Components of a Main Body Paragraph
Each main body paragraph should make an argument. (This doesn’t mean that you have to argue.
Arguments are made up of premises, which are supported by explanations/ reasoning, aimed at convincing the reader of a particular viewpoint or conclusion.
Premises are statements or claims that support a certain argument or point of view.
Your premise is your lynchpin
When you present a premise, you are claiming that something is true or indeed the case. Not only that, you are asking the examiner to accept these claims as true, based on reasons you have that are so valid, logical or acceptable that they are completely convinced, or at the very least, can accept as reasonable.
Reasoning/ explanations support your premises.
They provide rationale to connect your premise to the conclusion or the argument. They could be viewed as the ‘why‘ or ‘how‘.
- Premise: We should invest in renewable energy because burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming.
- Reasoning: When burned, they produce greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, which trap heat in the atmosphere.
In this example, the reasoning provided further explains the premise.
Counterarguments
Counterarguments can also be used as part of your reasoning. They can support your premise by challenging the the validity, logic, or reasonableness of the alternative.
- Premise: We should invest in renewable energy because burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming.
- Reasoning: Renewable energy, on the other hand, does not create greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.
Examples
Examples can be used as part of your reasoning too. They can strengthen your premise and or explanation/ reasoning by providing evidence or supportive ideas.
- Premise: We should invest in renewable energy because burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming.
- Reasoning: Renewable energy does not create greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.
- Example: Scandinavian countries, for example, have dramatically reduced their carbon footprint by switching to biofuels, solar, wind and hydroelectric energy.
Students often think they are not achieving their desired score because of their vocabulary or grammar score, but in most cases, their task response is actually low and the reason they are stuck.
Here are some common mistakes you may be making:
1. Not actually having a premise
Remember that having a premise is not just agreeing or disagreeing with the question’s statements. And it’s not just blabbing about nothing. You must make a strong and logical point.
Let’s look at an example:
Question: “In numerous nations, there is a growing trend for individuals to frequently discuss financial matters, such as their earnings or expenditures, in everyday conversation. What are the reasons behind this phenomenon? Is it advantageous or detrimental?”
Student’s Main Body Paragraphs:
There are many reasons why people today share how much they earn or their budgets with close friends or family. In China, it is quite a common practice. Many uncles and aunts frequently ask their nephews and nieces how much they earn at Chinese New Year when the family all gather together. Friends also share this information with each other, and this is usually when they get their first jobs.
It is certainly detrimental for young people. You should keep this knowledge to yourself and not share it with friends or family even when they ask nicely. It is ok to talk about the topic of money, but your own finances should be kept to yourself. For example, my aunt asked me how much I earn when I got my first job, but I told her that I do not feel comfortable talking about these types of matters. She respected my opinion, and everything was ok.
Analysis: Notice that the student starts each paragraph by addressing the questions (the reasons for the trend of people talking about finances and whether or not this is good or bad), BUT then never actually provides a premise. Instead, they just make statements.
So, what would a premise look like?
Exercise 1: Complete the quiz by choosing the options that actually provide a premise.
2. Providing a premise WITHOUT providing Explanation/ reasoning
You must provide an explanation/ reasoning in order convince the reader that your premise is indeed true, valid or reasonable. Let’s look at an example using the same question.
Question: “In numerous nations, there is a growing trend for individuals to frequently discuss financial matters, such as their earnings or expenditures, in everyday conversation. What are the reasons behind this phenomenon? Is it advantageous or detrimental?”
Student’s Main Body Paragraphs:
The main causes for this trend are due to the economic uncertainty today and the prevalence of social media. Talking about budgets and salaries is therefore expected. It is no wonder that people are sharing ideas and helping each other out with regard to their finances. They are even putting their money together to buy assets such as houses, stocks or businesses.
This trend is positive because it promotes equality and fairness in the workplace as well as helping people to save more money. I think it is honestly a great thing. The world has come a long way in making the world more fair, and this is another super way to do this for the future. Additionally, people will have so much more money by discussing these matters such as budgets, salaries and so on. For instance, my parents often talk to their friends about this topic and they are doing well financially.
Analysis: The student provides good premises in the first sentences of both paragraphs (Reasons: Economic uncertainty & Social media, Beneficial or Harmful: Promotes equality and fairness & helps people save money), BUT then makes unconnected statements for the rest of the paragraphs that do not provide reasoning/ explanations for these premises.
So, what would a premise plus an explanation/ reasoning look like?
Exercise 2: Complete the quiz by choosing the options that provide premises and give explanations/reasoning.
3. Not directly answering the question
You may be making a good premise and providing a logical explanation/ reasoning, but in fact they are totally off-topic and answering something that you were not asked about.
Let’s look at an example once again using the same question.
Question: “In numerous nations, there is a growing trend for individuals to frequently discuss financial matters, such as their earnings or expenditures, in everyday conversation. What are the reasons behind this phenomenon? Is it advantageous or detrimental?”
Student’s Main Body Paragraphs:
People today are currently struggling economically because of two main reasons. Firstly, the cost of living is higher than ever. Things like rent and groceries are double or even triple what they were ten years ago. The second cause of this financial struggle is that salaries are low. Even though expenses have increased, salaries have not been adjusted to help people cope.
Fortunately, there are a number of things that can be done to combat this. The first major way is to bring down inflation. Doing this would bring down the cost of goods and services and therefore cut the overall expenses for the average person. As a result, people would save more money and feel less stressed about their finances. Secondly, the state could implement legislation to raise salaries. Doing so would give people extra money to go towards either paying for their expenses or into their savings and investment portfolio.
Analysis: The student provides a premise with reasoning/ explanations in both paragraphs, BUT they are not directly answering the questions that have been asked. Instead of giving the reasons for why there is a growing trend of discussing financial matters, they explain why people are struggling economically. Instead of answering whether this trend of discussing whether this trend of discussing financial topics is beneficial or detrimental, they explain what can be done to solve the issue of people struggling financially.
So, let’s find premises with explanations/ reasoning which directly answer the question!
Exercise 3: Complete the quiz by choosing the options that provide premises and give explanations/reasoning directly answering the question and not going off-topic.
So, make sure you think critically and plan carefully!
Illustrating the Argument, Premise, Explanation/ Reasoning & Examples/ Evidence
Using the idea of a tree, you can visualise how each of these parts connect together.
- The trunk is your argument, and it is what your whole paragraph is about, and after reading it, you hope the examiner will accept your conclusion as true, acceptable or reasonable.
- The main branches are your premises ( your claims or main points), which must be strong.
- The smaller branches are your explanations or reasoning, where you communicate the logic behind your premise.
- Finally, the twigs, or perhaps you can imagine leaves, are the evidence or examples that you can use to illustrate and strengthen your explanation/ reasoning.
Different Structures of Main Body Paragraphs- Should we always write the premise first?
1) Deductive Structure
- Premise-> Explanation/ reasoning -> Example/ Evidence
- Most direct and reader-friendly approach
If we put our argument about job satisfaction into a main body paragraph with a deductive structure, it looks something like this:
“The first reason why job satisfaction is more important than having a higher salary is that it contributes more to personal happiness. While career contentment provides a sense of purpose and can build self-esteem, having only a high salary without enjoying your job can have a negative effect on a person’s life, often causing stress, frustration and even burnout. Teachers, for instance, not only feel happy for their students when they pass their tests but also get a sense of accomplishment for helping them. “
It is the best structure for most students because it reduces the chance of the students forgetting to provide a premise, which is crucial, and it is also an intuitive structure to use. It also makes it very clear for an examiner to read and follow. However, as students become more skilled and confident, they can learn the other structures, which can help to vary their sentence structure.
But is also possible to rearrange the sentences if we need.
2) Premise in the middle
- Explanation/ reasoning-> Premise -> Example/ Evidence
- Begins with context, background, or an example before introducing the main premise
- Engages the reader/ Sets up a more persuasive argument
This is where you put the premise in the middle.
“While career contentment provides a sense of purpose and can build self-esteem, having only a high salary without enjoying your job can have a negative effect on a person’s life, often causing stress, frustration and even burnout. Therefore, job satisfaction is more important than having a higher salary as it contributes more to personal happiness. Teachers, for instance, not only feel happy for their students when they pass their tests but also get a sense of accomplishment for helping them.“
3) Inductive Structure
- Example/ Evidence -> Explanation/ reasoning-> Premise
- Begins with evidence, examples or reasoning first
- Finishes with the premise as the logical conclusion
Finally, the where the premise can be added at the end, this is called an inductive structure.
“Teaching is a profession which does not typically have a high salary but it well known that educators derive happiness from their students, especially feeling proud when they pass their tests as they get a sense of accomplishment for helping them. While career contentment provides a sense of purpose and can build self-esteem, having only a high salary without enjoying your job can have a negative effect on a person’s life, often causing stress, frustration and even burnout. Therefore, job satisfaction is more important than having a higher salary as it contributes more to personal happiness.“
Providing Examples/ Evidence
1) Examples/ evidence don’t always have to be Split into separate sentences
Look at the following example:
Question: Some people think that cities are the best places to live. Others prefer to live in rural areas. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Answer: Cities are better to live in because of the amenities available. Cities offer a wide range of facilities, such as hospitals, schools, entertainment options, and shopping centres, which may not be as readily available in rural areas.
Let’s break it down:
- Premise: Cities are better to live in because of the amenities available.
- Explanation/ Reasoning: Cities offer a wide range of facilities, which may not be as readily available in rural areas.
- Example/ Evidence: such as hospitals, schools, entertainment options, and shopping centres.
This organisation is especially useful when you have a number of premises which you want to mention in your main body paragraph.
2) Not all premises require an example/ evidence
Sometimes the premise and/ or explanation are sufficient, and providing an example is unnecessary. They are self-evident. Consider the following:
Question: Some people say it is more important to plant trees in the open spaces in towns and cities than to build more housing. To what extant do you agree or disagree?
Answer: Planting trees in urban areas are more important because they improve the air quality. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which directly benefits the atmosphere.
- Premise: Trees should be planted because they improve the air quality.
- Explanation/ Reasoning: They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which directly benefits the atmosphere.
After providing the explanation/ reasoning, we can’t exactly give an example of this. It is inherently obvious or apparent, requiring no further proof or demonstration because its truth is immediately recognisable.
Exercise 4: Quiz- Argument, Premise, Explanation/ Reasoning & Examples/ Evidence
Other Methods of Reasoning
1) Cause and Effect Reasoning
In this type of reasoning, you prove the validity of your premise by showing the knock-on effect it has. Essentially the domino effect.
Question: Around the world, rural people are moving to cities and urban areas. What problems does this cause?
Answer: One issue which could be caused by urbanisation is overpopulation, which can lead to its own set of challenges. For instance, this will mean the demand for housing will outpace the supply, which will push prices up and create a shortage of affordable housing.
In this answer, the premise is strengthened each time an effect is explained and shown to create another issue.
Here you can see 1 premise and 3 problems. Presenting these 3 problems are all used to support the premise (that urbanisation causes overpopulation, which leads to more problems).
- Premise: One issue which could be caused by urbanisation is overpopulation, which could lead to its own set of challenges.
- Problem 1: The demand for housing will outpace the supply
- Problem 2: which will push prices up
- Problem 3: and create a shortage of affordable housing.
As a result of a premise that then digs deeper and explains the knock-on effects, the reader can come to a conclusion.
This is not the same as having many ideas that have not been expanded upon, which is not advised. That would look something like this:
One issue which could be caused by urbanisation is overpopulation. Also, the demand for housing will outpace the supply. The prices will go up as well. Additionally, there will be a shortage of affordable housing.
This answer hasn’t been presented to show a knock-on effect, but instead just adds new ideas without connection.
Common Linking:
For a causal argument, we often use linking like: this means that, this causes, this results in, as a result, in turn, as a consequence, this leads to etc.
2) Hypothetical Reasoning/ Extrapolation
In this type of reasoning, you imagine the potential outcomes or effects of a specific action or to justify a premise.
These are essentially conditional sentences. Let’s look at an example:
E.g. If you eat McDonald’s every meal, every day, you will probably get fat.
When we present this type of reasoning, we should consider and state its degree of probability. Is it highly likely, probable, possible, unlikely etc?
To show this, we can use modal verbs and other words too. E.g. Would, might, may, could, likely to.. etc.
3) Contrastive Reasoning
This is a method where the writer shows the merit of their argument by investigating the contrasting or opposite argument. The objective is to show that your argument is more valid, reasonable or acceptable than the one you explore.
Let’s look at an example. First, look at the classic direct reasoning, then notice how we change it into contrast reasoning.
Direct reasoning
We should invest more in renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. Renewable energy sources like wind and solar are sustainable, clean, and critical to our future.
Contrast reasoning
Imagine if we do not invest in renewable energy. Our reliance on fossil fuels will continue to drive carbon emissions up to dangerous levels, resulting in worsening climate change, more extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and devastating impacts on ecosystems and human communities. The cost of inaction will far outweigh the investment needed now.
You see, both are correct. Understanding both ways of arguing help us to be more flexible in the exam and also to strengthen our argument.
Note some vocabulary often used for contrast reasoning: if, but, in contrast, by contrast, however, nonetheless, nevertheless, while, whereas, although, despite, in spite of, on the contrary, on the other hand, conversely, instead, alternatively, in contrast to, as opposed to, unlike, different from, in comparison to, compared with, if we look at the opposite scenario.
Exercise 5: Quiz- Cause and Effect, Hypothetical/ Extrapolation & Contrastive Reasoning
How Many Premises Should You Have Per Paragraph?
There is no fixed limit to the number of premises you can have per paragraph, but the ideal number depends on clarity, coherence, and the complexity of the argument. Having said that though, typically 1 or 2 is best and 3 can be ok but anything more than that and you simply aren’t able to cover these premises well.
Observe the following main body paragraphs which include 1, 2 and 3 premises. In this example, each shows 1 main body paragraph of around 140 words. This is an amount that a very skilled writer can reach, but students who are aiming for band 6 and 7 can get their score having 90-100 words per main body paragraph.
Therefore, understand that with:
- 1 premise, you would have roughly 90 words per body paragraph.
- 2 premises, you would have roughly 45 words each per body paragraph.
- 3 premises, you would have roughly 30 words each per body paragraph.
