How to Write a Paragraph

Paragraph writing remains one of the most important parts of writing. WhiteSmoke English Writing Software will help you write powerful paragraphs with correct grammar and spelling. With WhiteSmoke's unique writing enhancement features you will not only write correct paragraphs, but you will write great paragraphs!

The paragraph serves as a container for each of the ideas of an essay or other piece of writing. Paragraphs are versatile and can take many forms that strengthen your writing, provide variety for readers, and help readers to organize the ideas you present. WhiteSmoke is also versatile, providing grammar checking software, spell check software, dictionary, thesaurus, and writing enhancement for a variety of writing contexts: business, legal, medical, and creative writing.

While it is true that a paragraph may be of any length, it is most common for an essay paragraph to be at least 3-5 sentences long and to be no longer than half a typed, double-spaced page. Journalism paragraphs (newspapers and magazines) tend to be 1-3 sentences long. Some paragraphs in books, especially technical treatises, might go on for several printed pages.

No matter what length an individual paragraph, most good writing varies paragraph length within any one piece of writing. If there are a few short paragraphs, then a longer one usually comes along. If there are one or two long paragraphs, usually a short paragraph or two will intervene to give the reader a short break in concentration.

A paragraph is the container for only one idea (see Paragraph Examples). Often, a longer paragraph can--and should--be divided into smaller units. Usually a large, complex idea is made up of smaller ideas and can be explained in more paragraphs with those smaller ideas. The point, though, is to have one coherent paragraph--all of the ideas in each sentence of the paragraph must relate to a single main point. That point is most often made in a topic sentence.

A topic sentence gives the main idea of a paragraph. It usually occurs as the first or last sentence of the paragraph. Some paragraphs will not have a topic sentence, if the main point is obvious. Others might place the topic sentence slightly differently. Occasionally, as in this paragraph, the topic sentence might begin the paragraph but be restated in a different way at the end. That is to say, most writers put the topic sentence of a paragraph at the beginning or the end or both.

Every sentence in a paragraph must be grammatically correct. The topic sentence, in particular, must be very well written and very clear to readers. WhiteSmoke English Writing Software will help you find just the right word with its synonym dictionary. Its grammar checker and spell checker will assure correctness. Your topic sentences will stand out after you've used WhiteSmoke!

Most writing has an introductory paragraph or introduction of a few paragraphs (see How to Write an Introduction) and a conclusion of a few paragraphs or concluding paragraph (see How to Write a Conclusion), but most paragraphs are body paragraphs that come between the introduction and conclusion. The typical body paragraph develops, supports, or elaborates the topic sentence. Like the topic sentence, the body paragraph needs to be written correctly. Let WhiteSmoke check your sentences so you can write great paragraphs.

Most paragraph structures longer than 1-2 sentences have common elements.

For example, expository paragraphs have three important elements common to most paragraphs: flow, or unity (a clear connection to the rest of the essay and placed in a sensible way among the other paragraphs); development (detailed, specific support or elaboration of the main idea); and coherence (each sentence clearly relates to the previous and next sentence in an understandable and sensible manner). Persuasive paragraphs focus on developing a strong argument that would convince someone who disagrees with the writer's position.

Narrative paragraphs have similar features of flow (or unity) and coherence. However, the development might be more related to the action or events narrated in the paragraph than to supporting an argument. Coherence in a narrative paragraph usually comes from the chronological order of the "story" or narrative. Similarly, a descriptive paragraph might find its development through giving a series of sensory details or of abstract ideas that describe an object (or concept or theory), rather than through support. These two types of paragraph--narrative and descriptive--differ only slightly in these respects from expository paragraphs, but the differences are still important. (See Example Paragraphs for other samples of different paragraph types.)

With some attention to flow, development, and coherence, you will soon be writing powerfully. With its attention to grammar, spelling, and language enhancement that suggests improvements, WhiteSmoke will soon have you writing paragraphs that shine.

Paragraph lesson plan idea for teachers: William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White wrote a key work about writing: The Elements of Style. In it, their short discussion of paragraphs describes well how paragraphs work. Rather than asking students to simply read the section on paragraphs, try this paragraph exercise. Type a handout using the Strunk and White paragraph discussion. Save a copy, and in the copy, remove all of the paragraph breaks so that the text reads as one single paragraph. Have students works in groups to first read the text, then divide the text into paragraphs. If they don't agree where to put a paragraph break, they should use the handout (Strunk's and White's own words) to argue for where the break could be. Have the groups share their results in the whole class--and each group defend any differences of opinion. Finally, hand out the first version, with the paragraph breaks, for them to see.