Book of Writing By Seth Goh Honors English Period 2
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About the Author
Hi My Name is Seth I am a student attending Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School and currently in my Junior year. I enjoy music, video games, and spending time with people.
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To those who don’t have consistency
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Table of Contents Punctuation and Capitalization …………………………………………………... 5 Punctuation Capitalization
Parts of Speech …………………………………………………………………... 8 Nouns Pronouns Verbs Adjectives Adverbs Conjunctions Prepositions Interjections Transitions of Logic Chart
Phrases and Clauses …………………………………………………………….. 20 Phrases Clauses
Sentences ……………………………………………………………………….. 23 Sentence Parts Sentence Types Sentence Patterns Sentence Errors
Paragraphs ……………………………………………………………………… 26 Introductory Paragraphs Body Paragraphs Closing Paragraphs
Essays …………………………………………………………………………… 31 Types
4 Strategies/Planning Tips/Steps Work Cited Page
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Punctuation and Capitalization Punctuation 1. . Identification: It ends a sentence Example: I am a banana. 2. , Identification: Sometimes, the comma indicates a pause that would occur if the sentence were spoken aloud. Other times, the comma separates grammatical components of the sentence. Finally, there are mechanical and stylistic uses of the comma that are simply conventional. Example: I like bananas, apples, and carrots. 3. – Identification: The em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons—in each case to slightly different effects. Example: When the baby was delivered—two months overdue—the mother did not want it. 4. Identification: The en dash is used to represent a span or range of numbers, dates, or time. There should be no space between the en dash and the adjacent material. Depending on the context, the en dash is read as “to” or “through.” Example: You will be reading pages 1-2 5. : Identification: The colon is used to introduce a list of items. Example: I will be needing the following for my academics: pencils, papers, and highlighters. 6. ; Identification: The semicolon is used between two independent clauses (i.e., clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences) when a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) is omitted. Example: My dad went to get milk; he never came back.
6 7. ? Identification: The question mark is used at the end of a direct question. Indirect questions take a period. Example: Is this real life? Is this just fantasy? 8. ! Identification: The exclamation point is a mark of terminal punctuation. As such, it should not be followed by a period or question mark. Some writers will use both a question mark and exclamation point for an exclamatory question, but only the exclamation point is truly necessary. Example: This is Sparta! 9. ‘ Identification: The apostrophe ( ’ ) has three uses: contractions, plurals, and possessives. Example: Yousef’s jeans are apple bottom. 10. “ ” Identification: Quotation marks are primarily used to indicate material that is being reproduced word for word, as well as some other important uses. Example: “I am the one thing in life I can control”. 11. … Identification: An ellipsis is a set of three periods ( . . . ) indicating an omission. Each period should have a single space on either side, except when adjacent to a quotation mark, in which case there should be no space. Example: I am a… person! 12. [ ] Identification: Brackets allow the insertion of editorial material inside quotations. Example: I [Seth] am a person. 13. ( ) Identification: Parentheses (always used in pairs) allow a writer to provide additional information. The parenthetical material might be a single word, a fragment, or multiple complete sentences. Example: I will always do my homework. (Except when life gets in the way and priorities have to be set).
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14. / Identification: The slash ( / ), also known as the virgule, has several uses, most of which should be avoided in formal writing. Never use a backslash ( \ ) in place of a slash. Example: You have the choice to study poetry and/or essays EX: Comma (used to switch words around in a list) – Students at Bravo can freely choose between AP World History, AP US History, AP Government, and AP European History.
Capitalization EX: (Used to begin a sentence) – Sadly for some, 11th grade is the year with the most high-stakes testing.
Parts of Speech Nouns Types of nouns: · Common Nouns: name a class of people, places, things, or ideas.
8 Computer, keyboard, programmer · Proper Nouns: give the name or title of a particular person, place, thing, or idea (must be capitalized). El Sereno, John Marshall High School, Marxism · Compound Nouns: consist of words used together to form a single noun. Headphones, earphones, keyboard · Concrete Nouns: refer to material things, to people, or to places. Phone, mouse, keys · Abstract Nouns: name ideas, qualities, concepts, emotions, or attitudes. Pesimissism, Federalist, strict
Functions (How nouns are used): · Subject (comes before the verb) Devin shot a gun · Direct Object (comes after the verb and answers what or whom) Gary threw Paul across the room · Indirect Object (answers to who or to whom) I gave my time to Jake.
Pronouns Pronouns take the place of nouns that have been established. Personal: Nominative (subjects)
Objective (objects)
I/we
me/us
you/you
you/you
He, she, it, one/they
him, her, it, one/them
Possessive My, mine
Our, ours
Your, yours
Your, yours
9 His, her, hers, its, one’s
Their, theirs
Relative Nominative
Objective
Possessive
Who
Whom
Whose
That
That
Of that
Those/This Interrogative: who, which, what, whatever, whoever Reflexive: (personal pronouns plus the suffix –self or –selves) Used only: when the action verb is directed toward the subject of the construction: He bought himself a new keyboard. to intensify a point: Jake himself took the lead and guided the team to victory. Demonstrative: this, these that, those Indefinite: all, another, anybody, anyone, anything, both, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, everywhere, few, many, much, neither, nobody, none, no one, nothing, one, other, several, somebody, someone, such.
Verbs Verbs show the time, action, and state of being of a subject. Tense: verbs indicate time via tenses: simple past past
10 past perfect past progressive simple present present present perfect present progressive present perfect progressive future future perfect
Types: There are at least eleven (11) types of verbs:
auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) linking verbs (verbs that do not describe action, but connect the subject of a sentence to other parts of the sentence – usually the predicate) lexical verbs (main verbs) dynamic verbs (indicate action) stative verbs (describe a condition) finitive verbs (indicate tense) nonfinitive verbs (infinitives or participles) regular verbs (weak verbs) irregular verbs (strong verbs) transitive verbs (verbs followed by a direct object) intransitive verbs (verbs that do not take direct objects)
Voice: Voice is the form of the verb that indicates how it relates or interacts with the action. The English language has two voices: ACTIVE and PASSIVE. Active: The people revolted against the government. Passive: The government was revolted by the people.
Verbals: (VERB FORMS NOT USED AS VERBS) Gerund: word ending in “ing” used as a noun. · I was casually using the toilet. Participle: word ending in “ing” or “ed” used as an adjective · I don’t use the running track. · The swimming pool was abandoned. Infinitive: verb preceded by the word “to” (to go, to jump) used as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs · I like to play video games..
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Adjectives Adjectives modify, describe, limit, and identify nouns and pronouns. · Kinds: Demonstrative, Common, Proper The scientist used a demonstrative experiment to show us what to do. This problem is common among tests. This is the proper way to do it.
Adverbs Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. · Endings –ly, -wards, -wise I respectfully declined the offer. Afterwards, we went to the mall. You must mow the lawn, otherwise you’ll be grounded. · Conversions The plan had to be thought out rationally. The team walked out of the corner quietly. They pushed through the crowd vigorously. · Types: Manner, Frequency, Degree, Place, Time Example Types: Manner – Ms. Ramos answered the parent’s phone call quickly. (How did she answer?) I talked to my friend quietly. Time – Mr. Morgan will leave for a science tournament immediately. (When will he leave?) We tirelessly worked all night. Place – Mr. Lee was willingly here earlier today working with students. (Where was he?) Parker was reluctantly here before the late bell rang. Degree – Ms. Saldivar’s exceptionally good work cannot be over-recognized. (How good is she?)
12 She was perfectly exemplary in her work. Frequency – Ms. Villaneda is consistently pleasant to students and staff. (How often is she pleasant?) I always turn in my homework on time.
Conjunctions Coordinating (FANBOYS): for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so Correlative: Either/or; neither/nor; not only/but also; both/and; whether/or; as/so Subordinate: after, though as, as if, as long as, as thought, because, before, if, in order that, provided that, since, so, so that, that, though, till, unless, when, where, whereas, while Relative pronouns: who (refers to people), which (refers to nonliving object or animals), that (may refer to animals or nonliving objects)
Prepositions Prepositions link nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other parts of the sentence. Prepositions are NEVER followed by verbs. There are one-word prepositions and complex prepositions. These are some common one-word prepositions: Aboard
aside from
down from
instead of
Over
About
At
Except
Into
over to
Above
away from
except excluding for
like
owing to
according to
back of
For
Near
Past
Across
because of
From
near to
prior to
across from
Before
from among
Notwithstanding
To
After
Behind
from between
Of
Toward
Against
Below
from under
Off
Under
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Along
beneath
In
On
Underneath
Alongside
Beside
in addition to
on account of
Until
alongside of
Between
in behalf of
on behalf of
unto,
along with
Beyond
Including
Onto
Up
Amid
but (except)
in front of
on top of
Upon
Among
By
in place of
Opposite
up to
apart from
by means of
in regard to
Out
Versus
Around
Concerning
Inside
out of
With
As
Despite
inside of
Outside
Within
as far as
Down
in spite of
outside of
without
Interjections Interjections are the final part of speech. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Ah: Ah, I don't know if that's true. Aha: Aha! I figured it out! Ahem: Ahem, could you boys stop talking so we could get on with class, please? Alas: Alas, it was not to be. Amen: Amen, hallelujah, amen! Aw: Aw, do we have to? Awesome: You two are dating? Awesome! Aww: Aww, that's so cute!
14 9. Bada-bing (bada-bing, bada-bing, bada-boom): "You've gotta get up close like this and—bada-BING!—you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit." (From "The Godfather," 1972) 10. Bah: Bah, humbug! 11. Baloney: Oh, baloney. I don't believe that. 12. Big deal: Big deal. Who cares? 13. Bingo: Bingo! Right on target! 14. Boo: Boo! Scared you! 15. Boo-hoo: That makes me sad. Boo-hoo. 16. Booyah (boo-yah): Yeah, I aced this test. Booyah! 17. Boy (boy oh boy): Oh boy. Oh boy, oh boy. That's heavy, man. 18. Bravo: Bravo! That was fantastic! 19. Brilliant: Brilliant, luv, absolutely brilliant! (British English.) 20. Brrr: Brr! Minus 30 degrees? Yuk. 21. Bull: Bull. It's not 30 below zero, not really. 22. Bye (bye-bye): Bye! See you later! 23. Cheers: Cheers, mate! You're welcome. (British English); Cheers! Raise a toast! (American English.) 24. Come on (c'mon): Come on. Hurry up. 25. Cool: Oh, wow, that is so cool! 26. Cowabunga: "Cowabunga, dude." ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles") 27. Dang: Dang it! Where'd I put that? 28. Darn (darn it): Darn it! I can't find the other one either! 29. Dear me: Oh, dear me. What are we going to do? 30. Duck: Duck! No, really! Get down! 31. Duh: Well, duh. I can't believe you didn't know that. 32. Eh: Eh? What? 33. Enjoy: Enjoy! I hope you like it! 34. Excellent: "Party time, excellent!" ("Wayne's World") 35. Fabulous: Fabulous! That's just wonderful! 36. Fantastic: Fantastic! I just love it! 37. Fiddledeedee (fiddle-dee-dee): "Fiddle-dee-dee! War, war, war; this war talk's spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream." ("Gone With the Wind") 38. Finally: Finally! I never thought that'd be done. 39. For heaven's sake(s): "Oh, for heaven's sake, don't you know your Bible?" ("Little House on the Prairie") 40. Fore: Fore! (Look out! in golf) 41. Foul: Foul! In baseball, the ball went out of bounds, otherwise an infraction. 42. Freeze: Freeze! Stop right there! 43. Gee (gee whiz, gee willikers): Well gee whiz, Pa, why do I have to do that? 44. Giddyap (giddyup): Giddyup, Silver! Go, horse, go! 45. Golly (good golly, golly gee willikers): Golly, that sure was tasty.
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Goodbye (good-bye): Goodbye, see you again soon! Good grief: "Good grief, Charlie Brown." ("Peanuts") Good heavens: Good heavens! How did that happen? Gosh: “Whatever I feel like I wanna do, gosh!” ("Napoleon Dynamite") Great: Great! I'm so excited you'll come along! Great balls of fire: "Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!" ("Great Balls of Fire," Jerry Lee Lewis) Ha: Ha-ha! That's funny! Hallelujah: Glory be to God, hallelujah! Heavens (heavens above, heavens to Betsy): Oh, heavens! How could you think that? Heigh-ho: Heigh-ho neighbor! How are you? Hello: Hello! How are things with you? Help: Help! I need somebody ("Help!" The Beatles) Hey (hey there): Hey! Look over there! Hi (hiya): Hi! What's up? Hip, hip, hooray: We won! On the count of three, everyone: Hip, hip hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hmm (hrm): Hmm. Let me think about that for a bit. Ho-ho-ho: Ho-ho-ho, Merry Christmas! Holy mackerel (holy cow, holy moly, holy Moses, holy smokes): Holy mackerel! I can't believe it! Ho-hum: Ho-hum, how boring. Hooray (hurrah, hurray): Hooray! That's awesome! Howdy (howdy do): Howdy, pardner. Huh: Huh. I have no idea. Ick: Ick! How gross! Indeed: Indeed! I'll bet you didn't know that! Jeez: Jeez, do we really have to go through this now? Kaboom: Kaboom! It blew up! Kapow: And Batman hit the evildoer, kapow! Lordy (lordy, lordy): Oh lordy, lordy, look who's 40! Mama mia: Mama mia, let me go. ("Bohemian Rhapsody," Queen) Man: Man, that's unbelievable. Marvelous: Marvelous! Oh, honey, that's just wonderful. My: "My! I never once thought of it, Huck!" ("The Adventures of Tom Sawyer") My goodness (my heavens, my stars, my word): My goodness, isn't that just grand? Nah: Nah, it'll never work. No problem: Thank you. No problem. No way (no way José): No way! I can't believe it. Nope: Nope. I can't do that. Nuts: Nuts! I wish I didn't have to. Oh (oh boy, oh dear, oh my, oh my gosh, oh my goodness, oh no, oh well): Oh! That's shocking! OK (okay): OK, sounds great. Thank you. Ouch: Ouch! That hurt! Ow: Ow! That stung!
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Please: Would you help me, please? Poof: Poof! She just disappeared. Shh: Shh! Quiet in the library! Super: Super! That's fantastic! Swell: Swell! How great! Welcome: Welcome! Come in!; (You're) Welcome! Well: Well, I just don't know about that. Whoop-de-doo: Well whoop-de-doo. (sarcasm) I so don't care. Woo-hoo: Woo-hoo! That's fantastic! Wow: Wow! I love it! Yabba dabba doo: "Yabba dabba doo!" ("The Flinstones") Yadda, yadda, yadda: "Well, we were engaged to be married, uh, we bought the wedding invitations, and, uh, yada, yada, yada, I'm still single." ("Seinfeld") 100. Yippee: Yippie! That's exciting! 101. Yummy: Yummy! I love chocolate cake!
Transitions of Logic Chart Milder
Addition
Comparison
Stronger
a further and and then then also too next another other nor
further furthermore moreover in addition additionally besides again equally important first, second finally, last
just as ... so too a similar another... like
similarly comparable in the same way likewise
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Contrast
Time
Purpose
but yet and yet still otherwise or though but another rather
however still nevertheless on the other hand on the contrary even so notwithstanding for all that in contrast alternatively at the same time though this may be otherwise instead nonetheless conversely
then now soon afterward later shortly earlier recently first, second, third next before after today tomorrow
meanwhile at length presently at last finally immediately thereafter at that time subsequently eventually currently in the meantime in the past in the future
to do this so that
to this end with this object for this purpose for that reason because of this in order to
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Place
there here beyond nearby next to
at that point opposite to adjacent to on the other side in the front in the back
Result
so and so then
hence therefore accordingly consequently thus thereupon as a result in consequence
Example
that is specifically in particular for one thing
for example for instance an instance of this this can be seen in
Summary and Emphasis
in sum generally after all by the way in general incidentally naturally I hope at least it seems in brief I suppose
in short on the whole as I said in other words to be sure in fact indeed clearly of course anyway remarkably I think assuredly definitely without doubt for all that on the whole in any event importantly
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certainly
Phrases and Clauses Phrases Phrases – groups of words that function as a part of speech. Noun Phrase: A group of words consisting of nouns or pronouns and their modifiers that function as a noun. All the people wanted to call for the President’s impeachment. Verb Phrase: A group of words consisting of verbs working together and that function as a verb. The President should have been working hard for the country. Prepositional Phrase: A group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun, and functions as an adjective or an adverb. The President was inaugurated into the White House. Appositive Phrase: A group of words that include all the words that modify an appositive and function as an adjective - IT MUST BE SURROUNDED BY COMMAS. The President, Donald J. Trump, somehow got elected. Verbal Phrases: A group of words that begin with a verbal and ends with a noun. ● Gerund Phrase verb ending in -ing that functions as a noun. Marching down the blocks, the protesters spread their beliefs.
20 ● Participial Phrase word ending in -ing (present participle) or -ed (past participle) that functions as an adjective. The people swarmed the defending police. ● Infinitive Phrase verb preceded by the word “to” (to read, to study, to write) that function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Protesters were going to be stationed in front of the White House.
CLAUSES Clauses – groups of words with BOTH a subject and a verb that function as parts of speech. There are TWO kinds: Independent and Dependent (called “Subordinate”) INDEPENDENT – CAN stand alone as a complete sentence, known as a simple sentence pattern. The government runs as a democracy. DEPENDENT (SUBORDINATE) – CANNOT stand alone as a complete sentence and MUST begin with a SUBORDINATE CONJUNCTION. There are seven (7) kinds:
○ ○ ○ ○
○ ○ ○ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Noun Clause: Used as the noun in a sentence and may function as a subject, a predicate noun, a direct object, an object of a preposition, an indirect object, or an appositive. Whoever runs the government runs the world. They gave the first person who is applicable their raise. That the governor was suspicious indicated that something was wrong. The governor gave what she could Adjective Clause: Used to modify a noun in an independent clause. Some adjective clauses begin with an introductory word: This the place where laws change They stated what many people needed. The law that people wanted passed will do so Some adjective clauses begin with relative pronouns: Trump is the one who downplayed the coronavirus. There goes the government who hardly cares about us. A lot of people disagree with how the things are run that concern public transportation. Is this the law that people desperately needed? Governor Newson was the person who’d passed a new state at home order. The law which should have been passed was debated about with the senators.
21 ■ Trump is a person who typically avoids responsibility. Adverb Clause: Used to modify verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in an independent clause, introduced by a subordinate conjunction and used to indicate time, place, cause, purpose, result, condition, and/or concession. Modifying verbs: ■ They buried the statement under statements no one reads. ■ When the year came around, a new president was inaugurated. ■ The law never got passed today due to senate debate. ■ Trump talked as if he was uneducated. Modifying adjectives: ■ COVID lasted longer than we had expected when we quarantine. ■ COVID is as dangerous as cancer. Modifying adverbs: ■ The people have protested harder than they did before. Relative Clauses: Dependent clause that begins with a relative pronoun. ○ The student who finishes first will earn an indulgently tasty cookie. Elliptical Clauses: Adverb clauses in which part of the clause is omitted. ○ When driving, the instructor keenly keeps her eyes on the road. Essential Clauses: Clauses necessary to the meaning of the sentence. ○ The course that most interests Mr. Marks is clearly AP English Literature. Nonessential Clauses: Clauses that are NOT necessary to the meaning of the sentence. ○ Mr. Fette’s choir lessons, which began six months ago, are regretfully over.
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Sentences Sentence – a set of words that contains a subject and a predicate and conveys a statement, command, question, or an exclamation.
Sentence Parts Subject – what/who the sentence is about The cats went up to the man and sat down. Predicate – what the subject does The cats went up to the man and sat down.
Sentence Types Declarative – a sentence that makes a statement (ends with a period mark) Cats are very small creatures. Imperative – a sentence that makes a command (ends with a period mark) Cats are very small creatures. Interrogative – a sentence that asks a question (ends with a question mark) Why would anyone think dogs are better than cats? Exclamatory – a sentence that expresses great emotion, passion, excitement (ends with an exclamation mark) This cat is amazing!
Sentence Patterns Simple Sentence: A sentence that is just one independent clause. Cats are very cute.
23 Compound Sentence: A sentence with multiple independent clauses, but no dependent clauses - connected by FANBOYS (coordinating conjunctions) or a semicolon (;). Cats are very cute, but can be scary. Complex Sentence: A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. When animals are threatened, they can be very scary. Complex-Compound Sentence: A sentence with multiple independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. Whether animals are threatened or not, they shouldn’t be agitated, but people will continue to do so. Loose Sentence: A sentence that contains an independent clause plus a subordinate construction (either a clause or phrase) with your main point at the beginning. Cats are cute, no matter what angle you look at them. Periodic Sentence: A sentence in which the independent clause is given at the end of the sentence in order to create interest or generate suspense with the main point coming at the end. No matter what angle you look at them, cats are cute. Parallel Structure: A sentence using the same pattern of two or more verbs or ideas that match in tense or structure to show that they are of equal importance and to help the reader comprehend what is being written - this sentence requires symmetry. Cats tend to sleep a lot, eat at times, and go back to sleep. Balanced Sentence: A sentence where phrases or clauses at the beginning and the end parallel each other by virtue of their likeness of structure, meaning, or length - this sentence requires symmetry. Cats go to poop out yesterday's food to make room for today's food. Chiasmus: A sentence that includes a repetition of ideas (words, phrases, or clauses) in inverted (reversed) order - this sentence requires symmetry. The cats are cute and cuteness rules. Asyndeton: A sentence that leaves out conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses for a rhetorical purpose.
24 Cates are cute, cuddly, and very small Polysyndeton: A sentence that uses multiple conjunctions in close proximity to each other between words, phrases, or clauses for a rhetorical purpose. The cats are typically cute and sometimes tend to sleep a lot Anaphora: A sentence that features the purposeful repetition of a word, words, or a phrase at the beginning of several successive clauses in order to place emphasis and draw attention. For a lot of people, cats are what help them through the day, cats comfort them, and cats are there when times are tough. Epistrophe: A sentence featuring several phrases or clauses ending with the same word or words. A lot of times people like the cuteness of cats, structure of cats, and different types of cats.
Sentence Errors Run-On/Rambling/Fused Sentence – a sentence construction error where two or more independent clauses are connected incorrectly without punctuation. The animal shelter needed money they went to do a fundraiser [WRONG] The animal shelter needed money SO they went to do a fundraiser [RIGHT] Comma Splice – a sentence construction error where two or more independent clauses are connected incorrectly using commas The animal shelter had many things to do, they were understaffed. [WRONG] The animal shelter had many things to do. They were understaffed. [RIGHT] Fragment – incomplete sentence pieces that are not connected to or do not form an independent clause Because the animals were many. [WRONG] Because the animals were many, the shelter had to stock up a lot of food. [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 the animal shelter, the helper gave some food to the animals that was wet [WRONG] At the animal shelter, the helper gave some food that was wet to the animals.[RIGHT]
25 Double Negative – combining two or more negative words in a sentence in a way that is supposed to produce a positive force People who volunteer aren’t wasting their time and are doing things right. [WRONG] People who volunteer aren’t wasting their time doing things wrong.. [RIGHT]
Paragraphs Paragraphs – a group of sentences that together convey a shared purpose structured around the same topic.
Introductory Paragraphs (Introductions) Hook (Lead) – can begin with the title Anecdotal (Brief story to set the mood and lead the reader into the topic) A lot of people despise reading. They don’t like spending time reading line after line from a colorless book about information they hardly care about. In this day and age, we don’t need to rely on books for simple education. As such, a lot of people have grown to use other forms of media to get their information and most of that is done through visuals instead of reading even if the best information is in books. However what if I told you, you (yes you) can learn to be able to read like a Professor! No more boring moments or sleeping times, you’ll be able to indulge in the world of reading and be smart! Query Based (Question that brings the reader to the topic - avoid second person POV “you”) However what if I told you, you (yes you) can learn to be able to read like a Professor! 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) Literature can be not boring and be read like a professir Fact (empirically verifiable but often difficult to argue extensively about better used as evidence to support a claim) Reading is hard for many people. Opinion (personal position on a topic) Reading sucks.
26 elief (social, religious, or political in nature – an opinion held by many to B be a fact, though it is not necessarily factual – often involves a judgement) Reading can be intimidating 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) Almost every book has bland coloring which make the reader bored. Document Based (cites a specific source, author, and position on a topic) In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, you learn to read like a professor. Theory (a statement that can be tested and potentially proven - often answers a research question) Reading like a professor is easy. 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)
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. Reading like a professor greatly increases one's ability to understand and analyze a passage. (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 – “it offers a critique of the class system, a story of initiation into the adult world of sex and death, an amusing examination of family dynamics, and a touching portrait of a child struggling to establish herself as an
27 independent entity in the face of nearly overwhelming parental influence.“ (Foster 2003) Ex. Foster concludes about stories that, “it offers a critique of the class system, a story of initiation into the adult world of sex and death, an amusing examination of family dynamics, and a touching portrait of a child struggling to establish herself as an independent entity in the face of nearly overwhelming parental influence.“ (Foster 2003) Ex. “It offers a critique of the class system, a story of initiation into the adult world of sex and death, an amusing examination of family dynamics, and a touching portrait of a child struggling to establish herself as an independent entity in the face of nearly overwhelming parental influence.”, according to Foster about stories (Foster 2003)
Ex. Unfortunately for listeners, “it offers a critique of the class system, a story of initiation into the adult world of sex and death, an amusing examination of family dynamics, and a touching portrait of a child struggling to establish herself as an independent entity in the face of nearly overwhelming parental influence.“ according to Foster about stories (Foster 2003) Ex. Unfortunately for listeners, “it offers a critique of the class system, a story of initiation into the adult world of sex and death, an amusing examination of family dynamics, and a touching portrait of a child struggling to establish herself as an independent entity in the face of nearly overwhelming parental influence.“ (Foster 2003) Ex. Unfortunately for listeners, “it offers a critique of the class system, a story of initiation..., an amusing examination of family dynamics, and a touching portrait of a child struggling to establish herself as an independent entity...“ (Foster 2003) 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)
28 ORIGINAL QUOTE – “it offers a critique of the class system, a story of initiation into the adult world of sex and death, an amusing examination of family dynamics, and a touching portrait of a child struggling to establish herself as an independent entity in the face of nearly overwhelming parental influence.“ (Foster 2003) Ex. PARAPHRASE – Stories offer sophisticated parts such as a class system, a story of initiation, family dynamics, and a growing child. 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 – “it offers a critique of the class system, a story of initiation into the adult world of sex and death, an amusing examination of family dynamics, and a touching portrait of a child struggling to establish herself as an independent entity in the face of nearly overwhelming parental influence.“ (Foster 2003) Ex. SUMMARY – Stories offer sophisticated parts. 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. People might read better if they understand that stories have sophisticated parts. Concrete Examples (actual examples that do refer to a source – useful for enhancing your analysis of the quote) Ex. A study done in 2004 suggested that reading provides more learning than any other forms of media 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. Evidently, professors agree that reading like a professor provides more learning than any other forms of media
Closing Paragraphs (Conclusions – should not be mere summaries of the previous paragraphs of your essay)
29 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. If reading wasn’t so educational, no professor would ever pick up a book.
Statement(s) of Extension (extending the consequences of disregarding the implications of the thesis – could be one or more sentences) Ex. Because of this, there is a correlation between the media the professor uses and the educational level of that professor Reestablishing the Significance of the Thesis (could be one or more sentences) Ex. Thus, Reading like a professor greatly increases one's ability to understand and analyze a passage.
Final Sentence (connects to the hook and finishes the essay (finish your argument) – the “Smoky the Bear”/”Drop the mic”/dot dot dot moment…) Ex. In the end, reading proves to be the most powerful tool for education.
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Essays Essays – Explain what an essay is (I know, this is where I usually explain it to you but now that you have made it to the end of this project, it’s your turn) An essay is a short academic composition. The word “essay” is derived from a French word “essai” or “essayer,” which mean “trail.” In composition, however, an essay is a piece of non-fiction writing that talks or discusses a specific topic. Presently, essay is part of every degree program.
Types Explain each type of essay and state its purpose Persuasive (Argumentative) A persuasive essay is meant to convince the target audience to do something or not do something.
Expository (Informative) Definition or Description Expose means to uncover or lay something bare, or to discover something in a way that others know what it is. Expository is derived from exposition, which is a noun of ‘expose.’ An expository essay is a genre of writing which tends to explain, illustrate, clarify, or explicate something in a way that it becomes clear for readers. Therefore, it could be an investigation, evaluation, or even argumentation about an idea for clarification.
Process (How-to) 1. Descriptive Essay: A descriptive essay describes something, some place, some experience, or some situation through sensory information. 2. Process Essay: A process essay explains or shows a process of making or doing something. 3. Comparison Essay: A comparison essay makes comparison and contrasts between two things. 4. Cause/Effect Essay: A cause and effect essay finds out the cause of something and then its effects on something else. 5. Problem/Solution Essay: A problem/solution essay presents a problem and its solution for readers.
Compare and Contrast Difference Between an Expository Essay and an Argumentative Essay As is clear, an expository essay is an exposition, explanation, investigation, or illustration for the purpose of clarification, therefore, its tone is often kept neutral. However, in an argumentative essay, a clear
31 position about something is taken before the argument is presented. There is no issue of objectivity or neutrality.
Cause and Effect The function of an expository essay is to clarify and expose things, ideas, persons, and places through description, process, comparison/contrast, or through problem solution. The objective of this type of essay is to make readers aware of things given in the essay. It proves full and detailed information in a way that readers become knowledgeable about the topic.
Analytical/Critical Analytical implies the breaking down of something into parts, or the discussion of something in a way that it becomes a dissection of the whole. An analytical type of essay differs from other types of essays in that its primary goal is to explain something bit by bit to enhance understanding. Most of the times, an analytical essay is written about the analysis of a text, or a process, or an idea. In literature, however, it is a critical analysis of some literary text which is done to enhance its understanding.
Evaluative Interpretive Narrative (Tells a story) Narrative is a report of related events presented to listeners or readers, in words arranged in a logical sequence. A story is taken as a synonym of narrative. A narrative, or story, is told by a narrator who may be a direct part of that experience, and he or she often shares the experience as a first-person narrator. Sometimes he or she may only observe the events as a third-person narrator, and gives his or her summation.
Personal Statement/Anecdote a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
Research A research essay revolves around a research question that is meant to answer some specific question through a research of the relevant literature.
Timed Document Based Question (DBQ) The dreaded DBQ, or "document-based question," is an essay question type on the AP History exams (AP US History, AP European History, and AP World History). For the DBQ essay, you will be asked to analyze some historical issue or trend with the aid of the provided sources, or "documents," as evidence.
Synthesis the combination of ideas to form a theory or system.
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Strategies/Planning Tips/Steps Explain how to plan and organize essays and how to analyze and break down prompts. Pre-writing/Prompt Analysis/Outlining Pre-writing strategies use writing to generate and clarify ideas. While many writers have traditionally created outlines before beginning writing, there are several other effective prewriting activities. We often call these prewriting strategies “brainstorming techniques.� Five useful strategies are listing, clustering, freewriting, looping, and asking the six journalists' questions. These strategies help you with both your invention and organization of ideas, and can aid you in developing topics for your writing.
Researching/Evaluating of Sources the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions: we are fighting meningitis by raising money for medical research.
Work Cited Page Explain and give an example of how to set up a works cited entry in both MLA and APA formats - there are subtle differences between each format, so be sure to identify them clearly. MLA Format These OWL resources will help you learn how to use the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation and format style. This section contains resources on in-text citation and the Works Cited page, as well as MLA sample papers, slide presentations, and the MLA classroom poster
APA Format These OWL resources will help you learn how to use the American Psychological Association (APA) citation and format style. This section contains resources on in-text citation and the References page, as well as APA sample papers, slide presentations, and the APA classroom poster.