ClearTips: Powerful paragraphs

Imply the point in a series of details or examples

Most writers imply too many of their points—which their readers, bewildered, fail to infer. But having one point-led paragraph after another can get monotonous. So, when it's really possible to get a point across without stating it, give your reader some relief—and credit for being able to figure things out.

For one thing, Milan is shrinking-the population has fallen from 1.6m in 1981 to 1.3m today. The economy, which boomed in the 1980s, is dozier. Unemployment, now 8%, has been rising. In 1994-95, the number of businesses rose by only 2%, compared with 35% for Italy as a whole. Although Milan is home to five good universities and has far more head offices of multinationals than any other city in Italy, it is struggling to attract new blood. Even in areas of traditional strength—fashion, banking, publishing, advertising and high technology—Milan is losing its grip. Buildings once started seem to remain unfinished for ever. Prostitution is spreading.

Point: Milan is losing its power economically and intellectually.

[Meteorite] specimens prized for their beauty or rare composition can sell for more than $500 a gram (barely one twenty-eighth of an ounce), while meteorites from Mars, only 12 of which are known to have been recovered, go for more than $1,000 a gram. Mr. Killgore's daily harvest on a recent trip to the Chilean desert was $2,000 in meteorite nuggets.

Point: Meteorite specimens are rising in value.

This kind of paragraph needs strong details to hold it up. The point should begin to be obvious in the first or second detail and should be confirmed by the rest—don't keep your reader guessing.

If the details cannot stand on their own, you can easily make the point explicit and put it at the beginning or the end.

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