REPÚBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA

UNIVERSIDAD YACAMBU

CONTADURIA PÚBLICA

IDIOMA INTENSIVO

Heydi Cordero

 

Parts of a paragraph:

Topic sentence: The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of the paragraph. It gives the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about. Summarize the main idea of your paragraph. For example: I had a wonderful summer. First, I started sleeping in every day. I would then go swimming with my friends. I stayed up late watching TV a lot, and I went to camp for a week. I wished my summer would never end!

The Topic sentence is “I had a wonderful summer”.

 

Supporting Details: The supporting sentences need to be about the idea presented in the topic sentence. In a paragraph, every sentence should "belong". You should give supporting facts, details, and examples. For instance: I had a wonderful summer. First, I started sleeping in every day. I would then go swimming with my friends. I stayed up late watching TV a lot, and I went to camp for a week. I wished my summer would never end!

The supporting sentences are: “First, I started sleeping in every day. I would then go swimming with my friends. I stayed up late watching TV a lot, and I went to camp for a week. I wished my summer would never end!”

Closing sentences: Closing sentences wrap up all of your thoughts discussed in your paragraph.  They usually begin with words ending in "ly" such as: finally, surely, hopefully and certainly. It restates the main idea of your paragraph using different words. For example: "In sum, I am applying to Darden because of its integrated curriculum, its focus on ethics and honor, and its impressive community of students and faculty"

Kinds of paragraphs

Paragraph definition: is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea, or the words of an author. The start of a paragraph is indicated by beginning on a new line and ending without running to the next passage. Sometimes the first line is indented, and sometimes it is indented without beginning a new line. At various times the beginning of a paragraph has been indicated by the pilcrow mark: ¶. The following words can help you to write a good definition paragraph:

1. "is defined as"

Example: A pest is defined as any animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property.

2. "is a kind of"

Example: A pest is a kind of animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property.

Classification Paragraph: its purpose is to organize items into a group and explain the characteristics of that group.  Moreover, separate items are grouped into categories according to shared characteristics. Depending on the subject, you may be asked to classify people, organisms, things or ideas. The following words can help you to write a good classification paragraph: Helper Words: is a kind of, can be divided into, is a type of, falls under, belongs to, is a part of, fits into, is grouped with, is related to, is associated with.

 

Description paragraph: is required when you are asked to write about how something looks, sound, smells, tastes or feels. You should provide specific details of the most important features and use appropriate adjectives to describe attributes and qualities.

Ways of sequencing include the following: from left to right; from most important features to least important features; from main characteristics to minor details.

For instance: “On the third finger of my left hand is the pre-engagement ring given to me last year by my sister Doris. The 14-carat gold band, a bit tarnished by time and neglect, circles my finger and twists together at the top to encase a small white diamond. The four prongs that anchor the diamond are separated by pockets of dust. The diamond itself is tiny and dull, like a sliver of glass found on the kitchen floor after a dishwashing accident. Just below the diamond are small air holes, intended to let the diamond breathe, but now clogged with grime. The ring is neither very attractive nor valuable, but I treasure it as a gift from my older sister, a gift that I will pass along to my younger sister when I receive my own engagement ring this Christmas.”

Compare and contrast paragraph: tell about the similarities and differences between two or more people, places, things, or ideas by using phrases like “is similar to”, “on the other hand”, or “however”. Comparing and contrasting is when you find the similarities and differences between two different objects. One example of comparing and contrasting is:  Jody and Michael have a place where they go when they are unhappy, or want to be soothed. This is a good example of comparing and contrasting because it shows how Jody and Michael are similar. Another example of comparing and contrasting is that Jody goes to the spring when he is sad, while Michael goes to his room when he is sad. This is a good example of comparing and contrasting because it shows how Jody and Michael are different.

 

Writing Practice Exercise #1

General Instructions: Please read the instructions for each part of the exercise. 

(a)                   Write one topic sentence for each of the following topics: 

• Your hometown 

Caracas combines a modern cityscape and a colonial heritage with a lush, temperate climate.

• A place you would like to travel to. 

England is the largest and most populous constituent country of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

• (Another topic of your own choosing) 

Poetry is an art form that may anticipate literacy.

(b)                   Choose one of the above topics and write ONE complete paragraph about it. You should use a good topic sentence and adequately detailed supporting sentences. You do not have to include a concluding sentence if you do not wish to do so.

Poetry is an art form that may anticipate literacy. It is an art form because it is used for its artistic qualities in addition to its notional and semantic content. Moreover, many poetic works appeared to have been composed in lyrical form to aid memorization and oral transmission, in prehistoric and ancient societies. Poetry, also, helped to better the ability to use language in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This is because poetry was frequently employed as a means of recording oral history, storytelling, genealogy, law and other forms of expression or knowledge that modern societies might expect to be handled in prose.  As a final point, poetry allowed communication at an adequate level, or at a level that lets people understand and communicate ideas in a literate society, so as to take part in that culture.

Writing Practice Exercise #2

 

One definition paragraph al least seven sentences

Television is defined as a widely used telecommunication system. It is also a kind of apparatus utilized for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound over a distance. A television is a sort of equipment used for selecting different image sources, mixing images from several sources at once. The television is defined as a common household communications device in homes and institutions. It is a source of entertainment and news. It is a kind of means of communication that distorts reality, most of the time, for example: movies and comics. The television is defined as a gadget used for exploring images.

 

One classification paragraph with seven or more sentences

Potatoes are a type of plant matter eaten as food. Potatoes belong to the food group of vegetables. Potatoes are a part of the fourth largest food crop in terms of fresh produce. Potatoes are related to the family of tubers. Potatoes can be divided into 5 varieties such as Russets, Reds, Whites, Yellows (aka Yukons), and Purples. Potatoes fall under the category of most widely consumed crops in the world. Potatoes are associated with improving glucose tolerance.

 

One description paragraph with seven or more sentences

England is located in the north-west of mainland Europe. It is near Ireland and Scotland.  England is situated below Scotland. Its size is about two-thirds of the island. England’s length is about 130,395 Km². England’s purpose is to be the most influential and far-reaching center of cultural development. England is like the birthplace of modern experimental science.

 

One comparison paragraph with seven or more sentences

The electric bass appearance is similar to the electric guitar’s appearance. Their construction is alike, too. Both are played with people’s fingers. They belong to the family of stringed instruments, as well. Both can be played with a pick. They are also used in a variety of music styles such as rock and pop music. They can be either electric or acoustic, too.

 

One contrast paragraph with seven or more sentences

Mountains are landforms that extend above the surrounding terrain. While mountains are landform, hills are another type of landform. But, they are generally a bit lower and less abrupt than a mountain. Mountains are generally steeper than a hill, but there is no universally accepted standard definition for the height of a mountain or a hill.  However, mountains usually have an identifiable summit. Mountains differ from hills by having heights above sea level. In contrast to that, the distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective.