Paragraph and Essay Writing
Paragraph and Essay Writing
Composition closes the English subject and gives 4 to 5 questions, asked as format and structure rather than as writing to be produced. A teacher writes on a board every day, so the paper tests whether you know how a piece of writing should be built.
The Paragraph
A paragraph develops one idea. Three parts define it.
- Topic sentence — states the main idea, usually first.
- Supporting sentences — explain, illustrate or give evidence.
- Concluding sentence — rounds off or links to what follows.
Three qualities are asked by name. Unity means one idea only. Coherence means the sentences follow logically. Cohesion means they are linked by connectives and pronouns. A paragraph can be coherent in thought yet lack cohesion in wording, which is why the two terms are separate.
✗ A paragraph may cover two or three related ideas | ✓ One paragraph develops exactly one idea — that is unity
The Essay
| Part | What it does | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | States the subject and the line to be taken | 10 to 15 per cent |
| Body | Develops the argument, one idea per paragraph | 70 to 80 per cent |
| Conclusion | Draws the threads together; no new argument | 10 to 15 per cent |
The rule most often tested is that a conclusion introduces nothing new. A new point in the last paragraph is a structural fault, however good the point.
Kinds of Essay
- Narrative — tells a story, usually in chronological order.
- Descriptive — presents a person, place or scene through sensory detail.
- Expository — explains a subject or process, using facts.
- Argumentative or persuasive — defends a position and answers the opposing view.
- Reflective — explores an abstract idea such as courage or patience.
The argumentative essay is the one that carries an extra requirement: it must acknowledge the counter-argument before answering it. An essay that only states its own side is incomplete as argument, and that point is asked.
Planning and Linking
A plan made before writing is what produces coherence. Five minutes of planning saves fifteen of repair.
| Purpose | Connectives |
|---|---|
| Adding | moreover, besides, in addition, furthermore |
| Contrasting | however, nevertheless, on the contrary, whereas |
| Cause and effect | therefore, consequently, hence, as a result |
| Illustrating | for instance, for example, namely |
| Concluding | in short, to sum up, on the whole |
These are the same connectives that guide you through an unseen passage in the comprehension chapter. Reading them and writing them are the same skill in two directions, which is why the two chapters reinforce each other.
एक अनुच्छेद में एक ही विचार — यही unity है।
TRE pointer: Composition is worth 4 to 5 questions and is tested as structure and format, not as writing. The unity, coherence and cohesion trio is asked by name, and so is the rule that a conclusion adds nothing new. Since you are being recruited to teach writing, expect questions framed around what a teacher should correct in a pupil's paragraph. With −1/3 negative marking, these are rule questions and therefore fully answerable.
60-Second Recap
- A paragraph develops one idea: topic sentence, support, conclusion.
- Unity is one idea; coherence is logical order; cohesion is the linking words.
- An essay runs introduction, body and conclusion, with the body carrying most of it.
- A conclusion introduces no new argument.
- Narrative, descriptive, expository, argumentative and reflective are the five kinds.
- An argumentative essay must answer the opposing view, not ignore it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between coherence and cohesion?
Coherence is logical order, so the ideas follow each other sensibly. Cohesion is the surface linking, achieved through connectives, pronouns and repeated key terms. A paragraph can be logically ordered yet read disjointedly if the linking words are missing.
Can a conclusion introduce a new point?
No. The conclusion draws together what the essay has already argued and gives it a final shape. Introducing a new argument there is a structural fault, because the reader is given no space to consider it. This rule is tested directly.
How long should each part of an essay be?
Roughly ten to fifteen per cent for the introduction, seventy to eighty for the body and ten to fifteen for the conclusion. The body carries the argument, one idea to a paragraph, so an essay with a long introduction and a thin body is badly proportioned.
What must an argumentative essay include?
A clear position, evidence for it, and an acknowledgement of the opposing view before answering it. An essay that states only its own side is incomplete as argument, however well written. This requirement distinguishes argumentative from expository writing.