This document provides examples of different types of paragraphs, including chronological, enumeration, descriptive, explanatory, expository, argumentative, narrative, comparison, cause and effect, deductive, and inductive paragraphs. For each type, it provides a definition and an example paragraph to illustrate the key characteristics of that paragraph structure.

1. Types of
Paragraphs
HEIDY ACEVEDO
KAREN PUENTES
JUAN ROJAS
MARLYN VILLEGAS
EAN UNIVERSITY
2014

2. The Chronological Paragraph
 This type of paragraph explains the order of certain events. For
example:
The life and death of a star begins somewhere in space. Astronomers claim that a star
begins as a cloud of hydrogen and helium. As the cloud moves about it collects bits of
dust and more floating gases. Then the cloud begins to warm as more dust and gases
are pulled into it. After a long period of time as the cloud becomes denser, heat and
friction cause the atoms to explode. That is how a star is born. The star will burn for about
ten billion years as it radiates heat and energy. When the hydrogen begins to burn out
the star becomes even larger. At this stage, it gives off a lot of light but not much energy.
The star may continue to burn brightly but dies when it runs out of hydrogen. This is the life
cycle of a star.
Source: http://www.sponsoravillage.ca/2010/01/chronology-sample-paragraph/

3. The Enumeration Paragraph
 This type of paragraph contains:
- Two or more characteristics, which are related to one specific fact,
object or subject.
- A phrase that organizes the mentioned characteristics, in order to
make the paragraph understandable.
For example:
First of all, in order to write an essay you have to organize your thoughts in your mind and
then write them down. Afterwards, make sure that the text has coherence and the
correct terms. Then, you can publish your essay.

4. The Descriptive Paragraph
 This type of paragraph describes a subject, object or event. For
example:
Have you ever had a moment that was set in your memory like a snapshot? I have one,
and it is of my Grandma. Her hair was brown and wavy resting just below her shoulders.
Her face, fair and smooth, was adorned with brown tinted glasses through which her
beautiful brown eyes shown brightly when the light caught them just right. You could
have mistaken her smile for a movie star's. It could have brightened a whole city! Her
laugh could encourage anyone to laugh along with her. She had a light inside her that
anyone could see. She was wise beyond her years. She taught me new things in the
years she was here. This is why I hold this "snapshot" close to my heart.
Source: http://www.writework.com/essay/these-few-examples-descriptive-paragraph-narrative-and-bas

5. The Explanatory Paragraph
 This type of paragraph explains, better and with more details, a
topic that is being exposed. For example:
There are many advantages to purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables as an alternative to
popular processed food items at your local grocer store. While potato chips and donuts
are tasty and frozen food is convenient, a habit of eating food prepared in a factory
leads to overall poor nutrition and can cause bad health. These ill effects result in
increased visits to the dentist or the family physician. A bag of apples might cost more
than a bag of Cheetos, but savings in health costs far outweigh the immediate savings at
the cash register. Besides, pound for pound, fresh food often turns out to be cheaper
than packaged food. Many people forget that when they buy something that is
packaged or frozen, they are also buying the packaging which lures shoppers into
buying the product. Commercials on television successfully convince consumers that the
decisions to buy packaged food is logical, but facts about nutrition and value prove
otherwise.
Source: http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Write_in_English/WL13_expository_paragraphs.html

6. The Expository Paragraph
 This type of paragraph provides information about a topic. For
example:
HIV is a virus that gradually attacks immune system cells. As HIV progressively damages
these cells, the body becomes more vulnerable to infections, which it will have difficulty
in fighting off. It is at the point of very advanced HIV infection that a person is said to
have AIDS. If left untreated, it can take around ten years before HIV has damaged the
immune system enough for AIDS to develop.
Source: http://www.avert.org/aids.htm

7. The Argumentative Paragraph
 This type of paragraph tries to convince the reader about
something, this is done by using facts or reasons. For example:
There are many reasons why I don’t smoke. First, smoking is unhealthy. It can cause lung
cancer, and it can lead to an early death. Furthermore, smoking is expensive. A pack of
cigarettes costs five dollars. If I bought one pack of cigarettes every day, I would spend
over $1500 each year. Lastly, cigarettes smell bad. When people smoke, you can smell
the cigarettes on their clothes all day. For example, the other night, I went to a restaurant
that allowed smoking. After I left, all of my clothes smelled terrible, as did my hair. If I were
a smoker, I would smell that way all the time. To sum up, I don’t smoke because it is
unhealthy, expensive, and unattractive.
Source: http://annas-esl-materials.com/index.php/writing/argumentative-paragraphs-and-essays/
157-example-argument-paragraph-and-activity

8. The Narrative Paragraph
 This type of paragraph describes one primary topic and narrates its
story by telling some events. For example:
I remember when I first arrived in the United States. Even before the plane landed, the
little windows in the airplane revealed snow and ice-covered houses and buildings. As I
walked off the plane, cold air crept though the corrugated ramp that led to the airport
terminal. Some people inside the airport were wearing big coats and hats, which I had
seen on television, but never up close. I felt a little dizzy and needed to sit down, and
then my cell phone rang. It was my Aunt Sophia. She was waiting for me outside in the
passenger pick-up area, so I walked quickly to the exit, forgetting all about my luggage.
When the sliding glass door opened to the outside, there was my aunt--a woman I hadn't
seen in over ten years--wearing a parka and waving her arms frantically in my direction.
Source: http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Write_in_English/WL12_narrative_paragraphs.html

9. The Comparison Paragraph
 This type of paragraph shows differences and similarities between
two subjects, objects or events. For example:
My hometown and my college town have several things in common. First, both are small
rural communities. For example, my hometown, Gridlock, has a population of only about
10,000 people. Similarly, my college town, Subnormal, consists of about 11,000 local
residents. This population swells to 15,000 people when the college students are
attending classes. A second way in which these two towns are similar is that they are
both located in rural areas. Gridlock is surrounded by many acres of farmland which is
devoted mainly to growing corn and soybeans. In the same way, Subnormal lies in the
center of farmland which is used to raise hogs and cattle.
Source: http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/compcont.html

10. The “Cause and Effect” Paragraph
 This type of paragraph shows a fact, its cause and its
consequences. For example:
In recent decades, cities have grown so large that now about 50% of the Earth's
population lives in urban areas. There are several reasons for this occurrence. First, the
increasing industrialization of the nineteenth century resulted in the creation of many
factory jobs, which tended to be located in cities. These jobs, with their promise of a
better material life, attracted many people from rural areas. Second, there were many
schools established to educate the children of the new factory laborers. The promise of a
better education persuaded many families to leave farming communities and move to
the cities. Finally, as the cities grew, people established places of leisure, entertainment,
and culture, such as sports stadiums, theaters, and museums. For many people, these
facilities made city life appear more interesting than life on the farm, and therefore drew
them away from rural communities.
Source: http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/cause.html

11. The Deductive Paragraph
 This type of paragraph has the main idea at the beginning of it, then
that idea is followed by explanations, arguments and examples. For
example:
There are some ways for students to earn money. First, they work in some place. We can
manage the time for it. For example, we get home from school on 1 pm, and on 2 pm
until 4 pm we are working in some places. So, although we are working in some places,
we can also doing homework. Second, we make some efforts like businessman. We can
sell something like food, drinks, book, and many more. Finally, teach someone who
younger than us such as pre-school students, kindergarten students, senior high school
students, and many more.
Source: https://myblogfbasyrah.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/the-example-of-deductive-paragraph/

12. The Inductive Paragraph
 This type of paragraph has the main idea at the end of it as a kind
of conclusion of the given information, arguments and examples.
For example:
Being in middle school is difficult for those moving on from elementary school. When you
are in middle school, the work gets harder, the amount of homework increases, and your
parents give you more responsibilities because you are older. Even though you are older,
you are still not old enough to drive or be out for long periods of time by yourself. You are
in an uncomfortable space between being a teenager and being a little child. The
middle school years are not easy.
Source: http://answers.tutorvista.com/372087/inductive-paragraph-example.html#