How many sentences is a 2
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I used to ask this question at some point in every English class I taught:  Show
“How many sentences in a paragraph?” Kids would typically answer “Five!” or “Three!” They were so confident, too. But they were wrong. A paragraph, according to Merriam-Webster is “a subdivision of a written composition that consists of one or more sentences, deals with one point or gives the words of one speaker, and begins on a new, usually indented line.” That’s right — a paragraph can (and often does) contain just one sentence. Open any book, particularly any novel, to any random page, and I’ll bet you find somewhere nearby a single-sentence paragraph. Single-sentence paragraphs are common in journalism, where tight, succinct prose and short, readable paragraphs are highly valued. They are abundant in narrative works that include dialogue (since a new paragraph is required every time a new speaker is quoted). But what about essays, research papers, and other typically academic types of writing? Shouldn’t paragraphs be fuller and more complex in those? The answer is generally yes. Well-crafted essay paragraphs are normally fleshed out through several related sentences that illustrate a point or make a convincing argument. Please don’t hear me saying that it’s just fine to write one-sentence paragraphs whenever and wherever you like. My point is simply that writing teachers ought to never suggest that there is some authoritative rule about the number of sentences required for a “legal” paragraph. It’s misleading and unnecessary to do so. More than one WriteAtHome writing coach has come to us under the impression that it’s okay to demand some minimum number of sentences in every paragraph. If any of our coaches still believe that, I hope they read this post! Help Students Write Better with WriteAtHome! So how is it that so many students and teachers believe the three- or five-sentence paragraph rule? There’s a simple explanation, really. Students, like most of us human beings, are lazy. And if a teacher assigns a paragraph on a topic without specifying the length, some kid will submit a short, single sentence and expect full credit. In fact, once students learn that a complete sentence can be composed of a single word, and a paragraph can consist of a single sentence, it’s only a matter of time before some smarty-pants is assigned “a paragraph that shows action,” and submits this “paragraph”:
Two letters, but technically, a complete sentence (the subject is the understood you). So, to prevent this kind of silliness, teachers understandably began quantifying their expectations: Write a paragraph of at least five sentences that shows action. Some teachers probably made it a permanent policy: In this class, all paragraphs must have at least five sentences. All that is fine. It’s an artificially imposed rule for a particular academic purpose. No problem. The problems came when teachers quit making it clear that it was their rule and not a universal rule of writing. For the record, I think wise teachers and writing coaches should feel free to ask students to avoid one- or two-sentence paragraphs for any particular assignment or course. It can be a good instructional tool. Just be sure to explain that the actual definition of paragraph permits the single-sentence variety. You have the power to raise expectations, but not to redefine the word. Because paragraphs like this are fine. ***** Post any comments and questions below. Bloggers love comments. Learn how many sentences are in a paragraph and how long a paragraph should be. Consider the structure and purpose of a paragraph in various types of writing. Updated: 05/22/2022
A sentence usually has a subject (what we are talking about) and a verb (the action that is going on). Let's look at an example: Here, the subject is 'I,' the verb is 'like,' and the object is 'apples.' A paragraph is a group of sentences that begins with an indented sentence about one idea, supports the idea, and concludes with a final
thought about that idea. Even though Run! is one word, it is a paragraph, where run serves as the main idea, support for the main idea, and a conclusion: Run! Technically, a paragraph does not have a set amount of sentences. Some paragraphs have two or three sentences while others have only one sentence. In newspapers and online writing, a powerful, well-written sentence can function just as well as five sentences. Five sentences is usually the maximum guideline for a good paragraph and includes an introductory sentence (or the main idea of a paragraph), one to three supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. Sample ParagraphLet's take a look a sample paragraph that might be in need of some grammatical first aid: I am a big fan of the Seattle Seahawks. They are amazing. They have won the Super bowl. They have very good players. My favorite player is quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The Seahawks have an incredible stadium in Seattle, WA. The stadium is called CenturyLink Field. It can hold 67,000 people. The stadium is an important part of downtown Seattle. There are many buildings in downtown Seattle. The tallest building in Seattle is the Columbia Center. I have been to the top of the Columbia Center. The view is amazing! Wow! There's a lot going on in that one paragraph. The paragraph has three main ideas. Let's look at the first one: Can a paragraph be two sentences?Yes, a paragraph can be two sentences as long as they are related to one another and expresses one main idea. There are no specific rules on how long a paragraph should be but 5 sentences is the ideal maximum number. Does a paragraph need five sentences?No, a paragraph can have one or more sentences depending on the medium, topic, audience, and purpose of the text. There are no distinct guidelines on how long a paragraph should be. However, five is usually the maximum number of sentences that make up a good paragraph. What is the ideal length of a paragraph?The ideal length of a paragraph is 100-200 words with a maximum number of 5 sentences. This allows the readers to get a good grasp of what the topic is about. An ideal paragraph consists of an introductory sentence, 2-3 supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. Is 12 sentences too long for a paragraph?Yes, 12 sentences is too long for a paragraph. While there is no absolute rule for how long a paragraph should be, five is usually the maximum number of sentences that make up a good paragraph to avoid readers getting lost in the text. Register to view this lessonAre you a student or a teacher? Unlock Your EducationSee for yourself why 30 million people use Study.comBecome a Study.com member and start learning now.Become a Member Already a member? Log In Back Resources created by teachers for teachersOver 30,000 video lessons & teaching resources‐all in one place. Video lessons Quizzes & Worksheets Classroom Integration Lesson Plans I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline. Back Components and Purpose of a ParagraphA paragraph is defined as a group of sentences that are organized and coherent, and are related to a single topic. A sentence is composed of a series of words that express a complete idea, having a subject and a verb. However, not all paragraphs are composed of many sentences. In some writing styles, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be as short as one sentence. Therefore, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that supports one main idea. This is referred to as the ''controlling idea'' because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph. Each new paragraph is preceded by a new indentation (the tab button on a computer or five spaces) that signals to the reader that a new paragraph is beginning. The purpose of a paragraph is to express the writer's thoughts on a specific point in a clear manner that is unique and specific to that paragraph. In other words, paragraphs should not mix ideas or thoughts. Paragraphs give structure and flow to the written text. They enable the writer to transition from one thought to another. When the writer begins a new paragraph, that informs the reader that the topic has concluded and that it is moving on. Without this structure, it will be difficult to follow the writer's ideas and sound argumentation. To be effective, a paragraph must have the following elements:
How Long is a Paragraph?Most writers often ask, ''How many sentences are in a paragraph?'' or ''How many words are in a paragraph?'', to which there is no definite answer. Usually, there are 100-200 words in a paragraph, but the conventions for appropriate length differ from one form of writing to the next and are influenced by a variety of factors such as medium, topic, audience, and purpose. To put it simply, a paragraph should be as long or as short as necessary to develop a main idea. There is no absolute rule for how many sentences a paragraph must have. A paragraph can have two to three sentences, but the typical maximum number is five sentences to be considered a good paragraph. If the writer combines too many sentences into one paragraph, the readers might get lost in the text, so it is recommended to follow the standard number of sentences. The style and length of paragraphs vary greatly between writing types. Journalists, for example, use shorter paragraphs of one to three sentences to help readers understand the news quickly. Paragraphs in traditional academic writing are six to eight sentences long and follow a logical structure to develop arguments and highlight supporting evidence. Short stories and novels, for example, do not always follow the traditional paragraph structure, as writers interweave short and long paragraphs to create narrative meaning. Paragraph ExamplesAn effective paragraph consists of an introductory/topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence, which are all organized and coherent to discuss a single topic. The table below shows an example of a good and a bad paragraph: Create an account to start this course today Used by over 30 million students worldwide Create an account How many sentences are in a 2 paragraph?There's often a lot of confusion, but if you're looking for a general answer to the question, “How many sentences in a paragraph?” the answer is there are 3 to 8 sentences in a paragraph. The important key to take away from this answer is that it's a rule-of-thumb.
Is a 2 3 sentence a paragraph?In antiquity, a paragraph often was a single thought—and often a single sentence, usually a very long one. Writers today, however, tend not to go on the way classical authors did. In academic writing, most paragraphs include at least three sentences, though rarely more than ten.
Can a paragraph be 2 sentences?Technically, a paragraph does not have a set amount of sentences. Some paragraphs have two or three sentences while others have only one sentence. In newspapers and online writing, a powerful, well-written sentence can function just as well as five sentences.
How many sentences are in 5 paragraphs?In general, paragraphs should have 5-8 sentences.
In this case, if you're tasked with writing a five-paragraph essay, then you should want 25-40 sentences total. However, that's not a hard and fast rule.
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