writing assignment

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How to Write a Strong Paragraph Because a paragraph is a group of sentences on one topic, in theory, paragraphs can be any length, from one sentence to one hundred. Paragraph length is dictated first by content and purpose. When writing for school or work purposes, paragraph length promotes the brevity, clarity, and simplicity expected of formal writing. Paragraphs are meant to make reading a text easier. Each new paragraph signals a pause in thought and change in the topic, directing readers to anticipate what is to follow or allowing them time to digest the material in the preceding paragraph. Reasons to begin a new paragraph include the following:

Beginning a new idea Emphasizing a particular point Changing speakers in dialogue Allowing readers to pause Breaking up lengthy text, usually moving to a subtopic

Once you are satisfied with your paragraph content, take your readers into consideration. Revise and edit to make your paragraphs both engaging and easy to read. Key considerations for revising and editing paragraphs are length, variety, clarity, and transitions.

Paragraph Length

Strong paragraphs vary in length. Think of your reader and how the paragraph appears on the page. Paragraph lengths should invite readers in, neither seeming too daunting nor appearing incomplete. Paragraphs of more than one double-spaced page will appear too dense and too long to be inviting. Yet short paragraphs can appear as if ideas are not fully developed. In fact, one- sentence paragraphs are rarely effective. Not only can a one sentence paragraph seem abrupt, but it can also leave readers puzzled. A sentence that makes a point about a topic will typically need another sentence or more to illustrate and explain that point to the reader.

For complex concepts such as those in persuasive essays that demand detailed explanation and supporting evidence, longer paragraphs are necessary. However, when narrating an example or explaining a process, shorter paragraphs will best emphasize the order of ideas or importance of each step.

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Sentence Variety

Sentence Structure

You’ve probably experienced a lecture or presentation given by someone who talks in a monotone, never varying the tone of voice. It probably puts you to sleep, right? The equivalent of such monotony in writing occurs when sentences have the same structure and the same length. Once the content of your writing is solid, revise, paying attention to sentence variety. Strong paragraphs contain a variety of sentence structures.

Simple: One independent clause with no subordinate clause. Example: Without music, life would be a mistake. Compound: Two or more independent clauses with no subordinate clauses. Example: One arrow is easily broken, but a bundle of ten can’t be broken. Complex: One independent clause with one or more subordinate clauses. Example: If you scatter thorns, don’t go barefoot. Compound-Complex: At least two independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause. Example: Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.

For a more detailed review of sentence structure, refer to the Sentence resource in the Purdue Global Writing Center.

Sentence Openings

Another easy way to add sentence variety is with sentence openings. Many writers fall into a pattern of starting sentences the same way, generally with the subject of the sentence. Here is a sample of what can be done with the simple sentence “John broke the window.” Note the different openings not only add variety, but also create more interesting content.

Subject: John broke the window. Conjunction: But John broke the window. Adverb (answers how, when, why): Afterwards, John broke the window. Adverb Clause: While hitting a fly ball in the vacant field, John broke the window. Expletive (there, it): There is the window John broke. Correlative Conjunction: Either John broke the window with the fly ball or he did not. Prepositional Phrase: During the game, John broke the window. Infinitive Phrase: To complete the destructiveness of the baseball game, John broke the window. Passive Voice: The window was broken by John. Participle Phrase: Testing his father’s patience, John broke the window. Subordinate Clause: Although John hit a home run, the price was a broken window. Inverted Word Order: The window John broke.

Inverted word order, as in the last example, should not be overused. But occasional use at an important point where you want to really gain your readers’ attention can add surprise and drama to your writing, as in the following example:

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Normal Word Order

The Christmas treats, the bright, beribboned presents, and the charitable love of the season are all gone.

Inverted Word Order

Gone are the Christmas treats, the bright, beribboned presents, and the charitable love of the season.

Sentence Length

A final way to vary sentences is with length. Strive to write sentences that are short, medium, and long in length. You can check sentence length by beginning each sentence of a paragraph on a separate line, so you can scan them. Here is an example:

1. Kirilov’s home is described as dark, in part because of his son’s sickness and death, which occurred barely five minutes before Aboguin rings the doctor’s doorbell.

2. The entry is dark, and the lamp in his drawing room is unlighted, allowing the twilight and the dark September evening to fill the room, relieved only by a light in the adjoining study that lights his books and a big lamp in the dead boy’s bedroom.

3. The darkness extends to Kirilov himself. 4. Chekhov describes him as having a prematurely gray beard and skin with a pale gray hue. 5. His hands are stained black with carbolic acid, marking him as a laborer. 6. His dark home and gray appearance exemplify the grayness and monotony of life that

characterize his recent loss and years of poverty.

The varied lengths are easy to see at a glance. If you decide your paper’s sentence length needs to be more varied, there is much that can be done. Clauses can be converted to phrases; for example, sentence one in the paragraph above could be changed to the following:

Kirilov’s home is described as dark, in part because of his son’s sickness and death, occurring barely five minutes before.

Sentences can be combined. Sentences three and four above could become the following:

The darkness extends to Kirilov himself as Chekhov describes him as having a prematurely gray beard and skin with a pale gray hue.

Long sentences can be divided. Sentence two above could become the following:

The entry is dark, and the lamp in his drawing room is unlighted, allowing the twilight and the dark September evening to fill the room. The darkness is relieved only by a light in the adjoining study that lights his books and a big lamp in the dead boy’s bedroom.

Phrases can become one or two words. Sentence four above could become the following:

Chekhov describes him as prematurely gray.

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These changes do not necessarily make the sentence better, but they serve as good examples of what can be done to change sentence length and add sentence variety.

Sentence Clarity

Sentence clarity simply means that sentences are clearly written and grammatically correct. Most of the time, they are. As speakers of English, we naturally speak and write correct sentences. But sometimes hasty, careless writing and revising can result in garbled sentences.

Mixed Construction

A mixed construction occurs when a sentence begins with one grammatical pattern and concludes with a different grammatical pattern, as if the writer started writing a sentence, was interrupted, and then finished it without referring back to the beginning.

The fact that our room was hot we opened the window between our beds. By not prosecuting marijuana possession as vigorously as crack possession encourages marijuana users to think they can ignore the law. Because of the European discovery of America became a profitable colony for Britain.

Beginning sentences with expressions such as “the fact that,” with adverb clauses like “because,” and with prepositional phrases, is fine, but pay attention to these openings because they easily lead to mixed constructions. Usually, if these sentences are pointed out, writers can quickly see they are a problem. An easy way to find them is to read a paper backwards, one sentence at a time so that each sentence is isolated.

Faulty Pred ication

Faulty predication occurs when the predicate of a sentence does not logically complete its subject. Most often faulty predication involves the verb to be. We know that to be verbs act like equal signs between the subject and predicate:

The piano player is skilled.

But if the predicate is logically inconsistent with the subject, the sentence will confuse readers.

The power of a skilled piano player is keenly aware of being able to raise strong emotions in listeners. [Can the power of a piano player be keenly aware?] Listeners are keenly aware of the power a skilled piano player has to raise strong emotions in listeners. [Now it is the listeners who are keenly aware.]

Inconsistent or Incomplete Comparisons

When making comparisons, be sure they are consistent and complete.

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Inconsistent: Brownlee’s business proposal is better than Summers. [Brownlee’s business proposal is being compared to Summers, a person.] Consistent: Brownlee’s business proposal is better than the one by Summers. Incomplete: I was ashamed because my background was so different. [Different from what?] Complete: I was ashamed because my background was so different from that of my new co- workers.

Inconsistent and incomplete comparisons are common in speech. Context, facial expression, and body language supply the missing information. But in formal writing, care must be taken to be completely clear.

Transitions

Transition Words and Expressions

Transitions are connectors or bridges between thoughts. For example, if you read the word however, you know the next thought will be in contrast to the previous one. The word acts as a bridge that signals the relationship between the two thoughts. If you read the word meanwhile, you know the next event is happening at the same time as the event discussed previously. The word explains the simultaneous relationship between the two events. Transitions are one of the methods used to make paragraphs flow smoothly. The transitions used most often are the ones already described, words like however and meanwhile. Lists of transitional expressions can be easily found in most writing handbooks.

Examples of Transition Words and Expressions

To Indicate Time Order: in the past, before, earlier, preceding, recently, presently, currently, now To Provide an Example: for example, for instance, to illustrate, specifically, in particular, namely, in other words To Indicate Results: as a result, consequently, because of, for this reason, since, therefore, thus, accordingly To Concede: although, even though, admittedly, granted, while it is true, of course To Compare: in comparison, in like manner, in much the same way, likewise To Contrast: and yet, but, despite, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, however, contrary to, on the other hand To Emphasize: above all, undoubtedly, most importantly, moreover, furthermore, without question

Transitional expressions work well between sentences, within paragraphs, but should not be used too often. Use them only when a relationship between sentences is not already evident.

Transitional expressions can also be used between paragraphs when the paragraphs are already arranged so that the content of one paragraph leads logically into the next paragraph. In these cases, the transition simply highlights the relationship that is already clear

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Transition Sentences

For more sophisticated transitions between paragraphs, use whole sentences. One effective sentence transition is an echo transition. An echo transition echoes a word, phrase, or idea from the last sentence of one paragraph in the first sentence of the next paragraph. In the following example, the italicized phrase echoes the idea in the previous paragraph:

Echo Transition

. . . Throughout the story, the husband’s word is considered law, and the wife barely dares to question it.

This unequal marriage fits perfectly into the historical period of the setting . . .

Another sentence transition repeats key words from one paragraph to the next. The repetition of key words, as shown in the example that follows, demonstrates the relationship between the ideas in the two paragraphs.

Key Word Transition

. . . Shirley Jackson shows the uselessness of the lottery and the selfishness of human nature through Mr. Warner’s ignorance.

This selfishness of human nature is shown very clearly through Tessie in the story . . .

A third type of sentence transition looks back and forward. In one or two sentences, look back at the ideas of the preceding paragraph and then look forward to the ideas in the next paragraph. In the italicized sentence of the example that follows, the first phrase (in contrast to this victory) looks back at the ideas of the preceding paragraph. The second clause (stanza three moves to the issue of dying) looks forward to the ideas in the next paragraph.

Look Back and Forward

. . . These first two stanzas set up the theme of triumph in life.

In contrast to this victory, stanza three moves to the issue of dying . . .