FROM PARAGRAPH TO ESSAY

REVIEW POINTS: In a unified paragraph, all the sentences relate to and develop the topic sentence. In an organized paragraph, all the sentences flow smoothly and are in a logical order. Beginning with a Paragraph Read the following paragraph by a student about her older brother. Then answer the questions. When I think of someone I look up to. I think of my brother. Although my name for my brother shows respect and we are very attached to one another, our behavior doesn't always show that. My brother has very short brown hair because he's in the military. Before he went to training camp in San Diego, he helped ne a lot with my homework. My brother didn't just help me with schoo, though. I respect and love my brother so much. Cathy Lai Questions: 1. What is the main idea of the paragraph? 2. How does the writer develop her main idea? 3. In order to expand this paragraph into an essay, which points can the writer expand? Where can the writer provide more information? 4. Does the paragraph seem unified and organized to you?

THE ESSAY New Points: Parts of an Essay In an essay, the writer states a main idea and develops that idea in more than one paaragraph by explaining, describing, comparing, retelling an event, or using a combination of these writing techniques.
An essay includes an introduction, the main discussion (the body), and a

conclusion. The main idea for the entire essay is called the thesis statement. PARTS OF AN ESSAY: As we learned about a paragraph we studied its various parts. The following diagram shows how these relate to the parts of an essay.
PARAGRAPH TOPIC SENTENCE + BRIDGE SENTENCE 1 + Example SENTENCE 2 + Example SENTENCE 3 CONCLUSION ESSAY INTRODUCTION + THESIS STATEMENT FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH = Idea 1 SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH = Idea 2 THIRD BODY PARAGRAPH = Idea 3 CONLUSION

EXPANDING A PARAGRAPH TO AN ESSAY Think about the following questions and then answer them after you finish reading the essay. 1. 2. 3. 4. What parts of the essay are the same or similar to the paragraph? What parts of the essay are new? Where were these new parts added? Can you identify any of these new parts as : A) description, B) retelling and event, C) comparing, D) writing about feelings? 5. Why were the new parts added?

Now read how Cathy expanded her paragraph into an esssay and respond to the questions above. When I think of someone I loo up to, I think of my brother. His name is Joe, but I never call himthat. I always say Brother in Chinese because he is older than I am, and that is the way I show him respect and we are very attached to one another, our behavior doesn't always show that. My brother has very short brown hair because he's in the military. His gold- framed glasses and small brown eyes go with his hair and give the impression that he's more organized, more efficient, and more serious than he really is. I used to see him every day, but now, since he joined the Marine Corps, I only see him on weekends. Healways wears his uniform when I see him now, and he sort of smells like corn starch. Before he went to training camp in Sand Diego, he helped me a lot with my homework. Homework was hard for me because I was a slow learner. I wouldn't have passed many tests and quizzes without his help. And although my grades weren't as good as his, he was always proud of me when I came home with passing scores. When we walked home from school together, he would always say, Good job! Get the same grade next time or I'll beat you up! Of course I said No way! and hit him He'd hit me back, and we'd go running all the way home trying to catch each other. When he left for training camp, I felt sort of empty. My brother doesn't know it ,but he taught me a valuable lesson by leaving. I had to work on my own and learn to be independent. I wish he were still living with us and bothering me like always. But by leaving, he showed me I can work by myself and learn what I need to know to continue my education. My brother didn't just help me with school, though. I remember one summer when I was 10 and he was 17. The weather was unusually hot, and I started to feel itchy all over my body. I started to scratch. In no time, I got hives. Hives are these big bubbles on your skin. My brother helped me with so many things. He got me organe juice, lotion, and spray bottle filled with water to stop the itchig. He even bought me ice cream to cool me down. He set up the fan to blow in my face and changed the channels on the TV for me. By the end of the day, the hives were almost gone. I said thanks to him. He said, Shh! I'm watching something on TV. I threw a pillow at him and laughed. My brother likes to act tough. He doesn't talk much and he seems very serious, but I think he would do anything to help me. I respect and love my brother so much.