Does anyone know how to create painless paper lengthening, or how to create an essay out of one paragraph ?

Question

One of the most difficult tasks that faced my composition students was not only how to begin a paper but how to make it longer than 2 sentences!

So. I came up with a plan. After torturing them into writing that first paragraph I looked at their papers and noticed that any one of the supporting sentences could be another topic in another paragraph. It worked :).

Of course the first thing to do was to show them how to write a good paragraph.

David Mamet, Pulitzer Prize winning author, explains on "Master Class,"

"A good paragraph is composed of a topic sentence (or key sentence), relevant supporting sentences, and a closing (or transition) sentence. This structure is key to keeping your paragraph focused on the main idea and creating a clear and concise image."

Answer 1

Echoing what each of you wrote above: the introduction is key to every essay, especially persuasive essays. Within that enlivening, eye-catching opening paragraph essentially exists every element of discussion in the forthcoming paragraphs within the essay as a whole. Every tiny topical detail referenced within the sentences constituting the introductory paragraph can pave the way for smooth-flowing transitions dictating the direction of the essay composition ahead. And with the thesis statement for the given persuasive essay stated outright in plain view within the concluding sentence to the introduction, all that needs to follow in the ensuing paragraphs is supportive evidence reflecting the argument outlined via individual topics discussed and points raised on paper. And presto! You’ve got your essay in full!

Answer 2

So. I explained that 5 paragraphs actually make up a paper. And that my wary students would have an easy time coming up with more to write about if they looked closely at that first paragraph. All they needed to do was to find the supporting sentences in the paragraph and make the sentences the topic sentence of the next paragraph. Then add a transition to link each paragraph then a conclusion to the paragraph.

One good example was a beginning paragraph with the topic sentence:

"Weekends were filled with household chores." The sentences that followed were, "On Fridays we cleaned the kitchen. Fridays were my favorite. Washing the dishes that had piled up during the busy week days when being at work was the priority, was somehow enjoyable. Saturdays consisted of dusting and polishing.

And at the end of our busy weekend cleanings was the good feeling that a job had been finished and a new week begun all shiny and new.

It was easy to take each supporting sentence and to make it a topic sentence.

The work looked like this:

On Fridays we cleaned the kitchen .....

Washing the dishes that had piled up....was somehow enjoyable......

Saturdays consisted of dusting and polishing......

It was .......

At the end of our busy weekend.....

Just add the details, explain the reasons, and tie it all together with a concluding paragraph.