Ideas within a paragraph should flow smoothly from one to the next, and subordinate ideas should be related to the main idea presented in the topic sentence. If this smooth transition does not occur, however, and if ideas are not related to the topic sentence, a paragraph is considered “lacking in unity;” and when paragraphs lack unity, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for readers to follow a writer’s line of thought.
What Is a Paragraph?
A paragraph is a distinct section or subdivision dealing with a particular point a writer wishes to make within a written work, whether that work is an essay, article, letter, story, or memo.
Although, typically, paragraphs contain three to five sentences, some are much longer and some shorter. In fact, it’s possible for a paragraph to contain only one sentence. The length, though, usually depends upon what one is writing; for example, the standard paragraph is generally longer in a book than in a news article, essay, or student paper; and in story dialogue, paragraphs are oftentimes extremely short.
The Structure of a Paragraph
The structure of the typical paragraph is the same as that of an essay: introduction, supporting sentences, and conclusion. Consequently, the average paragraph contains an introductory sentence, which is often the topic sentence; supporting sentences that offer details and examples; and a concluding sentence that provides closure and prepares the reader to move on to next paragraph.
The Topic Sentence
The topic sentence is similar to the thesis statement of an essay since it presents the main point the writer intends to make, although in this instance it’s the main point of the paragraph. Since this is the case, if the topic sentence is formulated first, it can help writers not only remain focused but also maintain paragraph unity.
Writers should also make sure that each sentence within a paragraph is related to the main point. In fact, they should keep this point constantly in mind; otherwise, they may find themselves inserting unrelated information, which will result in a loss of paragraph unity.
Arrangement of Sentences
Sentences should be arranged in the most appropriate order based upon content and the writer’s goal, and these choices for arrangement include:
- Order of Importance: Ideas are arranged from the most important to the least important, or vice versa.
- Space Order: Often used in descriptive writing, this arrangement moves from left to right, close to far, north to south, etc.
- General to the Specific: A general idea is presented then supported by details that lead to the specific idea.
- Specific to General: A specific idea is presented, followed by more generalized but related ideas.
- Chronological (Time Order): Ideas move from the earliest to the latest, or vice versa.
- Problem to Solution: The first sentence presents a problem and subsequent sentences present the solution.
- Question to Answer: The topic sentence asks a question and supporting sentences answer it.
Achieve Unity by Linking Ideas
In order to achieve paragraph unity, writers can utilize several methods:
- Use conjunctions and other transitional words and phrases: These are words and phrases like “neither/nor, but, yet, not only/but also, similarly, besides, on the other hand, furthermore, for example, adjacent to, for this purpose, in brief, in the meantime, as noted,” etc.
- Repeat key words and ideas: Choose words and/or ideas that are worthy of emphasis and repeat them; for example: “I was sick and tired of January, and sick and tired of February following January year after year like famine and pestilence following war. I was sick and tired of football, and sick and tired of football being followed by ice hockey and basketball as pestilentially as February followed January.” Russell Baker— “Confessions of a Three-Day Grouch” (Harbrace, 1986, p. 324)
- Use pronoun reference: Instead of repeating nouns, use pronouns, but make sure the antecedent is clear; for example: "When Merlin woke up that morning, he realized the house sounded empty. In fact, it reverberated with the hollow resonance of emptiness."Instead of “Merlin” being repeated in the first sentence, the pronoun “he” takes its place; and “it” takes the place of house in the second sentence. However, if the antecedent of those pronouns had been unclear, it would have been better to repeat the nouns instead.
- Repeat parallel structures: repeat sentence patterns and/or other grammatical structures. For example, one might repeat the sentence pattern of an adverb introductory clause and a short two-word independent clause, as John Carenen did when he wrote, ”When I breathed in, I squeaked. When I breathed out, I rattled” (Harbrace, 1986, p. 270). Or one might repeat two infinitive phrases: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” (Shakespeare, Hamlet, 1611)
The goal of all writers is, or at least should be, to express their thoughts so that readers will easily understand them; and writers are far more likely to achieve this goal if the paragraphs they write are well developed, coherent, and unified.
Harbrace College Handbook (1986); New York: Harcourt Brace; p. 324.
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