Chapter: Topic Sentence (Paragraph Writing)
đ Vocabulary
English Grammar and Composition Classes Nine and Ten
â Most Important Exam Words
topic sentencemain ideasupporting detaildeveloperterminatorunitycoherencedescriptive paragraphnarrative paragraphcause and effectlisting paragraphcomparison paragraphcontrast paragraphsensory detailchronological ordertopicfocusredundantvividmemorableincidentexperiencecauseeffectfactorsimilaritydifferencedistinctivemeritconclusion
đ Word Formation Rules
âē Add the suffix '-tion' to verbs to form nouns: describe â description, compare â comparison, conclude â conclusion.
âē Add the suffix '-ment' to verbs to form nouns: develop â development, achieve â achievement.
âē Add the suffix '-ity' to adjectives to form nouns: similar â similarity, coherent â coherence is an exception in spelling.
âē Add the suffix '-ly' to adjectives to form adverbs: fortunate â fortunately, similar â similarly, chronological â chronologically.
âē Add the suffix '-ful' to nouns to form adjectives: meaning â meaningful, use â useful.
âē Add the prefix 'un-' to form opposites: necessary â unnecessary, memorable â unmemorable, fortunate â unfortunate.
âē Add the prefix 'in-' or 'im-' to form opposites: coherent â incoherent, possible â impossible.
âē Use '-er' for a person who performs an action: observe â observer, write â writer.
1. Topic Sentence and Main Idea (8 words)
topic[/ËtÉpÉĒk/]noun
Meaning: āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧ
Alt: āĻāϞā§āĻāύāĻžāϰ āĻŽā§āϞ āĻā§āώā§āϤā§āϰ
Example: The topic of the paragraph is rural life.
Syn: subject, themeAnt: conclusion
đĄ Exam tip: A topic is the general subject of a paragraph.
sentence[/ËsentÉns/]noun
Meaning: āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āϝ
Alt: āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖ āĻāĻžāĻŦ āĻĒā§āϰāĻāĻžāĻļāĻāĻžāϰ⧠āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻāϏāĻŽāώā§āĻāĻŋ
Example: The first sentence introduces the main idea.
Syn: statement, clauseAnt: fragment
đĄ Exam tip: A complete sentence must express a complete thought.
introduce[/ËÉĒntrÉËdjuËs/]verb
Meaning: āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻāϝāĻŧ āĻāϰāĻžāύā§
Alt: āĻāϞā§āĻāύāĻžāϰ āϏā§āĻāύāĻž āĻāϰāĻž
Example: The topic sentence introduces the subject of the paragraph.
Syn: present, startAnt: conceal, exclude
đĄ Exam tip: Use introduce when explaining the function of a topic sentence.
focus[/ËfÉĘkÉs/]noun
Meaning: āĻā§āύā§āĻĻā§āϰāĻŦāĻŋāύā§āĻĻā§
Alt: āĻŽāύā§āϝā§āĻā§āϰ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧ
Example: The paragraph focuses on the value of reading.
Syn: attention, concentrationAnt: distraction
đĄ Exam tip: A good topic sentence limits the focus of a paragraph.
main[/meÉĒn/]adj
Meaning: āĻĒā§āϰāϧāĻžāύ
Alt: āϏāĻŦāĻā§āϝāĻŧā§ āĻā§āϰā§āϤā§āĻŦāĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖ
Example: The main idea is stated in the topic sentence.
Syn: chief, principalAnt: minor, secondary
đĄ Exam tip: Main idea means the central thought of the paragraph.
idea[/aÉĒËdÉĒÉ/]noun
Meaning: āϧāĻžāϰāĻŖāĻž
Alt: āĻāĻŋāύā§āϤāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāĻā§āϤāĻŦā§āϝ
Example: Every supporting sentence develops the central idea.
Syn: thought, notionAnt: disbelief
đĄ Exam tip: Do not introduce unrelated ideas in one paragraph.
limit[/ËlÉĒmÉĒt/]verb
Meaning: āϏā§āĻŽāĻžāĻŦāĻĻā§āϧ āĻāϰāĻž
Alt: āĻĒāϰāĻŋāϧāĻŋ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻĻāĻŋāώā§āĻ āĻāϰāĻž
Example: The topic sentence limits the discussion to rural transport.
Syn: restrict, confineAnt: expand, extend
đĄ Exam tip: A focused topic is easier to develop in a single paragraph.
redundant[/rÉĒËdĘndÉnt/]adj
Meaning: āĻ
āĻĒā§āϰāϝāĻŧā§āĻāύā§āϝāĻŧ
Alt: āĻ
āϤāĻŋāϰāĻŋāĻā§āϤ āĻŦāĻž āĻĒā§āύāϰāĻžāĻŦā§āϤā§āϤ
Example: Unrelated details are redundant in a unified paragraph.
Syn: unnecessary, repetitiveAnt: necessary, essential
đĄ Exam tip: Avoid redundant sentences that do not support the topic sentence.
2. Paragraph Structure and Development (8 words)
paragraph[/ËpÃĻrÉÉĄrÉËf/]noun
Meaning: āĻ
āύā§āĻā§āĻā§āĻĻ
Alt: āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻā§āύā§āĻĻā§āϰā§āϝāĻŧ āĻāĻžāĻŦāϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāύā§āύ āϞā§āĻāĻž
Example: A well-organized paragraph has unity and coherence.
Syn: section, passageAnt: fragment
đĄ Exam tip: A paragraph normally contains a topic sentence, developers and a conclusion.
support[/sÉËpÉËt/]verb
Meaning: āϏāĻŽāϰā§āĻĨāύ āĻāϰāĻž
Alt: āϝā§āĻā§āϤāĻŋ āĻŦāĻž āϤāĻĨā§āϝ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧā§ āĻĒā§āϰāĻŽāĻžāĻŖ āĻāϰāĻž
Example: The examples support the topic sentence.
Syn: justify, reinforceAnt: oppose, refute
đĄ Exam tip: All supporting details must directly support the main idea.
detail[/ËdiËteÉĒl/]noun
Meaning: āĻŦāĻŋāϏā§āϤāĻžāϰāĻŋāϤ āϤāĻĨā§āϝ
Alt: āĻā§āώā§āĻĻā§āϰ āĻāĻŋāύā§āϤ⧠āĻā§āϰā§āϤā§āĻŦāĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖ āϤāĻĨā§āϝ
Example: Sensory details make a descriptive paragraph vivid.
Syn: particular, informationAnt: generality
đĄ Exam tip: Add relevant details to make the paragraph complete.
develop[/dÉĒËvelÉp/]verb
Meaning: āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻļāĻŋāϤ āĻāϰāĻž
Alt: āĻŦāĻŋāϏā§āϤāĻžāϰāĻŋāϤāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻĒā§āϰāĻāĻžāĻļ āĻāϰāĻž
Example: The following sentences develop the main idea.
Syn: expand, elaborateAnt: reduce, neglect
đĄ Exam tip: Developers explain, describe or prove the topic sentence.
unity[/ËjuËnÉti/]noun
Meaning: āĻāĻā§āϝ
Alt: āĻāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻā§āύā§āĻĻā§āϰā§āϝāĻŧ āĻāĻžāĻŦā§āϰ āϏāĻā§āĻā§ āϏāĻžāĻŽāĻā§āĻāϏā§āϝ
Example: Unity is achieved when every sentence relates to one idea.
Syn: harmony, cohesionAnt: disunity, inconsistency
đĄ Exam tip: Unity is a key quality of an effective paragraph.
coherence[/kÉĘËhÉĒÉrÉns/]noun
Meaning: āϏāĻāϞāĻā§āύāϤāĻž
Alt: āĻāĻžāĻŦā§āϰ āϝā§āĻā§āϤāĻŋāĻ āĻ āϏā§āϏāĻāĻŦāĻĻā§āϧ āĻŦāĻŋāύā§āϝāĻžāϏ
Example: Transitional words improve coherence in writing.
Syn: logicality, connectednessAnt: confusion, incoherence
đĄ Exam tip: Use linking words to maintain coherence.
conclude[/kÉnËkluËd/]verb
Meaning: āĻāĻĒāϏāĻāĻšāĻžāϰ āĻāĻžāύāĻž
Alt: āĻļā§āώ āĻāϰāĻž
Example: The final sentence concludes the paragraph effectively.
Syn: finish, endAnt: begin, start
đĄ Exam tip: A concluding sentence restates the main idea without copying it exactly.
terminator[/ËtÉËmÉĒneÉĒtÉ/]noun
Meaning: āϏāĻŽāĻžāĻĒāύ⧠āĻŦāĻžāĻā§āϝ
Alt: āĻ
āύā§āĻā§āĻā§āĻĻā§āϰ āĻļā§āώ āĻŦāĻā§āϤāĻŦā§āϝ
Example: The terminator brings the paragraph to a logical end.
Syn: conclusion, endingAnt: introduction
đĄ Exam tip: In textbook terminology, the concluding sentence may be called a terminator.
3. Descriptive Paragraph Vocabulary (8 words)
description[/dÉĒËskrÉĒpĘÉn/]noun
Meaning: āĻŦāϰā§āĻŖāύāĻž
Alt: āĻā§āύ⧠āĻŦā§āϝāĻā§āϤāĻŋ, āϏā§āĻĨāĻžāύ āĻŦāĻž āĻŦāϏā§āϤā§āϰ āĻāĻŋāϤā§āϰ āϤā§āϞ⧠āϧāϰāĻž
Example: The description of the street appeals to the readerâs senses.
Syn: portrayal, accountAnt: omission
đĄ Exam tip: A descriptive paragraph helps the reader imagine the subject.
observe[/ÉbËzÉËv/]verb
Meaning: āĻĒāϰā§āϝāĻŦā§āĻā§āώāĻŖ āĻāϰāĻž
Alt: āĻŽāύā§āϝā§āĻ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧā§ āĻĻā§āĻāĻž
Example: We should observe a place carefully before describing it.
Syn: notice, watchAnt: ignore, overlook
đĄ Exam tip: Careful observation produces accurate descriptive details.
vivid[/ËvÉĒvÉĒd/]adj
Meaning: āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāĻŖāĻŦāύā§āϤ
Alt: āϏā§āĻĒāώā§āĻ āĻ āĻā§āĻŦāύā§āϤ
Example: The writer gives a vivid picture of a rainy evening.
Syn: lively, graphicAnt: dull, vague
đĄ Exam tip: Use precise adjectives and sensory details for vivid writing.
sensory[/ËsensÉri/]adj
Meaning: āĻāύā§āĻĻā§āϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧāϏāĻāĻā§āϰāĻžāύā§āϤ
Alt: āĻĻā§āώā§āĻāĻŋ, āĻļā§āϰāĻŦāĻŖ, āĻā§āϰāĻžāĻŖ, āϏā§āĻĒāϰā§āĻļ āĻ āϏā§āĻŦāĻžāĻĻā§āϰ āϏāĻā§āĻā§ āϏāĻŽā§āĻĒāϰā§āĻāĻŋāϤ
Example: Sensory details make the scene more realistic.
Syn: perceptive, sensitiveAnt: insensitive
đĄ Exam tip: Remember the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste.
serene[/sÉËriËn/]adj
Meaning: āĻļāĻžāύā§āϤ
Alt: āύāĻŋāϰāĻŋāĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻŋ āĻ āĻĒā§āϰāĻļāĻžāύā§āϤ
Example: The early morning street had a serene appearance.
Syn: peaceful, calmAnt: agitated, noisy
đĄ Exam tip: Serene is useful when describing a quiet natural scene.
intense[/ÉĒnËtens/]adj
Meaning: āϤā§āĻŦā§āϰ
Alt: āĻ
āϤā§āϝāύā§āϤ āĻļāĻā§āϤāĻŋāĻļāĻžāϞā§
Example: The rainstorm became more intense at night.
Syn: extreme, strongAnt: mild, weak
đĄ Exam tip: Use intense for strong rain, heat, emotion or sound.
roar[/rÉËr/]verb
Meaning: āĻāϰā§āĻāύ āĻāϰāĻž
Alt: āĻā§āϰ⧠āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻ āĻāϰāĻž
Example: The wind roared outside the house.
Syn: thunder, bellowAnt: whisper, murmur
đĄ Exam tip: Roar is a strong sound verb used in narrative and descriptive paragraphs.
atmosphere[/ËÃĻtmÉsfÉĒÉ/]noun
Meaning: āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŦā§āĻļ
Alt: āĻā§āύ⧠āϏā§āĻĨāĻžāύā§āϰ āĻ
āύā§āĻā§āϤāĻŋāĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖ āĻāĻŦāĻš
Example: The soft lights created a pleasant atmosphere in the room.
Syn: ambience, environmentAnt: emptiness
đĄ Exam tip: Atmosphere describes the overall mood or feeling of a place.
4. Narrative Paragraph Vocabulary (8 words)
narrate[/nÉËreÉĒt/]verb
Meaning: āĻŦāϰā§āĻŖāύāĻž āĻāϰāĻž
Alt: āĻāĻāύāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻāϞā§āĻĒ āĻŦāϞāĻž
Example: The writer narrates an unforgettable experience.
Syn: recount, tellAnt: conceal, suppress
đĄ Exam tip: Narrative writing tells about past events or incidents.
incident[/ËÉĒnsÉĒdÉnt/]noun
Meaning: āĻāĻāύāĻž
Alt: āĻŦāĻŋāĻļā§āώ āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻāϏā§āĻŽāĻŋāĻ āĻāĻāύāĻž
Example: The incident changed the way I thought about safety.
Syn: event, occurrenceAnt: nonoccurrence
đĄ Exam tip: Use incident for a particular event in a narrative paragraph.
experience[/ÉĒkËspÉĒÉriÉns/]noun
Meaning: āĻ
āĻāĻŋāĻā§āĻāϤāĻž
Alt: āĻā§āĻŦāύ⧠āĻāĻā§ āϝāĻžāĻāϝāĻŧāĻž āĻāĻāύāĻž āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻĒāϞāĻŦā§āϧāĻŋ
Example: My first day at school was a memorable experience.
Syn: adventure, encounterAnt: inexperience
đĄ Exam tip: A personal experience is a common examination topic.
chronological[/ËkrÉnÉËlÉdĘÉĒkÉl/]adj
Meaning: āĻāĻžāϞāĻžāύā§āĻā§āϰāĻŽāĻŋāĻ
Alt: āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧā§āϰ āϧāĻžāϰāĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻšāĻŋāĻāϤāĻž āĻ
āύā§āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧā§
Example: The events are presented in chronological order.
Syn: sequential, successiveAnt: random, disordered
đĄ Exam tip: Narrate actions in the order in which they happened.
happen[/ËhÃĻpÉn/]verb
Meaning: āĻāĻāĻž
Alt: āϏāĻāĻāĻāĻŋāϤ āĻšāĻāϝāĻŧāĻž
Example: The accident happened on a busy road.
Syn: occur, take placeAnt: cease
đĄ Exam tip: Use the past tense when narrating a past event.
rescue[/ËreskjuË/]verb
Meaning: āĻāĻĻā§āϧāĻžāϰ āĻāϰāĻž
Alt: āĻŦāĻŋāĻĒāĻĻ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āϰāĻā§āώāĻž āĻāϰāĻž
Example: A young man rescued the drowning boy.
Syn: save, recoverAnt: abandon, endanger
đĄ Exam tip: Rescue is useful in paragraphs about accidents and emergencies.
fortunately[/ËfÉËtĘÉnÉtli/]adv
Meaning: āϏā§āĻāĻžāĻā§āϝāĻā§āϰāĻŽā§
Alt: āĻāĻžāĻā§āϝ āĻāĻžāϞ⧠āϝā§
Example: Fortunately, the child was rescued in time.
Syn: luckily, happilyAnt: unfortunately
đĄ Exam tip: Use adverbs such as first, then, finally and fortunately to connect events.
memorable[/ËmemÉrÉbÉl/]adj
Meaning: āϏā§āĻŽāϰāĻŖā§āϝāĻŧ
Alt: āϝāĻž āϏāĻšāĻā§ āĻā§āϞāĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ āύāĻž
Example: It was a memorable day in my life.
Syn: remarkable, unforgettableAnt: forgettable, ordinary
đĄ Exam tip: Memorable is a strong adjective for concluding a personal narrative.
5. Cause, Effect and Listing Vocabulary (8 words)
cause[/kÉËz/]noun
Meaning: āĻāĻžāϰāĻŖ
Alt: āϝ⧠āĻāĻžāϰāĻŖā§ āĻā§āύ⧠āĻāĻāύāĻž āĻāĻā§
Example: Careless driving is a major cause of road accidents.
Syn: reason, sourceAnt: effect, result
đĄ Exam tip: A cause explains why something happens.
effect[/ÉĒËfekt/]noun
Meaning: āĻĢāϞāĻžāĻĢāϞ
Alt: āĻā§āύ⧠āĻāĻžāĻā§āϰ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŖāϤāĻŋ
Example: Pollution has a harmful effect on public health.
Syn: result, consequenceAnt: cause, origin
đĄ Exam tip: An effect explains what happens because of a cause.
factor[/ËfÃĻktÉ/]noun
Meaning: āĻāĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻžāύ
Alt: āĻā§āύ⧠āĻĢāϞāĻžāĻĢāϞ⧠āĻ
āĻŦāĻĻāĻžāύ āϰāĻžāĻāĻž āĻāĻžāϰāĻŖ
Example: Fatigue is an important factor in road accidents.
Syn: element, causeAnt: result
đĄ Exam tip: Use factor when mentioning one of several causes.
pollution[/pÉËluËĘÉn/]noun
Meaning: āĻĻā§āώāĻŖ
Alt: āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŦā§āĻļā§āϰ āĻā§āώāϤāĻŋāĻāϰ āύā§āĻāϰāĻž āĻ
āĻŦāϏā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: Air pollution causes serious health problems.
Syn: contamination, dirtAnt: purity, cleanliness
đĄ Exam tip: Common causes include smoke, waste, chemicals and noise.
poverty[/ËpÉvÉti/]noun
Meaning: āĻĻāĻžāϰāĻŋāĻĻā§āϰā§āϝ
Alt: āĻ
āĻāĻžāĻŦā§āϰ āĻ
āĻŦāϏā§āĻĨāĻž
Example: Poverty prevents many children from receiving education.
Syn: destitution, hardshipAnt: wealth, prosperity
đĄ Exam tip: Discuss unemployment, illiteracy and population growth as causes of poverty.
listing[/ËlÉĒstÉĒÅ/]noun
Meaning: āϤāĻžāϞāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻāϰāĻŖ
Alt: āĻāĻāĻžāϧāĻŋāĻ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧ āϧāĻžāϰāĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻšāĻŋāĻāĻāĻžāĻŦā§ āĻāĻĒāϏā§āĻĨāĻžāĻĒāύ
Example: The paragraph uses listing to present the stages of education.
Syn: enumeration, catalogueAnt: omission
đĄ Exam tip: Use firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally and moreover in listing paragraphs.
source[/sÉËs/]noun
Meaning: āĻā§āϏ
Alt: āϝā§āĻāĻžāύ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻāĻŋāĻā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻāϝāĻŧāĻž āϝāĻžāϝāĻŧ
Example: Books are an important source of knowledge.
Syn: origin, resourceAnt: result
đĄ Exam tip: Source may refer to causes, supplies or places of information.
contribute[/kÉnËtrÉĒbjuËt/]verb
Meaning: āĻ
āĻŦāĻĻāĻžāύ āϰāĻžāĻāĻž
Alt: āĻā§āύ⧠āĻĢāϞāĻžāĻĢāϞ⧠āϏāĻšāĻžāϝāĻŧāϤāĻž āĻāϰāĻž
Example: Education contributes to the development of a nation.
Syn: assist, helpAnt: hinder, obstruct
đĄ Exam tip: Use contribute to, not contribute for.
6. Comparison and Contrast Vocabulary (8 words)
comparison[/kÉmËpÃĻrÉĒsÉn/]noun
Meaning: āϤā§āϞāύāĻž
Alt: āĻĻā§āĻ āĻŦāĻž āϤāϤā§āϧāĻŋāĻ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧā§āϰ āĻŽāĻŋāϞ āύāĻŋāϰā§āĻŖāϝāĻŧ
Example: The comparison shows similarities between a paragraph and an essay.
Syn: analogy, correspondenceAnt: contrast
đĄ Exam tip: A comparison paragraph mainly emphasizes similarities.
contrast[/ËkÉntrÉËst/]noun
Meaning: āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āĻĨāĻā§āϝ
Alt: āĻĻā§āĻ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧā§āϰ āĻ
āĻŽāĻŋāϞ
Example: The contrast between town life and rural life is clear.
Syn: difference, distinctionAnt: similarity, resemblance
đĄ Exam tip: A contrast paragraph focuses on differences.
similarity[/ËsÉĒmÉËlÃĻrÉti/]noun
Meaning: āϏāĻžāĻĻā§āĻļā§āϝ
Alt: āĻĻā§āĻ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧā§āϰ āĻŽāĻŋāϞ
Example: There are several similarities between the two books.
Syn: likeness, resemblanceAnt: difference, variation
đĄ Exam tip: Use similarly, both and alike to show similarities.
difference[/ËdÉĒfÉrÉns/]noun
Meaning: āĻĒāĻžāϰā§āĻĨāĻā§āϝ
Alt: āĻĻā§āĻ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧā§āϰ āĻ
āĻŽāĻŋāϞ
Example: The main difference is the purpose of each test.
Syn: distinction, disparityAnt: similarity, sameness
đĄ Exam tip: Use whereas, unlike and on the other hand to show differences.
whereas[/ËweÉrËÃĻz/]adv
Meaning: āϝā§āĻāĻžāύā§; āĻĒāĻā§āώāĻžāύā§āϤāϰā§
Alt: āĻĻā§āĻāĻŋ āĻŦāĻŋāĻĒāϰā§āϤ āĻŦāĻŋāώāϝāĻŧ āϝā§āĻā§āϤ āĻāϰāĻžāϰ āĻļāĻŦā§āĻĻ
Example: Summer is hot, whereas winter is cold.
Syn: while, althoughAnt: similarly
đĄ Exam tip: Whereas is commonly used to introduce a contrasting clause.
similarly[/ËsÉĒmÉlÉli/]adv
Meaning: āĻ
āύā§āϰā§āĻĒāĻāĻžāĻŦā§
Alt: āĻāĻāĻāĻāĻžāĻŦā§
Example: Similarly, a novel also has characters and a plot.
Syn: likewise, comparablyAnt: differently
đĄ Exam tip: Place similarly at the beginning of a sentence followed by a comma.
distinctive[/dÉĒËstÉĒÅktÉĒv/]adj
Meaning: āϏā§āĻŦāϤāύā§āϤā§āϰ
Alt: āĻŦāĻŋāĻļā§āώ āĻŦā§āĻļāĻŋāώā§āĻā§āϝāĻĒā§āϰā§āĻŖ
Example: The two seasons have distinctive characteristics.
Syn: unique, characteristicAnt: common, ordinary
đĄ Exam tip: Distinctive means noticeably different from others.
merit[/ËmerÉĒt/]noun
Meaning: āĻā§āĻŖ
Alt: āĻāĻžāϞ⧠āĻŦāĻž āĻāĻĒāĻāĻžāϰ⧠āĻŦā§āĻļāĻŋāώā§āĻā§āϝ
Example: Both objective and essay tests have their own merits.
Syn: advantage, virtueAnt: demerit, disadvantage
đĄ Exam tip: Merit means advantage; demerit means disadvantage.
đĄ Exam Tips
âĸ Write one clear topic sentence that states the subject and controlling idea.
âĸ Keep every supporting sentence related to the topic sentence.
âĸ Use specific examples, facts and explanations instead of vague statements.
âĸ For descriptive paragraphs, use details connected with the five senses.
âĸ For narrative paragraphs, use the past tense and arrange events chronologically.
âĸ Use transitional words such as first, next, then, however, therefore, finally and thus.
âĸ In cause-and-effect writing, clearly distinguish causes from effects.
âĸ In listing paragraphs, use firstly, secondly, thirdly, moreover and finally.
âĸ In comparison paragraphs, use both, similarly, likewise and in the same way.
âĸ In contrast paragraphs, use unlike, whereas, on the other hand, however and in contrast.
âĸ End the paragraph with a concluding sentence that restates the central idea.
âĸ Avoid irrelevant, repetitive or excessively broad points in a single paragraph.