Help

CSSExamPoint SubscribeSign in

Paragraph Writing
Writing is an expression of clear thinking.

CSSExamPoint
1 hr 2

If you look at any printed prose book, you will see that each chapter is divided up into
sections, the rst line of each being usually indented slightly to the right. These sections are
called Paragraphs. Chapters, essays and other prose compositions are broken up into
paragraphs, to make the reading of them easier, for the beginning of a new paragraph marks a
change of topic, or a step in the development of an argument or of a story. In writing essays or
other compositions, it is important to know how to divide them properly into paragraphs; for
an essay not so broken up, looks uninteresting and is not easy to read.
About
De nition: A paragraph is a number of sentences grouped together and relating to one
topic; or, a group of related sentences that develop a single point. Archive

Help
Help
These de nitions show that the paragraphs of a composition are not mere arbitrary divisions.
The division of a chapter into paragraphs must be made according to the changes
CSSExamPoint of ideas
Sign in
Subscribe

introduced. There is, therefore, no rule as to the length of paragraphs. They may be short or
long according to the necessity of the case. A paragraph may consist of a single sentence, or of
many sentences.

Note: In this respect, the paragraphs of a piece of prose di er from the stanzas or verses of a
poem. The stanzas of a poem are usually of the same length and pattern; but paragraphs are
long or short according to the amount of matter to be expressed under each head.

PRINCIPLES OF PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE:

1. UNITY: The rst and most important principle to be observed in constructing a

paragraph is that of Unity. Just as each sentence deals with one thought, each
paragraph must deal with one topic or idea- and with no more than one. In writing an
essay, for example, every head, and every sub-head, should have its own paragraph to
itself. And every sentence in the paragraph must be closely connected with the main
topic of the paragraph. The paragraph and every part of it must be the expression of
one theme or topic. A good practice is to read a chapter in a book, and give a short
heading or title to each paragraph, which will express in a word or brief phrase the
subject of the paragraph. The topic, theme or subject of a paragraph is very o en
expressed in one sentence of the paragraph - generally the rst. This sentence is called
the topical sentence (because it states the topic), or the key-sentence (because it
unlocks or opens the subject to be dealt with in the paragraph).

2. ORDER: The second principle of paragraph construction is Order - that is, logical
sequence of thought or development of the subject. Events must be related in the order
of their occurrence, and all ideas should be connected with the leading idea and
arranged according to their importance or order. The two most important sentences in
the paragraph are the rst and the last. The rst, which should as a rule be the topical
sentence, should arouse the interest of the reader; and the last should satisfy it. The
rst, or topical, sentence states the topic - a fact, a statement, or a proposition; the last
should bring the whole paragraph on this topic to a conclusion, or summing up.
3. VARIETY: A third principle of paragraph construction is Variety; by which is meant
that, to avoid monotony, the paragraph of composition should be of di erent lengths,
About
and not always of the same sentence construction.
Archive

Help
Help
To sum up: The essentials of good paragraph construction are: (1) Unity. (2) A good
topical sentence. (3) Logical sequence of thought. (4) Variety and (5) A fullSubscribe
CSSExamPoint and rounded
Sign in
nal sentence in conclusion.

EXAMPLES: Now let us examine a few paragraphs by standard authors, in illustration of

these principles of paragraph construction.

1. “Hence it is that it is almost a de nition of a gentleman to say he is one who never

in icts pain. This description is both re ned and, as far as it goes, accurate. He is
mainly occupied in merely removing the obstacles which hinder the free and
unembarrassed action of those about him; and he concurs with their movements rather
than takes the initiative himself. His bene ts may be considered as a parallel to what
are called comforts or conveniences in arrangements of a personal nature, like an easy
chair or good re, which do their part in dispelling cold and fatigue, though nature
provides both means of rest and animal heat without them.” - J.E. Newman.

This is a paragraph from Cardinal Newman's famous description of a “Gentleman” in

his The Idea of a University, Notice that the paragraph is con ned to one point in the
character of a gentleman, which is clearly stated in the rst, or topical sentence viz.,
that "he is one who never in icts pain." The rest of the paragraph is simply a
development and illustration of the topical sentence. And the concluding sentence
drives home the statement of the subject with its similies of the easy chair and the
good re.

2. "The Road is one of the great fundamental institutions of mankind. Not only is the
Road one of the great human institutions because it is fundamental to social existence,
bin also because its varied e ects appear in every department of the State, It is the
Road which determines the sites of many cities and the growth and nourishment of all.
It is the Road which controls the development of strategies and xes the sites of
battles. It is the Road that gives framework to all economic development. It is the Road
which is the channel of all trade, and, what is more important, of all ideas, In its most
humble function it is a necessary guide without which progress from place to place
would be a ceaseless experiment; it is a sustenance without which organised society
would be impossible, thus the Road moves and controls all history." - Hilaire Belloc.
About
In this paragraph, the rst sentence states the subject. It is the topical sentence. The
body of the paragraph consists of examples which prove the statement in the Archive
rst
sentence. The nal sentence sums up the whole.
Help
Help
3. "Poetry is the language of the imagination and the passions. It relates to whatever
gives immediate pleasure or pain to the human mind. It comes home to the
CSSExamPoint bosoms
Sign in
Subscribe
and businesses of men; for nothing but what comes home to them in the most general
and intelligible shape can be a subject for poetry. Poetry is the universal language
which the heart holds with nature and itself. He who has a contempt for poetry cannot
have much respect for himself, or for anything else. Wherever there is a sense of
beauty, or power, or harmony, as in the motion of a wave of the sea, in the growth of a
ower, there is poetry in its birth." - William Hazjitt.

Here again, the rst sentence is the topical sentence. The sentences that follow enforce
or restate the statement that "poetry is the language of the imagination and the
passions"; and the concluding sentence reinforces it by showing that poetry exists
wherever men feel a sense of beauty, power or harmony. In all these paragraphs, the
principles of Unity and Order are observed, and also the general rules about the place
of the topical sentences and the rounding o the whole with a good conclusion.

THE WRITING OF SINGLE PARAGRAPHS

So far we have been treating of paragraphs which are sections of a more or less lengthy
composition, like an essay or the chapter of a book. But students are o en asked in
examinations to write short separate paragraphs, instead of essays, on subjects of ordinary
interest. Such single paragraphs are really miniature essays; but the same principles as we
have discussed above (except the principle of variety), must be followed in their construction.
Each paragraph must be a unity, treating of one de nite subject, and must follow a logical
order of thought. In most cases, too, the rules about the topical sentences and the conclusion
should be borne in mind.

A few examples should make this clear. Suppose, for example, you are asked to write a
paragraph on “The Cat.” It is obvious that you cannot treat this subject fully, as you might in a
long essay. And yet you must, according to the principle of unity, con ne your paragraph to
one de nite topic. You must, therefore, choose one thing to say about a cat, and stick to it
throughout. You might, for example, write of one characteristic of the cat, say, its love of
comfort and attachment to its home. In that case, you might write a paragraph something like
this:
About
The Cat: There is some truth in the common saying that while dogs become attached to
persons, cats are generally attached to places. A dog will follow his master anywhere, but a cat
Archive
keeps to the house it is used to; and even when the house changes hand, the cat will remain
Help
Help
there, so long as it is kindly treated by the new owners. A cat does not seem to be capable of
the personal devotion o en shown by a dog. It thinks most of its own comfort and
CSSExamPoint its love
Sign
Subscribe is in
only cupboard love.

Notice the construction of this paragraph. It begins with the topical sentence, which clearly
states the subject. The following sentence explains the statement by expanding it; and the last
sentence, by giving a reason for the attachment of a cat to a particular house forms a tting
conclusion. The paragraph is therefore a Unity, treating of one characteristic of cat character:
and it follows an orderly plan. The paragraph on the cat is descriptive. Now take an example of
a narrative paragraph, in which you are required to tell a story. Suppose the subject is to be a
motor-car accident; you might treat it in this way:

A Motor-Car Accident: It is the mad craze for speed that is responsible for many motor
accidents. Only last year I witnessed what might have been a fatal accident on the Kashmir
Road. I was motoring down from Srinagar; and as I was nearing Kohala, I came upon the
wreckage of two cars on the road. The smash had been caused by a car coming down, which
swept round a sharp comer at forty mites an hour and crashed into a car coming up. Happily
no one was killed; but several were badly injured, and the two cars were wrecked. To drive at
such a speed down a twisting mountain road is simply to court disaster.

In this paragraph, the topical sentence is again rst; the narrative that follows is simply an
illustration of the statement in the topical sentence that many accidents are caused by a mad
craze for speed; and the concluding sentence sums the paragraph up by a restatement of the
topical sentence in other words. The following is an example of a re ective paragraph; that is,
one that expresses some re ection or thought on an abstract subject:

Mercy: To forgive an injury is o en considered to be a sign of weakness; it is really a sign of

strength. It is easy to allow oneself to be carried away by resentment and hate into an act of
vengeance; but it takes a strong character to restrain those natural passions The man who
forgives an injury proves himself to be the superior of the man who wronged him, and puts the
wrong-doer to shame. Forgiveness may even turn a foe into a friend. So mercy is the noblest
form of revenge.

The topical sentence of a paragraph is usually the rst, or at latest the second; and this is the
best place for it. But for the sake of variety it may be placed in a di erent position. In this
About
paragraph, it comes last - "So mercy is the noblest form of revenge". But the opening sentence
is also a good introduction to the subject, and is calculated to arouse interest by statingArchive
an
apparent paradox.
Help
Help
To sum up: In writing single paragraphs, the principles of Unity and Order must be kept in
mind, and also the rules of the topical and concluding sentences. The language should
CSSExamPoint be
Sign in
Subscribe

simple, the style direct, and the sentences short; and, as a paragraph is limited, all di useness
must be avoided.

Notable Tip: Always write short, clear and error-free sentences. Use correct spelling, grammar,
punctuation marks. If you use all of them correctly, your sentences will be clear and well-
written. If you have any problem in these things, it does not matter. Keep a better handbook of
English grammar and also keep a authentic dictionary nearby when you are writing. Even
senior writers sometimes need a dictionary and handbook while they are writing.

Source: High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin.

Share

Current Affairs Explainer for CSS 2021

← Previous Next →

Write a comment…

Top New Community What is CSSExamPoint ? About

CSS 2021 - My Personal Study Plans!

by Aamir Mahar (BA, SDP)
CSSExamPoint
Jul 3 18 22

About
Current Affairs Explainer
Archive

Help
Pakistan's first ever e-magazine covering the burning international and
Help
Pakistans first ever e magazine covering the burning international and
national topics/ issues with their historical perspective!
CSSExamPoint SubscribeSign in
CSSExamPoint
Jun 8 47 7

CSS 2019 Final Results

Roll numbers and names of 365 finally qualified candidates of CSS
Competitive Examination 2019 are given below in the order of merit.
CSSExamPoint
Jun 17 20 1

See all

Ready for more?

Type your email… Subscribe

© 2020 Aamir_Mahr. See privacy and terms

Publish on Substack