Level 1 — Foundation · Clauses & the First Paragraph
Task 20: Writing a Mini-Paragraph With Discourse Markers
Write a short claim-reason-example-conclusion paragraph, signposted with discourse markers like 'because,' 'for example,' and 'therefore' — the exact architecture Lesson 20 taught you to read.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this task, you should be able to:
- Write a topic sentence stating one clear claim
- Support the claim with a reason and a concrete example, each introduced by the right discourse marker
- Close the paragraph with a conclusion sentence introduced by 'therefore' or 'as a result'
Introduction
Lesson 20 taught you to read a paragraph as one argument — claim, reason, example, conclusion — held together by discourse markers acting as signposts. Writing your own short paragraph with that same architecture is the natural next step: instead of finding the structure, you build it, sentence by sentence.
The Rule, for Writing
Core Concept
Open with a claim — one sentence stating your main point. Follow with a reason, usually signposted by "because" or simply placed right after the claim. Add a concrete example, signposted by "for example" or "for instance." Close with a conclusion, signposted by "therefore" or "as a result," that restates the claim's real-world consequence. Four sentences, four clear jobs.
Example
Claim: Clear labeling reduces errors in a warehouse. Reason: Workers can find and check items faster when labels are easy to read. Example: For example, color-coded shelf labels cut picking mistakes noticeably at one distribution center. Conclusion: Therefore, investing in clear labeling is a small change with a real, measurable payoff.
Your Turn
Your Turn
Write a four-sentence paragraph about a habit that improves English learning (for example, reading daily, or speaking without translating). Sentence 1: a claim. Sentence 2: a reason, showing why the claim is true. Sentence 3: a concrete example, signposted with "for example." Sentence 4: a conclusion, signposted with "therefore" or "as a result."
Vocabulary in Context
labelnounneutral
a piece of information attached to an item, identifying it (লেবেল)
Often with attach a label, shipping label, label clearly
“Every crate carries a label showing its weight and destination.”
payoffnounneutral
a useful or beneficial result gained from an effort (লাভ/ফলাফল)
Often with a big payoff, payoff from, long-term payoff
“The payoff from the training was a thirty percent drop in errors.”
distributionnounformal
the process of delivering goods to where they're needed (বিতরণ)
Often with distribution centre, distribution network, distribution of goods
“The company's distribution network covers twelve regional warehouses.”
Model Answer
Show a model answer
Reading a little English every day builds vocabulary faster than occasional long study sessions. Because the words appear in a natural, meaningful context, they're easier to remember than a list learned by heart. For example, a learner who reads one short news article daily will meet the same useful words — "increase," "significant," "according to" — again and again, in slightly different sentences each time. Therefore, a short daily reading habit is a more reliable path to real vocabulary growth than cramming.
Self-Check
Self-Check
- Does your first sentence state one clear claim, with nothing else mixed into it?
- Does your reason sentence genuinely explain why the claim is true, not just restate it?
- Is your example concrete and specific, not another general statement?
- Does your conclusion sentence connect back to the original claim, signposted by "therefore" or "as a result"?
Next: Writing 21 — Writing a Well-Hedged Inference: writing a fact and a properly hedged inference built on it, in exactly two sentences.