How Many Paragraphs Should An Essay Be?

you fulfill an assignment or write an essay, it is always easy to do it when you have an exact task with the number of words, paragraphs, and other specific requirements from your teacher. But you cannot expect your teachers to always tell you the assignment in detail; sometimes they will just give you the topic, and everything else you will have to decide by yourself. And even though the question about the number of paragraphs doesn’t seem to be very difficult, many students, when not knowing it, feel stuck and cannot even start writing. As a short-term decision, you can always look for some samples of essays online, for example, an essay about how to improve the college graduation rate; it’s just important to find the paperwork with a similar topic and write your work accordingly. But if you want to be able to determine it yourself, read our article, and we hope that you will be able to apply the received knowledge in real life.

Why Is the Number of Paragraphs Important

There is a direct connection between the number of paragraphs and the readability of the written essay. And it is actually true not only for essays. If you write an article for 2000 words in one single paragraph, the chances that someone would read it up to the end are very low. For us, it’s easier to read and perceive information correctly when it is divided into paragraphs, preferably not bigger than five or six lines. There was an editor in one of the newspapers who was constantly demanding to put stops and divide their article into paragraphs, saying that they were not “James Joyce” and readers were not fond of their interior monologues.

How to Determine the Number of Paragraphs

Even if you read all possible articles on this topic, you will not find the exact answer. Different sources and different writers sometimes have very distinct opinions. So maybe the best way to answer such a question is to say that the student should decide about the number of paragraphs considering the “needs” of their text. So, if in the teacher’s task, there were no exact requirements, the best way would be to consider the type of essay, create a detailed outline, and only then decide on the number of paragraphs.

What do experts say

A general opinion of many teachers and writers is that there should be at least three paragraphs of a specific essay structure. For sure, it is not a surprise for any student that there should be an introduction, the body of an essay, and the conclusion. This type of writing is rather formal and is often used to check whether students can thoroughly express their opinions on some particular topic. Basically, three paragraphs are enough to do it, but the thing is that there are different types of essays, and if it is an argumentative essay when you are supposed to persuade the reader in your point of view, there can be more than one argument, that you want to use in the article, so it is logical to introduce each of the arguments in a separate abstract. That is why we see the general outline of almost any essay as follows:

– Introduction: One paragraph where you should state the purpose of the present paperwork;

– Body: The main part where you state your opinion and on the topic; should consider the required number of paragraphs to guarantee a clear statement of the essay topic;

– Conclusion: The part with the final statement where the main ideas expressed in the essay must be put together.

The Number of Paragraphs Can Depend on the Quantity of Words

Some sources consider there is a direct connection between the number of words and the paragraphs. If your essay contains 500 words or less, there can be standard three paragraphs; when there are up to 700 words, you already need four paragraphs in order to express your point of view; 900 words will require five paragraphs; and when the essay is up to 1100 words the essay must contain at least six paragraphs. And we actually consider this division one of the most workable.

Even though a 1000-word essay might seem not so big, you will be able to express at least two main and one supportive argument, meaning your essay should contain at least five paragraphs.

For example, if you have to write about ecological problems, there must be at least separate abstracts about global warming, different types of pollution, and deforestation, in a nutshell, one paragraph for each argument.

As we already mentioned, the bigger number of small abstracts makes it easier to perceive the info. If your task is to create an essay that can be used as an instruction, then each particular step must be explained in a separate paragraph. Otherwise, it will be incredibly difficult for the reader to use such a manual.

Basic Tips When Arranging Your Essay

– Keep in mind that your paperwork will not be judged by the number of paragraphs in it. We are almost sure that your teacher will not count the number of abstracts. But what they will do is evaluate your ability to express the information and share your point of view with the readers. It should be done in a clear and coherent way. So, if you want to split your text into six or seven paragraphs, you are free to do it.

– It is recommended to include more paragraphs in the body of an essay than in the introduction or the conclusion.

– The detailed outline of your essay is an essential part of writing. It will help you to elaborate the correct sequence of the arguments to be stated in your essay and organize it in the most logical and coherent way. If you manage to write everything correctly, the reader will not struggle reading your essay and trying to guess what the main point of your work that you want to share with them is.

– The longer essay you write, the more points you should cover, and therefore the more paragraphs you should include.

– Editing the essay is an essential part of writing even though it’s not directly connected to the number of paragraphs. As soon as your paperwork is finished, read it attentively and make sure that everything is stated clearly and in an understandable way. If you cannot do it yourself, use the special application or ask your friend to check it for you.

In conclusion, just keep in mind that the number of paragraphs is less important than the content, but it can make it easier to perceive the written information.

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