The English paragraph can be divided into three sections: INTRODUCTION, BODY, and CONCLUSION. The INTRODUCTION briefly states the content of the paragraph and enables a reader to establish his expectation of what is to come. THE BODY is the main part of the paragraph, which is developed sequentially. THE CONCLUSION, the writer summarizes what he has already discussed in the main part and finishes his presentation of the idea. The following paragraph is an example.
Sample Paragraph:
Although the New Testament writers used the popular language of their day, they often achieved great dignity and eloquence. Convinced of the greatness of their message, they often wrote naturally and directly, as earnest men might speak to their friends. Although St, Mark's writing was not necessarily polished, he wrote with singular vigor and economy- St. John struggled with the language until he produced sparse and unadorned prose of great beauty. St. Paul . at his best reached heights of eloquence which some consider unsurpassed in literature. St. Luke, the most brilliant of the New Testament writers, gave us Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son. Taken as a whole, the work of these great Christian writers of the first century has a dignity and splendor all its own. (Donald et al (1978:12)
THE INTRODUCTION is: Although the New Testament writers used the popular language of their day, they often achieved great dignity and eloquence. From this the reader knows that the author will discuss the New Testament as literature rather than as a religious book. In THE BODY, the author comments on each of the writers of the book; the reader learns why the author believes that they achieved dignity and eloquence. In THE CONCLUSION the final sentence of the paragraph-the author repeats the opinion he stated in the introduction, clarifying the point of the paragraph: the work of the Christian writers has a dignity and splendor.
The topic sentence and Supporting