Short on time? This page is the recap. For explanations and worked examples, use the full study guide.
Recap
- Body paragraphs make claims, support them with evidence and provide commentary.
- Commentary explains how the paragraph contributes to the reasoning of the argument.
- A line of reasoning is the progression of claims by which a writer reaches the thesis.
- In reading, describe the line of reasoning and say whether it supports the thesis. In writing, develop a line of reasoning and use commentary to explain it.
Key relationships
| Part | Test |
|---|---|
| Claim | Could a reader disagree? Is it tied to the thesis? |
| Evidence | Could a reader check it? Is it specific? |
| Commentary | Does it say what the evidence shows and why that matters? |
| Link | Does the last sentence advance the argument? |
| Commentary move | Sentence starter |
|---|---|
| Explain | “This matters because…” |
| Interpret | “The word X suggests…” |
| Connect | “This is one reason that…” |
| Qualify | “Although this does not prove…, it suggests…” |
Assumptions and conventions
- One main claim per paragraph.
- The topic sentence need not be first, but the claim must be clear.
- Commentary may come between pieces of evidence.
- In a timed essay, aim for evidence and commentary in roughly equal measure.
Mistakes to avoid
- Listing evidence with no commentary.
- Commentary that only says “this shows my point”.
- A claim that does not connect to the thesis.
- Two main ideas in one paragraph.
- Restating the topic sentence at the end instead of advancing the argument.
- Describing a line of reasoning as a list of topics (instead of connected claims).
- Ignoring whether the line of reasoning supports the thesis in a reading question.
Worked mini-example
Thesis: a school should fund a garden because it teaches patience and responsibility.
Paragraph: “A school garden teaches patience. At one primary school, pupils plant beans in April and wait eleven weeks for the first pods. During that wait they ask why the leaves yellow and when lunch will taste different. These questions show a child’s attention attached to a process that cannot be hurried, which is what patience means in practice. A school that values patience should therefore value the garden.”
Claim (sentence 1), evidence (sentences 2 and 3), commentary (sentence 4), link (sentence 5).
On the exam
On the writing questions, look for the sentence that adds commentary or a link to the thesis. On the essay, check that every paragraph has all of its parts and that the commentary does most of the work.
Quick self-check
- Name the three parts of a body paragraph. (Claim, evidence, commentary.)
- What is wrong with “This shows that the claim is true” as commentary? (It does not explain how or why.)
- In a three-paragraph argument, what does “line of reasoning” refer to? (The sequence of claims and how they connect to the thesis.)
Next: practice questions.