Building a paragraph

When you write a paragraph, it helps to plan its three parts before you start. First, decide the one main idea you want to make — this becomes your topic sentence. Next, think of two or three pieces of evidence, examples or reasons that support it — these become your supporting sentences. Finally, write a sentence that sums up the idea or leads into what comes next.

Key terms

Topic sentence:

The sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph.

Supporting sentence:

A sentence that gives detail, reasons or examples.

Concluding sentence:

The sentence that wraps up a paragraph.

Questions

1. 1. Before writing a paragraph, it helps to first decide:

   • The page number
   • The one main idea
   • The font
   • The title of the book

2. 2. The topic sentence becomes the paragraph's:

   • Main idea
   • Last word
   • Page number
   • Random detail

3. 3. Supporting sentences should include:

   • Evidence, examples or reasons
   • Unrelated facts
   • Nothing at all
   • Only questions

4. 4. How many main ideas should one paragraph usually have?

   • Zero
   • One
   • Five
   • As many as possible

5. 5. A concluding sentence can lead into:

   • What comes next
   • A totally new essay
   • Nothing
   • The title

6. 6. "Regular exercise is important for teenagers" is an example of a:

   • Supporting sentence
   • Topic sentence
   • Concluding sentence
   • Title

7. 7. Planning a paragraph before writing helps you:

   • Write with less structure
   • Stay focused on one idea
   • Avoid using sentences
   • Skip the topic sentence

8. 8. "It improves both physical health and mood" is an example of a:

   • Topic sentence
   • Supporting sentence
   • Concluding sentence
   • Heading

9. 9. A good number of supporting sentences for a short paragraph is about:

   • Zero
   • Two or three
   • Twenty
   • One hundred

10. 10. If a sentence doesn't support the topic sentence, the best fix is to:

    • Leave it exactly where it is
    • Remove it or move it to a better paragraph
    • Make it the new title
    • Repeat it twice

11. 11. A concluding sentence should:

    • Introduce a brand new unrelated idea
    • Sum up the paragraph's idea
    • Contain no information
    • Always ask a question

12. 12. Which sentence order is correct for a well-planned paragraph?

    • Concluding, supporting, topic
    • Topic, supporting, concluding
    • Supporting, topic, concluding
    • There is no correct order

13. 13. Planning your topic sentence first mainly helps the reader:

    • Know what the paragraph will be about
    • Guess randomly
    • Skip the paragraph
    • Ignore the supporting sentences

14. 14. Which is the best supporting sentence for "Reading regularly builds vocabulary"?

    • "My favourite colour is blue."
    • Readers meet new words in context all the time.
    • "Paris is in France."
    • "I have a pet cat."

15. 15. Read: "Pets bring companionship to their owners. Dogs especially enjoy walks and play. I had cereal for breakfast." Which sentence breaks the paragraph's focus?

    • "Pets bring companionship to their owners."
    • "Dogs especially enjoy walks and play."
    • "I had cereal for breakfast."
    • None of them

16. 16. A paragraph giving three reasons should ideally:

    • Introduce the reasons in the topic sentence, then support each one
    • Give three unrelated topic sentences
    • Skip a topic sentence entirely
    • List the reasons with no structure at all

17. 17. A concluding sentence that just repeats the topic sentence word-for-word is generally considered:

    • The strongest possible ending
    • Weak, since it adds nothing new
    • Required in every paragraph
    • Against the rules of English

18. 18. Planning supporting sentences in advance mainly helps avoid:

    • Running out of paper
    • Wandering off the main idea partway through
    • Using capital letters
    • Using full stops

19. 19. Which is the best topic sentence for a paragraph about the benefits of libraries?

    • "Libraries offer many benefits to a community."
    • "For example, they lend books for free."
    • "In conclusion, visit your library."
    • "Books are printed on paper."

20. 20. A well-planned essay is made up of paragraphs that:

    • Each cover one idea and connect logically to the next
    • Repeat the same idea in every paragraph
    • Have no link to each other at all
    • Contain exactly one word each