Which statement about paragraphs is most accurate?

Which statement about paragraphs is most accurate?

• A. A paragraph should present a new main idea in every sentence.
• B. A paragraph should maintain one main idea across its sentences.
• C. Paragraphs are isolated from other sections.
• D. A paragraph always begins with a question.

Answer: (B)

Maintaining a single main idea through the sentences is what gives a paragraph unity. Each sentence should develop, illustrate, or support that idea, so the paragraph reads as a connected block rather than a string of unrelated thoughts. When a paragraph presents a new main idea in every sentence, the focus becomes scattered and the reader loses track of the purpose. Paragraphs aren’t isolated from the rest of the text; they connect to what comes before and after through transitions and help advance the overall argument or narrative. Beginning with a question is not a requirement for a paragraph; many paragraphs start with a statement or detail. So, the idea that a paragraph should maintain one main idea across its sentences best captures how paragraphs function.

Maintaining a single main idea through the sentences is what gives a paragraph unity. Each sentence should develop, illustrate, or support that idea, so the paragraph reads as a connected block rather than a string of unrelated thoughts. When a paragraph presents a new main idea in every sentence, the focus becomes scattered and the reader loses track of the purpose. Paragraphs aren’t isolated from the rest of the text; they connect to what comes before and after through transitions and help advance the overall argument or narrative. Beginning with a question is not a requirement for a paragraph; many paragraphs start with a statement or detail. So, the idea that a paragraph should maintain one main idea across its sentences best captures how paragraphs function.