How to write a paragraph
For some, writing a good paragraph is a challenge. They do not understand what goes into a paragraph, how long it should be, or when it is necessary to start a new paragraph. However, despite what some may think, writing well does not require a degree in English, nor a complete knowledge of all the grammar rules ever written.
If you find writing a paragraph to be a challenge, then perhaps, understanding what a paragraph is, what it consists of, and a little bit of organization will prepare you for writing a great paragraph and subsequently a great paper.
What is a Paragraph?
Writing a paragraph means that you are trying to convey a certain idea, thought, or lesson. A paragraph should consist of a topic, which generally will be the first sentence, and then the rest of the paragraph, which will be the supporting sentences.
The area many people seem to have problems with is the discontinuation of a paragraph and when to start the next paragraph. Some people will continue writing in the same paragraph until a subject is completely exhausted. Others start a new paragraph every two sentences. Neither of these approaches is correct, and deciding when to start a new paragraph only takes a few moments of thought.
One issue writers experience is understanding the difference between a subject and a topic. For example, if you want to write about hair, then hair is the subject of your paper. However, the topic of hair can be broken down into several topics.
- Short Hair
- Long Hair
- Medium Hair
- Hair color
- Hair thickness
- Course hair vs. silky hair
As you can see, there are many topics that a writer can choose from when writing about a subject. If the writer wants to cover as many aspects of the subject as possible then there will be many paragraphs, each addressing the different aspects of the subject. In the example above, hair is the subject; the opening paragraph will be the thesis statement explaining that there are many different types of hair color, lengths, textures, etc.
The transition between paragraphs needs to be natural. If you are talking about the different lengths of people’s hair, it is not natural to begin the next paragraph with your thoughts on crooked teeth. This kind of transition would require section titles within your paper to differentiate between subjects.
Writing Your Paragraph
Begin by organizing your thoughts and determine what you want to say in the paragraph. Are you writing something personal, or are you attempting to teach something or express an opinion? Often, knowing what you want to convey before you even begin the writing process will allow the thoughts to flow naturally.
- What is the subject? Most paragraphs do not stand alone, they are a series of paragraphs writing about a particular subject.
- Determine the topic. What is the point of the paragraph?
- Make a list. Get something on paper to see if the thoughts fit together.
- Organize your thoughts. Arrange your list so that your thoughts flow naturally from one subject to another.
- Eliminate or separate. Remove any initial thoughts that do not seem to fit in now that you have established your train of thought and separate any information that may be able to stand on its own in a separate paragraph.
- Begin writing the paragraph. Treat this as fluid, you can move sentences around, add or subtract anything that you need to.
Types of Paragraphs
As mentioned above, most paragraphs do not stand alone. There are exceptions to this of course, but in general, paragraphs are used to create a body of text. There are three types of paragraphs that will be used in virtually any kind of writing that requires body text.
- Thesis statement
- Supporting text
- Conclusion
This will apply even if writing a letter to your mother about what is going on in your life, and although it will be more casual, a proper letter will have the same elements as a report or paper.
The thesis statement will be a paragraph that describes the intent of your letter or report. If writing a letter to your mom, your thesis statement might be simply that everything is going great in you life. The next several paragraphs will be the supporting text and will support your claim that everything is great. Each paragraph will support a different topic, for example, I am romantically involved with someone, I got a great job or a promotion, I purchased a new car, etc. The conclusion paragraph wraps it all up with a bow: “as you can see mom, you do not need to worry about me because everything is going my way…”
Paragraph Structure
In general, there is no agreed upon number of sentences that belong in a paragraph. However, when writing a paper for school, or a business report, the expectation is for there to be at least four to five sentences. However, in truth paragraph can be as short as one sentence. While there is no established maximum number of sentences for a paragraph, keep in mind that once you have more than twenty sentences in all likelihood you will have lost your reader(s).
When starting a new paragraph there should always be an additional space between each paragraph. In some cases indenting is appropriate, especially when writing for college or writing a letter. However, when writing a report or something for business, indentations are not to be used.
Writing a good paragraph is not difficult and only requires that you take a moment to organize yourself, stay on topic and remember who or what you are writing for. If you keep all of these things in mind, you are going to produce something you are proud of.
