A summary of the book "From Paragraph to Essay", chapters 1,2,4,5,7 and 8 by Gabriela Rocio Soto Valic.

1. FROM PARAGRAPH TO
ESSAY
Summary by Rocio Soto Valic

2. Paragraph development by
LISTING
 Purpose: The purpose of a Listing paragraph is to enumerate different ideas
about a specific topic.
 Structure: This type of paragraph should include:
1) Paragraph introducers: They are used to open a paragraph.
2) Supporting examples, are listed with the aid of connectors.
3) Transition or modulator sentences, are used between different sets of ideas.
4) Terminator sentences: They bring the paragraph to a logical conclusion.
 Tip: To avoid a ´shopping list' appearance, use certain words to help the
paragraph proceed smoothly.
Topic INTRODUCER Topic SENTENCE
It establishes the topic
discussion.
It defines or delimits the
topic.

3. Paragraph development by
EXAMPLES
 The “example” paragraph is a kind of LIST PARAGRAPH, in which example
sentences closely support the Topic Sentence.
 Structure:
Transitional DEVICES:
 For Example,…
 As another example,…
 As still another instance,…
TS
(Topic Sentence)
E
(Example Sentence)
R
(Restatement
Sentence)
- It is a sentence that
states the main idea
of a PARAGRAPH.
- It should cause a
reader to want to
know more
information in the
form of specific
examples.
- They are sentences
that present a specific
EXAMPLE or
ILLUSTRATION
related to the TS.
- It gives the effect of
rounding off the
paragraph by circling
back to the idea of
the TS.
- It terminates the
listing of examples so
that reader feels that
a satisfactory
conclusion has been
reached.

4. Paragraph development by
COMPARISON
 The purpose of a COMPARISON PARAGRAPH is to point out and
alternate similarities between two subjects.
 Structure:
 Transitional Devices: - For example, Like, Both… (groups, types, etc) In
the… (essay) vs in the … (paragraph)
Comparison
Paragraph
TI
(Topic
Introducer)
TS
The TOPIC
SENTENCE states
more specifically
the basis of
comparison
E
Example sentences
in this case, will be
marked as A-E1,B-
E1;A-E2,B-E2,etc
TrS
Transition Sentences are
used to change from one
point of view to another,
from one subject to
another,etc.
R
Restament
sentence or
terminator gives
a closure to the
paragraph.

5. Paragraph development by
CONTRAST
 The purpose of a CONTRAST PARAGRAPH is to point out and emphasize
DIFFERENCES between two subjects.
 PROCCEDURE:
 STRUCTURE: 1) Topic Introducer
2) Topic Sentences
3) A – E1 / B- E1
4) A – E2 / B- E2
5) Transitional Sentence: It indicates your intention to contrast
two subjects.
6) Restament/terminator sentence: It makes a general statement
about the ideas contrasted in the paragraph.
 Transitional WORDS and PHRASES:
Unlike – On the other hand – In contrast – Despite the fact.
There are two
PROCCEDURES.
1st Method: It alternates EXAMPLES of subject
A with EXAMPLES of subject B
2nd Method: It presents all the subject A
examples together, then all subject B
examples together

6. Paragraph development by
DEFINITION
 The DEFINITION PARAGRAPH is often used at the beginning of a
longer paper or book to define a new subject.
 It also serves SOMETIMES as summaries of longer essays or
chapters.
 They are often used to EXPLAIN a general concept by using a specific
example or occurrence of the concept.
 STRUCTURE:
 As “DEVELOPERS SENTENCES” you should USE the techniques of
COMPARISON, CONTRAST, LISTING, etc.
DEFINITION
paragraph
Introducers
sentences
Developers
Sentences
Terminator
Sentences

7. Paragraph development by
CLASSIFICATION
 The purpose of a CLASSIFICATION paragraph
is to group a large number of items or ideas into
a small number of classes.
 STRUCTURE: 1) Topic Sentence: It introduces
the topic.
2) Transitional Sentences/Examples
3) Restatement sentence
 TRANSITIONAL WORDS OR PHRASES:
- One… /Another…/ Other…
- For the… (person) / For the… (young) / For the…
(young at heart)