Lesson 3 - Effective paragraphs

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vmbo t, mavo
• Leerjaar 3

Lesson 3 Effective paragraphs

1. To start: Creating a LessonUp account.
2. Recap: What do you remember from the last two lessons
3. How: Effective paragraphs
4. Work: Can I improve the review I wrote before the holiday?

Goals

• You know how to write a clear paragraph.
• You know what a topic sentence is.

Enter my LessonUp class

• Go to lessonup.app
• enter this code: mbpee
• log in using your microsoft 365-account
• (this is your school e-mail)

Recap

What do you still remember about a review?

What is the aim/goal of a review?

1. To summarize
2. To give an opinion
3. To convince the reader

Which of these devices do you use in the review introduction?

1. Name of the director
2. Very short plot summary
3. Genre of the work
4. All of the above

Body of a review

comparisons to other movies and books

information about the actors

Likes and dislikes

memorable scenes

special filming techniques

previous work of the director

What do you always need to end your review with?

Why use paragraphs?

Use them to organize...

1. Ideas
2. Information

• The reader can more easily read and understand

Example: grocery store

• The store is broken down into sections
• Sections are clearly labeled

• If there were no labels, you would get lost every time

In writing - sections

Paragraph: part of the text that groups ideas together

Contains 2 things:

1. Topic sentence - the main idea of the paragraph
2. Supporting details - support the main idea

In writing -  topic sentence

Topic sentence - the main idea of the paragraph

• All sentences that follow should relate to the same subject.
• At the start of your paragraph.
• Does not have to be the first sentence in your paragraph.

Example paragraph

Which sentence is the topic sentence, which states the subject of her paragraph?

1. My name is Cecilia Barnes, and I have lived in Shelby County for over 35 years.
2. I strongly urge the city council to reconsider eliminating the #71 bus line.
3. Without it, we will have to leave our homes 60 minutes earlier and arrive home that much later.
4. Might running smaller, more cost-efficient busses during off-peak hours be possible rather than cutting service?

In writing -  supporting details

Supporting details - support the main idea

Example - a job interview

• "I think I'm the perfect person for this job!"
• You need evidence to back up that claim.
• Use the evidence to convince your reader that you are right.

Michelle is writing an email to convince her company that replacing current company cars with hybrids would be a good financial and environmental investment.

Which fact best helps her make her case?

1. Options for choosing a hybrid vehicle were limited in the past, but now most manufacturers offer a wide range of styles and colors.
2. The upfront cost of hybrid cars will be earned back by the long-term savings in fuel costs and tax breaks.
3. Hybrid cars are becoming increasingly popular. Many celebrities drive hybrid cars.

"The Dodgers have the best chance of winning the World Series this year."

Which of these details would best support this statement?

1. They have by far the coolest uniforms in the National League.
2. They’re from Los Angeles, and I have a cousin who lives out there.
3. Their starting pitcher won the Most Valuable Player award last year.

Unified paragraphs

A paragraph on one topic with clearly connected sentences.

• All sentences belong there.
• If a sentence is not about the topic, delete it.
• Your main idea is clear.
• All other details support your main idea.
• Your details are clear. If they confuse you, they will confuse the reader.

Practice

"On an application for a small business loan, Ernesto has to write one paragraph to explain why the bank should give him money for his flower shop."

• In order to have a strong, unified paragraph, which of these statements should he keep in his application?
• Which should he delete?

"I have experience running a small business; I have managed my uncle’s flower business for over 15 years."

1. Keep
2. Delete

"I coached my son’s soccer team to win the state championship last year."

1. Keep
2. Delete

"My business will be the only shop of its kind in the area—a one-stop wedding service offering cakes, flowers, tuxedo rentals, invitations, and much, much more."

1. Keep
2. Delete

"If I receive the loan, I will be able to secure a showroom on W. High Street, the highest traffic shopping area in town."

1. Keep
2. Delete

"I have talked to other shop owners on W. High Street, and in their opinion, business is better than ever."

1. Keep
2. Delete

"I was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by my classmates at Woodrow Wilson High School."

1. Keep
2. Delete

Improving a paragraph

• Take a look at the review you wrote before the holiday.
• Open a new Word document.
• Copy one of your body paragraphs.
• Paste it twice in the new document.

Improving a paragraph

Improve the second copy of your paragraph, does it have?

• A clear topic sentence?
  
• Good supporting details for your claim?
  
• Relevant information on the topic you wrote on?

Finished? Improve the rest of your review or add details.

Next lesson

Tomorrow: deadline cooking assignment

Review structure in the Life book.

Improving your movie review.