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Crafting Effective Body Paragraphs

The document discusses the structure of effective body paragraphs in an essay. Body paragraphs are used to prove the thesis statement by providing supporting reasons and examples. Each body paragraph should include a topic sentence, specific details and examples to support the topic sentence, commentary explaining how the examples prove the point, and a concluding sentence that restates the main idea.

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Felix Benzan
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76 views2 pages

Crafting Effective Body Paragraphs

The document discusses the structure of effective body paragraphs in an essay. Body paragraphs are used to prove the thesis statement by providing supporting reasons and examples. Each body paragraph should include a topic sentence, specific details and examples to support the topic sentence, commentary explaining how the examples prove the point, and a concluding sentence that restates the main idea.

Uploaded by

Felix Benzan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Body Paragraphs

Your body paragraphs do the most work in your essay. These paragraphs prove your thesis
statement by providing supporting reasons and examples. However, for your body paragraphs to
do their job, it is important to understand how to use supporting evidence and explain your ideas.

Imagine your essay is a sandwich…


Introduction: The top bun; the first impression

Body Paragraphs: The “meat” of The paper; the


good stuff
Conclusion: The bottom bun; summarizes and supports
the rest of the paper

Structure of body paragraphs:


1. Topic Sentence: The topic sentence explains what this new paragraph is going to be about. It also transitions
from the previous paragraph, so be sure to use a transition word or phrase!
2. Specific details/examples: These are sentences that provide detailed examples that prove your point. These
could be facts, statistics, personal stories, etc.
3. Commentary on details/examples: Do not just bring up an example and move on. Explain how that detail/example
proves your point!
4. Concluding sentence: Bring your paragraph to a close. Restate your main idea for the paragraph and/or add a
broad connection to the essay topic as a whole.
Topic sentence Specific reason/example
Body Paragraph
Good Example:
Tips: First, starting school at 9:30 would make getting to school safer for students. Students
- Stay on topic!
who take the bus often have to stand outside and wait to be picked up an hour or two before
- Everything you write
school even starts. This means that if school starts at 8:00, some unfortunate students must be
in your body
at their bus stop as early as 6am. Not only is the sun not out this early, it is one of the
paragraphs has to
commentary

support your thesis coldest points of the day. Also, students who drive are at an increased risk. Driving in the dark
statement! is more difficult than driving during the day. Not only does the lack of light make driving more
- Do not make up diffic ult, lack of sleep does as well. If students go to bed late after working or doing homework,
information to prove they are at an increased risk of being overtired and getting in a car accident the next morning.
your point. Every
Therefore, starting school later would allow students at bus stops to be in a well- lit area and
reason you bring up
allow students who drive extra sleep time so they are not fallin g asleep at the
should be valid and
true! wheel. Concluding sentence
Corrected paragraph:

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