Paragraph Writing
Written by Christopher Cascio
Available at https://education.seattlepi.com/develop-write-paragraph-3825.html
Available at https://education.seattlepi.com/develop-write-paragraph-3825.html
Developing and writing a successful paragraph can be a challenging task because it requires you to carefully organize a single, complete thought into logical -- and grammatically correct -- written sentences. A paragraph can stand alone as a single thought, or it can serve as one thought in a larger composition. Regardless of its role, your paragraph will require careful planning and execution. In terms of execution, it will need a clearly defined topic sentence, several supporting examples and a conclusion.
Developing Your Idea
1
Write a list of everything you know about your topic on a sheet of paper. Treat this brainstorming activity as a warm-up, and don't worry too much about being specific.
2
Narrow your list to at least three main points that you want to include in your paragraph, and write an example for each point. If this paragraph is part of an essay, choose the points that work best to prove your essay's thesis.
3
Rank your main points in order of importance, in chronological order and in spatial order to see how best to organize them in your paragraph. For example, if you're writing a paragraph to explain how to repair a vacuum cleaner, you'll want to list your points in chronological order. Likewise, if you are writing to detail the parts of the human heart, you might want to order your ideas by how their locations relate to each other.
Writing Your Paragraph
1
Write an engaging opening sentence that explicitly states your topic, and also states why it is important. For example, if you are writing about the dangers of smoking, don't simply state that smoking can cause serious health problems. Instead, offer a startling fact or statistic, or tell a moving story that will captivate the reader.
2
Write a sentence or two for each example of your main points, and follow each example with at least one sentence that explains why it is important. Use these examples in the same order you indicated in your list, and remember to use transitional words and phrases -- such as furthermore, additionally or notwithstanding -- to move smoothly from example to example.
3
Write a concluding sentence that restates the importance of your topic, and how your examples helped to prove it. If this paragraph is part of an essay, include an allusion to the topic of your next paragraph, and how this paragraph relates to it.
4
Proofread your article for grammatical mistakes as well as content. Make sure your examples support your topic sentence, and that they transition from one to another in a logical manner. Make notes of any structural issues you find. Then, revise your paragraph and correct any grammatical mistakes.
Items you will need
Pencil
2 Sheets of Paper
Tips
Have someone read your paragraph to catch mistakes you might have missed.
There's often more than one way to successfully order your main points. Experiment with several orders and choose the best.
References
About the Author
Christopher Cascio is a memoirist and holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and literature from Southampton Arts at Stony Brook Southampton, and a Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis in the rhetoric of fiction from Pennsylvania State University. His literary work has appeared in "The Southampton Review," "Feathertale," "Kalliope" and "The Rose and Thorn Journal."
Photo Credits
Siri Stafford/Digital Vision/Getty Images
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