What is Discourse?

• A. Any coherent succession of sentences spoken or written
• B. A single sentence
• C. A paragraph
• D. A word or phrase

Answer: (B)

Discourse concerns how language functions beyond isolated words, focusing on how units of language convey meaning across spoken or written text. A single sentence can stand as a complete, coherent unit of discourse because it expresses a full idea, states a purpose, or conveys information on its own. That's why, in this item, a single sentence is identified as the best answer. The other possibilities describe larger or smaller units: a paragraph is made of several sentences and would be a larger stretch of discourse; a word or phrase is too small to carry a complete idea; a coherent succession of sentences describes discourse that spans multiple sentences rather than a single unit.