- Author Jeremy Cook
Jeremy taught elementary school for 18 years in in the United States and in Switzerland. He has a Masters in Education from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He's taught grades 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8. His strength is in educational content writing and technology in the classroom
View bio - Instructor Mary Firestone
Mary Firestone has a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Firestone has experience as an instructor for English, English Composition, Advanced Composition, Contemporary World Literature, Contemporary Literature, and Creative Writing. She has taught at a variety of schools such as Ottawa University Online, Rasmussen College, Excelsior College, and Southern New Hampshire University.
View bio - Expert Contributor Linsey Betts
Linsey is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in English Literature at Claremont Graduate University and has taught students of all ages in English and the humanities for 10 years.
View bio
What is a paragraph? Understand the meaning of a paragraph, its types, format or structure, and how to write an effective paragraph. See paragraph examples. Updated: 11/21/2023
Table of Contents
- What is a Paragraph?
- The Structure of a Paragraph
- Types of Paragraphs
- Crafting a Good Paragraph
- Lesson Summary
- FAQs
- Activities
Paragraph Form: Review and Practice
In this lesson, we learned about the paragraph form. When writing, topics and ideas are organized into paragraphs that are around seven to ten sentences long that each focus on a single topic. Practice what you have learned with the exercises below.
Paragraph Parts
Fill in the blanks below to review the important parts of a paragraph.
1. The _____ contains the main idea.
2. Several _____ contain details that support and are related to the topic sentence.
3. The _____ briefly reflects on or makes a statement about the main idea of the paragraph.
Create a paragraph
Let's practice writing a paragraph!
Topic sentence
Try your hand at writing a topic sentence about the following subject: amusem*nt parks. For example, you could write a sentence about your favorite amusem*nt park or about why you think amusem*nt parks are fun places to visit.
Supporting sentences
Now that you have your topic sentence about amusem*nt parks, try writing two or more supporting sentences. Remember: your supporting sentences must be related to the topic you chose in your first sentence.
Concluding sentence
Now, add a concluding sentence that reflects on what you've written and/or comments on your chosen topic related to amusem*nt parks.
Sample topic sentence
Amusem*nt parks like Disneyland and Disneyworld are magical places where visitors can forget about their day-to-day life for a while and experience a different reality.
What is an example of a paragraph?
A good example of a paragraph contains a topic sentence, details and a conclusion. 'There are many different kinds of animals that live in China. Tigers and leopards are animals that live in China's forests in the north. In the jungles, monkeys swing in the trees and elephants walk through the brush. There are camels in the deserts in China that people use for transportation. Lots of different kinds of animals make their home in China.
How can I write a paragraph?
In order to write a good paragraph, just follow the simple steps once you've decided on a topic. Step 1 is to write an outline using just a few words to get the structure. Step 2 is to write the topic sentence. Step 3 is to write the detail sentences that relate to the topic. Step 4 is to write the concluding sentence. Step 5 is to put them all together and write out the complete paragraph.
What are 4 types of paragraphs?
The 4 types of paragraphs are:
A narrative paragraph which tells a story of a certain event. A descriptive paragraph which gives details about a person, place thing or idea. An expository paragraph which explains something, gives directions or shows how something happens and a persuasive paragraph which is opinionated and tries to sway the reader.
What does paragraph mean?
The word paragraph comes from the Latin word paragraphos, which is roughly translated to mean a short stroke marking a break. A paragraph is a group of sentences that share a common topic or idea.
Table of Contents
- What is a Paragraph?
- The Structure of a Paragraph
- Types of Paragraphs
- Crafting a Good Paragraph
- Lesson Summary
What if a writer or novelist decided to write a 300-page book with no breaks in the text for new ideas, new chapters, or even character dialogue? It would be so overwhelming that the reader would probably take one look and close the book forever. When writing is divided up into manageable parts that are cohesive, it's much easier for the reader to take in and process. A paragraph is a distinct segment of writing, often includes more than one sentence, and is separated from other paragraphs and text by a space.
Paragraphs break up text into manageable chunks that are easily read and visually making it more appealing and less daunting. The word paragraph comes from the Latin word paragraphos, which is roughly translated to mean a short stroke marking a break in sense. The term graph is Latin for writing.
There is often some confusion about what the difference is between a paragraph and an essay. The best way to understand the difference is to think of the essay as a bigger version of a paragraph. A paragraph is made up of a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. An essay has all the same parts; only instead of sentences, an essay is made up of paragraphs.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
An error occurred trying to load this video.
Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support.
You must cCreate an account to continuewatching
Register to view this lesson
Are you a student or a teacher?
Create Your Account To Continue Watching
As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed.
Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons.
It only takes a few minutes to setup and you can cancel any time.
Already registered? Log in here for access
Resources created by teachers for teachers
Over 30,000 video lessons & teaching resources‐all in one place.
Video lessons
Quizzes & Worksheets
Classroom Integration
Lesson Plans
I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline.
Jennifer B.
Teacher
Back
Coming up next: Noun | Meaning, Types & Examples
You're on a roll. Keep up the good work!
Replay
Just checking in. Are you still watching?
Your next lesson will play in 10 seconds
- 0:05 What Goes in a Paragraph?
- 1:42 How to Create Your Own…
- 2:30 Lesson Summary
How many sentences are in a paragraph? It is important to note that there is a great deal of variety in how long a paragraph is and there is not a minimum or maximum number of sentences that it must have to fit its definition. Some writers will opt to use very short paragraphs, while others will include dozens of sentences in their paragraphs. It is also important to know that most writers separate lines of dialogue into paragraphs, so if a character only speaks a single line, it will be its own paragraph.
Keeping that in mind, there is a general agreement on the format of a standard paragraph, which especially applies to informational and argumentative or persuasive writing. A paragraph should be divided into three distinct sections that each serve a purpose to the paragraph as a whole.
- Topic Sentence - The topic sentence is the sentence that lays out a preview of what the paragraph will be about. Think of it as a preview of the paragraph. It puts the reader's mindset into the right place to digest the information.
- Supporting Sentence - The supporting sentence is the most important part of the paragraph and provides details to support the topic sentence. If the topic sentence is about frogs, then the details should be about frogs as well. This section can be longer or shorter depending on the content and the writer's preference.
- Concluding Sentence- The concluding sentence wraps up the paragraph and ties back to the topic sentence. A conclusion could be a reiteration of the topic, an opinion based on the topic, or a way to wrap up the paragraph with a more general statement.
Examples of Paragraph Formats
The following paragraph is an example of a simple paragraph that follows the basic paragraph form.
 |
1 There are many different kinds of animals that live in China. 2 Tigers and leopards are animals that live in China's forests in the north. 2 In the jungles, monkeys swing in the trees, and elephants walk through the brush. The cities in China are filled with millions of people. 2 There are camels in the deserts in China that people use for transportation. 3 Lots of different kinds of animals make their home in China.
- In the example paragraph, the topic sentence, labeled with a 1, states the paragraph's main idea. The reader can rightfully assume that the content will have to do with animals in China.
- The supporting sentences, indicated by the 2, are separated into sentences that give more specific information about animals that live in China. Each detail directly supports the main topic.
- The concluding sentence, indicated by 3, restates the topic sentence in a slightly different way to help wrap up the paragraph.
- The highlighted sentence in the paragraph is important to note because it is a detail that does not relate closely enough to the topic sentence to be included in the essay. While the sentence does mention China, it would be better placed under a paragraph about people in China or the cities of China.
Along with the general format of a paragraph, two kinds of paragraphs bear mentioning. They are a brief paragraph and a piece paragraph. A brief paragraph is fairly straightforward since it contains the definition in its name. A brief paragraph is a short paragraph generally consisting of less than ten sentences in total.
A Piece paragraph is actually an acronym that stands for different parts that the paragraph should contain.
P - The P stands for the point or the statement that the paragraph is making. This is often the lead sentence.
I - The I stands for the introduction, which is almost always presented at the beginning of the paragraph.
E - The E stands for evidence which are sentences that back up the point.
C - The C stands for citation, which tells the reader where the evidence comes from.
E - The second E stands for the explanation, which is where the writer explains why it's important or what should be done etc.
The PIECE paragraph is used almost exclusively for argumentative and expository writing.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
While the format of paragraphs should be similar, the type of paragraph will differ greatly depending on the type of writing being done. There are four common types of paragraphs and do not include paragraphs to separate dialogue. The table below gives details about the four types.
| Type of Paragraph | Description |
|---|---|
| Narrative | A narrative paragraph tells a story of a certain event and gives details that relate to the event being told. |
| Descriptive | A descriptive paragraph gives details about a person, place, thing, or idea. The topic sentence states what is being described and the details relate to that topic. |
| Expository | An expository paragraph also can give information, but it can also explain something, give directions, or show how something happens. The detailed sentences in expository paragraphs often have linking words such as first, next, then, or after. |
| Argumentative | An argumentative paragraph, sometimes referred to as a persuasive paragraph, is a paragraph where the topic sentence takes a specific position or request. The details of a persuasive paragraph are written to prove why the argument is valid. |
 |
Paragraph Examples
The following paragraph is an example of an argumentative paragraph. Argumentative paragraphs are intended to get the reader to do something or to change their mind about something. It is important to be able to recognize the clues that point to what type of paragraph it is. The numbers placed throughout the paragraph correspond to an item of interest and are described following the paragraph.
1 College athletes should be compensated if their school makes money off their likeness. 2 If a player plays for a college or university and their school uses the player's image to sell merchandise, the school is getting all the benefits. If the school is able to make a profit off of an individual player, then that player should get some benefit as well. Compensation doesn't have to be in cash, but there should be a way for the player to gain something, considering that the school is making a profit. 3 Some people would make the argument that the players get free tuition, but that is small potatoes compared to the millions of dollars the schools make. 4 In conclusion, it may sound crazy, but compensating players who make money for their schools is something that should be strongly considered.
- The topic statement of an argumentative paragraph states an opinion, point of view, or asks for something to be done. This is one of the clues to identifying the type of paragraph.
- The sentences following the topic sentence in this persuasive paragraph are details that give reasons or show evidence for why the topic sentence has merit.
- It is often important to use the details section of a persuasive paragraph to state one of the opposition's key arguments and counter it. This counterargument helps counter a known argument the opposition believes.
- The concluding sentence of a persuasive argument ties back to the main topic and restates the argument slightly differently. Conclusions to arguments can use transitions like in conclusion.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Now that all the information about paragraphs has been given, the final and most important step is to write a paragraph. This can be a challenging step because getting started is often the hardest part. Building a good paragraph is like baking cookies: get the right ingredients and add them to the recipe in the correct order to get the best result.
| Step | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Write an outline of the paragraph in simple words to help organize. | Topic - Dogs, Details -easy, loving, trainable, Conclusion - best pets |
| 2 | Write out a full topic sentence. | Dogs make great pets for a family, |
| 3 | Write the detail sentences using the words from the outline. | Dogs are easy to take care of compared to some other pets. Dogs are loving and will become a part of the family. Dogs are trainable so you can get them to behave the way you want. |
| 4 | Write the conclusion sentence. | Out of all the pets a family can have, dogs make the best pets. |
| 5 | Put it all together and write the paragraph | This is where the topic, details, and conclusion are written down to make the final paragraph. |
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
A paragraph is a group of sentences with commonality that are separated from other paragraphs and text by a space. The word paragraph comes from the Latin word paragraphos, which roughly means a break in writing. Paragraphs can vary greatly in length, but cohesive paragraphs generally contain three parts that go in order: the topic sentence, supporting sentence(s), and concluding sentence. Paragraphs have the same three components as essays, just on a smaller scale.
Writing a paragraph can be a challenge, but following the proper steps makes it much more manageable. The steps to writing a paragraph are:
- Write an outline.
- Write the topic sentence.
- Write the details.
- Write the conclusion.
- Put it all together.
There are four major types of paragraphs that all serve different purposes. A narrative paragraph tells a story of a particular event. A descriptive paragraph gives details about a person, place, thing, or idea. An expository paragraph explains something, gives directions, or shows how something happens. An argumentative paragraph is opinionated and tries to sway the reader.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Video Transcript
What Goes in a Paragraph?
A paragraph is a brief piece of writing that's around seven to ten sentences long. It has a topic sentence and supporting sentences that all relate closely to the topic sentence. The paragraph form refers to its overall structure, which is a group of sentences focusing on a single topic.
There are three main parts of a paragraph:
- Topic sentence - it has the main idea
- Supporting sentence - details that relate to and support the topic sentence
- Concluding sentence - a brief reflection or statement about the main idea
The topic sentence is usually the first sentence but it can appear at any point in the paragraph. The main thing is to be sure you have a topic sentence because it gives your paragraph its focus, similar to a thesis statement in an essay.
Let's look at our example paragraph:
Weather in Wisconsin has been especially fierce this week. It all began on Tuesday, when a tornado swept through the St. Croix River Valley. Wednesday evening another tornado dropped down on the suburbs of Milwaukee. Then on Thursday evening, River Falls experienced a torrential rain that flooded the streets. Many are wondering what Wisconsin city will be next.
Note that all the supporting sentences relate directly to weather in Wisconsin, which is the paragraph's main idea. The examples in the supporting sentences further support the claim in the topic sentence since they all happened this week and were fierce weather events. The concluding sentence shows what people are thinking about all of these weather events.
How to Create Your Own Paragraph
To write your own paragraph, you begin with your main idea. You might have to spend some time narrowing your topic down first. For example, if your topic is social media, your main idea might end up being 'Facebook addiction.'
Next, brainstorm to form your supporting sentences. For example, your supporting details about Facebook addiction might begin with all the hours wasted online. How has Facebook had an impact on people you know? List the good and the bad for starters.
Then, form a topic sentence and sketch out a few supporting sentences based on your brainstorming. As long as you remain focused on your topic sentence, you'll be on your way to creating a solid paragraph.
Finally, write a conclusion that provides new insight or one that transitions smoothly to the next paragraph if you're writing an essay.
Lesson Summary
Let's review.
A paragraph is a brief piece of writing that's around seven to ten sentences long. The paragraph form refers to a group of sentences focusing on a single topic.
There are three main parts of a paragraph:
- Topic sentence - it has the main idea
- Supporting sentences - details that relate to and support the topic sentence
- Concluding sentence - a brief reflection or statement about the main idea
To write your own paragraph, begin with your main idea, brainstorm to form your supporting sentences, form a topic sentence and sketch out a few supporting sentences, and write a conclusion.
Learning Outcomes
Following this video lesson, you should be able to:
- Define paragraph and describe paragraph form
- Identify the three main parts of a paragraph
- Explain how to construct a paragraph
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Register to view this lesson
Are you a student or a teacher?
Unlock Your Education
See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com
Become a Study.com member and start learning now.
Already a member? Log In
Resources created by teachers for teachers
Over 30,000 video lessons & teaching resources‐all in one place.
Video lessons
Quizzes & Worksheets
Classroom Integration
Lesson Plans
I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline.
Jennifer B.
Teacher
Back
