Difference between Paragrah and Essay

Paragraph

A paragraph refers to a self-sufficient writing unit that is being created for multiple types of sentences. All the sentences are to be arranged in a more systematic manner for conveying the perspective of the author. In addition, all the lines should be coherent with one another and an ideal form of the paragraph should be starting with an introductory sentence, which is followed by the text body which explains the given topic and should have a specific concluding sentence.

Essay

An essay is a formal and comprehensive piece of literature that describes a particular issue or topic analyzed and discussed. It refers to a short amount of writing on a particular subject. Mainly students in their academics are asked to write essays on some topics as a response to a question or proposition. It does not have a specific readership in mind. Through essays, the writer or narrator expresses his or her personal views or opinion on a particular topic or a question and it is based on an educational and analytical tone. Let’s take an example and understand what an essay is clearly suppose a school student has an exam and in the question paper, he has been asked to write something explaining Floods in India which is an example of an essay. 

Difference Between Paragraph and Essay

Basis	Paragraph	Essay
Definition	A paragraph refers to addressing a specific topic or theme. Paragraphs are short and can include 4 to 6 sentences.	An essay can include 4 or 6 paragraphs. The main idea has been discussed throughout the paragraphs. The word limit is higher and takes more time to think about the topic with an appropriate response.
Structure	Because of limits, the main point of the topic or the themes are generally explained in the first or two sentences.	The main structure of an essay is where the first paragraph is used for the introduction of the topic. The next following two or three paragraphs are for providing supporting forms of information.
Purpose	A paragraph ought to suffice if you need to discuss a topic briefly.	The essay is for addressing the topic in a more broad context.