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Combine your knowledge of parts of speech and organization to write a strong paragraph.
Imagine you have a box of LEGO bricks. If you just throw them on the floor, they are just a pile. But if you follow a plan, you can build a castle! Writing a paragraph is just like building that castle—you need a plan to make it strong.
Every paragraph needs a leader. This is called the topic sentence. Think of it as the 'boss' because it tells the reader exactly what the paragraph will be about. If you are writing about your favorite pet, your topic sentence shouldn't be about pizza! A good topic sentence is clear and interesting. For example, instead of saying 'I have a dog,' you could say, 'My dog, Barnaby, is the most playful puppy in the world.' This tells the reader to expect a paragraph all about Barnaby's energy. Usually, this is the sentence in your paragraph.
Imagine you want to write a paragraph about playing soccer.
1. Sentence A: 'Soccer is a sport played with a ball.' (A bit boring!) 2. Sentence B: 'I like sports.' (Too broad!) 3. Sentence C: 'Playing soccer on a sunny Saturday is my favorite way to spend time.' (Great! It's specific and tells us the topic.)
Quick Check
What is the main job of a topic sentence?
Answer
To tell the reader the main idea of the paragraph.
Once you have your topic sentence, you need supporting sentences. These are like the walls of your house. To make them strong, we use 'flavor' words. Adjectives describe nouns (like fluffy cat or red apple). Adverbs describe how an action happens (like running quickly or singing loudly). For a strong paragraph, try to include at least supporting sentences. Each one should add a new detail that proves your topic sentence is true. If Barnaby is playful, tell us how he plays using these descriptive words!
Let's improve a boring sentence about a car.
1. Start: 'The car went down the street.' 2. Add an adjective: 'The shiny car went down the street.' 3. Add an adverb: 'The shiny car went speedily down the street.' 4. Final result: 'The shiny, blue car zoomed speedily down the quiet street.'
Quick Check
In the sentence 'The happy bird chirped loudly,' which word is the adverb?
Answer
Loudly
A paragraph isn't finished until it is polished! This means checking your mechanics. Every sentence must start with a capital letter. You also capitalize proper names and the word 'I'. Finally, check your punctuation. Does your sentence end with a period (.), a question mark (?), or an exclamation point (!)? Without these, your sentences run together like a giant, messy noodle. A perfect paragraph has a clear start and a clear stop for every single thought.
Let's fix this broken paragraph: 'my cat is funny. he jumps high. i love him'
1. Fix Capitals: 'My cat is funny. He jumps high. I love him.' 2. Add Adjectives/Adverbs: 'My orange cat is very funny.' 3. Fix Punctuation: 'My orange cat is very funny! He jumps incredibly high to catch feathers. I love him dearly.'
Where does the topic sentence usually go in a paragraph?
Which of these words is an adjective?
The word 'i' should always be capitalized when you are talking about yourself.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to remember the three main parts of a paragraph: the 'boss' sentence, the 'detail' sentences, and the 'polish' (punctuation).
Practice Activity
Write a short paragraph about your favorite food. Use one topic sentence and three sentences with at least two adjectives!