The first part of this tip (Write this) uses a good structure to explain effective paragraphs.
The second part (Not this) uses the same words. However, there are no headings or lists, and it has longer sentences in an illogical order. Paragraphs also appear in the wrong order. The result is a choppy narrative that is hard to understand.
Write this
Paragraphs
Paragraphs are the basic structural units of our writing. This is because they:
- order words into groups of ideas or discussion points
- work together to tell a coherent story.
Readers find it easier to absorb information that is chunked together. And well-written paragraphs create a logical flow of meaning in your narrative.
Start with a heading
A heading says, ‘all the paragraphs that follow are related to me by meaning’. It gives readers an inkling of what the paragraphs are about.
Write paragraphs about one topic
Write short paragraphs containing one topic.
The 2 ways to start a paragraph are with a:
topic sentence that tells readers what the paragraph is about
transition sentence that smoothly connects the previous paragraph to the new.
After the topic or transition sentence comes the body of the paragraph. It contains sentences in a logical order. Each sentence must contain an idea that develops the topic.
The paragraph’s concluding sentence usually does one of these things:
summarises the topic
leads into the next paragraph.
Limit the number of sentences in a paragraph
The ideal number of sentences in a paragraph depends on what you are writing. For example, paragraphs for:
- media releases usually have 1 or 2 sentences
- short-form content for mobile screens have 2 or 3 sentences
- long-form content, like a report, have up to 6 sentences.
A paragraph can also be one sentence. But it should never be one long sentence.
Not this
Paragraphs
Write paragraphs containing one topic. Well-written paragraphs create a logical flow of meaning in your narrative. Readers find it easier to absorb information that is chunked together. A paragraph can be one sentence; it should never be one long sentence.
A heading says, ‘all the paragraphs that follow are related to me by meaning’. Now readers have an inkling of what the paragraphs are about. The ideal number of sentences in a paragraph depends on what you are writing – for example, paragraphs for media releases have 1 or 2 sentences, in short-form content for mobile screens, paragraphs have 2 or 3 sentences, and in long-form content, like a report, they have up to 6 sentences.
Paragraphs are the basic structural units of our writing.
The editor intervenes
Let’s stop here: I don’t need more confusing paragraphs to make the point.
Apply structure to your text. Limit paragraphs to one topic and arrange sentences and paragraphs in logical order. The narrative will flow and make your writing easier to read.
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Last updated
This page was updated Thursday 19 December 2024.