A short reminder of what should be included in a strong paragraph:
A topic sentence. This is usually at the beginning of the paragraph, but it can also be found other places in the paragraph.
4-6 supporting sentences that explain and give more detail about the topic sentence.
A concluding sentence that ends and sums up the paragraph.
Discuss:
In the box below, you will find a paragraph from an essay about the advantages of school uniforms. This particular paragraph explains how school uniforms can reduce bullying and teasing.
However, the writer has some work to do here. The paragraph is very unstructured and disjointed.
I think school uniforms would be great for our school. Don’t misunderstand; I know that clothing is a way to express your personality, and you lose that part. Also, school uniforms are really ugly, and they are often made of polyester, which I never wear because it is really harmful for the environment. (It releases microplastics into the water when you wash it.) But still, I believe school uniforms would be great (if they would only make them a bit more stylish), because I think it would reduce bullying and teasing. Most people have been teased at some point or another because of their clothing, and that’s no fun. Believe me, I know. I've been bullied a lot over the years. If you are stone broke and can’t afford the latest in fashion, school uniforms would be a great help.
Step 1. Go through the text with another student and discuss:
What would you keep in this text?
What would you discard? Why?
Does the text have a strong and clear topic sentence? Would you like to improve it?
Is there a good concluding sentence? How could you end this paragraph in a better way?
What would you do to make the text more academic and formal?
Does the writer get their point across despite the lack of structure?
Step 2. Work together or alone:
Rewrite the paragraph. Make it more formal and structured. Make sure you have a clear topic sentence, relevant supporting sentences, and a strong concluding sentence.
You will find a suggested answer in the expandable box below.
Suggested answer:
If all students in our school were required to wear school uniforms, instances of bullying and teasing would decrease. Clothing is of course an important way to express our personality. But sadly, if someone expresses themselves in a different way than everyone else, it can result in teasing and bullying. In fact, a survey at our school reported that 55% of all students had at one point been teased or bullied because of their clothing. Moreover, differences in clothing can amplify social differences. School uniforms would level the playing field, and students who aren’t able to afford the latest style of clothing would feel less isolated. In other words, uniforms can make the day easier for students who struggle with social life at school.
Write:
Practise writing paragraphs.
Below are a number of topic sentences. In brackets, you will find a hint telling you what the rest of the paragraph should contain.
Step 1: Choose one of the topic sentences below and write a suitable paragraph. Make sure you follow the instructions given in the brackets.
Step 2: When you have completed the paragraph, decide on a topic sentence for the next paragraph. This sentence should give the reader a clear understanding of what you will focus on in the next section of your text. Make sure there is a good transition between the final sentence of your paragraph and the topic sentence.
Step 3: Once you have completed the paragraph and the topic sentence, share your work with other students. Give each other peer feedback. Are the paragraphs well structured? Have transitional phrases been used in the topic sentence of the next paragraph?
Essay on democracy in the United States:
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'Long after the fall of the Roman Empire, Latin continued to be important as a lingua franca.' (Give a definition.)Essay on the most important languages of the world:
'Although spoken by hundreds of millions of people, Chinese is still relatively insignificant as a global language.' (Explain.)Essay on the advantage of studying abroad:
'First, studying abroad will develop your character and make you a much more independent person.' (Explain.)Essay on visiting Australia:
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'It makes complete sense to allow 16-year-olds to vote.' (Defend the statement.)Essay on Russetid:
'Of course students should be allowed to celebrate having completed 13 years of school.' (Defend the statement.)