ESL Writing Paragraph Structure Topic Sentence Supporting Details Concluding Sentence

What It Is

A paragraph is a group of sentences that work together to talk about one idea. It has three main parts: a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence. The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is about. The supporting details explain or give examples. The concluding sentence summarizes or ends the paragraph.

Key Rules

• A paragraph usually has 3-5 sentences.
• The topic sentence is usually the first sentence.
• The topic sentence should be clear and specific.
• Supporting details should be relevant and interesting.
• The concluding sentence should summarize or end the paragraph.
• Use transition words (e.g., however, in addition) to connect sentences.
• Use and, but, or or to connect supporting details.
• Use first, second, or third to list supporting details.
• Use in conclusion, finally, or to sum up to end the paragraph.
• Use however, on the other hand, or nevertheless to contrast ideas.
• Use in addition, furthermore, or what's more to add more information.
• Use firstly, secondly, or thirdly to list supporting details in a formal tone.
• Use in the first place, in the second place, or in the third place to list supporting details in a formal tone.
• Use in conclusion, finally, or to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
• Use in addition, furthermore, or what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
• Use however, on the other hand, or nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
• Use in the first place, in the second place, or in the third place to list supporting details in a formal tone.
• Use in conclusion, finally, or to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.

Common ESL Errors

• Error: The store is nice. I like it. I go there every day.
  Why it happens: Learners often forget to make a topic sentence.
  Correction: The store I like to go to is nice. I go there every day.
• Error: I like the store. It is nice. I go there every day.
  Why it happens: Learners often forget to make a topic sentence.
  Correction: The store I like to go to is nice. I go there every day.
• Error: I like the store. It is nice. I go there every day. I like it.
  Why it happens: Learners often repeat the same idea.
  Correction: The store I like to go to is nice. I go there every day.

Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blank: The park is nice. I like to go there because _____.
   Correct answer: it has a big playground.
   Reason: The sentence should explain why the park is nice.
2. Fill in the blank: I like to go to the beach. It is _____.
   Correct answer: very relaxing.
   Reason: The sentence should describe the beach.
3. Fill in the blank: The store I like to go to is _____.
   Correct answer: very nice.
   Reason: The sentence should describe the store.

Last-Minute Revision

⚠️ Use in addition instead of and to connect supporting details.
⚠️ Use however instead of but to contrast ideas.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph.
⚠️ Use firstly instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of on the other hand to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of furthermore to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the paragraph in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in addition instead of what's more to add more information in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use however instead of nevertheless to contrast ideas in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in the first place instead of first to list supporting details in a formal tone.
⚠️ Use in conclusion instead of to sum up to end the