Teoría discursiva - Actividad 3: Tipos de párrafos.

1. Types of Paragraphs
AUTHORS
VALENTINA TAVERA ESTUPIÑÁN
LORENA CASTAÑO ALVAREZ
MELISA SOREC FRANCO BORBON
BLADEMIR JAIMES PABON

2. What is the definition of a
paragraph?
● A paragraph is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing
dealing with a particular point or idea.
● A paragraph consists of one or more sentences.
● Though not required by the syntax of any language.
● Paragraphs are usually an expected part of formal writing, used
to organize longer prose.

3. The 4 types of paragraphs that you
need to know about:
❏ Descriptive paragraph
❏ Narrative paragraph
❏ Expository paragraph
❏ Persuasive paragraph

4. Descriptive paragraphs
Type of paragraph describes and shows the reader what a thing or a person is like.
It allows the reader to experience the item, the reader cannot see it, but knows what it
looks like.
Once in a long while, four times so far for me, my mother brings out the metal tube that holds her medical diploma.
On the tube are gold circles crossed with seven red lines each--"joy" ideographs in abstract. There are also little flowers that
look like gears for a gold machine. According to the scraps of labels with Chinese and American addresses, stamps, and
postmarks, the family airmailed the can from Hong Kong in 1950. It got crushed in the middle, and whoever tried to peel the
labels off stopped because the red and gold paint come off too, leaving silver scratches that rust. Somebody tried to pry the
end off before discovering that the tube falls apart. When I open it, the smell of China flies out, a thousand-year-old bat
flying heavy-headed out of the Chinese caverns where bats are as white as dust, a smell that comes from long ago, far
back in the brain.
(“The Magic Metal Tube” by Maxine Hong Kingston)

5. Narrative paragraph
Type of paragraph that tells a story.
There's A sequence of action or there's a clear beginning, middle, and end to the
paragraph

6. Expository paragraph
Type of paragraph explains sometimes or provides instruction.
It could also refer to a process and move the reader step by step through a method. Its
purpose is to help the reader understand.

7. Persuasive paragraph
Type of paragraph tries to get the reader to accept a particular point of view or
understand the writer's position.
The language can be highly charged; the intent is to get a reaction.

8. Also there are paragraphs according to the needs of the
subject
● According to the location
● According to the content
● According to a logical structure

9. According to the location
We can find three of them:
Paragraph of opening
Is the one which introduces the text. In this paragraph
the author presents the problem, thesis and attracts
reader’s interest. It's convenient to write it at the final
part of the text.
Paragraph of transition
Gives a change in the theme to the continuation of the
text or to move from one topic to another between
texts.
● Paragraph of closing
Summarizes the general
idea of the text, leaving
the reader a good
memory. Sometimes
gives conclusions,
suggestions or persuade
the reader to follow the
ideas of the text.

10. According to the content
Argumentative paragraph
Presents an idea to convince the reader the affirmations or negations of the
writer.
Conceptual paragraph
Used to clarify the meaning of a word or to focus on an idea that is going to be
used forward. This paragraph is essential in the scientific and technical writings.
Chronological paragraph
Presents temporal successions of an event.

11. Paragraph of enumeration
With a organizer phrase helps the reader showing the order of
the text.
Descriptive paragraph
Describes the object, person, idea or situation that it's going to
talk along the text.
Explanatory paragraph
Clarifies and develop most widely the topic that is being treated.
Expository paragraph
Presents information in an organized way.
● Narrative
paragraph
Tells acts in a
certain order and
time

12. According to a logical structure
Comparative paragraph
Express similarities or differences between two differents things.
Paragraph of cause-effect
Presents an event and the reasons that caused it or consequences that were
derived from that event.
Paragraph of approach and problem resolution
Clearly presents a problem and expose the solution.

13. Paragraph of process or sequence
Describe a series of events or processes in some order.
Deductive paragraph
Gives a principal idea at the beginning, starting from the general to the specific.
Inductive paragraph
Gives a principal idea at the end, starting with secondary ideas going to a
generalization.
Conclusion paragraph
Is used to close a topic or the ideas of a text.

14. Important Features to Create a Good Paragraph
1. Coherence: Ideas must be good organized with a clear connection, for
achieving this is important to use linkers.

15. Useful Linkers

16. 2. Unity: The paragraph should have main idea which are complemented by
secondary ideas.
3. Good Language: It very important to have a clear and good language to
express the message correctly with grammatical accuracy.

17. 4. Support: It fundamental supporting ideas with examples, evidence and
details.

18. Steps to Write a Paragraph
1. Gather: Identify the important information.
2. Organize: Identify the main and supporting ideas.
3. Draft: Make the first draft.
4. Edit: Revise and improve the draft.
5. Publish: Final version

19. References
•Types of paragraphs.Retrieved Nov 1 of 2015.
https://sites.google.com/site/basicslanguagearts/home/components-of-a-
paragraph/different-type-of-paragraphs.
•Paragraph writing. http://goo.gl/zO7SB6
•Tipos de parrafo. Carmen Pérez. Retrieved Nov 1 of 2013. http://goo.gl/Jtl7sP
•Types of paragraphs.
http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Write_in_English/WL10_types_of_paragra
phs.html
•Cervera A. (2007) Saber escribir. Bogotá : Aguilar.