Introduction to Paragraph Writing

A paragraph is the building block of any essay or piece of writing. A well-written paragraph focuses on one central idea and develops it fully. Every paragraph in expository writing follows a standard three-part structure:

1. Topic Sentence:

The topic sentence is the first sentence of the paragraph. It states the main idea of the paragraph in a clear, direct manner. Every other sentence in the paragraph must relate back to this topic sentence. It acts like a mini-thesis for the paragraph.

Example: “Social media has significantly altered the way young people communicate with one another.”

2. Supporting Sentences (Development):

These sentences develop and explain the topic sentence using facts, examples, statistics, quotations, and explanations. This is the body of the paragraph and should be the longest part.

Example: “Studies show that teenagers now send an average of 200 text messages per day, compared to fewer than 50 a decade ago. Platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat have replaced face-to-face interaction for many social activities. As a result, young people are increasingly comfortable expressing themselves through text and images rather than through spoken conversation.”

3. Concluding Sentence:

The concluding sentence wraps up the paragraph by restating the main idea in different words or by providing a transition to the next paragraph.

Example: “It is clear that digital communication has fundamentally reshaped social interaction among the younger generation.”

Unity and Coherence in a Paragraph:

• Unity means every sentence in a paragraph relates to the topic sentence. No off-topic sentences should appear.
• Coherence in a paragraph means the sentences flow smoothly from one to the next, connected by transitional words (first, furthermore, however, consequently, in contrast, for instance).