Deconstructing the

Expository Body Paragraph

Overview of Body Paragraph

1. Topic sentence (relates to thesis)
2. Introduce H.E.L.P. example
3. Give details (who, what, when, where, why
and how) of H.E.L.P. example using an
appropriate structure
4.HOW H.E.L.P. example relates to thesis

Prompt + Thesis Statement

Prompt:
Write an essay explaining whether failure has a negative or positive effect on
a person.
Turned into question:
How does failure have a positive effect on someone?
Created thesis statement:
Failure has a positive effect on a person because it helps you grow.
Revised thesis statement:
Failure absolutely has a positive impact on a person because it helps one to
grow into a successful human being.

Topic Sentence
A topic sentence:
is located in the first sentence of a body paragraph
explains the main idea of the paragraph
Includes a transition word or phrase

When creating a
opic sentence ask yourself:
What is my body paragraph about

Example #1 of Topic Sentence

In order to be drafted into the N.B.A., one must be successful in
the art of basketball. Michael Jordan is one of the most wellknown N.B.A. players of all-time because he crafted his
skill in basketball. However, Jordan was not successful
immediately. Jordan initially trained to try-out for his high
school basketball team and was cut! He persevered
through this failure, and made the basketball team the
following year. He then continued to practice his skill, and
was granted a college scholarship. Jordan went on to
become the household name America has grown to know by
being drafted into the N.B.A. None of this however, would
have been possible had he not grown from his fi rst failure

Example #2 of Topic Sentence

Unfortunately for Michael Jordan, success did not come easy.
Michael Jordan became a household name across America
through his earned success in the N.B.A. Jordan had a
passion for basketball from a young age, but was initially
cut from his high school basketball team. This caused
Jordan to become determined and to grow his vocabulary
in the game of basketball. He practiced for an entire year
and by the following season, Jordans failure had turned
him into a success! He was a starter on his high school
basketball team. The original failure of being cut propelled
Jordans career into the N.B.A. by forcing him to grow as a
basketball star.

Example #3 of Topic Sentence

For some, the sour taste of failure is only a minor set back.
Michael Jordan is one of the best known athletes of all
time when it comes to the sport of basketball. The only
problem was that Jordan was initially cut from his high
school basketball team. Jordan couldnt let this failure
defeat him; he absolutely needed a solution. Therefore,
Jordan had to grow his vocabulary in the game of
basketball. He practiced for an entire year and by the
following season, Jordans failure had turned him into a
success! He was a starter on his high school basketball
team. The original failure of being cut propelled Jordans
career into the N.B.A. by forcing him to grow as a person

Relevant H.E.L.P. Example

Remember
H.E.L.P. :
History
Events
Literature

When choosing a
H.E.L.P. example
ask yourself:
How does this
support my
thesis?

Examples of Relevant H.E.L.P.

Example
Revised thesis
statement:
Failure absolutely has a
positive impact on a
person because it
helps one to grow into
a successful human
being.

Examples of Relevant H.E.L.P.

Example
HISTORY

EVENTS

LITERATURE

POPULAR CULTURE

Albert Einstein

Boston Marathon

Tris from Divergent

Eminem

Walt Disney

The Holocaust

Katniss from Hunger

Games

Percy Jackson/ Sally

Jackson

YOU come up with!

YOU come up with!

YOU come up with!

YOU come up with!

Revised thesis statement:

Failure absolutely has a positive impact on a person because it helps one to grow into a successful
human being.

Introduction of H.E.L.P. Example

An introduction:
Is usually the second sentence in the body paragraph
explains to the reader who or what the H.E.L.P. example is
Assume your reader has no idea what you are talking about!

When creating an introduction

for your H.E.L.P. example ask
yourself:
Who or what is my H.E.L.P.

Example #1
Introduction of H.E.L.P. Example

In order to be drafted into the N.B.A., one must be successful in

the art of basketball. Michael Jordan is one of the most wellknown N.B.A. players of all-time because he crafted his skill in
basketball. However, Jordan was not successful immediately.
Jordan initially trained to try-out for his high school basketball
team and was cut! He persevered through this failure, and made
the basketball team the following year. He then continued to
practice his skill, and was granted a college scholarship. Jordan
went on to become the household name America has grown to
know by being drafted into the N.B.A. None of this however,
would have been possible had he not grown from his fi rst
failure back in high school.

Example #2
Introduction of H.E.L.P. Example

Unfortunately for Michael Jordan, success did not come easy.

Michael Jordan became a household name across America
through his earned success in the N.B.A. Jordan had a passion for
basketball from a young age, but was initially cut from his high
school basketball team. This caused Jordan to become
determined and to grow his vocabulary in the game of basketball.
He practiced for an entire year and by the following season,
Jordans failure had turned him into a success! He was a starter
on his high school basketball team. The original failure of
being cut propelled Jordans career into the N.B.A. by
forcing him to grow as a basketball star.

Example #3
Introduction of H.E.L.P. Example

For some, the sour taste of failure is only a minor set back.
Michael Jordan is one of the best known athletes of all time when
it comes to the sport of basketball. The only problem was that
Jordan was initially cut from his high school basketball team.
Jordan couldnt let this failure defeat him; he absolutely needed a
solution. Therefore, Jordan had to grow his vocabulary in the
game of basketball. He practiced for an entire year and by the
following season, Jordans failure had turned him into a success!
He was a starter on his high school basketball team. The
original failure of being cut propelled Jordans career into
the N.B.A. by forcing him to grow as a person in order to
taste the success he craved.

Details of H.E.L.P. Example

Michael Jordan

Who: Michael Jordan

What: Failure = cut from team
When: During high school
Where: America
Why: He needed to sharpen
skills

Examples of Details of H.E.L.P.

Example
Tris from Divergent
Who: Tris
What: Failed to save family
When: Upon discovery of controlling serum
Where: Dystopian Chicago
Why: Government was trying to eliminate
all Divergents
How: Through the aptitude test

Example
Katniss Everdeen from Hunger
Games

Who: Katniss Everdeen

What: Failed to save Rue
When: During the Hunger Games
Where: In the arena, in Dystopian Future America
Why: Katniss tried to take out
others supplies and left Rue alone
w: Katniss was gone and another tribute found R
and killed her

Connect H.E.L.P. to thesis

make the connection FOR YOUR READER! Dont assume theyll figure it
out on their own.
explain thoroughly HOW your example relates to your thesis

When creating a connection from your H.E.L.P.

example to your thesis statement ask yourself:
What is the connection I am trying to tell my

Example #1
H.E.L.P. Connection to Thesis
Statement
In order to be drafted into the N.B.A., one must be successful in
the art of basketball. Michael Jordan is one of the most wellknown N.B.A. players of all-time because he crafted his
skill in basketball. However, Jordan was not successful
immediately. Jordan initially trained to try-out for his high school
basketball team and was cut! He persevered through this failure,
and made the basketball team the following year. He then
continued to practice his skill, and was granted a college
scholarship. Jordan went on to become the household name
America has grown to know by being drafted into the N.B.A. None
of this however, would have been possible had he not grown from
his first failure back in high school.

Example #2
H.E.L.P. Connection to Thesis
Statement
Unfortunately for Michael Jordan, success did not come easy.
Michael Jordan became a household name across America
through his earned success in the N.B.A. Jordan had a
passion for basketball from a young age, but was initially cut
from his high school basketball team. This caused Jordan to
become determined and to grow his vocabulary in the game of
basketball. He practiced for an entire year and by the following
season, Jordans failure had turned him into a success! He was a
starter on his high school basketball team. The original failure of
being cut propelled Jordans career into the N.B.A. by forcing him
to grow as a basketball star.

Example #3
H.E.L.P. Connection to Thesis
Statement
For some, the sour taste of failure is only a minor set back.
Michael Jordan is one of the best known athletes of all
time when it comes to the sport of basketball. The only
problem was that Jordan was initially cut from his high school
basketball team. Jordan couldnt let this failure defeat him; he
absolutely needed a solution. Therefore, Jordan had to grow his
vocabulary in the game of basketball. He practiced for an entire
year and by the following season, Jordans failure had turned him
into a success! He was a starter on his high school basketball
team. The original failure of being cut propelled Jordans career
into the N.B.A. by forcing him to grow as a person in order to
taste the success he craved.

Lastly
Which structure is right for the
essay?

When considering structure

TELL yourself:
*USE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
(In other words, put the events in
order of what happened first.)

Sequence of Events #1
In order to be drafted into the N.B.A., one must be successful in
the art of basketball. Michael Jordan is one of the most wellknown N.B.A. players of all-time because he crafted his
skill in basketball. However, Jordan was not successful
immediately. Jordan initially trained to try-out for his high school
basketball team and was cut! He persevered through this failure,
and made the basketball team the following year. He then
continued to practice his skill, and was granted a college
scholarship. Jordan went on to become the household name
America has grown to know by being drafted into the N.B.A.
None of this however, would have been possible had he not
grown from his fi rst failure back in high school.

Sequence of Events #2
Unfortunately for Michael Jordan, success did not come easy.
Michael Jordan became a household name across America
through his earned success in the N.B.A. Jordan had a
passion for basketball from a young age, but was initially cut
from his high school basketball team. This caused Jordan to
become determined and to grow his vocabulary in the game of
basketball. He practiced for an entire year and by the following
season, Jordans failure had turned him into a success! He was a
starter on his high school basketball team. The original failure
of being cut propelled Jordans career into the N.B.A. by
forcing him to grow as a basketball star.

Sequence of Events #3
For some, the sour taste of failure is only a minor set back.
Michael Jordan is one of the best known athletes of all
time when it comes to the sport of basketball. The only
problem was that Jordan was initially cut from his high school
basketball team. Jordan couldnt let this failure defeat him; he
absolutely needed a solution. Therefore, Jordan had to grow his
vocabulary in the game of basketball. He practiced for an entire
year and by the following season, Jordans failure had turned him
into a success! He was a starter on his high school basketball
team. The original failure of being cut propelled Jordans
career into the N.B.A. by forcing him to grow as a person
in order to taste the success he craved.