SUPPORTING
PARAGRAPHS
Now that you know how to begin your essay, the next step is creating the body
paragraphs. These are called supporting paragraphs.
Supporting paragraphs are the “body” of an essay. These provide the substance of the
essay and give more information on the topic. The supporting paragraphs should be
detailed and support the claim made in your thesis statement. Hence, providing the
support of your essay.
Each supporting paragraph should begin with a topic sentence.
The topic sentence should present the main idea of the paragraph.
1. The topic sentence should be descriptive and specific. After reading the
topic sentence, the reader should know exactly what the paragraph will be
about.
After the topic sentence, demonstrate your point.
Provide further information that reinforces the claim made in the topic sentence.
2. You may include personal experiences, examples, statistics, facts,
information from other sources, or other evidence that you believe would
strengthen your claim.
Your paragraph needs to have meaning.
When writing your supporting paragraphs, ask yourself the following questions:
3. What does this information mean?
How is this connected to your thesis?
Why is this information relevant and meaningful? Why should the reader care about this?
Answer these questions by explaining why the information you’ve provided
matters. You should be able to connect each piece of information to your
thesis and the overarching message of your essay.
Conclude your paragraph.
Once you’ve illustrated your point and explained its relevance, end your
4. paragraph by bringing together all the points you’ve made previously.
Your conclusion sentence should not simply restate the topic sentence.
Instead, develop a sentence that unifies each point made in your paragraph.
Summarize the points you have stated.
Connect to ideas from your topic sentence.
Use linking words that signal conclusions (e.g., therefore, thus, as a result, etc).
Your conclusion sentence can also transition to the following paragraph by:
Introducing a word/phrase or new concept which will then be picked up in the
topic sentence of the next paragraph.
Using words or phrases that point ahead (e.g., the following, another, other).
SUPPORTING
PARAGRAPHS
Let’s continue with our previous example, where the thesis statement was “if used
appropriately, cell phones can add valuable interactivity and learning opportunities
in the classroom”.
This topic sentence clearly states the
main idea of this paragraph and
Using educational learning apps provides provides the reader specific
students with access to tools that can help information about what is going to be
discussed throughout the remainder
them complete their work on time and
of the paragraph
participate in engaging classroom activities.
For example, an app called Remind101 sends
automated text messages to students to This sentence reinforces the topic
remind them about upcoming due dates. In an sentence by providing a specific
interview about using Remind101, Mr. Halla, a example on how cellphones can help
students submit their work on time .
history teacher from Virginia, said “I was
The author also explains why this
stunned by how many more kids started doing
matters by using a quote from an
the homework,” he says. “I just thought they expert teacher.
didn’t want to do the work, but it was more that
they were unorganized and had forgotten to
do it.” In addition, polleverywhere is an app This sentence reinforces the topic
that allows students to use their cellphones to sentence by providing an example of
participate in in-class review games to prepare an app that allows students to
participate in engaging classroom
for an upcoming test. Teachers that use poll
activities. The author also provides a
everywhere report seeing a 25% average
statistic to support the topic
increase in exam grades after using the app in sentence.
class. As a result, cell phones not only allow
students to develop organizational skills and
improve their test scores, cell phone use also The author summarizes all of the
provides students with access to extensive points described throughout the
research platforms. supporting paragraphs without
simply restating what was said
previously. This concluding sentence
also transitions to the next topic.
