Body Paragraphs

Body Paragraphs

Writing Made Easy

The Basic Terminology 

• Thesis Statement:  Your position and the essay’s controlling idea.  Needs to include a “because.”  For example, “Writing a persuasive essay is not very difficult, because the outline of the writing process is understandable.

• Topic Sentence:  The controlling idea of a paragraph that supports the thesis statement.

Basic Terminology Continued

• Transition Word:  Starts the concrete detail sentence.  Include one of the following:  For example, For instance, In addition, Additionally.

• Transition Lead In: A phrase used to start your concrete detail using a transition word. “For example, in her ground breaking book, Dr. Pen states...”

Basic Terminology Continued

• Concrete Detail:  A quote from the story that supports the thesis and the topic sentence

• Commentary: Your explanation of how the concrete detail supports the topic sentence.

• Closing Sentence: Closes the paragraph and transitions to the next paragraph. Includes one of the transition phrases: Given these points, as has been noted, for the most part, on the whole.

• Ratio: 1 concrete detail to 2 commentary for expository and persuasive essays.

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the Blanks

Open Ended

Explain how a transition lead-in works.

Open Ended

When writing an expository or persuasive essay, what should the body paragraph(s) contain (the format).

Open Ended

What should a conclusion contain (the format)?

Poll

I understand the format of an expository/persuasive essay.

• Yes

• No

• Almost