Essay writing lessons: the format of the body paragraphs

When it comes to writing an academic paper, there are various sections that you will most likely need to write. One of these sections will generally be the body section, which will include a number of different paragraphs, known as the body paragraphs.

How long should each body paragraph be?

There is no definite answer to how long the body paragraph should be. Essentially, as with any paragraph, it should remain relevant throughout. Therefore, if you are drifting into a different topic, you should start a new paragraph.

Nevertheless, there are various things that you should be aware of; for example, if you have a particular word limit, then this may have an influence on how your paragraphs should be. Likewise, if you have been given any specific instructions, then you should follow these.

However, despite the relative flexibility that you might have, a typical paragraph will be anywhere between four and eight lines in length, and will often be anywhere between 50 and 200 words long - however, this isn’t a strict requirement, so you need to use your best judgment.

The number of body paragraphs that you should include within your paper

The number of paragraphs that you will need to include within your paper will depend upon the requirements that you have been set. For example, if you have been asked to write a five paragraph paper, then the beginning and end paragraphs will be reserved for the introduction and the conclusion, whilst the middle three paragraphs will be used for the body section.

Ultimately, the body section will generally make up the bulk of your essay and, therefore, you should bear this in mind when it comes to work that how many paragraphs to include.

How to begin the paragraph

There are various ways in which you can begin a paragraph, including the possibility of using thesis statements. Essentially, a thesis statement will outline a particular idea, and will be used to set up the paragraph.

Focusing on a single point per paragraph

Finally, it is important that you are aware of the importance of focusing on a single point per paragraph. For example, if you need to write a five paragraph persuasive paper, then you should have three different arguments altogether in the three body paragraphs.

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