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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Grammar Nazis! Come One, Come All!
Grammar Nazis! Come One, Come All!
2006-06-26, 11:07 AM #1
I suck at some of the more basic elements of grammar, mostly due to never paying attention during English classes for the first decade of school.

So my question is simple... Can someone please explain in laymens terms the basic usage of paragraphs? I was resubmitting some essays today and the adjudicator said my paragraphs are ****e.

Cheers.
2006-06-26, 11:13 AM #2
For an essay, a paragraph should be a block of text about half an A4 side (roughly) starting with an indent. It should really be tight to one idea or argument.
2006-06-26, 11:16 AM #3
ah, thats probablys where i fail... i usually end up with half a dozen paragraphs per page, with a few sentences in each.
2006-06-26, 11:21 AM #4
YOU FALE AT GRAMMER
2006-06-26, 11:22 AM #5
yeah, i go for a minimum of 4 sentences per paragraph. think of a pargraph as a miniature model of a paper. you should be able to fit an entire idea in it, and somewhat mimmic the idea of having an intro, body and conclusion, so you get your whole idea in there, and breaks between paragraphs are smoother becase your reader will get the feeling that you have ended your idea.
2006-06-26, 11:25 AM #6
yeah, its probablys a bad habit that i write just how i talk, fast paced, i usually have one sentence every 4 lines, full of commas whenever i'd imagine i'd be taking a breath if speaking it.
2006-06-26, 11:37 AM #7
Originally posted by Cazor:
yeah, i go for a minimum of 4 sentences per paragraph. think of a pargraph as a miniature model of a paper. you should be able to fit an entire idea in it, and somewhat mimmic the idea of having an intro, body and conclusion, so you get your whole idea in there, and breaks between paragraphs are smoother becase your reader will get the feeling that you have ended your idea.


exactly, though you can rarely cover a topic with just four sentences, especially since each paragraph should ideally have the first sentence as an intro and the last as a closing/transition to the next idea.
Fincham: Where are you going?
Me: I have no idea
Fincham: I meant where are you sitting. This wasn't an existential question.
2006-06-26, 11:39 AM #8
Originally posted by Shintock:
YOU FALE AT GRAMMER

I hope that's irony, for your sake. The Grammar Führer is not as forgiving as I am . . .
My JK Level Design | 2005 JK Hub Level Pack (Plexus) | Massassi Levels
2006-06-26, 11:45 AM #9
Originally posted by Shintock:
YOU FALE AT GRAMMER


That's spelling, not grammar. :P
2006-06-26, 12:01 PM #10
Originally posted by Anovis:
That's spelling, not grammar. :P


I knew some smartass would come along and say that. :v:
2006-06-26, 12:08 PM #11
One introduction sentence, two sentences with supporting details, and one conclusion sentence. Minimum.
"it is time to get a credit card to complete my financial independance" — Tibby, Aug. 2009
2006-06-26, 12:22 PM #12
On papers, my paragraphes tend to be half a page to a page long. :(

I have things to say.
SnailIracing:n(500tpostshpereline)pants
-----------------------------@%
2006-06-26, 12:30 PM #13
Originally posted by Shintock:
YOU FALE AT GRAMMER

I laughed.
Code to the left of him, code to the right of him, code in front of him compil'd and thundered. Programm'd at with shot and $SHELL. Boldly he typed and well. Into the jaws of C. Into the mouth of PERL. Debug'd the 0x258.
2006-06-26, 12:38 PM #14
For our essays, our teacher taught us the following form:

I. Intro
A. Topic
B. Point A
C. Point B
D. Point C
...and so on
II. Point A
A. Brief Description
B. Reason/facts to back it up
1. Even more in depth
...and so on until you finish with Point A
C. Lead into next topic
And it just goes on. But that generally shows how our paragraphs are constructed at NHCS in New Hebron, Illinois.

Atleast, I think that's how he said to do it. I may have gotten some of that wrong.
I had a blog. It sucked.
2006-06-26, 1:17 PM #15
A good paragraph should have at a minimum 4 sentences, and should make one point. The first sentence is used to state your point. The second and third sentences (and possibly a fourth) are used to illustrate that point or explain further in depth). The last sentence is used to close the paragraph. It reiterates or sums up the main point. These four to five sentences work toegether to convey the point of the paragraph.

[coincidentally, the above is a pretty good example of a well-written paragraph. The first stentence states the main point (purpose of the paragraph), the next 4 sentences go into detail in explaining the main point, and the last sentence sums up the main point.]
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Lassev: I guess there was something captivating in savagery, because I liked it.
2006-06-26, 1:28 PM #16
nailface likes milanos

[http://www.deepcity.org/inhuman/pets/hedgehog/bambam_cookie.jpg]
2006-06-26, 2:04 PM #17
Originally posted by Shintock:
I knew some smartass would come along and say that. :v:


XD
2006-06-26, 2:51 PM #18
You do know chocolate is extremely bad for animals, right?
2006-06-26, 3:04 PM #19
No it isn't, I eat chocolate all the time
2006-06-26, 3:08 PM #20
Originally posted by Sarn_Cadrill:
A good paragraph should have at a minimum 4 sentences, and should make one point. The first sentence is used to state your point. The second and third sentences (and possibly a fourth) are used to illustrate that point or explain further in depth). The last sentence is used to close the paragraph. It reiterates or sums up the main point. These four to five sentences work toegether to convey the point of the paragraph.

[coincidentally, the above is a pretty good example of a well-written paragraph. The first stentence states the main point (purpose of the paragraph), the next 4 sentences go into detail in explaining the main point, and the last sentence sums up the main point.]

If possible, have the last sentence segway(sp?) into the next paragraph as well.
$do || ! $do ; try
try: command not found
Ye Olde Galactic Empire Mission Editor (X-wing, TIE, XvT/BoP, XWA)
2006-06-26, 4:00 PM #21
essay.

first paragraph = outline about what will be talked about.

body = first sentence is the topic sentence which gives info on what that paragraph is about. body of it talks about said subject. last sentence links it to the next one

last paragraph = sumerize what you talked about, and have a conclusion at the end.

There you have it, essay format in a simplified nutshell.
Snail racing: (500 posts per line)------@%
2006-06-26, 4:04 PM #22
Originally posted by Darkjedibob:
If possible, have the last sentence segway(sp?) into the next paragraph as well.

seague.

segway is how you spell the overhyped, two wheeled personel transport. (i got all hyper when i saw someone rideing one. (my city is not known for splurgers like that)

i want a segway. ; ;

[/offtopic]
Snail racing: (500 posts per line)------@%
2006-06-26, 4:08 PM #23
Originally posted by Shintock:
YOU FALE AT GRAMMER


lol, MALEBOX!!

(Foxworthy is awesome)
May the mass times acceleration be with you.
2006-06-26, 4:21 PM #24
My first thought would be that grammar cannot be learned on an internet forum.

LOL ROFL TEH GRAMER NAZIS h4x but n00bs LOL

Yeah.
2006-06-26, 5:35 PM #25
Originally posted by alpha1:
seague.

This is why English sucks *** :P
$do || ! $do ; try
try: command not found
Ye Olde Galactic Empire Mission Editor (X-wing, TIE, XvT/BoP, XWA)
2006-06-26, 5:53 PM #26
Originally posted by Darkjedibob:
This is why English sucks *** :P


Don't listen to alpha1 for spelling advice. It's segue. :P
2006-06-26, 6:00 PM #27
Originally posted by 'Thrawn[numbarz:
']Don't listen to alpha1 for spelling advice. It's segue. :P

That's a little closer to phonetical, but still sucks ***.
$do || ! $do ; try
try: command not found
Ye Olde Galactic Empire Mission Editor (X-wing, TIE, XvT/BoP, XWA)
2006-06-26, 7:54 PM #28
[QUOTE=Cool Matty]You do know chocolate is extremely bad for animals, right?[/QUOTE]

Actually, small amounts of milk chocolate gives a dog more energy.


Anyways, in grade school I was taught a paragraph was a minimum of 4-5 sentences and everyone else pretty much summed up what should be in the paragraph.
No sig.
2006-06-26, 8:06 PM #29
Chunk it, *****es.
1: TS
2: CD
3: CM
4: CM
5: CS
6: Repeat
7: ???
8: PROFIT!

-And double-space unless they say not to.
2006-06-26, 8:13 PM #30
They usually like you to double space so it's easier for them to mark your mistakes. Then you moan about them being grammar nazis.
No sig.
2006-06-27, 6:59 AM #31
I'd just like to point out that paragraph usage isn't really grammar at all...

But most of the people are right on how they should be used, at least in the sense that you're taught in middle school. In general, the most important point about paragraphs is that they should describe and develop a single point each; the formulaic 'intro, body, conclusion' isn't always necessary, but it's a good starting point.

Four sentences also sounds like an awfully low minimum for formal writing, unless you have Hawthorne's gift for writing page-long sentences.
2006-06-27, 2:25 PM #32
You call that a gift? I call it a plague on all English students
Fincham: Where are you going?
Me: I have no idea
Fincham: I meant where are you sitting. This wasn't an existential question.
2006-06-27, 5:38 PM #33
I hate how schools sell this idea that 'essays' have to be 'persuassive' and follow this idiotic iron-clad un-violatable 'form'.

They aren't asking you write essays!
They are asking to write persuassive papers!
Following a strict form!
Just write their form down as an outline and fill it in with bull****!
You can't fail! Your teacher doesn't understand the topic she is trying to teach!
Wikissassi sucks.
2006-06-27, 5:39 PM #34
I agree.
2006-06-27, 5:41 PM #35
[QUOTE=Cool Matty]You do know chocolate is extremely bad for animals, right?[/QUOTE]

It gives dogs some nasty discharge. Never seemed to hurt my cat though. And people are animals too, and we love the stuff. It's like it's made for our tastebuds. I claim chocolate as PROOF THAT GOD IS MERCIFUL!
Wikissassi sucks.
2006-06-27, 5:44 PM #36
We don't have the same anotonm as a dog. They're prone to theobromine that's inside the chocolate and can't digest it.

They don't actually die...well...it causes heart attacks and epileptic seizures in animals. Then they die.
2006-06-27, 6:10 PM #37
Originally posted by Isuwen:
I hate how schools sell this idea that 'essays' have to be 'persuassive' and follow this idiotic iron-clad un-violatable 'form'.

They aren't asking you write essays!
They are asking to write persuassive papers!
Following a strict form!
Just write their form down as an outline and fill it in with bull****!
You can't fail! Your teacher doesn't understand the topic she is trying to teach!


I agree with you but don't trying pulling that in college(unless you know the teacher doesn't care). Some of the teachers don't like that and all you'll end up with is a poorly graded paper.

Also, read my first post about giving chocolate to dogs. The milk chocolate though has to be in small amounts, otherwise you do end up hurting it.
No sig.

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