paragraph

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A distinct section of writing, usually several sentences long, that develops a single main idea.

   Grammar: Countable: one paragraph, two paragraphs. Often used with 'a' or 'the'.

   Patterns

   • a paragraph about something
   • in the first paragraph
   • write a paragraph

   The first paragraph of the essay introduces the main argument.

   Please write a short paragraph describing your hometown.

   Each paragraph should focus on one idea.

2. 2nouncountable

   A short item in a newspaper or magazine, often without a heading.

   Grammar: Countable; often used in journalism.

   Patterns

   • a newspaper paragraph
   • a brief paragraph

   The editor added a paragraph about the event on the front page.

   I read a small paragraph in the local paper about the new park.

Word forms

Common combinations

write a paragraph

For homework, write a paragraph about your favorite book.

the opening paragraph

The opening paragraph caught my attention immediately.

a long paragraph

Avoid a long paragraph; break it into smaller ones.

in the next paragraph

The author explains the theory in the next paragraph.

Synonyms and how they differ

section

A section is a larger part of a document, while a paragraph is a smaller unit within a section.

passage

A passage is a short extract from a text, which may include several paragraphs; use 'passage' when referring to a piece of text for reading or analysis.

Word family

paragraphing noun

The way text is divided into paragraphs.

Commonly confused: paragraph or sentence?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “paragraph”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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