Paragraph

A paragraph is the building block of an essay. Although paragraphs seem like

simple units of writing, many students aren’t exactly sure what constitutes a
paragraph. Contrary to popular belief, a paragraph is not determined by the
number of sentences or the length on a page. Rather, it is simply a group of
sentences that support a main idea. When you start a new main idea, you start
a new paragraph.

In an essay, each paragraph relates back to and supports a thesis. As you write
your paper, keep in mind that each paragraph should be:

• Unified: all the sentences in the paragraph should be related to the main
idea or topic sentence.

• Coherent

• Well developed: each paragraph should contain an appropriate amount of

evidence and explanation

• Organized

The Topic Sentence

A topic sentence is simply the controlling idea for a paragraph. You can think
of it as a sort of mini-thesis. Often, the topic sentence is the first sentence of
the paragraph. The remainder of the paragraph then supports, explains,
justifies, or expands upon that topic sentence.

A good topic sentence is:

• Clear

• Concise

• Emphatic

• Some examples of topic sentences and commentary

Creating a Unified and Coherent Paragraph

In a coherent paragraph, sentences flow easily from one to the other. Coherent
paragraphs tend to share certain characteristics:

• Ideas are linked. Sentences are connected either to the paragraph’s main
idea or to the preceding sentence.

• Key words (or synonyms of key words) are repeated.

• Point of view remains consistent.

• Transitions are used to bridge ideas. These are words and phrases that
signal the relationship between ideas.

• Here is an example of a paragraph that is being revised to be more

coherent and unified.

Organization:

The overall organizational approach varies by essay. If you are writing a

narrative, for instance, your paragraph would look very different than a
paragraph in an analytical essay. No matter the type of essay, however, the
sentences in a paragraph do come in a logical order. In a well-written
paragraph, sentence 2 naturally follows sentence 1. Sentence 3 naturally
follows sentence 2, and so on. For a breakdown of how a paragraph is
organized, look at this model.

Some typical patterns of organization in paragraphs:

• Examples and Illustrations: one of the more common types of

organization

• Narration: a story or part of a story

• Description: descriptive writing to paint a verbal picture

• Process: a step by step instruction in chronological order

 • Comparison and Contrast: how 2 things are similar and/or different

• Analogy: comparisons between 2 seemingly unlike things

• Cause and Effect: the causal relationship between things

• Classification and Division: grouping of items according to a consistent

principle

• Definition: defining or clarifying a term

Reasons for Beginning a New Paragraph

As you become a more experienced writer, you will discover the natural places
where a paragraph should end and a new one begin. There are many, but here
a few common reasons to begin a new paragraph:

• To signal a new idea

• To signal a shift in time and place

• To emphasize a point

• To change speakers (in dialogue)

• To break up dense text

• To highlight a contrasting point

Reasons for Combining Paragraphs

Too many short paragraphs can be as problematic for a reader as a dense block
of text. Frequent short paragraphs make the overall essay seem choppy, and
sometimes make it hard to see the connections between ideas. Here, then, are
a few reasons to combine paragraphs:

• To clarify the essay’s organization

• To connect related ideas

 • To ease the a text’s choppiness

Overall, be as deliberate with each paragraph as you are with the overall essay.
The details can make all the difference!

References:

Bridge, Tiffany. The Writing Insight