Page 359 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

Now you are ready to write. In a paragraph, draft your personal
definition of marriage.

Using Examples in Definition

Essays

Were you surprised that the dictionary entry for burden included an

example? Dictionary entries often contain examples. Examples work

well in definitions because they take an abstract idea, such as

devotion, and make it into a concrete illustration such as My family

tells me that my dog Lucky waits for hours at the window and barks

with joy when he sees me on the front walk. Definitions tend to be
general, and examples help to add the specificity that readers of both

dictionaries and essays appreciate. Like the writer of the dictionary

entry, you may decide to use an example to illustrate your definition.

Instead of an example in a single word, however, you may provide an

example in one or two sentences or even a whole paragraph.

Building Connections

In writing, using one method of development to support another

is a common technique. Examples are often used to support

and illustrate definitions. The more methods of development

you know how to use, the more useful tools you will have in
your writer’s toolbox.