Do you know what a paragraph is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on a paragraph, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to Grammar Monster, in a composition, a paragraph is a group of sentences about a single topic. Having clearly defined paragraphs creates coherence and unity in your writing. Each new paragraph of an essay will support a main idea or thesis statement in an essay or piece of academic writing. The first sentence of a paragraph should be a topic sentence. Many sentences within paragraphs will begin with a transition word. Effective paragraphs introduce a new idea or new point that is related to the central idea or important idea that your piece of writing is on. This single controlling idea is often called the thesis statement. At the end of a paragraph, there will be a sentence that recaps what was discussed in the paragraph.
It is important to break writing up into separate paragraphs. It is easier to read, and seeing the first sentence of the paragraph makes it clear what the reader can expect next. It also allows a reader to take a pause. The controlling idea of the paragraph is an extended idea and natural progression from the definite plan that the thesis statement set forth. A paragraph might include quotes or paraphrases, an anecdote, background information, statistics, a testimony, a reference mark, and more. There are many types of paragraphs. Make sure to leave a blank line between paragraphs. Each paragraph should discuss something different in the main point of the paragraph to avoid repetition.
The elements of a paragraph include the topic sentence, the body of the paragraph, and the conclusion, which is the final section of the paragraph. The part of the paragraph with the bulk of the information is the body. This will have specific details and set forth complex ideas with adequate development. All paragraphs function to support the main idea. Don’t let their topics wander!
Many different languages also contain words that mean paragraph. You may notice that some of these translations of paragraph look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are words and phrases in different languages that likely have the same root or language of origin, causing them to sound the same. The below list of translations of paragraph is provided by Word Sense.
There are many different literary and grammatical techniques and devices that you might see when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these devices can help readers understand the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using such a device. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you.
Overall, a paragraph is a segment of writing within a work that covers a specific topic. All paragraphs in an essay or other body of work should support the main idea, which can also be known as the thesis statement.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
Kevin
December 26, 2021
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