How to Write a Good Body Paragraph

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How to Write a Good Body Paragraph

• Developed for
• Miss Lawsons Classes
• Sullivan High School

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What is a Body Paragraph?

• A body paragraph presents the supporting
  information for the thesis in an essay.
• A body paragraph can also be a stand alone answer
  to an essay question on a test.
• A body paragraph consists of several types of
  sentences topic, support, elaboration,
  elaboration detail, and concluding.

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What Do These Sentences Do?

• A Topic Sentence states what the paragraph will
  be about.
• For Example
• There are many reasons why dogs make good pets.
• While there are thousands of varieties of trees
  to choose from, there are three particular trees
  that make great additions to most residential
  landscapes.

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What Do These Sentences Do?

• A Support Sentence gives more specific
  information about the topic in general.
• For Example
• There are many reasons why dogs make good pets.
• One reason that canines are good companions is
  that they are very entertaining.
• While there are thousands of varieties of trees
  to choose from, there are three particular trees
  that make great additions to most residential
  landscapes.
• One of the best trees to plant in a yard is the
  Sugar Maple, a deciduous tree that often grows to
  be over fifty feet tall.

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What Do These Sentences Do?

• An Elaboration Sentence gives more specific
  detail about a particular Support Sentences
  topic.
• For Example
• There are many reasons why dogs make good pets.
• One reason that canines are good companions is
  that they are very entertaining.
• Pooches bring joy and improved health to peoples
  lives by performing lots of tricks or making
  people laugh because of the bizarre things they
  do.

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What Do These Sentences Do?

• An Elaboration Sentence gives more specific
  detail about a particular Support Sentences
  topic.
• For Example
• While there are thousands of varieties of trees
  to choose from, there are three particular trees
  that make great additions to most residential
  landscapes.
• One of the best trees to plant in a yard is the
  Sugar Maple, a deciduous tree that often grows to
  be over fifty feet tall.
• This long-lived tree is prized for its dense
  summer foliage, strong branches, and attractive
  appearance.

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What Do These Sentences Do?

• An Elaboration Detail Sentence (or Secondary
  Support) gives more specific detail about a
  particular Elaboration Sentences topic.
• For Example
• There are many reasons why dogs make good pets.
• One reason that canines are good companions is
  that they are very entertaining.
• Pooches bring joy and improved health to peoples
  lives by performing lots of tricks or making
  people laugh because of the bizarre things they
  do.
• In fact, their loving and funny companionship has
  been proven to lower peoples blood pressure and
  help ease depression.

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What Do These Sentences Do?

• An Elaboration Detail Sentence (or Secondary
  Support) gives more specific detail about a
  particular Elaboration Sentences topic.
• For Example
• While there are thousands of varieties of trees
  to choose from, there are three particular trees
  that make great additions to most residential
  landscapes.
• One of the best trees to plant in a yard is the
  Sugar Maple, a deciduous tree that often grows to
  be over fifty feet tall.
• This long-lived tree is prized for its dense
  summer foliage, attractive fall appearance, and
  strength..
• While this maple is most prized because it has
  stunning bright orange-yellow leaves in the fall,
  its ability to withstand high winds also makes it
  a great pick.

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Do These Sentences Look Familiar?

• A Topic Sentence (TS) is something youve
  probably dealt with since first grade.
• A Support Sentence (SS) should also be familiar.
  It is also called a Concrete Detail or CD.
• An Elaboration Sentence (ES) is also one youve
  used. It is also called a Commentary or CM.
• A Elaboration Detail Sentence (EDS) or Secondary
  Support Sentence is also one youve written. It
  is also called a Commentary on the Commentary or
  CM/CM.

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Schaeffer is Good Structure...

• We may be using some different terms, but the
  writing concept of supporting and elaborating
  remains the same
• Were just being a little looser in format
• Were just taking the training wheels off of the
  bicycles and riding free
• Ooo HooTour de France - Here We Come!

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In Other Words...

• Color Schaeffer Term Common Term
• Black Topic Sentence (TS) Topic Sentence
  (TS)
• Blue Concrete Detail (CD) Support Sentence
  (SS)
• Red Commentary (CM) Elaboration Sentence
  (ES)
• Green Commentary on Elaboration Detail
  Sentence Commentary (CM/CM) (EDS) or
  Secondary Support
• Sentence
• Black Concluding Sentence (CS) Concluding
  Sentence (CS)

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What Do These Sentences Do?

• A Concluding Sentence summarizes the paragraph
  and often helps the reader move smoothly to the
  next paragraph.
• For Example
• While there are many animals people can have as
  pets, dogs are definitely one of the best
  companions anyone can have.
• TS There are many reasons why dogs make good
  pets.

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What Do These Sentences Do?

• A Concluding Sentence summarizes the paragraph
  and often helps the reader move smoothly to the
  next paragraph
• For Example
• The Sugar Maple, Blue Spruce, and White Birch are
  three excellent trees to add to most peoples
  yards.
• TS While there are thousands of varieties of
  trees to choose from, there are three particular
  trees that make great additions to most
  residential landscapes.

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When these sentences are arranged
appropriately, they will form a well-written
body paragraph.
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Typical Sentence Arrangement for a Schaeffer or
Regular Body Paragraph

• Topic Sentence
• Support Sentence
• Elaboration Sentence
• Elaboration Detail Sentence
• Support Sentence
• Elaboration Sentence
• Elaboration Detail Sentence
• Support Sentence
• Elaboration Sentence
• Elaboration Detail Sentence
• Concluding Sentence

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In Other Words...

• A body paragraph starts with
• A Topic Sentence
• Then often continues with
• three chunks
• (which may each have a Support,
• Elaboration, and
• Elaboration Detail Sentence)
• And ends with
• A Concluding Sentence

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But that is the strict Schaeffer wayWe can get
a little different now...

• We can write more mature paragraphs with more
  structural variety...

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We CanGet A Little Crazy...

• 1. Topic Sentence
• 2. Support Sentence
• 3. Elaboration Sentence 4. Elaboration Sentence
• 5. Elaboration Detail
  Sentence
• 6. Support Sentence
• 7. Elaboration Sentence
• 8. Elaboration Detail Sentence
• 9. Elaboration Detail Detail Sentence
• 10. Support Sentence
• 11. Elaboration Sentence 13. Elaboration
  Sentence
• 12. Elaboration Detail Sentence
  14. Elaboration Detail Sentence
• 15. Concluding Sentence

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Somost body paragraphs...

• Have eleven sentences
• One topic sentence
• Nine or so sentences (three or so in each chunk)
• One concluding sentence
• A paragraph may have more sentences if more
  details are given or if structural variations are
  used.
• A paragraph might also have fewer sentences
  depending on writing complexity.

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A Closer Look at Chunks

• Most body paragraphs have at least three chunks
  (made up of a combination of a support sentence
  and elaboration sentences and elaboration detail
  sentences).
• All of the sentences in a chunk must relate to
  each other.
• Elaborating sentences either give more specific
  information about the support sentence or a
  preceding elaboration.

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A Closer Look at Chunks

• Each chunk should start with a transition or have
  one imbedded early on in the sentence.
• These transitions help the paragraph have unity
  and a smooth flow.
• It is important to pick transitions carefully and
  not repeat them in a way that makes the paragraph
  sound awkward.

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A Closer Look at Chunks
In the paragraph about dogs making good pets, the
first chunk begins with a transition at the
beginning of the Support Sentence. One reason
that canines are good companions is that they
are very entertaining. One reason is a
transition which suggests that there are more
reasons to come and that this is the first of
several. This chunk will explain how dogs are
entertaining and why being entertaining makes
dogs good pets.
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A Closer Look at Chunks
The Support Sentence is followed by an
Elaboration Sentence which explains how dogs are
entertaining and how being entertaining makes
dogs good pets. Pooches bring joy and improved
health to peoples lives by performing lots of
tricks or making people laugh because of the
bizarre things they do. This sentence explains
how they are entertaining and the impact that has
on people. Bringing people joy and better
health are a results many people would appreciate
in a good companion or pet.
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A Closer Look at Chunks
The Elaboration Sentence is followed by an
Elaboration Detail Sentence which explains or
gives more detail about the Elaboration Sentence
. In fact, their loving and funny companionship
has been proven to lower peoples blood
pressure and help ease depression. This means
that by doing tricks or acting in a bizarre way
dogs are good companions because they bring joy
and better health.

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A Closer Look at A Complete Chunk
TS There are many reasons why dogs make good
pets. First Chunk One reason that canines are
good companions is that they are very
entertaining. Pooches bring joy and improved
health to peoples lives by performing lots of
tricks or making people laugh because of the
bizarre things they do. In fact, their loving
and funny companionship has been proven to lower
peoples blood pressure and help ease
depression. A second chunk explaining a second
reason would follow this.

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We could write a second chunk like this

• Another valuable characteristic of a dog as a
  pet is its loyalty to its humans. Dogs like
  German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers have
  been known to risk their lives to protect or
  rescue their owners. In fact, in 1998 over 154
  children in the U.S. were saved from drowning by
  Labs or other dogs. Many people also value their
  dogs loyalty in sad and stressful times. Dogs
  seem to be keenly attuned to their owners
  emotions and are able to sense when something is
  wrong. When they get that cue, they tend to stay
  close or try to lure their owners into a game or
  maybe even a good belly rubbing session.

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Thinking About Writing a Chunk

• The second example we have used is about
  selecting trees to put in residential yards.
• The Concluding Sentence given as an example
  includes the Blue Spruce as the second suggested
  tree to plant.
• How can you write a chunk about planting a Blue
  Spruce? What is a Blue Spruce? Why is it a good
  tree?

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Thinking About Writing a Chunk

• A Blue Spruce is
• An Evergreen
• A light greenish blue in color
• Slow growing
• Uniformly pyramidal in shape
• Very dense
• Pretty
• Attractive shelter for birds

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Thinking About Writing a Chunk

• Why would someone want to plant one?
• Makes a good privacy screen
• Does not lose its leaves in the fall
• Will attract birds to a yard
• Is a beautiful and different looking tree
• Will take a long time before getting very big

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Writing a Second Chunk

• First you need to come up with another
  transition.
• Then you need to state your new idea and tie it
  back to your Topic Sentence.
• Now write your Support Sentence.
• Another good tree to plant is the slow growing
  evergreen known as the Blue Spruce.

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Writing a Second Chunk

• Your Support Sentence is
• Another good tree to plant is the slow growing
  evergreen known as the Blue Spruce.
• Now you need to add detail about it in your
  Elaboration Sentence.
• Because this tree keeps its foliage all year, it
  makes a good privacy screen and is attractive to
  birds for shelter.

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Writing a Second Chunk

• Your Elaboration Sentence is
• Because this tree keeps its foliage all year, it
  makes a good privacy screen and is attractive to
  birds for shelter.
• Now you need to add more detail about it for your
  Elaboration Detail Sentence.
• Many people plant this tree in a two-tiered row
  between houses knowing that in years to come it
  will become a live and environmentally friendly
  barrier.

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Heres A Second Chunk

• Another good tree to plant is the slow growing
  evergreen known as the Blue Spruce. Because this
  tree keeps its foliage all year, it makes a good
  privacy screen and is attractive to birds for
  shelter. Many people plant this tree in a
  two-tiered row between houses knowing that in
  years to come it will become a live and
  environmentally friendly barrier.
• Is chunking starting to make sense?

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More Thoughts on Chunking

• Have you noticed?
• Some sentences have facts.
• Some sentences have opinions.
• These kinds of information can be put in
  different locations.
• Most of the sentences are not simple sentences.
• High school students need to write mature
  sentences with structural variety and detail.
• Most sentences should have 12 25 words.

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More Thoughts on Chunking

• Hopefully, these sentences are not repetitive.
• Students should not repeat or rephrase things
  very much.
• If they do, their writing will become boring and
  wordy.
• Students should try to include as much valuable
  information as they can in each sentence.

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Writing A Good Body Paragraph...

• Is not impossible
• Follow the suggestions
• Follow the format
• Research and plan
• Write multiple drafts
• Evaluate and improve your own work
• Turn in a clean, typed copy when finished
• HAPPY WRITING!!!