Academic Writing

Task 2.13 Academic Writing

Study the information on academic writing and do the exercises.

WRITING A PARAGRAPH

A paragraph- a  group of related sentences that discuss mainly one idea. It

• can be long enough;
• the number of sentences is unimportant;
• visually organized

2.1.Three parts of a paragraph:

• The topic sentence        - states the main idea of the paragraph

- names  the topic

- limits the topic to one specific area

• The controlling idea      - announces the specific area
• Supporting Sentences    - develop the topic sentence;

- explain or prove the topic sentence;

- give more information

• Concluding sentence     - signals the end of the paragraph;

- summarizes the paragraph. with important points to remember.( It can do this in two ways: by summarizing the main points of the paragraph or by repeating the topic sentence in different words)

- is needed only for stand-alone paragraph. 

 Exercises :

I. Agree or disagree with the following points about paragraphs

1).  A good topic sentence:

a) is a complete sentence with a subject, a verb, and a controlling idea;

b) states the main idea of the paragraph

c) is neither too general nor too specific;

d) the controlling idea limits the topic to one specific area that can be discussed.

e) is usually the first sentence in the paragraph

f) the helpful guide to both: the Writer and the Reader

2. Good supporting sentences :

  a)  develop the topic sentence (explain or prove the topic sentence by giving more   information about it).

  b)  are specific and factual

  c)  can be examples, statistics, or quotations

3. A good concluding sentence:

a) signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the reader with important points to remember.

b) summarizes the important points briefly or restates the topic sentence in different