Paragraphs

Written English text is usually divided into blocks called ‘paragraphs’, to make it easier to read. Paragraphs can vary in length, from several hundred words (for example in literary or academic writing), to a few sentences (for example in journalism or letters). A paragraph division is usually shown by starting the text on a new line and ‘indenting’ (leaving a space at the beginning of the line). The paragraph divisions break the material up into easily ‘digestible’ sections, providing places where the reader can pause and think for a moment if necessary. And good writers can show the structure of their texts by making paragraph divisions in suitable places, for example when they move to a new stage in a story, a new point in a discussion or a new part of a description.

Text version

Sam decided that it was too late to start slimming, and put some more sugar in his coffee. The way things were, he needed all the help he could get. Everything was going wrong at work, everything had already gone wrong at home, and the weather in Edinburgh in November was lousy. The only remaining question was: should he commit suicide now or wait until after payday and get drunk first?
(a new stage in the story ->) Three months ago everything had seemed so perfect. His boss had told him that he had an excellent future with the firm.

There are a lot of advantages to working at home. You don't have to travel to your job, you can choose your own working hours, you can take a day off if you want to, you don't wast time in endless unnecessary meetings, and - perhaps most important of all - you don't have a boss constantly checking up on you.
(a new point in the discussion ->) On the other hand, it can be lonely working by yourself. Without colleagues around you ...

Another practice, common in typed letters and documents, is to leave a blank line without indenting.

Text version

Dear Sir/Madam

Three months ago I sent you an order for a set of glasses, together with full payment. You wrote acknowledging my order, and said that the glasses would be dispatched in 15 days.

I have still not received the glasses, and repeated telephone calls to your office have had no result ...