Types of Paragraphs

Types of Paragraphs For our purposes, here are the basic types of paragraphs: Descriptive Narrative Exposition Persuasive

Description Series of detailed observations Usually not used by itself, but rather as a part of a whole The challenge is to make it interesting Imagery Sensory details; five senses Similes, metaphors

Description Example When I think of the home town of my youth, all that I seem to remember is dust- the brown, crumbly dust of late summer- arid, sterile dust that gets into the eyes and makes them water, gets into the throat and between the toes of bare brown feet. I don’t know why I should remember only the dust… And so, when I think of that time and that place, I remember only the dry September of the dirt roads and grassless yards of the shanty-town where I lived.

Narrative Tells a story Uses specific details Is not a mere listing of events- it has characters, setting, conflict, and resolution Time and place are usually established Usually chronologically organized

Narrative Example So now on nights when my mother presented her tests, I performed listlessly, my head propped on one arm. I pretended to be bored, and I was. I got so bored I started counting the bellows of the foghorns out on the bay while my mother drilled me in other areas… The next day, I played a game with myself, seeing if my mother would give up on me before eight bellows. After a while, I usually counted only one, maybe two at the most. At last, she was beginning to give up hope.

Exposition Informative/explanatory Can be included incidentally with narrative or descriptive, but can also stand alone. The challenge of writing an exposition paragraph is your credibility – how do I know that you know what you’re talking about? Answer: Citations! (from experts)

Exposition Example Stress is defined as a state of extreme difficulty that causes mental or physical tension. In a recent study, teenagers were shown to experience stress as often as adults. According to the study, the most common causes of stressors to teens include divorce of parents, death of a loved one, loneliness, moving to a new neighborhood, and having difficulty in a social environment. These stressors can greatly change the way teens act in many circumstances.

Persuasive Uses direct approach “Believe me and do it!” Calls reader to action or to take a stand on an important issue More than just opinion is needed; information, analysis, and context must be given to the reader to let him/her make a decision

Persuasive Example Students are currently getting ripped off. Students who spend an average of 10 hours or more on extracurricular activities should receive some kind of academic credit. Most students who are involved in sports, music, journalism, or theater activities are actively learning on a daily basis. They attend practice and events and participate regularly as they would in class. Furthermore, their participation helps them become more responsible and disciplined students. Students are putting forth the effort, and not getting any recognition for their time.