Mastering Paragraph Structure: Details & Endings

Crafting Supporting Details for Paragraphs

Once you have written and are happy with your topic sentence, you can start to fill in the rest of your paragraph. This is where the detailed, well-structured notes you wrote earlier will come in handy. Make sure that your paragraph is coherent, which means that it is easy to read and understand, that each sentence connects with the next, and that everything flows nicely as a whole. To achieve this, try to write clear, simple sentences that express exactly what you want to say.

Using Transition Words Effectively

• Link each sentence with transition words which form a bridge between one sentence and the next. Transition words can help you compare and contrast, show sequence, show cause and effect, highlight important ideas, and progress smoothly from one idea to the next. Such transition words include "furthermore," "in fact," and "in addition to." You can also use chronological transitions, such as "firstly," "secondly," and "thirdly."

Incorporating Evidence and Examples

• The supporting sentences are the meat of your paragraph, so you should fill them with as much evidence to support your topic sentence as possible. Depending on the topic, you can use facts, figures, statistics, and examples, or you can use stories, anecdotes, and quotes. Anything goes, as long as it is relevant.

Determining Paragraph Length

• In terms of length, three to five sentences will usually be enough to cover your main points and adequately support your topic sentence, but this will vary greatly depending on the topic and the length of the paper you are writing. There is no set length for a paragraph. It should be as long as it needs to be to adequately cover the main idea.

Writing Effective Concluding Sentences

The concluding sentence of your paragraph should tie everything together. A good concluding sentence will reinforce the idea outlined in your topic sentence, but now it has all the weight of the evidence or arguments contained in your supporting sentences behind it. After reading the concluding sentence, the reader should have no doubt as to the accuracy or relevance of the paragraph as a whole.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not disagree with your own evidence: Despite these comments, the report was a failure.
• Do qualify the conclusion if it transitions to the next paragraph: These quotes prove the report had major support, but this does not mean it led to major change.

Reinforcing Your Main Idea

• Do not just reword the topic sentence. Your concluding sentence should acknowledge the discussion that has come before it and remind your reader of the relevance of this discussion.

Example of a Strong Concluding Sentence

• For example, in a paragraph dealing with the topic "Why is Canada a great place to live?" The concluding sentence might look something like: "From all the evidence provided above, such as Canada's fantastic healthcare provisions, its top-notch education system, and its clean, safe cities, we can conclude that Canada is indeed a great place to live."