Paragraphs

A paragraph is a building block of writing. It is a group of sentences that all relate to one main idea. When you move to a new idea, you start a new paragraph. Paragraphs help organize your writing so readers can follow your thinking easily.

When to Start a New Paragraph

Start a new paragraph when you begin a new idea or topic. Start a new paragraph when a new person speaks in dialogue. Start a new paragraph when you move to a new time or place. Starting new paragraphs at the right time keeps your writing organized and easy to read.

Paragraph Length

There is no perfect length for a paragraph. Some paragraphs are just one or two sentences. Others might be five or more sentences. In general, each paragraph should be long enough to explain its idea but not so long that the reader gets lost. Variety in paragraph length makes writing more interesting.

Fun Facts

• The paragraph symbol is called a pilcrow and looks like this: a backwards P with two lines.
• In ancient writing, paragraphs were not indented. Writers used special symbols to mark them.
• Newspaper paragraphs are usually very short, often just one or two sentences.

Did You Know?

The word paragraph comes from Greek words meaning to write beside, referring to the mark that was written in the margin to show a new section.