Essay Structure Body

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.

What Do These Sentences Do?• A Topic Sentence (controlling sentence of

each body paragraph) states what the paragraph is 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.

What Do These Sentences Do?• A Support Sentence (major supporting details)

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.

What Do These Sentences Do?• An Elaboration Sentence gives more specific

detail about a particular Support Sentence’s 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 people’s lives by performing lots of tricks or making people laugh because of the bizarre things they do.

What Do These Sentences Do?• An Elaboration Sentence gives more specific

detail about a particular Support Sentence’s 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.

What Do These Sentences Do?• An Elaboration Detail Sentence (minor supporting

details) gives more specific detail about a particular Elaboration Sentence’s 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 people’s 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 people’s blood pressure and help ease depression.

What Do These Sentences Do?• An Elaboration Detail Sentence (or Secondary Support)

gives more specific detail about a particular Elaboration Sentence’s 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.

Do These Sentences Look Familiar?• A Topic Sentence (TS) is something you’ve

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 you’ve

used. It is also called a Commentary or CM.• A Elaboration Detail Sentence (EDS) or

Secondary Support Sentence is also one you’ve written. It is also called a Commentary on the Commentary or CM/CM.

Schaeffer is Good Structure...

• We may be using some different terms, but the writing concept of supporting and elaborating remains the same…

• We’re just being a little looser in format…

• We’re just taking the training wheels off of the bicycles and riding free…

• Ooo Hoo…Tour de France - Here We Come!

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)

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.

What Do These Sentences Do?• A Concluding Sentence summarizes the

paragraph and often helps the reader move smoothly to the next paragraphFor Example:

• The Sugar Maple, Blue Spruce, and White Birch are three excellent trees to add to most people’s 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.

When these sentences are arranged appropriately,

they will form a well-written body paragraph.

Typical Sentence Arrangement for a Schaeffer or

Regular Body ParagraphTopic Sentence

Support Sentence

Elaboration Sentence

Elaboration Detail Sentence

Support Sentence

Elaboration Sentence

Elaboration Detail Sentence

Support Sentence

Elaboration Sentence

Elaboration Detail Sentence

Concluding Sentence

In Other Words...A body paragraph (MUST HAVE AT LEAST 5

SENTENCES) 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

1. Topic Sentence2. Support Sentence

3. Elaboration Sentence 4. Elaboration Sentence 5. Elaboration Detail

Sentence6. Support Sentence

7. Elaboration Sentence8. Elaboration Detail Sentence

9. Elaboration Detail Detail Sentence10. Support Sentence

11. Elaboration Sentence 13. Elaboration Sentence 12. Elaboration Detail Sentence 14. Elaboration Detail

Sentence15. Concluding Sentence

Example Pattern of Body Paragraph Development

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.

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.

A Closer Look at ChunksIn 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.

A Closer Look at ChunksThe 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 people’s 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.

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 people’s 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.

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 people’s 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 people’s blood pressure and help ease depression.

A second chunk explaining a second reason would follow this.

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 dog’s 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.

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?

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Here’s 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?

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.

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.