Ways of Developing paragraphs

• Sample 1 • Moving house is a major upheaval in people’s lives. Before the men come to actually move the furniture, many things must be done in preparation. All the toys, normally strewn around the house, must be gathered together and put into large boxes for easy transportation. All books too must be put away in an orderly fashion so as not to be damaged in transit. Drawers and wardrobes should be emptied and their contents carefully packed. Pictures should be taken down from the walls and wrapped with proper cloth. And lastly, don’t forget to take down all the curtains and blinds. Soon everything is prepared and the removal men arrive. All the boxes and furniture are loaded into the lorry. A quick check is necessary to make sure the flat is empty and the lorry is off on its way to the new flat.
• B. Transitions used in a process paragraph
• First step----- First; Firstly; First of all; To begin with; Primarily; Initially; The first step • Other steps-----Second/ third…; Secondly/ thirdly…; Next; The next step; Then; Another step; The other step • Last step----- Last; The last…; Lastly; In the end; Finally; The final…; As the last step • Chronological connectors-----before, after, when, as soon as, once, as, prior to, etc. (book P 121)
2. Development by process • A. the use
• It is used to explain how something is done. To do so, we usually describe them step by step. • In a process paragraph, we use imperatives sentences, the indefinite pronoun “you” and the present tense.
• Sample 1 • The first railroads were developed in Europe in the sixteenth century. They looked nothing like those of today. The rails were of wood, and the cars, small wooden carts which hauled coal, were drawn by horses. By the early nineteenth century, railroad technology had advanced considerably. Steam locomotives had been developed, and cast iron was used for tracks. In 1825 a railroad line began carrying passengers as well as freight. That same year America’s first known steam locomotive was run on a circular track at Hoboken, New Jersey. Soon American locomotives and railroads were multiplying rapidly. Many short rail lines were laid during the 1830s. These short lines were then linked with one another, and by the early 1840s networks of rails connected all the eastern cities.
Development by time—chronological order • A. The use • It is usually used in telling a story or recounting an event. • B. Transitional words and expressions • When, while, before, after, as, in the …, at the turn of the century, later, earlier, formerly…. ( P118 book) • C. Organization • Earlier things are mentioned before later things.
• C. Organization • The topic: conditional sentences are usually used. • eg 1: If you went to be a successful salesman, you need only to follow several basic steps. • eg 2: Once you encounter a person who has stopped breathing, you should begin immediately to do mouth-tomouth breathing. • Supporting details • (1) to describe the steps in a chronological order • (2) to present several major steps under which there are some sub-steps. • Concluding sentence: the result of the process or a comment of the result.
• Sample 2 • I walked through the school-gates with butterflies in my tummy. Would I like this school? Would my classmates like me? Would the teacher be strict? All these thoughts were buzzing in my head as I mounted the stairs to my new classroom. I stood by the teacher’s desk facing the class, and was introduced. I trembled as I felt their eyes all gazing critically at me. The teacher seemed kind and slipped her arm around my shoulder as I faced the stare of the class. Then classes began. I listened to the teacher’s words, concentrating on my work, and forgetting my apprehension and fears. During the recess the girls crowded round me to find out all about me. They all seemed good-natured and I soon found myself accepted as their friend. At the end of the day I walked home happily as all my worries of the morning had dissolved to nothing. This new school would be a happy place for me.
Toys Packing as preparation
Books Loading boxes & furniture into lorry
Drawers & wardrobes
Pictures Curtains & blinds
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Double-check
• Sample 2 • As the day of the exam approaches, there are several things you can do to make life easier. Firstly, you should make sure that you get regular exercise, that way you won’t feel tired at night and you won’t stay awake worrying. If you can, find someone else who is doing the exam and can share the revision with you. You can organize little tests and quizzes for each other and this can make the process much more fun than working on your own. Just before the exam, it helps to write short notes of the most important study points on pieces of paper and look at them just before you go to bed. On the day of the exam, don’t do any studying. Eat a proper breakfast and take some emergency snacks with you, wear comfortable clothes and take your favorite pen and pencil with you. And don’t forget your watch.
Ways of Developing Paragraphs
A. Planning a paragraph
• Sample • Topic sentence: Philately is an interesting hobby. • (1) There are beautiful pictures on postage stamps; (2) There are portraits of historical figures on them; (3) It is always a delight to get a stamp I have never seen before; (4) I can learn something by looking at the stamps I have collected. Pay attention to the sample paragraph on the textbook developed from the above points.