Paragraphs: Put on Your Pants

Writing a good paragraph is pretty simple. Think of it as putting on your pants:

1. Topic sentence (putting your feet in the pants)

This is the first thing you have to do.  It's hard to put on your pants if you skip this first step. Likewise, it's hard to write a good paragraph without a topic sentence. This is your paragraph opener.  It introduces the topic of the paragraph and acts as an opener for the rest of it.  Basically, it presents a point, which you then spend the rest of the paragraph proving.  Here's an example:

• Cream puffs are an essential dessert to include in any party spread. 

2. Supporting sentences (pulling up the pants)

The pants are around your ankles, the next step is to move them up your legs. There should be at least three supporting sentences to give your topic sentence the support it needs. Without this support, your paragraph won't have legs to stand on (see what I did there?).  Depending on the kind of assignment you're writing for, these sentences should include evidence and quotes from outside sources. These sentences answer "because" for your topic sentence.  I'll continue my example:

• Cream puffs are an essential dessert to include in any party spread.  They are a finger food, which makes them easy to eat.  Additionally, they are easy to serve and clean up after.  It also helps that they are delicious and satisfying.

3. Support for your support (zipping the pants)

While three supporting sentences cover the minimum, throw in some more support with examples and further clarification.  This tightens up your points, like a zipper, and holds them in place:

• Cream puffs are an essential dessert to include in any party spread.  At a party, people often move around to visit with all the different guests while they eat.  Because of that, foods that require a knife and fork become cumbersome.  Cream puffs, however, are a finger food, making them easy to eat in a party situation.  Another common occurrence at parties are messes: setting up the food, cleaning up plates and serving dishes, etc.  Unlike many desserts, cream puffs are easy to serve--all that's needed is a cute bowl--and they're easy to clean up because the pastry confines the messy cream.  But the biggest advantage to cream puffs is the fact that they are delicious and satisfying.  The flaky pastry exterior and sweet cream filling please even the pickiest palates.  

(Some people hate it when you start a sentence with "but."  Check with your teacher on that point.  I never minded it.)

4. Conclusion (the button)

You need a button to finish it all up.  If you leave a paragraph without a conclusion, it's like walking around with your pants un-buttoned, which is only acceptable right after Thanksgiving.  A conclusion wraps it all up.  Here's a sample conclusion to the cream puff example:

• The guests will eat them up...literally.

or

• Cream puffs will never let a party host down. 

There are your basic components for writing a good paragraph...and for putting on your pants.  I hope this was helpful for one, or both, of those things.

Until next time, I remain your humble Online Writing Tutor,

Mrs. B