Writing 100
Books for Class
First Steps in Academic Writing (Second Edition)
ISBN 978-0-13-241488-3 |
Achieving TABE Success in Language
ISBN 0-07-704456-8 |
Other Books
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
Level 1 ISBN 978-0-13-199557-4 |
Introduction to Academic Writing
Level 3 ISBN 978-0-13-193395-8 |
Writing Academic English
Level 4 ISBN 978-0-13-152359-3 |
Editing and Revising Checklist
After you finish writing, use this checklist to help you edit and revise your writing.
- My paragraph/paper has a title.
- My paragraph/paragraphs are indented.
- My writing is double-spaced.
- I have a period, question mark, or exclamation point after every sentence.
- I used capital letters correctly.
- I checked my spelling.
- Every sentence has at least one Subject-Verb pair and expresses a complete thought.
- My paragraph/paragraphs being with a topic sentence and end with a concluding sentence.
- My topic sentence has both a topic and a controlling idea.
Day #1
- Paragraph - a group of sentences about the same topic
- Topic Sentence - names the topic and tells what the paragraph will explain
- Supporting Sentences - give examples or other details about the topic
- Concluding Sentence - repeats the topic sentence in a different way or summarize the main points
- Sentence - a group of words that contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought
- Complete Sentence - MUST HAVE a subject AND a predicate and MAKE SENSE
- Subject - names the person or thing that is doing something
- Predicate = tells what the subject is doing AND must have a verb
- Fragment - an incomplete sentence
HOMEWORK - Write a paragraph describing the classmate that you interviewed in class. Make sure you follow the format we talked about in class and three parts of a paragraph. Then, write another paragraph about yourself.
Day #2
- Check homework
- Was your information correct?
- Do you have the three parts of a paragraph?
- Is the format of your paper correct?
- Subject - tells who or what did something, is a noun or pronoun
- Verb - tells an action or state of being
- Linking Verb - connects the subject with the rest of the sentence (examples: be, become, look, feel, seem, smell, sound, taste)
- Object - receives the action of an action verb, is a noun or pronoun (To find the object, ask yourself "What?" after the action verb)
- The first word in a sentence.
- The pronoun I.
- Names of people and their titles. (But not a title without a name)
- Nationalities, languages, religions, and ethnic groups.
- Names of school courses with numbers.
- Specific places you could find on a map.
- Journal Entry - when you write in a notebook about your life and your thoughts
- Simple sentence - a sentence that has one subject-verb pair
- Pronouns - words used in place of nouns
- Personal pronouns - refer to people and are used in place of their names
- Number - If the pronoun refers to one person or thing, it is singular. If it refers to more that one person or things, it is plural.
- Gender - Pronouns that refer to males are masculine (he, him, his). Pronouns that refer to females are feminine (she, her, hers). Pronouns that refer to things or animals are neuter (it, its).
- Person - When speakers refer to themselves, they use first person pronouns. When speakers address someone else, they use second person pronouns. When speakers talk about other persons or things, they use third person pronouns.
- Nominative pronouns (Subject pronouns) - used as subjects of sentences and clauses (I, we, you, he, she, it, they)
- Objective pronouns (Object pronouns) - used as objects, can be found after verbs or after words such as for, to, or with (me, us, you, him, her, it, them)
- Possessive pronoun - shows ownership (my, mine, you, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs)
- First Steps in Academic Writing, page 15, practice 4 & 5, page 18, practice 7
- Journal - Spend 30 minutes writing about yourself. Introduce yourself to me (your teacher) by describing your childhood, hometown, family, education, work experience, etc.
Pronoun Practice
Circle the pronoun that completes each sentence correctly.
- The architect showed (we, us) the house plans.
- (He, Him) will conduct the orchestra tonight.
- Did you tell (she, her) the big news?
- If (they, them) are late, we will have to leave without them.
- Here are the pictures that (I, me) took on my vacation.
- Hand in your test to (he, him).
- Ayesha told (I, me) a good joke at lunch.
- Kit hopes that (we, us) can come to the party.
- The judge gave (he, him) another chance.
- (She, Her) wanted to go on the class field trip.
- Signs directed (they, them) to the door at the end of the hall.
- Julia taught (she, her) the secret handshake.
- Matt hoped that (I, me) would get the job.
- (They, Them) were the first guest to arrive.
- It seems to (we, us) that the mailman is coming later every day.
Underline the possessive pronoun in each sentence. Circle the word it refers to.
- Before the car drove off, I wrote down its license plate number.
- Kyle used his credit card to pay for the airline tickets.
- If the Wildcats score one more point, the game is theirs.
- On sunny days, I like to eat my lunch on the picnic tables in back.
- Ilene knows that someday the whole company will be hers.
6. Please give me _________________ library card.
7. Is that painting ____________________?
8. _______________ computer needs more memory.
9. It was ________________ idea to set up chairs in the boardroom.
10. The fence between the houses is _______________, not yours.
Day #3
- Conjunctions - words used to connect words or groups of words in a sentence
- And - joins two or more similar things in positive sentences
- Or - connects two or more similar things in negative sentences
- Or - connects two or more choices or alternatives
- Freewriting - choose a topic, write it at the top of your paper, and write whatever comes to mind about the topic without worrying about grammar, spelling, punctuation, or organization
- The Writing Process
- Step 1 - Prewrite to get ideas.
- Step 2 - Write the first draft.
- Step 3 - Edit the first draft.
- Step 4 - Write the final copy
- Edit - fix organization/ideas
- Revise - Fix grammar and spelling
Write about a person in your life. You must follow all four steps of the writing process. Turn in your prewriting, your first/rough draft with edits, and your final draft.
Extras
Day #4
- Prewriting Activity - clustering
- Pick a profession. Then make a cluster of characteristics and abilities needed for that profession
- Listing-Order Paragraph - divide the topic into separate points. Discuss one point, and then another point, and then a third point
- Begin with a sentence that names your topic and says it has several points.
- Write about each point separately.
- End with a sentence that reminds your reader about the points you just discussed.
- Topic Sentence - most important sentence in a paragraph because it tells what the paragraph is going to be about
- A topic sentence has two parts - a topic and a controlling idea
- topic - names the topic
- controlling idea - tells what the paragraph will say about the topic
- Supporting sentences - explain or prove the idea in the topic sentence
- Transition signals - words or phrases that show how one idea is related to another idea
- Examples: first, first of all, second, third, in addition, also, finally
- Place most listing-order transition signals at the beginning of the sentence, and put a comma after them.
- Also may come in the middle of a sentence (between the subject and the verb) without a comma, or at the end of a sentence with a comma.
- Paragraph Unity - all sentences in a paragraph must be about ONE main idea
- All supporting sentences must be relevant (directly related to the main idea).
- Concluding sentence - closes that paragraph so that the reader is not left expecting more
- Sometimes a concluding sentence reminds the reader of the main point by restating the topic sentence in different words.
- Sometimes a concluding sentence summarizes the main points.
- Conclusion signals - to conclude, in conclusion, to sum up, to summarize, in summary, in brief, in short, indeed
- page 41 - Practice 2, A and B
- page 47 - Practice 5
- Journal Entry - Write for 30 minutes about a special skill or hobby you have.
Extras
- Information about gerunds and -ing words - click HERE
- Public Library Conversation Club for March-April 2016
- Iroquois Library, 601 W. Woodlawn Ave., Saturdays at 3 P.M.
- Jeffersontown Library, 10635 Watterson Trail, Tuesdays at 7 P.M.
- Main Library, 301 York St., Wednesdays at 7 P.M.
- Middletown Library, 200 N. Juneau Dr., Wednesdays at 6:30 P.M.
- Shively Library, 3920 Dixie Highway, March 30, April 13 & 27 at 6:30 P.M.
- Iroquois Library, 601 W. Woodlawn Ave., Saturdays at 3 P.M.
Day 5
- Compound Sentence - two simple sentences connected by a comma and a coordinating conjunction
- A comma and a coordinating conjunction connect the two halves of a compound sentence.
- Coordinating Conjunctions - for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
- Don't confuse a compound sentence with a simple sentence that has a compound verb.
- Coordinating Conjunctions
- and - connects two sentences with similar ideas; the sentences can be positive or negative
- but - connects two sentences with contrasting or opposite ideas
- or - connects two sentences that express alternatives or choices
- so - connects a reason and a result
- Sentence Errors
- Run-On Sentence - two simple sentences incorrectly joined with NO coordinating conjunction and NO comma
- Comma Splice - two simple sentences incorrectly joined with only a comma
- To fix - separate the sentences with a period OR add (or keep) the comma and add a coordinating conjunction
- Run-On Sentences - pages 81-83
- Commas in Compound Sentences - pages 157-159
Extras
Day #6
- Finding the Topic Sentence
- Often the topic sentence comes at the beginning of the paragraph to direct readers and let them know what they can expect from the paragraph.
- The topic sentence does not always come at the beginning of the paragraph.
- Prewriting Activity - Outlining
- Group Writing Activity - write a paragraph with at least 3 simple sentences and 3 compound sentences.
- Supporting sentences - give more information or complete the picture
- Sensory details - tell how something looks, sound, smells, or tastes so the reader can almost feel as if he or she is experiencing the thing described
- Or supporting sentences can give examples
- Journal Entry - Write for 30 minutes about which parts of English are difficult for you.
- Use your outline to write a paragraph about a profession.
Extras
- Run-on sentences combine two or more sentences without proper punctuation
- INCORRECT: Kim loves traveling she wants to visit Italy this fall.
- INCORRECT: Kim loves traveling, she wants to visit Italy this fall.
- OPTION #1: Split the sentence in two. Add an end mark to the first sentence. Begin the second sentence with a capital letter.
- Kim loves traveling. She will visit Italy this fall.
- Kim loves traveling. She will visit Italy this fall.
- OPTION #2: Insert a comma after the first statement, and add a conjunction such as and, but, or or after the comma.
- Kim loves traveling, and she will visit Italy this fall.
- Kim loves traveling, and she will visit Italy this fall.
- OPTION #3: Insert a semicolon after the first statement. Do NOT capitalize the first word of the second statement.
- Kim loves traveling; she will visit Italy this fall.
- Kim loves traveling; she will visit Italy this fall.
- OPTION #4: After the first statement, insert a semicolon and a transition word such as however, nevertheless, or therefore, followed by a comma.
- Kim loves traveling; therefore, she will visit Italy this fall.
- Kim loves traveling; therefore, she will visit Italy this fall.
- A compound sentence is two or more complete sentences put together.
- An independent clause has its own subject and predicate.
- Create a compound sentence by combining two independent clauses with the words and, or, nor, but, yet, or for with a comma before the conjunction.
- Be careful. Do NOT use a comma if a connecting word such as and or or connects compound parts of a single sentence.
Day #7
- Prewriting Activity: Listing - Make a list of all the things you should do to clean up after a party. Write down every idea, but don't worry about putting the ideas in order.
- Writing a "How To" Paragraph
- Begin with a topic sentence that names the topic and says the paragraph will give instructions about it.
- Divide the instructions into a series of steps, using either time order or listing order
- Explain each step one by one.
- Use transition signals to introduce each new step.
- The topic part of a topic sentence for a "how to" paragraph names the topic.
- The controlling idea part tells your readers that they will learn how to do or make something.
- Example topic sentences:
- It is simple to _______________ if you ________________.
- Anyone can learn to _____________ if he or she ________________.
- Follow these instructions to ______________.
- Make/Draw/Write/Cook a perfect ___________ by following these steps.
- If the steps in your instructions must be in a specific order, use time-order signals.
- first, first of all, second, third, next, after that, then (do not put a comma after then), finally, before a test, in the morning, at night, during a flight (you can use any time expression as a time-order signal)
- If the order doesn't matter, use listing-order signals.
- first, first of all, second, third, in addition, also, finally
- Prewriting Activity: Outlining
- Write an outline from the list you made.
- Edit the list by crossing out repeated ideas or ideas that don't fit.
- Decide whether to use time order or listing order.
- Put the steps in order.
- Add a title, a topic sentence, and a concluding sentence.
- Sequencing - Putting events in order
- Run-on Sentences (Level E) - pages 75-77
- Commas in Compound sentences (Level E) - pages 151-153
- In, on, at - click HERE
Day #8
- Clause - a group of words that contains a subject and a verb
- Independent clause - has one subject-verb pair and expresses a complete thought (a simple sentence)
- Dependent clause - an independent clause with a subordinating word, such as because, after, and when added to the beginning of it
- A dependent clause does NOT express a complete thought and MUST be joined to an independent clause
- Adverb subordinators - introduce dependent clauses and act like adverbs so tell when, why, or where
- Time subordinators
- After - I will go straight to bed after I finish writing this paragraph.
- As soon as - She felt better as soon as she took the medicine.
- Before - Wait for a green light before you cross a street.
- Since - It has been a year since I left home.
- Until - We can't leave the room until everyone finishes the test.
- When - Where were you when I called?
- Whenever - Whenever I don't sleep well, I feel sick the next day.
- While - My neighbors were having a party while I was trying to sleep.
- Complex sentence - has one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
- When the dependent clause begins with an adverb subordinator, the clauses can usually be in any order.
- If the independent clause is first, don't use a comma.
- If the dependent clause is first, put a comma after it
- Fragment - only a part of a sentence (usually just a dependent clause by itself)
- To fix a fragment, you usually need to add an independent clause
- Types of sentences
- Simple sentence - one independent clause
- Compound sentence - two or more independent clauses joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction
- Complex sentence - one independent and one or more independent causes. A comma is needed when a dependent clause comes before an independent clause
- Journal Entry - Describe your daily routine.
- Combining Compound Sentence Parts (Level M) pages 85-88
Day #9
- Capitalization Rules
- Names of specific structures such as buildings, roads, and bridges (the White House, the Hilton Hotel, the Kremlin, Highway 395, State Route 15, the Brooklyn Bridge)
- Names of specific organization such as businesses, schools, and clubs (Sears & Co., United Nations, City College of New York, Irish Students' Club)
- Names of the days, months, holidays, and special time periods, but NOT the names of seasons (Monday, January, New Year's Day, Ramadan, spring, summer, fall, autumn, winter)
- Geographic areas but NOT compass directions (the Middle East, the Southwest, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Drive south for two miles and turn west)
- Comma Rules
- After listing-order and time-order signals (except then)
- First, put four cups of rice into a pan.
- After that, fold the paper in half again.
- After the test, go out and celebrate.
- Before coordinating conjunctions in a compound sentence
- Some people like to travel, and others like to have an adventure.
- Cook the steak over high heat for six minutes, but don't let it burn.
- In a complex sentence when a dependent adverb clause comes before an independent clause
- While you are waiting for the pizza dough to rise, make the sauce.
- After you take the pizza out of the oven, cut it into eight pieces.
- To separate items in a series of three or more things (words or phrases)
- One dog, one cat, two goldfish, a bird, and four humans live at our house.
- Every morning I get up early, run a mile, take a shower, eat breakfast, and feed my pets.
- Turn left at the stoplight, go one block, and turn right.
- After listing-order and time-order signals (except then)
- "How To" Paragraph Writing
- Choose one of these topics:
- How to get an A in English class
- How to get an F in English class
- How to meet people in a new place
- How to learn a new language
- How to get the job of your dreams
- How to check the oil in a car
- How to change a flat tire
- How to study for a test
- How to avoid studying for a test
- How to get on a horse
- How to raise a happy child
- How to raise a spoiled child
- How to catch a fish
- How to train a dog or parrot
- How to make pizza (or any food)
- How to make a pinata
- How to decorate an egg
- How to use chopsticks
- How to play a children's game
- Prewriting using a listing technique
- Put the steps in order (time order or listening order)
- Make an outline
- Write your "how to" paragraph
- Choose one of these topics:
- Writing Book - Practice 9B (page 88) and Practice 10 A (pages 90-91)
- Commas in Complex Sentences (Level M) - pages 161-163
- "How To" Paragraph with prewriting and outline
Day #10
- Description - create a picture with words - tell how something looks, feels, smells, tastes, and sounds
- To write a good description, you must:
- Use space order to organize your description
- Use lots of descriptive details
- Use space order to organize your description
- Space Order - how you organize a description by the area around you (examples: top to bottom, bottom to top, right to left, left to right, far to near, near to far, outside to inside, inside to outside)
- Topic sentence for a descriptive paragraph has two parts:
- Topic - usually names the person, place, or thing to be described
- Controlling Idea - usually gives a general impression (beautiful, neat, messy, interesting, unusual, crowded, busy, noisy)
- Topic - usually names the person, place, or thing to be described
- Journal - Write for 30 minutes describing your favorite picture, photograph, or place using A LOT of adjectives.
- Complete your "How To" paragraph, prewriting, and outline from the previous class
Day #11
- Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns
- Adjectives describe what people or things look like, what kind they are, or how many of them there are
- Adjectives answer one of these questions:
- What kind?
- Which one?
- How many?
- Adjective Rules
- Adjectives always come in front of nouns, not after them.
- twelve talented young musicians
- Adjectives can also follow linking verbs (be, seem, look, smell, taste, feel)
- The children are happy.
- A compound adjective is two or more words that function as one word (often has a hyphen)
- ten-week semester
- Adjectives are always singular. Never add s to and adjective, and never use a plural word as an adjective
- big feet (not bigs feet)
- Nouns can be adjectives
- the English book, a shoe store
- Proper adjectives (adjectives referring to nationalities, languages, geographic places, etc.) are capitalized
- Egyptian custom, Spanish class, Asian languages
- -ing and -ed words can be adjectives
- swimming pool, bored students, cooking class, sleeping baby, broken heart
- Adjectives always come in front of nouns, not after them.
- Order of Adjectives - when using more than one adjective, you must place them in the following order
- Articles, Demonstrative Pronouns, Possessives - a, an, the, that, these, those, her, their, Mary's
- Quantity - two, fifty, some, many, a few
- Opinion - poor, beautiful, interesting, cheerful, expensive
- Appearance - Size (big, little), Shape/Length (round, square, short, long), then Condition (rusty, broken, hungry, wet, cold)
- Age, Color - old, new, young, black, red, blond
- Nationality, Religion - Guatemalan, European, Congolese, Asian, Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Protestant
- Material, Purpose - silk, wood, cotton, gold, metal, swimming, reading, hiking
- Noun used as an Adjective - shoe (as in shoe store), wedding (as in wedding dress)
- It is possible to use several adjectives in a row, but using too many can confuse your reader. In general, do not use more than three adjectives in a row.
- When adjectives come before a noun, you may put the word and before the last one (but you don't have to)
- A hungry, cold, (and) wet dog sat outside our front door.
- When two or more adjectives come after a linking verb, you MUST put and before the last one.
- The dog was hungry, wet, and cold.
- Journal - Write for 30 minutes describing an object.
- Adjectives - TABE E p. 51-54 and TABE M p. 57-60
Day #12
- Prepositions
- Prepositional Phrase - when a preposition is combined with a noun or noun phrase
- Some prepositional phrases answer the question where. These are prepositional phrases of place. Prepositional phrases of place are useful in space-order paragraphs to show the location of objects in a description
- Some prepositional phrases answer the question when. These are prepositional phrases of time. There are useful in "how to" paragraphs to give the order of the steps.
- Other prepositional phrases show possession
- Other prepositional phrases describe or identify someone or something.
- Use prepositional phrases to make your writing sound more interesting, especially at the beginning of a sentence.
- Outlines - reasons and examples
- Writing - Make a detailed outline and then write a descriptive paragraph.
Day #13
- TABE Practice Test
- An independent clause is a sentence by itself
- A dependent clause is not a sentence by itself, it needs an independent clause to complete it
- A complex sentence is one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
- Put a comma after a dependent clause when it the dependent clause comes before an independent clause
- More subordinators that begin dependent clauses:
- Because
- Since
- If
- Because and since have exactly the same meaning, and there is no difference in their use
- The word since can be either a reason subordinator or a time subordinator
- Because is a subordinator. Because of is a two-word preposition
- If introduces a condition
- You must capitalize:
- Some abbreviations (USA, UN, TV, UK)
- All the words in a greeting and the first word in the closing of a letter (Dear Sir, To Whom It May Concern, Love, Very truly yours)
- Comma Rules
- Use a comma after transition signals and prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence, except then (First, carry out the empty bottles and cans.)
- Use a comma before coordinating conjunctions in a compound sentence (Many students works, so they don't have time to do homework.)
- Use a comma in a complex sentence when a dependent adverb clause comes before an independent clause (Because Mexico City is surrounded by mountains, it has a lot of smog.)
- Use a comma to separate items in a series (In our class there are students from Mexico, Japan, Vietnam, Iran, China, and Guatemala.)
- Use a comma to separate thousands, millions, billions, etc. BUT NOT in a number that expresses a year or an address, and NOT to separate dollars from cents or whole numbers from decimals (The college has 23,250 students. In the year 2010. 2935 Main Street. $59.95
- Use a comma to separate the parts of dates and after years in the middle of a sentence (The third millennium started on January 1, 2001, not on January 1, 2000.)
- Use a comma to separate the parts of a U.S. address EXCEPT between the state and the zip code when the address is in a sentence. In the address of letters and on envelopes, do not use commas (The address of the White House is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20500.)
- Use a comma after the greeting and closing in a personal letter, and after the closing in a business letter. (Dear Michiko, Dear Mom, Love, Very truly yours,)
- Capitalization and Punctuation - pages 140 and 142
- Journal - Write about arranged marriages and marriages "for love." Which do you think is better, and why?
Day #14
- Prewriting Activity - Opinion writing
- Opinions are statements of someone's belief - "I believe..." or "I think that..."
- Facts are true statements that no one can disagree with
- To write a successful opinion paragraph:
- State your opinion clearly in the topic sentence
- Explain each reason in logical order
- Use facts to support each reason
- End with a powerful concluding sentence that your reader will remember
- You can use opinions are reasons, but your paragraph will be stronger if you support your opinion with facts.
- Transition signals for opinion paragraphs
- In my opinion, ...
- In my view, ...
- I believe that ...
- I think that ...
- According to ___, ...
- For these reasons, ...
- Outline for an opinion paragraph
- Write an opinion topic sentence
- Write two or three reasons for your opinion
- Write possible supporting details for each reason
- Write a concluding sentence
- Possible topics for an opinion paragraph
- Gun control laws
- Capital punishment
- Using cell phones in public places
- Arranged marriages
- Identifying Unrelated Sentences - TABE M - p. 125-128
- Antecedent Agreement - TABE M - p. 33-36
- Easily Confused Verbs - TABE M - p. 53-56
- Use of Negatives - TABE M - p. 69-72
Day #15
- Adjective clause - begins with words such as who, which, and that
- Who is used for people
- Which is used for hings
- That is used for things (and for people in informal English)
- Adjective clauses act like adjectives and give more information about nouns
- An adjective clause always follows the noun it gives more information about
- Commas are sometimes used with adjectives clauses, and sometimes not.
- If the adjective clause gives extra information, separate it from the rest of the sentence with commas.
- If the information in an adjective clause is necessary, do not use commas.
- Sentence Clarity: Misplaced Modifiers - TABE M p. 89-92
- Subject/Verb Agreement - TABE M - p. 49-52
- Semicolons and Colons - TABE M - p. 177-180
Day #16
- Practice - Combine independent clauses with adjective clauses
- Review - Fragments
- Quotation Marks
- Put quotation marks before and after another person's exact words. (Classmate Sabrina Reyes says, "Mothers of young children should not work because young children need their mothers at home.")
- Use a "reporting phrases," such as he says or she stated. The reporting phrases can come before, after, or in the middle of the quotation. Separate it with a comma, or two commas. (She stated, "It's not easy to be a single mother." "It's not easy," she stated, "to be a single mother." "It's not easy to be a single mother," she stated.)
- Begin each quotation with a capital letter. When a quoted sentence is separated into two parts, begin the second part with a small letter. ("It's not easy," she stated, "to be a single mother.")
- Commas, periods, and question marks go inside the second quotation mark of a pair. (She said, "Goodbye.")
- Celebration!