88 supplementary notes kenya methodist university

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SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
KENYA METHODIST UNIVERSITY (NAIROBI CAMPUS)
COURSE TITLE: COMMUNICATION SKILLS (COMM 111)
COURSE INSTRUCTOR: AGNES W.M.THEURI
PARAGRAPH WRITING
A paragraph is a group of sentences developing a main idea.
A key quality of an effective paragraph is unity . A unified paragraph sticks to one topic
from start to finish, with every sentence contributing to the central purpose and main idea
/topic sentence of that paragraph.
But a strong paragraph is more than just a collection of loose sentences. Those sentences
need to be clearly connected so that readers can follow along, recognizing how one detail
leads to the next. A paragraph with clearly connected sentences is said to be cohesive .
Transitional phrases facilitate cohesion.
Characteristics of a good paragraph
Good paragraphs are unified, coherent and well developed/appropriately organized, i.e have a
logical pattern of organization such as chronological, spatial, emphatic, narrative, cause and
effect, comparison-contrast, etc. .
The topic sentence: it embodies the central thought of a paragraph. It is the main idea of a
paragraph and it is most often stated at or near the beginning, although it may appear anywhere
in the paragraph. When the main idea is stated early, it is sometimes also restated /using
different words at the end to point out its importance.
A good topic sentence tells the reader what you are going to discuss in the paragraph (the topic).
It also establishes control so that you do not wander away from the basic purposes of your
paragraph (it is the controlling idea)
Supporting sentences: are supporting details to the topic sentence; facts and illustrations. / They
should be relevant to the topic sentence.
Concluding sentence: sums up the paragraph’s main idea or what has been said. Alternatively, it
draws a logical conclusion from the main idea.
Transitional words and phrases can help make our writing clear and cohesive.
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Examples of transitional words/phrases/signals/cohesive devices
Addition Transitions
and
also
besides
first, second, third
in addition
in the first place, in the
second place, in the third
place
furthermore
moreover
to begin with, next, finally
Cause-Effect Transitions
Accordingly
and so
as a result
consequently
for this reason
hence
so
then
therefore
thus
Comparison Transitions
by the same token
in like manner
in the same way
in similar fashion
likewise
similarly
Contrast Transitions
but
however
in contrast
instead
nevertheless
on the contrary
on the other hand
still
yet
Conclusion and Summary Transitions
and so
after all
at last
finally
in brief
in closing
in conclusion
on the whole
to conclude
to summarize
Example Transitions
as an example
for example
for instance
specifically
thus
to illustrate
Insistence Transitions
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in fact
indeed
Place Transitions
above
alongside
beneath
beyond
farther along
in front
nearby
on top of
to the left
to the right
under
upon
Restatement Transitions
in other words
in short
in simpler terms
that is
to put it differently
to repeat
Time Transitions
afterward