After the introduction, the body of an essay does the work. Each body paragraph is a paragraph like the ones you built with supporting details, with one more job: it ties back to the thesis.
Key idea
A body paragraph has a topic sentence tied to the thesis, evidence, commentary that explains how the evidence supports the point, and often a link to what comes next.
Why it works
Evidence doesn’t speak for itself. The reader needs you to say what the evidence shows and why it matters for your thesis. Purdue OWL’s guide to body paragraphs puts the explanation at the heart of the paragraph: the writer, not the source, makes the argument.
Worked example: Add the commentary
Topic sentence: “Trees on Main Street would help local shops.” Evidence (invented for practice): “In a survey of shoppers, most said they would stay longer on a street with shade trees.” What comes next?
- Ask: so what? What does the study show about our street?
- Link it to the claim: more time on the street means more time in the shops.
Answer: “If shoppers stay longer on a shady Main Street, they have more time to stop in and buy something.”
Worked example: Tie it to the thesis
Thesis: “Our school should start a composting program.” Which topic sentence fits a body paragraph? (a) “Composting teaches science.” (b) “Worms are interesting animals.”
- (a) gives a reason for the program, so it supports the thesis.
- (b) is about worms in general; it doesn’t say why the school should compost.
Answer: (a).
Common mistake
Dropping in evidence without explaining how it supports the point. Check each paragraph: after every piece of evidence, is there at least one sentence of your own that answers “so what?” If the paragraph ends on a quotation or a number, it is probably missing its commentary.
The school and the survey in these examples are invented for practice. In your essays, name and cite every study and survey you use.