NOTE: To change the image on this slide, select the picture and delete it. Then click the Pictures icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. THE DEFINITION PARAGRAPH Subtitle

What is a definition paragraph ? The definition paragraph is a definition sentence which has been expanded into a paragraph. The definition sentence becomes the topic sentence. Each category is expanded into major supporting sentences, and minor supporting sentences are added.

 The topic sentence will be a dictionary definition.  It can be created by using the following formula: term + class + description  For example, Lemonade (term) is a type of drink (larger class) that is made from lemons, sugar and water and ice (description).

 You could then follow this topic sentence (definition) with supporting sentences that explain how lemonade is used or served.  For example, you could discuss how lemonade is a warm weather drink served at outdoor parties.  Or how some people serve warm lemonade in winter or use it to soothe sore throats.

 When writing a definition paragraph, you take a thing or an idea and explain what it is. Example: Write a paragraph giving the definition of a pest. The following words can help you to write a good definition paragraph: 1. "is defined as" Example: A pest is defined as any animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property.paragraph  2. "is a kind of" Example: A pest is a kind of animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property.

Example Paragraphs Gossip. According to The American Heritage Dictionary, gossip is a “trivial rumor of a personal nature,” but this definition makes gossip sound like an activity that is harmless. At first, gossip might not seem so bad. One person tells a second person something about someone, and that second person tells a third, and so on. The information passes from person to person. However, gossip is much more than just information and rumor. As the rumor continues, it grows and changes. People do not know all the facts. They add information. As gossip goes from one person to the next, the damage continues, and the person who is the subject of the gossip can’t do anything to answer or protect himself or herself. Celebrities and regular people suffer from the negative effects of gossip. For example, a current celebrity might lose custody of her children due to gossip that is currently circulating about her. For these reasons, gossiping is a bad habit.

In-Class Writing  Choose one of the following words to define in a paragraph:  Freedom- Kindness - Gravity  Global Warming- Plagiarism - a Zoo

Example Student Paragraph