+

Your Writing: Common IssuesMs. DaceyCP English 9

+OVERVIEW (from your memo) Personal pronouns/addressing the reader (no “I” and no “you” – write

in the third person)

Capitalization

Using questions (ugh)

Writing exactly the way you speak (“hey”)

Explaining textual evidence

Comma usage

Fragments

Parallelism (we’ll get to this later)

Transitions

Starting each sentence the exact same way

Using coordinating conjunctions/combining sentences/sentence variety

+Vary your sentence types A clause is comprised of at least one subject and one

verb. There are two types of clauses: the independent clause and the dependent clause. Independent Clause: An independent clause makes a

statement or asks a question that can act as a complete sentence. Example: The dog barks.

Dependent Clause: A dependent clause cannot act as a complete sentence because it begins with a subordinating word, such as when, because, if, whoever, etc. Example: When the dog barks.

Simple Sentence = 1 independent clause

Compound Sentence = 2 or more independent clauses

Complex Sentence = 1 dependent clause with 1 independent clause

Compound-Complex = 2 or more independent clauses and 1 or more dependent clauses

+Some Examples

Simple Sentence The pirate captain lost her

treasure map.

Compound Sentence The pirate captain lost her

treasure map, but she still found the buried treasure.

Complex Sentence Because the map was too wet, I

dried it in the microwave on the ship.

Compound-Complex Sentence Though the pirate prefers

watching action-adventure films, she rented Saw II, and she enjoyed it very much.

+Grammar issues…1. Wrong Tense or Verb

Broken: When Esperanza went to school, she done well. Fixed: When Esperanza went to school, she did well.

2. Run-on Sentence Broken: Over 75% of mistakes in English cannot be

committed in speech they can only be committed in writing.

Fixed: Over 75% of mistakes in English cannot be committed in speech. They can only be committed in writing.

3. Subject/Verb Agreement Broken: An important function of mothers are supporting

children. Fixed: An important function of mothers is supporting

children.

+4. Fragment Broken: Because Esperanza has to work. Fixed: Esperanza has to work, because she has to help her

family.

5. Wrong Word Broken: Creative people believe in there imagination. Fixed: Creative people believe in their imagination.

6. Comma Splice Broken: Esperanza, a young girl really shouldn’t be friends

with someone like Marin. Fixed: Esperanza, a young girl, really shouldn’t be friends

with someone like Marin.

7. Unclear Pronoun Reference Broken: Some families focus only on making money, which

can lead to resentment from the children. Fixed: Some families focus only on making money, a

decision that can lead to resentment from the children.

+8. Shift in Tense for No Reason Broken: The first dictionary was published in 1604 by Robert

Cawdray, who says he produced it for “ladies…and other unskillful persons.”

Fixed: The first dictionary was published in 1604 by Robert Cawdray, who said he produced it for “ladies…and other unskillful persons.”

9. Dangling Modifier Broken: Alone and hopeless, the papaya juice makes Rafaela feel

better about life. Fixed: Alone and hopeless, Rafaela feels better about life by

drinking papaya juice.

10. Missing or Wrong Preposition Broken: We need to invent a language in which parents would be

incapable from lying. Fixed: We need to invent a language in which parents would be

incapable of lying.

11. Missing Comma with Dependent Clause Broken: While the dog ate the cat stayed away from the dish, Fixed: While the dog ate, the cat stayed away from the dish,

+Expository Writing Your thesis needs two parts – what are your two main reasons

WHY? These will become the topic sentences for each of your body paragraphs

Start with a HOOK! an unusual detail (Manitoba, because of its cold climate, is not

thought of as a great place to be a reptile. Actually, it has the largest seasonal congregation of garter snakes in the world!)

a strong statement (Cigarettes are the number one cause of lighter sales in Canada!)

a quotation (Elbert Hubbard once said, "Truth is stronger than fiction.")

a statistic or fact (Flatulence from livestock is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions, which are directly responsible for global warming.)

•an exaggeration or outrageous statement (The whole world watched as the comet flew overhead.)

+ Sample Discussion Prompts I really don't understand the part where . .

.

This character reminds me of somebody I know because . . .

This character reminds me of myself because . . .

I think this setting is important because . . .

This scene reminds me of a similar scene in (title of book/movie/etc.) because . . .

This part is very realistic/unrealistic because . . .

It seems like . . .

I'm not sure . . .

I want to know more about . . .

I predict . . .

I think the relationship between ______and ______ is interesting because . . .

This section makes me think about . . .

I like/dislike (name of character) because . . .

This situation reminds me of a similar situation in my own life. What happened was . . .

If I were (name of character) at this point, I would . . .

I began to think of . . .

I can't believe . . .

I wonder why . . .

I noticed . . .

I was surprised . . .