11. Paragraph Patterns in the English Language Text


1.  Information Sharing Based on Subtopic
A Good paragraphs usually have only one topic , tapi sometimes - sometimes have a prayer OR AN Topics Hobbies subtopics . cont Notice Oh following initials .


         The people in the United States speak the same language as the people in Great Britain. However, American English is different from British English in many ways. First, the sounds of American English are different from the sound of British English. For example, most Americans pronounce the ‘r’ in the word ‘car’ but most Britons do not. Most Americans pronounce the ‘dictionary’ like this /dik-shun-ar-y/, but the British pronounce it like this /dik-shun-ry/. Some spellings are also different. People in Britain write ‘colour’ and ‘centre’, but people in the United States write ‘color’ and ‘center’. Finally some words are different. People in the United States use ‘gasoline’ in their cars, but people in Britain use ‘petrol’. Gasoline and petrol are the same thing, but the Americans and the British use diferent words for it.

In the above example the author develops the topic of the paragraph by using three subtopics : sounds , Spellings and words. If the above paragraph is described by a diagram then he will be like this .

Differences between American and British English

Sounds

spellings
Words
American English pronounce the ‘r’ in car.
British English: colour and centre
American English: gasoline
British English do not pronounce the ‘r’ in car.
American English: color and center
British English: petrol

2. Dividing Information Based on Level of generality          
 Normally a paragraph begins with general information and then developed with providing information that is more specific . Consider the following example .


      There are basically two types of families: nuclear family and extended family. The nuclear family usually consists of two parents (mother and father) and their children. The mother and father from the nucleus, or center , of the nuclear family. The children stay in the nuclear family until they marry. Then they form new nuclear family.

If a paragraph in the above example we describe is based on the level of keumumam information contained in it , then we can make the following diagram .

Level 1
There are basically two types of families: nuclear family and extended family

Level 2
The nuclear family usually consists of two parents (mother and father) and their children

Level 3
The mother and father from he nucleus, or center, of the nuclear family

The children stay in the nuclear family until they marry

Then they form new nuclear family


As shown in the diagram above , paragraph can not be divided into sections based on the level of generality of information in it . At one level there is general information and continued with more specific information on subsequent levels .

3.  Based on the information divide the time , place and Causal Association

            Various methods were used by the authors to organize information in a paragraph . Sometimes the information in a paragraph arranged in chronological order , based on the spot , or by the order of causation .
Consider the following example .


         Rent control began fairly recently in the United States. Few American cities had rent control before World War II. During World War II, the U.S. government imposed rent control on all the cities in the U.S. After World War II, only one city –New York- continued rent control. At the beginning of the 1980s nearly one-fifth of the people in the US lived in cities with rent control.

As can be seen in the example above information in paragraphs arranged in chronological order . If the above paragraph we divide by the time sequence information we will get a diagram like the one below .


Time

Information about rent control
Before World War II
Few cities had rent control
During World War II
All cities had rent control
After World War II
Only New York continued rent control
Beginning of 1980s
Nearly one-fifth of the people in the US lived in cities with rent control

           Most paragraph is based on information about the place (place ) such as city , county , state , location and other geo-located so forth . Consider the following example .

         The cost of renting an apartment varies from one American city to another. In most cities, the rent for one-bedroom apartment is more than $250 per month. In some smaller cities such as Louisville, Kentuky or Jacksonville, Florida, the rent is less, but in larger cities the rent is more. For example, if you live in Los Angeles, you must pay $400 or more to rent a one-bedroom apartment, and the same apartment rents for $625 and up in Chicago. The most expensive rents in the U.S. are in New York, where you must pay at least $700 a month to rent a one-bedroom apartment in most parts of the city.

The information in the paragraph above example is based on the arrangement of the place and the price of rental apartments ranging from cheap to expensive . If we describe the pattern of development in the above paragraph will we get the following diagram .


Place

Rent for One-bedroom Apartment
Most American cities
> $ 250
Smaller cities
e.g. Louisville
       Jacksonville
< $ 250
Larger cities
e.g. Los Angeles
       Chicago
       New York
> $ 250
> $ 400
> $ 625
> $ 700


           There is also a paragraph which is based on information causality ( cause and result ) . Consider the following example .

         The price of shoes are related to the number of shoes the producers make. For example, the price of shoes was high last month, so the shoe producers made more shoes. However, the consumers did not buy more shoes because of the high price. As a result, the shoe producers reduced the price of the shoes so that the consumers could buy more shoes. At the same time, the shoe producers reduced their production of shoes because the prices went down.

As can be seen in the above example is based on the information in paragraphs causal relations by using words appropriate special link like ' Because ' , ' so' and ' as a result ' . If the above paragraph we have described in a diagram we will get the diagram as shown below .


Cause
Results

Price of shoes (up)
Shoe production (up)
High price
Consumer did not buy more
Consumer did not buy more
Price of shoes (down)
Price of shoes (down)
Consumer could buy more
Price of shoes (down)
Shoe production (down)