UNIT 1

From
paragraph to
essay
TALLER DE LECTURA Y REDACCIÓN EN INGLÉS III.
DRA. NANCY AUDREY DELGADO HOY

ENERO –FEBRERO 2021

 THREE PARTS OF A ESSAY
• Most of the writing you do in college will be in
the format of an essay.
• The word “essay” comes from a French word
meaning “to attempt or try.”
• The essay is an attempt at developing a main
idea in a number of paragraphs.
• An essay can be four or five paragraphs long
or it can be as long as an entire book.

• Although there is nothing special about the

five-paragraph essay, short essays of from
four to seven paragraphs are commonly used
in college because they can be written in a
class period.
 THREE PARTS OF A ESSAY
• The classic five-paragraph essay is a good
learning tool, but in order to interest their
audience and make their point, professional
writers usually use shorter paragraphs and a
less formal organization that lacks overt thesis
statements and topic sentences.

• Writers and editors deliberately keep the

paragraphs in newspaper and magazine
articles short because the column format
makes short paragraphs easier to read.
Academic writing, however, in which students
practice supporting and developing their
ideas, requires longer, more structured
paragraphs.
THREE PARTS OF A ESSAY

ACADEMIC ESSAYS

formal structure

thesis overt

topic sentences overt

paragraphs well developed

THREE PARTS OF A ESSAY

PROFESSIONAL ESSAYS

informal structure

thesis sometimes implied

topic sentences sometimes

implied
short paragraphs used to
retain attention
 FROM PARAGRAPH TO ESSAY
• The overall design or form of the essay is
similar to the paragraph.

• Both the essay and the paragraph develop a

main idea with supporting ideas and end the
writing with a conclusion.

• However, the essay uses paragraphs to

support the main idea and conclude the
writing whereas the paragraph
• uses sentences.
 FROM PARAGRAPH TO ESSAY
Moreover, the essay presents the main
idea or thesis statement at the end of
the first paragraph, which is called the
introduction.

The support for the main idea comes in

paragraphs in the body of the essay.

Finally, the essay is summed up in the

last paragraph, called the
conclusion.
FROM PARAGRAPH TO ESSAY
1.
INTRODUCTION
PARAGRAPH
The Introduction
Because it establishes the reader’s attitude toward the topic
and toward the writer, the introduction is the most important
part of the essay.
An interesting introduction will make the reader want to read
the rest of the essay.

The introduction to an essay should:

• Get the reader interested in the topic (attention-getter).
• Provide background information about the topic (factual
material).
• State the thesis of the essay (main idea).
The Introduction.

In the following example, professional writer John E. Obedzinski

creates interest by telling about a family he counseled who was
not the sort of happy family that he will define in his article.
This anecdote raises readers’ curiosity about what makes a
happy family. (The complete essay is on page 465.)

Remember that professional writers often prefer a number of short

paragraphs to grab the reader’s attention. In an academic essay, the
attention-getter is usually located at the beginning of the introductory
paragraph.
The Introduction.
From “Why Happy Families Are Different”
By John E. Obedzinski, M.D.

1 The couple in my office looked bewildered. Well-educated, they had raised

their children according to the most “progressive” thinking. Emphasizing
feelings rather than behavior, the parents allowed the kids to express
themselves openly and loudly, offered them an equal voice in family decisions
and gave them freedom to pick their clothes, friends and TV shows. They
sprang to their children’s defense when the kids collided with school
authorities, and absolved them of household chores.

2 Sitting with the couple were the results of all that dedicated effort—a sullen,
arrogant 15-year-old boy and a totally self-absorbed 13-year-old girl. The four
of them were the opposite of the strong, loving family the parents believed their
attitudes were helping to build.
The Attention-Getter and
Background Information
• Most essays don’t begin immediately with the thesis.
Instead, they start gradually by getting the reader
ready for the thesis.
• Background information, like background music in a
movie, gets the reader in the mood to read the essay.
• The introduction almost always begins with an
attention-getter and background information about
the topic to prepare for the thesis that will come
afterward.
• Essays can begin with a specific fact in order to
develop a general idea, or they can start with a
generality and develop particular examples.
The Attention-Getter and Background Information
• Attention-getters and background information can take many
forms, some of which are listed below. You can use any of
these strategies alone or in combination:
• A story or anecdote
• History, facts, or information about the topic
• An appropriate quotation
• A problem the reader should know about concerning the
topic
• A question that limits your topic
• A statement that popular ideas about your topic are wrong
• A strong opinion
• A reference to something historical, something in the news, a
current event, or a literary work.
Appeal to Audience

• Effective background information addresses the

audience of the essay.

• Because background information is directed at

the reader, it is important to consider your
audience and what will get readers interested in
your essay.

• For example, what would get my mother

interested in an essay about dating would be
different from the kind of information that
would get teenagers interested.
 Appeal to Audience
• In this example by a professional writer, Grace Bennet appeals to her audience,
which is clearly parents of young children, by telling a story that any parent can
identify with.
Appeal to Audience
 Length and Placement

• How much background information to provide

depends upon the length of the essay and the
strategy the writer uses to get the reader prepared
for the thesis.

• In general, an essay of five paragraphs should

include three to six sentences of background before
the thesis.

• All the background information must come before

the thesis is presented to point the reader toward
the main idea that the essay will develop.
 Thesis or Thesis Statement
• The thesis or thesis statement of the essay
presents the main idea that the essay will
develop.

• The thesis creates a focus for the essay and should

not be too broad or too narrow for the
assignment.

• A thesis that is too broad is a statement that is too

large to be adequately developed in the length
essay you have been assigned. A thesis that is too
narrow is a statement that is not large enough to
be developed into an essay.
 Thesis or Thesis Statement
• A well-focused thesis presents a main idea that can be adequately
developed in the number of paragraphs or pages you have been assigned to
write.
• ✘ Too broad: People are unhealthy for many
reasons.
•  Adequate focus: The diet of many American
teenagers is unhealthy.
• If you’ve been assigned to write a short essay, you wouldn’t even be
able to list all the reasons people are unhealthy. You’d be much better
off focusing on a specific group of people and/or a specific reason or
reasons why they are unhealthy.
Thesis or Thesis Statement

• ✘ Too narrow: American teenagers consume too

much salt.
• Adequate focus: The diet of many American
teenagers is unhealthy.

• While you might be able to develop a good paragraph about the diet of
American teenagers being loaded with salt, unless you are taking a
nutrition class that requires in-depth reporting, it’s unlikely you’d have
enough information to develop an entire essay around this topic.
Blueprinted Thesis
• A blueprinted thesis lists in a series the
major points the essay will develop.
• The points should be listed in the order
that they will appear in the body
paragraphs.
• The list may appear in the thesis or in a
separate sentence after the thesis.
• The major points in the series must be
parallel.
• In other words, areas listed in the thesis
should be expressed in the same
grammatical form.
Blueprinted Thesis
What not to do in the
introduction paragraph
BODY 2.
PARAGRAPH
Body Paragraphs

• Each paragraph in the body of the

essay develops one main point
(topic sentence) that supports the
thesis of the essay.

• The topic sentence should present

an idea that can be developed in
one paragraph, and the topic
sentence should support the thesis
of the essay.
Body Paragraphs
• The body paragraphs in an essay follow the
traditional paragraph pattern of topic
sentence, supporting sentences, and
conclusion.

• Of course, not every paragraph begins with

the topic sentence, especially in
professional writing, but for most academic
writing, it is a good idea to place the topic
sentence first in order to make sure that
there is no room for confusion as to the
main idea of the paragraph.
Body Paragraphs
• A blueprinted thesis lists in a series the
major points the essay will develop.
• The points should be listed in the order
that they will appear in the body
paragraphs.
• The list may appear in the thesis or in a
separate sentence after the thesis.
• The major points in the series must be
parallel.
• In other words, areas listed in the thesis
should be expressed in the same
grammatical form.
 Body Paragraphs

• Each body paragraph should

directly support the thesis
statement.

• In other words, each body

paragraph is a separate reason why
the thesis of the essay is true.

• A body paragraph usually has a minimum of three supporting sentences that

develop the topic sentence. These supporting sentences are often developed
with examples.
Body Paragraphs
• Most writers organize the ideas
for their essay using an outline.

• An outline is a formal structure

that helps you organize support
topics and subtopics.

• Outline form is broken down into

main headings, support headings,
and details. Use as many main
headings, support headings, and
details as you need to develop
your topic.
 Body Paragraphs
Heading I
• Main headings are indicated
with Roman numerals (I, II, III, Support A
IV, V).
• Support headings are
indicated with capital letters Detail 1
(A, B, C).
• Details are indicated with
numbers (1, 2, 3).
• Each heading that is broken down should have at least two subheadings.

• If you have an A, you need a B; if you have a 1, you need a 2.

EXAMPLE:
EXAMPLE:
EXAMPLE:
EXAMPLE:
EXAMPLE:
The Conclusions in the Body Paragraphs
• Body paragraphs may end with a strong supporting detail or may end with
a conclusion that sums up the ideas presented in the paragraph.
• The necessity for a
conclusion, or summary
statement, depends on the
length and complexity of
the paragraph.

• If a paragraph is short or the main idea of the

paragraph is simple, a conclusion may not be
needed.
 Transitions Within and Between Body Paragraphs
• Effective body paragraphs use transitions within paragraphs to create coherence.
 Transitions Within and Between Body Paragraphs
• Effective body paragraphs use transitions within paragraphs to create coherence.
Transitions Within and Between Body Paragraphs
Effective body paragraphs also provide transitions between paragraphs of support.
Number of Body Paragraphs

• The number of body paragraphs in an essay will

depend on the number of points needed to
develop the thesis.

• The length of your essay may be determined by

your assignment, or it may be left up to you.

• Even though we show you lots of five-

paragraph essay models, the number of
paragraphs in your essays may vary depending
on what you have to say and how many points
you wish to present.
 Order of Body Paragraphs

• The body paragraphs should be presented

in a logical order. The body paragraphs
could be presented
• You can choose to organize your body • In chronological order,
paragraphs in a number of ways; the • In order of importance,
important consideration is to make the • According to some other
order clear and logical to the reader.
structuring principle, or
• If the areas the essay will develop are • With a combination of
spelled out in a blueprinted thesis, the body these plans.
paragraphs should be developed in the
same order that they are listed in the thesis.
Order of Body Paragraphs
Order of Body Paragraphs
Order of Body Paragraphs
Order of Body Paragraphs
Order of Body Paragraphs
THE 3.
CONCLUSION
 The Conclusion

• The conclusion to the essay is the

final paragraph of the essay. If the
essay is very long, the conclusion • Refer back to the story,
might be more than one paragraph, problem, question, or quote
but essays of five to ten paragraphs that began the introduction.
generally have only one paragraph of
conclusion.
• Emphasize the important
• The two most common techniques for
points. Remind the reader
concluding an essay are to. of the thesis of the essay
and how its major details
are developed.
The Conclusion
The Conclusion
 Length of the Conclusion
• The conclusion is generally not as long as the introduction. The length of
the conclusion depends upon the length and complexity of the essay.
• An essay of five or six paragraphs should present a conclusion of three to
ten sentences.
The Title

• Like the title of a paragraph, the title

of an essay gives the reader a clue as
to the topic of the paragraph and the
main idea.

• It is a sentence fragment, or
sometimes a question, and is written
above the essay in the middle of the
page.
The Title
• The title is capitalized according to standard rules. Remember that
the title that accompanies your own writing should not be
underlined, italicized, or placed within quotation marks.

• Your title should not be the same as the subject or topic you have
been assigned, but should be a unique name for your specific
essay.
Thanks!