Lecture 9: The paragraph – Unity and Coherence ELS - Writing Lecture 9: The paragraph – Unity and Coherence 1

Schedule today The paragraph: review of the three elements in a paragraph structure + Writing practice Unity and Coherence

Repetition: The three parts of a paragraph ?

The three parts of a paragraph All paragraphs have: A topic sentence Supporting sentences (some also have a) concluding sentence

1. Topic sentences Content: Gives the main idea what the paragraph is going to be about TOPIC (What?) + CONTROLLING IDEA (limits the scope/range of your topic) A complete sentence: Subject + Verb No unrelated controlling ideas (cf. next slide)

IMPORTANT The topic sentence may not have controlling ideas that are unrelated. For example: Too many ideas: Indie films are characterized by experimental techniques, low production costs and provocative themes. Good: Independent films are characterized by experimental techniques.

2. Supporting sentences Content: Explain or prove the topic sentence through: Statistics Quotations and paraphrases (cf. previous lectures) Examples: are the easiest kind to use because you can often take examples from your own knowledge without having to consult the internet for supporting materials. They also make writing lively and interesting, and your reader is more likely to remember your point if you support it with a memorable example

2. Supporting Sentences: Exercises Cf. Handouts week 8 and 9 Exercise 1 – WEEK 8 (exercise of the supporting details) Exercise 2 – HANDOUT WEEK 9

Although we all possess the same physical organs for sensing the world – eyes for seeing, ears for hearing, noses for smelling, skin for feeling, and mouths for tasting – our perception of the world depends to a great extent on the language we speak, according to a famous hypothesis proposed by linguists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf. They hypothesized that language is like a pair of eyeglasses through which we ‘see’ the world in a particular way. A classic example of the relationship between language and perception in the word snow. Eskimo languages have as many as 32 different words for snow. For instance, the Eskimos have different words for falling snow, snow on the ground, snow packed as hard as ice, slushy snow, wind-driven snow, and what we might call ‘cornmeal snow’. The Aztec languages of Mexico, in contrast, used only one word to mean snow, snow, cold, and ice. Thus, if the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is correct and we can perceive only things that we have words for, the Aztec perceived snow, cold and ice as one and the same phenomenon.

3. The concluding sentence Content: A concluding sentence serves two purposes: It signals the end of a paragraph It leaves the reader with the most important ideas to remember. It can do this in two ways: By summarizing the main points By repeating the topic sentence in different words

3. The concluding sentence A paragraph does not always need a concluding sentence For single paragraphs, a concluding simple is useful to the reader because it is a reminder of the important points. Not needed in multi-paragraph essays

3. The concluding sentence: End-of-paragraph signals You may want to begin your concluding sentence with one of these signal words: Finally, in brief, in conclusion, indeed, in short, lastly, therefore, thus, to sum up Or (without a comma) The evidence suggests that, There can be no doubt that, These examples show that, We can see that See exercise page 8 and 9 (handout week 8) See exercise page 2 (handout week 9)

Review: The paragraph writing practice Choose one of these topics (or which ever topic that might interest you personally): movies, your home town, advertising, cell phones Write a paragraph 8 – 10 sentences in length Step 1. Begin with a topic sentence. Write several supporting sentences. Include at least one specific example. End with a concluding sentence Step 2. After you have completed the first draft of your paragraph, use the self- editing worksheet. Answer the questions on it and write a second draft if necessary. Step 3. Exchange papers with a classmate and check each other’s paragraph using the Peer-editing worksheet. Step 4. Write a final copy of your paragraph, making any improvements you discussed with your peer-editor. Step 5. Hand in your first draft, your second draft and the page containing your two editing worksheets.

Unity and Coherence

Unity 1) Means that a paragraph discusses one and only one main idea from the beginning to the end. E.g. if your topic sentence is about the advantages of owning a microwave – use only that. Do not discuss the disadvantages. Each time you discuss an advantage, you begin a new paragraph. Sometimes it is possible to discuss them in the same paragraph, but only if the advantages are closely related

Unity 2) Every supporting sentence must directly explain or prove the main idea. E.g. in a paragraph about the high cost of food in Prishtina, you could mention buying food outside of Prishtina as an alternative, but if you write several sentences about buying food outside of the city, you are getting off topic, and your paragraph will not have unity Exercises PART 2 handout week 9 – starting from page 5

Coherence Means “hold together.” For coherence in writing, the sentences must hold together; that is, the movement from one sentence to the next must be logical and smooth. There are four ways to achieve coherence: Repeat key nouns (instead of a pronoun if the meaning is not clear). Use consistent pronouns. (next week) Use transition signals to link ideas. (next week) Arrange your ideas in logical order.

A. repeat key nouns The easiest way to achieve coherence is to repeat key nouns frequently in your paragraph. Read the model paragraph about gold to see how it uses this technique to smooth the flow of sentences. The key noun in this paragraph is gold. Circle all pronouns that refer to it.

Coherence (1) ‘Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. (2) First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. (3) Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. (4) Gold never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. (5) For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago. (6) Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. (7) For many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications, such as photography and dentistry. (8) The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. (9) Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection when they go outside spaceships in space. (10) In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

Coherence Further exercises on coherence: next week  B. Consistent pronouns C. Transition signals D. Logical order