Nearly all of your writing will be in paragraphs, not single sentences. Just as one sentence shows one idea or one piece of information, each paragraph brings connected ideas together so that
One paragraph = One main point or function
That will only work if your reader sees the paragraph's sentences work together.
Use the paragraph's first sentence to make the overall point - what holds the whole thing together (1). Then write each new sentence to clearly follow the sentence before it. At the start of each sentence, connect to the previous one by repeating its key word/s (2), using pronouns/determiners (3), or with conjunctions/phrases/adverbs (4).
| (1) | Good writing offers many advantages. |
| (2) | The main advantage is encouraging the reader to take the writer's ideas and interests seriously, which is important to both study and work. |
| (3) | It also helps the reader clarify their own ideas. |
| (4) | Bad writing, by contrast, creates unnecessary misunderstanding confusion, and can do major harm. |
This is also true for starting a new paragraph (in an essay, case study, etc.). Write each paragraph's first sentence so it clearly connects back to the paragraph before it.
COMMON MISTAKE
Don't just add "Furthermore", "Moreover" or "In addition". Those words don't show a connection (they only mean "I'm starting another idea now", and your reader already knows that). They also distract from your argument, by starting the sentence in such an empty way (see Tip 2).
As much as possible, show each sentence's connection in the way you write the idea itself.
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X Good writing offers many advantages, such as encouraging the reader to take the writer's ideas and interests seriously. Furthermore, it helps the writer clarify their own ideas. Moreover, bad writing can create unnecessary misunderstandings and conflicts. In addition, it does major harm in business, politics, personal relationships and other areas of life. |