UNIT 4 (Week 4)

Paragraph
Structure
(Body Paragraph)
 INTRODUCTIO
N
General Statement
Thesis Statement

PARAGRAPH BODY

I. Topic sentence 1
TOPIC SENTENCE A. Supporting point 1

ESSAY
B. Supporting point 2
a) Support
b) Support
. II. Topic sentence 2
c) Support A. Supporting point 1
B. Supporting point 2
CONCLUDING
SENTENCE III. Topic sentence 3
A. Supporting point 1
B. Supporting point 2

CONCLUSION

Restatement/summary of the
main points; final comment
Paragrap
h
A group of related sentences that
discuss one main idea
5-12 sentences long
May stand by itself
BODY PARAGRAPH

INTRODUCTI
I. Topic Sentence 1:
ON
A. Supporting Point 1:
1. Supporting detail:
2. Supporting detail:
a. Elaboration
b. Elaboration
BODY
B. Supporting Point 2:
1. Supporting detail:
2. Supporting detail:
a. Elaboration
Concluding Sentence
CONCLUSION
 I. Topic Sentence 1:
A. Supporting Point 1:
1. Supporting detail:
2. Supporting detail:
a. Elaboration:
b. Elaboration:
B. Supporting Point 2:
Visual Framework 1. Supporting detail:
a. Elaboration:
of an Outline b. Elaboration:

II. Topic Sentence 2

A. Supporting Point 1:
1. Supporting detail:
2. Supporting detail:
a. Elaboration:
b. Elaboration:
B. Supporting Point 2:
1. Supporting detail:
a. Elaboration:
Topic Sentence
A complete sentence that states the main idea of the
paragraph.

Limits the topic to ONE specific area.

Controlling idea: A part of the topic sentence that

announces the specific area to be discussed.

Topic Topic + Controlling

Sentence Idea
e.g.

Lack of experience and skills among

graduates lead to their
unemployment.

Lack of experience

Topic Cont and skills

rollin
Reason for Idea g
Graduates
Unemployment
3 important points of a topic sentence:
(Usually positioned as the first sentence in a paragraph-
-not always-)

i. A topic sentence is a complete sentence

subject and predicate.
- One factor of graduates unemployment
is the attitude of graduates when seeking job.
ii. A topic sentence contains both a topic and
iii. a controlling idea.

- One factor of graduates unemployment is

the attitude of graduates when seeking jobs.

iii. TS - The most general statement in the

paragraph
- Gives only the main idea
- NO specific details
Supporting
Sentence

- Develop the topic sentence

- Explain/prove the topic sentence by giving
more information about it
Eg.
Generally, there is a trend that most employers have high preference
to recruit graduates with experience. The work environment now
requires graduates to have some work experience to ensure that
employers sustain their economic competitiveness (IKIM, March 2013).
They need for more work-related experience through practical training.
Moreover, fresh graduates need to compete with other less educated
candidates, yet with years of work experiences. In addition, the
organizations today prefer graduates with essential skills required in
the labor markets. The employers focus on employability skills.
However, according to the Minister of Human Resources, more than
65% of female graduates in this country are unemployed because they
lack social and communication skills in addition to a poor command of
English and low levels of self confidence (New Straits Times, 2007).
Besides, technical skills are also important for graduates to secure an
employment. Nevertheless, there is a skills gap between skills required
by employers and the skills acquired by the graduates.
 Example of a paragraph Topic Sentence

Lack of experience and skills among graduates lead to their

unemployment. Generally, there is a trend that most employers have
high preference to recruit graduates with experience. The work
environment now requires graduates to have some work experience
Supporti to ensure that employers sustain their economic competitiveness
(IKIM, March 2013). They need for more work-related experience Supporti
ng Points
through practical training. Moreover, fresh graduates need to ng
compete with other less educated candidates, yet with years of work Details
experiences. In addition, the organizations today prefer graduates
with essential skills required in the labor markets. The employers
focus on employability skills. However, according to the Minister of
Human Resources, more than 65% of female graduates in this
country are unemployed because they lack social and
communication skills in addition to a poor command of English and
low levels of self confidence (New Straits Times, 2007). Besides,
technical skills are also important for graduates to secure an
employment. Nevertheless, there is a skills gap between skills
required by employers and the skills acquired by the graduates.
Concluding Sentence

Purpose?

- Signals the end of the paragraph

- Leaves the reader with important
points to remember
How?

- By summarizing the main points

- By repeating the topic sentence in
different words
 End of paragraph
signals followed by a End of paragraph
comma signals NOT followed
_________________________________________ by a comma
_________________________________________

-Finally,
-In brief, - The evidence
suggests that
-In conclusion,..
- There can be no
-Indeed,
doubt that..
-In short,
- These examples
-Lastly, show that..
-Therefore, - We can see that..
-Thus,
Eg.
By repeating the topic sentence

In short, the majority of local graduates are unemployed due to

lack of work experience and crucial skills required by the
employers in the labor markets.

By summarising the main points

We can see that, one reason contributes to the unemployment rate

among Malaysian graduates is the graduates do not have the suitable
work-related experience and they are weak in technical skills as well
as employability skills especially proficiency in English, which meet the
needs of the industry.
Controlling Idea A Body Paragraph Outline

I. Lack of experience and skills among graduates lead to their unemployment.

A. Generally, there is a trend that most employers have high preference to recruit graduates with
experience.
1. The work environment now requires graduates to have some work experience to ensure
that employers sustain their economic competitiveness (IKIM, March 2013).
a. They need for more work-related experience through practical training.
2. Moreover, fresh graduates need to compete with other less educated candidates, yet with
years of work experiences.
B. In addition, the organizations today prefer graduates with essential skills required in the labor
markets.
1. The employers focus on the employability skills.
a. However, according to the Minister of Human Resources, more than 65% of female
graduates in this country are unemployed because they lack social and communication
skills in addition to a poor command of English and low levels of self confidence
(New Straits Times, 2007).
2. Besides, technical skills are also important for graduates to secure an employment.

In short, the majority of local graduates are unemployed due to lack of work experience and crucial
skills required by the employers in the labor markets.