Name:_________________________
4 Body Paragraph Planner
Introduction:
Hook:
Background Information:
Thesis Statement:
Body Paragraph #1:
Topic Sentence/Claim (TS):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Conclusion Sentence (CS):
Body Paragraph #2:
Topic Sentence/Claim (TS):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Conclusion Sentence (CS):
Body Paragraph #3:
Topic Sentence/Claim (TS):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Conclusion Sentence (CS):
Body Paragraph #4:
Topic Sentence/Claim (TS):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Concrete Detail (CD): Quotation or fact followed by citation
Commentary (CM):
Commentary (CM):
Conclusion Sentence (CS):
Conclusion:
Restated Thesis Statement:
Summary of main points and overall significance of your CM:
Clincher/Fade-Out:
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Thesis: Tells the reader exactly what will be discussed in your paper
TS: Focuses the reader’s attention on the topic for the paragraph (TS supports the thesis)
CD: Info pulled from a book/resource - fact, detail, example, description, support, evidence, quotation, paraphrase, statistic
CM: Explain how/why your CD backs up your TS (and thereby your thesis) - opinion, comment, insight, analysis, evaluation,
reflection, response
CS: Shows how all the CDs and CMs in the paragraph are linked together, leads to next topic
1 CD + 2 CM = 1 chunk (3 chunks per paragraph)
Do NOT use first person (“I”) since the reader already knows the paper is your opinion
Verb tense consistency (we use present “literary” tense when discussing literature)
Use MLA citations: direct quotation from a work you’ve already identified - follow with pg # (or the Act.scene.line(s) for
Shakespeare) in parentheses and period at the end of the natural sentence.
o Iago refers to the “green-eyed monster” (III.iii.166) in his conversation with Othello.
o In the Lord of the Flies, Ralph show his leadership skills when he insists the boys give “the conch to the next person
to speak” (31) in his quest to establish a democracy on the island.