PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

Most paragraphs in an essay have a three-part structure—introduction, body, and conclusion.

You can see this structure in paragraphs whether they are narrating, describing, comparing,
contrasting, or analyzing information. Each part of the paragraph plays an important role in
communicating your meaning to your reader.

Introduction (TOPIC SENTENCE): the first section of a paragraph; should include the topic
sentence and any other sentences at the beginning of the paragraph that give background
information or provide a transition.

Body (SUPPORTING SENTENCES): follows the introduction; discusses the controlling idea,
using facts, arguments, analysis, examples, and other information.

Conclusion: (CONCLUDING SENTENCE): the final section; summarizes the connections

between the information discussed in the body of the paragraph and the paragraph’s controlling
idea.

Type 1: Cause and effect

Topic: People in all modern societies use drugs, but today’s youth are experimenting with both
legal and illegal drugs, and at an increasingly early age. Discuss the causes and some effects of
widespread drug use by young people in modern day society.

It is an undeniable fact that one of the most serious problems facing many cultures is
youth’s drug abuse. Not only is illegal drug use on the rise but children as young as 10 years old are
experimenting alcohol and tobacco. It is my belief that there are two main reasons for this adverse
trend. One of the biggest reasons is that parents and other members in society set bad examples
for the youth to follow. Studies recently published show that children whose parents smoke or drink
are more likely to use drugs than those whose parents don’t. Besides, drug use by actors or
actresses on television and in films might possibly confuse children who are taught that drug abuse
is wrong. Another reason leading to drug abuse among the youth is depression. Being unable to live
up to their parents’ high expectations on their performance at school or living in a broken family is
likely to make youths feel a sense of hopelessness, and as a result, drugs might be used as a means
of expressing dissatisfaction they face in society.

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It is obvious that drug abuse leads to numerous serious effects. One of the most serious impacts is
on takers’ health. Whether they are legal or illegal, drugs contain harmful substances, which
infiltrate many kinds of diseases into the system of the user and may eventually lead to death.
Another negative effect is on the social aspect. Drug users might probably search for money by all
means such as theft, robbery or even murder to afford drugs. In the long run, such an increase in
social evils could pose a threat to any country’s stability and security. To conclude, it is a common
knowledge that widespread drug abuse among youths is likely to result in serious problems. To
combat these problems, one solution is for the government and families to educate youths about
the dangers of drug use and to take care of the youth’s life.

 TEMPLATES

1. Causes

 Topic sentence:

 In my opinion, there are some possible causes of this trend.

 This problem can be attributed to a number of causes.

 A number of reasons have been put forward for this problem.

 Causes:

 One of the main ( underlying/ root/ possible) causes of the problem is

depression

 Another reason leading to this situation is that they lack parents’ care

 A final possible cause of the problem lies in their lack of awareness

2. Effects

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 Topic sentence: It is undoubtedly true that this issue can lead to some major
consequences.

 Effects

 One of the most serious effects/ consequences of is…

 The second negative (adverse/ detrimental/ devastating) impact is…

 X also leads to (bring about/ results in)…

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 Type 2: Problem and Solution

Topic: Discuss problems caused by abusing private cars and suggest some solutions to
tackle those problems.

Certain convenience and freedom of movement private cars would bring back
might explain for its popular use. People’s increasing dependence on them as a major
means of transport could possibly lead to a great number of serious problems. One of
the most obvious problems is traffic congestion. During rush hours, too many cars in use
for roads to accommodate would probably cause heavy volume of traffic and traffic jams
seem unavoidable. Additionally, the extensive private car use is also closely connected
to the rising level of air pollution. Studies carried out by an environment protection
organization suggest that exhaust fumes emitted from vehicles has made significant
contribution to air pollution and high frequency of using private cars would certainly
worsen that issue. To combat these severe problems, the government is expected to
take actions to limit private car use and stimulate public transport use. One answer is to
increase the prices of petroleum and parking permits and to restrict the parking space to
a certain number of cars. Facing limited parking space and high cost to run private cars,
people are likely to consider travelling by private vehicles. In addition, the improvement
in the quality and frequency as well as decreasing prices of public transport services can
be put forward as a possible solution to this problem. When travelling by bus or train is
no longer uncomfortable or inconvenient, people may be more attracted to using public
transport, which means reducing overreliance on private cars. In conclusion, it is
undoubtedly true that the overuse of private cars would be one of major causes of
traffic jams and air pollution and improving this situation admittedly requires efforts of
both the government and individuals.

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 TEMPLATES

1. Problems

 Topic sentence: There are several effects/ problems caused by this adverse
trend

 Problem:

 One of the most obvious problems is…

 Another worrying trend is…

 The third detrimental/deleterious effect is…

2. Solutions

 Topic sentence: However, there are several measures to address (combat/ tackle/
overcome) this problem

 Solution.

 From my perspective, the most obvious solution is for the government to

increase the cost of petrol.

 A further step (solution) is that people should be educated about the

consequences of abusing private cars.

 Another option (possibility/good idea) is to encourage its citizens to use public

transportation.

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 Type 3: Pros and cons

Advantages and Disadvantages

Discuss advantages and disadvantages of living in big cities

It is obvious that an increasing number of people have a tendency to like living in

a big city because to some extent the city life seems very convenient and comfortable,
especially with the younger. Nevertheless, it is my belief that living in urban areas not
only offers advantages but also disadvantages. On the one hand, living in big cities might
possibly benefit city-dwellers in several ways. One of the most obvious advantages is
that it seems easy for one to get a job. A large number of companies or industrial
factories located in big cities could supply numerous jobs available in various fields
ranging from highly skilled jobs to manual ones. Therefore, one has high chances to
apply for a suitable occupation corresponding to his ability and desire or even a well-
paid one. Additionally, living in the urban area offers its residents a wide choice of
entertainments such as cinemas, discos or parks or art galleries or museums. Thus, there
appears to be always something exciting for city dwellers to do. In contrast, there could
be a number of negative sides of living in urban areas. The environmental pollution is
one of the biggest handicaps city- dwellers might face. Living in such a polluted
environment could have direct negative impacts on city residents’ health or even cause
some dangerous diseases like skin disorders, respiratory problems or even cancers.
Another drawback of big cities is traffic. With a high volume of transports on the roads,
traffic jams are likely to take places especially during rush hours, which causes much
nuisance to drivers. Furthermore, that traffic overload might probably lead to serious
road accidents. In conclusion, it is an undeniable fact that living in big cities brings one
both positive and negative impacts. However, in my opinion, its disadvantages are far
outweighed by its advantages.

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 TEMPLATES

1.

2. Advantages

 Topic sentence: There can be some important benefits X offers

 Advantage

 One of the most obvious advantages is …

 Another benefit is …

 A further advantage is ….

3. Disadvantages

 Topic sentence: However, X also bring some negative effects

 Disadv

 antage:

 One of the most obvious disadvantages is …

 Another drawback is …

 An additional handicap is…

Type 4: Comparison Paragraph

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When contrasting, the writer mentions about the differences between them. The best way to
start a compare and contrast paragraph is to choose two related items and clarify what is
precisely being compared. It is also possible to give a list of selected criteria that will be used to
make the comparison. After writing the topic sentence the writer might go on with the
supporting sentences. There are two chief ways to develop supporting sentences: whole by whole
or point by point. In a whole by whole comparison paragraph, the writer analyzes the first item
thoroughly before giving any details about the second one. Point by point comparison is also called
alternating arrangement of ideas. If the paragraph is about cats and dogs, the writer states one
point for both cats and dogs before going on with the second major point. Finally, using transition
words or phrases, such as “in contrast,” “on the other hand,” “similarly” or “whereas” will help the
writer to present the connection between the ideas in a coherent way and they will make the paper
comprehensible for the reader.

Even though Arizona and Rhode Island are both states of the U.S., they are
strikingly different in many ways. For example, the physical size of each state is
different. Arizona is large, having an area of 114,000 square miles, whereas Rhode
Island is only about a tenth the size, having an area of only 1,214 square miles.
Another difference is in the size of the population of each state. Arizona has about
four million people living in it, but Rhode Island has less than one million. The two
states also differ in the kinds of natural environments that each has. For example,
Arizona is a very dry state, consisting of large desert areas that do not receive much
rainfall every year. However, Rhode Island is located in a temperate zone and
receives an average of 44 inches of rain per year. In addition, while Arizona is a
landlocked state and thus has no seashore, Rhode Island lies on the Atlantic Ocean
and does have a significant coastline.

Here are some contrast conjunctions that you can use:

Short Conjunctions Subordinating Conjunctions

However,

In contrast, On the other hand,

By contrast, even though + [sentence]

While, although + [sentence]

Whereas, whereas + [sentence]

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 unlike + [sentence]
..., but
while + [sentence]
..., yet
nevertheless,

SCHOOL AND COLLEGE

Even though high school and college are both institutions of learning, they differ in at least
three ways. The first difference between high school and college is their social atmospheres. In
high school the facility is usually smaller, and students are, for the most part, well acquainted with
each other. In addition, students in high school have the same six hours 7:45 to 1:45 day, thus
helping them to know one another better. On the college scene people are constantly coming and
going, therefore rarely seeing the same person twice in a day, which accounts for fewer people
being acquainted with each other. The second difference between high school and college is their
policies about homework. In high school, homework is required to help motivate students to study.
Knowing they have to submit assignments in algebra or history gives students an incentive to keep
up with these subjects. In college most homework consists of studying; very little of it is written
and turned in. If students do their homework, it is to their advantage; if they do not, the teachers
will not force them to do it. The student is only wasting his own money if he neglects his course
work. The third and last difference between high school and college is their attendance policies.
In high school, students must attend class to get assignments and personal help in a certain area.
Furthermore, high school students are less responsible; therefore, they need more guidance, which
they can receive by going to class. In college, students may skip classes if they choose and refer to
the syllabus to acquire missed assignments or tests. It is the student’s responsibility to make work
up. In spite of these differences between high school and college, they both serve the same
purpose -- to prepare an individual for the real world.

Life now and life five years ago

My life now and my life five years ago are similar but there are also some major differences.
Five years ago,I was living in Havre and going to high school. I didn’t have to work because my
parents supported me. I went to school everyday and spent time with my friends. I babysat my
nieces everyday after school because both of my parents were working at the time. I had the
responsibility of feeding them and making sure nothing happened to them while I was watching
them. I didn’t really have any major goals five years ago. I wasn’t really thinking about my
future quite yet. On the other hand, now I live in Great Falls and I’m not in high school anymore.
I have to work now in order to support myself. I only work twenty hours a week because I’m in
school right now. I have a lot more responsibility now than I did five years ago. I have to take
responsibility for myself now and everything that I do. I have a lot of major goals now. For
instance, I want to graduate and get my two year degree. I want to come back and get a
bachelor’s degree. I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish now. Five years ago, I really
wasn’t going anywhere with my life, but now I’m starting to get my life in order and deciding
what I want to do. In addition,I am still living at home with my parents and I still go to school. I
still baby sit my nieces every once in a while. I find time to spend with my family and friends. I
still have some of the same responsibilities. I help my mom take care of my oldest niece. She has
always lived witoh us, so I’ve always helped take care of her ever since she was a baby. Even

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though she is not a baby anymore,I still have to baby sit her when my parents are gone because
she is not quite old enough to stay by herself yet. I still have to depend on my parents for
transportation because I don’t have a vehicle right now. My life now has changed a lot in only
five years.

Type 5: OPINION PARAGRAPH

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 - To state your opinions about a topic.

ORGANIZATION

 Introduction: topic sentence: background information + your opinion

 Body: Supporting sentences

- Idea/reason/explanation/opinion 1

- idea/reason/explanation/opinion 2

- idea/reason/explanation/opinion 3…

 Conclusion: concluding sentence

- restating the point of view

- give comments if there are

useful structures for introduction:

For the general statement:

• The issue of… is a subject of much controversy

• The question of … remains controversial

• Whether or not… is an open-ended source of debate

• The idea that… provokes controversies

• Some people argue that… Others hold that….

• On the one hand… On the other hand…

WRITING TOPICS

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1. Students should not be required to take physical education courses.
Do you agree or disagree?

2. What do you do to stay healthy?

3. What are the benefits and drawbacks of modern technology?

4. Participating in team sports helps to develop good character. What

is your opinion?

5. Living in the city or living in the countryside, which do you

prefer?

6. What is your favourite means of transportation?

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