Paragraphs

Linear

• each sentence tells more about the central idea

• the order of the sentences can be changed

• used in expository writing

There are so many kinds of transportation.  I love flying in airplanes.  My dad has a new car.  Sometimes I get to ride my bike to school.  I can go to my friend's house if I ride my skates. 

Each sentence tells more about the main idea (kinds of transportation), but the sentences don't tell about each other. Flying in airplanes has nothing to do with dad's new car.

    I love my dog. He is brown. He eats a lot of food. He is cuddly. He does lots of tricks.

Webbed                                          View student examples

• each sentence tells more about the sentence before it

• can't change the order of the sentences

• used in narrative writing

Each sentence tells about the central idea (eating sausage for breakfast), but the sentences also share ideas with each other.  Sentence 5 tells more about what sentence 4 said.  Sentence 4 tells more about what sentence 3 said, and so on.