Body Paragraphs and Topic Sentences

Topic Sentence

A sentence that begins a paragraph, stating what the paragraph will be about.

Supporting Examples

Quotes and paraphrased information that support the topic sentence and prove the thesis statement.

Explanation

A part that digs deeper to explain the connection between the topic sentence and the evidence.

Transition

A statement used to connect one topic to the next in writing or to conclude a paragraph.

Thesis Statement

A single sentence located at the end of the introductory paragraph that expresses the main idea of the essay.

Good Topic Sentence

A precise, declarative sentence that conveys the main idea without vagueness or unrelated information.

Poor Topic Sentence

A vague or overly broad statement that includes unrelated facts, quotes, or phrases indicating what the paragraph will be about.

Supporting Example

An example that is relevant and adds value to the argument in the paragraph.

Poor Supporting Example

An example that is irrelevant or does not effectively support the argument.

Concluding Statement

A sentence that wraps up the body paragraph when completing the last point.