Essay Body Paragraphs
Each paragraph in the main body develops one main idea from the thesis. A typical body paragraph has three components:
| Component | What it does |
|---|---|
| Topic sentence | states the paragraph's main idea (the most general sentence) |
| Supporting sentences | give details, facts, examples, statistics, and quotations |
| Concluding sentence | restates or rounds off the paragraph's idea |
The controlling idea is the part of the topic sentence that limits and directs what the paragraph will discuss — you find it in the topic sentence. The topic sentence matters to the writer (it keeps the paragraph focused and organised) and to the reader (it shows what to expect).
Types of support a paragraph might use: facts, examples, statistics, quotations from authorities, and specific details. For instance, the cars essay supports its pollution paragraph with a statistic: "transportation in the US accounts for 30% of all carbon dioxide production… with 60% of these emissions coming from cars and small trucks (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2018)."
Tip: The topic sentence is the most general sentence in the paragraph, not the most specific. The supporting sentences are the specific ones.
Common mistake: Believing the topic sentence is the most specific sentence — it is false; it is the most general. Also, the concluding sentence of a body paragraph may be left out when the idea flows straight into the next paragraph.
✏️ Test Yourself
1. The three components of a paragraph are topic sentence, supporting sentences, and ___ sentence.
2. "The topic sentence is the most specific sentence." True or false?
3. The controlling idea is found in the ___ sentence.
4. Facts, examples, statistics, and quotations are types of ___ .
📒 Words to learn
Meaning — characterized by extreme care and great effort
“He is being scrupulous now a days.”
Meaning — voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for something
“He did a charitable work as a penance”
Meaning — a sign of something about to happen
“He looked a portent before going to battle.”
Meaning — characterized by intense emotion
“That was an impassioned act by him.”
Meaning — confess one's faith in, or allegiance to
“He professes to be a communist.”