How to Write Body Paragraphs

 Essays typically have at least 3 body paragraphs.  Your essay will have 3 body paragraphs because you have 3 points in your thesis statement.  The order of body paragraphs follows the order of your thesis points. Body Paragraph Order

 Thesis Statement Example:  Ninth grade students should continue to read “The Gift of the Magi” because it effectively teaches the following short story elements: allusion, alliteration, and situational irony.  The first point in the thesis is that “The Gift of the Magi” effectively teaches the short story element allusion, so the first body paragraph will be about this topic. Body Paragraph Order

 The strongest body paragraphs follow this structure:  Topic sentence  Evidence  Analysis  Link sentence Body Paragraph Structure

 A Topic sentence is one sentence that starts with a transitional word or phrase and then introduces thesis point #1 as its topic.  Transitional words and phrases: Topic Sentence FirstNextHowever LastAlthoughNevertheless As a resultIn additionIn conclusion

 Thesis:  Ninth grade students should continue to read “The Gift of the Magi” because it effectively teaches the following short story elements: allusion, alliteration, and situational irony.  Thesis Point #1 = “Magi” teaches allusion.  Body Paragraph #1 Topic sentence:  First of all, “The Gift of the Magi” should be read by all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element allusion. Topic Sentence Example

 The Evidence portion of a body paragraph follows the Topic sentence.  To provide Evidence, you should have at least one example that proves that the Topic sentence is true.  Quotes from your selected short story are the best examples.  The Evidence section should be 2 to 4 sentences. Evidence

 Body Paragraph #1 Topic sentence:  First of all, “The Gift of the Magi” should be read all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element allusion.  Body Paragraph #1 Evidence:  O. Henry uses allusion at one point in the story when he states, “Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty’s jewels and gifts” (Henry 262). Evidence Example

 The Analysis comes directly after the Evidence part of your body paragraph.  An Analysis is an explanation of how your Evidence accomplishes proving the Topic sentence is true.  The Analysis should be 1 to 3 sentences in length. Analysis

 Body Paragraph #1 Topic sentence:  First of all, “The Gift of the Magi” should be read all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element allusion.  Body Paragraph #1 Evidence:  O. Henry uses allusion at one point in the story when he states, “Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty’s jewels and gifts” (Henry 262).  Body Paragraph #1 Analysis:  An allusion is a reference in a work of literature to a well-known character, place, or situation from literature, music, mythology, film, religion (especially the Bible), art, or history. In this example, O. Henry references the Queen of Sheba who is a character from the Bible. Analysis Example

 The Link sentence is last part of a body paragraph.  A Link sentence is a sentence that relates to this paragraph’s Topic sentence and also transitions to the next paragraph.  The Link sentence should be only one sentence. Link Sentence

 Body Paragraph #1 Topic sentence:  First of all, “The Gift of the Magi” should be read all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element allusion.  Thesis:  Ninth grade students should continue to read “The Gift of the Magi” because it effectively teaches the following short story elements: allusion, alliteration, and situational irony.  Body Paragraph #1 Link sentence:  “The Gift of the Magi” definitely teaches what an allusion is by referring to the Queen of Sheba, but it also teaches students about alliteration. Link Sentence Example

First of all, “The Gift of the Magi” should be read all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element allusion. O. Henry uses allusion at one point in the story when he states, “Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty’s jewels and gifts” (Henry 262). An allusion is a reference in a work of literature to a well-known character, place, or situation from literature, music, mythology, film, religion (especially the Bible), art, or history. In this example, O. Henry references the Queen of Sheba who is a character from the Bible. “The Gift of the Magi” definitely teaches what an allusion is by referring to the Queen of Sheba, but it also teaches students about alliteration. T.E.A.L. Body Paragraph