Point and purpose is the key to understanding types of paragraphs and kinds of

paragraphs.

In writing, the words point and purpose are almost synonymous. Your point is
your purpose, and how you decide to make your point clear to your reader is also
your purpose. Writers have a point and a purpose for every paragraph that they
create.

Writers write descriptive paragraphs because their purpose is to describe

The purpose of Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay is to quickly and
easily teach students how to organize information and make points clear. Then in
the Writing with Purpose section of the writing program, students learn to apply
their new writing strategies to different types, kinds, genres, and modes of
writing. The truth is that it’s quick and easy to get students to write many
different types of paragraphs when they have the right foundation.

Put simply, all of the different types and kinds of paragraphs simply involve
layering on a different purpose or intent. When students have the right
foundation, it’s just that simple. What are you trying to achieve in this paragraph
and in your whole composition? What is your purpose right here? Do you wish to
describe? Do you want to evaluate? Is your goal to narrate? Is your intent to
persuade?

When students don’t have a proper foundation, these questions don’t mean much
to them. After Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay, students say, “I get it!
I finally get it! I can’t even read what I was writing before!”.
Descriptive Paragraph

1. Describe: I am going to DESCRIBE a sunset!

Sunset is the time of day when our sky meets the outer space solar winds. There are blue,
pink, and purple swirls, spinning and twisting, like clouds of balloons caught in a whirlwind.
The sun moves slowly to hide behind the line of horizon, while the moon races to take its
place in prominence atop the night sky. People slow to a crawl, entranced, fully forgetting the
deeds that must still be done. There is a coolness, a calmness, when the sun does set.

Informational Paragraph and a Narrative Paragraph

2. Inform: I am going to INFORM you about the Apollo 11 space mission.

On July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida. Its mission was to go where no human being had gone before—the moon! The crew
consisted of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. The spacecraft landed on the
moon in the Sea of Tranquility, a basaltic flood plain, on July 20, 1969. The moonwalk took
place the following day. On July 21, 1969, at precisely 10:56 EDT, Commander Neil Armstrong
emerged from the Lunar Module and took his famous first step onto the moon’s surface. He
declared, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” It was a monumental
moment in human history!

Narrate: I am going to NARRATE a story about the Apollo 11 space mission.

It was July 21, 1969, and Neil Armstrong awoke with a start. It was the day he would become
the first human being to ever walk on the moon. The journey had begun several days earlier,
when on July 16th, the Apollo 11 launched from Earth headed into outer space. On board
with Neil Armstrong were Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin. The crew landed on the moon in
the Sea of Tranquility a day before the actual walk. Upon Neil’s first step onto the moon’s
surface, he declared, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” It sure was!
Process or How-to Paragraph

3. Process: I am going to explain the PROCESS of cleaning and organizing your room.

OR

How-to: I am going to describe HOW-TO clean and organize your room.

Here is the perfect system for cleaning your room. First, move all of the items that do not
have a proper place to the center of the room. Get rid of at least five things that you have not
used within the last year. Take out all of the trash, and place all of the dirty dishes in the
kitchen sink. Now find a location for each of the items you had placed in the center of the
room. For any remaining items, see if you can squeeze them in under your bed or stuff them
into the back of your closet. See, that was easy!

Compare and Contrast Paragraph

4. Compare/Contrast: I am going to COMPARE and CONTRAST an ocean and a lake.

Oceans and lakes have much in common, but they are also quite different. Both are bodies of
water, but oceans are very large bodies of salt water, while lakes are much smaller bodies of
fresh water. Lakes are usually surrounded by land, while oceans are what surround
continents. Both have plants and animals living in them. The ocean is home to the largest
animals on the planet, whereas lakes support much smaller forms of life. When it is time for a
vacation, both will make a great place to visit and enjoy.

Critical Paragraph

5. Critique: I am going to CRITIQUE the Blue Whales’ first baseball game of the new season.

The Blue Whales just played their first baseball game of the new season; I believe there is
much to be excited about. Although they lost, it was against an excellent team that had won
the championship last year. The Blue Whales fell behind early but showed excellent teamwork
and came back to tie the game. The team had 15 hits and scored 8 runs. That’s excellent!
Unfortunately, they had 5 fielding errors, which kept the other team in the lead the entire
game. The game ended with the umpire making a bad call, and if the call had gone the other
way, the Blue Whales might have actually won the game. It wasn’t a victory, but I say the Blue
Whales look like they have a shot at the championship, especially if they continue to improve.

Persuasive Paragraph and Argumentative Paragraph

6. Persuade: I am going to PERSUADE my neighbors to buy tickets to the school fair.

The school fair is right around the corner, and tickets have just gone on sale. We are selling a
limited number of tickets at a discount, so move fast and get yours while they are still
available. This is going to be an event you will not want to miss! First off, the school fair is a
great value when compared with other forms of entertainment. Also, your ticket purchase
will help our school, and when you help the school, it helps the entire community. But that’s
not all! Every ticket you purchase enters you in a drawing to win fabulous prizes. And don’t
forget, you will have mountains of fun because there are acres and acres of great rides, fun
games, and entertaining attractions! Spend time with your family and friends at our school
fair. Buy your tickets now!

Argue: I am going to present a logical ARGUMENT as to why my neighbor should attend the
school fair.

The school fair is right around the corner, and tickets have just gone on sale. Even though you
may be busy, you will still want to reserve just one day out of an entire year to relax and have
fun with us. Even if you don’t have much money, you don’t have to worry. A school fair is a
community event, and therefore prices are kept low. Perhaps, you are still not convinced.
Maybe you feel you are too old for fairs, or you just don’t like them. Well, that’s what my
grandfather thought, but he came to last year’s school fair and had this to say about it: “I had
the best time of my life!” While it’s true that you may be able to think of a reason not to
come, I’m also sure that you can think of several reasons why you must come. We look
forward to seeing you at the school fair!