What is a Paragraph? Paragraph  a group of closely related sentences that develop a central idea.  is a series of sentences that are organized and coherent, and are all related to a single topic.

Example Paragraph Cats make better pets than dogs. First, it is because cats do not require as much attention as dogs. My first dog would follow me around the house and constantly jump on me until I pet him. When I got a cat, there were times when I only see her during a feeding. Because elevated needs of dogs, cats are a better option when considering a pet.

Unity in the Paragraph  oneness of idea.  all sentences of that paragraph develop the main idea. Composition a) Topic SentenceTopic Sentence b) Supporting DetailsSupporting Details c) Clinching SentenceClinching Sentence

Topic Sentence  main idea of the paragraph.  topic + controlling idea *Topic *Controlling Idea -- subject of the paragraph -- evaluation of the topic

Example: Cats make better pets than dogs. Controlling Idea Topic GO BACK

Supporting Details  help develop or expand the main idea in the topic sentence. 2 Types a) Major Details b) Minor Details -- explain the topic sentence -- explain the major details

Example: First, it is because cats do not require as much attention as dogs. My first dog would follow me around the house and constantly jump on me until I pet him. When I got a cat, there were times when I only see her during a feeding. Major Detail Minor Detail GO BACK

Clinching Sentence  may be a restatement of the topic sentence, a summary, or a conclusion based on the supporting sentence.

Example: Because elevated needs of dogs, cats are a better option when considering a pet.