Guide to spelling, punctuation and grammar

MORE EXAMPLES OF PARAGRAPHS
E
XAMPLE
1
Here is an extract from an essay discussing whether or not funds raised
by events such as ‘Band Aid’ do any lasting good to the recipients.
It could be argued, however, that nothing really has
changed since the first of these events took place.
There still seems to be widespread famine, droughts,
deaths from disease and civil war in the countries
that have received the money raised. Nothing has
been fundamentally altered by the giving of the
charitable aid. The funds alleviate, but do not cure,
the underlying ills. Far from transforming the lives
of the poverty-stricken, hungry people, the money
seems to be swallowed up and the need remains
constant. Many professionals working in the aid
agencies query whether these well-publicised fund-
raising concerts do any lasting good. They look to
other solutions for the deep problems that face Africa
in particular.
The first sentence of the paragraph is the key sentence. It makes the
point that is to be developed in the remainder of the paragraph.
Sentences two, three, four and five develop the point and give examples
of what is meant (the mention of famine, droughts, etc.).
30
H
OW TO WRITE ESSAYS

---

The last sentence of the paragraph introduces the idea that aid
professionals are looking beyond the money raised by such charitable
events. That could lead into the next paragraph where that point can be
expanded on. 
Thus, the structure of the paragraph is this: key sentence, then four
sentences that discuss the point of the key sentence, followed by a
closing sentence that summarises what has been said and looks forward
to the next paragraph. The next paragraph could have this as its opening
sentence:
These solutions include urgent action by
governments of the so-called developed world.
This sentence picks up on the point made in the closing sentence of the
previous paragraph and the linking word is ‘These’.