The document provides instructions and examples for writing effective paragraphs and essays. It discusses the basic structure of paragraphs, including topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding sentences. It also explains how to use linking words to connect sentences and paragraphs. Finally, it outlines the five-paragraph essay format, including an introductory paragraph with a thesis statement, three body paragraphs with topic sentences and details, and a concluding paragraph that restates the thesis.

1. ESSAY WRITING SENTENCE. PARAGRAPH. ESSAY. READY. STEADY. GO! © LKH 2008

2. PARAGRAPHS A collection of related sentences Topic sentence (generalizations) Supporting details (specifications) Concluding/ closing sentence

3. Example My winter break was great! (Topic sentence) Every day I went skiing in the mountains. The sun was shining from a blue sky and the temperature was great. My new skies fitted me perfectly, and I felt like I was flying down hill in the slopes. I also had the time to go out with my friends and we had a lot of fun talking about the “good old days.”(Supporting details) I am sure this was the best vacation ever.(Closing sentence)

4. Exercise Write a five-sentence paragraph about anything that springs to your minds. Remember to follow the pattern in the example.

5. LINKING WORDS Linking words or phrases help you to build a logical argument or thread in your assignment by linking one statement to another. An assignment without linking words reads like a series of unrelated statements with no flow. Linking words can be used to link the flow of ideas in your writing guide your reader towards the next stage of your argument link paragraphs together.

6. EXAMPLE My winter break was great! Although it was quite cold and windy, I had a great time skiing in the mountains. In addition , my new skies fitted me perfectly. Actually , they are the best skies I have ever had. Besides skiing , I also had time to catch up with some old friend. In fact , we met several times during the week. Therefore , I will rate this vacation as the best one ever!

7. EXERCISES Rewrite the paragraph you have just written. Include as many words and expressions as possible from the ones below: Whereas, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, in contrast to, in fact, moreover, in spite of, due to, besides.

8. THE FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH MOTIVATOR: get the attention of the reader THESIS STATEMENT: a mini-outline for the paper TRANSITIONAL “HOOK”: a closing sentence which moves the reader to the first body paragraph.

9. FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD BODY PARAGRAPHS TOPIC SENTENCE GENERAL STATEMENTS TRANSITIONAL HOOK TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH

10. CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH A REFLECTION OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH A RESTATEMENT OF THE THESIS STATEMENT A SUMMARY OF THE MAIN POINTS FROM THE THREE BODY PARAGRAPHS A FINAL, CONCLUDING STATEMENT EXAMPLE: http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/English/essay/table.html

11. SOURCES http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/English/essay/table.html http://www2.udec.cl/~ebanados/proyecto/linking.htm http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/five_par.htm Simensen, Aud Marit, 1998: T eaching English as a Foreign Language: Principles and Procedures. Oslo: Fagbokforlaget