Practise
Paragraph writing
A good body paragraph does four jobs, in this order. Once you know them, starting a paragraph gets much easier.
Every body paragraph has four layers
①TOPIC SENTENCE
States the point of this paragraph in one clear sentence. Everything else must connect back to it.
②SUPPORTING SENTENCE
Explains why or how your point is true. Show the steps: what leads to what?
③EVIDENCE / EXAMPLE
Backs up the point with a concrete fact, figure or example: names, numbers, places.
④CLOSING SENTENCE
Draws a consequence or links to the next paragraph. Never just repeat the topic sentence.
An annotated example
TOPIC SENTENCESUPPORTING SENTENCEEVIDENCE / EXAMPLECLOSING SENTENCE
Social media can be very harmful to teenagers' mental health. Apps like Instagram and TikTok are full of edited photos and perfect-looking lives. When young people see this every day, they start to believe that their own lives are not good enough, which makes them feel unhappy and insecure. A 2017 report by the Royal Society for Public Health ranked Instagram as the most harmful social media platform for young people's mental health and body image. If platforms do not do more to protect young users, these problems will only get worse in the future.
Strong closings
Draw a consequence
"Schools must act before the problem gets worse."
Link forward
"The economic impact is only part of the picture."
Reinforce the point
"The cost of fast fashion can no longer be ignored."
Weak closings to avoid
"So, as I said, social media is bad for self-esteem."
Just repeats the topic sentence
"Also, the government should invest more in education."
Introduces a new idea – that's the next paragraph
"…and that is why this is an important topic."
Vague filler – says nothing
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