Writing Expository Paragraphs State Standards a1

Students will be able to: 1.Explain the purpose of expository paragraphs 2.State how expository paragraphs are developed 3.Write an expository paragraph Objective:

Expository An expository paragraph informs, explains or defines the topic.

Expository Format Expository paragraphs are developed with facts, statistics, examples, or a combination of these.

Expository Format cont’d Expository paragraphs should be direct and unemotional in tone; objective rather than subjective.objectivesubjective

Example Subjective: When I lost my book bag full of schoolbooks and notes, I learned the hard way that people have got to have identification on their luggage, book bags, and other important stuff. Objective: To ensure that luggage, book bags, and other valuables can be properly identified and returned if they are lost, tag all such valuables with your name, address, and telephone number.

Use of Expository Paragraphs Expository paragraphs are used when you are trying: (click screen) To explain how to do something, To explain what something means, To provide information about the topic.

Development Because the purpose is to inform or explain, develop expository paragraphs or essays with: (click screen) Facts Statistics Examples

Facts/Stats A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true Example: There are 52 weeks in a year.

Select the statements that are not factual. A.Football is the best sport. B.Margaret Craven wrote I Heard The Owl Call My Name. C.Salmon is in Idaho. D.Reading is a better activity than writing. Check answer Practice

Facts/Stats A statistic is a numerical fact that summaries large quantities of data. Example: Nearly 200 million children under the age of five – 40 percent of all of the children this age – lack sufficient nutrition to develop properly.

Practice From the list of statistics and topics provided, write a paragraph that uses statistics for support. Use a separate sheet of paper to write your paragraph. Statistics: 46 percent of the public thinks athletes are paid too much. 55 percent thinks ticket prices are too high. 29 percent would go to games regardless of the price. 65 percent movie prices are too high 87 percent go to films for the special effects 65 percent of movie goers always buys popcorn. Topics: Professional sports. Movie attendance. Check answer

Examples Examples are items or instances that represent others of the same kind. Examples help show your ideas to the reader. Example: Music comes in many types and styles, but Rock has been popular for many generations. The music of Bon Jovi, Queen and David Bowie represent the kind of rock listened to by the older generation, while groups like Third Eye Blind, Blink 182 and Sheryl Crowe are listened to by today’s youth. The groups mentioned in the above paragraph are examples of the types of rock music different groups of people listen to.

Practice Write a paragraph on one of the topics provided, using three examples to help show your ideas to the reader. Topics: Hunting as an important revenue for Salmon Cruising Main Street as harmless fun for teens Lessons to be learned from the movie Monsters, Inc. Good dishes Italian cooking has contributed to the U.S. Check answer

Summary Expository paragraphs inform or explain the topic. Expository paragraphs use facts, statistics or examples to support the topic. Expository paragraphs are written in a direct and unemotional tone (objective); take yourself out of the paragraph (subjective).

Terms Objective – neutral; removing your opinion or emotional words from the sentence. Subjective – biased; stating your opinion or using emotional wording to create a tone or mood.

Using facts and statistics to support your topic. Attending a professional sporting event is getting cost prohibitive for the average fan. Fifty-five percent of the public thinks ticket prices are too high. However, for some die- hard sports fans, the ticket price is irrelevant. Twenty-nine percent of the public said they would go to games regardless of the price. The statistic supports the sentence above it. People attend movies for a variety of reasons. Eighty-seven percent of the public say they go to movies for the special effects. Movie attendance Professional sports The statistic supports the sentence above it. Return Your paragraph will differ, but you should have at least one statistic to support your topic sentence.

Using examples for support Hunting is an important revenue source for Salmon. Most hunters stay at hotels which brings money into the local economy. They also eat at restaurants. Finally, they buy gas and hunting supplies; all of which brings money into Salmon. Spending money at hotels, restaurants, gas stations and sports stores for hunting supplies all show how hunting benefits Salmon. Cruising Main Street is a harmless activity for teenagers. Cruising allows teens an opportunity to visit friends after school and on weekends. Cruising also keeps teens out of trouble because they are visible to the public. Finally, it encourages social interaction. Visiting friends, staying out of trouble and social interaction all support the topic by example.

Using examples to support your topic. People can learn a lot from the movie Monsters, Inc. For example, loyalty is one theme of the film and is demonstrated when Mike comes back to save Sulley from Randall near the end of the movie. Another thing to learn is that laughter is better for the world than being frightened as shown by how much more energy laughter provided than did the frightened screams. Finally, Sulley teaches us to always do the right thing regardless of the cost. He had to choose between saving Boo and losing Mike’s friendship. Sulley chose to do what he felt was right, even though he would lose Mike’s friendship. Three different examples help illustrate the main point – what we can learn from the movie. Return

Fact or not? A. Football is the best sport. D. Reading is a better activity than writing. These two items are opinion. They cannot be proven as true, unlike the other two items. Return