EXPOSITORY ESSAY

Developing The Body Paragraphs

The Tasty Middle

The body paragraph’s structure may
remind you of a certain food.

Just as you may add

Transition Sentence lettuce, tomato, cheese,
onions, and pickles to a
burger to spice it up or
add flavor, you need to
add flavor to your
body paragraphs
through elaboration.
Importance of Elaboration
The most important part of the Writing test essay is
the component of support. In order for you to score
well, you must fully elaborate on two
ideas.

As you write, think of the reader as saying, “Tell

me more!”

The reader should have no more questions after

reading the paragraph.
 What Is Elaboration
Elaboration is the process of developing ideas by
providing supporting details. Elaboration means to
tell the reader more about an idea using:
• Specific words-adjectives, vivid words, examples
• Onion-like layering of detail

A writer elaborates on his or her ideas so that a

reader will understand more clearly what he or she is
saying.
Ways to Elaborate
You can elaborate by adding:
From the Sources:
• Facts
• Reasons
• Incidents/anecdotes
• Examples/expert testimony (quote)
• Statistics-numerical value for findings
e.g. 1 out 10 teenage girls gets
pregnant before the age of 19.
• Sensory details
 FACTS – are pieces of information that can
be proven to be true.

(On the writing test, students can make up facts!)

The high school
dropout rate in the
US increases each
year (Smith, 2014).
REASONS – are pieces of information that
help support your thesis statement.

Students who do not

earn good grades
have a tendency to
give up (Hanes, 2014).
 Using Anecdotes to Elaborate
INCIDENTS/ANECDOTES - An incident, also called an anecdote, is a
short narrative inserted into an essay that develops an idea or
argument. An incident might be introduced
by:
• For instance…
Smith’s (2014) argued that •Once…
“most mechanically gifted • According to…
people dropped out of •Name (year) argued that..
school”. •Name (year) suggested that..
 EXAMPLES – are cases or instances of something
that provides more specific information about an
idea.
Students have way too much homework. An example might be
Many students claim that they cannot introduced by:
possibly get it done. For example,
teachers made students read a whole • For example,
chapter, write out answers to the • For instance,
chapter questions (in complete
sentences yet). Students are stressed
with the number of hours it took to
complete the assignments (Jones, 2010).
Another example is many English
teachers in high school assign students
to read books in short period of time
and write summaries and reflection
papers (Urvin, 2012).
 EXPERT TESTIMONY/QUOTATIONS –
are words someone says that can help
support your idea or argument.
Using someone's exact
words makes the writing
“School sucks. I don’t need
any more school” (Vinh,
realistic and believable.
2012).
STATISTICS - are facts that
involve numbers.
Out of every 100 ninth
graders, only 70 will
finish high school (Smith,
2012).

(On the writing test, get

statistics from the sources.
SENSORY DETAILS – are words that appeal to the
five senses. These details show the reader how
something looks, sounds, smells, tastes, and feels.

The unpleasant smell of

musty old books always
reminds me of school.
 By moving your details from bare to elaborated, you
utilize the technique of “showing” the reader what you
want them to know versus “telling” them.

• Telling is to provide a general statement that lacks the

visual clarity.

• Showing is the use of specific details that makes the

image the writer is presenting much more vivid and alive
– to create a picture in the reader’s mind.
 Showing vs. Telling Example

Telling Showing
Today is a great day. The sparkling sun is shining
and breakfast is my favorite-
- waffles, drenched with
strawberries and whipped
cream! My 100% math
paper is stuck to the front of
the fridge. I feel a win
coming, with me as the hero,
at today’s game.
 Transition Sentence

Now let’s take a closer

look at the supporting
detail sentences.
 BARE

Transition Sentence

The transition sentence, the first sentence in your

expository body paragraph, it should be one of the
reasons mentioned in your thesis statement to help support
your opinion.
 EXTEND

The first supporting detail sentence in your expository

body paragraph should be an example used to further
explain the reason provided in the transition sentence.
 LAYER

The second supporting detail sentence in your expository

body paragraph should be a quote or a sensory detail
that further explains the transition sentence.
 Important Tips About Quotes
(a) The words said should be placed in quotation marks like
these: " “

(b) The reader should know exactly who said the quote.
If you write something like: Famous scientists say, "Nuclear
weapons should be banned," the exact speaker is still unknown
(which famous scientists?). It does not make your point clear and
strong - in fact it does the opposite, it makes your writing weaker.
It seems like you just invented this idea, not a scientist.
If you write: Albert Einstein said, "Nuclear weapons should be
banned." it is a real quote because we know who said it and
what he said.
 ELABORATE

The third supporting detail sentence in your expository

body paragraph should be an anecdote/incident that
further explains the transition sentence.
The concluding sentence, the last sentence in your
expository body paragraph, should refer back to the
transition sentence and bring a logical conclusion to the
body paragraph.
 Example

Thesis Statement: The biggest change students experience

when transitioning from elementary to middle school is the
need to be more responsible with managing time and
choosing friends.
Body Paragraph 1 Transition
To begin with, the move from elementary to Sentence
middle school required students to be more (Reason)
responsible with time management. For instance,
between the changing from one period to the next, Supporting Detail 1
it usually allows five minutes to use the restroom, (Example)
drink water, and speak to friends before the tardy
bell would ring; this required real time
management because students do not want to be Supporting Detail 2
late to any classes (Turman, 2011). The thought of (Sensory Detail)
being reprimanded because of not being on time
to class would twist a student’s stomach into knots.
Smith (2012) recalled his first day of middle Supporting Detail 3
school, sitting in his first period Geography class as (Incident)
his teacher went over the rules and consequences,
and the third rule spoke of punctuality; the
consequence for being tardy was a DETENTION!
Concluding Sentence
Clearly, studets have to be responsible and
manage their time accordingly between the bells so
as not to obtain a detention and be on a bad list.
Body Paragraph 2
Transition
In addition, the change from elementary to middle Sentence
school requires students to be more responsible with (Reason)
selection of friends. For example, in middle school the
kids are not as genuine because they are so Supporting Detail 1
concerned with being popular; they would do next to (Example)
anything to fit in, so students have to be careful with
who they choose to hang around and put my trust in
(Mitchell, 2009). Moreover, “Some kids do the Supporting Detail 2
unimaginable just to be a part of the popular crowd.” (Quote)
(Palor, 2010). For instance, two students named Kevin
Jerkins and Carl Smith died in a car chase running
from the police! Apparently, Kevin and Carl were Supporting Detail 3
trying to impress some eighth graders who were (Incident)
known trouble makers by stealing a car (Keller,
2010). In short, students need to be wise with choice
of friends so as not to end up in situations that may Concluding Sentence
prove harmful or impede my success in school.
Remember to elaborate when writing your body
paragraphs in order to make them clear and/or
convincing to the reader of your essay.

If you write in bare statements the reader will not

fully understand your thesis, and your essay will
read as a lot of words with no meaning.