6 minute read
Paragraphs
Sentence Errors
Run-On/Rambling/Fused Sentence – a sentence construction error where two or more independent clauses are connected incorrectly without punctuation. The group wanted to stop and fight with them they kept going to the next town. [WRONG] The team wanted to stop and fight with them BUT they kept going to the next town. [RIGHT]
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Comma Splice – a sentence construction error where two or more independent clauses are connected incorrectly using commas Ryuk is gone everyone is in danger, we have no time to waste. [WRONG] Ryuk is gone everyone is in danger; we have no time to waste!![RIGHT]
Fragment – incomplete sentence pieces that are not connected to or do not form an independent clause Because you didn’t make it [WRONG] Because you didn’t make it, everyone is gone. [RIGHT]
Misplaced/Dangling Modifiers – modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that add description; a misplaced modifier describes the wrong part of a sentence and a
dangling modifier is missing the part it’s supposed to modify
At school the teachers lost, they gave us a card point as a reward for winning.[WRONG] At school the teachers lost, they gave us a point card as a reward for winning.[RIGHT]
Double Negative – combining two or more negative words in a sentence in a way that is supposed to produce a positive force Ayanokoji knew he didn’t have no time to waste [WRONG] Ayanokoji knew he had no time to waste.[RIGHT]
PARAGRAPHS
Paragraphs – a group of sentences that together convey a shared purpose structured around the same topic.
Introductory Paragraphs (Introductions)
Hook (Lead / Opening Statement) – can begin with the title Anecdotal (Brief story to set the mood and lead the reader into the topic) Ex. Over the course of a week, Ayanokoji, the “average” guy with no past, the only person who got 50 percent on all tests, has been manipulating in order to not get expelled from school. Secretly manipulating everyone, from day to night, trying to get everyone on his side without them noticing, using this event to learn valuable information about everyone, getting ready to rank up to class A with no effort. Query Based (Question that brings the reader to the topic - avoid second person POV “you”) Ex. Does the manipulation demonstrate his tragic background? Thesis Statements (the purpose of a piece of writing – usually one sentence in length, but can be longer depending on the purpose – must be something that is arguable) Assertion (claim - a subject + a “so what” about the subject) Ex. Ayanokoji is a master mind when it comes to manipulation? Fact (empirically verifiable but often difficult to argue extensively about better used as evidence to support a claim) Ex. Ayanokoji does not care about anyone's emotions. Opinion (personal position on a topic) Ex. Ayanokoji is using everyone to win. Belief (social, religious, or political in nature – an opinion held by many to be a fact, though it is not necessarily factual – often involves a judgement) Ex. Ayanokoji is not a bland character that manipulates. Generalization (uses absolute or statistical pronouns: all, always, every,
never,
none, most, half – avoid using this type of thesis statement unless
citing the
source of the data) Ex. Every manipulation has a lot of thought into it. Document Based (cites a specific source, author, and position on a topic) Ex. In Classroom of the elite, Ayanokoji outsmart everyone with thoughtful
manipulation.
Theory (a statement that can be tested and potentially proven - often
answers a
research question) Ex. Ayanokoji is the smartest one in the entire school. Clarification/Expansion of Thesis (could extend the thesis, preview the evidence supporting the thesis, give the purpose of thesis, establish the importance or
significance of examining the intricacies of the thesis – this could be several sentences long) Ex. Suzune Horikita is arguably one of the smartest people in this school, Ayanokoji easily manipulated her to his advantage. Ex. The creator of the anime demonstrates some of the past of Ayanokoji showing that he was always heartless. Ex. Also Ayanokoji is the peak of humanity's strength, this makes him even more heartless knowing he could never lose.
Body Paragraphs (must have echoes of the thesis in each AND present evidence to support or expand on the thesis)
Topic Sentences (must specifically indicate the topic of the paragraph and focus on one subject and/or area of evidence or support – could start with a “Transition of Logic” that connects to the previous paragraph to give context) Ex. On multiple occasions Ayanokoji shows his intellect is higher than everyone else's. (Now every sentence in this paragraph must be related to the connection between fast food and health) Presenting Evidence from Quotations (quotes should NEVER be used as individual sentences – quotes should be embedded within sentences) ORIGINAL QUOTE – “I’ve never once thought of you as an ally. Not you. Not Kushida. Not Hirata. All people are nothing but tools. It doesn’t matter how it's done. It doesn’t matter… In this world, winning is everything. That’s all that matters.” – Ayanokoji Kiyotaka
Ex. In the anime he saids “I’ve never once thought of you as an ally. Not you. Not Kushida. Not Hirata. All people are nothing but tools. It doesn’t matter how it's done. It doesn’t matter… In this world, winning is everything. That’s all that matters.” – Ayanokoji Kiyotaka Ex. He told his rival “I don’t like expending more effort than I have to.” – Ayanokouji Kiyotaka Ex. “Coincidence can be freaky.” – Ayanokoji Kiyotaka shows his weird thought process Ex. In his mind he is not like anyone else by saying “Your shortcoming is that you assume others will hold you back, and put them at a distance from the start.” – Ayanokoji Kiyotaka Ex. He [plays] Examining the Evidence Paraphrasing (rewording of a quote into other words of the same length without quotation
marks, but still citing the source - useful for examining the quote and transitioning to your analysis of the quote) ORIGINAL QUOTE – “I’ve never once thought of you as an ally. Not you. Not Kushida. Not Hirata. All people are nothing but tools. It doesn’t matter how it's done. It doesn’t matter… In this world, winning is everything. That’s all that matters.” –Ayanokouji Kiyotaka
Ex. PARAPHRASE – All people are nothing but tools, no matter what winning is everything. Summarizing (condensing larger quotes or sections - useful for closing the examination of the quote/evidence and transitioning to your analysis of the quote) ORIGINAL QUOTE – “I’ve never once thought of you as an ally. Not you. Not Kushida. Not Hirata. All people are nothing but tools. It doesn’t matter how it's done. It doesn’t matter… In this world, winning is everything. That’s all that matters.” – Ayanokoji Kiyotaka
Ex. SUMMARY – People are tools Abstract Examples (hypothetical, “what if” examples that do not refer to a source – AVOID USING THEM AS EVIDENCE – but useful for examining the quote) Ex. He never once thought anyone as an ally Concrete Examples (actual examples that do refer to a source – useful for enhancing your analysis of the quote) Ex. In the anime Ayanokoji shows his emotions towards everyone in the anime as a facade to utilize them, to go up in class ranks. Closing Sentences (must end the discussion of the topic within the paragraph with a transitional or culminating word – possibly an adverb – and should echo the thesis of the essay)
Ex. Clearly Ayanokoji never once thought of anyone as an ally, he shows his ability to fake emotions on command to use people as tools.
Closing Paragraphs (Conclusions – should not be mere summaries of the previous paragraphs of your essay)
Consequences of Disregarding the Thesis (establishing the potential consequences of disregarding the implications of the thesis – CREATING A COUNTERARGUMENT –could be one or more sentences) Ex. Maybe Ayanokoji could not fake all the emotions and interactions throughout the show.