Writing Effective Body Paragraphs: Stating Reasons and Providing Evidence

This video tutorial teaches how to write effective body paragraphs in a persuasive letter. It covers the importance of avoiding 'laundry list' paragraphs, constructing a strong topic sentence by combining the thesis with a reason, supporting ideas with examples and evidence, and concluding by restating the topic sentence in a varied manner. The example used is about the benefits of having a pet to teach responsibility.

What is a common mistake when writing body paragraphs?

• Starting with a conclusion

• Writing a list of unrelated sentences

• Using complex vocabulary

• Using too many examples

What should a topic sentence include?

• A story and a fact

• An example and a conclusion

• A thesis and a reason

• A question and an answer

Which of the following is a way to support your ideas in a body paragraph?

• Adding random quotes

• Repeating the topic sentence multiple times

• Including true stories from your life

• Using unrelated facts

How should you conclude a body paragraph?

• By introducing a new topic

• By restating the topic sentence in a different way

• By listing more examples

• By asking a question

In the example provided, what is one reason given for why having a pet is a good idea?

• Pets can live independently

• Pets are inexpensive to maintain

• Pets can teach responsibility

• Pets are fun to play with