Building Blocks of Writing The basics to good paragraph construction

Key Definitions Topic Sentence (TS): The first sentence of a body paragraph Aunt Ev keeps butting into the Kellers’ business, and she needs to stop being so nosy.

Concrete Detail (CD): Facts, Detail, Description, Passages from the text, etc. Aunt Ev keeps butting into the Kellers’ business, and she needs to stop being so nosy. For instance, she tells Kate and Keller, “Oh, I’ve a mind to take her up to Baltimore myself” (16).

Commentary (CM): Your opinion; an explanation about why the concrete details proves the topics sentence is true. Aunt Ev keeps butting into the Kellers’ business, and she needs to stop being so nosy. For instance, when the family argues about what to do for Helen, she tells Kate and Keller, “Oh, I’ve a mind to take her up to Baltimore myself” (16). Driving Helen up north is not her responsibility. She can’t stand watching other people make decisions that she disagrees with.

Concluding Sentence (CS): The last sentence of a body paragraph. It can be a summary, transition, or final thought. Aunt Ev keeps butting into the Kellers’ business, and she needs to stop being so nosy. For instance, when the family argues about what to do for Helen, she tells Kate and Keller, “Oh, I’ve a mind to take her up to Baltimore myself” (16). Driving Helen up north is not her responsibility. She can’t stand watching other people make decisions that she disagrees with. Aunt Ev’s meddling ways will one day get her in trouble with the family.

Directions 1.Select 4 colors. 2.In the 2 paragraphs provided, color the topic sentence (TS), concrete detail (CD), commentary (CM) and concluding sentence (CS).