How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph?

Parts of a Sentence

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:

I like apples.

Here, the subject is 'I,' the verb is 'like,' and the object is 'apples.'

Parts of a Paragraph

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 Paragraph

Let's take a look a sample paragraph that might be in need of some grammatical first aid:

Wow! There's a lot going on in that one paragraph. The paragraph has three main ideas. Let's look at the first one:

Now, let's take a look at the second main idea:

Now, how about the third main idea:

While each of these paragraphs could be clearer, each one is based upon a main idea rather than several main ideas. Many writers are guilty of this mistake at one time or another. When you're writing and good ideas are coming out of your head, it's easy to forget that the reader can get lost.