Grammar: B1 - ✨ Grammar Essentials: ✏️ Writing Mechanics - Intermediate - Lesson 8: Paragraph Structure: Supporting Sentences & Concluding Sentences

✨ Lesson 8: Paragraph Structure: Supporting & Concluding Sentences

In our last lesson, we learned that a good paragraph starts with a topic sentence that states the main idea. Today, we will learn about the other two parts of a strong paragraph: supporting sentences¹ and the concluding sentence².

Supporting Sentences

Supporting sentences are the "body" of your paragraph. Their job is to support, prove³, or explain your topic sentence. They must all be about the main idea. Supporting sentences can give:

• Reasons: Explain why the topic sentence is true.
• Examples: Give specific examples⁴ to make your point clearer.
• Details: Provide more information about the topic.

The Concluding Sentence

The concluding sentence is the last sentence of the paragraph. It has two possible jobs:

1. To restate⁵ the main idea of the topic sentence in different words.
2. To give a final thought or summary about the topic.

A concluding sentence should never introduce a completely new idea.

Building a Complete Paragraph: An Example

Let's build a paragraph about Battambang, piece by piece.

(Topic Sentence) → Battambang is a very charming city for tourists to visit.

(Supporting Sentence 1 - Reason) → First, it has beautiful French colonial architecture, which you can see everywhere in the town center.

(Supporting Sentence 2 - Detail) → The city also has a relaxed and artistic atmosphere, much quieter than Phnom Penh.

(Concluding Sentence - Summary) → Overall, its beautiful buildings and calm feeling make Battambang a wonderful place to explore.

🧠 Practice Quiz: Analyze a Paragraph

Read the paragraph below and identify the different parts.

(A) Riding the bamboo train is a unique experience in Battambang. (B) The "train" is just a small bamboo platform with a motor. (C) It goes very fast along the old railway tracks through the beautiful countryside. (D) For these reasons, it is an activity that every visitor should try.

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Which sentence is the Topic Sentence? → A

Which sentences are the Supporting Sentences? → B and C

Which sentence is the Concluding Sentence? → D

📝 Homework: Complete a Paragraph

Here is a topic sentence. Write 2-3 supporting sentences and 1 concluding sentence to build a complete paragraph.

Topic Sentence: My favorite food is Khmer curry.

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(Example Answer: It has so many delicious flavors. I like that it is creamy from the coconut milk but also a little spicy. It is usually full of chicken and sweet potatoes. In my opinion, it is the best dish in Cambodia.)

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Supporting Sentence: (Noun) - ប្រយោគគាំទ្រ (brâyoŭk koam'trɔɔ) - A sentence that gives more details or examples about the main idea. ↩
2. Concluding Sentence: (Noun) - ប្រយោគបញ្ចប់ (brâyoŭk bânh'châp) - The last sentence in a paragraph that summarizes the main idea. ↩
3. Prove: (Verb) - បញ្ជាក់ (bânh'cheăk) - To show that something is true. ↩
4. Example: (Noun) - ឧទាហរណ៍ (outaahoa) - A specific thing that shows what other similar things are like. ↩
5. Restate: (Verb) - និយាយឡើងវិញ (ni'yéay laeung'vĭnh) - To say something again in a different way. ↩