Elements of a Paragraph & Essay

Topic Sentences

Examples of effective topic sentences written by ESL students:

•First, you can see obvious differences between eating at home and eating in a restaurant.

•True love is not extinct

•American people are proud of their country.

•The U.S. is a great country to live in, but there is a very big problem: low quality of life.

•Even though I have been teaching for 30 years, it is still a difficult job.

•In addition, the U.S. and Colombia have different customs.

•Your working environment can affect the way you concentrate.

•Restaurants differ from cafes because in various aspects.

•In all my days as a student, I have never chosen for myself what I wanted to do.

Examples of ineffective topic sentences:

•I was a teacher in Korea.

•Colombia and the U.S. are two different countries.

•In New York you can go to many different restaurants or parks.

•Scientific studies have examined the relationship between coffee consumption and medical conditions.

•First of all I want to give a significant example of how television programs lead to violence.

•My sister is the most important person in my life, but she is not only my sister, she is also my friend, my shoulder, my teacher and my example to follow

•There are many reasons why my mother is the person who has most influenced my life, but now I will just mention some.

•Now, there are so many endangered species in the world

The small town of Kearny, NJ has a diverse population. Early in the 1900s it used to be a primarily Scottish and Irish town. As time passed, more Europeans came to Kearny, Portuguese and Italian, for instance. Then, in the late 1970s through the early 1980s, a high influx of Latin Americans first made their arrival into town. These immigrants were predominantly Peruvian, but there was a healthy share of Ecuadorians, Colombians and Brazilians. Presently, the town is comprised of 75% white Europeans and 25% Latin Americans. There is also a small percentage of African-Americans, Indians, and Chinese residing in Kearny. 38% of the people are foreign-born and roughly 20% of those own their own business. All in all, the town of Kearny is represented by more than 20 different nationalities from more than 5 continents, definitely a melting pot.

Although I’ve lived in many cramped apartments, one particular apartment really stands out. One of the reasons that it was cramped was because so many people lived there. All in all, we were 6 people. Besides myself, there were also my father, my three brothers, and my sister. However, there were actually as many animals as people! Six cats, and one lazy yellow labrador. You could imagine there was hardly a space to walk. As soon as you entered the apartment, you found yourself in a cell-like foyer; halved on one side by a walk-in closet, and on the other side by a couch functioning as a make-shift bed. My sister slept there. You squeezed your way through the foyer and into the living room. The living room, actually, was quite open-spaced. Five windows outlined the perimeter. A couch was against the east wall and a too large for the room entertainment unit was placed on the opposite wall. The northern wall was home to a similarly over-sized computer desk on one side, and a gargantuan antique china cabinet on the other side. The southern wall was quite picaresque as two of the windows gave a nice view down the street. However, with everyone having to congregate in that one room—animals included—it left little room to maneuver. Even more so come night with everyone sleeping on the floor, inches between them, wrapped in blankets like tightly compacted tv dinners. In summary, this was the most invasive apartment I’ve ever lived in.

Making running a part of your lifestyle can bring you both physical and psychological benefits. First of all, running just three times a week at a slow pace for 45 minutes helps you to lose weight. You need to burn at least 500 calories to lose one pound of weight, something that can be done with 45 minutes of slow running. Second, daily running improves your cardiovascular health leaving you less susceptible to a heart attack or stroke in the future. Another physical benefit is an increase in leg strength. As you run, you build the muscles in your calves and thighs. Besides the physical benefits, there are noticeable psychological benefits, such as a general feeling of well-being and alleviation of depression. Many runners also report feeling a runner’s high, which sets in when endorphins from the brain are released as a cause of running, giving one a sense of euphoria. In conclusion, there are a wealth of physical and psychological benefits to be had from running.

Supporting Sentences

The small town of Kearny, NJ has a diverse population. Early in the 1900s it used to be a primarily Scottish and Irish town. As time passed, more Europeans came to Kearny, Portuguese and Italian, for instance. Then, in the late 1970s through the early 1980s, a high influx of Latin Americans first made their arrival into town. These immigrants were predominantly Peruvian, but there was a healthy share of Ecuadorians, Colombians and Brazilians. Presently, the town is comprised of 75% white Europeans and 25% Latin Americans. There is also a small percentage of African-Americans, Indians, and Chinese residing in Kearny. 38% of the people are foreign-born and roughly 20% of those own their own business. All in all, the town of Kearny is represented by more than 20 different nationalities from more than 5 continents, definitely a melting pot.

Although I’ve lived in many cramped apartments, one particular apartment really stands out. One of the reasons that it was cramped was because so many people lived there. All in all, we were 6 people. Besides myself, there were also my father, my three brothers, and my sister. However, there were actually as many animals as people! Six cats, and one lazy yellow labrador. You could imagine there was hardly a space to walk. As soon as you entered the apartment, you found yourself in a cell-like foyer; halved on one side by a walk-in closet, and on the other side by a couch functioning as a make-shift bed. My sister slept there. You squeezed your way through the foyer and into the living room. The living room, actually, was quite open-spaced. Five windows outlined the perimeter. A couch was against the east wall and a too large for the room entertainment unit was placed on the opposite wall. The northern wall was home to a similarly over-sized computer desk on one side, and a gargantuan antique china cabinet on the other side. The southern wall was quite picaresque as two of the windows gave a nice view down the street. However, with everyone having to congregate in that one room—animals included—it left little room to maneuver. Even more so come night with everyone sleeping on the floor, inches between them, wrapped in blankets like tightly compacted tv dinners. In summary, this was the most invasive apartment I’ve ever lived in.

Making running a part of your lifestyle can bring you both physical and psychological benefits. First of all, running just three times a week at a slow pace for 45 minutes helps you to lose weight. You need to burn at least 500 calories to lose one pound of weight, something that can be done with 45 minutes of slow running. Second, daily running improves your cardiovascular health leaving you less susceptible to a heart attack or stroke in the future. Another physical benefit is an increase in leg strength. As you run, you build the muscles in your calves and thighs. Besides the physical benefits, there are noticeable psychological benefits, such as a general feeling of well-being and alleviation of depression. Many runners also report feeling a runner’s high, which sets in when endorphins from the brain are released as a cause of running, giving one a sense of euphoria. In conclusion, there are a wealth of physical and psychological benefits to be had from running

UnityAll sentences relate directly to the topic sentences main idea and discuss

only this one idea throughout the paragraph

All supporting sentences directly explain or prove the main idea

My first day in America was horrible

My country is a great place to be.I love AmericaI lost my visa

The day before I left my country my girlfriend broke up with meI couldn’t understand the language

I didn’t know anyoneAll I could think about was my girlfriend

Video games negatively affect children

Playing video games produces good hand-eye coordinationPlaying video games strengthens the thumb muscles

Video games keep the children in the house rather than having them socialize outsideVideo games make kids not want to study

Even though video games have a lot of negative effects, there are some positive ones.

It’s easy to make a caipirinha if you follow these steps

Buy some cachaçaA caipirinha is a typical Brazilian drink

Mix some limes and a lot of sugar with the cachaçaA caipirinha costs 8.00

Shake it very wellYou must shake all mixed drinks very well

CohesionKey Word Repetition & Substitute

Transition signals

Logical Organization

Key Word Repetition/Substitution

The small town of Kearny, NJ has a diverse population. Early in the 1900s it used to be a primarily Scottish and Irish town. As time passed, more Europeans came to Kearny, Portuguese and Italian, for instance. Then, in the late 1970s through the early 1980s, a high influx of Latin Americans first made their arrival into town. These immigrants were predominantly Peruvian, but there was a healthy share of Ecuadorians, Colombians and Brazilians. Presently, the town is comprised of 75% white Europeans and 25% Latin Americans. There is also a small percentage of African-Americans, Indians, and Chinese residing in Kearny. 38% of the people are foreign-born and roughly 20% of those own their own business. All in all, the town of Kearny is represented by more than 20 different nationalities from more than 5 continents, definitely a melting pot.

Although I’ve lived in many cramped apartments, one particular apartment really stands out. One of the reasons that it was cramped was because so many people lived there. All in all, we were 6 people. Besides myself, there were also my father, my three brothers, and my sister. However, there were actually as many animals as people! Six cats, and one lazy yellow labrador. You could imagine there was hardly a space to walk. As soon as you entered the apartment, you found yourself in a cell-like foyer; halved on one side by a walk-in closet, and on the other side by a couch functioning as a make-shift bed. My sister slept there. You squeezed your way through the foyer and into the living room. The living room, actually, was quite open-spaced. Five windows outlined the perimeter. A couch was against the east wall and a too large for the room entertainment unit was place on the opposite wall. The northern wall was home to a similarly over-sized computer desk on one side, and a gargantuan antique china cabinet on the other side. The southern wall was quite picaresque as two of the windows gave a nice view down the street. Although, with everyone having to congregate in that one room—animals included—it left little room to maneuver. Even more so come night with everyone sleeping on the floor, inches between them, wrapped in blankets like tightly compacted tv dinners. In summary, this was the most invasive apartment I’ve ever lived in.

Making running a part of your lifestyle can bring you both physical and psychological benefits. First of all, running just three times at a slow pace for 45 minutes helps you to lose weight. You need to burn at least 500 calories to lose one pound of weight, something that can be done with 45 minutes of slow running. Second, daily running improves your cardiovascular health leaving you less susceptible to a heart attack or stroke in the future. Another physical benefit is an increase in leg strength. As you run, you build the muscles in your calves and thighs. Besides the physical benefits, there are noticeable psychological benefits, such as a general feeling of well-being and alleviation of depression. Many runners also report feeling a runner’s high, which sets in when endorphins from the brain are released as a cause of running, giving one a sense of euphoria. In conclusion, there are a wealth of physical and psychological benefits to be had from running.

Transition Signals

Making running a part of your lifestyle can bring you both physical and psychological benefits. First of all, running just three times at a slow pace for 45 minutes helps you to lose weight. You need to burn at least 500 calories to lose one pound of weight, something that can be done with 45 minutes of slow running. Second, daily running improves your cardiovascular health leaving you less susceptible to a heart attack or stroke in the future. Another physical benefit is an increase in leg strength. As you run, you build the muscles in your calves and thighs. Besides the physical benefits, there are noticeable psychological benefits, such as a general feeling of well-being and alleviation of depression. Many runners also report feeling a runner’s high, which sets in when endorphins from the brain are released as a cause of running, giving one a sense of euphoria. In conclusion, there are a wealth of physical and psychological benefits to be had from running

The small town of Kearny, NJ has a diverse population. Early in the 1900s it used to be a primarily Scottish and Irish town. As time passed, more Eupopeans came to Kearny, Portuguese and Italian, for instance. Then, in the late 1970s through the early 1980s, a high influx of Latin Americans first made their arrival into town. These immigrants were predominantly Peruvian, but there was a healthy share of Ecuadorians, Colombians and Brazilians. Presently, the town is comprised of 75% white Europeans and 25% Latin Americans. There is also a small percentage of African-Americans, Indians, and Chinese residing in Kearny. 38% of the people are foreign-born and roughly 20% of those own their own business. All in all, the town of Kearny is represented by more than 20 different nationalities from more than 5 continents, definitely a melting pot.

Although I’ve lived in many cramped apartments, one particular apartment really stands out. One of the reasons that it was cramped was because so many people lived there. All in all, we were 6 people. Besides myself, there were also my father, my three brothers, and my sister. However, there were actually as many animals as people! Six cats, and one lazy yellow labrador. You could imagine there was hardly a space to walk. As soon as you entered the apartment, you found yourself in a cell-like foyer; halved on one side by a walk-in closet, and on the other side by a couch functioning as a make-shift bed. My sister slept there. You squeezed your way through the foyer and into the living room. The living room, actually, was quite open-spaced. Five windows outlined the perimeter. A couch was against the east wall and a too large for the room entertainment unit was place on the opposite wall. The northern wall was home to a similarly over-sized computer desk on one side, and a gargantuan antique china cabinet on the other side. The southern wall was quite picaresque as two of the windows gave a nice view down the street. Although, with everyone having to congregate in that one room—animals included—it left little room to maneuver. Even more so come night with everyone sleeping on the floor, inches between them, wrapped in blankets like tightly compacted tv dinners. In summary, this was the most invasive apartment I’ve ever lived in.

Logical Organization

Making running a part of your lifestyle can bring you both physical and psychological benefits. First of all, running just three times at a slow pace for 45 minutes helps you to lose weight. You need to burn at least 500 calories to lose one pound of weight, something that can be done with 45 minutes of slow running. Second, daily running improves your cardiovascular health leaving you less susceptible to a heart attack or stroke in the future. Another physical benefit is an increase in leg strength. As you run, you build the muscles in your calves and thighs. Besides the physical benefits, there are noticeable psychological benefits, such as a general feeling of well-being and alleviation of depression. Many runners also report feeling a runner’s high, which sets in when endorphins from the brain are released as a cause of running, giving one a sense of euphoria. In conclusion, there are a wealth of physical and psychological benefits to be had from running

physical

psychological

Although I’ve lived in many cramped apartments, one particular apartment really stands out. One of the reasons that it was cramped was because so many people lived there. All in all, we were 6 people. Besides myself, there were also my father, my three brothers, and my sister. However, there were actually as many animals as people! Six cats, and one lazy yellow labrador. You could imagine there was hardly a space to walk. As soon as you entered the apartment, you found yourself in a cell-like foyer; halved on one side by a walk-in closet, and on the other side by a couch functioning as a make-shift bed. My sister slept there. You squeezed your way through the foyer and into the living room. The living room, actually, was quite open-spaced. Five windows outlined the perimeter. A couch was against the east wall and a too large for the room entertainment unit was placed on the opposite wall. The northern wall was home to a similarly over-sized computer desk on one side, and a gargantuan antique china cabinet on the other side. The southern wall was quite picaresque as two of the windows gave a nice view down the street. However, with everyone having to congregate in that one room—animals included—it left little room to maneuver. Even more so come night with everyone sleeping on the floor, inches between them, wrapped in blankets like tightly compacted tv dinners. In summary, this was the most invasive apartment I’ve ever lived in.

Inhabitants

Layout

The small town of Kearny, NJ has a diverse population. Early in the 1900s it used to be a primarily Scottish and Irish town. As time passed, more Europeans came to Kearny, Portuguese and Italian, for instance. Then, in the late 1970s through the early 1980s, a high influx of Latin Americans first made their arrival into town. These immigrants were predominantly Peruvian, but there was a healthy share of Ecuadorians, Colombians and Brazilians. Presently, the town is comprised of 75% white Europeans and 25% Latin Americans. There is also a small percentage of African-Americans, Indians, and Chinese residing in Kearny. 38% of the people are foreign-born and roughly 20% of those own their own business. All in all, the town of Kearny is represented by more than 20 different nationalities from more than 5 continents, definitely a melting pot.

Chronological order

Essay Introductions

Unique story

Humorous story

Interesting statistics

General Information

Unique or Dramatic Story

First the windows began to rattle. Then the floor beneath our feet began to move. A moment later, the light fixture above the dining table began to swing back and forth, and we heard glass breaking, walls cracking, and books and other objects falling to the floor. We had just experienced a 6.1 earthquake. It had lasted less than a minute, but the damage was terrible. This earthquake made it clear to our family that we needed to prepare better for the next one.

Interesting Statistics

On average, a male college graduate earns about 800,000 more during his lifetime than a male high school graduate, and a female college graduate earns about 600,000 more than a female high school graduate. What’s more, high school graduates are becoming twice as likely as college students to become unemployed. It is clear that a college education brings good financial rewards, but there are other benefits as well. A college education is a good investment for four reasons.

General InformationHistorical Background

The Pilgrims who arrived in Massachusetts in 1620 came to find religious freedom. In the 17th century and 18th centuries, large members of African men and women were brought as slaves to work on plantations in the South. Immigrants from northern and southern Europe came in the early 19th century to escape poor economic conditions. Later in the same century, the first immigrants from China came as contract laborers to build the railroads connecting East and West. In the century just past, political and economic refugees arrived from Vietnam, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Indeed, immigrants gave come to the U.S. from many different parts of the world, and they have come for different reasons. Their ability to adjust to life in their adopted land has depended on several factors.

Thesis StatementsLast sentence of the introduction

States the main idea of the entire essay

Is not an announcement of your intentions

Essay Conclusions

Offer a piece of advice

Summarize important information

Offer a warning

Offer a prediction