Practicing paragraph writing is very important for those of you who want to write correctly. Paragraphs help break up long text so that the content is easier for readers to digest. The presence of paragraphs guides the reader into your argument by focusing attention on one main idea and purpose. However, how to write a well-structured paragraph is sometimes a little complicated. Read the guide below and learn how to improve your paragraph writing skills, from good to excellent!
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Method 1 of 3: Planning Paragraphs
Step 1. Determine the main topic of the paragraph
Before writing a paragraph, you should prepare a clear plan for the final outcome of the paragraph. Paragraphs are essentially a collection of sentences that are all interconnected by one main topic. Without a clear main topic, paragraphs lose focus and unity. To set a paragraph topic, you should ask yourself the following questions:
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What prompted me to write this paragraph?
If you are writing a paragraph in response to or in response to a particular trigger, such as "You have decided to donate money to a charity. Which charity did you choose and why?" or "Describe your favorite day," you need to think carefully about the triggers and make sure that your discussion is on point, not off-topic.
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What is the main idea or issue that I should address?
Think about a topic you should or want to write about, then consider which ideas or issues are most relevant to that topic. Since paragraphs are usually relatively short, it's important that you try to touch on all of the main ideas, without getting off track.
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Who do I write for?
Think about who the target readers of this paragraph or essay will be. What did they know before? Are they familiar with the topic to be discussed, or do they still need a number of explanatory sentences?
- If the paragraphs are going to be interwoven into an essay, preparing an essay outline will help you determine the main idea or purpose of each paragraph.
Step 2. Record all the information and ideas related to the topic
Once you have an idea of what you want to convey in a paragraph, you can begin to organize your thoughts by writing them down in a notebook or computer word processing program. No need to write it in full sentences. Just jot down a few key words and phrases. Once you see it all laid out on paper, you'll know which points to include in the paragraph and which points to omit.
- At this point, you may realize that your knowledge is not sufficient. In addition, you will also need facts and figures to support the argument.
- This is the perfect time to do some research. Thus, you will enter the writing stage armed with various relevant information.
Step 3. Think about your paragraph structure
Once all the thoughts, ideas, facts, and figures are clearly in sight, you can start thinking about how to structure the paragraph. Consider each subject matter you want to cover and try to arrange them in a logical order-your paragraphs become more cohesive and easier to read.
- You can sort them chronologically, put the most important information at the beginning, or simply make paragraphs easier and more interesting to read-it all depends on the topic and style of paragraphing you want.
- Once you've decided on a direction for writing, you can start rewriting the points you want to talk about, according to the new structure-this will help the writing process to be much quicker and more straightforward.
Method 2 of 3: Write Your Paragraph
Step 1. Write a topic sentence
The first sentence of the paragraph should be the topic to be discussed. The topic sentence is an introductory line that explains the main idea or thesis of the paragraph. The sentence should cover the most important and most relevant points regarding your topic, and thus sum up the entire content of the paragraph.
- Subsequent sentences should support the topic sentence and provide details and discuss further the problem or idea to be discussed. If there is a sentence that cannot be directly related to the topic sentence, there is no need to include it in the paragraph.
- More experienced writers are able to insert the topic sentence anywhere in the paragraph, not always the first line. However, for new writers or writers who aren't very good at writing paragraphs, it's a good idea to keep the topic sentence on the first line, as it will guide you throughout the rest of the paragraph.
- Avoid making topic sentences that are too broad or too narrow. A topic sentence that is too broad will make it difficult to adequately discuss ideas within the paragraph. Meanwhile, if it is too narrow, you will lack discussion material.
Step 2. Add supporting details
After writing the topic sentence as desired, you can begin to complete the content of the paragraph. This is where you will benefit from the notes you have prepared beforehand. Make sure your paragraphs are coherent, which means they're easy to read and understand, and that each sentence flows smoothly and seamlessly into one another. For that, try to write simple and clear sentences that express exactly what you want to convey.
- Connect each sentence with a transition word that bridges one sentence to the next. Transition words help you compare and point out differences, show cause-and-effect relationships, highlight important ideas, and make moving from one idea to the next go more smoothly. Transition words include "next", "by nature" and "in addition". You can also use chronological transition words, such as "first", "second" and "third".
- Supporting sentences are the main part of supporting paragraphs. Therefore, you should include as much evidence as possible to support the topic sentence. You can use facts, figures, statistics or examples, or even stories, anecdotes and quotes, depending on the topic you choose. Please take advantage of it as long as it is still relevant.
- Regarding paragraph length, three to five sentences are usually sufficient to cover the main subject and support your topic sentence. However, the number of sentences can vary widely, depending on the topic and length of the essay you are writing. There is no definite rule about the ideal length of a paragraph. The length of the paragraph, of course, must be able to cover the main idea.
Step 3. Write a closing sentence
The closing sentence of the paragraph should bring all the sentences together and re-emphasize the main point of your topic sentence even in different words. A good closing sentence re-emphasizes the ideas outlined in the topic sentence. However, the idea now has full weight, thanks to the evidence or arguments contained in the supporting sentences behind it. After reading the concluding sentence, the reader should no longer have any doubts about the accuracy or relevance of the paragraph as a whole.
- Don't just repeat the topic sentence. The closing sentence of the paragraph should basically convey the previous discussion as well as remind the reader of its relevance.
- For example, consider a paragraph that addresses the topic "Why is Canada so comfortable to live in?" The closing sentence could be something that reads "From all of the evidence above, such as Canada's excellent healthcare provision, high quality education system, and clean and safe cities, we can conclude that Canada is indeed a great place to live.."
Step 4. Know when to move to a new paragraph
Sometimes it's hard to tell when to end a paragraph and start a new one. Fortunately, there are a number of guidelines you can follow that make it easy to decide when to move on to a new paragraph. The most basic guideline to follow is that every time you start talking about a new idea, you should move on to a new paragraph. Paragraphs should not have more than one main idea. If an idea has multiple points or sides, each aspect of the idea should be discussed in a separate paragraph.
- New paragraphs are also used whenever you compare two points or display each side of an argument. For example, if your topic is "should civil servants receive lower salaries?", one paragraph will discuss the arguments in favor of lower salaries for civil servants, while another paragraph will present the arguments against it.
- Paragraphs make a piece of writing easier to understand and give the reader a "pause" between new ideas that come up. The pause allows them to digest what they have just read. If you feel that the paragraph you are writing is becoming too complex, or contains a number of complex points, you may want to consider breaking it up into separate paragraphs.
- When compiling an essay, the opening and closing should always be presented in separate paragraphs. The opening paragraph describes the purpose of the paper and what it wants to achieve, as well as provides a brief explanation of the ideas and main issues that will be discussed next. The closing paragraph provides a summary of the information and arguments contained in the paper, and clearly states what has been shown and/or proven by the paper. The closing paragraph may also introduce a new idea, which opens the reader's mind to the questions raised by the paper.
- In writing fiction, you need to create a new paragraph each time you write a dialogue to indicate a change of speakers.
Method 3 of 3: Double-check Your Paragraphs
Step 1. Check the spelling and grammar in your paragraphs
Once you're done writing, it's important to reread your paragraph two or three times to check for any misspelled words or poor grammar. Spelling errors and poor grammar can significantly affect the perception of the quality of your paragraphs, even if the ideas and arguments they contain are of high quality. Small mistakes often go unnoticed in the midst of the fun of the writing process. Therefore, do not skip this step even if you are in a hurry.
- Make sure each sentence has a subject and all nouns that must be capitalized are spelled correctly. Also make sure that all subjects and verbs match each other with the proper affixes, and that you use the correct verb forms throughout the body of the paragraph.
- Use a dictionary to double-check the words in paragraphs if you're still unsure about spelling. Do not immediately assume the words are true. You can also use a thesaurus dictionary to find synonyms for words if you feel like you're overusing one term. However, use a dictionary to check the words you pick from the thesaurus to make sure you know what they really mean. Thesaurus groups words flexibly, and their meanings are not necessarily the same. For example, thesaurus lists "safe", "good", "lucky", and lucky" as synonyms for "happy", even though each of these words has a different connotation or meaning that will change the sense of language and even the meaning of the sentence if you are not feeling good. -heart.
- Check your paragraphs for proper use of punctuation. Make sure you use punctuation marks such as commas, colons, semicolons and ellipsis in the proper context.
Step 2. Check the coherence and style of your paragraphs
In addition to the technical accuracy of the writing, you should also try to write clearly with a flowing style. You can alternate sentence lengths and formats using transition words and a wide variety of vocabulary.
- The point of view of your writing should remain consistent throughout the paragraph, and of course, throughout the essay. For example, if you're writing in the first person (e.g., "I believe that…"), you shouldn't change it to passive writing ("I believe that…") halfway through.
- However, you should also try to avoid opening each sentence with "I think…" or "I think that…". Try to vary the format of your sentences. In this way, paragraphs become more interesting to readers and make the flow of writing more natural.
- For novice writers, it's best to stick to short, uncomplicated sentences that clearly express your point. Long sentences in circles will soon lose their coherence and are prone to grammatical errors. Therefore, avoid using such sentences until you have more experience in the world of writing.
Step 3. Decide if your paragraph is complete
Once you have reread the paragraph and correct any grammatical or stylistic errors, you should read it again to determine if the paragraph is complete. Try to evaluate the paragraph objectively, then decide whether the content is sufficient enough to support and develop the topic sentence, or if you still need to add some more detail and evidence to support your claim.
- If you feel that the main claim of the topic sentence is sufficiently supported and developed by the body of the paragraph, the paragraph may be finished. However, if there is an important aspect of the topic that has not been explored or explained, or if the paragraph is less than three sentences long, you may need to expand it a bit more.
- On the other hand, you may decide that your paragraphs are too long and contain excessive content or that are not very relevant. If so, you must edit the content of the paragraph so that it contains only relevant information.
- If you feel that the entire paragraph is important for explaining your point, but the paragraph is still too long, you should consider breaking it down into more specific short paragraphs.
Tips
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A paragraph should consist of:
- topic sentence
- Supporting sentence
- Closing sentence
- As you read, pay attention to how the paragraphs are divided in the passage. If you learn from experience what paragraphs are, you'll be able to divide your writing into appropriate parts depending on your feelings.
- There is no fixed rule regarding paragraph length. Instead, make sure there are natural flowing breaks. Each paragraph should contain one main idea and supporting text.
- Standard writing in English requires the first line of a paragraph to be indented by 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm.
- Spelling and grammatical errors can reduce the value of a piece of writing, even a well-planned one. Use a spell checker app, or ask someone to read your work, if something is bothering you.
- If writing a conversation, start a new paragraph each time the other person is speaking.
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The secret lies in:
- Unity: Have one idea and express the topic.
- Sequence: The way you structure your sentences helps the reader to understand better.
- Coherence: How far your writing is understandable. The sentences in the paragraph need to be related to each other.
- Wholeness: All sentences used in a paragraph must convey the complete message.
- Adjust your writing to the goals you want to achieve. As well as choosing clothes to suit different circumstances and climates, you should also write in a style that is appropriate for your purposes.
- If you like writing, look for writing jobs that are widely spread on the internet, so that your hobby can make money at the same time. One of the websites that recruit article writers is Contentesia.
