How to write a paragraph

How do I write a paragraph? How can I begin? Well first of all, let's start by brainstorming ideas about the subject. Brainstorming is an writing technique we use to get all out thoughts out of our heads and onto paper. You can either write all these ideas out in a list, or use a “mind map” technique which your instructor will showyou.

　　Pre-writing

　　1. Write down your topic sentence. Remember that the topic sentence is the sentence which tells the reader what the paragraph will be about. It is a rather general statement, but is a point which can be discussed in one paragraph.

　　2. Make a list of all the things which come to mind about the subject.

　　3. For the moment, forget about grammar, structure, spelling, punctuation or order of ideas.

　　4. Keep writing things down until you have no more ideas.

　　In the following example, the writer put down several ideas about Los Angeles, in no particular order, without worrying about grammar, spelling or other mechanical issues.

　　Topic sentence: Los Angeles is a pleasant place to live.

　　1. great climate

　　2. tall buildings downtown

　　3. sunny

　　4. beaches are close

　　5. diverse multicultural population

　　6. a lot of smog

　　7. easy to find an apartment

　　8. gangs and crime

　　9. have to own a car

　　10. easy access to Mexico and Latin America

　　11. close to the mountains

　　12. many colleges and universities to choose from

　　13. the 1984 Olympics were held there

　　Now, the writer goes back over th list of points and decides which to include. Does each point support the topic sentence? Let‘s examine the brainstorming list.

　　1. Los Angeles has a great climate.

　　Will this point support the topic sentence: Los Angeles is a pleasant place to live?

　　? Yes, it will! Good weather certainly influences your opinion about a place. Leave this point in.

　　2. Los Angeles has several tall buildings downtown.

　　Will this point support the topic sentence? Although you may lilke tall buildings, it probably wouldn‘t really be an important factor as far as making Los Angeles a nice place to live.

　　X No, it doesn‘t really support the topic sentence, so leave it out.

　　3. Los Angeles is generally sunny.

　　Will this support the topic sentence? Yes, but we probably don‘t really need this point as we have already covered it under point #1, weather.

　　X Don‘t really need it–leave it out.

　　4. There are many beaches in the Los Angeles area.

　　Does this point support the topic sentence that L.A. is a pleasant place to live?

　　? Yes, it does, as beaches are in general are places which people enjoy going to. Leave this point in

　　Reviewing the rest of the points, numbers 2,3,6,8,9, and 13 were eliminated because they were not points which would really support the topic. It is OK to delete points. Some were negative aspects of the city, which to not add to its level of “pleasantness,” or simply were not very important. The writer decided to combine points number four and eleven, as they are similar.

　　Choosing your supporting points

　　After you have gone through your list of points, list the ones you want to use in your paragraph. Remember that all of them must support the general topic of the paragraph: Los Angeles is a pleasant place to live. Our writer has chosen the following points:

　　1. great climate

　　2. beaches and mountains are close

　　3. many college and universities to choose from

　　4. diverse multicultural population

　　5. good geographical location for visiting the rest of the world

　　The above can be considered major supporting points for the topic sentence: Los Angeles is a pleasant place to live. Now, let‘s do a full outline (or mind map) and list some supporting details for these points. It might look like this:

　　1. Los Angeles is a very pleasant place to live.

　　2. The climate is really great.

　　A. Long, sunny summers

　　B. Never snows, seldom rains

　　C. Never gets below 40 F

　　3. Both the beach and the mountains are within easy access.

　　A. Numerous beaches within a half hour drive from any point in the city

　　B. The mountains are only a two hour drive East, several ski resorts

　　4. There are many colleges and universities to choose from

　　A. Community college system

　　B. Several Cal States and UCs in the area

　　C. Many private colleges

　　5. Diverse multicultural population

　　A. People from all over the world: Latin Americans, Asians, etc.

　　B. Adds to the general culture

　　C. Many great ethnic restaurants

　　6. Good geographical location for visiting the rest of the world

　　A. Good for going to Mexico or Central America by land. Pacific Rim by air

　　B. Many flights from Los Angeles Airport to the rest of the world

　　7. In conclusion, Los Angeles is a city with a lot to offer. In addition to great weather, its geographical location provides access to beaches, mountains, as well as the rest of the world.

　　Writing the paragraph

　　After you have brainstormed your topic and decided on your supporting points and details, you are ready to write the paragraph. Use your outline or mind map as a guide. Here is a sample paragraph about Los Angeles.

　　Los Angeles is a very pleasant place to live. The climate is really ideal. Summers are long and sunny. Winters are very mild; it never snows, rarely rains, and is never colder than 40 F. In addition, both the beach and the mountains are within easy reach. There are numerous beaches located within a half and hour from the city. Several popular ski resorts are only two hours east of Los Angeles in the San Bernardino mountains. Besides recreation, there are also many colleges and universities in the area. There is a large community college system, as well as several campuses from the California State University system, in addition to UCLA. Also, there are a number of private universities to choose from. Another great thing about the city is its diverse multicultural population. People from all over the world, including many Latin American and Asian countries live in Los Angeles. They add to the culture keeping it dynamic and interesting, as well as providing many excellent ethnic restaurants. Finally, Los Angeles is an advantageous geographical location. You can go to Mexico and Central America by land if you want. There are also many flights to the Pacific Rim countries on the other side of the ocean, as well as the flights to the rest of the world. In conclusion, Los Angeles is a city with a lot to offer. In adidition to its great climate, its superb geographical location provides access to beaches and mountains, as well as to the rest of the world.