On Paragraphs

What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. Learning to write good
paragraphs will help you as a writer stay on track during your drafting and revision stages. Good
paragraphing also greatly assists your readers in following a piece of writing. You can have fantastic
ideas, but if those ideas aren't presented in an organized fashion, you will lose your readers (and fail to
achieve your goals in writing).

The Basic Rule: Keep one idea to one paragraph

The basic rule of thumb with paragraphing is to keep one idea to one paragraph. If you begin to
transition into a new idea, it belongs in a new paragraph. There are some simple ways to tell if you are
on the same topic or a new one. You can have one idea and several bits of supporting evidence within a
single paragraph. You can also have several points in a single paragraph as long as they relate to the
overall topic of the paragraph. If the single points start to get long, then perhaps elaborating on each of
them and placing them in their own paragraphs is the route to go.

Elements of a paragraph

To be as effective as possible, a paragraph should contain each of the following: Unity, Coherence, A
Topic Sentence, and Adequate Development. As you will see, all of these traits overlap. Using and
adapting them to your individual purposes will help you construct effective paragraphs.

Unity

The entire paragraph should concern itself with a single focus. If it begins with one focus or major point
of discussion, it should not end with another or wander within different ideas.

Coherence

Coherence is the trait that makes the paragraph easily understandable to a reader. You can help create
coherence in your paragraphs by creating logical bridges and verbal bridges.

Logical bridges

 The same idea of a topic is carried over from sentence to sentence

 Successive sentences can be constructed in parallel form

Verbal bridges

 Key words can be repeated in several sentences

 Synonymous words can be repeated in several sentences

 Pronouns can refer to nouns in previous sentences

 Transition words can be used to link ideas from different sentences

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A topic sentence

A topic sentence is a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the paragraph is going
to deal with. Although not all paragraphs have clear-cut topic sentences, and despite the fact that topic
sentences can occur anywhere in the paragraph (as the first sentence, the last sentence, or somewhere
in the middle), an easy way to make sure your reader understands the topic of the paragraph is to put
your topic sentence near the beginning of the paragraph. (This is a good general rule for less
experienced writers, although it is not the only way to do it). Regardless of whether you include an
explicit topic sentence or not, you should be able to easily summarize what the paragraph is about.

Adequate development

The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. Again,
this varies from paragraph to paragraph, depending on the author's purpose, but writers should be wary
of paragraphs that only have two or three sentences. It's a pretty good bet that the paragraph is not
fully developed if it is that short.

Some methods to make sure your paragraph is well-developed:

 Use examples and illustrations

 Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details, and others)

 Examine testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases)

 Use an anecdote or story

 Define terms in the paragraph

 Compare and contrast

 Evaluate causes and reasons

 Examine effects and consequences

 Analyze the topic

 Describe the topic

 Offer a chronology of an event (time segments)

How do I know when to start a new paragraph?

You should start a new paragraph when:

 When you begin a new idea or point. New ideas should always start in new paragraphs. If you
have an extended idea that spans multiple paragraphs, each new point within that idea should
have its own paragraph.

 To contrast information or ideas. Separate paragraphs can serve to contrast sides in a debate,
different points in an argument, or any other difference.

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  When your readers need a pause. Breaks between paragraphs function as a short "break" for
your readers—adding these in will help your writing be more readable. You would create a
break if the paragraph becomes too long or the material is complex.

 When you are ending your introduction or starting your conclusion. Your introductory and
concluding material should always be in a new paragraph. Many introductions and conclusions
have multiple paragraphs depending on their content, length, and the writer's purpose.

Transitions and signposts

Two very important elements of paragraphing are signposts and transitions. Signposts are internal aids
to assist readers; they usually consist of several sentences or a paragraph outlining what the article has
covered and where the article will be going.

Transitions are usually one or several sentences that "transition" from one idea to the next. Transitions
can be used at the end of most paragraphs to help the paragraphs flow one into the next.

The purpose of this handout is to give some basic instruction and advice regarding the creation of
understandable and coherent paragraphs.

Paragraphing (Length Consistency)

Paragraphs are units of thought with one adequately developed idea. Listed here are some rules of
thumb to use when paragraphing. As your writing improves, you'll be able to break these "rules" to
meet your own needs. Until then, these suggestions can be helpful.

 Put only one main idea per paragraph.

 Aim for three to five or more sentences per paragraph.

 Include on each page about two handwritten or three typed paragraphs.

 Make your paragraphs proportional to your paper. Since paragraphs do less work in short
papers, have short paragraphs for short papers and longer paragraphs for longer papers.

 If you have a few very short paragraphs, think about whether they are really parts of a larger
paragraph—and can be combined—or whether you can add details to support each point and
thus make each into a more fully developed paragraph.

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You can check on whether your paragraphs are balanced by looking at your paper.

Some balanced pages:

Image Caption: Paragraph Balance

Unbalanced pages with ideas not equally developed:

Image Caption: Unbalanced Paragraphs

Conciseness

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The goal of concise writing is to use the most effective words. Concise writing does not always have the
fewest words, but it always uses the strongest ones. Writers often fill sentences with weak or
unnecessary words that can be deleted or replaced. Words and phrases should be deliberately chosen
for the work they are doing. Like bad employees, words that don't accomplish enough should be fired.
When only the most effective words remain, writing will be far more concise and readable.

This resource contains general conciseness tips followed by very specific strategies for pruning
sentences.

1. Replace several vague words with more powerful and specific words.

Often, writers use several small and ambiguous words to express a concept, wasting energy expressing
ideas better relayed through fewer specific words. As a general rule, more specific words lead to more
concise writing. Because of the variety of nouns, verbs, and adjectives, most things have a closely
corresponding description. Brainstorming or searching a thesaurus can lead to the word best suited for a
specific instance. Notice that the examples below actually convey more as they drop in word count.

Wordy: The politician talked about several of the merits of after-school programs in his speech

(14 words)

Concise: The politician touted after-school programs in his speech.

(8 words)

Wordy: Suzie believed but could not confirm that Billy had feelings of affection for her.

(14 words)

Concise: Suzie assumed that Billy adored her.

(6 words)

Wordy: Our Web site has made available many of the things you can usefor making a decision on the
best dentist.

(20 words)

Concise: Our website presents criteria for determining the best dentist.

(9 words)

Wordy: Working as a pupil under someone who develops photos was an experience that really helped
me learn a lot.

(20 words)

Concise: Working as a photo technician's apprentice was an educational experience.

(10 words)

2. Interrogate every word in a sentence

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Check every word to make sure that it is providing something important and unique to a sentence. If
words are dead weight, they can be deleted or replaced. Other sections in this handout cover this
concept more specifically, but there are some general examples below containing sentences with words
that could be cut.

Wordy: The teacher demonstrated some of the various ways and methods for cutting words from my
essay that I had written for class.

(22 words)

Concise: The teacher demonstrated methods for cutting words from my essay.

(10 words)

Wordy: Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood formed a new band of musicians together in 1969, giving it the
ironic name of Blind Faith because early speculation that was spreading everywhere about the band
suggested that the new musical group would be good enough to rival the earlier bands that both men
had been in, Cream and Traffic, which people had really liked and had been very popular.

(66 words)

Concise: Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood formed a new band in 1969, ironically naming it Blind Faith
because speculation suggested that the group would rival the musicians’ previous popular bands, Cream
and Traffic.

(32 words)

Wordy: Many have made the wise observation that when a stone is in motion rolling down a hill or
incline that that moving stone is not as likely to be covered all over with the kind of thick green moss
that grows on stationary unmoving things and becomes a nuisance and suggests that those things
haven’t moved in a long time and probably won’t move any time soon.

(67 words)

Concise: A rolling stone gathers no moss.

(6 words)

3. Combine Sentences.

Some information does not require a full sentence, and can easily be inserted into another sentence
without losing any of its value.

Wordy: Ludwig's castles are an astounding marriage of beauty and madness. By his death, he had
commissioned three castles.

(18 words)

Concise: Ludwig's three castles are an astounding marriage of beauty and madness.

(11 words)

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Wordy: The supposed crash of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico aroused interest in extraterrestrial life.
This crash is rumored to have occurred in 1947.

(24 words)

Concise: The supposed 1947 crash of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico aroused interest in extraterrestrial
life.

(16 words)

Writing Transitions

Good transitions can connect paragraphs and turn disconnected writing into a unified whole. Instead of
treating paragraphs as separate ideas, transitions can help readers understand how paragraphs work
together, reference one another, and build to a larger point. The key to producing good transitions is
highlighting connections between corresponding paragraphs. By referencing in one paragraph the
relevant material from previous paragraphs, writers can develop important points for their readers.

It is a good idea to continue one paragraph where another leaves off. (Instances where this is especially
challenging may suggest that the paragraphs don't belong together at all.) Picking up key phrases from
the previous paragraph and highlighting them in the next can create an obvious progression for readers.
Many times, it only takes a few words to draw these connections. Instead of writing transitions that
could connect any paragraph to any other paragraph, write a transition that could only connect one
specific paragraph to another specific paragraph.

Example: Overall, Management Systems International has logged increased sales in every sector, leading
to a significant rise in third-quarter profits.

Another important thing to note is that the corporation had expanded its international influence.

Revision: Overall, Management Systems International has logged increased sales in every sector, leading
to a significant rise in third-quarter profits.

These impressive profits are largely due to the corporation's expanded international influence.

Example: Fearing for the loss of Danish lands, Christian IV signed the Treaty of Lubeck, effectively ending
the Danish phase of the 30 Years War.

But then something else significant happened. The Swedish intervention began.

Revision: Fearing for the loss of more Danish lands, Christian IV signed the Treaty of Lubeck, effectively
ending the Danish phase of the 30 Years War.

Shortly after Danish forces withdrew, the Swedish intervention began.

Example: Amy Tan became a famous author after her novel, The Joy Luck Club, skyrocketed up the
bestseller list.

There are other things to note about Tan as well. Amy Tan also participates in the satirical garage band
the Rock Bottom Remainders with Stephen King and Dave Barry.

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Revision: Amy Tan became a famous author after her novel, The Joy Luck Club, skyrocketed up the
bestseller list.

Though her fiction is well known, her work with the satirical garage band the Rock Bottom Remainders
receives far less publicity.

Contributors:Ryan Weber, Karl Stolley.

Summary:

A discussion of transition strategies and specific transitional devices.

Transitional Devices

Transitional devices are like bridges between parts of your paper. They are cues that help the reader to
interpret ideas a paper develops. Transitional devices are words or phrases that help carry a thought
from one sentence to another, from one idea to another, or from one paragraph to another. And finally,
transitional devices link sentences and paragraphs together smoothly so that there are no abrupt jumps
or breaks between ideas.

There are several types of transitional devices, and each category leads readers to make certain
connections or assumptions. Some lead readers forward and imply the building of an idea or thought,
while others make readers compare ideas or draw conclusions from the preceding thoughts.

Here is a list of some common transitional devices that can be used to cue readers in a given way.

To Add:

and, again, and then, besides, equally important, finally, further, furthermore, nor, too, next, lastly,
what's more, moreover, in addition, first (second, etc.)

To Compare:

whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, by comparison, where,
compared to, up against, balanced against, vis a vis, but, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in
contrast, although this may be true

To Prove:

because, for, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently, furthermore, moreover, besides, indeed,
in fact, in addition, in any case, that is

To Show Exception:

yet, still, however, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, of course, once in a while, sometimes

To Show Time:

immediately, thereafter, soon, after a few hours, finally, then, later, previously, formerly, first (second,
etc.), next, and then

To Repeat:

in brief, as I have said, as I have noted, as has been noted

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To Emphasize:

definitely, extremely, obviously, in fact, indeed, in any case, absolutely, positively, naturally, surprisingly,
always, forever, perennially, eternally, never, emphatically, unquestionably, without a doubt, certainly,
undeniably, without reservation

To Show Sequence:

first, second, third, and so forth. A, B, C, and so forth. next, then, following this, at this time, now, at this
point, after, afterward, subsequently, finally, consequently, previously, before this, simultaneously,
concurrently, thus, therefore, hence, next, and then, soon

To Give an Example:

for example, for instance, in this case, in another case, on this occasion, in this situation, take the case
of, to demonstrate, to illustrate, as an illustration, to illustrate

To Summarize or Conclude:

in brief, on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in conclusion, as I have shown, as I have said, hence,
therefore, accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently

1.1: Topic Sentences

This resource was written by Jaclyn M. Wells.

Last edited by Allen Brizee on August 7, 2009 .

Summary:
Part 1, Lesson 1 addresses organization. This page deals with topic sentences.

Lesson 1: Organization

This lesson addresses organization. Questions about organization make up 15 percent of the questions
in Part I of the GED Language Arts, Writing test. Studying this resource will also help you think about
organization in relation to the GED Essay. It will also improve your writing skills in general. Topics
included in this resource are as follows: topic sentences, relevance of ideas, order of ideas, and
transitions.

Topic Sentences

Every paragraph should include a topic sentence that identifies the main idea of the paragraph. A topic
sentence also states the point the writer wishes to make about that subject. Generally, the topic
sentence appears at the beginning of the paragraph. It is often the paragraph’s very first sentence. A
paragraph’s topic sentence must be general enough to express the paragraph’s overall subject. But it
should be specific enough that the reader can understand the paragraph’s main subject and point.

On the GED, you may be asked to choose a better topic sentence for a paragraph. Sometimes, a topic
sentence may be entirely missing from a paragraph, and you will be asked to choose one for it. When
choosing a topic sentence, remember these guidelines:

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  The topic sentence should identify the main idea and point of the paragraph. To choose an
appropriate topic sentence, read the paragraph and think about its main idea and point.

 The supporting details in the paragraph (the sentences other than the topic sentence) will
develop or explain the topic sentence. Read all the supporting details in the paragraph and think
about the ideas they discuss.

 The topic sentence should not be too general or too specific. When considering the options,
look for a topic sentence that is general enough to show the paragraph’s main idea instead of
just one of its details. The answer should be specific enough that the reader understands the
main idea of the paragraph.

Topic Sentence Exercise

Write a topic sentence for the following paragraph.

During the 1990s, I really enjoyed watching Friends on television every Thursday night. I really wanted
Rachel’s haircut—I think every girl wanted Rachel’s haircut back then! Rachel’s haircut went really well
with the Guess Jeans that were so popular in the 1990s. I remember all the advertisements for Guess
and Calvin Klein Jeans that were in each month’s Sassy magazine. I don’t think Sassy magazine exists
anymore, but it was one of the most popular magazines for young women in the 1990s.

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