Remember: one paragraph, one idea. Begin a new paragraph each time you introduce a new idea.

Now take a blank sheet of paper and try to revise the letter from Clever Man to Ms Green.

22 April 200X

Ms Fiona Green

100 Clearwater Bay Road

Sai Kung NT

Dear Ms Green

PPS

I refer to your recent communication, and for your information please be advised that the PPS details and application form were sent to you at an earlier date. If you complete and return the form to us, we can process your application immediately. Thank you for your kind attention.

Yours sincerely

Clever Man

Clever Man

Manager

Smart Branch

22 April 200X

Ms Fiona Green

100 Clearwater Bay Road

Sai Kung NT

Dear Ms Green

PPS

I refer to your recent communication.

For your information please be advised that the PPS details and application form were sent to you at an earlier date.

If you complete and return the form to us, we can process your application immediately.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Yours sincerely

Clever Man

Clever Man

Manager

Smart Branch

Now there are four paragraphs instead of one. Each of these paragraphs, though, contains just one sentence. You can have only one sentence in a paragraph. However, a paragraph usually contains more than one sentence.

The rule is: New idea, new paragraph

You can practise this rule in the following exercise.

The ten sentences below all describe a market. Look at the sentences and then answer the questions in boxes A and B.

The building between Henessey Road and Lockhart Road is the market.

It was built in 1875.

The market sells fresh food, like fish.

It also sells fruit.

It also sells vegetables.

It used to sell meat.

Meat is now sold in the supermarket.

The market is open seven days a week.

It is open from 7 am to 1 pm and then again from 4 pm to 8 pm.

It is closed during the New Year Holiday.

A:

If you were writing an essay on the subject of the market using these sentences, how many paragraphs do you think you would need?

1，2，3，4

B:

What would be the main ideas of each of these paragraphs?

Henessey Road

The building

The food

Opening times

The three paragraphs below contain the ten sentences from the above exercise.

1. The building The building between Henessey Road and Lockhart Road is the market. It was built in 1875.

2. The food The market sells fresh food, like fish. It also sells fruit. It also sells vegetables. It used to sell meat. Meat is now sold in the supermarket.

3. Opening times The market is open seven days a week. It is open from 7 am to 1 pm and then again from 4 pm to 8 pm. It is closed during the New Year Holiday.

Each of these paragraphs contains a group of sentences that are related to a single idea. Can you identify the idea in each paragraph?

Answers:

Paragraph 1 talks about the building: where it＇s located and when it was built. It doesn＇t talk about anything else.

Paragraph 2 talks about the different kinds of food that were sold and are sold now. It doesn＇t talk about anything else.

Paragraph 3 talks about the opening times. It doesn＇t talk about anything else.