Introduction to Paragraph Structure and Unity

Study Skill 12.1 Introduction to Paragraph Structure and Unity

 

Introductory Activity: Paragraphs in Action

To begin our exploration of paragraph writing, let's read a sample paragraph: 

 Example Paragraph 1

My family plants a garden together each spring.  When the weather gets warm, my mother, sister, brother, and I wake up early and drive to our family’s farm.  First, my uncle and grandfather break up the soil and dig furrows to plant the seeds. Next, we all work together to plant the many vegetables we like to eat.  My sister’s favorite is the cucumber, but my brother likes tomatoes best. My grandmother and I plant beans, squash, and watermelon. Then, my mother brings the garden hose so we can water the seeds.  Finally, we all sit down to eat a delicious picnic and admire the new garden. Planting the spring garden is a special time for my family to be together.

Now let's take a look at another version of this paragraph:

 Example Paragraph 2

My family is my mother, sister, and brother.  My grandmother is also in my family but she lives on a farm.  We like to pick cucumbers, tomatoes, and green beans from her garden.  It is a long drive to the farm but we like to visit every summer. Sometimes we have a picnic.  Everyone loves to grow vegetables in the garden.

Now that you have read these two paragraphs, think about your answers to these questions:

  1. Read the first sentence of each example paragraph. What is the topic of each paragraph based on this sentence?
  2. Read each example paragraph out loud.  Which paragraph sounds the best and flows more smoothly?
  3. Does every sentence in the example paragraph have a connection to the topic?

Introduction to the Concept

A strong paragraph has three important characteristics:  structure, unity, coherence.

  1. Structure includes the topic sentence, the supporting sentences, and the clincher (concluding sentence).  
  2. Unity is achieved by connecting the supporting sentences to the topic.
  3. Coherence is made by using transitions, which are like signposts for the reader.

In Skill 1.1 of this module we will focus on structure and unity. Skill 1.2 of the module will focus on coherence.

Characteristic 1: Structure

You can compare a paragraph to a flower.  How is a flower like a paragraph? Both a flower and a paragraph need structure.  Flowers have a stem, leaves, and a bloom. Your paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a clincher.  Let's explore each of these aspects of structure a bit more.

paragraph structure

Let’s begin our paragraph by creating a strong anchor, just like the roots of a flower anchor it in the soil.  The topic sentence is the anchor of the paragraph. It is usually the first sentence in a paragraph:

Topic + Main Idea = Topic Sentence

Topic Main Idea
What you want to write about

What you will say about your topic

Take a look at Example Paragraph 1. The topic sentence has been highlighted in yellow:

My family plants a garden together each spring.  When the weather gets warm, my mother, sister, brother, and I wake up early and drive to our family’s farm.  First, my uncle and grandfather break up the soil and dig furrows to plant the seeds. Next, we all work together to plant the many vegetables we like to eat.  My sister’s favorite is the cucumber, but my brother likes tomatoes best. My grandmother and I plant beans, squash, and watermelon. Then, my mother brings the garden hose so we can water the seeds.  Finally, we all sit down to eat a delicious picnic and admire the new garden. Planting the spring garden is a special time for my family to be together.

 

Characteristic 2: Unity

The second characteristic of a strong paragraph is unity.  Unity is the act of working together as one unit. Just as the petals work together to create one blossom, the sentences must work together to create one united paragraph.  Unity is created when all the sentences work together to send the same message. As you saw in the supporting sentences above, we can create unity by making sure we have connections to the topic sentence.  

To check for unity look at each supporting sentence and ask yourself these questions:

  1. Is the topic of this sentence the same or similar to the topic sentence?
  2. How is this sentence related to the main idea of this paragraph?

Think about the bloom of a flower.  If the petals do not match, the unity of the bloom is weak.  

multicolor flower

If one sentence in a paragraph is off topic, the unity of the paragraph is weak.  Let’s look at this example below. Can you find which sentence does not fit?

Someday I hope to live near the sea.  The main reason I want to leave on the beach is the relaxing sound of the waves.  Listening to the waves crash against the shore is nature’s lullaby. Another reason having a home near the sea would be perfect for me is that I love to swim.  If I lived near the sea I could go swimming every day. My friend Gabriel knows how to play a song about the beach on his guitar. Anytime I dream about my future, I imagine a home on the seashore.

Did you find the sentence that doesn't belong?

Click on this tab to check your answer

Someday I hope to live near the sea.  The main reason I want to leave on the beach is the relaxing sound of the waves.  Listening to the waves crash against the shore is nature’s lullaby. Another reason having a home near the sea would be perfect for me is that I love to swim.  If I lived near the sea I could go swimming every day. My friend Gabriel knows how to play a song about the beach on his guitar. Anytime I dream about my future, I imagine a home on the seashore.

The highlighted sentence is the one that does not fit. While this sentence mentions the beach, it is not about the author living on the beach as stated in the topic sentence. This sentence is about Gabriel playing a song on his guitar.

Watch

Visit

Special Focus: Writing in a Second Language

If English is not your primary language, you have special challenges when writing in English.  You are not alone. It is a process that requires time, patience, and a lot of hard work. Not everyone understands the challenges you face, but there are many people who have experienced this and can give you wonderful advice.  This video will let you see students at Mizzou who are English language learners and have become strong writers and successful students. They offer insight into what it was like when they first came to Mizzou and the expectations some people, including professors, have about learning to write in English.  You might even see someone from your country in the video!

 Video: Voices of Multilingual Writers at Mizzou

Watch this video to learn more about the writing experiences of international students at Mizzou.

Source: MU Campus Writing Program