Paragraphs please.

OurKid1 or often the last.

Writing and reading on a screen is very different from writing or reading something that is on paper. I think thtat on screen it helps if paragraphs are shorter than they would be on paper.

However, one is taught the rules to everything so that you know when they need to be applied and when they can broken.

How many sentences are in a paragraph?

Your childhood teacher did not wrong you when they taught you that there should be three, or four, or five sentences in a paragraph. It is important to understand, however, that the aim in teaching this was not to impart a hard-and-fast rule of grammar, drawn from an authoritative-but-dusty book. The true aim of this strategy was to teach you that your ideas must be well supported to be persuasive and effective.

Source Grammarly.

I was taught that a new paragraph should be started when there's a change of person, place, time or topic. Those very long posts certainly don't take account of the first three, do they?

I’m now worrying that people just don’t read my posts. I guess it does explain why nobody answers them .

I am visually impaired and cannot read any posts typed with the caps lock on.

JamesandJon33

Change of subject or direction I think*MissAdventure*

Yes that's what I remember being taught.

I think for writing, now, up to seven lines can make up a paragraph.

Yes, normally, but online, It is easier to read if new paragraphs are frequent, after three or four lines at most.

Change of subject or direction I thinkMissAdventure

What are "the rules" on how and when to write paragraphs, please?

I'm only asking because I don't think you'll be able to agree 🤭

Also, long un-paragraphed posts where punctuation and capitalisation are absent, which deal with family problems where those family members' relationship to the poster are abbreviated (ie, 'other half', 'darling husband', 'darling daughter', etc) are very confusing if the abbreviation is not capitalised.

It just reads like a monologue with a salad of random letters scattered here and there.

I can understand writing spontaneously to get the whole thing written down - but a deep breath and some going over it before posting might help the poster as well as those reading the post, to collect their thoughts.

I.

Agree>

Absolutely.

With.

You.

Sorry, yes I also find those long posts sans paragraphs, really difficult to read and I often find I've missed bits. Maybe your post will lead to a reduction in them. Hope so.

No paragraphs, no (or completely incorrect) punctuation, inappropriate capitals - I too have difficulty making sense of these posts.

Good point. So do I. Not wanting to be unsympathetic, but it's so hard to read some of them.

I wonder if this thread might lead to a reduction in those long unpunctuated opening posts. Hope so.

Aveline

I often give up on those long, long posts.

I never even attempt to read them. 😖

Hear, hear from me.

And while we’re at it, this “stream of consciousness” posts where the only punctuation is a series of …between sentences.
I too become quite breathless!
You know the sort of thing
I don’t want to moan…but I need to get this off my chest…and my friend isn’t speaking to me…and my neighbour plays noisy music or cuts his grass when we’re enjoying a barbecue…I can even hear their children shooting basketball hoops…and as for the smell of bacon from their kitchen…when we’re having croissants …and on…and on,..and on…
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Long posts, with lack of paragraphs and punctuation irritate me too and I tend to move on.

However, I am aware that some posters may be upset and desperate to get their thoughts down and write without paying attention to coherence.

I don't even try. One look then automatic miss. I do realise the content may be interesting but....hey......

Sparklefizz

I give up on long unpunctuated posts which don't have paragraphs.

Me, too.

It's like trying to plough through James Joyce's Ulysses.

I feel almost breathless at the end of those paragraph-less posts and am not quiet sure that I grasped the point.

I don't even attempt them now.

Very long opening posts put me off even when they do have paragraphs and punctuation. It I have to keep scrolling to get to the end of the OP then I don't bother.

But what do you consider a long paragraph? One long sentence? Two sentences? Three?

Or the posts where everything is in one paragraph?

It’s not just no paragraphs sometimes. No commas or full stops often make reading difficult.

Realised I’m probably guilty.

But I was wrongly assuming that when you press Return the message gets sent. As it does when using WhatsApp.

Getting the hang of this now

Many of the long unparagraphed posts come from US members. Is it a question of how they are taught to use /not use paaragraphs at school?

I am partially sighted and can read normal font provided it is paragraphed. I do not bother with a page of A4 totally unparagraphed and in some cases little punctuation. Life is too short.