Expansion of Ideas

Expansion of Ideas

INTRODUCE

Expansion of Idea is a short composition. Students are expected to comprehend the idea embodied in a proverb, a maxim, a quotation or an idiom and elaborate on it in the form of paragraphs.

A paragraph is a group of sentences developing a common idea called the topic. The sentence that predicates the topic is the topic sentence. A good topic sentence must be concise and emphatic. It must be of the ideal length and contain the key word or phrase. What is asserted in the topic sentence’ requires more sentences as elaboration and all these together constitute the body of  paragraph. Hence, a ‘topic sentence’ can never be separated from the related paragraph.

A good paragraph is always a unified structure. Paragraph unity involves two related but distinct concepts: coherence and flow. Coherence means that the ideas must fit together in an organic bond. Flow, on the other hand, means that the sentences must link up together logically so that the reader do not feel any apparent jump from one sentence to another. Usually, conjunctions and discourse markers are used to link up sentences.

(A discourse marker is generally a word or phrase that indicates the attitudinal or directional deviation during the course of a write-up or talk.)

 

Template for ‘Expansion of Idea’:

 

(1) Title– A suitable title is essential.

(2) Introductory Paragraph – (1st paragraph): A suitable                  introduction should be given, through which the reader knows what you are going to write about. This paragraph mostly contain the topic sentence with a brief explanation.

(3) Core content – (2nd paragraph): The topic sentence/the central idea is explained in detail. You can add relevant experiences, brief instances and anecdotes. There should be unity in the ideas and clarity of thought. Discourse makers may be used to maintain coherence and flow.

(4) Concluding Paragraph – (3rd paragraph) : The whole composition is summed up concisely. Another proverb/ saying with the same meaning as the one you are writing about may be used. For example, if the given proverb is ‘Birds of a feather flock together, you may end with a similar one like ‘A man is known by the company he keeps’.