Paragraphing and Connectives

Good paragraphing and the effective use of connectives (linking words) are essential skills for the CSSE 11+ English paper. In both the comprehension answers and the creative writing section, organising your ideas into clear paragraphs — and linking them smoothly — shows the examiner that you are a confident and mature writer.

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What Is a Paragraph?

A paragraph is a group of sentences about one main idea or topic. When you move on to a new idea, you start a new paragraph.

Think of paragraphs as building blocks. Each block is a self-contained unit, and together they build up your whole piece of writing in a logical order.

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When to Start a New Paragraph

Use the memory trick TiPTOP to remember when to start a new paragraph:

Letter	Stands for	Meaning
Ti	Time	A change in time (e.g. "The next morning...")
P	Place	A change in place (e.g. "Back at the house...")
T	Topic	A change in topic or subject
O	Opinion	A new point of view or opinion
P	Person	A new person speaking or being introduced

Worked Example

Read this passage and notice where new paragraphs begin:

The morning sun streamed through the curtains. Emily stretched and yawned. Today was the day of the school trip, and she could hardly contain her excitement.

Downstairs, the kitchen was already buzzing with activity. Her mum was packing sandwiches while her little brother spilled cereal across the table.

"Hurry up, Emily!" called her mum. "The coach leaves at nine!"

Emily grabbed her bag and raced downstairs. She could not wait.

• Paragraph 1: Time and place (morning, bedroom)
• Paragraph 2: Change of place (downstairs, kitchen)
• Paragraph 3: New person speaking (mum)
• Paragraph 4: Back to Emily's action

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Paragraph Structure

A well-written paragraph often follows this structure:

Part	Purpose	Example
Topic sentence	Introduces the main idea	"The old house was full of mystery."
Supporting sentences	Give detail, evidence, or description	"Cobwebs hung from every ceiling. The floorboards creaked with every step."
Concluding sentence	Rounds off the idea or links to the next paragraph	"No one had dared to enter for years — until today."

In the CSSE creative writing section, structuring your paragraphs clearly will help you achieve higher marks.

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What Are Connectives?

Connectives (also called linking words or discourse markers) are words and phrases that connect ideas within and between sentences and paragraphs. They guide the reader through your writing and show how your ideas relate to each other.

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Types of Connectives

1. Adding information

Connective	Example
In addition	In addition, the garden had a pond.
Furthermore	Furthermore, the evidence clearly shows...
Moreover	Moreover, there are several reasons why...
Also	She also enjoyed painting.
As well as	As well as reading, she loved music.

2. Contrasting ideas

Connective	Example
However	However, not everyone agreed.
On the other hand	On the other hand, it could be a good idea.
Nevertheless	Nevertheless, they pressed on.
Although	Although it rained, they still went outside.
Despite	Despite the cold, she wore no coat.
In contrast	In contrast, the second poem is joyful.

3. Showing cause and effect