There are many reasons why I hate my apartment. I moved into my apartment last year. Last year was a terrible year because I lost my job. I’ve been looking for a new job for several weeks. My landlord is not a nice person. Apartments in Boston are too expensive. I’ve never owned a house. I want to move soon. How much does a moving van cost?

There are many reasons why I hate my apartment. First, the windows are small and the apartment is never sunny. I also have noisy neighbors who keep me awake all night. The air conditioner hasn’t been working, so it’s too hot. Finally, there have been cockroaches in my kitchen for at least two weeks. I really want to move!

Do All The Sentences Match The Topic? The Internet is so important in our lives. We can do almost anything online these days. For example, we can go shopping, chat with friends, and watch videos without leaving our home. However, we have to be careful because there are some dangerous people online. The best thing about the Internet is the free information. We can find the answer to any question online. I can’t imagine the world without the Internet!

A Paragraph Is Like A Sandwich Topic sentence Supporting sentences Concluding sentence

Topic Sentence  The topic sentence is the most important sentence because it’s your first taste of the paragraph!  “Property prices in Boston’s Chinatown are increasing, and that’s not a good thing.”  What can I expect from this paragraph?

Supporting Sentences  The supporting sentences are the biggest part of the paragraph, but you don’t want to use TOO MANY.  You also don’t want to use too few.  Your supporting sentences should all match the topic.

Find the Cookie  Property prices in Boston’s Chinatown are increasing, and that’s not a good thing. Chinatown is home to many new immigrants. When immigrants first come to America, they often don’t have much money and need affordable housing. They can then set up small communities where they can support each other as they start a new life in a new country. Eating familiar food from their country may help immigrants feel comfortable. Boston’s Chinatown is in a good location; if immigrants can’t afford to live in Chinatown, they will have to move somewhere else that might not be as good.

Concluding Sentences Chinatown must stay an affordable neighborhood. New immigrants need affordable housing. They also need familiar communities. Finally, they need a good location.

Don’t Repeat The Topic Sentence! Chinatown must stay an affordable neighborhood. New immigrants need affordable housing. They also need familiar communities. Finally, they need a good location. In conclusion, Chinatown must stay an affordable neighborhood.

Restate the Topic Instead Chinatown must stay an affordable neighborhood. New immigrants need affordable housing. They also need familiar communities. Finally, they need a good location. In conclusion, we must keep property prices in Chinatown low.

Write a Topic and Concluding Sentence 1. _________. Most importantly, you actually own a condo instead of just renting it. This means you’re not paying a landlord money. On top of that, you can make more changes to your condo and increase its value. When you sell it, you could make a lot of money. All in all, it’s better to save up and buy a condo than rent an apartment. 2. Apartments are a better housing option for most people these days. First of all, they are more affordable. Secondly, it’s easier to move out of an apartment because you don’t have to worry about selling it. Lastly, most repairs are the responsibility of the landlord. ______________.

Write 3 Supporting Sentences  BCNC is a great place to study English.

Creating an outline is an excellent way to plan writing.

Signal Words Listing order signal wordsConclusion signal words First, / First of all, Second, / Secondly, Third, / Thirdly, In addition, Moreover, Furthermore, On top of that, Also, Finally, Lastly, To conclude, In conclusion, To sum up, To summarize, In summary, In short, Indeed, All in all,

Peer Review  Look at your partner’s outline:  Are their topics sentences clear? Do they describe the main ideas well?  Do all the supporting sentences match the topic sentence?  Does the concluding sentence restate the topic? Useful starters for concluding sentences: In conclusion, ____ All in all, ______. In summary, _____. Indeed, ______.

 I agree that we learn more by struggling with difficult tasks.  Retrieval practice like quizzes and flashcards is definitely very useful.  Praising people’s process is a good idea.  I’m sure that your effort makes a bigger difference than your talent.  I love the idea that we can learn anything.  I think some people really are smarter than other people.  We are all born with different strengths and weaknesses.  In the same way, we all have different kinds of intelligence.  For example, my cousin has always been good at math, but I haven’t.  Even when I study hard, I can’t do math problems as quickly as her. There are many things about these articles that I agree with. However, I disagree a little bit that no one is born smart.  I’m going to praise people’s effort more.  It’s so easy to say, “You’re so smart!” but I’ll try to stop.  I’m going to stop being so nervous about tests.  I will use every test as an opportunity to improve myself.  Finally, I’ll make sure to try hard at everything I do so that I can learn more. After reading these articles, I’m going to change some of my habits.

There are many reasons why cats are the best pets. The Best Pet

 First of all, cats are the cutest animals in the world.

 Secondly, they are independent, which means even very busy people can take care of them.

 In addition, they are clean because they groom themselves.

 Finally, cats are excellent companions.

 Studies have shown that cats help lower our stress and make us feel happy.

 In conclusion, I hope you will consider adopting a cat and making a new friend!