A line break refers to lowering a line at a break of sentences, and a paragraph refers to changing a paragraph of long sentences with one meaning.
When using the WordPress visual editor, I sometimes hear from beginners that they are worried that the sentences are too wide then they intended.
Therefore, in this article, I will introduce how to use line breaks and paragraphs on the web and how to insert line breaks and paragraphs in WordPress.
Please use it as a reference to use line breaks and paragraphs correctly.
Difference between line breaks and paragraphs
As mentioned at the beginning, the difference between line breaks and paragraphs is as follows.
HTML tags are <p></p> for line breaks and <br /> for paragraphs. These two tags are automatically inserted in the
WordPress visual editor, but the usage is clearly different, so let’s master the correct usage.
How to handle line breaks and paragraphs in books and the web
In fact, the use of line breaks and paragraphs is different between books and the web, so let’s understand that first.
In the case of books, as the name suggests, line breaks change lines (move to the next line), and paragraphs drop columns (leave the first character blank).
But on the web, it’s common practice that line breaks brake lines, and paragraphs leave a line between sentences.
There are no strict rules for notation on the web, but when reading the text while scrolling on a computer or smartphone, it becomes very difficult to read if you just drop the columns like you would in a book.
Also, the concentration of readers differs greatly when reading books and when reading articles on the web. There is also the difference that when you have a book in your hand, you are trying to get information from the print firmly, and you are looking for information quickly on the Web.
From these differences, it is thought that the use of paragraphs has changed independently on the Web.
However, some media and government agencies sometimes drop the paragraphs even on the web, so it is not a matter of which is correct. However, please be aware
that even if you drop columns, if you close the sentences without opening the lines like in a book, the dropout rate will increase on the web.
When to use line breaks and paragraphs
Regarding the use of line breaks and paragraphs, basically, try to make it easier for users to read.
If this article did not use line breaks and paragraphs at all and was written with characters tightly packed on the page, many users would judge that “this article is difficult to read” at the first view ( when opening the page ). and leave.
Originally, it is important to understand the difference between <p></p> and <br />, which I mentioned earlier, and to convey the correct sentence unity not only to users but also to Google ( search engine ). However, if you are too conscious of the correct markup and create an article that is packed with characters, usability will deteriorate.
Therefore, first of all, consider the readability of the user, and pay attention to line breaks and paragraphs that are easy to read even when scrolling on a computer or smartphone. However, please do not use line breaks in the middle of sentences, as they make it difficult to read.
Difference between <p></p> and <br />
Although we give priority to user readability, some people may want to be aware of correct HTML markup, so let’s dig a little deeper.
A sentence enclosed by <p></p> tags indicates that it is a block of sentences, and <br /> tags simply indicate line breaks. By default
WordPress doesn’t let you see <p></p> or <br /> unless you check the source code of the page, but you can use plugins like TinyMCE Advanced to see the markup. will be
Google ( search engine ) recommends using correct HTML markup, but you will not be penalized even if <p></p> and <br /> are not written correctly. , First of all, let’s be conscious of improving usability .
