Writing - Basics
Each Paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. It is a general statement that tells the reader what this paragraph is about and what the controlling idea is. Everything in the paragraph should relate to that idea. “If a sentence or idea in a paragraph does not relate to the main idea, the paragraph lacks unity.” You want the idea to be general yet specific enough that you can talk about one subject or aspect. If it is too general, your paragraph will be too long and cumb