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English•JHS Composition & Writing

Building strong paragraphs

Junior High 6 questions
AI-drafted from platform data — specialist review scheduledBy DigiTransact Mastermind editorial teamLast updated
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What building strong paragraphs means

You learn how to shape one clear paragraph around a single main idea. This helps your writing stay focused, easy to follow, and better organised for school tasks and exams.

What you will practise

  • Choose a clear topic sentence for one paragraph.
  • Keep each sentence linked to the main idea.
  • Use linking words to show addition, contrast, or cause.
  • Put supporting details in a sensible order.
  • Finish the paragraph without drifting to a new idea.

Before you start

You should already know how to write simple sentences with correct punctuation. You should also be able to identify a main idea in a short text.

Not confident yet? Work through Writing an informal letter first.

Worked example

One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.

Question

The sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph is called the:

  • closing sentence
  • topic sentence
  • title
  • heading
Answer: topic sentence

Working: The topic sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraph.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Putting two or more main ideas in one paragraph. Keep one central point only.
  • Starting with details before the topic sentence. Open with the sentence that states the main idea.
  • Using linking words without a clear relationship. Choose words that match the idea you want to show.
  • Adding unrelated sentences at the end. Check that every sentence supports the same paragraph idea.

Curriculum and exam alignment

Ghana GES Basic 7 to 9 syllabusBECE

This skill normally comes in Junior High School writing work where learners practise arranging ideas clearly in paragraphs. It supports BECE preparation by helping you write organised composition answers and short responses.

Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.

Related skills

Other JHS Composition & Writing skills in English, at the same point in the course.

Other English topics

Early Reading and WritingSHS English and LiteratureAcademic and Professional WritingGrammarVocabularyReading Comprehension

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Exams that assess building strong paragraphs

Junior High work on this skill feeds directly into these exam papers. Each page lists the English topics that appear on it.

BECEBECE practice questionsFree BECE practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.GESGES practice questionsFree GES practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.WASSCEWASSCE practice questionsListed as a related subject on the WASSCE practice page.

How this page was produced

This text was drafted with AI assistance from the questions and topics already stored on the platform. A subject-specialist review is scheduled but has not yet been recorded, so we do not claim it here.

Written by
DigiTransact Mastermind editorial team
Human review
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Practise building strong paragraphs

6 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.

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