Paragraph

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Paragraph A paragraph (from the Greek paragraphos, "to write beside" or "written beside") is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea. Paragraphs consist of one or more sentences. The start of a paragraph is indicated by beginning on a new line. Sometimes the first line is indented. At various times, the beginning of a paragraph has been indicated by the pilcrow: ¶. A written work — be it an essay or a story — is about an idea or concept. An essay explains it; a story narrates it. To help the reader understand and enjoy it, the explanation or narration is broken down into units of text, the paragraph. In an essay, each paragraph explains or demonstrates a key point or thought of the central idea, usually to inform or persuade. In fiction, each paragraph serves to advance the plot, develop a character, describe a scene or narrate an action — all to entertain the reader. All paragraphs support each other, leading the reader from the first idea to the final resolution of the written work.

Indenting

Some styles do not indent the first paragraph, but do indent all those that subsequently follow. This follows the logic that the purpose of indenting is to separate paragraphs in a way that lets the reader know where one paragraph finishes and another begins. The general American practice is to indicate all paragraphs including the first, by indenting the first line (three to five spaces), whereas business letters generally use blank lines and no indent (these are sometimes known as "block paragraphs"). For other purposes, indented paragraphs are preferred.[citation needed] Most published books use a device to separate certain paragraphs further when there is a change of scene or time. This extra space, especially when co-occurring at a page break, may contain an asterisk, three asterisks, a special stylistic dingbat, or a special symbol known as an asterism. [edit]Details

In literature, a "detail" is a small piece of information within a paragraph. A detail usually exists to support or explain a main idea. In the following excerpt from Dr. Samuel Johnson's Lives of the English Poets, the first sentence is the main idea: that Joseph Addison is a skilled "describer of life and manners". The succeeding sentences are details that support and explain the main idea in a specific way. As a describer of life and manners, he must be allowed to stand perhaps the first of the first rank. His humour, which, as Steele observes, is peculiar to himself, is so

happily diffused as to give the grace of novelty to domestic scenes and daily occurrences. He never "o'ersteps the modesty of nature," nor raises merriment or wonder by the violation of truth. His figures neither divert by distortion nor amaze by aggravation. He copies life with so much fidelity that he can be hardly said to invent; yet his exhibitions have an air so much original, that it is difficult to suppose them not merely the product of imagination.

PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH
Topic Sentence

What is the topic sentence? The topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph. What does it do? It introduces the main idea of the paragraph.

How do I write one? Summarize the main idea of your paragraph. Indicate to the reader what your paragraph will be about.

Example:

There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.

Supporting Details
What are supporting sentences? They come after the topic sentence, making up the body of a paragraph. What do they do? They give details to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph. How do I write them? You should give supporting facts, details, and examples. Example: There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.

Closing Sentence

What is the closing sentence? The closing sentence is the last sentence in a paragraph. What does it do? It restates the main idea of your paragraph.

How do I write one?

Restate the main idea of the paragraph using different words.

Example:

There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.

HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH

Prewriting Paragraphs

What is the prewriting stage? The prewriting stage is when you think carefully and organize your ideas for your paragraph before you begin writing.

Six Prewriting Steps:

1. Think carefully about what you are going to write. Ask yourself: What question am I going to answer in this paragraph or essay? How can I best answer this question? What is the most important part of my answer? How can I make an introductory sentence (or thesis statement) from the most important part of my answer? What facts or ideas can I use to support my introductory sentence? How can I make this paragraph or essay interesting? Do I need more facts on this topic? Where can I find more facts on this topic?

2. Open your notebook. Write out your answers to the above questions. You do not need to spend a lot of time doing this; just write enough to help you remember why and how you are going to write your paragraph or essay.

3. Collect facts related to your paragraph or essay topic. Look for and write down facts that will help you to answer your question. Timesaving hint: make sure the facts you are writing are related to the exact question you are going to answer in your paragraph or essay.

4. Write down your own ideas. Ask yourself: What else do I want to say about this topic? Why should people be interested in this topic? Why is this topic important?

5. Find the main idea of your paragraph or essay. Choose the most important point you are going to present. If you cannot decide which point is the most important, just choose one point and stick to it throughout your paragraph or essay.

6. Organize your facts and ideas in a way that develops your main idea. Once you have chosen the most important point of your paragraph or essay, you must find the best way to tell your reader about it. Look at the facts you have written. Look at your own ideas on the topic. Decide which facts and ideas will best support the main idea of your paragraph. Once you have chosen the facts and ideas you plan to use, ask yourself which order to put them in the paragraph. Write down your own note set that you can use to guide yourself as you write your paragraph or essay.

Writing Paragraphs

What is the writing stage? The writing stage is when you turn your ideas into sentences. Five Writing Steps:

1. Open your notebook and word processor. 2. Write the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and closing sentence. 3. Write clear and simple sentences to express your meaning. 4. Focus on the main idea of your paragraph. 5. Use the dictionary to help you find additional words to express your ideas.

Editing Paragraphs

What is the editing stage? The editing stage is when you check your paragraph for mistakes and correct them. Grammar and Spelling

1. Check your spelling. 2. Check your grammar. 3. Read your essay again. 4. Make sure each sentence has a subject. 5. See if your subjects and verbs agree with each other. 6. Check the verb tenses of each sentence. 7. Make sure that each sentence makes sense. Style and Organization

1. Make sure your paragraph has a topic sentence. 2. Make sure your supporting sentences focus on the main idea.

3. Make sure you have a closing sentence. 4. Check that all your sentences focus on the main idea. 5. See if your paragraph is interesting.

Publishing Paragraphs
What is the publishing stage? The publishing stage is when you produce a final copy of your paragraph to hand in. Three Publishing Steps:
1.

Make a paper copy of your paragraph. 2. Show your work to your teacher, tutor, or parents. 3. Ask them for hints on how to improve your writing.

KINDS OF PARAGRAPH

Definition Paragraph
When writing a definition paragraph, you take a thing or an idea and explain what it is.
Exampl Write a paragraph giving the definition e: of a pest.

The following words can help you to write a good definition paragraph: 1. "is defined as"

Exampl e:

A pest is defined as any animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property.

2. "is a kind of"
Exampl e: A pest is a kind of animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property.

Classification Paragraph
When writing a classification paragraph, you group things or ideas into specific categories. Example: Write a paragraph discussing two types of energy resources.

The following words can help you to write a good classification paragraph:
Helper Words: is a kind of can be divided into is a type of falls under belongs to is a part of fits into is grouped with is related to is associated with

is a kind of Coal is a kind of non-renewable resource.

can be divided into Energy resources can be divided into two types.

is a type of Coal is a type of non-renewable resource.

falls under Coal falls under the category of non-renewable resources.

belongs to Coal belongs to the category of non-renewable resources.

is a part of Coal is a part of the category of non-renewable resources.

fits into Coal fits into the category of non-renewable resources.

is grouped with Coal is grouped with non-renewable resources.

is related to Coal is related to other non-renewable resources.

is associated with Coal is associated with other non-renewable resources.

Description Paragraph
In a description paragraph, you are writing about what a person, place, or thing is like. Sometimes, you may describe where a place is located.
Examples: Write a paragraph describing what a polar bear looks like. Describe where Canada's industry is located.

The following words can help you to write a good description paragraph: Helper Words:
Properties size colour shape purpose Measurement length width mass/weight speed Analogy is like resembles Location in above below beside near north/east/south/west

Properties

size Example:

Polar bears are big in size.

colour Example:

Polar bears are usually white in colour.

shape Example:

Polar bears have a special shape.

purpose Example:

The purpose of the polar bear's fur is to keep it warm.

Measurement length Example: The length of a polar bear's claws is 20 cm.

width Example:

The width of a polar bear's head is about 50 cm.

mass / weight Example: Polar bears weigh up to 650 kg.

speed Example:

Polar bears can swim at a speed of 40 km per hour.

Analogy is like Example: A polar bear is like other bears in shape.

resembles Example: A polar bear resembles other bears in shape.

Location in Example: Most of Canada's manufacturing is located in Ontario and Quebec.

above Example:

The ceiling is above us.

below Example:

Most of Ontario is below Hudson Bay.

beside Example:

Quebec is located beside Ontario.

near Example:

Many companies are located near Toronto.

north / east / south / west Example: Ontario is west of Quebec.

Compare and Contrast Paragraph
In a compare and contrast paragraph, you write about the similarities and differences between two or more people, places, things, or ideas. Example: Write a paragraph comparing the weather in Vancouver and Halifax. The following words can help you to write a good compare and contrast paragraph: Helper Words:
Similarities is similar to both also too as well Differences the other hand however but in contrast differs from while unlike

Similarities is similar to Example: Spring weather in Vancouver is similar to spring weather in Halifax.

both Example: Both Vancouver and Halifax have rain in the spring.

also Example: Halifax also has a rainy spring season.

too Example: Halifax has a rainy spring season, too.

as well Example: As well, Halifax has rainy spring season.

Differences on the other hand Example: On the other hand, winter is much colder in Halifax.

however Example: However, winter is much colder in Halifax.

but Example: Vancouver has a mild winter, but Halifax has a cold one.

in contrast to Example: In contrast to Vancouver, Halifax has a cold winter.

differs from Example: Halifax differs from Vancouver by having a cold winter.

while Example: While Vancouver has a mild winter, Halifax has a cold winter.

Sequence Paragraph
In a sequencing paragraph, you are writing to describe a series of events or a process in some sort of order. Usually, this order is based on time. Example: Write a paragraph outlining how a person becomes the prime minister. The following words can help you to write a good sequence paragraph. Helper Words:
Order first, second, third, etc. in the beginning before then after finally at last subsequently Time recently previously afterwards when after

Order first, second, third, etc. Example: First, you need to become a leader of a political party. Second, you need to win a seat in the House of Commons. Third, your party must have a majority of seats.

in the beginning Example: In the beginning, you need to become a leader of a political party.

before Example: Before becoming the prime minister, you need to become the leader of a political party.

then Example: Then, you must win a seat in the House of Commons.

after Example: After winning a seat in the House of Commons, you must make sure you have a majority of seats.

finally Example: Finally, after all these steps, you can call yourself the prime minister.

at last Example: At last, you can call yourself the prime minister.

subsequently Example: Subsequently, you must make sure you have a majority of seats in the House of Commons.

Time recently Example: She was recently elected prime minister.

previously Example: She is the new prime minister. Previously, she worked as a lawyer in Toronto.

afterwards Example: She won the party leadership last year. Afterwards, she won the election.

when Example: When she won the party leadership, she was still working as a lawyer.

after Example: After winning a seat in the House of Commons, you must make sure you have a majority of seats.

Choice Paragraph

In a paragraph where you have to make a choice, you need to choose which object, idea, or action that you prefer. Often, you will need to give your opinion on a choice of actions or events. Example: lacrosse. Write a paragraph stating whether you would prefer to play hockey or

The following words can help you to write a good choice paragraph: Helper Words:
Point of View in my opinion belief idea understanding I think that I consider I believe it seems to me I prefer Personal Opinion like/dislike hope feel

Point of View in my opinion Example: In my opinion, hockey is more fun than lacrosse.

belief Example:

My belief is that hockey is more fun than lacrosse.

idea Example:

My idea is that hockey is more fun than lacrosse.

understanding Example: My understanding is that hockey is more fun than lacrosse.

I think that Example: I think that I would prefer to play hockey and not lacrosse.

I consider Example: I consider hockey to be more exciting than lacrosse.

I believe Example:

I believe hockey is more exciting than lacrosse.

it seems to me Example: It seems to me that hockey is more exciting than lacrosse.

I prefer Example: I prefer hockey over lacrosse.

Personal Opinions like/dislike Example: I like the sport of hockey because it is fast and exciting.

hope Example: I hope that I can play hockey in the future.

feel Example: I feel that hockey is my favorite sport.

Explanation Paragraph
In an explanation paragraph, you need to explain how or why something happens. Very often in social studies class, you will be asked to explore causes and effects of certain events. Example: Write a paragraph explaining why so many Europeans moved to Canada during the nineteenth century. The following words can help you to write a good explanation paragraph: Helper Words:
Cause because since as a result of is due to Effect therefore thus consequently hence it follows that if . . . then

Cause

because Example: People moved to Canada from Europe during the nineteenth century because they had poor living conditions in Europe.

since Example: Since living conditions in Europe were terrible, many people moved to Canada.

as a result of Example: People moved to Canada from Europe as a result of poor living conditions in Europe.

is due to / was due to Example: The large influx of people to Canada was due to economic pressures in Europe.

Effect therefore Example: Living conditions in Europe were terrible. Therefore, many people moved to Canada for a better life.

thus Example: Living conditions in Europe were terrible. Thus, many people moved to Canada for a better life.

consequently Example: Living conditions were terrible in Europe. Consequently, many people moved to Canada.

hence Example: Living conditions were terrible in Europe. Hence, many people moved to Canada.

it follows that Example: Living conditions were terrible in Europe. It follows that many people moved to Canada.

if ... then Example: If living conditions were better in Europe, then fewer people would have moved to Canada.

Evaluation Paragraph
In an evaluation paragraph, you make judgments about people, ideas, and possible actions. You need to make your evaluation based on certain criteria that you develop. In the paragraph, you will state your evaluation or recommendation and then support it by referring to your criteria. Example: Write a paragraph evaluating whether pesticides should be used on farms. The following words can help you to write a good evaluation paragraph: Helper Words
Criteria for Evaluation good / bad correct / incorrect Recommendation suggest recommend

moral / immoral right / wrong important / trivial

advise argue

Criteria good / bad Example: The use of pesticides such as DDT is bad for the environment.

correct / incorrect Example: The belief that pesticides must be used is incorrect.

moral / immoral Example: The use of pesticides to control pests is immoral because it harms the environment.

right / wrong Example: It is wrong to use pesticides because they harm the environment.

important / trivial Example: The issue of pesticides is an important one because it affects the environment.

Recommendation

suggest Example: I suggest that pesticides should not be used to control pests.

recommend Example: I recommend that pesticides should not be used because they are harmful to the environment.

advise Example: I would advise farmers not to use pesticides if possible.

argue Example: I would argue that pesticides should not be used because they harm the environment.

Paragraph Development

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.

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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 a working thesis 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). top

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 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 prove your point. (See the detailed example in the next section of this handout.) 5-step process to paragraph development

Let's walk through a 5-step process to building a paragraph. Each step of the process will include an explanation of the step and a bit of "model" text to illustrate how the step works. Our finished model paragraph will be about slave spirituals, the original songs that African Americans created during slavery. The model paragraph uses illustration (giving examples) to prove its point.

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. Here is the controlling idea for our "model paragraph," expressed in a topic sentence:

Model controlling idea and topic sentence— Slave spirituals often had hidden double meanings.

Step 2. Explain the controlling idea

Paragraph development continues with an expression of the rationale or the explanation that the writer gives for how the reader should interpret the information presented in the idea statement or topic sentence of the paragraph. The writer

explains his/her thinking about the main topic, idea, or focus of the paragraph. Here's the sentence that would follow the controlling idea about slave spirituals: Model explanation—On one level, spirituals referenced heaven, Jesus, and the soul; but on another level, the songs spoke about slave resistance.

Step 3. Give an example (or multiple examples)

Paragraph development progresses with the expression of some type of support or evidence for the idea and the explanation that came before it. The example serves as a sign or representation of the relationship established in the idea and explanation portions of the paragraph. Here are two examples that we could use to illustrate the double meanings in slave spirituals: Model example A— For example, according to Frederick Douglass, the song "O Canaan, Sweet Canaan" spoke of slaves' longing for heaven, but it also expressed their desire to escape to the North. Careful listeners heard this second meaning in the following lyrics: "I don't expect to stay / Much longer here. / Run to Jesus, shun the danger. / I don't expect to stay."

Model example B— Slaves even used songs like "Steal Away to Jesus (at midnight)" to announce to other slaves the time and place of secret, forbidden meetings.

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 and rationale that were stated at the beginning of the paragraph. This explanation shows readers why you chose to use this/or these particular examples 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. Look at these explanations for the two examples in the slave spirituals paragraph:

Model explanation for example A— When slaves sang this song, they could have been speaking of their departure from this life and their arrival in heaven; however, they also could have been describing their plans to leave the South and run, not to Jesus, but to the North.

Model explanation for example B—[The relationship between example B and the main idea of the paragraph's controlling idea is clear enough without adding another sentence to explain it.]

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 and reminding the reader of the relevance of the information in this paragraph to the main or controlling idea of the paper. At this point, you can remind your reader about the relevance of the information that you just discussed in the paragraph. You might feel more comfortable, however, simply transitioning your reader to the next development in the next paragraph. Here's an example of a sentence that completes the slave spirituals paragraph:

Model sentence for completing a paragraph— What whites heard as merely spiritual songs, slaves discerned as detailed messages. The hidden meanings in spirituals allowed slaves to sing what they could not say.

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.

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Here is a look at the completed "model" paragraph:

Slave spirituals often had hidden double meanings. On one level, spirituals referenced heaven, Jesus, and the soul, but on another level, the songs spoke about slave resistance. For example, according to Frederick Douglass, the song "O Canaan, Sweet Canaan" spoke of slaves' longing for heaven, but it also expressed their desire to escape to the North. Careful listeners heard this second meaning in the following lyrics: "I don't expect to stay / Much longer here. / Run to Jesus, shun the danger. / I don't expect to stay." When slaves sang this song, they could have been speaking of their departure from this life and their arrival in heaven; however, they also could have been describing their plans to leave the South and run, not to Jesus, but to the North. Slaves even used songs like "Steal Away to Jesus (at midnight)" to announce to other slaves the time and place of secret, forbidden meetings. What whites heard as merely spiritual songs, slaves discerned as detailed messages. The hidden meanings in spirituals allowed slaves to sing what they could not say.

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Troubleshooting paragraphs

1) 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. In 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 underlined):

Like sharks, snakes, and spiders, pirahnas 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.

2) 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. 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.

Original 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. 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.

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.

3) 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 this subject). 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.

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Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing the original version of 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 the latest publications on this topic. 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.s

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