Writing · Free lesson
Keep a paragraph focused on one main idea
You are describing why a library corner is quiet. You have several true details about the building, but not every detail explains the quiet.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
A focused paragraph develops one main idea. For each sentence, ask: “How does this help explain that idea?” A sentence can be grammatically correct and still belong in a different paragraph.
Choose support for the point, not just facts about the topic.
“The corner is quiet” is narrower than “The library.” Its supporting sentences should explain or illustrate the quiet: distance from traffic or carpet that softens footsteps. A café’s sandwich menu may be true, but it does not support that specific point without a relevant connection.
Point and relevant support
The reading corner is quiet.
It faces a courtyard away from street traffic.
Thick carpet softens the sound of footsteps.
Adding moreover does not make an unrelated sentence relevant. Check the idea before adding a linking word.
Test each detail
Name the focus
The reading corner is quiet.
Ask what supports it
Thick carpet softens the sound of footsteps.
Try it now
Choose relevant support
Read all answers and explanations
Which detail supports “The reading corner is quiet”?
The corner is far from the busy entrance.Distance from a busy entrance can explain lower noise. Menu choices and card color do not explain this point.
A paragraph explains why a study room is bright. Choose the relevant detail.
Large windows let in sunlight.Windows and sunlight directly explain brightness. The date and soup do not support that focus.
The focus is quietness. Which sentence stays on that point?
Carpet reduces noise from footsteps.The carpet detail explains quietness. Moreover and in addition cannot create a missing connection.
Put it into practice
Edit for a quiet-corner focus
Keep the main point and its supporting detail. Move the unrelated menu detail elsewhere.
The reading corner is quiet. Thick carpet softens footsteps. The café sells sandwiches.
See a model answer
The reading corner is quiet. Thick carpet softens footsteps.
The edit improves unity, not sentence grammar. The removed sentence can still be useful somewhere else.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
How many sentences should a paragraph have?
There is no universal number. Use enough relevant development for your purpose and reader. This short exercise is not a length rule.
The room is bright. Large windows let in sunlight.
Why remove a true sentence?
Truth and relevance are different. A true detail may belong in another paragraph or need a clear connection to the point.
The café sells sandwiches.
Take it into your day
A useful detail supports the paragraph’s point, not merely its general topic.
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