Paragraph Writing

When you would read or write an essay, or any fully-written write-up, you would always encounter a group of sentences that expounds, extends, and explains a single idea. That group of sentences is called a paragraph.

For some people, writing a paragraph may be pretty easy, but for some, it is also pretty difficult—just imagine fleshing out a single idea into three or more sentences.

What Is a Paragraph?

A paragraph is basically a group of at least three to five sentences that discuss a central topic.

An effective paragraph always begins with the topic sentence that supports the main idea of the entire paragraph. Another key thing about effective paragraphs is that it would always maintain the consistent flow of ideas all throughout its sentences.

The sentences you can find in paragraphs are not just random sentences but these are carefully chosen sentences that ensure that the single idea discussed thoroughly and consistently. You may also want to read Writing Examples in Doc.

A typical paragraph has three parts: the topic sentence, the supporting sentence, and the concluding sentence. The topic sentence is usually the first sentence in a paragraph and it is then followed by the concluding sentences that usually comes in three sentences, and finally, the concluding sentence which is, obviously, found on the last part or after the supporting sentence. Writing concluding sentences can be optional because if you find that your entire paragraph can do without one, it is definitely all right to end your paragraph without a concluding statement.

It is a rule that you must make sure that the paragraph should always maintain and focus on a single idea. One indication of having successfully written an effective paragraph is that it brings the readers on a clear path that leaves no room for detours.

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You may already be aware of the fact that paragraphs usually consists of at least three to five sentences and that it has three major parts which are the topic sentence, the supporting sentences, and the concluding sentences. You may also be interested in Writing Examples in PDF.

But do you have any idea that in writing a paragraph, there’s more to that? In writing a well-written and effective paragraph, it has to have the four essential elements that make it possible for a paragraph to become so. You may also want to know what is writing used for.

A paragraph should possess unity.

On the very start of your paragraph, it should already possess unity and you can do so by making sure that it has and begins with a topic sentence wherein the rest of the paragraph would be able to follow.

Paragraphs always have this single and central idea that is first expressed in the topic sentence that is also typically expressed in the first sentence of the paragraph. The rest of the sentences that follow after the topic sentence should be consistent in supporting the central idea of the entire paragraph to make unify the entire message delivered by a paragraph.

In order to write a unified paragraph, you should make sure that you would think about the central theme as well as the points that support it. It is critical to give importance to the supporting points because these will be the basis to determine whether your paragraph is unified.

A paragraph should always be in order.

To make your paragraph in order, you have to make sure that you have effectively organized your supporting sentences. One indication of an effective and solid paragraph is that it would always have a definite and clear organization.

There are several ways in which you can put your sentences in order and that could be having it in chronological order, having it patterned through an order of importance, and other logical presentation.

It is in having a well-ordered paragraph that you would be able to help your readers in following along your ideas accordingly since you have established and given them a logical pattern that they can follow in order to easily grasp the meaning or the message of your paragraph and avoid confusion altogether.

A paragraph should always be coherent.

If you want to make your paragraph understandable for all the kinds of readers out there, you have to make sure that you have written a coherent paragraph. It is coherence that makes your paragraph become understandable even for those who are not wide readers.

You have to ensure that the sentences you write in a paragraph should be able to connect with each other and that it works so well when it would be working as a whole.

In order to achieve a coherent paragraph, you can always make use of the transitional words or phrases that can help you in creating solid bridges from a sentence toward the sentences that follow after it. There are transition words that can help you in showing chronological order of things, such as first, second, and third (or last). There are transition words that show the spatial relationship of things such as above and below. There are also transition words that show logic, such as furthermore, in addition, and in fact.

Additionally, a coherent paragraph is also keen on using a consistent verb tense as well as its point of view.

A paragraph should always be complete.

And by being complete, a paragraph should be well-developed. To determine a complete paragraph, it can be visible that the sentences that follow after the topic sentence have been able to do its role which is to support solely, clearly, and sufficiently on the topic sentence or the main idea of the paragraph.

A paragraph that does not contain enough sentences or enough information that proves its thesis, then this is a clear indication that the paragraph is an incomplete one.

Usually, a paragraph has at least five sentences, with the first sentence as the topic sentence, the following three sentences are the supporting sentences, and the finals sentence as the concluding sentence. A paragraph must always have these three parts in order to make the paragraph complete.

A complete paragraph also means that you will be able to effectively deliver the message or idea of your paragraph to your readers.

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Dos and Don’ts of Paragraph Writing

Here are some dos and don’ts you can follow and keep in mind when writing a paragraph:

Dos of Paragraph Writing

• Always have a topic sentence in your paragraph because this gives clarity and coherent flow to the paragraph and this would also help in enforcing and clarifying the central idea of the paragraph to all kinds of readers.
• Always make sure that you have added relevant information that supports the topic sentence or the central theme of the entire write-up.
• You can make use of examples that would make your entire paragraph more convincing and relevant. Additional examples would also support the entirety of your paragraph.
• Ensure that you are only dealing with a single idea in a single paragraph so that it would make sense to the reader what you are talking about in a paragraph.
• End your paragraph with a concluding statement that summarizes your supporting points and connects to your topic sentence.
• To make strong and solid arguments, always research beforehand about the topic you were given in order to form supporting sentences that are, indeed, supporting the topic sentence of your paragraph.
• Write as simple as you can. Writing unnecesary highfalutin words is a pain to the readers’ eyes.
• As much as possible, always write in the active voice. Let your words do the work for you and it would also be too wordy if you would always write in the passive voice.
• You may maintain a variety when it comes to your sentences’ structure.
• You may also have a variety of the length of your sentences. Keeping your sentences always short may not be pleasing to your readers. You may also want to know how to write short sentences.
• Always maintain a consistent tense all throughout your paragraph and even the rest of the paragraphs of your write-up.
• Proofread your paragraph. Proofreading always works wonders.

Don’ts of Paragraph Writing

• Do not add the unnecessary information or details because this would only cause great confusion among your readers.
• Do not anymore add or introduce additional information in your concluding sentence.
• Do not try to discuss more than one idea in your paragraph. This would also cause confusion among your readers because a paragraph must always maintain a single idea all throughout and if you would introduce more than one, it would only cause misunderstanding.
• Do not make your sentences extra long. You can always cut it off into shorter sentences that could even effectively relay the message you want to convey to your readers.
• Do not even attempt to use any of the first person pronouns which are I, we, me, us, my, and our especially if it is a formal paper. The readers already know who is writing the paper, so this means that there is already no need for you to refer to yourself. Plus, it makes your entire write-up universal.
• Additionally, do not use the second person pronoun you.
• Avoid using contractions especially if you are writing a formal paper. It makes your entire write-up clean and professional even if you are just writing a simple topic.
• Avoid using vague and cliche terms especially if you are writing a formal paper. Such terms do not make your paragraph effective and convincing to your readers.
• Avoid using the ever-famous and overused qualifiers which are really, very, surely, often, sometimes, and basically. Qualifiers would only make you and your sentences sound unsure and that it would also make you seem to have no credibility at all to even make any statements regarding the topic you are discussing. If you want to have a strong and solid paragraph, avoid all of this at all cost.
• When concluding your entire paragraph, do not use “In conclusion” to indicate that you are already writing the concluding sentence of your sentence. This is another cliche term you should avoid.
• Do not forget to verify the information you have written as your supporting sentences.

We hope that you have learned so much about paragraph writing. Should you want to read additional articles regarding writing paragraphs, you may also be interested in Writing Templates & Examples.