Paragraph writing

B COM I Year FC English
Paragraph Writing

1. How to Write Paragraphs

In order to write a good paragraph, students need to understand the four essential elements of
paragraph writing and how each element contributes to the whole. The four elements essential to
good paragraph writing are: unity, order, coherence, and completeness.
What is a paragraph?

Paragraphs are comprised of sentences, but not random sentences. A paragraph is a group of
sentences organized around a central topic. In fact, the cardinal rule of paragraph writing is to
focus on one idea. A solidly written paragraph takes its readers on a clear path, without detours.
Master the paragraph, and you’ll be on your way to writing “gold-star” essays, term papers, and
stories.
How do you write a paragraph?

A basic paragraph structure usually consists of five sentences: the topic sentence, three
supporting sentences, and a co ncluding sentence. But the secrets to paragraph writing lay in four
essential elements, which when used correctly, can make an okay paragraph into
a great paragraph.

1. Element #1: Unity. Unity in a paragraph begins with the topic sentence. Every paragraph
has one single, controlling idea that is expressed in its topic sentence, which is typically
the first sentence of the paragraph. A paragraph is unified around this main idea, with the
supporting sentences providing detail and discussion. In order to write a good topic
sentence, think about your theme and all the points you want to make. Decide which
point drives the rest, and then write it as your topic sentence.
2. Element #2: Order. Order refers to the way you organize your supporting sentences.
Whether you choose chronological order, order of importance, or another logical
presentation of detail, a solid paragraph always has a definite organization. In a well-
ordered paragraph, the reader follows along easily, aided by the pattern you’ve
established. Order helps the reader grasp your meaning and avoid confusion.
3. Element #3: Coherence. Coherence is the quality that makes your writing understandable.
Sentences within a paragraph need to connect to each other and work together as a whole.

2. One of the best ways to achieve coherency is to use transition words. These words create
bridges from one sentence to the next. You can use transition words that show order
(first, second, third); spatial relationships (above, below) or logic (furthermore, in
addition, in fact). Also, in writing a paragraph, using a consistent verb tense and point of
view are important ingredients for coherency.
4. Element #4: Completeness. Completeness means a paragraph is well-developed. If all
sentences clearly and sufficiently support the main idea, then your paragraph is complete.
If there are not enough sentences or enough information to prove your thesis, then the
paragraph is incomplete. Usually three supporting sentences, in addition to a topic
sentence and concluding sentence, are needed for a paragraph to be complete. The
concluding sentence or last sentence of the paragraph should summarize your main idea
by reinforcing your topic sentence.

Writing Paragraph Prompts: Using the Four Essential Elements

Writing paragraphs takes practice, but what should students write about? Good paragraph writing
prompts allow students to write about what they know and like, so their focus can be on the
writing process and using the four essential elements. Paragraph writing prompts, such
as Explain why is your favorite activity, encourage students to develop a topic sentence,
write supporting sentences in a proper order, use transition words to achieve coherency, and
conclude their paragraphs for completeness.
Paragraphs are distinct blocks of text which section out a larger piece of writing—stories,
novels, articles, creative writing or professional writing pieces—making it easier to read and
understand. Good paragraphs are a handy writing skill for many forms of literature, and good
writers can greatly enhance the readability of their news, essays, or fiction writing when
constructed properly.
Before & After Comparison: From a wandering paragraph to a wonderful paragraph!

This example shows how one student approached the writing prompt “What is your favorite day
of the week and why?” The original draft has some interesting ideas but overall, the paragraph
wanders. It includes both relevant and irrelevant details and lacks the coherent focus required for
a successful paragraph.

3. Before – Original Draft

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. I like it because on Sunday, I watch football. On other
days, I also get to watch football but not all day. There are other sports on other days to watch on
TV. Sunday lunch is a favorite of mine because I eat with my father in front of the TV. All the
other days, I have to eat at the table which is less fun. Some days my dad doesn’t make it home
from work until after I’m in bed. Some weeks my dad travels, and I don’t see him for several
days. The highlight of the day is when we watch the Dolphins play. Dad and I get so excited, we
yell and cheer together. The thing that I like to do best in the world is watch TV with my dad.
Teacher Observations (Before)

The topic sentence restates the prompt but does not unify the paragraph.
The writer includes several irrelevant details.
The unifying idea in this paragraph is that the writer likes Sunday because it gives him/her a
chance to be with his/her dad. However, the idea is buried in this draft.
After – Revised Draft

Sunday is my favorite day because I spend the day watching football with my dad.On Sunday,
unlike the other days of the week when he works, my dad spends the whole day with me
watching football on TV. We even eat lunch together while watching. The highlight of the day is
watching the Dolphins game. Dad and I get so excited, we yell and cheer together.On Sundays, I
get to combine watching my favorite sport and spending time with my favorite person—what a
great day!
Teacher Observations (After)

The topic sentence connects the writing prompt with a summary of the main idea.

To keep the paragraph coherent, the most relevant details have been polished, and the others
deleted.
The closing sentence summarizes the paragraph and emphasizes the main idea.

4. What Makes a Good Paragraph?
A good paragraph is composed of a topic sentence (or key sentence), relevant supporting
sentences, and a closing (or transition) sentence. This structure is key to keeping your
paragraph focused on the main idea and creating a clear and concise image.

While creative writing does not necessarily follow the traditional paragraph structure, it’s more
about scene building and continuing a narrative. Efficient, well-written paragraphs are a staple
of good flash fiction and short fiction writing, as short stories need to stay more focused on a
central idea. As long as your sentences form cohesive ideas and connect to one another, you
can write a good paragraph.

5 Tips for Structuring and Writing Better Paragraphs
Whether you’re writing a short paragraph or a long paragraph, each should follow the same
basic rules of structure. While this format is not as rigid when writing fiction as it is for non-
fiction, the information or story you craft must logically or sequentially relate to the next
paragraph. These elements help the coherency of your body paragraphs, tying them together
to unify around an idea, or set up a narrative story.

1. Make the first sentence of your topic sentence. The first line of your first paragraph
sets up what information is to come as your audience reads on. Even in fiction, the
introduction of a paragraph either establishes an idea or scenario or continues one from
the paragraph before. Regardless of what format or genre you’re writing for, every
good paragraph starts with a central focus that the rest of the paragraph will aim to
support.
2. Provide support via the middle sentences. These sentences include follow-up
information to your key sentence or previous paragraph. Whatever idea you aim to
convey, these sentences are where you convince your reader to believe or envision
what you do, and give them everything they need to see your point of view.
3. Make your last sentence a conclusion or transition. Even if it’s not at the end of the
piece, a conclusive sentence can refer to the last line of its own paragraph, which
concludes a particular idea or train of thought before moving on to start a new line for
the next paragraph. This next paragraph can continue on the same idea, but the ending

5. ng experience. This is especially useful for essay ther, more pleasant readi
of each paragraph should briefly summarize the information that was provided before
moving on.
4. Know when to start a new paragraph. A paragraph break is necessary when starting a
new topic, introducing a new speaker, contrasting other POVs or ideas, or providing
white space to give readers a pause from a longer paragraph. For example, in a novel,
you may start a new paragraph when bringing in a new character, or specify when a
different character is speaking, which can help the reader separate action text from
dialogue more readily. Paragraph breaks can control the pacing of your writing, and
generate particular feelings or moods for your reader. While there is no set amount of
sentences required per paragraph, in some instances, a single paragraph may consist of
a single sentence, but it is acceptable as long as it supports your central idea, and
doesn’t overwhelm your audience with too much information.
5. Use transition words. Transition words help tie together separate paragraphs,
connecting them to form a coherent idea. Phrases like “in addition” or “moreover” can
help readers track your ideas and understand how they relate to each other, making for
a smoo
writers and bloggers, who often focus on a singular idea at a time to share with their
audience.

Types of paragraphs

There are four types of paragraphs that you need to know about: descriptive, narrative,
expository, and persuasive. A quick search around the internet will yield other types, but to keep
this simple, it's a good idea to consider just these four.

the descriptive paragraph: This type of paragraph describes something and shows the reader what
a thing or a person is like. The words chosen in the description often appeal to the five senses of
touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste. Descriptive paragraphs can be artistic and may deviate from
grammatical norms.

the narrative paragraph: This type of paragraph tells a story. There's a sequence of action or
there's a clear beginning, middle, and end to the paragraph.

6. the expository paragraph: This type of paragraph explains something or provides instruction. It
could also describe a process and move the reader step by step through a method. This type of
paragraph often requires research, but it's possible that the writer is able to rely on his or her own
knowledge and expertise.

the persuasive paragraph: This type of paragraph tries to get the reader to accept a particular
point of view or understand the writer's position. This is the type of paragraph that many teachers
focus on because it's useful when building an argument. It often requires the collection of facts
and research.

It important to point out that many paragraphs are a combination of these four types, but for the
purpose of instruction, let's consider some examples of each:

This is a descriptive paragraph:

The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun, and now the orchestra is
playing yellow cocktail music, and the opera of voices pitches a key higher. Laughter is easier
minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word . The groups change
more swiftly, swell with new arrivals, dissolve and form in the same breath; already there are
wanderers, confident girls who weave here and there among the stouter and more stable, become
from a sharp, joyous moment the center of a group, and then, excited with triumph, glide on
through the sea-change of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light.

This excerpt is taken from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In this paragraph you can
hear, see, and feel the setting in which the story takes place. When you practice writing a
descriptive paragraph yourself, you should address all aspects of the physical world.

This is a narrative paragraph:

It's been almost ten years since I first ran for political office. I was thirty-five at the time, four
years out of law school, recently married, and generally impatient with life. A seat in the Illinois
legislature had opened up, and several friends suggested that I run, thinking that my work as a
civil rights lawyer, and contacts from my days as a community organizer, would make me a

7. viable candidate. After discussing it with my wife, I entered the race and proceeded to do what
every first-time candidate does: I talked to anyone who would listen. I went to block club
meetings and church socials, beauty shops and barbershops. If two guys were standing on a
corner, I would cross the street to hand them campaign literature. And everywhere I went, I'd get
some version of the same two questions.

This opening paragraph from Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope tell and interesting story
about how a man entered the arena of politics. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and it
raises the reader's curiosity about what will happen next.

This is an expository paragraph:

All toilet flush tanks work about the same. When the toilet is flushed, the trip handle lifts the
tank ball, opening the outlet and letting water flow into the bowl. When the tank is nearly empty,
the ball falls back in place over the outlet. The float falls with the water level, opening the water-
supply inlet valve just as the outlet is being closed, and the tank is refilled through the filler tube.
Water also flows through the bowl refill tube into the overflow pipe to replenish trap-sealing
water. As the water level in the tank nears the top of the overflow pipe, the float closes the inlet
valve, completing the cycle.

This paragraph from Reader's Digest Complete Do-it-yourself Manual gives detailed information
about how how the water moves through a toilet when it is flushed. It's instructive, and if you
like this kind of thing, it may even be interesting.

This is a persuasive paragraph:

Immigration contributes to the overall health of the American economy. Despite recent
concerns related to the costs created by illegal and some legal immigration to the United States,
this country has largely benefited from the skills, talents, and ambition that immigrants bring
with them. American businesses gain from a good source of affordable labor, while town and
cities are revitalized by immigrant families who strengthen communities through civic
participation the generation of new economic activity. The United States must continue to
welcome new arrivals and help those who already here; otherwise, the country will lose the

8. advantages it has over other industrialized countries who compete against us in the
global marketplace and seek to recruit from a vast pool of unskilled and skilled global
workers.

This is the paragraph that appeared on the page describing what a paragraph is. Your
teacher wrote it. I have an opinion about a particular topic, and in this paragraph I want
the reader to accept or consider my position. The persuasive paragraph is, perhaps, the
most difficult to write but there is a good method I can show you in order to be
successful in writing one.

In the next four lessons, we will take a closer look at each of these types of paragraphs,
starting with what I consider to be the easiest: the descriptive paragraph.
NARRATIVE ESSAY
EXAMPLE: BEST FRIENDS FOR LIFE
“It was the 4th of July, and the summer heat was as blistering as ever in New Mexico. Lilly-Ann,
Daniela, and I – the three best friends – set out to go on a girly picnic as we would every year since we
were nine years old. I had done all my chores and packed the picnic basket the night before, so as soon
as I brushed my teeth and had a coffee, I was ready to dress up and go have a good time with my besties.
I took my beat-up Cherokee and sped down the street to meet up with Daniela; we would pick Lilly-Ann
later.
Daniela and I shared the same birthday – February 27th, 1986. Our moms were also best friends from
high school. They went to the same college and got married the same year. Everyone always laughed at
how it all resembled a generic best-friends-for-life movie or novel. It seemed like Daniela and I were
destined to be best friends. Neither of us had siblings, so we became much like sisters to each other. We
shared all interests and hobbies without exception. We both joined the school’s female soccer team, and
both played in the defense. But, most important of all, we were always there for each other in the
toughest of situations, regardless of how preoccupied either of us might have been.
Our traditional spot for Independence Day picnic was on the bank of the Beaver River. Here, half a mile
west from the town, it is always as cool as it gets in July in New Mexico. As we were riding the rocky
backroad, my bike was screaking in unison with the fireworks that exploded in the clear sky from the
early morning.
The meadow on our spot always inspired us to go play a little soccer, as we did this time as well. Then,
we felt like we need to fresh up a little, so we went into the river. We even managed to catch a small
catfish, but we let it go. The ride, the soccer, and the swim made us hungry, and we sat down to have
some lunch. We all always pack a little more food than we need for a picnic, so we always have
something of a menu to choose from. We all picked Lilly-Ann’s roasted chicken with pineapple and
mashed potatoes. During and after the meal, we chattered and giggled non-stop as besties like us always
would. Then suddenly, Daniela seized laughing and stared blankly into the water for a moment or two.

9. Then she turned her eyes at me and uttered: “Promise me we will always be best friends, just like our
moms.” We were light-hearted teenage girls, somewhat airheads even. So, it was a pure shock to hear
Daniela speak so earnestly for the first time since I had known her.
Stunned, without the slightest idea of what was going on, all I could mumble was a faint “I promise.”
By this time, it began to get dark, and my dad had already texted me asking about my whereabouts. So,
we rushed home. Lilly-Ann’s place was the nearest to the river, then was Daniela’s, and mine was the
farthest. As Daniela and I said goodbye and I sat on the bike to be on my way, she was still on the porch
waving goodbye and shouted “Remember your promise,” reminding me of something I couldn’t wish to
forget anyway.
These words ring through my head to this day. A pitch black mustang rolled from around the corner and
headed our way.
“Dani…” I cried out as I leaped off the bike and to the side.
Stunned by the loud skiddle of tires and screams, I passed out. After I came to my sense, the first thing I
saw was Daniela’s limp body in her mother’s hands as I heard hysterical weeping. My head suddenly
felt heavy, and my legs felt cotton-like. Dazed, I landed on my behind in slow motion. The air felt thick
and heavy, and I fainted once more. The next thing I remember is waking up in my bed and seeing my
mother sitting next to me, sobbing.
I urged to tell her about my promise, but all I could utter was “Why her?” – and then I burst into tears
myself.
Nobody can take their best friend’s death well. I became antisocial. I barely left my room, and whenever
someone tried to talk to me about anything, I responded with brief and bitter remarks. I wallowed in
myself. Whirlwinds of thoughts circled in my head – Why Daniela? Of all people, why did she have to
die? Couldn’t God pick someone more deserving of death? I could not imagine how I was supposed to
live on without her. Nobody could replace her in my life, not even all the people in the world.
After one month of grieving, I finally found the strength to talk to my mother. “Does God love us?” I
asked, “Why does he hurt us?” “My girl,” she said, “He picks the best of us and takes them before the
cruel world can deform them. He turns them into His angels, and Daniela must be your angel now.”
I can’t say that it made me feel any better at the time. But later on, I understood the meaning of my
promise. Daniela is always with me, following me in all the choices I make in life. She is my angel.”
We would grade this essay with a C+ at best. It is a narration alright, but what do we find out from this
narrative essay example? The author is religious and her best friend died. The immenseness of this
experience is only illustrated by a few physiological manifestations that many people have for far less
dramatic reasons. The gist of this essay is “My best friend died, so show some sympathy in the name of
God and give me an A.” While an appeal to emotion is not forbidden, your task is to describe your
experience colorfully enough to put your reader in your shoes. Only then can you consider your task
completed and deserve an excellent grade.