Paragraphs and pyramids

          Strong paragraphs, like strong pyramids, are based on the number three, and have certain similarities. First, paragraphs have three parts--beginning, middle, and end--and pyramids have three sides because the sides are triangles, not squares or rectangles. Writers know that strong paragraphs need to have three parts, and engineers know that pyramids are strong structures because they are based on triangles with three or four sides. For instance, writers know that if they leave out any of the three parts of a paragraph, it will not be strong.  And engineers know that a pyramid will support more weight than a typical four-sided structure. Second, you might say that both paragraphs and pyramids have a body. The body of the paragraph is the biggest part, between the beginning and the end. You could say that the inside of a pyramid is the "body" of the pyramid, and the biggest part, too. Finally, paragraphs and pyramids are both pleasing to read/look at because they seem complete. If you read a paragraph with no conclusion, you feel it is missing something. In the same way, if you look at a pyramid without triangular sides, you would say, "That's not a pyramid at all."  In conclusion, the structures of paragraphs and pyramids are similar because they are both based on the number three, and that basic characteristic makes them strong and well formed.

The power of three

          The number three and signal words are important in writing, and we can see this in how we write a good paragraph. First of all, a good paragraph has three parts; a topic sentence (beginning), a body (middle), and a concluding sentence (end). If the paragraph is missing any one of these essential parts in its organization, it won't be as easy for the reader to read and understand. Second, we need to use signal words to help the reader find the three parts. For example, in the body of the paragraph, we can make three points. We make it easier for the reader to find the three points by beginning each of the points in the body with signal words like first, second, and finally.  That makes it easier for the reader to find the three points and know exactly what they are.  You can think of these signal words as "flags" or "signs" that guide the reader through the paragraph, like a map. You should use signal words like for example and for instance to show the reader that you are giving an example or detail to support one of your three main points. Finally, at the end of the paragraph, you need to begin the concluding sentence with a word like in conclusion, in summary, or to conclude  and then summarize the main ideas in the paragraph. For example, you can restate the topic sentence in different words. In conclusion, a good rule for writing good paragraphs is to follow "the rule of three" and use signal words to make it easy for the reader to find the three parts.

Paragraph Organization

          A paragraph is a group of sentences about a topic that has a beginning, a middle and an end. A paragraph begins with a topic sentence that tells the reader what the topic is and what you are going to write about that topic.  The next part of the paragraph is the middle, or the body. In the body of the paragraph you write several sentences, usually at least three to five, that support your topic sentence and give examples and details about each point that you make. Finally, the end of the paragraph is called the concluding sentence. In this sentence you summarize what you wrote about in the paragraph. In conclusion, a good paragraph should have three parts; a topic sentence, a body with supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.