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A
good paragraph must have a purpose, a clear structure, a reasonable
progression of idea, and it must be developed in enough details to make
its general statements meaningful. The purpose of a paragraph is spelt out
in the topic sentence. Every sentence in the paragraph should clearly
relate to the topic sentence, and the sum of the sentences in the
paragraph should make the reader feel that the purpose of the paragraph
has been efficiently developed. To create this impression a paragraph
should have these qualities: completeness, unity, order and
coherence.
1. Completeness
A paragraph is complete when it does all
it was intended to do. If it poses a question, it must answer it
sufficiently. If it gives a general statement, it must supply enough
explanation to make it fully meaningful. You can make a paragraph complete
by:
a. providing supporting details which tend to make general
statements more specific. Such details may be explanatory, descriptive,
narrative or persuasive;
b. giving examples which make the meaning
clear;
c. providing a comparison(analogy) which likens a difficult
subject to another thing which the reader knows very well;
d. creating
a contrast, or showing how it is different from something else.
2.
Unity
A paragraph should not digress or drift away from the point it is
meant to discuss. If, for example, it is discussing the financial reasons
for closing a boarding school, it should not go on to discuss security
reasons as well. That one should be discussed in a separate paragraph. A
paragraph, which lacks unity, can be detected by obvious interruption in
the sequence of ideas, the introduction of irrelevant thoughts and a
gradual drift from the stated purpose of the paragraph.
My second
reason for opposing the boarding school system is that it is too
expensive. Some schools are asking for up Le.300,000 per term. In
addition, parents have to buy a bag of rice as part of the fees. Besides
we all know that the present security situation cannot permit the smooth
running of any boarding school. Young boys and girls may easily become the
target of combatants.
3. Order
The sequence of sentences in a
paragraph should follow some clear order or movement. In a narrative essay
sentences in a paragraph should follow a chronological order. That is, the
events are recorded in the order in which they occurred.
In a
descriptive essay, a clear pattern should be established. In describing
objects, for example, the description in a paragraph can move from left to
right, front to rear, outside to inside, up to down or any logical
movement from one space to the next, as these are viewed in turn by the
writer.
In a paragraph, which is argumentative, one may start with a
series of explanatory or illustrative statement, and end with a conclusion
drawn from them. Or one may start with a general statement and then go on
to provide supporting details which explains, illustrates or prove
it.
4. Coherence
Cohere means to hold together. If a paragraph is
coherent, a reader can move easily from one sentence to the next without
feeling that there are gaps in thought, puzzling jumps, or points not
made. If the paragraph lacks coherence, it will look like a loose
collection of separate statements rather than an integrated discussion. As
you read, you experience jolts and jerks, because the connecting links
between the sentences are not expressed. Note the difference in these two
passages:
Joseph's car broke down two months ago. He has no means
of transportation. His friend offers him lift every day. He feels much
more comfortable in his own car. He is trying very hard to repair the car.
Soon the car will be all right again. He will be able to use
it.
Joseph's car broke down two months ago. Since then he has no
means of transportation. Although his friend offers him lift every day, he
feels much more comfortable in his own car. So he is trying very hard to
repair the car. Soon the car will be all right again, and he will be able
to use it.
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