Writing Skills: Paragraph and Report Writing
Paragraph and Report Writing
This domain tests structured, factual writing. A paragraph is judged on unity and coherence; a report is judged on news format and verifiable detail.
Core rules and concepts
- Paragraph: one controlling idea, a topic sentence, supporting evidence, and a closing sentence that advances rather than repeats.
- Use linkers for reason, contrast, and sequence, but do not overuse them.
- Report: headline, byline, dateline, lead paragraph answering what, who, when, where, and why, then details in descending importance.
- Report voice: third person, past tense for events, neutral tone; no 'I think'. Attribute opinions to speakers.
- Keep names, numbers, and places consistent. A report should not end with a rhetorical question.
Worked example
Task: report on a school science exhibition. Weak opening: 'Our school organised a science exhibition. It was very nice.' Strong lead: 'Kolkata, 12 January: A one-day science exhibition was held at City High School on Friday, with 42 projects on waste management, robotics, and solar power.' Reasoning: The strong lead answers the 5 Ws and gives a concrete angle. The body can then quote the headmistress and describe two projects. 'Very nice' is an opinion, not reportable fact.
Traps
Writing a paragraph as a list of points; no topic sentence; report without a headline or dateline; switching to first person; inventing quotes; mixing past and present tense; burying the main news in the last line; using emotional adjectives in a news report.