DevelopinganInstancesandExamplesParagraph

Inawriter'sownwords:Don'ttellmethemoonisshining;showmetheglintoflighton
brokenglass.
AntonChekhov

Inourdailyconversations,weoftenprovideexamplesthatisdetails,particulars,specific
instancestoexplainstatementsthatwemake.Backingupyourstatementswithclear,specific
illustrationsisthekeytoasuccessfulexamplesparagraph.

Readthefollowingparagraphs.Thenunderlinethetopicsentence,specificexamples,and
transitionsineachparagraphbeforeansweringthequestions.

Ineachcase,theexampleshelpusseeforourselvesthetruthofthestatementthathasbeen
made.Inparagraphs,too,explanatoryexampleshelptheaudiencefullyunderstandapoint.
Lively,specificexamplesalsoaddinteresttoapaper.

Thisweekinyourwritingassignment,youwillbeaskedtoprovideaseriesofexamplesto
supportatopicsentence.Providingexamplestosupportapointisoneofthemostcommonand
simplestmethodsofparagraphdevelopment.Firstreadtheparagraphsbelow;theybothuse
examplestodeveloptheirpoints.Thenanswerthequestionsthatfollow.

ParagraphstoConsider

InconsiderateDrivers

Somepeopleareinconsideratedrivers.Inthecity,theywillattimesstoprightinthemiddleof
thestreetwhilelookingforacertainhomeorlandmark.Iftheyhadanyconsiderationforthecars
behindthem,theywouldpullovertothecurbfirst.Otherdriverswillbechattingontheircell
phonesandthenslowdownunexpectedlyatacityintersectiontomakearightorleftturn.The
leasttheycoulddoisusetheirturnsignalstoletthosebehindthemknowinadvanceoftheir
intention.Onthehighway,acommonexampleofinconsideratenessisnightdriverswhofailto
turnofftheirhighbeams,creatingglareforcarsapproachingintheotherdirection.Ineveruse
thehighbeamsonmycar.Otherrudehighwaydriversmovetothesecondorpassinglaneand
thenstaythere,makingitimpossibleforcarsbehindtogoaroundthem.Yetotherdriverswho
actasiftheyhavespecialprivilegesarethosewhodonotwaittheirturninbottlenecksituations
wherethecarsintwolanesmustmergealternatelyintoonelane.Perhapsthemostinconsiderate
driversarethosewhothrowtrashouttheirwindows,creatinglitterthattakesawaysomeofthe
pleasureofdrivingandthatmustbepaidforwitheveryone'staxdollars.

OfficePolitics

Officepoliticsisadestructivegameplayedbyseveraltypesofpeople.Forinstance,two
supervisorsmaygetintoaconflictoverhowtodoacertainjob.Insteadofworkingoutan
agreementlikeadults,theycarryonapowerstrugglethatturnsthepooremployeesunderthem
intohumanPingPongballsbeingswattedbetweentwoangryplayers.Anothercommon
exampleofofficepoliticsistheambitiousworkerwhotakescreditforotherpeople'sideas.Heor
shewillchatina"friendly"fashionwithinexperiencedemployees,gettingtheirideasabouthow
toruntheofficemoresmoothly.Nextthingyouknow,Mr.orMs.IdeaStealerishavinga
closeddoorsessionwiththebossandgettingpromotionpointsforhisorher"wonderful
creativity."Yetanotherillustrationofofficepoliticsisthespy.Thisemployeeactsverybuddy
buddywithotherworkers,oftendroppinglittlecommentsaboutthingsheorshedoesn'tlikein
theworkplace.Thespyencouragespeopletotalkabouttheirproblemsatwork,howtheydon't
liketheirboss,thepay,andtheworkingconditions.Thenthespygoesstraightbackandrepeats
allheorshehasheardtotheboss,andtheemployeesgetblamedfortheir"poorattitude."Afinal
exampleofofficepoliticsispeoplewhogossip.Toooften,officepoliticscanturnaperfectly
fineworksituationintoastressfulone.

AboutUnity

1.Whichsentencein"InconsiderateDrivers"isirrelevanttothepointthatsomepeopleare
inconsideratedrivers?

________________________________________________________________________
AboutSupport

2.In"InconsiderateDrivers,"howmanyexamplesaregivenofinconsideratedrivers?________

3.Afterwhichsentencein"OfficePolitics"arespecificdetailsneeded?

______________________________________________________________________________
AboutCoherence

4.Whatarethefourtransitionwordsorphrasesthatareusedtointroduceeachnewexamplein
"OfficePolitics"?

______________________________________________________________________________

5.Whichparagraphclearlyusesemphaticordertoorganizeitsdetails,savingforlastwhatthe
writerregardsasthemostimportantexample?

______________________________________________________________________________

WhenCharlene,thewriterof"OfficePolitics,"wasassignedaninstancesandexamples
paragraph,sheatfirstdidnotknowwhattowriteabout.

Thenherteachermadeasuggestion.Imagineyourselfhavinglunchwithsomefriends,the
teachersaid.You'retellingthemhowyoufeelaboutsomethingandwhy.Maybeyou'resaying,
IamsomadatmyboyfriendorMynewapartmentisreallygreat.Youwouldn'tstopthere
you'dcontinuebysayingwhatyourboyfrienddoesthatisannoying,orinwhatwayyour
apartmentisnice.Inotherwords,you'dbemakingageneralpointandbackingitupwith
examples.That'swhatyouneedtodointhispaper.
Thatnight,Charlenewasonthetelephonewithherbrother.Shewascomplainingaboutthe
officewheresheworked."SuddenlyIrealizedwhatIwasdoing,"Charlenesaid."Iwasmaking
astatementIhatethepoliticsinmyofficeandgivingexamplesofthosepolitics.IknewwhatI
couldwriteabout!"

DevelopmentThroughPrewriting

Charlenebeganpreparingtowriteherparagraphbyfreewriting.Shegaveherselftenminutesto
writedowneverythingshecouldthinkofonthesubjectofpoliticsinheroffice.

Charlenereadoverherfreewritingandthenspentsometimeaskingquestionsabouther
paragraph."ExactlywhatdoIwantmypointtobe?"sheasked."AndexactlyhowamIgoingto
supportthatpoint?"Keepingthosepointsinmind,sheworkedonseveralscratchoutlinesand
woundupwiththefollowing:

Officepoliticsareruiningtheoffice.

1.Bradleyreportspeople'scomplaints.
2.Melissastealsideas.
3.Peoplegossip.
4.Ms.BennettandMr.Hankinsmakeworkerschoosesides.

Workingfromthisoutline,shethenwrotethefirstdraft.

DevelopmentthroughRevising

Aftercompletingherfirstdraft,Charleneputitasideuntilthenextday.Whensherereadit,this
washerresponse:

"IthinktheparagraphwouldbestrongerifImadeitaboutofficepoliticsingeneralinsteadof
justpoliticsinmyoffice.ThethingsIwaswritingabouthappeninmanyoffices,notjustin
mine.Andourinstructorwantsustotrysomethirdpersonwriting.Also,Ineedtomakebetter
useoftransitionstohelpthereaderfollowasImovefromoneexampletoanother."

Withthesethoughtsinmind,Charlenebeganrevisingherpaper,andafterseveraldraftsshe
producedtheparagraphthatyouread.
It'shardtocriticizeyourownworkhonestly,especiallyjustafteryou'vefinishedwriting.Ifatall
possible,putyourparagraphawayforadayorsoandthenreturntoit.Betteryet,waitadayand
thenreaditaloudtoafriendwhosejudgmentyoutrust.

Readtheparagraphwiththesequestionsinmind:

ExamplesChecklist:TheFourBases

1.Unity
DoesmytopicsentenceclearlystatewhomIamwritingabout,whatthatperson'srelationshipis
tome,andwhatqualityofthatpersonIamgoingtofocuson?

DotheexamplesIprovidetrulyshowthatmysubjecthasthequalityIamwritingabout?

2.Support
HaveIprovidedenoughspecificdetailstosolidlysupportmypointthatmysubjecthasacertain
quality?

3.Coherence
HaveIorganizedthedetailsinmyparagraphintoseveralclearlydefinedcategories?

HaveIusedtransitionalwordssuchasalso,inaddition,forexample,andforinstancetohelpthe
readerfollowmytrainofthought?

4.SentenceSkills
HaveIusedaconsistentpointofviewthroughoutmyparagraph?HaveIusedspecificrather
thangeneralwords?

HaveIavoidedwordinessandusedconcisewording?

Aremysentencesvaried?

HaveIcheckedforspellingandothersentenceskills?

WritingAssignment1

Inthisexamplesparagraph,youwillwritewithaspecificpurposeandforaspecificaudience.
Imaginethatyouareatelevisioncriticforadailynewspaper.Yourjobistorecommendto
viewers,everyday,theprogramsmostworthwatching.You'vedecidedthatthereisnothing
particularlygoodonTVtoday.Therefore,yourplanistowriteaoneparagrapharticleaboutTV
commercials,supportingthispoint:
"Televisionadvertisementsaremoreentertainingthantheprogramstheyinterrupt."Toprepare
forthisarticle,spendsometimewatchingtelevision,takingdetailednotesonseveralads.Decide
ontwoorthreewaysinwhichtheadsareentertaining;thesewayswillbethemainsupporting
pointsinyouroutline.Thenchooseatleastoneadtouseasaspecificexampletoillustrateeach
ofthosepoints.Herearesomeentertainingqualitiesthatmaybeseeninads:

HumorClevernessMusicBeauty

DramaEmotionSuspense

WritingAssignment2

Writeaparagraphthatusesexamplestodeveloponeofthefollowingstatementsorarelated
statementofyourown.

1._____________________isadistractingplacetotrytostudy.

2.Thedailylifeofastudentisfilledwithconflicts.

3.TheInternetcannotalwaysbeatrustedsourceofinformation.

4.Despitemodernappliances,manyhouseholdchoresarestilldrudgery.

5.Oneofmyinstructors,______________,hassomegood(orunusual)teachingtechniques.

6.Wastedelectricityisallaroundus.

7.LifeintheUnitedStatesisfasterpacedtodaythaneverbefore.

8.Violenceontelevisioniswidespread.

9.Today,somepeoplearewearingridiculousfashions.

10.Somestudentshereatdonotcareaboutlearning(orareoverlyconcernedaboutgrades).

Besuretochooseexamplesthattrulysupportyourtopicsentence.Theyshouldberelevantfacts,
statistics,personalexperiences,orincidentsyouhaveheardorreadabout.Organizeyour
paragraphbylistingseveralexamplesthatsupportyourpoint.Savethemostvivid,most
convincing,ormostimportantexampleforlast.

WritingAssignment3

ThedietofmanyAmericansisnothealthy.Weeattoomuchjunkfoodandconsumefartoo
muchcholesterol.Writeaparagraphwithatopicsentencelikeoneofthefollowing:
ThedietoftheaverageAmericanisunhealthy.
ThedietofmanyAmericanfamiliesisunhealthy.
ManyschoolchildreninAmericadonothaveahealthydiet.

WritingAssignment4

WriteaparagraphaboutusingtheInternetasatoolforresearch.Tosupportyourargument,
provideexamplesofspecificsitesthatyoufounduseful.Whatkindsofinformationhasthe
Internetmadeavailable?Remembertobespecific.

Source:ExploringWritingbyJohnLangan,copyright2008,pages146156