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STUDENT RESOURCE FOLDER

THE WRITING PROCESS

A. PREWRITING1. Your goal is to find a meaningful idea about which to write.2. Begin your search with free writing, clustering, webbing, etc.3. Learn as much as you can about a subject.4. If your prewriting leads to a dead end, drop it and search for a new subject.5. Once you have a topic, find an interesting way to write about it.6. Write ONLY the first paragraph to set the tone and direction of your writing.7. Think about an overall plan or design for organizing your writing.

B. WRITING THE FIRST DRAFT1. Write the first draft while your thinking and writing are still fresh on your mind.

SKIP EVERY OTHER LINE; IT WILL MAKE REVISING MUCH EASIER.2. Refer back to your prewriting plan, but do not be afraid to add a new idea that may

come to you.3. Concentrate on ideas, NOT mechanics.4. Write naturally, as if you are talking to your readers.5. Looking back sometimes helps you move forward in your writing.6. Keep writing until you come to a natural stopping point. Your first draft is your first

look at a developing writing idea.

C. REVISING1. First, become serious about your writing idea. If you do not feel strongly about your

writing, you will lack the necessary care and concern to revise effectively.2. Try to make what you are saying better – add, leave out, reword, or rearrange. (The

dictionary and thesaurus are very important.)3. Make your writing as meaningful and lively as possible.4. Review and revise the opening and closing paragraphs.5. Review your words, sentences, and paragraphs to make sure they read the way you

want them to read. SHARE WITH A FRIEND.

D. PROOFREADING1. Reread your entire writing. Make sure you have not left out any important words or

phrases.2. Have a dictionary, thesaurus, and English textbook close at hand.3. Check AND correct errors in run-on sentences, fragments, subject-verb agreement,

punctuation, capitalization and spelling.4. After working the very best you can independently, ask a friend, classmate, or parent

who has a good grasp of the language to proofread with you.

E. FINAL COPY1. Write or type a neat final copy of your writing.2. Use lined paper and a blue or black ink pen.3. Your writing must be legible, or it will not be read or graded.4. Proofread the final draft at least once before handing it in for assessment.

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Discussing the Thesis Statement

What Is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is the main idea or controlling thought of an essay or piece of writing. It showcases a preview of what the writing will include. Without it, the paper stands without a focal point. The thesis statement lies at the very center (heart) of the piece of writing. Just as the body needs a heart to survive, the body paragraphs in an essay need a continual stream to which to emit supporting information. The thesis statement is an important part of writing.

A thesis statement generally consists of two parts: your topic and then the analysis, explanation(s), or assertion(s) that you are making about the topic. It is a very specific statement that should cover only what you want to discuss in your paper, and it should be supported by specific evidence. Think of your thesis as a map or a guide both for yourself and your audience. The kind of thesis statement you write will depend on what kind of paper you are writing. In some kinds of writing, such as narratives and descriptions, your thesis needs to provide some kind of statement in your first paragraph that helps to guide your reader through your paper. As you write and revise your paper, it is wise to change and develop your thesis as your ideas in your body paragraphs unfold.

The location of the thesis statement varies, but it typically occurs as the last sentence in the introduction paragraph. As well, the thesis statement should be rephrased in a fresh and new way in the conclusion paragraph.

Moreover, the thesis statement is not just a sentence that appears at the beginning and end of a piece of writing. It is present throughout the entire piece of writing. The main idea, or thesis statement, is introduced in the introduction paragraph; and then its ideas and essence gently flow from one body paragraph to the next until it (the thesis statement) finally nestles in the concluding paragraph. This central idea of the essay never leaves any part of the essay; and the essay always looks to the thesis statement for origin, guidance, and summation.

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Formulating the Thesis Statement

The physical appearance of the thesis statement varies: In an expository, narrative, or descriptive essay, you must keep in mind that you are explaining something to your audience. Thus, formulate your thesis with these ideas in mind:

What am I going to explain? State the topic.

What is the point of my explanation? Provide a purpose.

Are there parts or sections to my explanation?Provide all categories.

What is the order in which I want to present my explanation?Provide order.

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A Thesis Statement Identifies the Purpose and Previews Its Main Ideas

(1) A thesis statement is more than a statement of fact or observation.

Fact or observation: People use many lawn chemicals.

I enjoy recalling my first date with Dave.

I broke my leg.

Thesis: Merely to keep their lawns lush and green, numerous homeowners are poisoning the environment with chemicals.

Because of a rather humorous and embarrassing incident, I enjoy recalling my first date with my boyfriend Dave.

While both deliberately disobeying my mother and skateboarding where I did not belong, I suffered a painful accident that resulted in a broken leg.

(2) A thesis statement takes a stand; it does not simply announce a subject.

Announcement: The thesis of this paper is the difficulty of solving our environmental problems.

The purpose of my essay is to tell you about my mother's near-death experience.

Thesis: Solving our environmental problems is more difficult than many environmentalists believe.

Because of a doctor's indifference and incompetence, my mother suffered a near-death experience.

(3) A thesis is a main idea, not a title. It must be a complete sentence.

Title: My disastrous date with Dave.

When I lost my two front teeth.

Thesis: Because of wilted flowers, a flat tire, and a slobbery first kiss, my blind date with Dave Morrison was a disaster.

When I was seven years old, my belief in the tooth fairy was solidified when I found a priceless treasure beneath my pillow after I had lost my two front teeth.

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(4) A thesis statement is narrow rather than broad. It is specific, not general or vague.

Broad and General: During the Christmas holiday of 2002, I vacationed in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

The American steel industry has many problems.

Hemingway's short stories are very good.

Thesis: While in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, during the Christmas holiday of 2002, I enjoyed my first snow skiing experience.

The primary problem in the American steel industry is the lack of funds to renovate outdated plants and equipment.

Hemingway's short stories helped to create one type of Modernist prose style by employing extensive dialogue, shorter sentences, and Strong Anglo-Saxon words.

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Remember: While it is vital to create a thesis statement early in the writing process, you may revise your thesis statement whenever you want while you are writing your essay. Writers often discover what their real purpose and/or point are/is while they are in the process of putting their thoughts into words and then rereading what they have written.

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Eleven Ways to Title a Story

1. Name a character in your story

2. Name a place in your story

3. Name a thing in your story

4. Quote a line in your story

5. Tell the theme of your story

6. Write a mysterious title

7. Write a straight forward title

8. Write a one-word title

9. Describe the key action in the story

10. Describe exactly what you want the reader to take away

11. Find your own unique way to title it

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Leads / Attention-Getters / Hooks

Potato Leads A potato grows beneath the surface in a piece of writing. It’s the thing that the reader and the writer want to dig up. It makes you ask questions.

I was six years old when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength.Rules of the Game by Amy Tan

You are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time of the morning.Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney

“You must not tell anyone,” my mother said, “what I am about to tell you.”The Woman Warrior by Maxine Kong Kingston

Snapshot Leads Create a picture in the reader’s mind.

Abraham Lincoln wasn’t the sort of man who could lose himself in a crowd. After all, he stood 6 foot 4 inches tall, and to top it off he wore a high silk hat. His height was mostly in his long bony legs, and when he sat in a chair he seemed no taller than anyone else. It was only when he stood up that he towered about other men.

Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman

The doorman of the Kilmarnock was six foot two. He wore a pale blue uniform, and white gloves made his hands look enormous. He opened the door of the yellow taxi as gently as an old maid stroking a cat.

Smart Alec Kill by Raymond Chandler

Misleading Leads1 Set up expectations, then surprise the reader.

I have a farm. It has lots of animals. (next page) Fooled ya! It’s a toy farm.Michael, a first grader, from What a Writer Needs by Ralph Fletcher

I would like to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not terrified and screaming like the other people in the car.

Prairie Home Companion by Garrison Keillor

-------------------1What a Writer Needs by Ralph Fletcher. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman, 1993.

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Set-up Leads Set up the action for the whole story in a few sentences.

In the early days of America when men wore ruffles on their shirts and buckles on their shoes, when they rode horseback and swore allegiance to the King of England, there lived in Boston a man who cared for none of these things. His name was Samuel Adams. His clothes were shabby and plain, he refused to get on a horse, and he hated the King of England.

Why Don’t You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? by Jean Fritz

This is not a book about my life or yours. It does not hold the secret to success or salvation. It won’t strengthen your self-esteem. I don’t think it will get me on Oprah.

I’m Dysfunctional, You’re Dysfunctional by Wendy Kaminer

Talking Leads Maybe you want to start with a line or two of dialogue.

“Where is he?” Barney hopped from one foot to the other as he clambered down from the train, peering through the white-faced crowds flooding eagerly to the St. Austel ticket barrier. “Oh, I can’t see him. Is he there?”

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

“Where is Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

Thinking Leads Start with a thought inside a character or you.

Mother taught me to be polite to dragons. Particularly polite, I mean; she taught me to be ordinarily polite to everyone. Well, it makes sense. With all the enchanted princesses and disguised wizards and transformed kings and so on wandering around, you never know whom you might be talking to. But dragons are a special case.

Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

As a boy, I never knew where my mother was from—where she was born, who her parents were.

The Color of Water by James McBride

Up until I turned twelve years old, the kind of friends I had were what you’d expect. They were my own age more or less. Most of them were born here in Serenity along with me. And all of us went to the same school together.

Onion John by Joseph Krumgold

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Ideas for Your Opening or Lead Paragraph

The lead paragraph is one of the most important elements of each composition you write.

It should:

1. point the way into your essay

2. spark your readers’ interest

3. commit you to a certain style or language

4. establish a boundary or framework

You might:

1. begin with a funny story to set a humorous tone.

2. puzzle your readers with an unanswerable question.

3. offer a “tidbit” of the conclusion to spark the readers’ curiosity.

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TIPS FOR CHOOSING DETAILS

Writing specifically does not mean writing exactly. When you find yourself bored by too exact writing, try using metaphors or similes and just cut out the boring bits.First try: “The motorcycle was six feet long and there was a twelve foot tall man sitting on it who also happened to be eight feet wide.”Better: “If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and five times as wide…He had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in his leather boots were like baby dolphins.” Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone J.K. Rowling

It’s easier to describe gestures, body movements, or actions than it is to describe faces. If you often find yourself writing details like, “her eyebrows scrunched together and her brow furrowed with deep lines.” You might want to cross it out and describe body movements or speech instead. “She held tight to the steering wheel like a captain on a sinking ship and when she yanked the key out of the ignition and barked, ‘Get out of the car.’ I knew she was going down.”

When describing places, choose details that show your character’s mood. If characters are in a happy mood they might notice the light streaming in through the window, but if they are in a sad mood they may only see the dust trapped in the sunlight. Try showing what your characters are feeling by showing how they see the world.

If you are bored, so is your reader. Find ways to vary your details. Move from physical description to dialogue, from dialogue to the thoughts of a character. Mix it up and don’t be afraid to go back and cross out the boring bits that don’t move your story forward.

© 1999 Discover Writing Press—1-800-613-8055—www.discoverwriting.com

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Selecting details is an art. There is no one formula that works in any given situation. That’s both the fun and the challenge of writing. Consider the following not a list of rules but a few tips that may help.

Types of Endings

The Loop EndingA loop ending ends at the same place it begins and is probably the most popular way to end a story. Does your story want to end the same place it began?

The Surprise EndingA good surprise ending is not an accident but is planned for by a skillful writer. You can trace the clues by re-reading the story and looking for the clues the writer planted. For example, a good mystery story must have a surprise ending, but you have to have some clues about the real villain or the reader will feel tricked. Is your story one that wants to throw a curve ball in the last inning?

The SummaryAnd to round off tonight’s newscast, here are the highlights once again. A summary ending repeats the main points of the story trying to tie together any loose ends. This type of ending works well in speeches that are trying to hammer home a point.

The Happy EndingMost fairy tales have happy endings. A happy ending such as the one in Cinderella leaves the reader with no feeling of sadness. Should the story end happily, or would it be stronger and more real if it ended sadly?

The Mysterious EndingA mysterious ending leaves a lot to the reader’s imagination. This is the kind of ending that leaves a big question mark in the reader’s mind. Do you want to keep the reader guessing?

The Sad but True EndingWhen we read that Charlotte dies at the end of Charlotte’s Web, we are sad. But it has to end that way. Try saving Charlotte and the story loses its power. It becomes a lie. I call this the “sad but true” ending. Does your story need to end sadly? Does your happy ending have a false ring? If so, you may want to write a sad but true ending.

IMPROVING WRITING SKILLS

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In order to improve your writing skills, it is important to (1) use words that create clarity, precision, and vivid descriptions; (2) use formal and informal language appropriately; (3) assure that your writing is in logical progression; and (4) ensure that you do not create faulty logic.

PART I: Recognizing and using clarity, precision, and vivid descriptions:In order to create clear, precise, and vivid writing, you need to do the following: (a) use action verbs instead of linking verbs or verbs in the passive voice; (b) use specific terms instead of general or vague terms; and (c) not use slang or jargon or language that is overused, redundant, superfluous, or clichéd.

(a) Use action verbs instead of linking or passive verbs: Use action verbs because they add clarity and vigor to your writing. They push your sentences forward and give them momentum.

For example: Linking verb: She was having many difficult times.Action verb: She endured many difficult times.

Linking verb: The boy was running down the street.Action verb: The boy dashed down the street.

The boy jogged down the street.The boy scampered down the street.

For example: Passive verb: Two touchdowns were scored by the Bobcats.Active verb: The Bobcats scored two touchdowns.

(b) Use specific terms instead of general or vague terms: General and vague language creates fuzzy pictures in your readers’ minds. A general word is a word that refers to a broad category of things rather than to any specific thing or kind of things or to a kind of action rather than to any specific action. You want your writing to be clear and precise.

For example: General: The boy was running down the street.Specific: Jonah jogged down Airport Boulevard.

General: The car drove up the street.Specific: The Corvette propelled up Airport Boulevard.

General: The girl said, “I have a cold.”Specific: Emma whispered, “My nose is stopped up, my head aches, and I am

running a fever.”

General: The woman wore a pair of earrings and some sandals.Specific: The flashy, fashionable woman wore fluorescent earrings and

ankle-strap black sandals.

(c) Do not use slang or jargon or language that is overused, redundant, superfluous, or clichéd: Use words that say exactly what you know they mean; and avoid slang, tired words, and clichés.

For example: Slang: Ella Fitzgerald could really belt out a song.Improved: Ella Fitzgerald was a talented, vociferous singer.

For example: Jargon: We want an open dialogue between teachers and parents.Improved: We want teachers and parents to communicate.

For example: Overused: She is very sad.Improved: She is distressed.

She is discouraged.She is despondent.

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Overused: He is mad.Improved: He is livid.

He is distressed.He is aggravated.

For example: Redundant: Exercise and aerobics have many benefits.Improved: Exercise has many benefits.

Aerobics has many benefits.

For example: Superfluous: I am so tired. (Avoid using words such as so, very, and really.)Improved: I am tired.

I am exhausted.

For example: Cliché: The speaker’s words were food for thought.Improved: The speaker’s words were thought provoking.

Cliché: That test was a breeze.Improved: That test was simple.

That test was effortless.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PART II: Recognizing and using formal and informal language:

Just as your clothing is, your language can be formal, informal, or somewhere in between. Whether you use (a) formal or (b) informal language depends on the situation. Informal English is usually spoken English; whereas, formal English is usually written English. However, it is important for you to know how to communicate orally as well as in writing in formal language. It is also important for you to be able to recognize formal from informal language.

(a) Formal (also known as standard) English is used by businesses, during serious occasions, when reporting the news, in speeches, and in school essays and research papers. It is characterized by precise words, conventional spelling, no slang or contractions, and complete and complex sentences. Formal papers are usually written in the third person point of view.

For example: After two weeks of negotiations, the union finally reached an agreement.In 1950, Gwendolyn Brooks was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in poetry.Thomas Wolfe is one of the most autobiographical American writers.Many trees in cold regions have sheaths that permit them greater water uptake from the soil.Joseph Conrad suggested that the focus of English colonialism gradually shifted from

adventure to business.It is an honor for me to introduce this evening’s guest speaker, Ms. Lynn Jones.My father is a talented comedian.

(b) Informal (also known as nonstandard) English is often used in personal letters, fiction, everyday conversation, and humorous writing. It is characterized by simple, often short words; some unconventional spelling, slang, and contractions; and many simple sentences, fragments, and run-ons. It often uses first and second person point of view.

For example: After two long weeks of chewing the fat, fussing, and fighting, the union finally decided to agree about something.Did you know that in 1950 Gwendolyn Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for her great

poems?Thomas Wolfe sure wrote a lot about himself.I read that bunches of trees have tunnel-like things that suck up water from the ground.Joseph Conrad thought that England started to conquer other people for money and all instead of for sport.Let’s put our hands together for Lynn Jones whose gonna tell us a thing or two.Dad’s such a card.

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PART III: Recognizing and using logical progression:Your writing should possess logical progression—it should have clear introductory sentences or paragraphs; supporting details that consist of ideas, facts, and descriptions; a logical sequence of events or details; correct use of transitional words; no irrelevant or redundant sentences; and effective conclusion sentences or paragraphs. Your writing should also have unity and coherence so that every sentence or paragraph contributes to the central point and leads clearly into the next in logical progression.

(a) An example of a paragraph that lacks logical progression:

Friendliness is a strong trait of bottlenose whales. They are apt to approach boats. Many sailors have reported seeing bottlenose whales approaching their boats. My father, who is a merchant marine, has seen lots of bottlenose whales. Loyalty is another one of their traits. When a bottlenose whale is wounded, its companions won’t leave it behind. However, whalers found the bottlenose whales to be an easy target because of these traits. They killed tens of thousands of them before commercial harvest ended in 1973.

Note the illogical progression that is caused by redundancy, irrelevancy, disunity, incorrect sequencing, and incorrect usage of transitional words.

(b) An example of a paragraph that possesses logical progression:

Bottlenose whales are known for their friendliness. They are apt to approach boats as if they are curious reporters after a good story. These midsize whales are also loyal, refusing to abandon a companion that is wounded. Thus, in the past, the endearing qualities of bottlenose whales actually made them easy targets for whalers. In fact, tens of thousands of bottlenose whales were killed by whalers before the commercial harvest ended in 1973.

(c) Transition words help to create logical progression:

It is important that you become familiar with transitional words and phrases and that you learn how to use them correctly and effectively.

For example: Incorrect use: The first President to serve a full four-year term in the White House was Thomas Jefferson. When he lived there, on the other

hand, it was called the President’s House. Moreover, Jefferson was a creative and organized writer, he was disorganized when handling administrative details. Instead, the table that served as his desk held important paper; it, nevertheless, held his garden tools.

Correct use: The first President to serve a full four-year term in the White House was Thomas Jefferson. When he lived there, however, it was called the President’s House. Although Jefferson was a creative and organized writer, he was disorganized when handling administrative details. For example, the table that served as his desk held important paper; it also held his garden tools.

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PART IV: Recognizing and NOT using faulty logic:An argument is a chain of reasons that a person uses to support a claim or a conclusion. To use

argument well, you need to know how to draw logical conclusions and sound evidence and how to recognize and avoid logical fallacies, or faulty logic.

(a) Fallacies in Logic: Read and study the following explanations and examples.

(1) Either-Or-Thinking: This type of fallacy reduces a solution or situation to only two extremes. It leaves no room for alternatives.

Either we stop the construction of a new airport, or the surrounding suburbs will become a ghost town.

(2) Oversimplification: This fallacy omits key information.

Getting a good job all boils down to whom you know.

(3) Half-Truths: These statements are misleading because they contain only part of the truth.

The fire chief is obviously incompetent because it now takes firefighters five minutes longer to report to a fire than it took five years ago.

(4) Overgeneralization: This type of statement includes everything and everyone without exceptions.

None of the sanitation workers in our city really care about keeping the environment clean.All teenagers watch too much television.

(5) Circular Reasoning: This type of statement is used when someone tries to prove his point by repeating the same thing but in different terms.

Larry Rosener deserves your vote for Deputy Commissioner. Rosener is the best guy for the job. This city needs the kinds of improvements that Rosener can make.

(6) Evading the Issue: An opinion is “supported” with arguments that fail to address its central point.

Question: Why didn’t you come when I called for you?Answer: Why don’t you fuss at my brother? He doesn’t usually come when you call him.

(7) Attacking the Person: Instead of addressing the issue, a person tries to discredit an argument by attacking the person making it.

My liberal opponent is so soft on crime that violence in our city will surely escalate.

(8) Slanted Language: This is language that is purposely “bent” in order to persuade others.

John Knots is a shrewd negotiator. (This suggests competence and insight.)John Knots is a crafty negotiator. (This suggests that he uses devious methods when negotiating.)

(9) Testimonial: Testimonials are claims made by celebrities or paid experts who attest to the merits of a person, product, or service.

To keep on the fast track, I take my Speedoment every day!I’ve tried every cough medicine there is, and believe me, nothing works like Stop-aCough.

(10) Appeals by Association: Sometimes advertisers or others appeal to people’s desires to be popular and

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special. There are appeals to plain folks, bandwagon appeals, snob appeals, appeals to fear, appeals to pity, and appeals to ignorance.

I wouldn’t think of starting my day without Dyno-Oats cereal. If it were good enough for Uncle Buck, it’s good enough for me.Everyone on the team wears Fasto shoes. They’re the only way to go.Treat yourself to Tropical Sun because, after all, you deserve the best under the sun.You depend on Best Tires because precious lives depend on you.Imagine what it must be like for him. Even if he did slash your tires, if anyone deserves a break, he does.Show me one study that proves that seat belts save lives.

(b) Sound Reasoning:

When you write, you want to create sound reasoning by presenting specific facts and drawing reasonable conclusions. You can use inductive reasoning by making sure that your evidence is accurate and that your conclusions follow logically from your evidence. Or, you can use deductive reasoning by beginning with a valid and factual generalization in order to arrive at a specific conclusion.

(1) Inductive Reasoning: Facts: (1) Johann Sebastian Bach started playing the violin at the age of four. (2) At the age of three, Ludwig von Beethoven was taking

piano lessons. (3) Johannes Brahms was composing music at age five. (4) Frederic Chopin taught himself to play melodies on the piano at age five. (5) Stephen Foster was playing both guitar and organ by the time he was two.

Generalization: Many musical geniuses exhibited talent during their preschool years.

(2) Deductive Reasoning: Valid Generalization: Air pollution is aggravated by car exhaust. Specific Conclusion: If we want to have cleaner air, we need to drive less

and/or fix auto emissions.

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Editing and Proofreading Marks for Grades 6-8Use the symbols and letters below to show where and how your writing

needs to be changed. Your teachers may also use these symbols to point outerrors in your writing.

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SIXTH GRADE STUDENT CHECKLIST FOR EDITING

Capitalization

First word in quotation Proper nouns and adjectives Regions of the country Titles of people, books, and works of art

Punctuation

Commas to set off appositives Commas before coordinate conjunctions in compound sentences Commas to separate items in a series Colons to introduce lists Quotation marks with dialogue (direct quotation) Apostrophes with contractions and for possession End punctuation Underlining or italics for book titles

Grammar, Usage, and Spelling

Adverb and adjective form Appropriate tense with no awkward shifts Subject-verb agreement Pronoun case Special usage problems such as double negatives, homonym confusion, and redundancy Spelling Sentence structure

Complete sentences without run-ons or fragments Structural variety without “stringy” or “on-and-on” sentences

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SEVENTH GRADE STUDENT CHECKLIST FOR EDITING

Capitalization

Proper nouns and adjectives Regions of the country Titles of people, books, and works of art (including paintings and films) First word in quotation

Punctuation

Commas to separate items in a series Commas to set off appositives, with introductory elements, and before coordinate

conjunctions in compound sentences Colons to introduce lists Quotation marks with direct quotations Semicolon between independent clauses with no conjunction Apostrophes for possession Underlining or italics for book titles


Adjective and adverb forms Appropriate tense with no awkward shifts Subject-verb agreement (intervening phrases) Pronoun case Pronoun-antecedent agreement Special usage problems such as double negatives and redundancy Spelling Sentence structure

Complete sentences without run-ons or fragments Structural variety without “stringy” or “on-and-on” sentences

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EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT CHECKLIST FOR EDITING

Capitalization

First word in quotation Proper nouns and adjectives Regions of the country Titles of people, books, paintings, films, and ships

Punctuation

Commas to separate items in a series Commas to set off nonessential appositives Commas with introductory elements Commas before coordinate conjunctions in compound sentences Colons to introduce lists Quotation marks with direct quotations Semicolon between independent clauses with no conjunction Apostrophes for possession Underlining or italics for book titles


Adverb and adjective forms Appropriate tense with no awkward shifts Subject-verb agreement (compound subjects and intervening phrases) Pronoun case Pronoun-antecedent agreement Variety and precision in word choice Special usage problems such as word choice involving redundancy and commonly confused

words (e.g., hair, hare) and other spelling Sentence structure

Complete sentences without run-ons, fragments, “stringy” or “on-and-on” sentences Structural variety

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NINTH GRADE STUDENT CHECKLIST FOR EDITING

Capitalization

Proper nouns and adjectives Regions of the country Courtesy titles, books, paintings ships, videos

Punctuation

Commas to separate items in a series Commas before conjunctions in compound sentences, after direct address, in salutations of

friendly letters, to set off non-restrictive phrases and clauses Commas with introductory elements and introductory adverb clauses Colons Semicolon between independent clauses with no conjunction End punctuation Periods with abbreviations Apostrophes for possession Underlining or italics for book titles Quotation marks for certain titles and direct quotations


Pronoun-antecedent agreement Subject-verb agreement Pronoun case Appropriate tense with no awkward shifts Special usage problems such as word choice involving commonly confused words and double

negatives Spelling Sentence structure

Complete sentences without run-ons, fragments, comma splices, or “on-and-ons” Placement of modifiers and appropriate subordination Parallel structure

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TENTH GRADE STUDENT CHECKLIST FOR EDITING

Capitalization Proper nouns and adjectives Regions of the country Courtesy titles, books, works of art, videos

Punctuation Commas to separate items in a series Commas after direct address and after introductory adverb clauses Commas in salutations of friendly letters Commas to set off non-restrictive clauses, appositives, and other phrases including

parenthetical expressions Commas before conjunctions in compound sentences Parentheses, hyphens, and ellipses Colons and semicolons Underlining or italics of books, videos, and movies Quotation marks with titles of poems, short stories, and chapters and with direct quotations Quotation marks with end punctuation Apostrophes for possessives Periods with abbreviations


Subject-verb agreement Pronoun-antecedent agreement Pronoun case, number, and gender Placement of modifiers Appropriate tense with no awkward shifts Appropriate word choice to achieve vivid description and clarity Special usage problems such as subject-verb agreement with indefinite pronoun Spelling, including commonly confused words Active voice (primarily) Sentence structure

Complete sentences without run-ons, fragments, or comma splices Appropriate subordination and placement of modifiers Structural variety and sentence complexity (verbal phrases, noun clauses) Parallel structure within lists, among clauses and phrases

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ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENT CHECKLIST FOR EDITING

Punctuation

Commas to separate items in a series Comma after direct address Commas to set off non-restrictive clauses, appositives, and other phrases including

parenthetical expressions Commas before conjunctions in compound sentences Commas with nominative absolutes Parentheses, hyphens, suspended hyphens, and slashes Colons and semicolons Ellipses Underlining or italics with book, video, movie, and ship titles Quotation marks with titles of poems, short stories, and chapters and with direct quotations Quotation marks with end punctuation (after periods, before or after question marks) Periods with abbreviations Apostrophes


Subject-verb agreement (all) Pronoun-antecedent agreement Pronoun case, number, and gender Placement of modifiers Appropriate tense with no awkward shifts Active voice (primarily) Clarity (no ambiguous, stilted, or artificial language) Word choice (variety, vivid description, accuracy, lack of redundancy) Spelling Special usage problems such as suspended hyphens; words versus numerals; double

negatives; and subject-verb agreement with noun clause as subject, with intervening phrases, and with subjunctive mood

Sentence structure Complete sentences without run-ons, fragments, or comma splices Structural variety and sentence complexity (verbal phrases, noun clauses) Appropriate subordination Placement of modifiers Parallelism of all types

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TWELFTH GRADE STUDENT CHECKLIST FOR EDITING

Punctuation

Commas to set off non-restrictive clauses, appositives, and other phrases including parenthetical expressions

Commas to separate items in a series Comma after direct address Commas with nominative absolutes Colons and semicolons Hyphens, dashes, parentheses, brackets, slashes, and ellipses Underlining or italics Quotation marks Abbreviations Apostrophes


Subject-verb agreement Pronoun-antecedent agreement Appropriate verb tense with no awkward shifts Avoidance of split infinitives Active voice (primarily) Pronoun case, number, and gender Word choice (variety, vivid or colorful description, precision and accuracy) Avoidance of wordiness and redundancy Clarity (no ambiguous, stilted, or artificial language) Special usage problems such as suspended hyphens; words versus numerals; double negatives;

number and noun modifier; compound noun modifiers (adjective-noun and noun-noun); subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases and clauses; and agreement in subjunctive mood

Spelling Sentence structure

Introductory adverb clauses Structural variety and sentence complexity (verbal phrases, noun clauses) Appropriate subordination and placement of modifiers Parallelism of all types

SIX TRAITS WRITING ASSESSMENT

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CONVENTIONS

5 Paper – Mostly CorrectThere are very few errors in my paper; it wouldn’t take long to get this ready to publish.

I have used capitals correctly. Periods, commas, exclamation marks, and quotation marks are in the right places. My spelling is accurate. Every paragraph is indented to show where a new idea begins. My grammar/usage is consistent and shows control.

3 Paper – About Halfway HomeA number of bothersome mistakes in my paper need to be cleaned up before I am ready to publish.

Spelling is correct on simple words. It may not always be right on the harder words. Most sentences and proper nouns begin with capitals, but a few have been overlooked. Paragraphs are present, but not all begin in the right spots. A few problems with grammar and punctuation might make a reader stumble or pause

now and again. My paper reads like a first draft; I was more concerned with getting my ideas down than

making sure to edit my paper.

1 Paper – Editing Not Under Control YetIt would take a first reading to decode, and then a second reading to get the meaning of my paper.

Speling errer our commun, evin on simpl werdz. My paper, have errors in punctuation? and grammar that send the reader back two the

beginning from a sentence to sort thing out I’ve got capital letters scattered in All Over tHe place or NOT at all. I haven’t got the hang of paragraphs yet. The truth is, I haven’t spent much time editing this paper.

VOICE

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5 Paper – Really Individual and Powerful I have put my personal stamp on this paper; it’s really me! Readers can tell I am talking right to them. I write with confidence and sincerity. My paper is full of feelings, and my reader will feel what I feel. I’m not afraid to say what I really think. You can tell I wrote this. No one else sounds like this!

3 Paper – Individuality Fades In and OutWhat I truly think and feel shows up sometimes.

Although readers will understand what I mean, it won’t make them feel like laughing, crying or pounding on the table.

My writing is right on the edge of being funny excited, scary or downright honest, but it’s not there yet.

My personality pokes through here and there but then gets covered up again. My writing is pleasant, but a little cautious. I’ve done a lot of telling and not enough showing.

1 Paper – Not Yet MeI’m not comfortable sharing what I truly think and feel yet.

If you didn’t already know, it might be hard to tell who wrote this paper; you can’t really hear my voice in there yet.

I’m not comfortable taking a risk by telling you what I really think; I’ve taken the safest route by hiding my true feelings.

My paper is all telling and no showing at all. I’ve held myself back by using general statements like “It was fun, “ “She was nice,” “I

like him a lot.”

WORD CHOICE

5 Paper – Extremely Clear, Visual, and Accurate

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Contains just the right words for just the right places All the words in my paper fit. Each one seems just right. My words are colorful, snappy, vital, brisk and fresh. You won’t find overdone, vague,

or flowery language. Look at all my energetic verbs! Some of the words and phrases are so vivid that the reader won’t be able to forget them.

3 Paper – Correct But Not StrikingThe words in my paper get the message across, but don’t capture anyone’s imagination or attention.

I used everyday words pretty well, but I didn’t stretch for a new or better way to say things.

Most of the time the reader will figure out what I mean even if a few words are goofed up.

Occasionally, I may have gone a bit overboard with words that tried to impress the reader.

My words aren’t real specific. Instead of saying, “The sun went down” I should have said, “The sun sagged into the treetops.” Better, juicier details were needed!

There are as many tired out clichés (“Bright and early,” Quick as a wink”) as there are new, fresh, and original phrases: “My mother made me feel more special than all her potted plants.”

1 Paper – Confusing, Misused Words, and Phrases AboundMy reader is often asking, “What did you mean by this?”

A lot of my words and phrases are vague: “We liked to do things,” “We were friends and stuff.”

My words don’t make pictures yet. “Something neat happened.” “It was awesome.” Some of my words are misapplications. Oops, I mean misused. Over and over I used the same words, over and over, and then over and over again until

my paper was over.

ORGANIZATION

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5 Paper – Clear and Compelling DirectionI’ve chosen an order that works well and makes the reader want to find out what’s coming next.

My beginning gets the reader’s attention and gives clues about what is coming. Every detail adds a little more to the main idea or story. All my details are in the right place; everything fits like a puzzle. I ended at a good spot and didn’t drag on too long. I left my reader with something to

think about.

3 Paper – Some Really Smooth Parts, Others Need WorkThe order of my story/paper makes sense most of the time.

I have a beginning, but it really doesn’t grab you or give clues about what is coming. Sometimes it is not clear how the details I have used connect to the main idea or story. Some of my details are in the right spot, but some should come earlier or later. I’ve lingered too long in some places and sped through others. I have a conclusion, it just isn’t the way I want it yet. I may have gone on too long or just

tried to sum up a ho hum way.

1 Paper – Not Shaped YetThe order in my paper is jumbled and confused. I’m feeling dizzy!

There isn’t really a beginning or ending to my paper. It just kinda “takes off..” I’m confused about how the details fit with the main idea or story. My ideas seem scrambled, jumbled, and disconnected. It’s confusing. Conclusion? Oops, I forgot.

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SENTENCE FLUENCY

5 Paper – Varied and NaturalThe sentences in my paper are clear and delightful to read aloud.

Some sentences are long and stretchy while some are short and snappy. It’s easy to ready my paper aloud; I love the sound. Sentence beginnings vary; they show how ideas connect. You can tell that I have good “sentence sense” because my paper just flows. All excess baggage has been cut. I’ve economized with words.

3 Paper – Routine and FunctionalSome sentences are choppy or awkward, but most are clear.

Some of my sentences are smooth and natural, but others are halting. Sentence beginnings are more alike than different. I need to add linking words (Therefore…Later…For this reason…When this happened..)

to show how sentences connect. Some sentences should merge; others need to be cut in two. I have used more words than necessary; I still need to trim some deadwood.

1 Paper – Need WorkBecause there isn’t enough “sentence sense” yet, this paper is difficult to read aloud, even with practice.

As I read my paper, I have to go back, stop, and read over just to figure out the sentences. I’m having a hard time telling where one sentence stops and another begins. The sentence patterns in my paper are so repetitive they might put my reader to sleep! I have to do quite a bit of oral editing (leaving some words out, putting some others in)

just to help the listener get the meaning.

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IDEAS AND CONTENT

5 Paper – Focused, Clear, and SpecificMy writing is full of the kinds of details that keep the reader’s attention and know what is really important about my topic.

I know a great deal about this topic, and when others read my paper, they’ll find out some new or little-known information.

I made sure to show what was happening (“The wildly spiraling tornado aimed straight for our barn”) rather than telling what happened (“It was scary”).

I filled my paper with interesting tidbits that make reading it fun and lively. I made sure my topic was small enough to handle. “All About Baseball: was too big – I

changed it to “How to Steal a Base.”

3 Paper – Some Really Good Parts, Some Not There YetThe reader usually knows what I mean. Some parts will be better when I tell just a little more about what is important.

Some of the things I said are new, but other things everyone knows already. Some details I have used are pretty general, such as “Her hat was nice,” or “It was a

sunny day.” I think my topic might be too big and I got bogged down trying to tell a little about a lot

instead of a lot about a little. Sometimes I was very clear about what I meant, but at other times, it was still fuzzy.

1 Paper – Just Beginning to Figure Out What I want to SayWhen someone else reads my paper, it will be hard for them to understand what I mean or what it is all about.

I haven’t shared much information. I guess I don’t know enough yet about this topic to write about it.

My details are so vague, so it is difficult to picture anything. I’m still thinking aloud on paper. I’m looking for a good idea. Maybe I’ll write about this, but then, maybe I’ll write about that.

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MODES OF WRITING

NARRATIVE WRITING

Narrative Essay Definition

Narrative Writing relates a clear sequence of events that occurs over time. Both what happens and the order the events occur are communicated to the reader. Effective narration requires a writer to give a clear sequence of events (fictional or non-fictional) and to provide elaboration.

Clues words in writing prompts:

“Tell about a time” “Write a story”

Include a specific time frame. Include a clear sequence of events. Include effective description. Use meaningful, precise language.

Use time transition words to move narrative through time.

Use chronological order to tell the events of the story.

Instructions to Guide Revision of Narrative Essay:

1. What are the specific details?

2. Identify the main events in your story.

3. Which time transition words are used?

4. Identify any dialogue used.

5. List the adjectives, adverbs, and action verbs used.

6. Identify the sentence types used to show sentence variety.

7. Have you told the story with the beginning, middle, and end?

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GUIDELINES: NARRATIVE WRITING

PREWRITING:

Use a prewriting technique to list incidents from your life that contain the elements of a story.

Choose an incident that had meaning for you and would make an interesting narrative. Decide what your purpose is in writing the narrative and what audience you are writing

for. List the events involved in the incident. Arrange the events in order. Add your responses and your overall impression.

DRAFTING:

Use sense details, dialogue, and action to show your story rather than to tell it. Expand on your thoughts, composing a paragraph for each change of scene, action, and

speaker. Include your responses to the events along with your description of them. In your conclusion (final statement), briefly explain the significance the episode had for

you.

REVISING:

Do you give enough information to readers so that they can easily follow the story? Do you use transitional words and phrases to make the sequence of events clear? Do you stick to the main story line? Is the point of the story clearly expressed?

PROOFREADING:

Do you maintain a consistent point of view? Are you consistent about verb tenses? Have you punctuated quotations correctly? Is your story free from errors in grammar, usage, capitalization, and spelling?

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Planning Your Narrative Essay

Paragraph 1/Introductory ParagraphLead/Attention-Getter/Hook (question, interesting fact, quotation, etc.) ______________

______________________________________________________________________________Main point/thesis/overall idea _______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2/Main event _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Supporting detail ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Supporting detail ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 3/Main event _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Supporting detail ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 4/Main event _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Supporting detail ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 5/Conclusion (What did you learn from this experience?) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Essay: I. Introductory Paragraph

II. Main event #1III. Main event #2IV. Main event #3V. Conclusion

(Did you use figurative language and fresh verbs?)

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Of course, some essays will need more paragraphs, and that’s fine. Just follow the pattern set here, adjusting numbers accordingly.

MODEL FOR NARRATIVE WRITING

Paragraph One:

Choose an incident. Ask yourself questions like who, what, when, where, why, and how. Begin with a sentence that grabs the reader’s attention. Consider beginning with dialogue, a question, or the ending of the story and working back to recount the events that got you to the end.

Paragraph Two:

Begin this paragraph with the first event and supporting details. You may include dialogue around a specific incident to add interest.

Paragraph Three:

Write about the second event in the story. Be sure to make the story chronological. Add three specific incidents to add interest.

Paragraph four:

Choose a third event in the story that is in chronological order and then add supporting details. This could be the climax of the story.

Paragraph Five:

Provide an ending or conclusion for the story. The ending could be the last event, a moral, or some other way to wrap up the story.

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Expository Essay Definition

Expository writing is defined as presenting reasons, explanations, or steps in a process. Logical order should be used with appropriate sequencing of ideas or steps in a process. Effective expository writing should contain a main idea, supporting details, and a conclusion.

Clue words in the writing prompt

“Explain” “How to…”

Include main idea. Include supporting details Include a conclusion Include appropriate description. Use meaningful, precise language.

Use transition words to connect ideas.

Use an organizational plan with the least important reason to the most important reason

ORUse an organizational plan with the most important reason to the least important reason

ORUse chronological order for a “how to” paper

Instructions to Guide Revisions of Expository Essay:1. What are your specific reasons or steps?

2. In what order are they arranged?

3. What specific supporting information is used for each reason?

4. What transitions are used?

5. Can the main idea sentence in each paragraph by identified?

6. Can you identify the adjectives, adverbs, and action verbs used?

7. Can you identify the sentence types showing sentence variety?

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GUIDELINES: EXPOSITORY WRITING

PREWRITING:

Use thinking skills such as clustering or brainstorming to develop a list of topics and choose a topic.

Think about your audience so that your writing meets your readers’ needs. Is your purpose to explain a process, to examine causes and effects, to compare and

contrast, or a combination of all of these? Choose a logical pattern to organize your explanation.

DRAFTING:

Write a thesis statement that clearly states the central point of your composition. Write an introduction that captures the interest of your readers and tells them the purpose

of your composition. Include specific details. Use transitions to show connections in cause and effect relationships. Write a conclusion that summarizes the information or draws a conclusion.

REVISING:

Ask a peer editor to review your draft. Make changes to convey the type of explanation you have chosen. Keep your peer editor’s comments as well as your own ideas in mind as you revise your

work.

PROOFREADING:

Check for errors in grammar and usage. Check for errors in spelling and punctuation.

SHARING:

Prepare a final copy of your explanation. Share your work with your audience.

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Planning Your Expository Essay



______________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2/Main idea ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Explanation or step ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Explanation or step ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 3/Main idea _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Explanation or step ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 4/Main idea ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Explanation or step ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 5/Conclusion (Restate some of your main points in slightly different words, if possible, and end with your final conclusion.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Essay: I. Introductory Paragraph

II. Main idea #1VI. Main idea #2VII. Main idea #3VIII. Conclusion


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MODEL FOR EXPOSITORY WRITING

Paragraph One:

Introduce your topic. Identify three specific reasons to support the topic or the major steps in a process.

Paragraph Two:

Choose one reason and develop it by elaborating, information or identify the first major step in a process. Include transitional words or phrases.

Paragraph Three:

Choose another reason or step in a process and develop that reason by elaborating. Give examples or details that support your reason or explain your step.

Paragraph four:

Choose a final reason or step in a process. Give examples or details that support reason or explain your step.

Paragraph Five:

Conclusion: Summarize the main points you have made in the essay.

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Persuasive Essay Definition

Persuasive writing defined as presenting reasons and examples to influence actions or thought. Effective persuasive writing requires a writer to state clearly an opinion and to supply reasons and specific examples that support the opinion.

Clue words in writing prompt.

“Convince” “Persuade”

Include a clearly stated opinion. Include logical and convincing reasons. Include appropriate description. Use meaningful, precise language.

Use transition words to connect ideas.

Use an organizational plan with the least convincing reason to the most convincing reason

ORUse an organizational plan with the most convincing reason to the least convincing reason

ORUse an organizational plan based on comparison and contrast.

Conduct practice timed writings using persuasive prompts:

Instructions to Guide Revision of Persuasive Essay:

1. What is your stated opinion or position?

2. What are your logical and convincing reasons to support your opinion or

position?

3. Identify each main idea sentence in each paragraph.

4. What details helps to convince the audience to agree with you?

5. What transitions are used?

6. List the adjectives, adverbs, and action verbs used.

7. Identify the sentence types used to show sentence variety.

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GUIDELINES: PERSUASIVE WRITING

PREWRITING:

Develop a list of possible topics based on conversations with others, drawing from television news, newspapers, or magazines, and your own thoughts concerning current events.

Choose a serious topic that interests you, one that contains an issue about which people are likely to have varying opinions.

Define your position on the issue, expressed in a clearly worded thesis statement. Gather evidence to support your position in the form of facts, examples, observations,

and authoritative opinion. Make a decision about the nature of your audience: age, interests, point of view. Organize your arguments effectively.

DRAFTING:

Write a strong opening paragraph containing your thesis statement. Use your organized arguments to write the body of the composition. Make sure your reasoning can be easily followed. Write a concluding paragraph that summarizes your position on the issue. Be sure to

express clearly how you wish your audience to feel about the issue, and what action (if any) you would like them to take.

Develop your arguments on the basis of the evidence, and check them for excessive appeals to emotion, and loaded words.

REVISING AND PROOFREADING:

Give your composition three readings, once for purpose, once for organization, and once for development. Show your composition to another person for comment.

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Planning Your Persuasive Essay

Paragraph 1/Introductory ParagraphLead/Attention-Getter/Hook (question, interesting fact, quotation, etc.) _____________

_____________________________________________________________________________Main point/thesis/overall idea ______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2/Main point _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Evidence/argument ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Evidence/argument ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 3/Main point _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Evidence/argument ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 4/Main point _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Evidence/argument ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 5/Conclusion (Restate some of your main opinion or call the audience to action.) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Essay: I. Introductory Paragraph

II. Main point #1IX. Main point #2X. Main point #3XI. Conclusion


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MODEL FOR PERSUASIVE WRITING

Note: This is one plan for a persuasive essay. A persuasive paper must state an opinion clearly and include logical reasons to support the opinion.

Paragraph One:

Introduce your topic by stating your opinion or position clearly and precisely. Identify logical reasons to explain or support your opinion or position in order of importance.

Paragraph Two:

State your first reason using transitional words or phrases. Give logical details or facts that support the reason.

Paragraph Three:

State the next reason using transitional words or phrases or lead into it. Give logical details or facts that support the reason.

Paragraph four:

State the most important reason using transitional words or phrases to lead into it. Give details or facts that support the most convincing reason.

Paragraph Five:

Conclude the essay by restaging/paraphrasing your opinion or position and summarizing the reasons. Add a clincher sentence to sum up your opinion or position.

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Persuasive Strategies

There are four basic persuasive strategies, which are techniques to be used when trying to convince others to agree with your opinion. These are as follows:

1. Offer a precedent . A precedent is a situation that has already occurred that can be used for a similar current situation. For example, to try and persuade your parents to let you obtain a driver’s permit, you might say this:

Example: My older brother John was allowed to get his driver’s permit at my age, and he is a good driver.

2. Appeal to fairness . In presenting a good argument, it is not enough to simply say something is not fair. You must offer a solid reason in order to convince your reader. To persuade your parents to allow you to drive, you might say the following:

Example: It is not fair to assume that I will be a poor driver based on my age alone. I am a responsible person who makes honor roll and routinely babysits my younger brothers and sisters, so you should agree that I will also be a responsible driver.

3. Overcome objections . When you anticipate objections to your argument and address them before they are raised, you strengthen your argument. If your parents are probably going to object to your taking the car out alone, you might say the following:

Example: While it is true that I have never driven alone, I have often driven with you in the car, and you have had many opportunities to see my good driving skills.

4. Explore consequences . If you win your argument, what are some positive outcomes? Stating these can be a powerful means of persuasion. Here is what you might tell your parents:

Example: If you allow me to drive the car alone, think of how much easier your life will become. I can run your errands, and you will have more free time to do things for yourself.

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STEPS FOR WRITING THE PERSUASIVE ESSAY

Note: Read the directions for each step and turn in each step on time. You must complete all steps in order. Also, please do not write on this set of directions and return them when you have completed the final draft of your persuasive essay.

Step One: Free writing and brainstorming (twenty points)Step Two: Developing a thesis using your free writing (five points)Step Three: Writing an introduction paragraph and a rough outline (thirty points)Step Four: Writing the first draft (thirty points)Step Five: Editing, evaluating, revising, and proofreading the first draft (twenty-to-forty points)Step Six: Writing and proofreading the final draft (100 points)______________________________________________________________________________Step One: You will free write and brainstorm in order to express your opinions and to get others to agree with you on a subject of your choice. The purpose of persuasion is to change someone’s mind. That purpose is accomplished through a good argument that explains why your opinions, beliefs, and ideas are reasonable. As you free write, make sure to do the following: state a clear opinion on an issue; use facts, examples, and reasons to support your opinion (you must have at least one factual source stapled to the back of your Step One); present your argument logically, not emotionally; urge your readers to think differently and/or take action; and end on a positive note. Begin your free writing by choosing a topic (you might want to discuss the topic with your teacher). Gather facts and examples and include them in your free writing ideas. (Possible titles are listed on the backside.) Write at least l50 words, include a notation about your factual source, and staple your source to the back of your free writing.______________________________________________________________________________Step Two: Using your Step One, create a working thesis statement. It must be one sentence long and must reflect the main idea of your free writing (and of your future essay). Your thesis sentence should reflect your opinion clearly and strongly and should convey a persuasive tone. It should identify your topic and state your opinion. Make sure that your thesis statement is one complete sentence. Staple Step Two to the top of Step One.______________________________________________________________________________Step Three: Using Steps One and Two, you will create an introduction paragraph and a working outline. Your introduction paragraph needs to set up your thesis statement, which will be the last sentence of your introduction paragraph. In the introduction, you want to get your readers’ attention. You want to get them involved and interested in your issue. You might want to start with a question or a demand or a quote. Your introduction needs to set up the thesis statement and prepare the readers for the facts and examples you will later explain in your body paragraph(s). Your introduction paragraph should be about three-seven sentences long. Your outline will illustrate how you plan to organize and discuss your opinion. It should reflect how your facts and examples will be included, and it should make a notation about your source. (A sample Step Three is attached.) Staple Step Three to the top of Steps One and Two.

Step Four: Using Steps One, Two, and Three, you will write your three-to-five-paragraph essay. The first paragraph is, of course, your introduction that ends with your thesis statement. The second (and/or third and fourth) paragraph(s) will be the body paragraph(s) that discuss(es) and persuade(s) your readers to agree with your thesis statement. You should express your beliefs and ideas and should include your facts, details, examples, and explanations. You want to make sure that you support your opinions. Then, create a conclusion paragraph in which you restate your thesis in a new and fresh way and in which you make your readers agree with you and/or in which you appeal to them to take action. Try to end your

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conclusion with a positive persuasive statement. Provide a working title for your essay. Staple Step Four to the top of Steps One, Two, and Three.______________________________________________________________________________Step Five: After you complete Step Four, you will have two of your peers evaluate, revise, edit, and proofread your essay; or you will evaluate, revise, edit, and proofread your own essay. You and/or your editors will receive a set of guidelines to follow. Step Five, the editing sheets, will need to be stapled to the top of Steps One, Two, Three, and Four. (Note: If you have peer editors, be sure not to lose their editing sheets. You do not want to cause someone else to get a zero for this step.)______________________________________________________________________________Step Six: Step Six is the final draft. Using your Step Four and the evaluation(s) of your essay, rewrite your essay. Make it your best effort. Remember to add your title. Proofread and edit it. If necessary, rewrite it again. Your Step Six will be graded using the same format used for your narrative essay. Staple it to the top of all other steps, which should already be stapled together.

Possible Subjects for Your Persuasive Essay

Note: You want to find a worthwhile topic, an issue that you care about. It must be one about which you can support with facts, not just opinions. Also, it needs to be an issue about which you can be objective, not emotional.

(1) Discuss a political or social issue:

(a) the death penalty—pro or con—take a stand(b) abortion—pro or con—take a stand(c) the electoral college—should it remain or be abolished?(d) cheating in school(e) the need for better education standards in the United States(f) the welfare system—take a stand on it(g) lowering the drinking age(h) American involvement in other countries(i) censorship (j) support a particular political candidate(k) explain why others should not vote for a particular candidate

(2) Discuss an environmental issue:(a) the need to stop global warming(b) the need to preserve our oceans and waterways(c) the need to reduce air pollution(d) the need to education people about littering

(3) Discuss a personal issue:(a) discuss something you want to see fixed(b) discuss a Mobile County Public School System policy you agree or disagree with(c) persuade others to like or dislike (agree or disagree about) a film, book, song, poem, etc. (d) persuade others to take a particular class or not to take a particular class(e) persuade others to watch or not watch a television program(f) discuss the importance of after-school jobs for teens (g) discuss the need for a longer school year, or not(h) discuss the usefulness of homework, or not

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(i) rate a particular restaurant(j) review a film(k) persuade a friend to join the band(l) persuade your parents to buy you a new car(m) persuade your friend to become a hospital volunteer with you(n) persuade a player who is playing badly to get off the basketball court, football field, or

soccer field(o) persuade a cell not to divide(p) persuade your friend to become an organ donor(q) convince others that studying history is vital(r) persuade your history teacher to show more historical films(s) persuade your parents to let you stay out later on weekend nights(t) persuade your teacher to extend the deadline date for a major project or assignment(u) persuade a friend to stay in school(v) persuade your teacher not to assign homework on Friday (for the weekend)(w) persuade your friend to break up with his/her girl/boy friend(x) persuade your parents to allow you to attend a party(y) persuade your friend to wear different clothes(z) persuade the principal to extend the lunch waves

Creating a Thesis Statement for a Persuasive EssayThe thesis statement for your persuasive essay, which consists of the main idea and your opinion

about your main idea, needs to be the controlling thought of your essay. It generally consists of two parts: your topic and then the analysis, explanation(s), or assertion(s) that you are making about the topic in order to persuade others to agree with your opinion. It is a very specific statement that should cover only what you want to discuss in your paper, and it should be supported by specific evidence. The location of the thesis statement varies, but it typically occurs as the last sentence in the introduction paragraph. As well, the thesis statement should be rephrased in a fresh and new way in the conclusion paragraph.

The thesis statement is not just a sentence that appears at the beginning and end of your persuasive essay. It is present throughout the entire piece of writing. The main idea, or thesis statement, is introduced in the introduction paragraph; and then its ideas and essence gently flow from one body paragraph to the next until it, the thesis statement, finally nestles in the concluding paragraph. This central idea of the essay never leaves any part of the essay; moreover, the essay always looks to the thesis statement for origin, guidance, and summation.___________________________________________________________

Formulating the Thesis Statement

The physical appearance of the thesis statement varies; in a persuasive essay, keep these ideas in mind:

What is my topic? State the topic.

What is my opinion about my topic? State your opinion.

Are there parts or sections to my explanation of my topic and/or opinion?Provide all categories.

What is the order in which I want to present my explanation?Provide order.

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Note: Remember that a persuasive essay is a formal essay; therefore, your thesis statement must be written in a formal style. It needs to illustrate that the author is knowledgeable and objective, not ignorant and emotional.

Examples of Informal and Improper Persuasive Thesis Statements

People should stop using chemicals on their lawns just because they want them to look good because they are poisoning the environment.

Because it kills an unborn fetus, which is really a human being in the making, abortion is evil and should be made illegal.

Voters should not vote for John Kerry for President because he is a bad man who criticizes President Bush too much.

I think that high school students should have a later start time for school (8:30 or 9:00 instead of 7:30) because then they might be more rested and will do better; thus, the Mobile County School district needs to consider a later start time.

Jackson Browne should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame because he makes really good music that has influenced lots of people.

The United States of America should become an isolationist nation and stop getting involved in other countries' business because it is costing too much money and taking too many lives.

Examples of Formal and Proper Persuasive Thesis Statements

Merely to keep their lawns lush and green, numerous homeowners are poisoning the environment with lawn-enhancing chemicals, a practice that needs to be halted.

Because he has created an unbalanced budget, expanded the role of the government, and misled the American people into an illegal war, President Bush needs to be ousted from the White House come this November 2004 election.

Through a statistical study, Dr. Mary Carskadon established that a later start time enhances the academic performance of high school students; therefore, the Mobile County School District should consider changing the beginning of the high school day from 7:30 to 8:30 or 9:00.

Because it uses the literary elements of the classics, engages adolescent students in analyzing literature along with themselves and their principles, and promotes and encourages lifelong reading habits, young adult literature deserves a valued and respected position in the high school language arts classroom.

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SAMPLE STEP THREE: Read the student’s example Step Three below and use it to help you create your own introduction paragraph and working outline.

Should we be listening to the environmentalists and heed their warnings about the seriousness of pollution: the “greenhouse effect,” acid rain, the ozone hole, and endangered oceans? And, if we do agree with their pleas to “do something about pollution,” what can we, as individuals, really do? Isn’t this a problem for industrial corporations and the government? How can we, as individuals, make a difference? Actually, there is a great deal we can do within our own homes and communities. In fact, if we want our world to become a safer, cleaner place in which to live, it is imperative that we, as individuals, take action and become part of the solution, not the problem, of pollution: we have to make a conscious effort to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

I. Introduction paragraphA. Building up to the thesis statement—getting the reader “hooked”B. The thesis statement

II. Topic sentence—why we need to reduce, reuse, and recycleA. Discuss the “greenhouse effect”

1. Mainly caused by industrial nations that produce carbon dioxide2. Also caused by release of methane and CFCs

B. Discuss acid rain, ozone hole, and endangered oceans1. Caused by car exhaust and certain chemicals2. Oil pollution3. Dumping of waste, sewage, and garbage

C. Discuss litter and waste managementIII. Topic sentence—how we, as individuals, can make a difference: reduce, reuse, and recycle

A. Reduce: Think before we waste and think about what we buy1. Reduce use of disposable items that pollute—batteries, plastics, Styrofoam2. Buy recyclable items or only what we need and avoid wasteful packaging3. Buy less hazardous materials such as pesticides, fertilizers, etc.4. Don’t buy items in spray cans—use pump sprays5. Use our cars less and our legs and bicycles more6. These efforts will help reduce the production of carbon dioxide, methane, and

CFCs and will lessen the car exhaust and certain pollutants in the airB. Reuse—repair, not replace

1. Reuse paper bags, plastic bags and containers, old fabrics and rags2. Compost—use yard and kitchen waste3. “Toss means loss”—there will not be as much to throw away, so this will lessen

the amount of waste, sewage, and garbageC. Recycle—easy to do, and can even bring in money

1. Recycle paper products (newspaper, magazines, old books, etc.)2. Recycle aluminum, tin, steel, glass, plastics, batteries (even oil, tires, and

sewage)3. Instead of littering or creating more garbage for waste management, recycle4. In the long run—more efficient and even can be profitable

IV: ConclusionA. Restatement of thesis statementB. Note how positive and easy the methods of reducing, reusing, and recycling areC. Encourage the reader to take action—become a part of the solution, not the problem

Source: Time article: “Global Warming”

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EDITING THE PERSUASIVE ESSAY

After you finish the first draft of your essay (Step Four) and before you write the final draft of your essay (Step Six), you must complete this step—having your essay evaluated, revised, and proofread by two of your peers (Step Five). Make sure you and your editors follow the directions below. This step is worth forty points.

The Author’s Name _________________________________ The Editor’s Name __________________________

(1) First, read through the entire essay.

(2) Now, reread the introduction paragraph. Does the title work well with the main idea that is introduced in the first paragraph and in the thesis? _______________ If not, change the title. Make it creative, but make it work well with the essay.

(3) Reread the introduction again. It should be at least three-to-seven sentences long. Does it clearly and logically introduce and lead into the thesis statement? ______________ Does it sound persuasive? _______________ Does it hook the reader? _____________If the answer to any of these questions is no, make necessary revisions and corrections on the first draft.

(4) Do you need to add to or subtract from the introduction? __________________ If so, make necessary corrections and revisions.

(5) Reread the introduction again. Then, skim through the rest of the essay. Does the thesis statement state the main idea and the opinion of the main idea of the essay? _________________ Does it reflect a persuasive tone? ___________________

If your answer to any of these questions is no, make necessary revisions and corrections to the thesis statement.

(6) Skim the essay again. It should be at least three paragraphs long. Does it discuss and prove the thesis in a persuasive manner? __________________________ If not, tell the author how to complete some careful and thoughtful rewriting.

(7) Reread the second paragraph (the first body paragraph) of the essay. Does it have a topic sentence? _____________________ If not, make a suggestion as to how to add one.

(8) Does the second paragraph contain enough information (details, reasons, explanations, examples, proof) to thoroughly persuade the reader to agree with the author’s opinion? _______________________ If not, tell the author how to add content.

(9) Is the body paragraph in logical order? __________________ Do any of the sentences need editing or revising?_____________ Are the details presented in a persuasive tone? _____________________ Is the tone objective? ________________________ If your answer to any of these questions is no, make corrections and revisions.

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(10) If the essay has more than one body paragraph, make sure that you carefully and thoughtfully edit the other paragraphs. Use the directions for numbers 7-9.

(11) Does the essay contain any irrelevant or redundant information? _______________ If so, edit and cut.

(12) Now, reread the introduction, thesis statement, and body paragraphs. Then, read the conclusion paragraph. Does it make a smooth transition from the rest of the essay? _______________________ Does it restate the thesis statement in a new and fresh way? _____________________ Does it call for action or agreement from the reader? ____________________ Does it maintain the persuasive tone? _______________________ If your answer to any of these questions is no, make necessary corrections and revisions and suggestions.

(13) Skim the essay again. Are there any overused words? ________________ If yes, use a thesaurus and make revisions.

(14) Carefully reread the essay. This time, proofread. Look for mistakes in spelling, capitalization, sentence structure, and punctuation. Make all necessary corrections and revisions.

(15) Now, return the essay to its owner. Discuss any suggestions you made.

(16) After you complete your own final draft (Step Six), you must proofread it before you turn it in. Read it carefully. You could use this set of directions (Step Five) to help you proofread your own final draft.

(17) Staple your final draft (Step Six) to the top of Steps Five, Four, Three, Two, and One—in that order. Make sure that you include your editors’ Steps Five because those are their grades, not yours. If for some reason you fail to complete Step Six, make sure that your turn in your editors’ Steps Five so that they may receive their grades for the work they have completed.

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SUGGESTED PERSUASIVE ESSAY OUTLINE

I. IntroductionA. Captures the reader’s attentionB. Introduces the topicC. Provides background informationD. Thesis

II. 1st reason for/againstA. Include topic sentence which introduces the content of the paragraphB. Advances the essay’s argument, not just to describe the content of the paragraphC. A parenthetical citation may be suitable

III. Opposing arguments to 1st reason with a rebuttalA. Present opposition’s claims B. Then show that the previous reason (paragraph #2) is strongerC. A parenthetical citation may be suitable

IV. 2nd and stronger reason for/againstA. Include topic sentence which introduces the content of the paragraphB. Advances the essay’s argument, not just to describe the content of the paragraphC. A parenthetical citation may be suitable

V. Opposing arguments to 2nd reason with a rebuttalA. Present opposition’s claimsB. Then show that the previous reason (paragraph #4) is strongerC. A parenthetical citation may be suitable

VI. 3rd and strongest reason for/againstA. Include topic sentence which introduces the content of the paragraphB. Advances the essay’s argument, not just to describe the content of the paragraphC. A parenthetical citation may be suitable

VII. Opposing arguments to 3rd reason with a rebuttalA. Present opposition’s claimsB. Then show that the previous reason (paragraph #6) is strongerC. A parenthetical citation may be suitable

VIII. ConclusionA. Restate the main ideaB. Present one or two general sentences which accurately summarize the arguments

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GUIDELINES: DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

PLANNING:

Focus on your subject, purpose, and mood. Figure out what you want to describe and why. Then determine the moor or impression you want to create.

Discover details. Use observation, memory, or imagination to determine your subject’s sensory details.

Organize the description. Decide which method is best suited to your purpose – spatial order, order of impression, or order of importance.

DRAFTING:

Concentrate on those details that create a unified mood or impression. Use words that are precise and meaningful. Try to maintain a consistent point of view. Use literal or figurative language according to your purpose. Try to make imaginative

use of similes and metaphors.

REVISING:

Go back over each step and look for better ways to support your purpose and mood. Replace vague words with specific ones. Evaluate the purpose, organization, and language of you description. Have a peer evaluator read your description and offer comments.

PROOFREADING:

Check your grammar and spelling. Make a final copy of the description on a clean sheet of paper.

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Planning Your Descriptive Essay



______________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2/Main feature _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Supporting detail ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 3/Main feature _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Supporting detail ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 4/Main feature _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Supporting detail ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 5/Conclusion (Restate some of your main points in slightly different words, if possible, and end with your final conclusion.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Essay: I. Introductory Paragraph

II. Main feature #1XII. Main feature #2XIII. Main feature #3XIV. Conclusion


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Tips for Writing Poetry Format

Poems that rhyme look a certain way. The words that rhyme with each other end a line.They may be stacked in pairs (couplets) or may alternate so that every other line rhymes or something else. There are many, many rhyme schemes. People label the rhyme scheme with letters. A is assigned to the first end sound, B to the next if it’s a new sound or A again if it rhymes with the first end word. For example:

Roses are red; A Roses are red, AI like violets instead. A Violets are blue, BThey are blue B Sugar is sweet CAnd the sky is too. B And so are you. B

Of course, the crucial thing is to get it down on paper first; then you can rewrite or reorganize. But a poem doesn’t look like a paragraph! Many people just pour the emotion out and don’t revise, but poems can (and often, should) go through the same writing process as essays.

For poems that don’t rhyme, the important decisions are where to break the lines apart. I usually go with breaks between phrases, or I space words out for the most emotional impact.

When you free-verse, the choice in spacing breaks is yours. . .but again, poems don’t look like paragraphs. Some tips for spacing:

after a sentence or phrase emphasize a word or phrase by having it at the end of a line, or even all alone after punctuation (but not after every comma) go by “feel”

This sample poem is divided differently, depending on the author’s emphasis choices.

Weeping, I slide into blackness Weeping, I slideNot even sure why I am so sad. into Nobody hurt me, blackness,Nobody insulted me, Not even sure why I am so sad.Nobody noticed me. Nobody hurt me, nobody insulted me,Is that it? Is it my Nobody noticed me.

ego? Is that it? Is my ego Is it my ego?

hurt, Is my ego hurt, insulted, lonely?insulted, Do I care why I’m sad at all?

lonely? I’m justDo I care why I’m sad at all? slidingI’m just sliding into darkness. into darkness.Why, I cannot quite recall. Why, I cannot

quiterecall.

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POETRY ANALYSIS

I. Identifying poetic devices is secondary to gaining an understanding of how the devices operate in conveying the effect and meaning of the poem

II. Acronym… TP-CASTT

Title Ponder the title before reading the poem

Paraphrase Translate the poem into your own words

Connotation Contemplate the poem for meaning beyond the literal – alliteration, allusion, antithesis, apostrophe, assonance,

consonance, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, onomatopoeia, oxymoron, paradox, personification, pun, sarcasm, simile, synecdoche, understatement

Attitude Observe both the speaker’s and the poet’s attitude (tone)

Shifts Note shifts in speakers and in attitudes

Title (again) Examine the title again, this time on an interpretive level

Theme Determine what the poet is saying

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Directions for the Poetry Explication

A poetry explication is a relatively short analysis which describes the possible meanings and relationships of the words, images, and other small units that make up a poem. Writing an explication is an effective way for a reader to connect a poem's plot and conflicts with its structural features. Preparing to Write the Explication:

(1) READ the poem silently, and then read it aloud. Repeat as necessary. (2) Consider the poem as a dramatic situation in which a speaker addresses an audience or another

character. In this way, begin your analysis by identifying and describing the speaking voice or voices, the conflicts or ideas, and the language used in the poem.

Prewriting:

Determine the basic design of the poem by considering the who, what, when, where, and why of the dramatic situation. In addition, analyze the theme, design, rhythm, and literary elements in the poem.

(1) What is being dramatized? What conflicts and/or ideas does the poem present, address, or question?

(2) Who is the speaker? Define and describe the speaker and his/her voice. What is his/her tone? What mood does he/she create in the reader? What does the speaker say? Who is the audience? Are other characters involved?

(3) What happens in the poem? Consider the plot or basic design of the action. How are the dramatized conflicts or themes introduced, sustained, resolved, etc.?

(4) When does the action occur? What are (is) the date and/or time of day? Where is the speaker? Describe the physical location of the dramatic moment.

(5) Why does the speaker feel compelled to speak at this moment? What is his/her motivation?(6) What is the speaker’s main theme (or message) in the poem? How is the theme revealed to the

listener or reader?(7) To analyze the design of the poem, focus on the poems' parts, namely how the poem dramatizes

conflicts or ideas in language. By concentrating on the parts, develop an understanding of the poem's structure and gather support and evidence for your interpretations. Use the poem itself to help you validate your findings. In other words, cite the poem as you discuss it. Some of the details you should consider include the following: (a) Form: Does the poem represent a particular form (sonnet, sestina, etc.)? Does the poem

present any unique variations from the traditional structure of that form?(b) Rhetoric: How does the speaker make particular statements? Does the rhetoric seem odd in

any way? Why? Consider the predicates and what they reveal about the speaker.(c) Syntax: Consider the subjects, verbs, and objects of each statement and what these elements

reveal about the speaker. Do any statements have convoluted or vague syntax?(d) Vocabulary: Why does the poet choose one word over another in each line? Do any of the

words have multiple or archaic meanings that add other meanings to the line? Use a dictionary as a resource.

(8) As you analyze the design line by line, look for certain patterns to develop which provide insight into the dramatic situation, the speaker's state of mind, or the poet's use of details. Some of the most common patterns include the following:

(a) Rhetorical Patterns: Look for statements that follow the same format.(b) Rhyme: Consider the significance of the end words joined by sound; in a poem with no

rhymes, consider the importance of the end words.(c) Patterns of Sound: Alliteration and assonance create sound effects and often cluster

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significant words. Look at all sound devices such as onomatopoeia, consonance, etc. (d) Visual Patterns: How does the poem look on the page?(e) Rhythm and Meter: Consider how rhythm and meter influence your perception of the speaker

and his/her language. (9) As you analyze meter in the poem, consider the basic terms and the following:

Meter (from the Greek metron, meaning measure) refers principally to the recurrence of regular beats in a poetic line. In this way, meter pertains to the structure of the poem as it is written.

The most common form of meter in English verse since the 14th century is accentual-syllabic meter, in which the basic unit is the foot. A foot is a combination of two or three stressed and/or unstressed syllables. The following are the four most common metrical feet in poetry:

(a) IAMBIC (the noun is "iamb"): an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. (b) TROCHAIC (the noun is "trochee"): a stressed followed by an unstressed syllable. (c) ANAPESTIC (the noun is "anapest"): two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable.

(e) DACTYLIC (the noun is "dactyl"): a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.

Note: Meter also refers to the number of feet in a line: Monometer one Dimeter two Trimeter three Tetrameter four Pentameter five Hexameterone six

(10) Rhythm refers particularly to the way a line is voiced, i.e., how one speaks the line. Often, when a reader reads a line of verse, choices of stress and unstress may need to be made.

(11) As you analyze the literary elements in the poem, look for various figures of speech (such as similes, metaphors, hyperbole, allusions, personification, etc..), imagery, and symbolism.

Organizing and Outlining:After completing the prewriting process, organize your ideas in an outline form in order to determine the order in which you wish to write your explication. Keep in mind that you will need to formulate an introduction paragraph which includes a thesis statement, body paragraphs that need to include topic sentences, and a conclusion paragraph.

Writing the Explication:The explication itself should follow the same format as the preparation (your prewriting and outline): begin with the large issues and basic design of the poem and work through each line to the more specific details and patterns.

(1) The First Paragraph: The first paragraph should state the title and author of the poem, explain who the speaker of the poem is, introduce the basic conflicts or themes the poem presents, and present a clear thesis statement. (Note: Some scholars believe that a poetry explication does not require a formal introductory paragraph, that the writer should simply start explicating immediately. However, for secondary students, keeping with the traditional essay style may be best.)

(2) The Body Paragraphs: The body paragraphs should first present the large issues and should inform the reader which conflicts and themes are dramatized, should describe the dramatic situation of the speaker, and should discuss the speaker’s tone. Then, they need to expand the discussion of the conflict by focusing on details of form, rhetoric, syntax, and vocabulary. In these paragraphs, the writer should explain the poem line by line in terms of these details, and he or she should incorporate the important elements of rhyme, rhythm, meter, and literary elements

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during this discussion. Remember: Every body paragraph should contain its own topic sentence that reinforces the ideas stated in the thesis statement.

(3) The Conclusion: Some scholars believe that the explication has no formal concluding paragraph; nevertheless, for the secondary student, maintaining the traditional essay format is best. However, the conclusion should not simply restate the main points of the introduction! While it does need to restate the thesis in a new and fresh way, the conclusion could provide a new insight about the poem while reaffirming the major theme presented in the poem.

Tips to Keep in Mind:

(1) Refer to the speaking voice in the poem as "the speaker." For example, do not write, "In this poem, Wordsworth says that London is beautiful in the morning." However, you can write, "In this poem, Wordsworth presents a speaker who…" You cannot absolutely identify the author with the speaker of the poem.

(2) Use the present tense when writing the explication. The poem, as a work of literature, continues to exist!

(3) To avoid unnecessary uses of the verb 'to be' in your compositions, the following list suggests some verbs you can use when writing the explication:

dramatizes presents illustrates characterizes underlines asserts posits enacts connects portrays contrasts juxtaposes suggests implies shows addresses emphasizes stresses accentuates enables states

Helpful Internet Links: Use the following Internet cite suggestions to aid you in the writing of your explication:

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/poetry-explication.htmlhttp://uwc.tamu.edu/handouts/writing/poetry.htmlhttp://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ReadingPoetry.htmlhttp://dictionary.oed.com/entrance.dtl

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http://dictionary.oed.com/entrance.dtl

http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ReadingPoetry.html

http://uwc.tamu.edu/handouts/writing/poetry.html

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/poetry-explication.html

Forms of Traditional Poetry

Lyric: A lyric is a short poem that expresses personal feeling.

My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold (first 5 lines) My Heart leaps up when I behold

A rainbow in the sky; So was it when my life began; So is it now I am a man; So be it when I shall grow old.

-- William Wordsworth

Couplet: A couplet is two lines of verse that usually rhyme and state one complete idea.

“Where are you going, my pretty maid?” “I’m going a milking, sir,” she said.

-- Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes

Quatrain: A stanza or poem of four lines.

As Robin Hood in the forest strayed, 1 All under the greenwood tree, 2 He was aware of young man, 3 As fine as fine might be. 2

WEATHER RHYME Evening red and morning gray, a Set the traveler on his way, a But evening gray and morning red, b Bring the rain upon his head. b

Haiku: Haiku is a type of Japanese poetry which presents a picture of nature. A haiku poem is three lines in length. The first line is five syllables; the second, seven; and the third, five.

Water tumbles down In a gently flowing stream. Over rocks it trips.

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Diamante: This form of poetry is diamond-shaped. It’s written using a pattern rather than rhyme and rhythm. It doesn’t need a title, because the first line-one word-acts as the title. The seven lines are arranged following this pattern:

Line 1: one word topic (line 7 will be an antonym, for this word)Line 2: 2 adjectives that describe the topicLine 3: 3 verbs describing the action of the topicLine 4: 2 words relating to the topic in line 1; 2 words relating to

the topic word in line 7Line 5: 3 verbs describing the actions of the word in line 7Line 6: 2 adjectives describing the word in line 7Line 7: antonym for word in line 1

1 Ripe2 Luscious, Crimson

3 Swelling, Tempting, Nourishing4 Desirable Apple, Distasteful Apple

5 Shrinking, Stinking, Decaying6 Moldy, Brown

7 Rotten

Cinquain: Cinquain poems are five lines in length. There are syllable and word cinquain poems.

Syllable Cinquain Line 1: Title 2 syllables Line 2: Description of title 4 syllables

Line 3: Action about the title 6 syllables Line 4: Feeling about the title 8 syllables Line 5: Synonym for title 2 syllables

Word Cinquain Line 1: Title 1 word

Line 2: Description of title 2 words Line 3: Action about the title 3 words Line 4: Feeling about the title 4 words Line 5: Synonym for title 1 word

A WarningJust now,Out of the strangeStill dusk . . . as strange, as still . . . A white moth flew. Why am I grownSo cold?

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Let’s Limerick

This poem is a limerick:A lady who was smelling a roseFound a parakeet perched on her nose.The rose made her sneezeWhich buckled her kneesNow the parakeet sits on her toes.

Notice that the five-lined limerick follows this pattern:Line 1 States the situationLine 2 Tells what happenedLines 3, 4 Tells what went wrongLine 5 So what! (or, what happened then)

Notice also the rhyme pattern:Lines 1, 2, 5 rhymeLines 3, 4 rhyme

Now, are you ready to write some limericks? Let’s get started by finishing these:

An elephant who loved pizza pieGot tomato sauce in his eye.The sauce was so hot__________________________And ______________________.

There was a young girl from New YorkWho hadn’t learned to use a fork.______________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Three gentlemen wearing black suits_____________________________But there was only oneWhen the party was done_____________________________.

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Literary Analysis

Definition:

A literary analysis interprets one or more elements of a literary work such as a novel, short story, poem, or play. Writing a literary analysis provides a way to find meaning beyond the obvious. It gives readers an opportunity to analyze a story’s significance to their life, society, or to a writer’s purpose.

Key words: Analyze Interpret Compare/contrast Evaluate

Required Elements:

A literary analysis should include the following:

An introduction that includes the title and author of the literary work and a thesis statement.

Body paragraphs that give a clearly stated interpretation of the writer’s message.

Body paragraphs that present evidence from the text, such as details and quotes to support the interpretation.

A conclusion that summarizes the interpretation and restates the thesis statement.

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Developing an OutlineAn outline is:

A logical, general description A schematic summary An organizational pattern A visual and conceptual design of your writing

An outline reflects logical thinking and clear classification.

Purpose

General: Aids in the process of writing

Specific: Helps you organize your ideas Presents your material in a logical form Shows the relationships among ideas in your writing Constructs an ordered overview of your writing Defines boundaries and groups

ProcessBefore you begin:

Determine the purpose of your paper. Determine the audience for whom you are writing. Develop the thesis of your paper.

Then: Brainstorm: List all the ideas that you want to include in your paper. Organize: Group related ideas together. Order: Arrange material in subsections from general to specific or from abstract to

concrete. Label: Create main and sub headings.

TheoryAn outline has a balanced structure based on the following principles:

Parallelism Coordination Subordination Division

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Parallelism

Whenever possible, in writing an outline, coordinate heads should be expressed in parallel form. That is, nouns should be made parallel with nouns, verb forms with verb forms, adjectives with adjectives, and so on (Example: Nouns: computers, programs, users; Verbs: to compute, to program, to use; Adjectives: home computers, new programs, experienced users). Although parallel structure is desired, logical and clear writing should not be sacrificed simply to maintain parallelism. (For example, there are times when nouns and gerunds at the same level of an outline are acceptable.) Reasonableness and flexibility of form is preferred to rigidity.

Coordination

In outlining, those items which are of equal significance have comparable numeral or letter designations: an A is equal to a B, a 1 to a 2, an a to a b, etc. Coordinates should be seen as having the same value. Coordination is a principle that enables a writer to maintain a coherent and consistent document.

Correct coordination

A. Word processing programs B. Database programs C. Spreadsheet programs

Faulty coordination

A. Word processing programsB. Microsoft WordC. Page Maker

Explanation: Word is a type of word processing program and should be treated as a subdivision. Page Maker is a type of desktop publishing program. One way to correct coordination would be:

A. Types of programs 1. Word processing 2. Desktop publishing

B. Evaluation of programs 1. Word processing

a. Word b. Word Perfect

2. Desktop Publishing a. Page Maker b. Quark Express

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Subordination

In order to indicate levels of significance, an outline uses major and minor headings. Thus in ordering ideas, you should organize it from general to specific or from abstract to concrete- the more general or abstract the term, the higher the level or rank in the outline. This principle allows your material to be ordered in terms of logic and requires a clear articulation of the relationship between component parts used in the outline. Subdivisions of each higher division should always have the same relationship to the whole.

Correct subordination

A. Word processing programs 1. Microsoft Word 2. Word Perfect

B. Desktop publishing programs 1. PageMaker 2. Quark Express

Faulty subordination

A. Word processing programs 1. Word 2. Useful 3. Obsolete

Explanation: There is an A without a B. Also 1, 2, and 3 are not equal; Word is a type of word processing program, and useful and obsolete are qualities. One way to correct this faulty subordination is:

A. Word 1. Positive features 2. Negative features

B. Word Perfect 1. Positive features 2. Negative features

Division

To divide you always need at least two parts; therefore, there can never be an A without a B, a 1 without a 2, an a without a b, etc. Usually there is more than one way to divide parts; however, when dividing use only one basis of division at each rank, and make the basis of division as sharp as possible.

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Correct division

A. Personal computers: hardware 1. Types 2. Cost 3. Maintenance

B. Personal computers: software

Faulty division

A. Computers 1. Mainframe 2. Micro

a. Floppy diskb. Hard disk

B. Computer uses 1. Institutional 2. Personal

FormThe most important rule for outlining form is to be consistent!

An outline can use topic or sentence structure.

A topic outline uses words or phrases for all entries and uses no punctuation after entries.

Advantages: presents a brief overview of work and is generally easier and faster to write than a sentence outline.

A sentence outline uses complete sentences for all entries and uses correct punctuation.

Advantages: presents a more detailed overview of work including possible topic sentences and is easier and faster for writing the final paper.

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An outline can use Roman numerals/letters or decimal form.

Roman Numeral

I.

A.

B.

1.

2.

a.

b.

This page is located at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_outlin.html

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Sample Outline

Balancing an outlineNote: Always check with your teacher to see what outline style is preferred!

"The Benefits of Running"

I. Introduction A. Running is becoming an extremely popular sport for all ages. B. Running is a great form of exercise because it helps people control their weight,

develops muscles, and improves mental and physical performance. II. Body

A. Weight control 1. Aids self-control 2. Burns calories 3. Encourages a healthy diet 4. Suppresses appetite

B. Muscular Development 1. Improves tone 2. Enhances contours 3. Increases strength 4. Improves endurance

C. Psychological well-being 1. Aids sleep 2. Inhibits depression 3. Intensifies vitality

D. Cardiovascular Fitness 1. Strengthens heart 2. Lowers blood pressure 3. Changes blood lipids 4. Improves circulation

III. Conclusion A. Benefits of running make it an excellent exercise. B. People who want to improve their health should consider running.

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Title ______________________________

I. Introduction A. ______________________________ B. ______________________________

II. Body A. ______________________________

1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________

B. ______________________________ 1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________

C. ______________________________ 1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________

D. ______________________________ 1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________

III. Conclusion A. ______________________________ B. ______________________________

This page can be found at http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/sampleoutline.html

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http://depts/

Application Essay Writing

Structure and Outline

Below you will find a sample outline and the essay written from that outline.

OUTLINE

Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

I. Leading sentence: “It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has been on my life.”

II. Summary of main points: “I not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of knowing something new, but I also came to

understand the idea of giving back to the community in exchange for a new sense of life, love, and spirit.”

Paragraph 2 (First Supporting Point)

I. Transition sentence: “My mother’s enthusiasm for learning is most apparent in travel.”

II. Supporting point: Her mother’s enthusiasm for learning.

III. Evidence: Learning through travel by using the example of a trip to Greece.

Paragraph 3 (Second Supporting Point)

I. Transition sentence: “While I treasure the various worlds my mother has opened to me abroad, my life has been equally transformed by what she has shown me just two miles from my house.”

II. Supporting point: Her mother’s dedication to the community.

III. Evidence: Her multiple volunteer activities such as helping at the local soup kitchen.

Paragraph 4 (Conclusion)

I. Transition sentence: “Everything that my mother has ever done has been overshadowed by the thought behind it.”

II. Reiteration of main points: “She has enriched my life with her passion for learning, and changed it with her devotion to humanity.”

III. Taking it one step further: “Next year, I will find a new home miles away. However, my mother will always be by my side.”

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COMPLETED APPLICATION ESSAY

It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has been on my life. She’s the kind of person who has thoughtful discussions about which artist she would most want to have her portrait painted. She is the kind of mother who always has time for her four children, and the kind of community leader who has a seat on the board of every major project to assist Washington’s impoverished citizens. Growing up with such a strong role model, I developed many of her enthusiasms. I not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of knowing something new, but I also came to understand the idea of giving back to the community in exchange for a new sense of life, love, and spirit.

My mother’s enthusiasm for learning is most apparent in travel. I was nine years old when my family visited Greece. Every night for three weeks before the trip, my older brother Peter and I sat with my mother on her bed reading Greek myths and taking notes on the Greek Gods. Despite the fact that we were traveling with fourteen-month-old twins, we managed to be at each ruin when the site opened at sunrise. I vividly remember standing in an empty amphitheatre pretending to be an ancient tragedian, picking out my favorite sculpture in the Acropolis museum, and inserting our family into modified tales of the battle at Troy. Eight years and half a dozen passport stamps later I have come to value what I have learned on these journeys about global history, politics and culture, as well as my family and myself.

While I treasure the various worlds my mother has opened to me abroad, my life has been equally transformed by what she has shown me just two miles from my house. As a ten year old, I often accompanied my mother to (name deleted), a local soup kitchen and children’s center. While she attended meetings, I helped with the Summer Program by chasing children around the building and performing magic tricks. Having finally perfected the “floating paintbrush” trick, I began work as a full time volunteer with the five and six year old children last June. It is here that I met Jane Doe, an exceptionally strong girl with a vigor that is contagious. At the end of the summer, I decided to continue my work at (name deleted) as Jane’s tutor. Although the position is often difficult, the personal rewards are beyond articulation. In the seven years since I first walked through the doors of (name deleted), I have learned not only the idea of giving to others, but also of deriving from them a sense of spirit.

Everything that my mother has ever done has been overshadowed by the thought behind it. While the raw experiences I have had at home and abroad have been spectacular, I have learned to truly value them by watching my mother. She has enriched my life with her passion for learning, and changed it with her devotion to humanity. In her endless love of everything and everyone she is touched by, I have seen a hope and life that is truly exceptional. Next year, I will find a new home miles away. However, my mother will always be by my side.

For a sample of a resumè, see Language Network (12) pp. 418-419.

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Figurative Language Definitions

Alliteration – The repetition of beginning consonant sounds.Example: The big, brown bear growled.

Allusion – a reference to a statement, person, place, event, or thing that is known from literature, history, religion, mythology, politics, sports, science, or popular culture. Example: The title of Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury is an allusion to a line from Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Hyperbole – Extreme exaggeration for effect.Example: My brother exploded when he saw the damage to his car.

Idiom – An expression of language that means something different from what it appears to mean.Example: He has his head in the clouds.

Irony – A word or phrase used to mean the exact opposite of its normal meaning.Example: Danielle laughs and smiles all the time, so we call her grumpy.

Dramatic irony – occurs when the audience or the reader knows something important that a character in the play or story does not know.Situational Irony – occurs when what actually happens in the story is the opposite of what is expected or appropriate.Verbal irony – occurs when a writer or speaker says one thing but really means something quite different – often the opposite of what he or she has said.

Metaphor – A figure of speech stating two things are similar.Example: She is a walking encyclopedia.

Metonymy – A figure of speech in which something closely related to a thing or suggested by it is substituted for the thing itself. Example: referring to the king as the crown or referring to the presidential staff as the White House

Onomatopoeia – Words whose sound suggests it meaning.Example: The tea kettle hissed.

Paradox – an apparent contradiction that is actually true

Parody – imitation of a work of literature, art, or music for amusement or instruction

Personification – Giving human characteristics to ideas and things.Example: The rain danced on the tin roof.

Simile – A comparison using like or as.Example: She sleeps like a log.

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AlliterationAlliteration is hen a few of the same letters or sounds start words in the same line.

Common Examples / Cliches

Back to basics Hale and hearty Sweet smell of successBalance the books Jump for joy Takes two to tangoBig Ben Making magic Turn the tablesBigger and better Mickey Mouse Watch and waitBoom or bust Minnie MouseCoca-Cola Monday morningDime a dozen The more the merrierDo or die Pay the priceDonald Duck Poor but proudGreen as grass Safe and sound

The snake slithered slowly by.Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells that she sells are seashells, I’m sure.The towering tree was taller than any I’d climbed before.Powerful puma pit their skills against puny, pitiful zebras.Pretty Polly picked pears for preserves.Horrible Harry hired hundreds of costumed heroes for Halloween.

Literary examplesWordsworth: “And sings a solitary song / That whistles in the wind.”

James Thomson, The Castle of Indolence, Canto I, 37-38: “Full in the passage of the vale, above, / A stable, silent, solemn forest stood;”

Nursery rhyme: “Sing a song of sixpence. . . .”

Dylan Thomas, Fern Hill, II 50-51: “I should hear him fly with the high fields / And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless land.”

The ancient poets often used alliteration instead of rhyme; in Beowulf, there are three alliterations in every line. For example: “Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scyldings. . . .”

Helen Keller, “The Seeing See Little”: “Touch each object you want to touch as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail.”

Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun: “There is always something left to love. And if you ain’t learned that, you ain’t learned nothing.”

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List of Hyperboles

I could sleep for a year. This box weighs a ton. I’ve told you a million times not to exaggerate. Your mother is so small she does chin-ups on the curb. When she takes off her makeup, I don’t recognize her. When she smiles, her cheeks fall off. When he smiles, cracks the size of the Grand Canyon form in his face. With that makeup, you could pass for a clown at the circus. She’s so old that she gets a discount at the nursing home. He’s so old that she knew Shakespeare personally. She’s so old that she has wrinkles on her palms. His father taught cavemen to start a fire. I think of you a million times a day. I’ve told you a million times not to exaggerate. The test was so long that by the time I finished, I had a beard. It was so cold, even the polar bears were wearing jackets. Our library is so old that its book pages are numbered with Roman numerals. Her birth certificate is written on a clay tablet. My girlfriend is so popular that she has her own 800 number. That boy’s eyes are so big, they look like they’re going to jump out and grab you. My best friend is so forgetful, I sometimes have to remind her what her name is. He’s so tall that when he stands up, he gets a nosebleed. That dog is so ugly that he has to sneak up on his dish to eat. That dog is so ugly that I have to tie a $100 bill on him to get people to pet him. He was so tall his head touched the clouds. The pavement was so hot that his feet were fried. I’m so hungry that I could eat a cow. I was so embarrassed that I almost died. That road is so crooked that you meet yourself in the curves. His eyes were as big as saucers. He’s as fast as greased lightning. This library is a meat locker. He is a walking dictionary. He’s as clumsy as a bull in a China closet. She’s green with envy.

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Idioms

Even though idioms are used for creative writing, they should not be used in formal writing.

Ace the testAir your dirty laundryBad mouthBack to square oneBe all earsBeat around the bushBite the hand that feeds youBite your tongueButterflies in your stomachCan’t make heads of tails of itCan’t see the forest for the treesDon’t count your chickens before they hatchDown in the dumpsDrink like a fishDropping like fliesEat out of your handElvis has left the buildingExcuse my FrenchGet a kick out of itGo out on a limbHandwriting on the wallHanging out Head in the cloudsHold your horsesIf the shoe fits, wear itJust say “No”Keep your chin upLet’s sleep on itHold your tongueHung out to dryLike a chicken with its head cut offNew kid on the blockOff the cuffOn the cutting edgeOn the dotOver one’s headPiece of cakePlaying devil’s advocate

Pull the plugPull the rug out from under youPut a sock in itPut all your eggs in one basketRun out of steamSaved by the bellShoot the breezeShoe is on the other footSleep on itState of the artTake the fallThat’s the way the cookie crumblesThird worldThrow in the towelTie the knotTurn over a new leafUnder the weatherUp a creek without a paddleYou can’t take it with youWash your hands of itWear out your welcomeWet behind the earsWhole nine yardsWord for wordZero Tolerance

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Literary Examples of Idioms

be a piece of cake: be very easy.

"Bob said the test was difficult, but I thought it was a piece of cake.""

beat around the bush: evade an issue; avoid giving a direct answer.

"Quit beating around the bush! If you don't want to go with me, just tell me!"

the bottom line: the most essential information.

"The discussion lasted many hours. The bottom line was that the XYZ Company isn't for sale."

Don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch (they've hatched): Don't assumethat something will happen until it has happened.

“I'm sure that I'm going to win a lot of money in Las Vegas." "Don't count your chickens until they hatch!"

know something inside out: know/understand something thoroughly.

"If you have a question about grammar, ask Dr. Martin. She knows grammar inside out."

leave well enough alone: do nothing (doing something would make things worse).

"Don't tell Jim how to discipline his children. Leave well enough alone."

call it a day: stop work for the day.

"It's late and you've accomplished a lot. Why don't you call it a day?"

IMAGERY

Visual Wordsadorableadornalmondambleazureblotchedbuffbutterscotchcanarycobalt

crimpeddartdismaldomedflatgallophollowivorylumberlumpy

muddyoliveopaqueoysterplummetportlyroserottedrotund

roundrubysapphiresaunterscamperslouchsoarsprintsquint

swollentiptoetopazturquoisewaddlewhiskwiryzip

Sound Wordsbashbawlbellowbrawlbrouhahaburstcackle

crydeafeningdetonateearsplittingexplodefretgrate

grindgroanharmonioushubbublaughmeleemoan

pandemoniumpiercingringrowdyrumblescrapescreech

squeakswishthudwhisperwrangle

Touchy-Feely Wordsabrasivebelchblisterblisteringburnchewcoarsecold

coolcraggycrucifydelightingdullexcitingfrigid

gummyhoticyimpaleleatherylukewarmmuggy

nippypastyporouspricklyrockyroughscratchy

sharpsmoothstickystiflingsweatytorridwarmwet

Smell and Taste Wordsacridbitterblanddeliciousfragrant

ickyjuicymildewymoldymusty

nuttypepperyputridrankrotten

saltysavoryspicystagnantstale

stuffysweettangytartzesty

Metaphors

We would have had more pizza to eat if Tammy hadn’t been such a hog.Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t get her to change her mind.The poor rat didn’t have a chance. Our old cat, a bolt of lightning, caught his prey.Even a child could carry my dog, Dogface, around for hours. He’s such a feather.He has the heart of a lion.Sarah is the apple of her mother’s eyes.You are the light of my life.He was a cheetah rounding the bases as the other team through the ball home.The lecture was a Sahara Desert of dryness.Our lives that dreary summer weekend had turned into a slow-motion movie.She had ice water in her veins.Life is a cabaret.The president told her administrators to stonewall the opposition.Bill is the spark plug of his team.We thought the new boss was going to be a tiger, but he turned out to be a teddy bear.Kara is a sponge when it came to learning new things.His life was a slow-motion movie after the death of his father.The night was a dark cloak over their eyes.The building was a sleek, new rocket parked downtown.The thunder and wind of the storm were scary monsters rattling the windows.Under my bare feet, the carpet was velvet.The dog was a genius sniffing out the squirrels.The student’s questions were rain that covered the teacher.Lightning is nature’s Roman candle.Video games are mental playgrounds for young people.His eyes were sparkling blue pools.Her heart is a fountain of kindness.The child was a clinging vine near her mother.The branches of the trees were hands reaching out to grab the young children.She is the shining star in his dreary life.

OnomatopoeiaAnimal Soundsbuzzmeowchickadeecluckcacklebawkcock-a-doodle-doochirptweetmoocoocawwoofsqueaksquealgrrrclickquackbarkgigglebeephumgroangrowlboomhowlkerchoobongbow wowrabbitroarneighwhinnysnortprattleclangdingblabblah blahmurmur

brouhahaclanksqueakhoohootbeep beephissoinkbaaarfclip clopclomphiccupmumbleclap

Musical Soundsbeeptinklebangpingsquishtapswishplopthudsmashgrowlpopthumpcrunchclicktwanghonkclangrattlechimingtollingmoaninggroaning

Literary Sounds

boomburbleclaphiccupmumbleplopthudtick-tockswooshblinkblipbumpchugcuckoocrashcreakcrinklezonkcrunchdripdropzapfizzrustleflapziprushflip flopgrindzoomripwhack

Advertising

Rice Krispies – “Snap, crackle, pop”Alka-Seltzer – “plop, plop, fizz, fizz”

Personification

The wind whispered my name.

The trees bowed their heads as the wind passed through the forest.

Dancing in the breeze, the daffodils painted the landscape with various shades of yellow.

Darkness beat down on the city streets.

Coiled beneath the steps, the rattlesnake planned his attack.

The teacher’s red pen screamed the student’s test scores.

Welcoming the hot swimmers, the waves hit and caressed the beach.

Protesting its neglect, Michael’s car sputtered into the driveway and died.

Mount Rushmore stood silent as it was battered by winter’s cold fists.

The seashell, moving in tandem with the waves, sipped the salty water.

Sitting on the mantle, the clock studied the hours and struck with all its might.

The moon smiled sweetly on the sleeping boy.

Monarch butterflies danced to the tune of the summer breeze.

Hurling itself menacingly at Mobile, the hurricane showered its wrath on the coastline.

The flames licked the walls of the burning barn and hissed with pleasure.

Personification in Literature

"Slowly, silently, now the moon / Walks the night in her silver shoon." Walter de la Mare's "Silver."“O eloquent, just, and mighty Death!” Sir Walter RaleighI am silver and exact.I have no preconceptions.Whatever I see I swallow immediatelyJust as it is, unmisted by love or dislike.I am not cruel, only truthful—“Mirror” Sylvia Plath

http://www.biologydaily.com/biology/Sir_Walter_Raleigh

EXTENDING SIMILES

Examples of additions to make simple similes more colorful

Similes using “like”

Act like a drunk bull in a china and crystal shopEat like calories are going out of styleEat like a pig packing on pounds for winterChatters like a monkey trying to get a date with a bananaCry like a baby who has lost its pacifier Cheeks like roses in full bloomDrinks like a fish on Mardi Gras DayEats like a bird that is on Weight WatchersEyes like stars that glisten in the clear skiesFeel like a million dollars, before taxesFits like the glove of a professional shortstopFought like cats and dogs for the last piece of hamLaugh like a hyena watching Napoleon DynamiteMoves like a snail in a castRun like a deer escaping a hunterSing like a bird on American IdolSlept like a log covered with moss Stood out like a sore thumb on a quarterbackSit there like a bump on a log waiting for a busSpoke like a politician trying to explain the tax increaseSparkled like diamonds in Brittney Spears’ navel Walk like an elephant in army bootsWork like a dog being paid in bonesWaddle like a duck with a wedgie

Similes using “as”

As bright as the noonday sun in JulyAs busy as a bee gathering nectar at Bellingrath GardenAs clear as a bell ringing out on a cold morning in a silent townAs cool as a cucumber resting under a leafy vineAs comfortable as the sneakers you wore all summerAs cute as a baby surrounded by puppies, kittens, and bunniesAs dark as the refrigerator with the door closedAs deaf as a deskAs dry as a parched bone lying in the desertAs deep as the ocean where Titanic sankAs easy as eating your mama’s peanut butter pieAs fat as a pig who lives next door to Golden Corral

As fit as a fiddle played by Yoyo MaAs fresh as dewdrops on daisiesAs hard as ten penny nailsAs innocent as a baby sleeping in his mother’s armsAs happy as a lark singing in his nestAs loud as thunder rolling across the stormy skyAs light as a feather on a dietAs lovely as a rose blooming on a sunny May morningAs meek as a lamb with low self esteemAs quiet as a mouse wearing socksAs rough as sandpaper against a sunburnAs strong as an ox on steroidsAs soft as silk caressing a baby’s buttAs slow as molasses on a January morningAs sweet as honey dipped in chocolateAs tiny as a pygmy flea

Literary Examples“He comes like a thief in the night.” – “Masque of Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe“The Wrath of God is like great waters that are damned for the present.” – “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards“…in through glass the close line posts Look like tall and sheeted ghost” – “Snow-Bound: A Winter Idyll” by John Greenleaf Whitier“Poetry must be as new as foam and as old as the rock.” – from Journals by Ralph Waldo Emerson”Still we live meanly like ants; though the fable tells us that we were long ago changed into men; like pygmies we fight with cranes.” – from Waldon by Henry David Thoreau “If certain what this life was out – That yours and mine should be I’d toss it yonder like a Rind” – “If you were coming in the Fall” by Emily DickinsonBig trees fell like toothpicks when Paul Bunyan swung his axe. _Unknown“The forest was as quiet as a falling leaf.” – Unknown“I wandered lonely as a cloudThat floats on high o’er vales and hills.” –William Wordsworth“He sat himself down away from the ships with a face as dark as night, and his silver bow rang death as he shot his arrow in the midst of them.” (1: 43/50) – The Illiad“Menelaus saw him thus stride out before the ranks, and was glad as a hungry lion that lights on the carcass of some goat or horned stag, and devours it there and then, though dogs and youths set upon him.” (3: 21/23) – The Illiad“Young men's minds are light as air, but when an old man comes he looks before and after, deeming that which shall be fairest upon both sides." (3: 108/131) –The Illiad

TONE WORDS

afraidalluringallusiveangryapologeticappalledarrogantattractiveaudaciousbenevolentbitterboldboringburned-outcalmcandidcheerfulchildishcockamamiecoldcomplimentarycondescendingconfusedcongenialcontemptuouscontentdefensivedeplorabledepressivedetacheddidacticdignifieddisgracefuldisorienteddisrespectfuldog-tireddramaticdreadfuldreamydullemotionalenragedenthusiasticpoignant

fancifulflatteringfreeheartedfrigidfrivolousfrivolousgiddygodlessgraciousgratifyinghappyhideoushollowhomesickhorrifichostilehumoroushumorousidleimmatureimmoralimpressiveinfantileinfuriatedintolerableirateirreverentjokingjoyfullethargiclight-mindedlovablemadmockingmournfulmovingmuddleheadednostalgicobjectiveoutspokenpatronizingpeacefulperplexedpitiful

playfulpleasedproudprovocativequietrabble-rousingresentfulrestrainedsadsarcasticscandalousseditiousseductivesentimentalshamefulsharpshockingsillyslaphappysomberspaced-outspectacularspiritedstone-coldsweetsympathetictenderterrifiedterror-strucktiredtongue-in-cheektouchinguglyunashamedundisturbedupseturgentvexedvibrantwretchedwryxenophobiczealous

Instead of … Use…

INSTEAD OF VERY

intenselybitterlyexceedinglysurelyespeciallyunusuallytrulyrichlymightilypowerfullyextremelyindefinitelyimmeasurablyinfinitelyseverelychieflyshockinglyradicallyslightlyincrediblyfully

INSTEAD OF LIKE

enjoyrelishchooseelectpreferselectadmireesteemregardsrespectapproveendorse

appreciatecomprehendunderstand

BE WORDS

isamarewaswerebebeingbeen

INSTEAD OF BE VERBS

appearsfeelssmellstastescontinuesremainslooksseemssoundsbecomesgrowsturns

DEAD WORDS

abbreviationsa lotalwaysbad

becausebestbigcontractionscovercuteetc.everyeverythingfungetgotgoodgreatinterestingjustlikelotsmanynumerousniceonlyprettyrathersaidscarysosomestuffthentherethingverywellyouyour yoursyou knowsuperall slang!

VIVID AND PRECISE WORDS

Aableabandonedabundantacceleratedadequateadmiredadoredaffectionateafflictedafraidaggravatedagreeableaggressiveagitatedalarmedalienatedaloneamiableampleancientangryanguishedannoyedannualanxiousapprehensivearrogantashamedassuredauthoritativeaverageawful

Bbaffledbelligerentbenevolentbewilderment

blissfulblisteringbluebluntboldboredbountifulbrainybravebriefbriskbrokenbrotherlybulkybullyingburnedbusy

Ccallouscapablecarefulcaringcautiouscenturiescharitablecharmingcheerfulclevercolossalcombativecomicalcompetentconcernedconfidentconfusedcongenialconsideratecontented

continualcontrarycordialcourageouscourteouscowardlycrankycrawlingcrosscruelcursedcurious

Ddailydangerousdaringdawndaybreakdaylightdearthdecadededicateddefeateddefectivedefiantdeficientdegradeddejecteddelayeddelighteddemolisheddemoralizedepresseddesolatedespairingdesperatedespiseddespondent

destroyeddetermineddevastateddevoteddiminutivedisableddisagreeablediscardeddiscourageddisgusteddismaldispleased dissatisfieddistrustfuldisturbeddoubtfuldowncastdowntroddendreadfuldreadingduskdynamic

Eeagerearlyeasyecstaticeerieeffectiveelatedempatheticemptyenchantedenergeticenormousenragedenthusiasticestrangedevening

evilexaltedexcellentexcitedexcludedexhaustedextensiveexuberant

Ffairfaithfulfantasticfatfearfulfearlessfew fiercefirmflashforcefulforgivingforlornforsakenfragilefrailfranticfriendlyfrightenedfuriousfutile

Ggallantgenerousgentlegenuinegiantgiganticgiving

gladgloomygloriousglumgradualgrandgratifiedgreat great hugegrief-strickengrim

Hhappyharmlessharsh hatedhateful healthyheavyhelpfulhelplessheroichesitanthilarioushinderedhonesthonorablehopelesshorriblehospitablehostilehumiliatedhumoroushurt

Iimmenseimpaired

impatientimportantimprisonedinadequateincapableincompetentincompetentinconsiderateineffectiveineptinferiorinfluentialinnocentinquisitiveinsecureinsensitiveinspiredintenseintermittentintimidatedintolerantirritated

Jjiltedjitteryjollyjovialjoyfuljubilantjumpyjust

Kkindknotted

Llargelatelavish

leisurelylengthyliberallightlittlelivelyloadsloathedlonelylonesomelonglooselostlousylovablelovinglowluckyluxuriant

Mmagnificentmajesticmammothmanlymanymarvelousmassivemeagermeanmeekmellowmightymildminiatureminutemiserablemishandledmistreated

modernmomentsmoodymoralmournfulNnastyneighborlynervousnicenoonnoondaynumerous

Oobligingobnoxiousobsoleteobstinateoffendedold-fashionedon edgeoodlesoptimisticostracizedoutdatedoutragedoutstandingoverabundanceoverjoyedoverlookedoverwhelmed

Ppainedpanickypatheticpatientpeaceful

periodicperplexedperturbedpetitepitifulpleasantpleasedplentifulplethorapoliteportlypowerfulpowerlessprofusepromptproudpunctualpunypuzzled

Qquick

Rrapidreceptiverecord speedregretfulrejectedrelaxedreliablereprimandedrepulsiveresentfulreasonablerespectfulrestlessreveredrichrobustrude

rundown

Ssatisfiedsavagescantscarcityscaredscornfulsecuresensitiveshakenshakysharpshiveringshortshysickenedsicklyskepticalskillfulskimpyslowsluggishsmoothsoaringsparingsparsespeechlessspeedyspiritedspitefulsplendidsporadicstablesteadystockystupendous

strainedstrandedstrongsufficientsunrisesunsetsupersuperbsuresuspiciousswampedsweetswiftsympathetic

Ttalltametardytearfultendertenseterribleterrificterrifiedthoughtfulthrilledtruthfultinytiredtoleranttormentedtoughtoweringtraumatizedtreasuredtremendoustroubledtrustworthy

twilight

U

unableuncomfortableunderstandinguneasyunfitunhappyunimportantunlovedunpopularunqualifiedunselfishunsoundunsureupsetuseless

Vvastviciousvictoriousvindictiveviolentvirilevivaciousvulnerable

Wwarmweakwearyweeweeklywell-stockedwhirlwindwickedwidewitty

wonderfulworriedworthlessworthywrathfulyearlyyears

Zzealous

PREFIXESante before antecede

anti against antiwarbi two, twice biweeklyco together, with copilotcounter against counterattackde down, away descenddis not displeaseex out exportfore in front foregroundin not incorrectir not irregularmid middle midwaymis wrong misreadnon not nonstoppost after postdatepre before, in front previewre again rewritesub under subwaytele far away telephonetrans across transatlanticun not unkind

SUFFIXESance state of being importancear one who does something liaren having nature of goldener one who does something bakerery place which bakeryfull full of successfulfy form into beautifyhood state or rank statehoodible able to visibleic like, pertaining to dramaticion act, process of actionish having nature of wolfishist one who artistless without toothlessly in the manner of lovelyment action or process paymentness state of being friendlinessor one who does something actorous state or condition famousship office or skill championshiption act, process of education

Useful Transitions

Transitions which can be used to show location:

above among beneath in from of on top ofacross around beside inside outsideagainst away from between into overalong back of beyond near throughoutalongside behind by off to the rightamid below down onto under

Transitions which can be used to show time:

about first until soon thenafter second meanwhile later nextat third today afterward in the meantimebefore prior to tomorrow immediately as soon asduring till yesterday finally when

next week

Transitions which can be used to compare two things:

in the same way likewise asalso like similarly

Transitions which can be used to contrast things (show differences):but yet on the other hand although otherwisehowever in the meantime still even though counter toeven so nevertheless on the contrary conversely as opposed

Transitions which can be used to emphasize a point:again indeed for this reason trulyto repeat with thin in mind in fact to emphasize

Transitions which can be used to conclude or summarize:as a result consequently accordingly in shortfinally thus due to to sum upin conclusion therefore in summary all in all

Transitions which can be used to add information:again and furthermore nextalso besides likewise finallyadditionally equally important moreover as wellin addition for example further together withanother for instance furthermore along with

Prepositions

aboardaboutaboveaccording toacrossafteragainstahead ofalong withamongapart fromaroundasas forataway from

barringbecause ofbeforebehindbelowbeneathbesidebesidesbetweenbeyondbutby

concerningdespitedowndue toduring

exceptexcept for

forfrom

inin front of

includinginsideinside ofin spite ofinto

like

nearnext tonotwithstanding

ofoffonontoother thanoutout ofoutsideover

pastpending

regarding

since

together withthroughthroughouttilltotoward

underunderneathuntilupupon

versusvia

withwithinwithout

Coordinating Conjunctions

A coordinating conjunction connects words or groups of words that have equal importance in the sentence.

Example: I added flour, sugar, and vanilla to the cake batter.

and but or nor for so yet

Conjunctive Adverbs

A conjunctive adverb is an adverb used as a coordinating conjunction to clarify the relationship between clauses of equal weight in a sentence.

Example: Keep the flame low; otherwise, the sauce will taste bland. accordingly furthermore neverthelessalso hence otherwisebesides however stillconsequently indeed thenfinally moreover therefore

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that connect words or groups of words. They are always used in pairs, and they correlate with one another.

Example: Both garlic bread and a salad go well with spaghetti.

both…and either…or neither…nor not only…but also whether…or

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions introduce subordinating clauses-clauses that cannot stand alone-and join them to independent clauses.

Example: Even if you follow a recipe, mistakes can happen.

after even if thoughalthough even though unlessas if in order that untilas long as provided that whenas much as since wheneveras soon as so that wherebecause than whereverbefore while

Quotation Marks Rules

1. Direct Quotations are used to report the speaker’s exact words.a. Use quotation marks at the beginning and the ending of a direct quotation.

Ex. “Dinner is almost ready,” said Mrs. Johnson.Ex. “Flowers have meaning,” said Sophie.

b. Use commas to set off explanatory words used with direct quotations (whether they occur at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the sentences).Ex. Sophie said, “Flowers have meaning.” “Flowers,” said Sophie, “have meaning.” “Flowers have meaning,” said Sophie.

c. If a quotation is a question or an exclamation, place the question mark or exclamation point inside the closing quotation marks.Ex. “What do flowers mean?” I asked. “My hair is on fire!” shouted Mary.

d. If the quoted words are part of a question or exclamation of your own, place the question mark or exclamation point outside the closing quotation marks.Ex. Do flowers tell “secret messages”?

2. A divided quotation is a direct quotation that is separated into two parts, with

explanatory words such as he said or she said between the parts.a. Use quotation marks to enclose both parts of a divided quotation.

Ex. “A rose,” he said, “means love.”

b. Do not capitalize the first word of the second part of a divided quotation unless it begins a new sentence.Ex. “A rose,” he said, “sometimes means treachery.” “A rose usually means love,” he said. “Sometimes it means treachery.”

c. Use commas to set off the explanatory words used with the divided

quotation.Ex. “A rose,” he summed up, “can mean treachery or love.”

3. An indirect quotation is a restatement, in different words, of what someone said. Ex. Shakespeare wrote that a rose would smell sweet regardless of its

name.

4. Quotation Marks are used to punctuate titles of songs, poems, short stories, lectures, episodes of radio or television programs, chapters of books, and articles found in magazines, newspapers, or encyclopedias.

Simple, Compound, Complex Sentences

1. A simple sentence can have two or more subjects and two or more predicates.

Examples: Erica and Erin read the same novel.Hilary bought a book and read it the same day.Ben and Robby made the honor roll and had perfect attendance.Susan or her sisters help with the fund raiser.

2. A compound sentence contains two independent clauses. The clauses are connected by coordinating conjunctions (and, or, but, nor, for yet) or by a semicolon if they are related.

Examples: Hilary bought a book, and she read it the same day. Hilary read the book carefully; she made an excellent grade.

3. A complex sentence has an independent clause and one or more subordinate (dependent) clauses. Introductory dependent clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions (after, although, as, as if, as long as, as though, because, before, if, since, so that, than, unless, until, when,. whenever, where whereas, wherever, while).

Examples: I made a good grade because I studied. Because I studied, I made a good grade (Introductory)

ALTERNATE AND IRREGULAR NOUN FORMS

Singular Plural

A ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------addendum addendaalga algaealumna alumnaealumnus alumniamoeba amoebae/amoebasanalysis analysesantenna (on a bug’s head) antennaeantenna (on a television) antennasapex apexes/apicesapparatus apparatusesappendix appendices/appendixesauto autosautomaton automataaxis axes

B ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------bacillus bacillibacterium bacteriabarracks barracksbasis basesbeau beauxbison bisonbuffalo buffalos/ buffaloesbureau bureausbus buses/busses

C--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------cactus cacti/cactusescalf calvescargo cargos/cargoescervix cervices/cervixescherub cherubimchild childrencod codcorps corpscorpus corpora/corpusescrisis crisescriterion criteriacrossroads crossroadscurriculum curricula

D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------data/datum datadeer deerdiagnosis diagnosesdice/die dicedwarf dwarfs/dwarves

E --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

echo echoeself elvesellipsis ellipsesembargo embargoesemphasis emphaseserratum errata

F --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------fireman firemenfish fishfocus focusesfoot feetformula formulae/formulasfungus fungi/funguses

G -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------gallows gallowsgenius geniuses/geniigenus generagoose geese

H -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------half halveshalo halos/haloesheadquarters headquartershero heroeshippopotamus hippopotami/hippopotamuseshoof hoofs, hooveshypothesis hypotheses

I --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------index indices/indexes

K -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------kangaroo kangarooskilo kilosknife knives

L --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

larva larvaeleaf leaveslibretto librettilife livesloaf loaveslouse lice

M -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------man menmatrix matrices/matrixesmeans meansmedium mediamemorandum memoranda/memorandumsmemo memosmillennium millenniums/millenniamoose moosemosquito mosquitos/mosquitoesmotto mottos/mottoesmouse mice

N -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------nebula nebulae/nebulasneurosis neurosesno nos/noesnucleus nuclei/nucleuses

O -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------oasis oasesoctopus octopi/octopuses/octopodesoffspring offspringovum ovaox oxen

P --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------paralysis paralysesparenthesis parenthesesperson peopleperch perchphenomenon phenomenaphoto photospiano pianospimento pimentospotato potatoespro pros

R -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------radius radii/radiuses

S --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------scarf scarves/scarfsschema schematascissors scissorsself selvesseraph seraphimseries seriessheaf sheavessheep sheepshelf shelvessolo solossoprano sopranosspecies speciesstaff (group of workers) staffsstaff (stick or line for charting music) stavesstegosaurus stegosauristimulus stimulistratum strata/stratumsstudio studiosswine swinesyllabus syllabi/syllabusessymposium symposia/symposiumssynopsis synopsessynthesis syntheses

T --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

tableau tableauxtalisman talismanstattoo tattoostempo tempiterminus terminithat thosethesis thesesthief thievesthis thesetomato tomatoestooth teethtornado tornados/tornadoes

torpedo torpedoestrout trout

V -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------vertebra vertebraeveto vetoesvideo videosvirtuoso virtuosivita vitaevolcano volcanos/volcanoesvortex vortices

W -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

watch watcheswharf wharfs/wharveswife wiveswolf wolveswoman women

Z --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

zero zeros/zeroeszoo zoos

K

What We Know

WWhat We Want to

Find Out

L

What We Learned

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

KWL Chart

Your teacher will be sharing graphic organizers from the Making Sense Strategies CDs.

student resource folder - pc\|macimages.pcmac.org/uploads/trip/trip/departments... · web view(b)...

Documents