Writing Using Paragraphs

What are we learning? Today we are going to learn why we use paragraphs and how and when to use them in our writing.

What is a paragraph?

1801. - I have just returned from a visit to my landlord - the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. This is certainly a beautiful country! In all England, I do not believe that I could have fixed on a situation so completely removed from the stir of society. A perfect misanthropist's heaven: and Mr. Heathcliff and I are such a suitable pair to divide the desolation between us. A capital fellow! He little imagined how my heart warmed towards him when I beheld his black eyes withdraw so suspiciously under their brows, as I rode up, and when his fingers sheltered themselves, with a jealous resolution, still further in his waistcoat, as I announced my name. 'Mr. Heathcliff?' I said. A nod was the answer. 'Mr. Lockwood, your new tenant, sir. I do myself the honour of calling as soon as possible after my arrival, to express the hope that I have not inconvenienced you by my perseverance in soliciting the occupation of Thrushcross Grange: I heard yesterday you had had some thoughts - ' 'Thrushcross Grange is my own, sir,' he interrupted, wincing. 'I should not allow any one to inconvenience me, if I could hinder it - walk in!' The 'walk in' was uttered with closed teeth, and expressed the sentiment, 'Go to the Deuce:' even the gate over which he leant manifested no sympathising movement to the words; and I think that circumstance determined me to accept the invitation: I felt interested in a man who seemed more exaggeratedly reserved than myself. A paragraph is a unit of thought. It can be long or short and can consist of several sentences.

Why do we use paragraphs? www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources

What is the effect of writing without paragraphing? Paragraphs are needed to make our writing clearer and easier to read. For example, look at the text below from The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde. High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt. He was very much admired indeed. 'He is as beautiful as a weathercock,' remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic taste; 'only not quite so useful,' he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not. 'Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?' asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon. 'The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything.' 'I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy', muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue. 'He looks just like an angel,' said the Charity Children as they came out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks, and their clean white pinafores. 'How do you know?' said the Mathematical Master, 'you have never seen one.' 'Ah! but we have, in our dreams,' answered the children; and the Mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe, for he did not approve of children dreaming. What is the effect of writing without paragraphing? www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources

Now read the same piece of text with paragraphs. High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt. He was very much admired indeed. 'He is as beautiful as a weathercock,' remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic taste; 'only not quite so useful,' he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not. 'Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?' asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon. 'The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything.' 'I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy', muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue. 'He looks just like an angel,' said the Charity Children as they came out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks, and their clean white pinafores. 'How do you know?' said the Mathematical Master, 'you have never seen one.' 'Ah! but we have, in our dreams,' answered the children; and the Mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe, for he did not approve of children dreaming. How have paragraphs improved this piece of writing?

So, paragraphs make our writing clearer. But when should we use them? www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources

We use paragraphs to organise our writing and to make it clearer for the reader. As we said earlier, a paragraph is a unit of thought. You start a new paragraph when there is a change of time, place or subject. You also use paragraphs to organise direct speech in a piece of writing. Every time there is a change of speaker there should be a new paragraph. If you don’t separate dialogue this way your writing can become very confusing for the reader.

www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources There are a few rules regarding the use of paragraphs which you need to remember. A new paragraph starts on a new line. A new paragraph should be indented if you are writing by hand. If you are using a computer it is acceptable to leave a blank line between paragraphs. There should be clear links between paragraphs to help writing flow. Start a new paragraph if you change subject, time, place or if there is a new speaker. www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources

Make Your Paragraphs TiP ToP Use TiPToP to help you remember when to begin a new paragraph: Ti is for Time P – is for Place To – is for Topic P – is for Person (a new speaker) If your paragraphs are TiPToP, you should be on the right track. www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources

Test your understanding Re-write the piece of text on the following slide in clear paragraphs. www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources

Re-write using paragraphs ‘Be quiet!’ cried a terrible voice, as a man leapt up from behind a gravestone. ‘Keep still, you little devil, or I'll cut your throat!‘ A fearful man, with a deep scar across his left cheek, stared at me with eyes like the devil. Clad in broken shoes, torn clothing and an old rag tied round his head, he stood in front of me dripping wet and shaking with the cold. His left hand, wrapped in a makeshift bandage, was badly bleeding. He limped towards me, shivering, glaring and growling; his teeth chattering in his head as he seized me by the chin. `Oh! Don't cut my throat, sir,' I pleaded in terror. `Pray don't do it, sir.‘ `Tell us your name!' said the man. `Quickly.‘ `Pip, sir.‘ `Once more,' said the man, staring at me. `Speak up. boy!‘ `Pip. Pip, sir.‘ `Show us where you live,' said the man. `Point out the place!‘ I pointed to where our village lay, among the alder-trees and pollards, a mile or more from the churchyard. The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down, and emptied my pockets. There was nothing in them but a piece of bread. He dumped me on a high tombstone then snatched the bread from the muddy ground. I sat, trembling, while he ate it ravenously. www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources

Did you pick out all the key paragraph changes? Compare your response `Be quiet!’ cried a terrible voice, as a man leapt up from behind a gravestone. `Keep still, you little devil, or I'll cut your throat!' A fearful man, with a deep scar across his left cheek, stared at me with eyes like the devil. Clad in broken shoes, torn clothing and an old rag tied round his head, he stood in front of me dripping wet and shaking with the cold. His left hand, wrapped in a makeshift bandage, was badly bleeding. He limped towards me, shivering, glaring and growling; his teeth chattering in his head as he seized me by the chin. `Oh! Don't cut my throat, sir,' I pleaded in terror. `Pray don't do it, sir.' `Tell us your name!' said the man. `Quickly.' `Pip, sir.' `Once more,' said the man, staring at me. `Speak up. boy!' `Pip. Pip, sir.' `Show us where you live,' said the man. `Point out the place!' I pointed to where our village lay, among the alder-trees and pollards, a mile or more from the churchyard. The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down, and emptied my pockets. There was nothing in them but a piece of bread. He dumped me on a high tombstone then snatched the bread from the muddy ground. I sat, trembling, while he ate it ravenously. Did you pick out all the key paragraph changes? www.Teacher-of-Primary.com Copyright 2015 Online Teaching Resources