Writing Fundamentals
By Feng Xue
Contents
• Capitalisation• Comma vs. period• Connecting sentences
– and, so, but, also• Layout of English passages
– Indentation– Full-block
• Exercises• Writing practice• Wrap up
CAPITALISATION-1
A Report on the Trips
“How was your trip?” I asked.
He said, “My trip to Yunnan was interesting.”
“My trip to Mount Tai,” she said, “was rather tiring.”
I asked, “Really? That’s funny.”
CAPITALISATION-2• First words of sentences (sentence fragments)• Key words in titles
– Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, long prepositions– Prepositions
• Proper names– People– Places (stars, continents, countries, cities, streets)– Languages – Holidays– Religions– Titles (Mr. , Ms. , President, Sir, etc.)
CONNECTING SENTENCES
• and, but, so, or• also
• as a result, therefore• When, before, after• …
CONNECTING SENTENCES
1. I realise now that the boys loved me.
2. I was little.
3. I often felt lonely and left.
4. They were always having fun together.
5. I was too small to play with them.
6. I suppose I was quite independent.
CONNECTING SENTENCES
I realise now that the boys loved me, but when I was little I often felt lonely and left out. They were always having fun together, but I was too small to play with them. As a result, I suppose I was quite independent
Punctuation & Basic Sentence Structures
• It too far from Beiwai, I think you can change your work to Tianjin.
It’s too far from Beiwai. I think you can …
It’s too far from Beiwai, but I think you can …
As it is too far from Beiwai, I think you can …
It’s too far from Beiwai, so I think you can …
It’s too far from Beiwai; I think you can …
It’s too far from Beiwai, and I think you can …
Punctuation & Basic Sentence Structures
– My brother like seeing films.
– The man and her daughter is here.
– It is early in the morning. I got up before my parents and …
Agreement
COMMA vs. PERIOD
• Maria是北京外国语大学的新生,她今年 19岁,来自英国。
• Maria is a new student at BFSU. She is 19 and is from Britain.
LAYOUT OF PASSAGES
Indented style Full block style
I work at a software company that is located near Fu Xing men, Xicheng district.
My home is in Hai-dian District, it’s about 12 kilometre from my workplace. Th
ere are many ways to went from my home to my office. It takes almost one hou
r by bus to get to my workplace from my home. Although it is long journey, Th
e transport is convenient. There are three direct bus service. No 716, No 732
and No 723 with air-condition, the fee of No 716 is very cheap, only 1 Yuan, b
ut No 732 or No 723 are 2 to 3 Yuans. I can also choose to take the subway to
save time, but it more expensive and I need to take bus to get to the sub
way station. I take subway only when I got up late. It spends me about 45 minut
e and 6 Yuan. The most expensive way to go to work is taxi. It’s really expensi
ve, but not save me much time actually. It always cost over 20 Yuan because o
f the traffic, so I seldom get to work by taxi. If the weather is fine and I am full of
energy, I prefer to go to work by bike. On my way to the workplace, I pass man
y university, the National Library, the Purple Bamboo Park and Diaoyu Tai. It is
also a good form of physical exercises for me, too.
Can you improve it?I work at a software company that is located near Fuxingmen, Xicheng District.
There are many ways to go from my home to my office. It takes almost one
732 and No 723 with air-conditioning. The fee of No 716 is very cheap, only 1
subway to save time, but it will be more expensive and I need to take a bus to
about 45 minutes and 6 Yuan. The most expensive way to go to work is by taxi.
It’s really expensive, but not saving me much time actually. It always costs over
20 Yuan because of the traffic, so I seldom get to work by taxi. If the weather isfine and I am full of energy, I prefer to go to work by bike. On my way to the wor
kplace, I pass many universities, the National Library, the Purple Bamboo Park
and Diaoyutai. It is also a good form of physical exercise for me, too.
My home is in Haidian District, about 12 kilometres from my workplace.
Yuan, but No 732 or No 723 are 2 to 3 Yuan. I can also choose to take the
get to the subway station. I take the subway only when I get up late. It takes me
hour by bus to get to my workplace from my home. Although it is a long journey
the transport is convenient. There are three direct bus services – No 716, No
Can you improve it?
Most family have washing machine , let me tell you how to use. first ,
you should plag it in. second, put the cloths which you want to wash
into the washing machine. third, put some wash in it and please noti
ce how many wash you use. Finally, you should begin to washing yo
ur clothes. And if you washing machine is used by your hand, please
tune process about your machine.
(75 words)
WRAP UP
• How to improve writing– Read– Copy/imitate/rewrite– Write
Please check your writing again
against these conventions before submitting
your first assignment.