger
Bottom Bun

4. .

5. The topic sentence introduces the main
idea of a paragraph.
• Cats have been used as pets since the time of the
pharaohs in Egypt. They have been found in countries
all over the world. Obviously, cats have been the
favorites of man for hundreds of years. I suppose cats
are so well liked because they are gentle, friendly and
easy to take care of.

6. The topic sentence
• It is the most general statement of the paragraph.
• It is the key sentence because it names the subject
and the controlling idea: the writer’s main idea,
opinion or feeling about that topic.
• It can come at the beginning or at the end of a
paragraph.
• You should write your topic sentence as the first
sentence of your paragraph for two reasons:
– It will tell the reader what you are going to say.
– You can look back at the topic sentence often as you
write the supporting sentences. It will help you stay on
the subject as you write.

7. • The topic sentence is a complete sentence. It
has three parts:
– a subject,
– a verb,
– a controlling idea.
Sports
Water sports
On a river
Dangerous
River rafting
Determining the subject
of a topic sentence is a
process of narrowing
down an idea from
general to specific.

8. Would you like a cheeseburger
without a top bun?

9. A topic sentence is like a . . .
• A ship without its rudder.
• An army without its general.
• A vacation trip without a
map.

10. What’s missing?
• He collects books that were
written over a hundred years
ago. But he is also interested in
the best sellers of today. If I ever
need to get him a present, I
know I can always please him by
buying him a book.
ACTIVITY

11. What’s missing?
• The most beautiful flower is the
rose because it comes in so many
different colors. Another beautiful
flower is the daisy which sometimes
grows wild. Spring flowers like
tulips, daffodils, and crocuses are
also very pretty.
ACTIVITY

12. • 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.
Finally, Canada’s cities are clean and
efficiently managed.
What’s missing? ACTIVITY

13. He collects books that were written over a hundred
years ago. But he is also interested in the best sellers
of today. If I ever need to get him a present, I know I
can always please him by buying him a book.
• Which of the following topic sentences is
the best one for the above paragraph?
• A. Reading is fun.
• B. Books are my father’s hobby.
• C. My father was a main influence in my
life.

14. The most beautiful flower is the rose because it comes
in so many different colors. Another beautiful flower is
the daisy which sometimes grows wild. Spring flowers
like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses are also very pretty.
• Which of the following topic sentences is the
best one for the above paragraph?
• A. Don’t you just love spring?
• B. The rose is the most loved flower the world
over.
• C. There are many lovely flowers to consider
for your garden.

15. 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.
Finally, Canada’s cities are clean and efficiently managed
• A. Canada is our friendly neighbor to the
north.
• B. There are three reasons why Canada is
one of the best countries of the world.
• C. Choose Canada as a great place to
vacation.