EXERCISES ON PARAGRAPH WRITING

A)TOPIC SENTENCES

The topicsentence is the most

important sentence of a paragraph. It statcs the
main idea and introduces the reader to the topic.

1. CHOOSING TOPIC SENTENCES

Choose the best topic sentence for each group of

supporting sentences. Write it on the
line provided.

Example: Iusually go skiing every weekend in the winter

even though it is expensive. I love the feeling of flying down a
[Link] views are
beautiful from the top of a mountain and along the trails. Even the
danger of falling and
getting hurt can't keep me away from the slopes on a winter day.
a) Skiing is expensive.
b) Skiing is my favourite sport.
c) Skiing is dangerous.

1.) North Americans send

cards for many occasions. They send cards to family and friends on birthdays and
holidays. They also send thank-you cards, get well cards, graduation cards, and
Congratulation cards. It is very common to buy cards in stores and send them through
tne mail, but turning on the computer and sending cards over the Internet is also
popular.
2) Sending cards is very popular in North America.
b) Birthday cards are the most popular kindof card.
c) It is important to send thank-you cards.

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2.) .Ienjoy summer sports like
water skiing and baseball. The weather is usually sunny and hot, so Ican
go to the
beach almost every day. Gardening is my hobby and I spend many summer days
working in my garden. Unfortunately, the days pass too quickly in summner.
a) Ilike to garden in summer.
b) Summer is my favouriteseason.
c) Summer is to short.

3.) .First of all, we need money to

repair old roads and build new roads. We also need more to pay teachers'
salaries and
to pay for services such as trash collection. Finally,
more tax money is needed gíve
to
financial help to the poor citizens of the city. It is clear that the city will have
serious
problems if taxes are not raised soon.
a) We should raise city taxes.
b) City taxes are too high.
c) City taxes pay for new roads.

4.) . For example, a person can have

breakfast New York, board an airplane, and have dinner in Paris. A
in
businesswoman
in London can instantly place an order with a factory in
Hong Kong by sending a fax.
Furthermore, a schoolboy in Tokyo can turn on a TV and watch a baseball game being
played in Los Angeles.
a) Airplanes have changed our lives.
b) Advances in technology have made the world seemn smaller.
c) The fax machine was an important invention.

5.) One thing you must consider is

the quality of the university's educational program. You also need to think about the
school's size and location. Finally, you must be sure to consider the university's
tuition to make sure you can afford to go to school there.
a) It isexpensive to attenda university in the United States.
b) There are several factors to consider when you choose a university to attend.
c) You should consider getting a good education.

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2. WRITING A TOPIC SENTENCE

Write a topic sentence for each paragraph. Makesure your topic sentence expresses
the main idea of the paragraph.

Example: Miamiis the perfect place to take a vacation. It is always sunny and warrn. The
beaches are gorgeous, with soft white sand and beautiful water. There are many fine
restaurants inthe Miami area, and most of the hotels offer terrific entertainment nightfy.
It's no wonder that Miami is my first choice for a vacation destination.

1.) .He has

collected stamps and coins ever since he wasa child. He is very proud of his
valuable collections. Paul also enjoys painting and drawing. RecentBy he has
become interested in gardening. Out of all his hobbies, Paul's favourite one is
reading. He usually reads at least one book every week. Paul keeps busy with
all of his hobbies.

2.) .Ican't wait to

come home from schooland eat the delicious meals she has prepared. She is
famous for her desserts like peach pie and chocolate soufflé. She is always
experimenting with new recipes and trying different ingredients. No one in the
worldcan cook the way my mother does.
3.) It never starts in
cold weather. The horn and the left turn signal don't work properly. Worst of
all, the radio only gets one station and the CD player is completely broken. I
wish Icould get a new car.
4.) .First and most
importantly, the work is very interesting. I learn new things every day and I get
totravel a lot, In addition, my boss is very nice. She is always willing to heip
me when I have a problem. Ihave also made many new friends at my job. Last,
but not least, the salary is fantastic.
5.) . To start

things of, my plane was six hours late. When I finally got to my hotel, I was
very disappointed. It was small and dirty. On the third day, my wallet was

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 stolen,and I lost allmy credit cards. It rained very day except one, and on that
day I got aterrible sunburn. All in all, itwasn't a vacationto remember.

B)SUPPORTING SENTENCES

The supporting sentences develop the main idea in the topic sentence. They
adddetails to the topic.

3. RECOGNIZINGSUPPORTING SENTENCES

Read the following paragraphs and underline the supporting sentences.

1.) Use of the internet has grown very quickly. In 1983, there were 562 computers
connected to the Internet. By the turn of the century, there were 72.3 million
computers in 247 countries on-line. Experts say that the Internet is now growing at
a rate of approximately 40 percent a year. As time goes on, the Internt is
becoming more and more popular/
2} Thereare many reasons I hate my apartment, The plumbing doesn'twork

àjvEgelaBi8S nd ruits Fe an impSraRl part &Fa REatRy diet. First, fruits and
vegetables are packed with the vitamins and minerals you need to keep your
body functioning smoothly. In addition, they give you the carbohydrates you
need for energy. Fruits and vegetables have lots of fiber to help your digestive
System work properly. Finally, many scientists believe that the nutrients in
Iruits and vegetables can help fight diseases. If you eat a diet rich in fruits and
vegetables, you'll be on the road to better health.
 C)IRRELEVANT SENTENCES

EVery supporting sentence in a paragraph must relate to the main idea stated in
the topic sentence. A sentence that does not support the main idea does not
belong in the paragraph, thus such a sentence should be omitted. When a
sentence does not belong in aparagraph, it is called an irrelevant sentence.

Example: The students in the class come from many different party of the world. Some are
Eastern
from European countries, such s France, Spain, and Italy. Others are from Middle
countries like Saudi Arabia and Israel. Stillother students were borm in Asian countries,
from
including Japan and Korea. Korean food is delicious. The largest number of students is
Latin American countries like Mexico, Venezuela and Peru. The class is an interesting mix of

people from many different countries.

4. RECOGNIZING IRRELEVANT SENTENCES

There is one irrelevant sentence in each paragraph that follows. Find that sentence and
cross it out.

L.) There are several ways people can conserve natural resources. One way is to turn
lights off and appliances when they are not in use. Another way is to drive cars less.
My favourite kind of car is convertible. People can also insulate their houses better.
Finally, by reusing things like bottles and plastic bags, people can reduce the amount
of waste. By practicing these simple guidelines, we can save our natural resources.
2.) Cats make wonderful house pets. They are very loving and friendly. Cats are also
clean. They don't eat much, so they are not expensive. Unfortunately, some people are
allergic to their hair. Cats look beautiful and they're fun tohave in your home.
3.) The capital city of a country is usually a very important city. The government offices
are located in the capital city and political leaders usuallylive there nearby. There are
the centre
many different types of governments in the world. The capital may also be
the capital. Finally,
of culture. There are often museums., libraries, and universities in
industry and commerce, so it is often the
ne capitalcity can serve as acentre of trade,
financial centre of the country.
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4.) The Japanese automobile industry uses robots in many stages of its production process.
In fact, one large Japanese auto factory uses robots in all of its production stages.
Some Japanese universities are developing medical robots to detect certain kinds of
cancer. Another automobile factory in Japan uses them to paint cars as they come off
the assembly line. Furthermore, most Japanese factories use robots to weld the parts of
the finished car together.
5.) The packaging of many products is very wasteful. Often the packaging is twice as big
as the product. Packaging is used to protect things that are breakable. Many food items,
for example, have several layers of extra packaging. Most of these extra layers could
be eliminated.

D) CONCLUDING SENTENCES

Some paragraphs end with a concBuding sentence. This sentence states the
main idea of the paragraph again using different words. It summarizes the
main points of the paragraph, or makes a final comment on the topic.
Conchuding sentences are not always necessary. In fact, short paragraphs that
are part of longer pieces of writing often do not have concluding sentences.

5. WRITING CONCLUDING SENTENCES

Write a concluding sentence for each paragraph.

1.) There are many reasons why I like wearing a uniform to school. First of all, it
saves time. I don't have to spend time picking out my clothes every morning.
Wearinga uniform also saves money. It's cheaper to purchase a new uniform than
to go out and buy lots of school clothes. In addition, Idon't have the pressure of

keeping up with the latest styles. Most importantly, wearing a school uniform
school
gives me a sense that Ibelong. Ireally think that it adds to the feeling of
spirit and community.

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 For one thing,
2.) There are many reasons why I am against wearing a school uniform.
Idon't like they style of the uniform. The navy blazer and plaid skirt are too
conservative for me. Secondly,the uniform isn't comfortable. Iprefer towear
Iwant the
baggy pants and a sweater instead of a skirt and a jacket. Finally,
freedom toexpress my individuality through my style of dressing.

convenient
3.) Credit cards have a lot of advantages. First of all, credit cards are
because you don't have to carry a lot of cash around. You can buy the products
and services you need even if you do not have cash in your pocket. In addition,
credit cards are very helpful in emergencies. Finally, you can become a better
money manager as you learn touse credit cards responsibly.