1. Writing is Thinking
Body Paragraphs

2. Body Paragraph Construction
Topic Sentence

3. Body Paragraph Construction
Sentence #1 – Topic Sentence – TS
Sentence #2 – Context (Lead-In) - CON
Sentence #3 - Concrete Detail #1 – CD1
Sentence #4 – Commentary #1 – CM1
Sentence #5 – Commentary #2 – CM2
Sentence #6 – Transitional Phrase and Context (Lead-In) - TC
Sentence #7 - Concrete Detail #2 –CD2
Sentence #8 – Commentary #1 - CM1
Sentence #9 – Commentary #2 – CM2
Sentence #10 – Closing Sentence/Transition - TRANS

4. Topic Sentence – TS
The topic sentence expresses the main idea of the paragraph.
The topic sentence is always the first sentence of the body paragraph.
Your topic sentence should include information from your thesis statement.

5. Context - CON
Context is a brief summary that is used to introduce your concrete
detail. Context includes the important background information
that leads-in to your concrete detail. Good context will include will
answer the following questions:
Who - Who is speaking and who is he/she speaking to?
Where - Where is the dialogue/action taking place?
When – When is the dialogue/action taking place?
For non-fiction, state the year the passage was written or spoken
For fiction state the year the story takes place and, if it is important, the age of the speaker.
What – What event(s) lead to this dialogue/action?

6. Concrete Detail - CD
A concrete detail is evidence that is used to prove your idea. In this class, your concrete detail will always be the direct quotation of a passage.

7. Commentary – (CM)
Commentary is your analysis of the concrete detail. Commentary explains why the concrete detail is significant.
Your first sentence of commentary explains why the CD supports the subject and argument of your topic sentence.
Your second sentence of commentary explains why the CD supports the focus of your topic sentence.