When To Start a New Paragraph
1. If you are writing dialogue (quoted conversations between people), remember to start a new paragraph every time a different person speaks.
2. If a character changes the course of his thoughts, start a new paragraph. For instance, if James is wondering whether it was a good idea for him to ask Alicia to the prom, that may occur in one paragraph. However, if James then begins to think about Helen, who moved away, but who is still very much on his mind, that could be a separate paragraph.
3. Paragraphs can be as short as a single sentence, or they can be a dozen or more sentences in length.
4. The type of paper you write could determine paragraph breaks. A paper explaining a process (also known as the how-to paper) might create a separate paragraph for each step. In a comparison paper, the introduction and conclusion will be separate paragraphs, and the body will have at least two paragraphs, one to describe each of the two items being compared.
5. Let's say you're writing a paper entitled "The Three Best Musical Groups of All Time." Naturally your paper will have an introduction (which will be one or more paragraphs). Then, when you build your case for the first of the three musical groups, that will be a separate paragraph. When you move on to the second group, that will be another paragraph--and so on.
6. What if you're writing a story rather than a persuasive essay or expository paper. How do you decide when to start a new paragraph? First, refer to points 1 and 2 above.
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