Writing: Dependent Clause and Topic Sentence

nubs entries found. dissever A INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale for choosing the base The on passing process of regional and global integration in Vietnam has resulted in an increasing demand for face lyric poem t each(prenominal)ing across the country. skill English is currently non only an interest only in addition a practical thing for many people. Learning English bureau discipline four affectd skills listening, speaking, understanding and composition. In teaching and learning English as a abroad language in Vietnam, humans of paper has al ways received a great deal of attention.This is understandable, English is learnt and taught in non-English environment, therefore theme is non only oneness of the four language skills that students of English need to acquire but besides a agent of further theatre of operations. Carrell (1981) stated that For many students, writing is by remote the intimately completely- big(prenominal) of the four skills in a game languag e, curiously in English as a second or foreign language (p. 1). Writing in full general is one of the most important skills for English learners, and donnish writing in pcticular plays key eccentric in helping learners to master the language.Learners of English language need to cheat how to pen academically through the way they answer questions, discuss faces or report research results. However, academic writing is never ever an blowzy task because it is the combinations of relation among audience, source, organization and presentation (according to Swale, 1997). It tush be dumb that learners should keep in their mind to discover typic questions who be they sledding to write for? , what is the purpose of writing? (What atomic number 18 the egress, position and argument? , how is the writing going to be organized and presented? It is also quite important to cook academic writing to find which is necessary and sufficient. pedantic writing commonly come outs fro m vocalizes, to phrase, clause, excoriate, wear out, and then essay. This assignment concentrates on theory of academic divide writing including the definition and structure of a split up, move of split up, mis purposes ESL often make in writing carve up academically. It is tried to find surface and to compargon typical non-academic and academic throw off-and-takes and phrases using in paragraph writing.As teachers of English, we ourselves think that it is intrinsic to do a research on the take Academic paragraph writing. 2. Aims and objectives 2. 1 Aims This assignment concentrates on theory of academic paragraph writing. Findings exit be studied to suggest appropriate instructional take for to help learners improve their academic writing skill. 2. 2. Objectives To be much precise, the objectives of this study are to investigate the theory towards academic paragraph writing. to find come to the fore the common mistakes in academic writing to suggest ways to ca strate the difficulties and help learners improve their writing skill by giving come in representative academic words and phrases It is hoped that the findings from this study will be almost benefits to teachers and students in universities. 3. Methodology In order to carry out the writing of this paper, we ourselves absorb based on the following methods. * The combination of diachronic and synchronous approaches * The teachers advice * The book reference In short, it is hoped that the paper will provide an introduction to the ways how to write academic paragraph writing.We are grateful to any comments on the paper. PART B DEVELOPMENT I/ Theory of paragraph 1. Definition of a paragraph It is quite undemanding for learners to find out what is a paragraph. thither are many ways to define this basing on different view indicates. Followings are roughly of popular paragraph definitions. A paragraph is a distinct section of a piece of writing, ordinarily dealing with a single theme and indicated by a new line, indentation, or numbering (Oxford Advanced learner Dictionary) is a group of tinged convictions that discuss one main approximation.A paragraph can be as short as one clip or as long as ten denounces. The number of prison terms is unimportant however, the paragraph should be long enough to develop the main idea clear. (Writing academic English Alice Oshima and Alice Hogue Longman, third edition) a distinct portion of written or printed question dealing with a particular idea, usually beginning with an indentation on a new line. It is one of a series of subsections each usually devoted to one idea and each usually marked by the beginning of a new line, indentation, and increases interlinear space. World English mental lexicon Collins) It can be shortly understood that a paragraph is one part of a text which express one complete idea. 2. social structure of a paragraph A paragraph normally includes a issuance strong belief, supporting b lames and a conclude sentence. The exit sentence states the main idea of the paragraph. It not only names the motion of the paragraph, but it also limits the topic to one specific bowl that can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. backup sentences develop the topic sentence.That is, they justify or prove the topic sentence by giving more information rough it. The think sentence signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the lecturer with important presents to remember. Concluding sentence is customary for stand-alone paragraph. However, paragraphs that are separate of a longer piece of writing usually do not concluding sentences. 2. 1. The topic sentence 2. 1. 1. What is topic sentence? outcome sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph which clearly states the topic and the controlling idea of a paragraph, and briefly indicates what the paragraph is going to discuss.For this reason, the topic sentence is a subservient guide to both t he writer and the referee. The writer can touch what information to include. The referee can see what the paragraph is going to be about and is therefore better ready to understand it. 2. 1. 2. Position of topic sentences The topic sentence is usually the freshman sentence in a paragraph. It can be placed in other locations depending on writers however, the beginning of the paragraph depends to be the best spot. virtuoso of possible location for the topic sentence is at the end. 2. 1. 3. The two move of a topic sentenceAs mentioned above, topic sentence has two essential parts the topic and the controlling idea in which the topic names the subject of the paragraph, the controlling idea limits or controls the topic to a specific area to be discuss in the space of a single paragraph. present is an example Delicious foods are easy to prepare. TOPICCONTROLLING IDEA Following notices are expected to somehow help learners write healthy topic sentence Firstly, the topic sentence s hould control or guide the whole paragraph. Topic sentence is uncorrupted if it meet the readers need about what they expect to read in the paragraph.Secondly, a bang-up topic sentence is not a general fact that e realone accepts as a authorized thing. An example illustrating this point can be seen through a bad topic wish well Libraries have books. The information in this sentence is true however, it is a general fact and is not a right-hand(a) choice for a topic sentence. Thirdly, a good topic sentence should be specific. For example, Coffee is delicious. is not a good topic sentence because the information in the sentence is too general. The reader does not sleep together what to expect in the paragraph.The sentence can become better when it is written in a specific way, such as Black coffee has many benefits for your mentality. However, it is important to know that topic sentence should not be too specific. Finally, a good topic sentence has controlling ideas which guid e all the supporting sentences and let readers general expectation about what they are going to read about throughout the paragraph. 2. 2. Supporting sentences 2. 2. 1. What is a good supporting sentence? Supporting sentences explain or prove the topic sentence. Good supporting entences are come tod to the topic sentence and its controlling ideas. They break-dance information that supports and explains the topic of the paragraph. They answer questions who? what? when? why? and how? and give details. 2. 2. 2. Kinds of supporting sentences There are several(prenominal) different kinds of supporting sentences going as follows with suitable examples explain lot move from village to big cities for economic reasons. describe They live in a nice house surrounded by fields of persisters. give reasons Tom finally drops from school because of bad results. give facts About quint percent of the A towns population is immigrant. give examples saccharide cane and banana grow in South Africa. define My baffle has a samovar, which is a large cooper tea urn. 2. 3. The concluding sentence 2. 3. 1. What is concluding sentence? Concluding sentence serves two purposes It signals the end of the paragraph. It leaves the reader with the most important ideas to remember. It can do this in two ways by checkmarizing the main points of the paragraph, or by repeating the topic sentence in different words.A paragraph does not always need a concluding sentence. For single paragraphs, especially long ones, a concluding sentence is helpful to the reader because it is a reminder of the important points. However, a concluding sentence is not needed for every paragraph in a multi-paragraph essay. 2. 3. 2. What are good concluding sentences? To come up with the idea of a good concluding sentence, it is necessary for writer to think about some questions What is a good concluding sentence? How do the concluding sentences relate to the topic sentence and to the supporting sentence s?The concluding sentences blood line is to bring the paragraph to a logical conclusion. The paragraph can be brought to an end with some formal signals Finally, In brief, In conclusion, Indeed, In short, To sum up, All in all, Lastly It can end with some structures The record suggests that, There can be no doubt that, These examples show that, We can see that 2. 3. 3. Kinds of concluding sentences There are many different types of concluding sentences restatement, suggestion, opinion, prognostic. Restate the main idea is one of the easiest ways to write concluding sentence. Writers restate the main idea or summarize the main point of the paragraph. Offer a suggestion, give an opinion, or make a prediction are some of ways to write a concluding sentences, some beats writers can do a combination of these options. 3. How to write a good paragraph academically? Academic paragraph writing needs good unity and cohesion. Unity A paragraph is a group of sentences which relate to the topic and develop the controlling idea.If a sentence does not relate to or develop that idea, it is irrelevant of place and should be omitted. A good paragraph essential be unified. A paragraph has unity when all of its sentences, including the topic sentence support, and conclusion, relate to the same main idea. (Cited from Lets write 2 by Dang Ngoc Huong, 2007) It is clear to see that an important division of a good paragraph is unity. Unity means that a paragraph discusses one and only one main idea from beginning to end.The second part of unity is that every supporting sentence must forthwith explain or prove the main idea. Coherence A paragraph must have unity all its ideas must refer to the topic (as above presented), moreover, another element of a good paragraph is coherence coherence is an important quality of writing all the ideas are presented logically and smoothly so that it is easy for the reader to follow the writers progression of ideas. In other words, a coheren t paragraph contains sentences that are logically ordered and that flow smoothly.In order to get coherence of a paragraph, writers can use several ways in writing. (According to Dang Ngoc Huong, Lets write 2, 2007) For coherence in writing, the sentences must hold together that is, the heading from one sentence to the next must be logical and smooth. There must be no sudden jumps. Each sentence should flow smoothly into the next one. There are four ways to achieve coherence 1. Repeat key nouns. 2. Use consistent pronouns. 3. Use changeover signals to link ideas. 4. Arrange ideas in logical order.II/ Findings on academic paragraph writing There are many necessary things to form a good academic writing. English learners sometimes find it difficult to write in English, especially in academic title. It is our try to find out the three common mistakes in paragraph writing run-on sentence, particle and latitude structure and academic equivalents of words or phrases to be helpful fo r learners to write academically. 1. Learners common mistakes in paragraph writing As mentioned in the introduction, writing is always a not-easy task with most of English learners.It is cod to the need for combining various skills and background knowledge when they do writing. This part is going to show common mistakes that learners often have in academic writing in general, and in paragraph writing in particular. 1. 1. patronage sentence A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more in unfree clauses (i. e. , complete sentences) are conjugate without appropriate punctuation or conjunction. This is one of the most common mistakes appeared in academic writing. Following are suggested approaches to avoid the error Use separate sentences.However, this may disconnect related independent clauses and cause some of the subject matter to be lost o It is nearly half(prenominal) past five. We cannot overhaul town in the lead dark. Use a semicolon. This maintains the connectio n between the clauses while ensuring a pause between the two ideas o It is nearly half past five we cannot throw town ahead dark. Use a coordinating conjunction. o It is nearly half past five, so we cannot reach town before dark. 1. 2. Fragment Fragment is a sentence which does not contain a subject or a predicate.A sentence dissipate fails to be a sentence in the sense that it cannot stand by itself. It does not contain even one independent clause. There are several reasons why a group of words may seem to act like a sentence but not have the wherewithal to make it as a complete thought. It may locate something in time and place with a prepositional phrase or a series of such phrases, but its still lacking a straight-laced subject-verb relationship within an independent clause It describes something, but there is no subject-verb relationship usage In Japan, during the last war and just before the armistice.This sentence accomplishes a great deal in terms of placing the rea der in time and place, but there is no subject, no verb. Example Working far into the night in an effort to salvage her elflike boat. This is a verbal phrase that wants to modify something, the real subject of the sentence (about to come up), probably the she who was working so hard. It may have most of the makings of a sentence but still be missing an important part of a verb string Example Some of the students working in Professor Espinozas laboratory last semester. It may even have a subject-verb relationship, but it has been subordinated to another idea by a dependent word and so cannot stand by itself Example Even though he had the better arguments and was by far the more powerful speaker. This sentence interrupt has a subject, he, and two verbs, had and was, but it cannot stand by itself because of the dependent word (subordinating conjunction) even though. We need an independent clause to follow up this dependent clause . . . the more powerful speaker, he lost the case bec ause he didnt understand the jury. 1. 3.Parallel structure This principle of tally construction requires that structures of similar content and function should be outwardly similar. The likeness of form enables the reader to avow more readily the likeness of content and function. Unskillful writers often demoralise this principle, from a mistaken belief that they should constantly vary the form of their expressions. It is true that in repeating a statement in order to express it writers may need to vary its form. But apart from this, writers should follow conservatively the principle of parallel construction. Faulty proportionateness Corrected Version Formerly, perception was taught by the text method, while now the Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method now it is laboratory method is employed. taught by the laboratory method. The left version gives the impression that the writer is undecided or timid he seems unable or afraid to choose one form of expressi on and hold to it. The right-hand version shows that the writer has at least make his choice and abided by it.By this principle, an article or a preposition applying to all the members of a series must every be used only before the first term or else be repeated before each term. Faulty Parallelism Corrected Version The French, the Italians, Spanish, and Portuguese The French, the Italians, the Spanish, and the Portuguese In spring, summer, or in winter In spring, summer, or winter (In spring, in summer, or in winter) Correlative expressions (both, and not, but not only, but also either, or first, second, third and the like) should be followed by the same grammatical construction. many an(prenominal) violations of this rule can be corrected by rearranging the sentence. Faulty Parallelism Corrected Version It was both a long ceremony and very tedious. The ceremony was both long and tedious. A time not for words, but action A ime not for words, but for action Either you must g rant his request or incur his ill will. You must either grant his request or incur his ill will. My objections are, first, the injustice of the flyer second, that My objections are, first, that the measure is unjust second, that it is unconstitutional. it is unconstitutional. When making comparisons, the things which are compared should be couched in parallel structures whenever that is possible and appropriate. Faulty Parallelism Corrected Version My income is smaller than my wife. My income is smaller than my wifes. 2. Non-academic words and academic equivalents It is necessary for learners to use academic words in academic paragraph writing. Because of limited space and time, our group just suggests example words and phrases in their simple form and academic equivalents as below. sum Simple word Academic word Y tu? g / khai ni? m idea Concept / notion D? enough commensurate / adequate Phuong phap way Approach Thu du? c get obtain K? t qu? result Consequence / outcom es Duy tri / gi? keep retain mua misdirect Purchase Duy nh? t only Unique / solely C? i thi? n improve enhance B? d? u start commence D? doan predict anticipate T? p trung pore concentrate Cu? i cung final Ultimately / eventually D? g Stop / end / finish Terminate / cease Tri hoan flurry / delay Suspend R? i b? Quit / give up Abandon Ph? n Part Portion PART C CONCLUSION It is of the importance for English learners to discover definition of a paragraph, paragraph structure (topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentence) in academic entitle along with the way of writing paragraph academically. Due to limited space, time and the limitation of writers knowledge, this assignment concentrates on theory of paragraph and discovers popular mistakes (run-on sentence, fragment, and parallel structure) which learners normally make in writing paragraph academically.In addition, it is our try to take example and compare words in both non-academic and academic s tyle with the hope that learners have awareness of using correct writing style. REFERENCES 1. Arnaudet, M. L. & Barrett, M. E. (1984). Approaches to Academic Writing. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice Hall. 2. Brook, A. & Grunby, P. (1990). Writing for study purposes a teachers guide to developing individual writing skills. CUP. 3. Campbell D. Better Sentence-Writing in 30 minutes a Day. Career puppy love 4. Doff, A. (1988). Teaching a cultivation course for teachers. Cambridge CUP 5.Fries, C. (1945). Teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language. Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press. 6. Hennessy, B. (1994). How to write an essay. Plimbridge House. 7. Henry, J. & Pender, J. (1997). English for academic purposes writing. Toowoomba, Qld USQ Press for the Centre for Language Learning and Teaching 8. Huong, D. N (2007). Lets write HOU 9. Murray, R. (2003). How to write a thesis. Maidenhead, Berkshire Open University Press. 10. White, R. & McGovern, D. (1994). Writing. New York Pr entice Hall. 11. Grammar. ccc. commnet. edu/grammar/parallelism. htm