Early Bird Writing. Week of April 16/19

About sentences, try this link:
http://www.geocities.com/fifth_grade_tpes/complete.html

Types of sentences: interrogative (?), declarative (.), exclamatory and imperative) (!).
Link:

http://www.geocities.com/fifth_grade_tpes/excl_inter.html


TOPIC SENTENCE

Every paragraph needs a topic sentence. The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of the paragraph. It gives the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about.


The supporting sentences needs to be about the idea presented in the topic sentence. In a paragraph, every sentence should "belong". It should give the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about.
Here is an example of a proper paragraph with supporting sentences:


I had a wonderful summer. First, I started sleeping in every day. I would then go swimming with my friends. I stayed up late watching TV a lot, and I went to camp for a week. I wished my summer would never end!

What is the topic sentence? (Ask yourself what the paragraph is about.)


"I had a wonderful summer" is the topic sentence. Everything else supports that idea. The final sentence is the concluding sentence. It sums up what the author wants to communicate in the paragraph. "I wished my summer would never end!".

Here is an example of a paragraph that has a sentence that doesn't quite fit in. Try to find it!

Regardless of what some people may think, the desert is a beautiful place. The blossoming wildflowers in the spring are a joy to see. Spectacular sunsets delight the eye. Sometimes I go swimming. The occasional quail or roadrunner dart across the sandy roads. It is a unique experience.

What doesn't belong?

"Sometimes I go swimming" has nothing whatsoever to do with the topic sentence that states that the desert is a beautiful place. Get rid of it!

PARAGRAPH ABOUT WHY I WANT TO LEARN ENGLISH

There are three reasons why I want to learn English. One reason is that English has become an international language. It is now used by most international companies, including the company where I work, for business communication. Another reason why I want to learn English is so that I can travel to English-speaking countries. The United States, England, Australia and many other countries all use English as their primary language. Finally, I want to learn English because I plan to move to the U.S. in the future. I will become a manager for my company soon. For all these reasons, I am very excited about learning English.

ALL ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF A PARAGRAPH
http://english-zone.com/writing/para-strctr.html