Writing Introductions In the first sentence introduce the

Writing Introductions In the first sentence, introduce the general topic. 2. In the next sentence, narrow the topic down to focus more on the question. 3. Restate the question in your own words, in statement form. 4. Write a concluding sentence that indicates the controlling idea of the essay. This is thesis statement. 1.

Smoking should be banned in all public places Many people are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes. These people like to smoke whenever or wherever they feel the urge for cigarette. However, the smoke from the cigarettes disturbs nonsmokers. Because of that, many nonsmokers would like smoking to be banned from public places. Antismokers provide several reasons for the importance for such a ban.

Compare the advantages of marrying at a young age to marrying at an older age. State and support your preference Marriage is an important step in a person’s life. It is a legal bond between two people and has important social and legal implications. To enter into this bond, a person should have some maturity. To consider the best age to enter into marriage, the advantages of marrying at different ages need to be compared.

Developmental paragraph A young married couple has only few advantages over a couple who marries later. Because they are young, they are not set in their ways. Therefore, they are more flexible in their relationship than older people. Furthermore, they are probably not yet stable financially, so they share the hardships of starting out together. This can be a bond that brings them closer together. A couple that marries at an older age has some important advantages. For one thing, an older couple will tend to have greater emotional stability. They may have more understanding of the difficulties life can bring and thus be more prepared for the ups and downs of married life. By contrast younger people may not have reached their full emotional development and may find that they grow apart due to interests and friendships developing in different directions. Furthermore, older couples are likely to have greater financial or job security. They may also have better job since they are more likely to have finished higher education and have better job qualifications. This is particularly important for couples who wish to start a family.

Concluding paragraph The advantages of marrying at an older age outweigh those of marrying young. More mature couples, having better job prospects and a more developed understanding, provide a better environment for raising a family. Although there are some advantages to marrying young, in most cases it is probably better for young people to consider putting off their marriage until a later date.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A university education is necessary for success in today’s world. To be successful is most people's goal. Achieving that goal takes hard work and sometimes education or training. However, a university education is really not necessary for success in many cases. The answer to the question of what success is depends on what one’s goals are and the kind of aspirations a person has.

Developmental paragraph For some people success is related to the amount of money earned. Many well-paid jobs are in the area of maintenance or in technical areas. People with skills in construction work, plumbing, or electricity can find wellpaid job without spending many years studying at a university. The people in these jobs have important skills that everyone needs to use at some point in their lives, so these people also have good job security. Other people relate success to job satisfaction. This does not necessarily require a university education. A person wanting to help others may find a satisfying career working with people. One who enjoys nature may find an outdoor job. There are many jobs that are not particularly well-paid nor require a university education but bring satisfaction to those with an interest in a particular area. However, a university education is necessary for people whose goals are to do scientific research or go into different academic fields. These people cannot succeed in their chosen career without getting a university education.

Concluding paragraph In conclusion, people’s goals, whether it is earning money, achieving job satisfaction, or succeeding in academic research, will determine if a university education is necessary. The statement that a university education is a requirement in today’s world if one wishes to be successful is only true for certain people. There are many fulfilling, high-paid jobs that do not require a high academic qualification.

In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic a successful student must have? In order to be successful, a student must have certain characteristics. (The general topic) These characteristics include such qualities as motivation and intelligence. (the sentence narrowing the topic) However, perhaps the most important characteristic of all is diligence. (a statement that focuses on a specific point) Being diligent is an essential characteristic for many reasons. (thesis statement)

In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic a successful student must have? In order to be successful, a student must have certain characteristics. These characteristics include such qualities as motivation and intelligence. However, perhaps the most important characteristic of all is diligence. A person who is diligent works hard in a very careful and steady way. Being diligent is an essential characteristic for many reasons.

Writing topic sentences for your developmental paragraphs 1. One reason a student must work hard is the number of assignments that must be completed. The controlling idea is the number of assignments. 2. Another reason for a student to be diligent is that there are many tests to prepare for. The controlling idea is that there are many tests to prepare for.

Writing supporting ideas 1. One reason a student must work hard is the number of assignments that must be completed. A. Reading lots of assignments B. Writing papers C. Doing lab experiments 2. Another reason for a student to be diligent is that there are many tests to prepare for. a. Weekly quizzes b. Midterm exams c. Final exams

Practice in adding details 1. The capital city of my country is … 2. My favourite pastime is reading. 3. It is important for me to score well on the TOEFL test. 4. A long vacation at the beach is a nice way to relax. 5. Habits such as smoking are hard to break. 6. Many bad traffic accidents could be prevented. 7. Modern architecture has its critics as well as its admirers. 8. The suburban shopping mall has taken away a lot of business from city centers.

1. The capital city of my country is the largest and most interesting city in the country. 2. My favourite pastime is reading. I read on the bus, on my way to class, while I am waiting for my friends, and before I go to sleep. 3. It is important for me to score well on the TOEFL test. The university that I want to attend requires that I get a good score. 4. A long vacation at the beach is a nice way to relax. The sound of the water along the shore calms one’s nerves.

5. Habits such as smoking are hard to break. They can be both psychologically and physically addictive. 6. Many bad traffic accidents could be prevented. Had my brother been paying attention to the road instead of changing the CD in the CD player while he was driving, he wouldn’t have crashed into the tree and broken his leg. 7. Modern architecture has its critics as well as its admirers. The Pompidou Centre in Paris is a building that has provoked controversy. 8. The suburban shopping mall has taken away a lot of business from city centers. Many city centers are not bustling with shoppers anymore. Instead, the streets are empty except when workers are leaving or returning to their offices.

Adding details to paragraphs Although seat belts have been shown to save lives, people give a number of reasons for not using them. First, many people think they are a nuisance. Second, many people are lazy. Third, some people don’t believe they will have an accident. Finally, some people are afraid the seat belt will trap them in their car. All of these reasons seem inadequate since statistics show that wearing seat belts saves lives and prevents serious injuries. The paragraph can be improved by adding details to answer the following questions: Why don’t people like seat belts? In what way are people lazy? Why do people think they won’t have an accident? Under what circumstances might people get trapped?

Now read the paragraph with added details. Notice how adding answers to these questions has improved it. Although seat belts have been shown to save lives, people give a number of reasons for not using them. First, many people think they are a nuisance. They say the belt is uncomfortable and inhibits freedom of movement. Second, many people are lazy. For them, it is too much trouble to put on and adjust a seat belt, especially if they are only going a short distance. Third, some people don’t believe they will have an accident because they are careful and experienced drivers. They think they will be able to respond quickly to avoid a crash. Finally, some people are afraid the seat belt will trap them in their car. They feel that if they have an accident, they might not be able to get out of a car that is burning, or they might be unconscious and another person won’t be able to get them out. All of these reasons seem inadequate since statistics show that wearing set belts saves lives and prevents serious injuries.

Adding details to paragraphs When you plant a tree, you are helping your environment in many ways. Your tree will provide a home and food for other creatures. It will hold the soil in place. It will provide shade in the summer. You can watch it grow and someday show your children, or even grandchildren, the tree you planted. What kind of home would the tree provide? What kind of food would the tree provide? What kind of creatures might use the tree? Why is holding the soil in place important? Why is shade important?

When you plant a tree, you are helping your environment in many ways. Your tree will provide a home and food for other creatures. Birds may build nests in the branches. The flowers will provide nectar for insects, and the fruits and nuts may feed squirrels or other small animals. It will hold the soil in place. This will help stop erosion. In addition, your tree will provide shade in the summer. This will give welcome relief on hot days. You can watch it grow and someday show your children, or even grandchildren, the tree you planted.

Airplanes and helicopters can be used to save people’s lives. Helicopters can be used for rescuing people in trouble. Planes can transport food and supplies when disasters strike. Both types of aircraft can transport people to hospitals in emergencies. Helicopters and airplanes can be used to provide medical services to people who live in remote areas. In what situations do people need rescuing by helicopters? What kinds of disasters might happen? What kinds of emergencies may require people to be transported to hospitals? How can helicopters and airplanes be used to provide medical services for people in remote areas?

Airplanes and helicopters can be used to save people’s lives. Helicopters can be used for rescuing people in trouble. For example, when a tall building is on fire, people sometimes escape to the roof, where a helicopter can pick them up. Passengers on a sinking ship could also be rescued by helicopter. Because planes can carry heavy loads, they are useful in transporting food and supplies when disasters strike. Both types of aircraft can transport people to hospitals in emergencies. Getting a victim of an accident or heart attack to a hospital quickly could save the person’s life. Helicopters and airplanes can be used to provide medical services to people who live in remote areas. They can also be used as a kind of ambulance service in cases where getting to the hospital by car would take too long.

W-20. The following are possible questions to stimulate details Even though airplanes are fast and comfortable, I prefer to travel by car. When traveling by car, I can look at the scenery. Also, I can stop along the road. Sometimes I meet interesting people from the area I am traveling through. I can carry as much luggage as I want, and I don’t worry about missing flights. What kind of scenery do you like? Why would you want to stop along the road? Where and when have you met interesting people on your travels? How much luggage can you carry on airplanes? Why don’t you have to worry about missing flights?

Even though airplanes are fast and comfortable, I prefer to travel by car. When traveling by car, I can look at the scenery. Living in a country where there a different variety of geographical speciation I have a great opportunity to enjoy looking at gorgeous mountains, boundless steppe, and beautiful lakes and rivers. And I can stop along the road to breathe delectable odor of these places and admire the scenery. However, the most important thing is that I can stop whenever and wherever I want. Sometimes I meet interesting people from the area I am traveling through. Once I met a person who had been living alone in the mountains for the past 20 years, and was not even aware that the Soviet Union had already collapsed and we had the President. I can carry as much luggage as I want which is impossible to do if you travel by plane, and I don’t worry about missing flights as I am the one to control the timetable of my route.

Practice with conclusions To write an effective concluding paragraph, follow these steps: 1. Restate thesis statement in different words. 2. Restate the topic sentences from the developmental paragraphs. 3. State your opinion or preference, make a prediction, or give a solution. 4. Conclude with a statement that sums up the essay.

Restating thesis statement The original thesis statement was: Being diligent is an essential characteristic for many reasons. The restated thesis statement could be: In conclusion, students have good reasons for being diligent.

Restating the topic sentences of the developmental paragraphs The original topic sentences were: One reason a student must work hard is the number of assignments that must be completed. Another reason for a student to be diligent is that there are many tests to prepare for. These topic sentences could be restated as follows: Students must complete a large number of homework assignments and study for many exams.

Writing a concluding statement The general topic and specific topic of the essay was: In order to be successful, a student must have certain characteristics. Perhaps the most important characteristic is diligence. The concluding statement could be: It is very important that a student develop the characteristic of diligence if he or she wished to succeed at studying.

Improving your concluding paragraph 1. 2. 3. 4. Have I restated thesis statement from my introductory paragraph? Have I restated the topic statement from my developmental paragraphs? Have I concluded by repeating the topic of the essay? Can I improve my conclusion by using pronoun references, rephrasing key words, and using connecting words?

The concluding paragraph for the example essay about the importance of diligence is: Students have good reasons for being diligent. Students must complete a large number of homework assignments and study for many exams. It is very important that a student develop the characteristic of diligence if he or she wished to succeed at studying. This paragraph could be improved by using pronoun references and connecting words and by changing words and phrases to avoid repetition: In conclusion, students have good reasons for being diligent. They must complete a large number of homework assignments and study for many exams. Thus, it is of utmost importance that students develop this characteristic if they wish to succeed in their studies.