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FLSH, AC
Department of English Studies
2023-24 (Fall semester)

Composition 2 (S3)
Professor Dr. M. Afkir

The paragraph (Revision)

A paragraph should have three characteristics: completeness, unity, and

coherence.

1. Completeness

A paragraph is complete when it does all it was intended to do.

2. Unity

Since a paragraph develops a topic sentence, there should be nothing in it which does
not clearly serve that end. A unified paragraph makes clear reading. One which digresses or
drifts away from the topic puts extra demands on the reader, and makes it difficult for him to
follow the author’s thoughts.

3. Coherence

The word “cohere” means to hold together. A paragraph is said to have

coherence when its sentences flow into each other. If a paragraph is coherent, the reader
moves easily from one sentence to the next without feeling that there are gaps in the
thoughts or points made by the writer. If a paragraph lacks coherence, the reader will
feel that he is reading a collection of separate statements rather than an integrated
passage.
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The paragraph (Revision)

The student needs one general idea and a number of specific related details to write a
paragraph that holds together and holds the reader’s interest. In a paragraph, the general idea
is expressed in the topic sentence, which provides unity and focus for the paragraph.

Paragraphs begin with the topic sentence. Then supporting details that elaborate on the
topic sentence come after it. In the paragraph, the first sentence is the topic sentence. Then the
supporting details, all related to the topic sentence, follow. The paragraph should end with a
concluding sentence.

Sample paragraphs
Paragraph 1
Social media, which has grown dramatically in the last decade, has both a negative and a

positive impact on young people. To begin with, studies have shown that the excessive use of

social media may lead to serious psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression and

loneliness. The other negative aspect of social media is that its heavy use on a daily basis may

have a bad impact on students’ achievement at school.

Paragraph 2
Proponents of immigration perceive it as having many positive effects on economy.

Immigration is the movement of people from one country to another. To begin with, studies

have demonstrated that immigration affects productivity, which a key economic factor. An

increase in immigrant work force in a given country would certainly lead to more

productivity. Secondly, the inflow of cheap labor from other countries usually encourages

more investments. Many governments support immigration.

Questions:
1. Do the above paragraphs contain all the basic elements a paragraph should contain?
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If yes, identify them.

2. How are the arguments presented?
3. Use other transitional elements to move from one argument to another.
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