ENGLISH 8- Q4 PART 1 NOTES

Module 1: Using Appropriate Grammatical Signals or Expressions to Each Pattern of Idea

Development

Idea development is essential in writing. This is done by organizing ideas in a logical and clear
manner that suits the writer’s purpose. To achieve this, it is necessary to use appropriate
grammatical signals or expressions.

Grammatical signals are writing devices such as transitional devices, connectors, determiners,
and repetitions that are used to maintain text coherence. Coherence establishes a logical
connection between ideas in sentences and paragraphs. These ideas can be developed
through different patterns depending on the writer’s purpose.

Pattern of idea development refers to the structure of writing on how the ideas are being
presented. Five of the commonly used patterns of idea development are discussed in this
module. These are the general to particular, cause and effect, claim-counterclaim, problem-
solution, and persuasion. Let us explore them and their appropriate grammatical signals.

A. General to Particular. This pattern of idea development discusses the general topic by
presenting specific details that support the topic. The writer starts with the general idea stated in
the topic sentence. Then, it is elaborated and explained through specific details and examples.
In other words, general to particular pattern is a deductive method of organization.

These are the other grammatical signals that can be used for general to particular pattern of
idea development: also, for example, as an example, in addition, in addition to, for instance,
examples of these, first, second, third, next, on one hand, and on the other hand.

B. Cause and Effect. This pattern of idea development explains the causes or the effects of
something. When a writer presents reasons, he or she is explaining the causes. When a writer
explains the results, he or she is explaining the effects.

These are the other grammatical signals that can be used for cause and effect pattern of idea
development:
Cause: if, for, since, due to, because, owing to, because of, one cause, and resulting from
Effect: so, thus, hence, then, therefore, as a result, in effect, as consequence, consequently,
leads to, one of the effects is, and that is why

C. Claim and Counterclaim. This pattern of idea development refers to the structure of
presenting a side of an issue in an argumentative manner. A claim is the writer’s stand on a
topic supported by evidences and logical reasoning. Also, the writer presents the counterclaim
or the opposite stand of an issue to disprove it through evidences and logical reasoning.
The claim disproves the counterclaim by presenting evidences and logical reasoning. To
present these, grammatical signals are used. The transitional device ‘however’ is used to
present the evidence that teenager concentrates more on the musical value of the song rather
than the inner meaning of the lyrics. Also, the transitional device ‘thus’ is used to restate the
claim. Aside from this, connectors ‘for’ is used to present additional information about a study
while ‘even though’ is used to contrast two ideas making the other idea less true.

D. Problem-Solution. Here are the other transitional devices that can be used for
claimcounterclaim pattern of idea development: however, nevertheless, on one hand, on the
other hand, admittedly, some people say, some may say, of course, nevertheless, and but not
only that.

This pattern of idea development is used when a writer identifies a problem and addresses it by
presenting one or more solutions. A problem refers to the unsatisfactory situation that causes
troubles or difficulties. A solution on the other hand, refers to the ways in solving or minimizing
the problem.

E. Persuasion. Here are the grammatical signals to be used for problem-solution pattern of
idea development: because, cause, since, as a result, in order to, and so that, as a solution, and
one way.

This pattern of idea development intends to convince the readers to do or believe in something.
It allows the writer to express his or her personal viewpoints about a topic to convince the
readers. This pattern of idea development is based on opinions and emotions.

Here are some of the other grammatical signals and expressions of persuasion: come, free,
need, must, must not, necessary, latest, hurry, join, help, best, better, great, proven, trusted,
create, come along, urgent, amazing experience, avail now, I believe, I urge, don't miss, can do
it, and one of a kind.

Module 2: Expanding the Content of an Outline Using Notes from Primary and Secondary
Sources

What is an outline? An outline is a tool used in improving and organizing written ideas about a
topic into a logical order. Writers use outlines when writing their papers to know which topic to
cover and in what order. What are the types of an outline? The type of outline to be used by the
writer depends on the nature of the topic and purpose of the writer. Topics that are information-
heavy may require more major topics and subtopics since the writer’s purpose is to be as
informative as possible. However, if the writer wants to be persuasive, outline should only
accommodate what is important to the audience’s needs. There are two types of outline: the
sentence outline and the topic outline.
1. Sentence Outline It is a type of outline that presents the thesis statement, major topics,
subtopics, and supporting details in sentence form. It allows you to include those details in the
sentences instead of having to create an outline of many short phrases that goes on page after
page. Also, it follows a hierarchical structure composed of sentences and headings around the
subject of the speech or essay. These characters are used in this order in bullet formatting.
● Roman Numerals
● Capitalized Letters
● Arabic Numerals
● Lowercase Letters

2. Topic Outline. It is a type of outline which presents the major topics, subtopics, and
supporting details in the form of words and phrases. Below is an example of a topic outline and
its parts.
What are the contents of an outline? An outline is composed of many parts. These parts work
together to present a clear idea of a paragraph or an essay. An outline contains thesis
statement, major topics, subtopics, and supporting details. The following are the parts with their
corresponding definition:
What are the steps in writing an outline? Writing an outline involves a series of steps. To
achieve a well-organized outline, follow these steps carefully:

How to Expand the Content of an Outline Using Different Sources?

In expanding the content of an outline, you need to use primary and secondary sources.
Primary sources are firsthand information taken from original evidences such as reports on
discoveries and events and interviews from persons in authority while secondary sources are
secondhand information taken from the primary sources. Below are examples of primary and
secondary sources which will be used in expanding the contents of your outline.
Module 3: Synthesizing Information

What is Synthesizing? The prefix “syn” in synthesis means together. Hence, synthesizing is
pulling together different ideas to come up with a new, bigger idea. It is an on-going process
where old and new knowledge, experiences, opinions add up, blend, and fit together to create
new understanding.
To illustrate: Idea 1 + Idea 2 + Own Ideas = New Ideas To be able to synthesize, you must also
know how to:
Summarize -To shorten a long text by writing the main points in your own words
Paraphrase -To put a passage from source material into your own words similar in length as the
original
Analyze - To break complex topic into smaller parts. Example: breaking down a cake into its
ingredients.
Infer- To use observation and background to reach a logical conclusion

How to Synthesize?
The RES Method For you to be able to synthesize essential information, this approach could
help you.
R – Read two different sources about a topic and jot down important ideas.
E – Edit notes and put together similar concepts.
S – Synthesize by combining notes with what you already know about the topic. However, to
help you declutter your ideas in synthesizing essential information, the following steps can also
be of great help;

Step 1: Organize your sources After collecting the relevant literature, you need to organize your
notes in a way that allows you to see the relationships between sources. You can get relevant
information from the following sources. Print Sources Books and Textbooks, Newspapers,
Academic and Trade Journals, Government Reports and Legal Documents, Press Releases
and Advertising, Flyers, Pamphlets, and Leaflets Digital and Electronic Sources Multimedia,
Websites, Blogs and personal websites, Social media pages and message boards.

Step 2: Outline your structure With a clear overview of the main connections and differences
between the sources you’ve read, you need to decide how you’ll group them together and the
order in which you’ll discuss them.

Step 3: Write paragraphs with topic sentences What sets a synthesis apart from a summary is
that it combines various sources. The easiest way to think about this is that each paragraph
should discuss a few different sources, and you should be able to condense the overall point of
the paragraph into one sentence. This is called a topic sentence, and it usually appears at the
start of the paragraph. The topic sentence signals what the whole paragraph is about; every
sentence in the paragraph should be clearly related to it.

Step 4: Revise, edit and proofread Like any other piece of academic writing, synthesizing
literature involves redrafting, revising, editing and proofreading. In writing your synthesis, the
following verbs can be of help. DON’T FORGET, to use the following terms when quoting your
source.
asserts, highlights, illustrates, portrays, suggests, argues, conveys, contends,
explains, claims

To show agreement, use the following:

Similarly, also, likewise, Equally, Furthermore

To show disagreement, the following words can be used:

On the other hand, on the contrary, unlike, Although, despite, otherwise, Conversely,
where

Module 4: Composing an Effective Paragraph

What is a Paragraph?
A paragraph is a group of sentences organized to discuss a topic. In fact, the main rule of
paragraph writing is to focus on one idea or topic. To be able to write an effective paragraph,
one must have the essential parts.

What are the Parts of a Paragraph? There are three parts of a paragraph namely topic
sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentence. Each serves a different function in
the paragraph. Topic Sentence A topic sentence presents the topic of the paragraph. It will
serve as a guide for the writer to keep his or her writing under control. This is why, a topic
sentence is called the "controlling idea" of a paragraph.
Below is an example of a topic sentence.
Supporting Sentences The Supporting sentences serve as the body of your paragraph. This is
where you elaborate your topic by including specific details or evidences. All of the sentences in
the body must relate to the topic sentence. These sentences should be organized accordingly
through the use of transitional devices. Below is an example of supporting sentences.

Concluding Sentence A concluding sentence restates what the topic of the paragraph is all
about. It comes after all the details have been included in the body of the paragraph. The box
below contains the list of transitional devices used in concluding sentences.
What are the Principles in Writing a Paragraph?
For a paragraph to be effective, the following principles must be observed.

Unity

Unity means that all sentences in the paragraph talk about one central idea. This means that the
writer will deal only with one topic. It is important because it guides the writer with his or her
idea.
Example: Apples make us healthy. They are rich in fiber that reduces the risk of cardiovascular
diseases. They also have vitamin C that boosts the immune system and helps defend the body
from infections and diseases. Lactobacilli, a type of probiotic that is good for digestion, is
another component present in apples. In addition, apples have potassium that reduces the risk
of high blood pressure and cardiovascular complications. Indeed, apples are nutritious and good
for our health.

The paragraph above has unity. It only tackles one topic which is ‘Apples make us healthy.’
With this, the supporting sentences talk about the healthy components of apples. Then, the
concluding sentence emphasizes the main idea of the topic sentence by restating that apples
are nutritious and good for our health.

Coherence
Coherence refers to the connection of ideas in the paragraph in general. The idea in the topic
sentence, as well as in the supporting sentences and concluding sentence, is connected to
each other through the use of transitional devices.

Example: Apples make us healthy. They are rich in fiber that reduces the risk of cardiovascular
diseases. They also have vitamin C that boosts the immune system and helps defend the body
from infections and diseases. Lactobacilli, a type of probiotic that is good for digestion, is
another component present in apples. In addition, apples have potassium that reduces the risk
of high blood pressure and cardiovascular complications. Indeed, apples are nutritious and good
for our health.
The paragraph above has coherence. The sentences are connected to each other through the
use of the underlined transitional devices.

Development
Development refers to the principle when a paragraph describes, elaborates, explains, and
supports its topic sentence. A paragraph is considered adequately developed if after reading it,
the reader is left with no questions.

Example Apples make us healthy. They are rich in fiber that reduces the risk of cardiovascular
diseases. They also have vitamin C that boosts the immune system and helps defend the body
from infections and diseases. Lactobacilli, a type of probiotic that is good for digestion, is
another component present in apples. In addition, apples have potassium that reduces the risk
of high blood pressure and cardiovascular complications. Indeed, apples are nutritious and good
for our health.

The paragraph above applies the principle of development. The topic sentence which is ‘Apples
make us healthy’ is elaborated with facts. These facts are presented in the supporting
sentences. Also, the concluding sentence supports the topic sentence by restating that apples
are nutritious and good for our health.

What are the Different Patterns of Paragraph Development?

There are many ways to develop a paragraph. The following are the common patterns of
paragraph development.

Narration
In the narration pattern, the paragraph tells a story or recounts a series of events. It arranges
the events or ideas in a chronological order which means the events are organized from
beginning to end. Narrative paragraph can be based on personal experience or on knowledge
gained from reading or observation.

Description
In a description pattern, the paragraph is characterized by using more adjectives or vivid
sensory description. It creates a mental picture of the idea or the topic by describing how it
sounds, smells, tastes, feels, and/or looks. It is often recommended to use transitional words
and phrases that indicate location.

Process
This pattern of development is usually used to explain a process on how to do something. It
uses transitional devices of enumeration (e.g., first, second, third) and time (e.g., then, next,
finally). It is the right pattern of development when your purpose is to help your readers
understand the steps in a process or procedure, or to give instructions.

Exemplification
This pattern of paragraph development uses series of examples to support the topic sentence.
This means that to further explain the topic, the use of specific examples must be provided.
Comparison/Contrast
This pattern of paragraph development is used when a paragraph demonstrates comparison
and/or contrast or examines how given subjects are either similar or different. Comparison
examines how the subjects are the same while contrast examines how the subjects are
different. In writing this paragraph pattern it is highly recommended to use transitional words
and phrases that indicate comparison and contrast.

Definition
This pattern of paragraph development aims to give a complete working definition of a term,
concept, or idea. One of the main features of this pattern is that it tells both what the term is and
what it is not. In other words, it defines the boundaries of a term, so the readers can better
understand it.

Classification
This pattern of paragraph development presents a topic and classifies it into component parts,
types, kinds or categories. It distinguishes its parts by presenting the characteristics of each.
This pattern uses transitional phrases like can be divided, is a kind/type/part of, can be
classified, falls under, can be categorized, is related to, and associated with.

Cause and Effect

This pattern of paragraph development explains the reasons why something happened or
explains the effects of something. When an author gives reasons, he or she is explaining the
causes. When a writer explains the results, he or she is explaining the effects. To explain the
causes, the following signal words may be used: since, due to, because, consequently, and for
this reason. To explain the effects, the following signal words may be used: so, thus, hence,
therefore, and as a result.