This document provides guidance on writing effective paragraphs. It defines a paragraph as a group of related sentences developing a single topic. A paragraph should have a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence that summarizes. To write a cohesive paragraph, a writer must focus on unity, coherence, and emphasis through techniques like parallel structure, transitional words, and consistent verb tense. Paragraph length depends on thoroughness of topic development.

2. BUILDING A PARAGRAPH
• A PARAGRAPHIS A GROUP OF RELATED SENTENCES DEVELOPING A SINGLE
TOPIC
• THE SENTENCES THAT FOLLOW SHOULD BE RELATED IN TWO WAYS:
EACH SENTENCE SHOULD HELP DEVELOP THE TOPIC; AND
EACH SENTENCE SHOULD LEAD SMOOTHLY INTO THE THOUGHT OF THE NEXT
• A PARAGRAPHMAY END WITH A CLINCHER SENTENCE, A SENTENCE THAT
“ROUNDS UP” THE PARAGRAPH BY PROVIDING A SUMMARY

4. PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH
TOPIC SENTENCE
A TOPIC SENTENCE USUALLY COMES AT THE BEGINNING
OF A PARAGRAPH; IT IS THE MOST GENERAL SENTENCE
IN A PARAGRAPH.
SUPPORTING DETAILS
THEY ARE CALLED "SUPPORTING" BECAUSE THEY
"SUPPORT," OR EXPLAIN, THE IDEA EXPRESSED IN THE
TOPIC SENTENCE.
COLORFUL VOCABULARY
IT DISCUSSES FURTHERMORE ABOUT THE WRITTEN
DETAILS IN YOUR PREVIOUS SENTENCES.
CONCLUDING SENTENCE
A SENTENCE AT THE END OF THE PARAGRAPH WHICH
SUMMARIZES THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN
PRESENTED.

5. POINTERS IN WRITING A
PARAGRAPH
LIMIT YOUR PARAGRAPH TO A SINGLE TOPIC.
CHOOSE A TOPIC OF YOUR INTEREST AND KNOWLEDGE.
MAKE SURE THE SENTENCES YOU CREATE HAVE UNITY.
USE A TOPIC SENTENCE TO EXPRESS THE MAIN IDEA.
USE A CLINCHER WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

6. POINTERS IN WRITING A
PARAGRAPH
ARRANGE THE DETAILS IN A PROPER AND ORDERLY WAY.
FEEL FREE TO USE DIFFERENT PARAGRAPHDEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES.
USE TRANSITIONAL EXPRESSIONS TO RELATE IDEAS WITHIN THE
PARAGRAPHS OR TO CREATE CONNECTION BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS.
SUIT THE THEME OR LANGUAGE OF YOUR PARAGRAPH TO YOUR TOPIC AND
AUDIENCE.
AIM FOR A DEFINITE MOOD FOR A DEFINITE SITUATION.

7. TYPES OF PARAGRAPH
DEVELOPMENT
•BY DEFINITION. THE TOPIC IS DEVELOPED BY DEFINITION OF
CERTAIN TERMS CONNECTED WITH THE TOPIC.
•BY EXAMPLE. THE STATEMENT THAT GIVES EXAMPLE HELPS
REINFORCE THE STATEMENT OR MAKE THE IDEAS CLEAR.
•BY GIVING REASONS. CERTAIN DETAILS ARE GIVEN TO
SUBSTANTIATE THE IDEA.

8. TYPES OF PARAGRAPH
DEVELOPMENT
•BY ANALOGY. SEVERAL PARAGRAPHS ARE DEVELOPED USING
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST TO MAKE THE IDEA CLEAR.
•BY CAUSE-EFFECT EXPOSITION.
•BY EXPLANATION.

9. STRATEGIES USED IN PARAGRAPH
BUILDING
UNITY – ACHIEVED IN PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT IF
EVERY SENTENCE CONTRIBUTES TO THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE TOPIC OR THE SUB-TOPIC. SINCE A PARAGRAPH
DEALS WITH ONLY ONE IDEA OR PART OF AN IDEA, NO
ELEMENT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WHICH DOES NOT HELP
IN DEVELOPING THE TOPIC.

10. STRATEGIES USED IN PARAGRAPH
BUILDING
COHERENCE – A PARAGRAPH HAS COHERENCE IF THE
SENTENCE DEVELOPING THE TOPIC OR SUB-TOPIC ARE
ARRANGED IN A CLEAR, LOGICAL ORDER.
• TIME ORDER – THE SIMPLEST AND BEST WAY OF ARRANGING SENTENCES.
• SPACE ORDER – THE PARAGRAPH MOVES FROM THE NEAR TO DISTANT OR VICE VERSA; OR
FROM RIGHT TO LEFT OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
• ORDER OF CLIMAX – THE IDEA OR TOPIC IS DEVELOPED FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT TO
THE LEAST.
• SKELETON OUTLINE – THE BEST WAY TO SECURE COHERENCE.

11. STRATEGIES USED IN PARAGRAPH
BUILDING
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF SECURING COHERENCE IN
PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT:
CONSISTENCY. AVOID SHIFT OF PERSON, NUMBER AND TENSE
WITH CONSECUTIVE CLAUSES
PARALLELISM. IT IS THE REPETITION IN CONSECUTIVE
SENTENCES OF SIMILAR WORDS TO EXPRESS IDEAS THAT ARE OF
EQUAL IMPORTANCE

12. STRATEGIES USED IN PARAGRAPH
BUILDING
EMPHASIS – SECURED IN THE SAME MANNER THAT
EMPHASIS IS OBTAINED IN SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION.
TO BE EMPHATIC, A PARAGRAPH MUST:
• HAVE A CLEAR AND CONCISELY WORDED TOPIC SENTENCE
• HAVE AN EFFECTIVE BEGINNING AND ENDING
• USE TRANSITIONAL EXPRESSIONS AND PARALLELISM
• AVOID SHORT, INADEQUATELY DEVELOPED PARAGRAPHS

13. LENGTHS OF PARAGRAPHS
THE LENGTH OF A PARAGRAPH IS DETERMINED BY:
1. THE SUBJECT TREATED
2.THE THOROUGHNESS BY WHICH THE WRITER
WANTS TO DEVELOP THE TOPIC
3.THE MECHANICS OF WRITING