It makes essays, stories and arguments much easier to control later.
What a paragraph is for
A paragraph holds one idea and develops it properly before you move on. When writing feels muddled, the cause is often the paragraphs. Either three half-ideas are squeezed together, or one idea is spread across the page and the reader loses the thread.
Paragraphing is a thinking skill as well as a writing skill. You must decide on your one idea, find something to support it, and explain why that support matters.
Practise this in Year 9 and it will feel natural by the time you start the IGCSE course. Then you can spend your effort on analysis and style.
The three parts: Point, Evidence, Explanation
A reliable paragraph has three parts.
- The point is the one idea of the paragraph, stated clearly, usually near the start.
- The evidence backs up the point. It can be a quotation, an example, a fact or a detail.
- The explanation shows why the evidence supports the point. Students often skip this part, but it does the real work.
This frame suits writing that argues, explains or analyses. In stories and descriptions, paragraphs work more by mood and movement, so do not force the frame onto them.
A worked model
Here is an original paragraph that argues a small point about school lunches. The labels in brackets are there to help you see the parts.
“School lunch breaks should be longer. (Point) At the moment, students have barely enough time to queue, eat and get back to class. Many skip the queue and go hungry instead.
(Evidence) A rushed break does the opposite of its job. Instead of resting the mind before afternoon lessons, it adds pressure and makes it harder to concentrate. (Explanation) A longer, calmer break would protect the learning that follows.”
The paragraph does one job. It states a single idea, supports it with a concrete detail, explains the reasoning and ends by linking back to the point. No second idea pushes in, and that focus makes it feel controlled.
A teacher can build this skill into Year 9 lessons that prepare for IGCSE. The trial hour is the first step.
Try it yourself
The paragraph below is missing its explanation. Add a sentence that explains why the evidence supports the point.
“Reading before bed is a good habit. (Point) A page or two of a story slows the mind after a busy day. (Evidence) ______”
Answer: A strong explanation makes the link clear. For example: “A calmer mind falls asleep more easily, so the student wakes up readier for the next day’s lessons.” Your wording can differ. The sentence must explain why a slower mind makes this a good habit.
If your sentence only adds a new fact, it is more evidence, not explanation. The paragraph still needs its “so what?”
Common mistakes
- Two ideas in one paragraph. Split it. Each idea gets its own paragraph.
- Evidence with no explanation. After every quotation or example, ask yourself, “So what does this show?”
- A point that is too wide. “School is bad” is hard to prove in one paragraph. “School starts too early” is easier.
- Long paragraphs that wander. Use the one-sentence test in the FAQ below.
Practising through Year 9
Small, frequent practice works best. Choose any opinion you hold, such as “a film is overrated” or “a rule is unfair”, and write one Point, Evidence, Explanation paragraph. Stopping at one idea is more valuable than writing a lot.
Another useful habit is to take a paragraph from a good article and label its three parts. When you can see the frame in real writing, it is easier to copy. After a term of this, rambling paragraphs usually become clear almost on their own.
Where students get stuck, and what we do
Most students can write a point and find evidence. They get stuck on the explanation, because it feels obvious to them.
In 1-to-1 lessons, our teachers read the student’s own paragraph and ask “so what?” after each piece of evidence, until the student can write the reasoning without help. This is the same skill we build in Year 9 foundation tuition.
For next steps, read our guide to paragraphing, then editing your own work. If you would like a teacher to mark a recent paragraph with you, book a paid one-hour trial lesson. Rates start from RM70/hr.