Writing Paragraphs

Respuesta correcta: A) A sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph

• A) A sentence that states the main idea of a paragraphThe topic sentence carries the paragraph's central idea for the reader.
• B) The last sentence of a paragraph, alwaysA topic sentence usually comes first, though it can appear at the end.
• C) A sentence that contains the longest wordNothing in the definition depends on the length of the words used.
• D) A question that the paragraph answersA topic sentence states an idea; it does not need to be a question.

Respuesta correcta: B) Walking to school has real benefits for health and the environment.

• A) My neighbour walks to school every single day without fail.This is a narrow anecdote about one person, too specific to govern a whole paragraph.
• B) Walking to school has real benefits for health and the environment.The sentence names the subject and the two fields it will cover, which the rest can develop.
• C) Yesterday afternoon was sunny and warm.The sentence is about the weather and would lead the paragraph in the wrong direction.
• D) Buses are common in cities.This introduces a different subject, and 'common' adds nothing that can be explained.

Respuesta correcta: C) Walking adds gentle exercise without any need for a gym membership.

• A) The sky above the road was blue that morning.A description of the weather adds nothing to the benefits being developed.
• B) Paragraphs are made of several sentences.That is a definition of a paragraph and does not support the stated topic.
• C) Walking adds gentle exercise without any need for a gym membership.The sentence expands the health benefit named in the topic sentence.
• D) Some people prefer to walk very slowly.The speed of walking is not one of the benefits the paragraph set out to explain.

Respuesta correcta: D) To close the paragraph by summarising its main point

• A) To introduce an entirely new topic for the next paragraphNew topics belong in a new paragraph, usually with a clear link.
• B) To repeat the title word for no reason at allA conclusion must add meaning, not merely echo a word from the title.
• C) To ask the reader a question they cannot answerAn unanswerable question adds confusion rather than closing the argument.
• D) To close the paragraph by summarising its main pointThe last sentence wraps up what the paragraph has developed.

Respuesta correcta: D) For all their quiet rooms and long shelves, libraries remain open to anyone who wants to learn.

• A) The word library begins with the letter l and has seven letters.Counting letters adds nothing to the argument about why libraries matter.
• B) There are no other places with books in the city.The claim is false and would damage the paragraph's credibility.
• C) Paragraphs should always end with a question.That is a rule that is not true and does not suit this paragraph.
• D) For all their quiet rooms and long shelves, libraries remain open to anyone who wants to learn.The sentence gathers the ideas and closes with a broader statement about access.

Respuesta correcta: C) For example, the branch library lends materials to people who have no internet at home.

• A) In short, libraries remain valuable to the whole community.The phrase 'in short' marks a summary, which belongs in a conclusion.
• B) To sum up, access to books should be treated as a public good.The phrase 'to sum up' signals a closing summary of the argument.
• C) For example, the branch library lends materials to people who have no internet at home.The sentence gives a concrete example that develops the idea, which is the work of the body.
• D) All in all, these places matter more than ever before.The expression 'all in all' marks a wrap-up, so this is a concluding sentence.

Respuesta correcta: B) So that the paragraph stays focused and easy to follow

• A) Because paragraphs must always be exactly five sentences longA paragraph has no fixed length; the number of sentences depends on the idea.
• B) So that the paragraph stays focused and easy to followOne idea per paragraph gives the reader a clear thread through the text.
• C) Because teachers reduce the marks for long paragraphsMarks depend on content and accuracy, not on how long a paragraph is.
• D) Because shorter paragraphs use less ink when printedPractical printing costs are not the reason writers organise paragraphs as they do.

Respuesta correcta: A) From the main point to the supporting examples that explain it

• A) From the main point to the supporting examples that explain itStarting with the general idea and following with details gives the reader a clear structure.
• B) From the most surprising detail to the main point at the endLeaving the main idea to the end can leave the reader unsure what the paragraph was for.
• C) In random order, because each idea stands on its ownRandom order hides the connection between the point and its examples.
• D) In strict chronological order of when you thought of themThe order in which ideas come to mind is not the order in which they explain each other.

Respuesta correcta: B) However,

• A) Moreover,'Moreover' adds a further supporting point rather than an opposing one.
• B) However,The word signals that the following sentence will oppose what came before.
• C) For example,That phrase introduces an illustration of the previous point.
• D) In other words,That phrase restates the same idea in different words.

Respuesta correcta: D) People volunteer for a variety of reasons.

• A) Maria volunteers at the library on Tuesdays and Fridays.One person's routine is too narrow to serve as the idea of a whole paragraph.
• B) Volunteering is something.The statement is too vague to be developed, and it names no idea at all.
• C) I do not volunteer at all myself.That is a personal remark, not an idea about why other people volunteer.
• D) People volunteer for a variety of reasons.The sentence announces the topic without committing to a single narrow example, leaving room to develop it.

Respuesta correcta: C) For all its effort, walking to school turns out to benefit both health and the local air.

• A) Some people also drive to school when the weather is cold.The sentence adds a new point rather than closing the paragraph.
• B) Walking is a form of movement that people do every day.The sentence is a definition, which restates nothing the paragraph developed.
• C) For all its effort, walking to school turns out to benefit both health and the local air.It gathers the two points into a final judgement about their combined value.
• D) The number of cars on the road was counted last year.The statistic is a new detail and does not summarise the argument.

Respuesta correcta: A) Noise in a study space reduces concentration and lowers the quality of work produced.

• A) Noise in a study space reduces concentration and lowers the quality of work produced.It states the subject and a claim that details about concentration and work can develop.
• B) The reading room has fifty seats and four windows.It gives the setting's measurements rather than a claim about the effects of noise.
• C) The window nearest the road was replaced last spring.The sentence gives a maintenance detail that develops no argument at all.
• D) Some students wear headphones while they work.The observation concerns coping behaviour, not the paragraph's stated topic.

Respuesta correcta: D) Furthermore,

• A) For instance,The additive connector introduces a further point that supports the same idea.
• B) Nevertheless,The word introduces an alternative condition, not a second supporting detail.
• C) Otherwise,The word marks a substitution, which does not fit an additional supporting point.
• D) Furthermore,A contrastive connector would signal an opposing point instead of an additional one.

Respuesta correcta: B) By keeping only those that support the topic sentence

• A) By including every fact that comes to mind about the topicExtra facts dilute the paragraph and hide the main point from the reader.
• B) By keeping only those that support the topic sentenceRelevance to the stated idea is the criterion for including a detail.
• C) By choosing the shortest details availableBrevity alone does not make a detail relevant to the topic sentence.
• D) By adding details that contradict the topic sentenceA contradiction would confuse the reader instead of developing the idea.

Respuesta correcta: A) However, it

• A) However, it'However' introduces a contrast between the cost and the benefit, which the sentence then develops.
• B) Because of that, itA causal connector would claim the benefit is the result of the cost, which is not the relationship.
• C) In short, itThe phrase marks a summary and belongs at the end of the paragraph.
• D) In other words, itThe phrase restates the same idea in different words rather than adding a new one.

Respuesta correcta: C) To summarise the main point of the paragraph

• A) To introduce a completely new topicA new topic would normally begin a new paragraph with its own topic sentence.
• B) To repeat an earlier sentence word for wordCopying wording rather than summarising adds no value to the reader.
• C) To summarise the main point of the paragraphThe phrase signals the closing summary the reader should retain.
• D) To ask the reader to write the conclusionThe paragraph belongs to the writer, not to the reader.

Respuesta correcta: B) School gardens give students a practical lesson in care. They learn to prepare soil and to notice when a plant is failing. Several classes now sell what they grow to raise money.

• A) School gardens are pleasant. The weather last week was warm. Some students prefer novels to films. Lunch is served at one o'clock.The sentences move between unrelated subjects and serve no single idea.
• B) School gardens give students a practical lesson in care. They learn to prepare soil and to notice when a plant is failing. Several classes now sell what they grow to raise money.Each sentence develops the idea of what the garden teaches and what results from it.
• C) School gardens need funding, as explained in the paragraph above, which is not really present.The paragraph refers to an explanation it never provides, so it develops nothing.
• D) Nobody knows why gardens exist, although many are built and are used every day.The opening and the closing contradict each other and no idea is developed.

Respuesta correcta: A) So the reader knows the point before the supporting details begin

• A) So the reader knows the point before the supporting details beginAn early statement of the idea gives the reader a frame for everything after it.
• B) So the paragraph always begins with the longest sentencePosition has nothing to do with the length of the sentences involved.
• C) Because English grammar forbids the topic sentence elsewhereThe topic sentence can also appear at the end; it is not forbidden there.
• D) Because supporting details cannot follow a statement of the ideaDetails follow the topic sentence all the time, which is the normal pattern.

Respuesta correcta: C) Students who read every week produced longer and better organised essays in the same term.

• A) Many people enjoy reading books in a quiet room.The sentence is a general statement of preference rather than evidence for the claim.
• B) Reading is a hobby that some families share together.The sentence discusses the activity socially and does not support the claim about writing.
• C) Students who read every week produced longer and better organised essays in the same term.The detail offers concrete evidence that connects the reading habit to the writing skill.
• D) Some bookshops open earlier on Saturdays than on weekdays.The detail is about shop hours and has no bearing on writing skills at all.

Respuesta correcta: D) End with a sentence that follows from the paragraph's own points

• A) End with a question that the paragraph never prepared the reader forAn unexpected question leaves the reader puzzled rather than satisfied.
• B) End with a fact about a completely unrelated subjectAn unrelated final sentence disconnects the ending from the rest of the paragraph.
• C) End abruptly with a single word and no full sentenceAn abrupt fragment gives the reader no sense of closure at all.
• D) End with a sentence that follows from the paragraph's own pointsA closing derived from the earlier detail gives the paragraph logical completeness.