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Can a single Paragraph Constitute an Essay? – Tips for One-Paragraph Essays

An essay can be one paragraph if you are asked to write a concise essay with one main idea, which is between 100 to 200 words or 10 to 14 sentences. In most cases, this is categorized as a short essay. It is an essay that bears a single argument and respective supporting ideas or pieces of evidence. As long as your single-paragraph essay can make sense to your readers, it can fetch you good marks.

Usually, these short-paragraph essays are assigned during exams, quizzes, and in-class tests. Your aim when writing such essays is to analyze a topic to help your readers understand it better and draw conclusions. You can also be assigned to write single-paragraph essays in response to specific chapter readings, respond to a discussion board post, or when analyzing a short story.

Whatever the circumstances, you should not be worried about where to start. As long as you know how to write a good paragraph and organize an essay , you are good to go.

What is One-Paragraph Essay?

A one-paragraph essay, also known as a single-paragraph essay or the chunk paragraph, is a concise and boiled-down version of a full academic essay. It comprises a formal thesis statement at the beginning, concrete details and commentary in the middle, and a concluding statement at the end.

A one-paragraph essay has the same essence as the body paragraph of an essay that has a mini-thesis statement, supporting details, and a concluding sentence at the end.

When writing your one-paragraph essay, you should cut out the general information that sets up the introduction and avoid restating the thesis or including the implications in the concluding sentences (acting for the concluding paragraph).

The 5 Key Components of a Single Paragraph Essay

The five main components of a single-paragraph essay include the thesis statement, body point, concrete details, commentaries, and a concluding sentence. Let’s expound on each so that you can understand.

• Thesis Statement: begin writing your essay with a thesis statement that contains your position. It should be a declarative sentence summarizing your essay's main point. In a one-paragraph essay, the thesis serves as the topic sentence . Given that the essay is only a paragraph long, the thesis statement assumes the role of announcing the contents of the paragraph. The thesis statement should also have a position on the topic that can be proven in the paragraph. Finally, support the narrow topic with concrete details and a commentary.
• Body Point. This refers to the second sentence in your single-paragraph essay where you make an important point that directly proves the thesis. It should direct the attention of the readers to a specific piece of evidence used in the concrete detail.
• Concrete detail. This refers to a specific example from the references or resources to support the thesis. It can be a summary, paraphrased content, quotation, or a statement from the reference and should be cited (provide the parenthetical details).
• This refers to the explanation or interpretation of the concrete detail. This is a sentence or two sentences where you explain, using your own words, the meaning of the examples you have given and how it proves or support the thesis.
• Concluding sentence. This is the last sentence of the one-paragraph essay that wraps up the paragraph. Even though it is directly related to the thesis, it does not repeat it. Rather, it is the sentence that drives the point home without leaving the readers with the question of “so what?”. Like a typical conclusion paragraph, it should be devoid of new ideas or facts. Instead, it should tie up loose ends and offer some sense of closure to your essay.

A typical one-paragraph essay can have at least two concrete details and two commentaries, meaning it can be 10-14 sentences long, depending on your concrete details. If you are strapped for time, your concise essay can consist of 125–200 words.

How do you write a one-paragraph essay? The Steps

Even if it is a one-paragraph essay, it comprises several sentences, as we have explored above. So, when you are assigned a single-paragraph essay, you need to plan and write a better essay that will tick all the checkboxes used when marking.

Unlike traditional essays that probably take time, a single-paragraph essay will take you under an hour to write. Also, single-paragraph essays do not have body paragraphs . Sometimes it is a short-paragraph answer in an exam where you provide specific details that answer a given question. It can also be a short paragraph for a profile essay task or a short narrative essay.

Whichever the case, to succeed in writing the one-paragraph essay, follow the steps below.

1. Unpack the question

Begin by reading the essay prompt or the question to understand the scope of the essay, topic, word count (length requirements), and other specifics of the short essay assignment. Then, as you read, make quick notes and brainstorm to develop a perspective.

2. Develop an angle or perspective

After understanding your assignment, your next step is to develop the gist of your essay's main point/idea. It should be your take on a chosen subject or topic. For example, you can write about issues around you or current events, controversies, and other topic areas that interest you. However, if you are given a topic or the question is specific, stick to a perspective that better answers the question.

3. Write the thesis statement

With the perspective, write a declarative statement that summarizes your main idea or angle. The thesis should be one sentence long, brief, concise, and relatable. The thesis should be the first sentence of your essay and be strong enough to be substantiated in the body paragraphs. The thesis should be able to be proved, should not be self-evident, and must be able to be argued from another angle. Everything in the essay ties back to the thesis.

4. Write the body point

Immediately follow the thesis with a sentence that asserts the main idea or the thesis. The body point should prove and support the thesis statement. It is a statement that can be both opinion and fact backed with specific examples (concrete details) and clarified through further development and explanation (commentaries). Together, the body points, concrete details, and commentaries form a chunk.

5. Write the concrete details

Provide two examples, points, or pieces of evidence that support the assertions made in the body point. You should not begin it with a quote. Rather, ensure that you blend or introduce it and include the relevant citations.

6. Write the commentaries

Expand or expound on the specific examples provided and connect them to your thesis statement and body point (BP). You can repeat the process because a typical one-page essay can have at least two or three concrete details (CD) and the respective commentaries (CM). Ensure that the CM and CD relate to the topic, the thesis, and BP.

7. Finalize with a concluding sentence

Finally, wind up everything when you have exhaustively covered the main point and you are sure that your single-essay paragraph makes sense. Your concluding sentence is the last sentence. It should restate the thesis and summarize the body.

8. Edit, proofread, and polish

After completing the paragraph, read it to yourself and listen to the areas where you might have made mistakes. If you sense that you have information overload, have filler language, or have unnecessary words, decant them and include only the relevant details that can sustain the one-paragraph format.

Structure and Format for One-Paragraph Essay

If you are planning to write a one-paragraph essay, follow the following outline or structure:

Sample One-Paragraph Essay

The sample single-paragraph essay example below outlines how to use the essay outline or structure we have covered in the previous section of this article. Like a one-page essay, a one-paragraph essay should get straight to the point without beating around the bush because there are not so many words to waste.

Formatting a Single-Paragraph Essay

In terms of formatting, a one-paragraph essay should be double-spaced or single-spaced, with no spaces between the title and the paragraph, a one-inch margin, a 12-point font size, and Times New Roman or Arial.

Essays written in one paragraph include narrative essays, college essays, profile essays, first-person essays, leadership, personal philosophy essays, definition essays, and short critical, analytical, expository, and literary analysis essays.

One-paragraph essay is comprehensive and a condensed version of the full academic essay. They focus on one idea like a typical paragraph and have in-text citations. You should use transitions when writing the essays and ensure they are structured well.

Single-paragraph essays have the advantage of being easy to write, read, and grade. Besides, they can be used to explain different concepts in a snapshot.

Final Words

Nothing is cast in stone regarding the number of paragraphs an essay can have. Can an essay be one paragraph? Yes, it can be an independent paragraph and falls under the short essay category. It is a suitable approach for short-answer essay-based exam questions.

As a short essay, 100-300 words long, a one-page essay contains one main idea. So, you can write one paragraph for an essay and get the grades if you meet the requirements in the essay prompt or the rubric.

It should be 10-14 sentences long, depending on the number of body points (BPs), condensed details (CDs), and the Commentaries. A long one-paragraph essay can be between 200 and 225 words long.

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How to write a one-paragraph essay: Tips for Crafting an Excellent One Paragraph Essay

Writing a one-paragraph essay can be a daunting task because you get to explain your ideas in a limited amount of words. You, therefore, have to choose what to include or leave out from large amounts of information. Most assignments you get in college require you to write standard essays and not one-paragraph essays. Therefore, most people have no idea how to craft one in case the need arises.

Worry no more because the following article will give you a detailed review of the format, process, and crucial tips to follow when crafting a one-paragraph essay. Kindly read on and get enlightened.

Format of a one-paragraph essay

Your one-paragraph essay should feature a thesis, a body point, concrete detail, commentary, and conclusion. Let’s take a look at what each entails;

Thesis Statement

Commence your exposition using a thesis statement that outlines your position. Ensure you include the proposition in the main sentence without using many words because the essay should be short and precise.

The thesis statement should be dazzling and exact to make the reader aware of the structure.

In a standard exposition, the body point assumes the role of the topic sentence. In a one-paragraph essay, it is the significant point you write to explain the thesis statement straightforwardly.

Ensure the sentence upholds your proposal and directs the reader’s focus toward the proof you will use in solid detail.

Concrete Detail

Support your thesis statement and body point using relevant examples, preferably from the source you obtain your information. The concrete detail section should have at least one of the following;

• Examples of happenings and facts to support your thesis
• A basic outline of a process or procedure
• Discussions regarding cause and effects
• Information about people, events, or places relevant to the paper
• Data and statistical evidence to explain the main argument

Make use of direct citation or rewording from the work to render your one-paragraph essay original. Incorporating an incidental reference to the main body helps add quality to your work.

Also see: Can an Essay Be One Paragraph? 

Afterward, acknowledge the sources used by writing the author’s name and the various pages you acquire the information.

The commentary is the section where you clarify and translate the concrete detail. Use your own words to explain what the content means or the relevance of the theory.

You may make use of examination, translation, contention, knowledge, or reflection.

Concluding Sentence

The concluding sentence wraps up the passage. It ensures you finalize your one-paragraph essay with a meaningful conclusion. Do not introduce new facts in this section.

Instead, end the paragraph with a fitting summary that persuades your audience about the exactness of the explanation. Make sure the reader does not ask “so what?” after reading your work.

Note: you need to incorporate a minimum of two concrete subtleties. Additionally, each solid detail should have two critiques. Consequently, your one-paragraph essay will feature around 10-14 sentences.

An Alternative Approach to Crafting a One Paragraph Essay

Following the above format may prove to be overwhelming. Especially if you have numerous pieces of content that you consider relevant for your one-paragraph essay. To help ease the process, first, write a long paper and afterward trim it down. However, removing information that you may have previously deemed essential is inevitable.

When you choose this method, highlight the key points as you proceed. After writing the long paper, review the content to ensure every sentence provides a different contributing point. If you find two or more sentences conveying the same idea, merge them into one sentence.

The next step is conducting the necessity test. Carry out this step if you still have trouble shortening the composition. You remove one sentence at a time and check whether your point remains relevant. If you remove a sentence and it does not affect your writing, consider it an unnecessary inclusion.

A quality one-paragraph essay should have one or two arguments with detailed explanations. It eliminates the probability of having not well-evidenced multiple points.

Primary Stages of Crafting a One Paragraph Essay

You are now aware of what consists of a one-paragraph essay. Let us shift our focus to the elaborate process you should follow when composing one.

Preparation

Use the preparation phase to decide on your subject, examine the relevance of the topic, and make a paper layout to help ease the process of writing.

Ensure you conduct thorough research on the idea at hand so that you can have enough content to refer to when composing the main essay. Use the research to create a draft.

Here are some additional tips you can utilize to make the preparation phase straightforward;

• Comprehend your task by outlining the objective of the essay
• Allocate time for each section depending on topic complexity and the allocated time
• Think of a thesis

When you get a reasonable idea of what you need to address, the order to follow, and the proof that you will utilize, go ahead and start composing.

Here, set out your contention in the main body, use solid proof to explain the relevance of your topic, and wrap it up with a definitive conclusion.

Remember that you are composing the main thing, and you should follow all the above-stated guidelines without fail. Consequently, you attract a higher grade.

Check your essay and ensure you have addressed the main point without straying. Remember that a one-paragraph essay is short. You should, therefore, get to the point and avoid too much fluff. Afterward, proofread your work and check for spelling and punctuation mistakes.

Ensure your essay is well organized for the reader to have an easy time going through your work.

You now have the format and stages you should adhere to when crafting your one-paragraph essay. How about some tips that you can use to write an excellent one-paragraph essay.

Tips for Crafting an Excellent One Paragraph Essay

Craft the body first.

You may have no idea how to start your essay and end up wasting a lot of time on the section. Avoid this setback by first crafting the main body as you have already researched the key points.

You will notice that when you write down the main body, crafting your introduction and conclusion becomes a straightforward task.

Avoid Generalizations and Overstatements

Getting straight to the point when crafting a one-paragraph essay is vital because it does not feature a lot of words or content. To protect your evaluation, do not put down unclear articulations.

Qualify your clarifications and use short and precise statements to remain relevant.

Use Strong Transitions

Some of the strong transitions you can use are also, therefore, furthermore, thereby, and so on. They help construct and join your sentences so that the reader can have an easy time when reading.

They also make your writing look more aesthetic. Resist using weak transitions such as this shows that or I think that. Additionally, do not overly depend on listing words such as next, first, secondly, etc.

The above information will help you craft a one-paragraph essay if you get an assignment requiring you to do so. Prior research, developing an outline, proper citation, and following the recommended format are the most crucial steps to follow.

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On Paragraphs

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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.

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 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

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.
• 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.

11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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How do you structure a paragraph in an essay?

If you’re like the majority of my students, you might be getting your basic essay paragraph structure wrong and getting lower grades than you could!

In this article, I outline the 11 key steps to writing a perfect paragraph. But, this isn’t your normal ‘how to write an essay’ article. Rather, I’ll try to give you some insight into exactly what teachers look out for when they’re grading essays and figuring out what grade to give them.

You can navigate each issue below, or scroll down to read them all:

1. Paragraphs must be at least four sentences long 2. But, at most seven sentences long 3. Your paragraph must be Left-Aligned 4. You need a topic sentence 5 . Next, you need an explanation sentence 6. You need to include an example 7. You need to include citations 8. All paragraphs need to be relevant to the marking criteria 9. Only include one key idea per paragraph 10. Keep sentences short 11. Keep quotes short

Paragraph structure is one of the most important elements of getting essay writing right .

As I cover in my Ultimate Guide to Writing an Essay Plan , paragraphs are the heart and soul of your essay.

However, I find most of my students have either:

• forgotten how to write paragraphs properly,
• gotten lazy, or
• never learned it in the first place!

Paragraphs in essay writing are different from paragraphs in other written genres .

In fact, the paragraphs that you are reading now would not help your grades in an essay.

That’s because I’m writing in journalistic style, where paragraph conventions are vastly different.

For those of you coming from journalism or creative writing, you might find you need to re-learn paragraph writing if you want to write well-structured essay paragraphs to get top grades.

Below are eleven reasons your paragraphs are losing marks, and what to do about it!

Essay Paragraph Structure Rules

1. your paragraphs must be at least 4 sentences long.

In journalism and blog writing, a one-sentence paragraph is great. It’s short, to-the-point, and helps guide your reader. For essay paragraph structure, one-sentence paragraphs suck.

A one-sentence essay paragraph sends an instant signal to your teacher that you don’t have much to say on an issue.

A short paragraph signifies that you know something – but not much about it. A one-sentence paragraph lacks detail, depth and insight.

Many students come to me and ask, “what does ‘add depth’ mean?” It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback you’ll see written on the margins of your essay.

Personally, I think ‘add depth’ is bad feedback because it’s a short and vague comment. But, here’s what it means: You’ve not explained your point enough!

If you’re writing one-, two- or three-sentence essay paragraphs, you’re costing yourself marks.

Always aim for at least four sentences per paragraph in your essays.

This doesn’t mean that you should add ‘fluff’ or ‘padding’ sentences.

Make sure you don’t:

a) repeat what you said in different words, or b) write something just because you need another sentence in there.

But, you need to do some research and find something insightful to add to that two-sentence paragraph if you want to ace your essay.

Check out Points 5 and 6 for some advice on what to add to that short paragraph to add ‘depth’ to your paragraph and start moving to the top of the class.

• How to Make an Essay Longer
• How to Make an Essay Shorter

2. Your Paragraphs must not be more than 7 Sentences Long

Okay, so I just told you to aim for at least four sentences per paragraph. So, what’s the longest your paragraph should be?

Seven sentences. That’s a maximum.

So, here’s the rule:

Between four and seven sentences is the sweet spot that you need to aim for in every single paragraph.

Here’s why your paragraphs shouldn’t be longer than seven sentences:

1. It shows you can organize your thoughts. You need to show your teacher that you’ve broken up your key ideas into manageable segments of text (see point 10)

2. It makes your work easier to read.   You need your writing to be easily readable to make it easy for your teacher to give you good grades. Make your essay easy to read and you’ll get higher marks every time.

One of the most important ways you can make your work easier to read is by writing paragraphs that are less than six sentences long.

3. It prevents teacher frustration. Teachers are just like you. When they see a big block of text their eyes glaze over. They get frustrated, lost, their mind wanders … and you lose marks.

To prevent teacher frustration, you need to ensure there’s plenty of white space in your essay. It’s about showing them that the piece is clearly structured into one key idea per ‘chunk’ of text.

Often, you might find that your writing contains tautologies and other turns of phrase that can be shortened for clarity.

3. Your Paragraph must be Left-Aligned

Turn off ‘Justified’ text and: Never. Turn. It. On. Again.

Justified text is where the words are stretched out to make the paragraph look like a square. It turns the writing into a block. Don’t do it. You will lose marks, I promise you! Win the psychological game with your teacher: left-align your text.

A good essay paragraph is never ‘justified’.

I’m going to repeat this, because it’s important: to prevent your essay from looking like a big block of muddy, hard-to-read text align your text to the left margin only.

You want white space on your page – and lots of it. White space helps your reader scan through your work. It also prevents it from looking like big blocks of text.

You want your reader reading vertically as much as possible: scanning, browsing, and quickly looking through for evidence you’ve engaged with the big ideas.

The justified text doesn’t help you do that. Justified text makes your writing look like a big, lumpy block of text that your reader doesn’t want to read.

What’s wrong with Center-Aligned Text?

While I’m at it, never, ever, center-align your text either. Center-aligned text is impossible to skim-read. Your teacher wants to be able to quickly scan down the left margin to get the headline information in your paragraph.

Not many people center-align text, but it’s worth repeating: never, ever center-align your essays.

Don’t annoy your reader. Left align your text.

4. Your paragraphs must have a Topic Sentence

The first sentence of an essay paragraph is called the topic sentence. This is one of the most important sentences in the correct essay paragraph structure style.

The topic sentence should convey exactly what key idea you’re going to cover in your paragraph.

Too often, students don’t let their reader know what the key idea of the paragraph is until several sentences in.

You must show what the paragraph is about in the first sentence.

You never, ever want to keep your reader in suspense. Essays are not like creative writing. Tell them straight away what the paragraph is about. In fact, if you can, do it in the first half of the first sentence .

I’ll remind you again: make it easy to grade your work. Your teacher is reading through your work trying to determine what grade to give you. They’re probably going to mark 20 assignments in one sitting. They have no interest in storytelling or creativity. They just want to know how much you know! State what the paragraph is about immediately and move on.

Suggested: Best Words to Start a Paragraph

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing a Topic Sentence If your paragraph is about how climate change is endangering polar bears, say it immediately : “Climate change is endangering polar bears.” should be your first sentence in your paragraph. Take a look at first sentence of each of the four paragraphs above this one. You can see from the first sentence of each paragraph that the paragraphs discuss:

When editing your work, read each paragraph and try to distil what the one key idea is in your paragraph. Ensure that this key idea is mentioned in the first sentence .

(Note: if there’s more than one key idea in the paragraph, you may have a problem. See Point 9 below .)

The topic sentence is the most important sentence for getting your essay paragraph structure right. So, get your topic sentences right and you’re on the right track to a good essay paragraph.

5. You need an Explanation Sentence

All topic sentences need a follow-up explanation. The very first point on this page was that too often students write paragraphs that are too short. To add what is called ‘depth’ to a paragraph, you can come up with two types of follow-up sentences: explanations and examples.

Let’s take explanation sentences first.

Explanation sentences give additional detail. They often provide one of the following services:

Let’s go back to our example of a paragraph on Climate change endangering polar bears. If your topic sentence is “Climate change is endangering polar bears.”, then your follow-up explanation sentence is likely to explain how, why, where, or when. You could say:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing Explanation Sentences 1. How: “The warming atmosphere is melting the polar ice caps.” 2. Why: “The polar bears’ habitats are shrinking every single year.” 3. Where: “This is happening in the Antarctic ice caps near Greenland.” 4. When: “Scientists first noticed the ice caps were shrinking in 1978.”

You don’t have to provide all four of these options each time.

But, if you’re struggling to think of what to add to your paragraph to add depth, consider one of these four options for a good quality explanation sentence.

>>>RELATED ARTICLE: SHOULD YOU USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS IN ESSAYS ?

6. Your need to Include an Example

Examples matter! They add detail. They also help to show that you genuinely understand the issue. They show that you don’t just understand a concept in the abstract; you also understand how things work in real life.

Example sentences have the added benefit of personalising an issue. For example, after saying “Polar bears’ habitats are shrinking”, you could note specific habitats, facts and figures, or even a specific story about a bear who was impacted.

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing an ‘Example’ Sentence “For example, 770,000 square miles of Arctic Sea Ice has melted in the past four decades, leading Polar Bear populations to dwindle ( National Geographic, 2018 )

In fact, one of the most effective politicians of our times – Barrack Obama – was an expert at this technique. He would often provide examples of people who got sick because they didn’t have healthcare to sell Obamacare.

What effect did this have? It showed the real-world impact of his ideas. It humanised him, and got him elected president – twice!

Be like Obama. Provide examples. Often.

7. All Paragraphs need Citations

Provide a reference to an academic source in every single body paragraph in the essay. The only two paragraphs where you don’t need a reference is the introduction and conclusion .

Let me repeat: Paragraphs need at least one reference to a quality scholarly source .

Let me go even further:

Students who get the best marks provide two references to two different academic sources in every paragraph.

Two references in a paragraph show you’ve read widely, cross-checked your sources, and given the paragraph real thought.

It’s really important that these references link to academic sources, not random websites, blogs or YouTube videos. Check out our Seven Best types of Sources to Cite in Essays post to get advice on what sources to cite. Number 6 w ill surprise you!

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: In-Text Referencing in Paragraphs Usually, in-text referencing takes the format: (Author, YEAR), but check your school’s referencing formatting requirements carefully. The ‘Author’ section is the author’s last name only. Not their initials. Not their first name. Just their last name . My name is Chris Drew. First name Chris, last name Drew. If you were going to reference an academic article I wrote in 2019, you would reference it like this: (Drew, 2019).

Where do you place those two references?

Place the first reference at the end of the first half of the paragraph. Place the second reference at the end of the second half of the paragraph.

This spreads the references out and makes it look like all the points throughout the paragraph are backed up by your sources. The goal is to make it look like you’ve reference regularly when your teacher scans through your work.

Remember, teachers can look out for signposts that indicate you’ve followed academic conventions and mentioned the right key ideas.

Spreading your referencing through the paragraph helps to make it look like you’ve followed the academic convention of referencing sources regularly.

Here are some examples of how to reference twice in a paragraph:

• If your paragraph was six sentences long, you would place your first reference at the end of the third sentence and your second reference at the end of the sixth sentence.
• If your paragraph was five sentences long, I would recommend placing one at the end of the second sentence and one at the end of the fifth sentence.

You’ve just read one of the key secrets to winning top marks.

8. Every Paragraph must be relevant to the Marking Criteria

Every paragraph must win you marks. When you’re editing your work, check through the piece to see if every paragraph is relevant to the marking criteria.

For the British: In the British university system (I’m including Australia and New Zealand here – I’ve taught at universities in all three countries), you’ll usually have a ‘marking criteria’. It’s usually a list of between two and six key learning outcomes your teacher needs to use to come up with your score. Sometimes it’s called a:

• Marking criteria
• Marking rubric
• (Key) learning outcome
• Indicative content

Check your assignment guidance to see if this is present. If so, use this list of learning outcomes to guide what you write. If your paragraphs are irrelevant to these key points, delete the paragraph .

Paragraphs that don’t link to the marking criteria are pointless. They won’t win you marks.

For the Americans: If you don’t have a marking criteria / rubric / outcomes list, you’ll need to stick closely to the essay question or topic. This goes out to those of you in the North American system. North America (including USA and Canada here) is often less structured and the professor might just give you a topic to base your essay on.

If all you’ve got is the essay question / topic, go through each paragraph and make sure each paragraph is relevant to the topic.

For example, if your essay question / topic is on “The Effects of Climate Change on Polar Bears”,

• Don’t talk about anything that doesn’t have some connection to climate change and polar bears;
• Don’t talk about the environmental impact of oil spills in the Gulf of Carpentaria;
• Don’t talk about black bear habitats in British Columbia.
• Do talk about the effects of climate change on polar bears (and relevant related topics) in every single paragraph .

You may think ‘stay relevant’ is obvious advice, but at least 20% of all essays I mark go off on tangents and waste words.

Stay on topic in Every. Single. Paragraph. If you want to learn more about how to stay on topic, check out our essay planning guide .

9. Only have one Key Idea per Paragraph

One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph.

Don’t forget!

Too often, a student starts a paragraph talking about one thing and ends it talking about something totally different. Don’t be that student.

To ensure you’re focussing on one key idea in your paragraph, make sure you know what that key idea is. It should be mentioned in your topic sentence (see Point 3 ). Every other sentence in the paragraph adds depth to that one key idea.

If you’ve got sentences in your paragraph that are not relevant to the key idea in the paragraph, they don’t fit. They belong in another paragraph.

Go through all your paragraphs when editing your work and check to see if you’ve veered away from your paragraph’s key idea. If so, you might have two or even three key ideas in the one paragraph.

You’re going to have to get those additional key ideas, rip them out, and give them paragraphs of their own.

If you have more than one key idea in a paragraph you will lose marks. I promise you that.

The paragraphs will be too hard to read, your reader will get bogged down reading rather than scanning, and you’ll have lost grades.

10. Keep Sentences Short

If a sentence is too long it gets confusing. When the sentence is confusing, your reader will stop reading your work. They will stop reading the paragraph and move to the next one. They’ll have given up on your paragraph.

Short, snappy sentences are best.

Shorter sentences are easier to read and they make more sense. Too often, students think they have to use big, long, academic words to get the best marks. Wrong. Aim for clarity in every sentence in the paragraph. Your teacher will thank you for it.

The students who get the best marks write clear, short sentences.

When editing your draft, go through your essay and see if you can shorten your longest five sentences.

(To learn more about how to write the best quality sentences, see our page on Seven ways to Write Amazing Sentences .)

11. Keep Quotes Short

Eighty percent of university teachers hate quotes. That’s not an official figure. It’s my guestimate based on my many interactions in faculty lounges. Twenty percent don’t mind them, but chances are your teacher is one of the eight out of ten who hate quotes.

Teachers tend to be turned off by quotes because it makes it look like you don’t know how to say something on your own words.

Now that I’ve warned you, here’s how to use quotes properly:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: How To Use Quotes in University-Level Essay Paragraphs 1. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 2. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 3. You should never start a sentence with a quote. 4. You should never end a paragraph with a quote. 5 . You should never use more than five quotes per essay. 6. Your quote should never be longer than one line in a paragraph.

The minute your teacher sees that your quote takes up a large chunk of your paragraph, you’ll have lost marks.

Your teacher will circle the quote, write a snarky comment in the margin, and not even bother to give you points for the key idea in the paragraph.

Avoid quotes, but if you really want to use them, follow those five rules above.

I’ve also provided additional pages outlining Seven tips on how to use Quotes if you want to delve deeper into how, when and where to use quotes in essays. Be warned: quoting in essays is harder than you thought.

Follow the advice above and you’ll be well on your way to getting top marks at university.

Writing essay paragraphs that are well structured takes time and practice. Don’t be too hard on yourself and keep on trying!

Below is a summary of our 11 key mistakes for structuring essay paragraphs and tips on how to avoid them.

I’ve also provided an easy-to-share infographic below that you can share on your favorite social networking site. Please share it if this article has helped you out!

11 Biggest Essay Paragraph Structure Mistakes you’re probably Making

1.  Your paragraphs are too short 2.  Your paragraphs are too long 3.  Your paragraph alignment is ‘Justified’ 4.  Your paragraphs are missing a topic sentence 5 .  Your paragraphs are missing an explanation sentence 6.  Your paragraphs are missing an example 7.  Your paragraphs are missing references 8.  Your paragraphs are not relevant to the marking criteria 9.  You’re trying to fit too many ideas into the one paragraph 10.  Your sentences are too long 11.  Your quotes are too long

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 20 Montessori Toddler Bedrooms (Design Inspiration)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

4 thoughts on “11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)”

Hello there. I noticed that throughout this article on Essay Writing, you keep on saying that the teacher won’t have time to go through the entire essay. Don’t you think this is a bit discouraging that with all the hard work and time put into your writing, to know that the teacher will not read through the entire paper?

Hi Clarence,

Thanks so much for your comment! I love to hear from readers on their thoughts.

Yes, I agree that it’s incredibly disheartening.

But, I also think students would appreciate hearing the truth.

Behind closed doors many / most university teachers are very open about the fact they ‘only have time to skim-read papers’. They regularly bring this up during heated faculty meetings about contract negotiations! I.e. in one university I worked at, we were allocated 45 minutes per 10,000 words – that’s just over 4 minutes per 1,000 word essay, and that’d include writing the feedback, too!

If students know the truth, they can better write their essays in a way that will get across the key points even from a ‘skim-read’.

I hope to write candidly on this website – i.e. some of this info will never be written on university blogs because universities want to hide these unfortunate truths from students.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Regards, Chris

This is wonderful and helpful, all I say is thank you very much. Because I learned a lot from this site, own by chris thank you Sir.

Thank you. This helped a lot.

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• Single Paragraph Essay

An essay is defined as a short piece of writing on a particular subject, but is it possible for an essay to be just one paragraph? In short, yes! It is possible to condense the essence of the traditional, multi-paragraph essay format into a single-paragraph essay.

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Which of the following is not a concern for single-paragraph essay format?

True or false: You can use any rhetorical strategy in single-paragraph essays.

Which of the following is not an example of concrete details for body support?

True or false: In a single-paragraph essay, you should include a short commentary on the interplay between thesis and support.

True or false: Because of how short a single-paragraph essay must be, the main goal is to develop and support the main idea, using whatever means, as thoroughly and concisely as possible. 

Single-paragraph essays can be used as a format for __________ responses on exams.

True or false: All paragraphs must stay within the 4-5 sentence range.

 Because of the length of a single-paragraph essay, it is important to state your main point _____________  

_________ offer(s) more specific information about the main idea.

Which of the following is not something recommended to support the main idea?

The following is an example of which type of support?The supreme court was founded on March 4, 1789.

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Meaning of Single Paragraph Essay

The foundation of any essay is made up of the main idea , information that supports the main idea with commentary, and a conclusion. In a standard five-paragraph essay, these elements are typically given the space of at least a single paragraph for each.

A single-paragraph essay is a condensed version of a traditional essay that includes the main idea , supporting details, and conclusion in the space of one paragraph. Just like a standard essay, single-paragraph essays convey the author's message through the use of rhetorical strategies (which we'll look at in more detail later in the explanation) and literary devices .

Literary device: a way of using language that goes beyond the literal meaning of the words.

Similes, metaphors, personification, symbolism, and imagery are common literary devices. These devices are creative writing tools that are effective in any context , including a single-paragraph essay, for the purpose of enhancing communication.

Because of how short a single-paragraph essay must be, the main goal is to develop and support the main idea, using whatever means, as thoroughly and concisely as possible.

Why Would You Write a Single Paragraph Essay?

There are a few reasons you might need to write a single-paragraph essay. The first reason is that many exams include "short answer" responses, sometimes representing a hefty percentage of your overall score, which are essentially single-paragraph essays.

Single-paragraph essays are also a great exercise in concise writing. If you're only given a few sentences to make a point and support it well, then you'll have to practice "trimming the fat" from your writing or removing anything that is not essential to your purpose. This is also an essential skill for writing even longer-format essays.

Top tip: Keeping your paragraph to the widely-taught 4–5 sentence structure is a good rule of thumb for an average essay, but it is not always necessary. A paragraph can extend to as long as 8-10 sentences or more and still be a paragraph.

Tips for Writing a Single Paragraph Essay

Writing a single-paragraph essay can actually be more of a challenge than a several-page paper. Because of the space constraints, it is absolutely essential to make your point in a concise manner without sacrificing the message. This means leaving out filler language and any parts of the discussion that are not essential to making your point clear.

One technique for writing a single-paragraph essay is to write a longer essay and narrow it down to one paragraph. If you are writing a short answer response in an exam, this wouldn't be an ideal approach due to the time constraints. If time isn't an issue, though, then then this strategy could help you to make sure you include only the most important aspects of a discussion in your one paragraph.

Try the "necessity test" to narrow down your writing. This is the process of eliminating one sentence at a time and seeing if the author's point has been weakened. If it has, then you need to keep that sentence, but if it hasn't, then you can proceed until only the essential parts of the discussion remain.

Another technique is to write down a short list of the ideas you want to get across with your single-paragraph essay. Once you've written down everything you believe is relevant to the discussion, go through your list and look for anything that can be combined or condensed in any way.

If you find you're still having trouble condensing your discussion, then you might consider simplifying your main point. It's possible that you have too many supporting points, so perhaps pick the top two most effective ones and stop there.

Types of Single Paragraph Essay

As with a traditional essay, single-paragraph essays can be used to discuss any topic the writer has some knowledge about. This also means that single-paragraph essays can use any rhetorical strategy to make their point.

Rhetorical strategies : also known as rhetorical modes, rhetorical strategies are ways of organizing communication so that it has the greatest effect on the listener or reader. These are specific patterns of organization to achieve the writer's goal for any text.

Some of the more common rhetorical strategies are:

• Comparison/contrast
• Illustration
• Description
• Classification

Essays can be assigned based on a particular rhetorical strategy.

Sometimes, an essay prompt, such as "Write a comparison/contrast essay analyzing the relationship between organic and non-organic produce production," may make it clear which rhetorical strategy should be used to answer the question.

Other times, the author simply needs to understand these strategies well enough to know which to use in order to craft the best argument.

So, in essence, any discussion in a multi-paragraph essay could also be covered in a single-paragraph essay. The only limitation of a shorter essay is, of course, the lack of space, so the writer has to make the best use of the paragraph they have.

Single Paragraph Essay Structure

An essay is a focused piece of writing that develops a particular idea through the use of evidence , analysis, and interpretation. Nowhere in that definition do we see any description of length, which means this could be accomplished over the course of several pages or a single paragraph.

Unlike traditional essays, though, single-paragraph essays don't allow for much creative liberty. There is a basic structure that needs to be followed so that the paragraph will meet the criteria of an essay.

Here is a basic single-paragraph essay outline :

Topic sentence ( thesis statement )

Body support 1

Concrete details

Body support 2

Closing statement

Topic Sentence in a Single Paragraph Essay

Every essay has a thesis statement .

Thesis statement: a single, declarative sentence that summarizes the main point of an essay. Depending on the style of the essay, a thesis statement should almost always include the author's stance on the topic of discussion.

In a single-paragraph essay, the thesis statement acts a lot like a topic sentence of a supporting body paragraph found in a traditional five-paragraph essay. Typically, the first sentence in a body paragraph – the topic sentence – helps to organize the paragraph around the main idea that will be discussed. Since the essay will only be one paragraph long, the thesis statement and topic sentence are one and the same.

Use the thesis statement to introduce the topic as well as the main idea you will be discussing. It is also helpful to briefly mention the supporting points you intend to bring in later in the paragraph.

Thesis statement: The British Empire's ability to wreak havoc on trade, move large amounts of troops, and distribute resources by way of its navy gave them the power to dominate foreign territories.

This is a good thesis statement because the writer shares their opinion on what made the British empire powerful. There are three pieces of evidence to show Britain's power (ability to wreak havoc on trade, move large amounts of troops, and distribute resources) which can be developed in the body of the essay.

Body Support in a Single Paragraph Essay

The body of the essay is where the writer develops concrete details to support the thesis statement. Supporting details can be anything that helps prove your point.

Supporting details could include:

• Statistical evidence and data.
• Quotes from the discussed text or relevant experts in the field.
• Examples of facts that support the thesis.
• Details about events, people, or places that are relevant to the topic.

In a single-paragraph essay, there isn't as much space as you're perhaps used to, so you must be concise and direct when presenting your support. There won't be much opportunity to expound and explain each detail, so make sure they can stand alone in support of your thesis.

Also, include a brief commentary on the subject. This is your opportunity to connect your main idea or thesis to the supporting details and discuss how they interact.

Conclusion in a Single Paragraph Essay

As with the body support, your conclusion should be brief (likely no more than a sentence or two). Because you've conducted your discussion in the space of one paragraph, it is not necessary to restate your thesis in the conclusion as you would normally do in a multi-paragraph essay.

You should make sure that your conclusion is clear and convinces the reader that you did indeed make your point. Include a short summary of the discussion, and that's about all you'll have room for!

If you find your essay is longer than one paragraph, read through it one sentence at a time to see if every sentence contributes a different point. If you come across two sentences that are making the same or similar points, combine them into one sentence.

Single Paragraph Essay Example

Here is an example of a single-paragraph essay outline , including the topic sentence , body support 1 , body support 2 , and the conclusion .

Topic sentence

Charles Perrault's famous fairytale, "Little Red Ridinghood" (1697), is more than meets the eye. It is not just a story about a little girl who visits her grandma; it is an epic tale complete with a journey, villain, and challenges along the way for the protagonist.

"Little Red Ridinghood" is structured like a piece of quest literature. There is a quester, a place to go, a stated reason to go, challenges and trials along the way, and a real reason to arrive at the destination. Little Red Ridinghood (quester) decides to visit her grandma because she believes she is not well (reason to go). She travels through a wood and meets a wolf with bad intentions (villain/challenge). After she is eaten by the wolf, the reader comes to know the moral of the story (real reason to go), which is "don't talk to strangers."

Quest literature is not simply defined by structure, however. In quest literature, the hero usually does not know that the journey taken is a quest. So, the journey does not need to be epic in nature, and a hero is not required to save lives and fight battles – a young girl entering the woods not knowing that danger lurks around the corner is quest enough.

So the next time you pick up a book, remember that even a bedtime story for children can hold inside an epic quest – just look for someone leaving on a journey, and you might be surprised where it takes you.

Single Paragraph Essay - Key takeaways

• A single-paragraph essay is a condensed version of a traditional essay that includes the main idea, supporting details, and a conclusion in the space of one paragraph.

Due to limited space, it is important to stick to facts and evidence alone, leaving out filler language.

A single-paragraph essay does require a thesis or main idea, but it only needs to be stated once.

There are several techniques to keeping your writing brief, such as the "necessity test" and/or making a list of your ideas and choosing the most relevant information.

A single-paragraph essay is a good format for "short answer" responses on exams.

Flashcards in Single Paragraph Essay 68

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Frequently Asked Questions about Single Paragraph Essay

What is a single-paragraph essay?

A single-paragraph essay is a condensed version of a traditional essay that includes a main idea, supporting details, and a conclusion in the space of one paragraph. 

What is an example of single-paragraph essay?

A single-paragraph essay can be a response to a "short answer" question on an exam. 

How do you write a single-paragraph essay?

Write a single-paragraph essay by focusing on your main point and the supporting details. Avoid filler language, and try techniques such as the "necessity test" and writing down your ideas and choosing the most relevant information to keep it to the one-paragraph format.

What are the types of single paragraph essay?

Single-paragraph essays can be in the style of any type of "regular" essay. 

How to organize a single paragraph essay?

Organize a single-paragraph essay in the same format as a traditional essay with a thesis statement, supporting details, and a conclusion. 

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Can an Essay Have 1 Paragraph? How to Write it Step by Step

Have you ever heard of the one-paragraph essay? It is a popular assignment at many colleges and universities worldwide, but many students struggle. Knowing what makes them so challenging is a good way to improve writing essays.

One of the challenging elements of this type of essay is that there are no extra paragraphs to break up your main point for readers to process what you are saying.

Can an Essay have 1 Paragraph? 

Many students struggle with writing essays. They do not know where to begin. They write many paragraphs with nothing to do with each other.

An essay can have one paragraph if the argument to be presented fits into just one paragraph. It can also be one paragraph if the instructions from your instructor or professor require you to only focus on one thing in a short way. However, it would typically be a specific type of essay requiring only one paragraph, such as a definition or a descriptive essay. Either way, just follow the instructions.

It is important to remember that an essay’s purpose is to convey ideas and information in a clear and organized manner, often achieved through multiple paragraphs.

Nonetheless, writing a coherent and effective essay in a single paragraph is possible.

It should be well-structured and effectively communicate the main ideas and supporting details.

How to Write a 1-Paragraph Essay – A Step-by-Step Guide

Writing a one-paragraph essay may seem daunting, but it is possible with the right approach. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you write a concise and compelling one-paragraph essay:

• Choose a topic: Select a narrow and focused topic to be covered in a single paragraph. A one-paragraph essay addresses a particular aspect of a broader topic.
• Develop a thesis statement: Create a statement communicating your essay’s main idea. This statement should be concise and to the point and provide a preview of the following supporting details.
• Brainstorm supporting details: Consider specific details, examples, or evidence supporting your thesis statement. Choose the most relevant and compelling details that will effectively communicate your point.
• Organize your thoughts: Organize your supporting details logically and coherently. Start with a clear topic sentence. It should relate to your thesis statement and use supporting sentences to provide additional information and examples.
• Write the essay: Remember you have limited space to pass your ideas. Be concise and focus on the most critical points. Use transitional phrases to connect your sentences and make your essay flow smoothly.
• Edit and revise: Review your essay for clarity, correctness, and coherence. Ensure your sentences are grammatically correct and your ideas are presented logically. Remove unnecessary information or repetitions, and ensure your essay is within the word count limit.

Reasons why 1 paragraph is not enough for an essay

• Limited space: A one-paragraph has limited space, making exploring complex ideas in detail hard. It is hard to thoroughly analyze or discuss a topic within such a limited space.
• Insufficient evidence: A single-paragraph essay may not offer enough space to put sufficient evidence to support the thesis statement. Without evidence, the essay may lack credibility. It may fail to persuade the reader.
• Lack of clarity: A single-paragraph essay may be unclear and confusing. It can be hard to organize multiple ideas within a single paragraph. This makes it hard for the reader to follow the logic of the argument.
• Inability to address counterarguments: For the writer to write a strong and persuasive essay, it is critical to consider and address counterarguments.

A single-paragraph essay lacks enough space to address potential counterarguments, which may weaken the overall argument.

• Inability to provide context: Context is crucial in assisting readers in understanding the importance of the ideas presented in an essay. A single-paragraph essay lacks enough space to offer sufficient background information and context, making it hard for readers to grasp its meaning fully.
• Limited opportunities for revision: A single-paragraph essay may be hard to revise, as there are few opportunities to add, delete or rearrange content.

Can an essay be two paragraphs? 

A two-paragraph essay can be a concise and effective way to pass on ideas and information.

Yes, an essay can be two paragraphs. The initial paragraph introduces a two-paragraph essay’s main idea or thesis statement. The second paragraph offers supporting details, evidence, or examples to reinforce the thesis statement. More importantly, this structure gives a clear and organized framework for developing and presenting ideas concisely and effectively.

While a two-paragraph essay may also be short, it still allows for a degree of complexity and nuance in the argument or discussion.

With two paragraphs, writers can explore their topic more deeply, offer more detailed evidence or examples, and engage with counterarguments or alternative perspectives.

The Advantages of a Two-Paragraph Essay

• A clear and organized structure
• The ability to present
• Develop ideas in a concise and effective manner
• You can explore a topic in more depth while maintaining simplicity and clarity.

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What this handout is about

This handout will help you understand how paragraphs are formed, how to develop stronger paragraphs, and how to completely and clearly express your ideas.

What is a paragraph?

Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. In reality, though, the unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. A paragraph is defined as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some styles of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one sentence long. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.

How do I decide what to put in a paragraph?

Before you can begin to determine what the composition of a particular paragraph will be, you must first decide on an argument and a working thesis statement for your paper. What is the most important idea that you are trying to convey to your reader? The information in each paragraph must be related to that idea. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a recurrent relationship between your thesis and the information in each paragraph. A working thesis functions like a seed from which your paper, and your ideas, will grow. The whole process is an organic one—a natural progression from a seed to a full-blown paper where there are direct, familial relationships between all of the ideas in the paper.

The decision about what to put into your paragraphs begins with the germination of a seed of ideas; this “germination process” is better known as brainstorming . There are many techniques for brainstorming; whichever one you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped. Building paragraphs can be like building a skyscraper: there must be a well-planned foundation that supports what you are building. Any cracks, inconsistencies, or other corruptions of the foundation can cause your whole paper to crumble.

So, let’s suppose that you have done some brainstorming to develop your thesis. What else should you keep in mind as you begin to create paragraphs? Every paragraph in a paper should be :

• Unified : All of the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a single controlling idea (often expressed in the topic sentence of the paragraph).
• Clearly related to the thesis : The sentences should all refer to the central idea, or thesis, of the paper (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Coherent : The sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should follow a definite plan for development (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Well-developed : Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and supported through evidence and details that work together to explain the paragraph’s controlling idea (Rosen and Behrens 119).

How do I organize a paragraph?

There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few possibilities for organization, with links to brief examples:

• Narration : Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. ( See an example. )
• Description : Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic. ( See an example. )
• Process : Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third. ( See an example. )
• Classification : Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic. ( See an example. )
• Illustration : Give examples and explain how those examples support your point. (See an example in the 5-step process below.)

Illustration paragraph: a 5-step example

From the list above, let’s choose “illustration” as our rhetorical purpose. We’ll walk through a 5-step process for building a paragraph that illustrates a point in an argument. For each step there is an explanation and example. Our example paragraph will be about human misconceptions of piranhas.

Step 1. Decide on a controlling idea and create a topic sentence

Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. This idea directs the paragraph’s development. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic sentence. In some cases, you may need more than one sentence to express a paragraph’s controlling idea.

Controlling idea and topic sentence — Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans.

Step 2. Elaborate on the controlling idea

Paragraph development continues with an elaboration on the controlling idea, perhaps with an explanation, implication, or statement about significance. Our example offers a possible explanation for the pervasiveness of the myth.

Elaboration — This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media.

Step 3. Give an example (or multiple examples)

Paragraph development progresses with an example (or more) that illustrates the claims made in the previous sentences.

Example — For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman.

Step 4. Explain the example(s)

The next movement in paragraph development is an explanation of each example and its relevance to the topic sentence. The explanation should demonstrate the value of the example as evidence to support the major claim, or focus, in your paragraph.

Continue the pattern of giving examples and explaining them until all points/examples that the writer deems necessary have been made and explained. NONE of your examples should be left unexplained. You might be able to explain the relationship between the example and the topic sentence in the same sentence which introduced the example. More often, however, you will need to explain that relationship in a separate sentence.

Explanation for example — Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear.

Notice that the example and explanation steps of this 5-step process (steps 3 and 4) can be repeated as needed. The idea is that you continue to use this pattern until you have completely developed the main idea of the paragraph.

Step 5. Complete the paragraph’s idea or transition into the next paragraph

The final movement in paragraph development involves tying up the loose ends of the paragraph. At this point, you can remind your reader about the relevance of the information to the larger paper, or you can make a concluding point for this example. You might, however, simply transition to the next paragraph.

Sentences for completing a paragraph — While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Finished paragraph

Despite the fact that piranhas are relatively harmless, many people continue to believe the pervasive myth that piranhas are dangerous to humans. This impression of piranhas is exacerbated by their mischaracterization in popular media. For example, the promotional poster for the 1978 horror film Piranha features an oversized piranha poised to bite the leg of an unsuspecting woman. Such a terrifying representation easily captures the imagination and promotes unnecessary fear. While the trope of the man-eating piranhas lends excitement to the adventure stories, it bears little resemblance to the real-life piranha. By paying more attention to fact than fiction, humans may finally be able to let go of this inaccurate belief.

Troubleshooting paragraphs

Problem: the paragraph has no topic sentence.

Imagine each paragraph as a sandwich. The real content of the sandwich—the meat or other filling—is in the middle. It includes all the evidence you need to make the point. But it gets kind of messy to eat a sandwich without any bread. Your readers don’t know what to do with all the evidence you’ve given them. So, the top slice of bread (the first sentence of the paragraph) explains the topic (or controlling idea) of the paragraph. And, the bottom slice (the last sentence of the paragraph) tells the reader how the paragraph relates to the broader argument. In the original and revised paragraphs below, notice how a topic sentence expressing the controlling idea tells the reader the point of all the evidence.

Original paragraph

Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Revised paragraph

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Once you have mastered the use of topic sentences, you may decide that the topic sentence for a particular paragraph really shouldn’t be the first sentence of the paragraph. This is fine—the topic sentence can actually go at the beginning, middle, or end of a paragraph; what’s important is that it is in there somewhere so that readers know what the main idea of the paragraph is and how it relates back to the thesis of your paper. Suppose that we wanted to start the piranha paragraph with a transition sentence—something that reminds the reader of what happened in the previous paragraph—rather than with the topic sentence. Let’s suppose that the previous paragraph was about all kinds of animals that people are afraid of, like sharks, snakes, and spiders. Our paragraph might look like this (the topic sentence is bold):

Like sharks, snakes, and spiders, piranhas are widely feared. Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless . Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. If the fish are well-fed, they won’t bite humans.

Problem: the paragraph has more than one controlling idea

If a paragraph has more than one main idea, consider eliminating sentences that relate to the second idea, or split the paragraph into two or more paragraphs, each with only one main idea. Watch our short video on reverse outlining to learn a quick way to test whether your paragraphs are unified. In the following paragraph, the final two sentences branch off into a different topic; so, the revised paragraph eliminates them and concludes with a sentence that reminds the reader of the paragraph’s main idea.

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, for the most part, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ first instinct is to flee, not attack. Their fear of humans makes sense. Far more piranhas are eaten by people than people are eaten by piranhas. A number of South American groups eat piranhas. They fry or grill the fish and then serve them with coconut milk or tucupi, a sauce made from fermented manioc juices.

Problem: transitions are needed within the paragraph

You are probably familiar with the idea that transitions may be needed between paragraphs or sections in a paper (see our handout on transitions ). Sometimes they are also helpful within the body of a single paragraph. Within a paragraph, transitions are often single words or short phrases that help to establish relationships between ideas and to create a logical progression of those ideas in a paragraph. This is especially likely to be true within paragraphs that discuss multiple examples. Let’s take a look at a version of our piranha paragraph that uses transitions to orient the reader:

Although most people consider piranhas to be quite dangerous, they are, except in two main situations, entirely harmless. Piranhas rarely feed on large animals; they eat smaller fish and aquatic plants. When confronted with humans, piranhas’ instinct is to flee, not attack. But there are two situations in which a piranha bite is likely. The first is when a frightened piranha is lifted out of the water—for example, if it has been caught in a fishing net. The second is when the water level in pools where piranhas are living falls too low. A large number of fish may be trapped in a single pool, and if they are hungry, they may attack anything that enters the water.

In this example, you can see how the phrases “the first” and “the second” help the reader follow the organization of the ideas in the paragraph.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Lunsford, Andrea. 2008. The St. Martin’s Handbook: Annotated Instructor’s Edition , 6th ed. New York: St. Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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