Unity and Coherence
Unity and Coherence
Unity and Coherence
2. Topic Sentence
To achieve unity, a writer may use a topic sentence to state the main idea, or topic, of the paragraph.
Usually the topic is stated in the first sentence so that the reader knows what to expect. Notice how the
topic sentence is used in this model.
The topic sentence is not always stated. For example, some paragraphs have an implied topic sentence
rather than a directly stated topic sentence.
*Notice how every sentence supports the implied main idea: Swimming gives Chan a sense of freedom.
He was born Ehrich Weiss in 1874. As a young child, he taught himself to make small items appear and
disappear. Because Ehrich's family was quite poor, he went to work for a locksmith at the early age of 12.
Most children of poor families worked to help support the family. Before long, Ehrich knew how to pick
almost any lock in existence. Thus began the career of Harry Houdini-one of the most remarkable magicians
of all time.
Coherence
A paragraph is coherent when all its sentences are related and flow logically from one to the next. You can
achieve coherence by using an appropriate pattern of organization and effective transitions. Five types of
paragraph organization are described: sequential, spatial, cause and effect, comparison and contrast, and
order of degree.
1. Sequential Order
Use sequential order to tell a story or relate historical events in the order they occurred, or chronologically.
Also use it to describe the step-by-step order of a process or procedure. Transitional words help to show
time relationships: after, first, next, then, and finally.
2. Spatial Order
Use spatial order to arrange details according to their position in space (for example, front to back, or near
to far). Spatial order is effective in descriptive paragraphs.
Here's How: Using Spatial Order
Use cause-and-effect paragraphs to tell why something happened, why certain conditions exist, or what
resulted from an action. A cause is something that brings about a result. An effect is the result of a
cause.
Use comparison and contrast to discuss the similarities and the differences between two or more
subjects. In the following model, Maya Angelou uses a subject-by-subject organization.
5. Order of Degree
Order of degree is a way of organizing supporting details from least to most or most to least. Details can be
grouped according to their usefulness, familiarity, or importance. Notice how Twain uses order of
importance to describe the characteristics of a steamboat pilot.
HOT TIP: To build your reader's interest or to create a strong persuasive argument, begin with the least
important item and proceed to the most important
An effective sentence
o expresses ideas clearly
o does not confuse the reader
o answers questions the reader may have
An effective paragraph
has a topic sentence or an implied topic sentence
shows unity
is coherent
uses an appropriate pattern of organization