What is a paragraph? It is the basic unit of composition. It is a group of sentences which develop one central idea. A paragraph is normally identified by having its first sentence indented a few spaces. This indentation tells readers that the material in the paragraph represents a separate unit of thought.
The words and word groups (ideas) of one language don't fit together in the same way as the words (ideas) of another language do. These differences exist because each culture has its own special way of thinking. And how a person thinks determines how that person writes. How to arrange your ideas is your Thought Pattern.
1. Unity: concentrate on a single idea (one aspect of topic), all the facts, examples, and reasons used to develop that idea must be relevant. --- if not, the risk is losing your readers.
2. Coherence: A) Systems of organizing ideas --
A straight line development.
Importance (opinion /argument)
Chronology (events)
Space (location)
from the specific to the general (induction)
from the general to the specific (deduction)
B) Transitions -- words or phrases that connect one idea to another idea.
3. Topic sentence: express a central purpose (a controlling idea).