Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > English Grammar
Paragraph Writing
Mustafizur rRhman:
How to Write a Good Paragraph: A Step-by-Step Guide
Writing well composed academic paragraphs can be tricky. The following is a guide on how to draft, expand, refine, and explain our ideas so that we write clear, well-developed paragraphs and discussion posts:
Step 1:
Decide the Topic of our Paragraph Before we can begin writing, we need to know what we are writing about. First, look at the writing prompt or assignment topic. As we look at the prompt, note any key terms or repeated phrases because we will want to use those words in our response. Then ask yourself: On what topic am I supposed to be writing? What do I know about this topic already? • If I don’t know how to respond to this assignment, where can I go to find some answers? • What does this assignment mean to me? How do I relate to it? After looking at the prompt and doing some additional reading and research, we should better understand our topic and what we need to discuss.
Mustafizur rRhman:
Some Useful Transitions
To show addition:
again, and, also, besides, equally important, first (second, etc.), further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, moreover, next, too
To give examples:
for example, for instance, in fact, specifically, that is, to illustrate
To compare:
also, in the same manner, likewise, similarly
To contrast:
although, and yet, at the same time, but, despite, even though, however, in contrast, in spite of, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, still, though, yet
To summarize or conclude:
all in all, in conclusion, in other words, in short, in summary, on the whole, that is, therefore, to sum up
To show time:
after, afterward, as, as long as, as soon as, at last, before, during, earlier, finally, formerly, immediately, later, meanwhile, next, since, shortly, subsequently, then, thereafter, until, when, while
To show place or direction:
above, below, beyond, close, elsewhere, farther on, here, nearby, opposite, to the left (north, etc.)
To indicate logical relationship:
accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, for this reason, hence, if, otherwise, since, so, then, therefore, thus
Mustafizur rRhman:
Coherence
In a coherent paragraph, each sentence relates clearly to the topic sentence or controlling idea, but there is more to coherence than this. If a paragraph is coherent, each sentence flows smoothly into the next without obvious shifts or jumps. A coherent paragraph also highlights the ties between old information and new information to make the structure of ideas or arguments clear to the reader.
A number of other techniques that we can use to establish coherence in paragraphs are described below.
** Repeat key words or phrases.
** Create parallel structures.
** Be consistent in point of view, verb tense, and number.
** Use transition words or phrases between sentences and between paragraphs.
Mustafizur rRhman:
Concluding Sentence
It is important for students to know how to write a conclusion, whether to drive the final point home or to transition to the next point. The conclusion ties together everything mentioned in a paragraph. A conclusion may restate the claim in the topic sentence, but now it has all the supporting details behind it. Whether the conclusion reinforces the topic or leads into the following topic, a paragraph’s concluding sentence plays an important role.
Mustafizur rRhman:
Supporting Details
Without strong and vivid supporting details, it hardly matters what a great topic sentence a writer has created for a paragraph. It’s the supporting details, in the form of facts, descriptions, and examples, that back up the claim made in that sentence. The supporting details are important enough that we could think of them as the real meat of any paragraph.
Conclusion: the final section; summarizes the connections between the information discussed in the body of the paragraph and the paragraph’s controlling idea.
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