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A paragraph is a miniature essay. It should contain a topic sentence supported by specific detail with a summary that ties things together. A paragraph also begins with its first line, that is indented, a complete unit in terms of the idea or ideas it represents. Begin your paragraphs with topic sentences which will tell your reader what the paragraph will be about AND help guide them so that you present ONLY information related to the topic sentence. A topic sentence should be a general statement about the main idea of the paragraph. It should be the MOST general statement in the paragraph. The topic sentence should also be more than just information. It should make a point about the topic by expressing an attitude or an opinion. You should support your topic sentence with an explanation, or specific details about the topic. This will help you achieve unity in your paragraph, meaning that each sentence in the body develops the topic sentence. Your paragraph should also have coherence, which means that ALL the details in the paragraph relate to one another in the same way as they relate to the topic sentence. The last sentence or sentences of your paragraph should reinforce topic sentence and give the reader something to think about. This could be a restatement of the main idea, a summary of the most important points, or both.
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