Composing Paragraphs

A paragraph can be divided into three parts: the topic sentence, the body, and the concluding sentence.

1. The topic sentence introduces your paragraph and states its main idea.

2. The body provides evidence and support for your topic sentence.

3. The concluding sentence summarizes the main argument of the paragraph. Not every paragraph needs a concluding sentence: short paragraphs, or paragraphs that are part of a larger flow of argument, often do better without them.

Example of a paragraph:

Although most people believe that “April showers bring May flowers,” May often proves to be a far rainier month than April. For the past five years, the average East Coast rainfall in May has been 4.6 inches, as opposed to just 3.2 inches for April. When confronted with this statistic, some meteorologists argue that April once was rainier than May, before ocean current patterns shifted to increase May’s average rainfall. Others point out that, in some parts of the world, April remains rainier than May. A third group officially opposes any inquiry into the statistical anomaly, asserting that “‘April showers bring May flowers’ is a totally unscientific proverb perpetuated by TV weather reporters who lack real understanding of the weather.” Although no one doubts the fallacy of the ever-popular adage, the scientific community does not agree on the reason for the statement’s untruthfulness.