Paragraphs are easy to spot because they are indented; each new paragraph starts about one to two centimetres in from the margin.
But how do you know when to start a new paragraph? Just follow the 3 X T rule! That means that you have to start a new paragraph for a new topic, to show a progression of time or for talk – when a new person starts to talk.
Each new topic will have a topic sentence which introduces or sums up what the paragraph is about. Other sentences give extra details about this topic sentence. In the following paragraph the topic sentence is the first one.
Hamsters must be kept in a firmly secured cage. If the cage is made of metal, make sure that the hamster can’t get through the bars. If it is made of plastic, you may need to weight down the lid to prevent it from pushing it up and making a bid for freedom! The inside of the cage should be clean and have nesting material so that the hamster can hide away in comfort.
Time can be shown by chronological development or by flashbacks and will have ‘time markers’ or adverbials such as ‘Next’, ‘Then’, ‘The following day’, ‘During the night’ and so on.
For talk you need to start a new paragraph in dialogue to make it clear who is talking:
| I asked Hermione, “What do you think of the latest Harry Potter?” “Well I liked it because, of course, Harry defeats the evil forces but you know, I think I come out rather well. I have quite a lot of fans of my own.” “Why do you think that is?” “A lot of people think it’s because Harry wouldn’t be able to succeed without me!" And, you know, I am sure that I agree with her. |