Organizing Paragraphs

Organizational Types Time Order Spatial Order Order of Importance Contrasting Ideas

Time Order Time order is especially important when you are writing a narrative. A story doesn’t make sense when the events are not presented in the proper sequence.

Bad Example I arrived after the speaker had begun her presentation. As I was running down the hill, I remembered that I had left my cars keys on the kitchen table. When I started the car, I saw the clock, and I knew I was going to be late. I had to go back and get my keys. The lack of organization in this paragraph makes it difficult to follow the story.

Good Example As I was running down the hill, I remembered that I had left my car keys on the kitchen table. I had to go back and get my keys. When I started the car, I saw the clock, and I knew I was going to be late. I arrived after the speaker had begun her presentation.

Spatial Order When you describe a scene or a location, you can sometimes use spatial order. Imagine yourself holding a camcorder and moving it in every direction. You can order your observations from top to bottom, left to right, clockwise, near to far, front to back, inside to outside, east to west, north to south, etc.

Example When I saw the horse, I knew I was looking at a creature of great athletic beauty and ability. The horse’s head was finely shaped, as if sculpted by an artist. On either side of its head, the eyes were alert and far seeing. The ears were pointed and moved attentively to the slightest sound. The horse’s neck was crested in a proud arch, and its muscular shoulders tapered down to powerful legs. The spine of the horse was perfectly aligned, and the back legs were unblemished and moved freely. The hindquarters of the horse were well rounded, and the horse’s tail flowed like silk in the wind. In short, this horse was a magnificent animal.

Spatial Order The previous paragraph was written in a front to back order. The writer describes the horse from the front (its head) to the back (its tail). Spatial order can be used for other types of writing too.

Example It’s time for the city to clean up Zenith Park. As visitors enter the park, they are greeted by a broken sign that is smeared with graffiti. Next, they pass the pond where they must hold their noses because of the smell of decaying trash. If visitors make it past all of this, they reach the playground in the middle of the park. Here they find swings with ripped seats hanging limp beside slides with broken steps. The park, in its current state, is a hazardous waste area that must be cleaned up.

Order of Importance The most common way to organize a paragraph is in order of importance. All of the details you include in your paragraph should be relevant to the topic and important to the reader. Some details, however, you will want to emphasize more than others. You can emphasize a certain idea by placing it either at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.

Example Dear Aunt Jenny, I would really like to spend the summer with you because I have never spent much time in Oregon. Also, I am interested in earning some extra money for my college savings, and many jobs are available in your area. Most importantly, I really enjoy our short visits when we get together over the holidays, and I want to spend more time with you so we can be closer. Please write back soon, and let me know what you think. Love, Sandra

Order of Importance In the previous letter, Sandra begins with a simple wish that may be of some interest to her aunt. Aunt Jenny would be more likely to respect Sandra’s second reason. However, Sandra’s desire for a closer relationship will make the greatest impression upon her aunt’s decision.

Contrasting Ideas Sometimes writing assignments require that you choose one side of an issue or topic and convince the reader of the validity of your position. One good way to do this is to contrast your position with its opposite. In this kind of contrasting, you will point out differences and show why your position is better.

Example Since our family spends a lot of time traveling, a cat is definitely a better choice than a dog for a family pet. Dogs need to be let out several times a day, while a cat knows how to use a litter box. Dogs also need to be fed regularly, whereas a cat can snack on one bowl of food for a few days. Dogs are very social animals and get lonely if they don’t have people or other dogs to play with. Cats, on the other hand, are affectionate sometimes, but they can also get along just fine by themselves. A dog would not be treated well enough in our busy household. A cat would be much happier.

Another Example For our young family, a dog would be a much better choice for a family pet than a cat. Dogs are social animals who love to be around people, especially kids. Cats, on the other hand, avoid crowds and often run from children. Dogs require regular feeding, which is a great opportunity to teach children responsibility. Cats require much less regular care. A dog offers great security for a home and family by barking when strangers approach. A cat can do little more than hiss at someone it doesn’t like. A cat just doesn’t offer our family the benefits a dog would offer.