Paragraphs
Why Should You Use Paragraphs?
A paragraph contains multiple sentences related to a single main idea. Paragraphs separate ideas from others in a piece of writing. They keep both writers and readers on topic.
When Should You Use Paragraphs?
You should use paragraphs in essays, letters, e-mails, and all other forms of writing. Paragraphs split writing into ideas, so when there is a new or opposing topic or idea, there should be a new paragraph.
What Should You Cover in a Paragraph?
Paragraphs begin with a topic sentence, which introduces what the paragraph is about. A topic sentence may look something like this: The UNT Writing Lab offers a variety of writing resources. The rest of the paragraph includes evidence, support, and/or reasons to prove the topic sentence.
Paragraphs often end and frequently begin with a transition to or from the adjacent paragraph. Transitions indicate that you will either be switching to a new topic or picking up from a previous one, and they support the logic of switching to a new paragraph.
How Much Should You Include in a Paragraph?
Paragraphs, as a general rule of thumb, should be no shorter than three sentences. If they are, consider ways to combine multiple smaller paragraphs into one larger paragraph, but remember to use only one main idea per paragraph. Keep in mind that paragraphs in an essay should all be about the same length. Use shorter paragraphs for shorter papers, and longer paragraphs for longer papers.
What Does a Paragraph Look Like?
Here is an example of a paragraph that includes all the points covered in this worksheet:
My cousin Ester asked her parents for a pet giraffe, but they told her she couldn’t have one (topic sentence). According to her parents, there is nowhere to keep such a large pet; their necks and legs make them too tall to live inside, and Ester’s family lives in an apartment without any yard space (evidence/support). Plus, since giraffes live in warm climates, they said that Michigan is no place to raise one (evidence/support). Even after hearing their arguments, however, Ester still wants a pet giraffe, so she plans to create a report to show her parents what a good idea it would be to adopt a pet giraffe (transition to upcoming paragraph).
Writing Lab