These middle paragraphs usually open with the main idea to be discussed in the paragraph. Without stating their main ideas, these paragraphs are likely to lack organization, and more often than not, they become simply a collection of unsupported major ideas that lead nowhere. The supporting material in these paragraphs must be specific or concrete details that support the writer's point of view or main idea. This material, which illustrates or explains the broader topic sentence, must be presented in a logical order. Back to top Style Sentence coherence, diction, and tone combine to compose the element of style.
Coherence is a result of sentence patterns, pronoun reference, and transitional connectives.
Tone is the emotional attitude of writers toward their subject and audience. Whatever the writer's approach to the subject, the tone must be consistent and appropriate to the writer's overall purpose. Back to top Correctness Correctness covers the areas of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and manuscript preparation. Proofreading is an indispensable, but last, step in writing. In Part II of the proficiency test, students demonstrate how logically, insightfully, and elegantly they can incorporate into their own essays paraphrases and direct quotations from the outside materials provided during the test.