Paragraph Power: Building Strong Writing

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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The Three Parts of a Paragraph

To write a successful paragraph, it's important to understand the three main components: the topic sentence, the supporting sentences, and the closing sentence.

Break them down and see why each one matters.

The Topic Sentence: Your Paragraph's Foundation

The topic sentence is like the top bun of your hamburger. It tells your reader what the entire paragraph is about.

A strong topic sentence grabs attention by introducing a clear main idea or argument. Instead of saying, "In this paragraph, I will discuss…," you want to jump right into your topic to make the reader want to keep reading.

Here's an example of a strong topic sentence.

Taking too many university courses at once can have serious consequences.

This is a solid topic sentence because it's clear and specific and provides a reason for the reader to care about the rest of the paragraph. You can imagine the rest of the paragraph explaining those serious consequences.

The Supporting Sentences: The Meat and Toppings

Next, you'll fill in your paragraph with supporting sentences, which are the juicy part of your paragraph.

These details, facts, examples, and explanations support your topic sentence. Imagine the supporting sentences as the lettuce, cheese, and pickles of your hamburger—they make your topic sentence more interesting and complete.

Your supporting sentences should follow a logical order and build on each other to keep the reader engaged.

Here are some examples.

Too many courses can lead to stress and burnout.

Students often struggle to balance homework, jobs, and social life.

Overloading on classes can affect academic performance and health.

Notice how each sentence adds more detail to support the topic sentence. That's what makes the paragraph strong.

The Closing Sentence: Wrapping It Up

The closing sentence is like the bottom bun of your hamburger. It wraps up everything you've said and leaves the reader with a sense of completion.

Sometimes, the closing sentence connects your paragraph to the next idea or paragraph.

A good closing sentence does more than repeat the topic sentence—it gives the reader something to think about or a smooth transition to the next point.

Here is an example.

Therefore, it's important to balance the number of courses you take to avoid overwhelming yourself.

Now that you know the parts of a paragraph, it's time to combine them and see how each component works to create a well-structured, engaging paragraph.

Look at two paragraphs to see how these parts come into play.

Paragraph 1

It is winter. There is snow on the ground. I enjoy thinking about gardens. I like to imagine all kinds of lovely flowers. I can almost see their bright colors. I can almost smell their fragrant perfumes.

Paragraph 2

In winter, when snow is on the ground, I enjoy thinking about gardens. I like to imagine all kinds of lovely flowers. I can almost see their bright colors and smell their fragrant perfumes.

• Which paragraph do you think is stronger? Why?

The second paragraph is more polished because it combines shorter sentences, making it flow more naturally and keeping the reader engaged. It still includes all the key parts—a clear topic sentence, supporting details, and a closing sentence—but it's better written.

Now that you've got the basics down, look at some ways to practice identifying the parts of a paragraph in the Got It? section. Ready to get started?