The

Body Paragraph
Body Paragraphs consist of:

• Topic sentence
• Supporting sentences
• Concluding sentence (optional)
 Topic sentence
• Focus on just ONE main idea
• However, ensure that a topic sentence is not too narrow (i.e. allow it to
be general enough to carry enough supporting detail and supporting
sentences)
• For instance:
Attending tuition lessons Attending tuition lessons
allows one to make more allows one to widen his or
friends her social circle

Too narrow – how would you Broad enough to elaborate

elaborate?
 SUPPORTING SENTENCES
• WHERE? Directly underneath the Topic Sentence, before the
concluding sentence

• HOW? Several sentences that are well- connected to each

other, well-connected to TOPIC SENTENCE

• FUNCTION? STRENGTHEN & SUPPORT main point by providing

evidence /proof / elaboration / examples
Supporting sentences
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
Good supporting details explain well... (provide reasons)

Example:
• Many families move from the village to the city for economic reasons.
It is now getting harder and harder to make ends meet in rural
areas….(+more supporting sentences)
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
Good supporting details describe vividly…

Example:
• There was a time when people felt threatened by crime and violence.
Lee (2006) reported that fear made it difficult to trust anyone and
even caused an atmosphere of hostility among the closest of
neighbours. ….(+more supporting sentences)
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
Good supporting details give valid facts…

Example:
• The university has seen a significant growth in the cultural and
national diversity of students. More than ten per cent of the
university student population is international. This is expected to
increase by at least 1.5 percent in the next two years (Helsen,
2009). ….(+more supporting sentences)
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
Good supporting details give accurate examples

Example:
• Anger can be an intense emotion in a child. As reported by Mecks
(2000), an example of a situation which might cause a child to react in
anger is when he or she watches a peer destroying a brand new toy of
his or hers.
Concluding sentence (Optional)
• Transition signals:
e.g. therefore / thus / hence / in short / in brief, etc.

• To summarise or paraphrase the main idea (topic sentence)

e.g. In short, joining tuition could help students to spend their free
time wisely.
Remember to ONLY include RELEVANT IDEAS / DETAILS in your
paragraphs
Also remember the basic tools to achieving Coherence
Accurate use of
Repeating Consistent Accurate use
transition markers
important use of of
/ indicator words /
nouns pronouns punctuation
conjunctions