Learn how to write a perfect paragraph using the right format and easy examples. Become a better writer, and build a strong argument.
Learning how to write a perfect paragraph is easy when you have the right format and good examples to follow.
Most people, though, usually start off with some kind of writer’s block. What should you write? How should you start? Will it be interesting and make sense?
But writing is not really all that difficult. All it takes is knowing the different parts that go into paragraph writing.
Once you know how to write a strong and “perfect” paragraph, writing papers, presentations and essays will feel easier – and less complicated.
The Perfect Paragraph Format
The purpose of a paragraph is to present and/or discuss something. It is a cohesive unit so a reader knows that everything in that paragraph is related.
A paragraph also works as a support for your paper’s main idea or thesis.
Think of writing a good paragraph as factual and emotional support for your thesis.
The basic format:
- Topic Sentence(s) (also know as Claim, Point, or Position)
- Evidence/facts
- Discussion/analysis of the evidence
- Closure
NOTE: You can repeat parts (2) and (3) as many times as you need to write a long paragraph.
1. The Topic Sentence
This first sentence you write is the core of your paragraph. It tells the reader what the paragraph:
a) Is about
b) is going to prove/demonstrate
Your topic sentence should be written as a statement – not a question. Also, it must be something debatable (other people can disagree), so it can never be a fact.
Your topic sentence is really a position that you are going to present and prove.
Think of a debate. Debaters state their “position” as if it is absolutely true. then they go on to “prove” their position through their arguments.
EXAMPLE for English class: You are writing about the use of symbolic imagery in the play, Romeo and Juliet (by Shakespeare), a topic sentence might be:
In the play, the imagery of light and dark highlights the extremity of emotions of the main characters.
EXAMPLE social studies class: you may be writing an essay on how the Mexican-American War was the primary cause of the growth of slavery in the US. So then, a topic sentence might be:
The primary focus of the war with Mexico was to acquire territory in order to increase and expand the planting and growing of cotton; a slavery dependent activity.
Both of these sentences sound like statements, but they are not facts. People could still disagree with them and have different opinions and perspectives.
It’s time to move onto:
2. How to Write a Perfect Paragraph: The Evidence
If your topic sentence is is the heart of your paragraph, then the evidence is the blood. It’s what keeps it alive.
Evidence is something you get from the text you’re reading, or from your research of other sources to support your claim or topic sentence/thesis.
(The process of finding evidence is beyond the scope of this article, but here’s an article that can help.)
This is where you find support for your thesis either from your text or from some respected source. This can be a quote from a text, facts, statistics, quotes from experts, etc.
Then, you need to take your evidence and weave it into your sentence. How? Read on.
How to EMBED evidence into your sentence
When you embed it means you borrow someone else’s words (or numbers, facts) and make them part of your own sentence.
For example:
Evidence from Romeo and Juliet:
“I have nights cloak to hide me from their sight.” (Romeo says to Juliet)
Evidence embedded in my sentence:
The use of dark imagery shows the need for Romeo to sheild his love from the “sight” of the world, telling Juliet that he has “night’s cloak to hide” him.
The same can also be done with your Social Studies paper:
Evidence for War with Mexico Essay:
“The approval of this treaty by Congress further escalated tensions surrounding slavery as the treaty did not clearly address the role that slavery would play in these new territories.” (Brannen, Globalpoliticstheory.com)
Evidence embedded in my sentence:
The rushed congressional approval of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo “escalated tensions surrounding slavery” as well as “the role that slavery would play in these new territories.”
3. The Analysis
The analysis, or evaluation and insight of your evidence, is where most writers get stuck.
This is the part where you tell your readers why your evidence matters.
This is also where you do the “proving” of your point (topic sentence) by creating a logical argument. So, where do you start?
Simple. Just follow this format:
Step 1: What does the evidence show or demonstrate that is not obvious? Use phrases such as:
- This shows that
- This tells us that
- This highlights that ….
Step 2: Continue elaborating with more detail on this same idea. Make more connections to your first idea:
-Are there specific words in your evidence that are worth analyzing for deeper meaning? Here you can zoom in to your evidence for deeper meaning/understanding.
Step 3: Connect your evidence to other big ideas or concepts that are important to your topic.
Step 4: Develop the ideas further with more details, examples or concepts. Here is where you tell the reader why they should care.
NOTE: you do NOT need to go through all steps of the analysis. But, at the very least, you should do steps 1 & 2.
Example of a paragraph analysis:
Using the Romeo and Juliet examples above, we can do the four steps of analysis for the “night’s cloak” evidence.
Step 1:
This quote shows that Romeo understands the need of hiding his powerful emotions from society’s eyes, as his love for Juliet goes against his family’s wishes and puts both of them in danger.
Step 2:
The use of the phrase, “night’s cloak” also tells us that Romeo sees the darkness of the night as a protective covering that serves to hide their love from the prying Capulet eyes.
Step 3:
This connects to the underlying theme of forbidden love within the play, where socially forbidden emotions are symbolized by bright light but must be experienced within darkness and shadow.
Step 4:
However, these shadows are also a forboding of the dark emotions ahead for these hidden lovers and the terrible toll they both must pay for masking their forbidden love.
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How to Write a paragraph: The concluding sentence
The concluding sentence pulls your ideas together and gives the reader a sense of closure.
Sometimes the last sentence of your analysis can do this, but if not, then write one more sentence to tie things up.
The concluding sentence can do one of two things:
- Transition to the next paragraph
- Complete an idea in your paragraph before moving on.
This is where you pull your ideas together so the reader is clear about what your paragraph is leading to.
So, to finish off our Romeo and Juliet paragraph the concluding sentence might read something like:
Example Concluding Sentence:
Romeo’s embracing of the cloak of night re-enforces both the need to hide their emotions as well as the darkness of the path their love will force them to follow.
Practicing this format on how to write a perfect paragraph and you’ll find that writing essays will be a breeze.
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