時間過得真快，已經到了學期的第七周。第七周，我們正式開始了段落寫作講解，也就是說，句子層面的學習基本告一段落了。這周我們探討了三個問題：
1. 什麼是段落？
2. 段落的構成？
3. 段落寫作格式規範
一、什麼是段落？
段落的定義
大家可以先思考一下在寫語文作文的時候，分段的依據是什麼？好像對絕大多數同學來講，什麼時候開始下一段是一件很隨性的事情。寫著寫著突然覺得該開始下一段了，或是因為目前這段的字數很多了，或是因為內心有個聲音呼喊著，「要分段了！」 但是客觀依據並不是非常明確。從這個角度上講，課文裡的定義非常好且具有很強的操作性！
A paragraph is a writing unit with agroup of sentences developing a single topic or one main idea.
一個段落是圍繞著一個話題展開的一組句子。
換句話說，如果有兩個話題，那麼一定是應該分成兩段的。
二、段落構成.
課本裡列出一個主體段落中，一般有四種不同功能的句子組成，
Topic sentence 話題句
Supporting sentences 支撐句
Concludingsentence 結論句
Transitional sentence過渡句
但其實，只有前兩種是絕大部分主體段都應該具備的組成元素，第三種可有可無，而第四種，不用說，更是無需存在，且位置應該在哪，還有待商榷，一般過渡句也有可能會放在段落開頭。
1. 話題句
定義
The topic sentence starts the main idea of the paragraph. It limits the topic to one area.This specific area is usually identified by some words that offer the controlling idea.
話題句，只能包含一個controlling idea來將話題聚焦到一個更小的範圍
這樣的一個定義，也與段落的定義一脈相承，即段落只圍繞一個話題展開。
2. 支撐句
定義
Supporting sentences develop thetopic sentence. That is, they explain the topic sentence by giving reasons, examples,facts, statistics, and quotations.
支撐句用來論證話題句，通過講道理，舉例子，擺事實，列數據，引用名言等方式來論證話題句。
下面，我們通過看一篇所謂的「範文」，來熟悉段落寫作中這兩種不同功能的句子。
A Teaspoon
A teaspoon is a utensil for scooping up and carrying small amounts of something. It has two parts: a flat, narrow tapered handle, by which it is held, and a shallow oval bowl to dip and carry liquid, food, or other materials. The handle is about four inches long. It arches slightly upward at the wide end, and it curves sharply downward at the narrow end. The shape of the handle allows it to fit easily in the hand. It is correctly held resting across the third finger and grasped between the thumband first joint of the forefinger of the right hand. When the bowl is level, the handle points upward at a shallow angle. A spoon is usually made of metal or some other hard-waring, unbreakable material.
話題句：A teaspoon is a utensil for scooping up and carrying small amounts of something.
茶匙（chi二聲）是用來盛少量物品的家什。
如果我們聯想到話題句的定義，即話題句包含了整個段落要探討的主要話題，那麼根據這句話講的主要是茶匙的功能，我們會預測這段加下來會寫如何盛少量物品。
可是接下來第二句話，
It has two parts: a flat, narrow tapered handle, by which it is held, and a shallow oval bowl to dip and carry liquid, food, or other materials.
講的是茶匙的構造，由把手和凹槽（胡翻）構成。同樣接下裡的句子直到倒數第二句都在講構造，所以話題句應該是第二句話。
那麼第一句話如何處理？
刪掉，或是當做第一段。
同樣，離譜的還有最後一句話，課文說這是總結句。
A spoon is usually made of metal or some other hard-waring, unbreakable material.
茶匙由金屬及其他堅硬材質構成。
講的是茶匙的材質。
我文化雖少，但是結論句應該是總結之前所講的內容這個理還是明白的。這個結論句講茶匙的材質，實在是欺負我讀書少麼。
所以，一個段落，三個話題，哪來的勇氣做範文呢。
正確的分段形式，如下，
A Teaspoon
A teaspoon is a utensil for scoopingup and carrying small amounts of something （第一段）.
A teaspoon has two parts: a flat,narrow tapered handle,by which it is held, and a shallow oval bowl to dip and carry liquid, food, or other materials (話題句).The handle is about four inches long. It arches slightly upward at the wide end, and it curves sharply downward at thenarrow end. The shape of the handle allows it to fit easily in the hand. It is correctly held resting across the third finger and grasped between the thumb and first joint of the forefinger of the right hand. When the bowl is level, the handle points upward at a shallow angle （第二段）.
A spoon is usually made of metal or some other hard-waring, unbreakable material（第三段）.
下面看一個真正的範文。雖是簡短，但卻結構完整，邏輯清晰。
Synonyms
Synonyms, words that havethe same meaning, do not always have the same emotional meaning （話題句）. For example, the words "stingy" andfrugal" both mean careful with money." However, to call a personstingy is an insult, while the word frugal" has a much more positiveconnotation. Similarly, a person wants to be slender but not skinny, andaggressive but not pushy （支撐句）. Therefore, you should be careful in choosingwords because many so-called synonyms are not really synonymous at all （結論句）.
翻譯：
同義詞，即具有相同含義的詞，但並不總是具有相同的情感含義。例如，「 摳門」和「節儉」這兩個詞均表示小心謹慎。但是，叫人小氣是一種侮辱，而「節儉」一詞則具有更多積極的含義。同樣，一個人想要苗條而不是骨瘦如柴，主動而不是咄咄逼人。因此，選擇單詞時要小心，因為很多所謂的同義詞根本不是真正的同義詞。
三、段落寫作格式規範
課本講的比較簡潔，我們探討的充分一點。
1. 段落前空幾格？
如圖，
英文段落前一般是要縮進½英寸，對應的大概是空5-7格，而不是我們漢語寫作中的兩格。原因是什麼？因為漢字佔的字符空間要比英文字母佔的字符空間大得多，包括漢語的標點符號佔的空間也要比英文的標點符號佔的字符空間要大。
如，
1,1vs 1，1
很容易判斷出來那個是漢語的逗號吧？這也便是為什麼英文寫作中，標點符號後面一定要空一格的原因。標點符號後不空格的話，在word文檔中，會被默認為標點符號前後是一個單詞。所以，是憑空少了一個單詞。在諸如國才和託福等機考考試中，會極大地影響到考試得分。
2. 何時大寫單詞首字母？
1.
Capitalize the first word of a sentence, including a sentence of quoted speech or writing.
句子第一個單詞，直接引語第一個單詞，都要大寫
如，
As Shakespeare wrote, 「Who steals my purse steals trash.」
2.
Capitalize Proper nouns—the names of specific persons, places, or things— are capitalized, and so are adjectives formed from proper nouns.
專有名詞都要大寫
如，
Shi Huawei, Sunday, Chinese
3.
Capitalize all words in titles with the exception of articles (a, an, and the), prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, and the to ininfinitives (unless they are the first or last word in the title or subtitle).
題目中所有單詞首字母都要大寫，除非是冠詞，介詞，並列連詞和不定式to；首單詞和尾單詞首字母都要大寫，不管是哪類詞！
如，
「Dover Beach」
On the Waterfront
The Declaration of Independence
Madame Curie: A Biography
Across the River and into the Trees
「What Friends Are For」