Writing 101A review of the writing process and grammar

Planning

What (text message, e-mail, letter, essay, research paper)

Why (to inform, to argument, to compare)

For whom (a friend, a teacher, a boss, a class)

The answer to what will determine the information; this can be planned through an outline, a list, or in your head.

The answer to why, or the purpose, will influence the information, the type of text and the language.

The audience will help choose the structure, the language and the tone (formal 0r informal).

The process of writingPlanning

Drafting (first, second, third…… version)

Editing (corrections)

Final version

Start writingTitle: Try thinking of an original title, not just

the topic, for example in the case of cockfighting, “Tradition or Animal Cruelty,” Entertainment or Greed”. You can also specify the title a little more: “Cockfighting in Costa Rica: the pros and cons”

Organization of an essayIntroduction: Thesis statement (it should

indicate what you are writing about and why), definition, background information, final sentence introducing following paragraph (the final sentence can also be the thesis statement.

Body paragraphs: One single idea should be expressed through the main sentence, and the other sentences are to support this one idea. When revising, ask yourself : What is this paragraph about? Are all the sentences related?

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Conclusion : Sum up all the information, offer final statements or results, restate the main idea, if applicable, give personal opinion.

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APA Style

Why?

How?

When?

Now, what is wrong here?In conclusion there a myriad of personal

views points that support and oppose this controversial sport, but it seems that cockfighting won’t be banned any time soon. Part of cockfighting’s strength is it’s support base, garnering the participation of wealthy and famous people. For example, in many countries around the world some politicians support this cruel activity. Despite being illegal and looked down upon in many countries, cockfighting is legal and considered part of a cultural heritage that will pass from generation to generation.

Cohesion

Cohesion: The sentences “stick together” so we know what is being referred to and how the phrases and sentences relate to each other. This is done through the use of conjunctions, pronouns, transitions and others.

We will see what is going to happened in the next few days or months and see if it is going to be banned or not, there are the cock breeders that fiercely defend these events must continue because is part of our culture, others that in contrast want cruelty to stop… and my personal opinion that is definitely against cockfights.

CoherenceCoherence: The reader should be able to

identify the writer’s purpose and line of thought.

Die with dignity and not silver as in cockfighting.

Some people relate cockfights with the culture so might create all kinds of hard feelings within our society.

They also argue that use their own money and not cash from people.

SentencesSentences should not be very short because

the writing will seem “choppy” nor too long because they can become confusing.

I like to watch tv.

Their only function is to die and that’s it.

In the Ark of Noah were fighting cocks.

There are people that are against these combats because they are not in favor of the abuse animal and they want to stop these fights because unfortunately the destiny of the cocks is the death because they cannot be given to the people because they can hurt someone so at the end the law has to kill them.

Run-onsRun-on sentences have two or more

independent clauses that are placed together without a conjunction or connector. Commonly, only a comma was used in your essays.

I would like to mention as negative aspects the animal abuse, this is a very violent activity in where..

…they have no way to scape, have to fight until the end, at the fights they are force to be violent, they cannot socialize.

Cockfighting is a blood sport between two roosters specifically bred for aggressiveness, people call them gamecocks, they are placed beak to beak in a small ring called cockpit and encouraged to fight to the death.

In recent months we have heard, read and seen on television, more often, the problematic issue of cockfighting in our country, the police and SENASA…

The final solution for fighting cocks is sacrificed, we put them to sleep.

…a cockfight is not something to be proud of. It is an animal who suffers, who is trained to kill…

Cockfights are combats between two cocks of the same gender and race, the winner of the….

IncompleteHow much they can earn in one night to

gambling.

Things such as cockfighting.

In the Ark of Noah were fighting cocks.

Die with dignity and not silver as in cockfighting.

The definite articleRemember that the is a definite article, that

is, the noun following it is a specific one (not just any).

The cannot be used before gerund functioning as a noun (swimming, cockfighting), the days of the week or the months of the year.

In the case of the swimming pool, the gerund is an adjective.

The rooster fight

…based on that the rooster have a genetic or characteristics for fighting.

They said that the society present a double moral because they critic the rooster fights but no other activities were animals….

most of the countries/ most countries

…where people practice the clandestine cockfighting.

…the roosters were born to fight.

…people enjoy the bet and they say that the bet does not hurt anybody.

The director of National Animal Health Service…

PronounsPronouns always need a antecedent which

should be near enough to understand who or what the pronoun is replacing. They should not be used over and over again at the beginning of each sentences, and never to start a paragraph.

I encourage all the people how has ever participate in this to stop the gambling and every kind of motivation they have to be part of it. (paragraph)

They are even brought to this world with special techniques that makes them very violent in nature. They have a special and very sharp beak that makes them even more violent because their function is to… They also explain is a very unsanitary practice because of the environment in which these activities are held. And also, because the main attraction of these activities is the bets which make cockfighting illegal.

Participles…without being abuse…

…it is an activity that has been practice in Costa Rica for many years and that it is a Costa Rican tradition and of course they do not want to lose this tradition.

Used as adjectives:

prohibit activity

creatures create by God

ConjunctionsCoordinating Conjunctions and, but, or , so

are used to combine clauses, both independent and dependent. Therefore, they should never start a sentence.

And one of the traditions I’m going to talk about is the cockfight, which has been practiced for many years by our ancestors….

But I will point out the positive and negative…

And to conclude…

Prepositions…against of this activity…

There were about a hundred of spectators…

They take out fish from the water…

at arenas/in arenas

…work on poultry farming…

The worse thing of this…

Cockfighting is a tradition on which…

This animal only knows to the owner…

In a positive aspect,…

Possessive forms…the animal’s rights

…gamecock’s owners

…bird’s songs

Adjectivespositives aspects

…reduce this kind of inhumanity activity, starting with informing…

…many other animals competition…

The fights defenders said…

PunctuationRemember the commas that go after

adverbs or independent clauses that begin a sentence.

When the police arrived at the scene, the spectators started to leave…..

Finally, he was able to fulfill his dream of….

The semicolon is placed between two independent clauses. It can be used only between IC that are related in content and in purpose.

An optional conjunctive adverb, following the semicolon, can make the sentence more coherent by demonstrating the relationship between the two ICs.

Indian classical dance became a form of worship; therefore, it was performed only in temples.

In general, the colon means “as follows”. It indicates that what follows explains or emphasizes that which preceded the colon.

There are three sitcoms I like to watch: ……….

AgreementSubject – Verb:

…he gamble…

…he only buy…

…he does not care if he lost a rooster…

Animal fights are a social gathering that bring…

…one of the cocks are seriously..

People who likes…

…many kind of hormones…

…It could be a tradition that come…

This practice have been done not only in Costa Rica…

They said that the society present a double moral…

What are in people’s minds…

This majority have…

…the weakest one just run away…

Other types of agreement:

Several night…

Some of the images seen in TV can be very perturbing for its violence….

…the rooster attacks their opponents and inflicts serious injury and often death of his opponent

One of the tabu…

This type of fights

These places are where some people get together to bet? on this animals, drink and….

Verb useLetting two or more roosters to fight…

People still practicing it…

Last weekend, they have closed…

…50 police officers and SENASA personnel arrested 200 participants and have confiscated 150 fighting cocks, 4 guns, and 26 underage spectators and 1 on the run. They have also found….

We would not like to treat us the same way…

RepetitionThey are planning to legalize through laws

and do what it takes to make them legal. They think this is not animal cruelty and these must be legally accepted as an ancient entertainment from biblical ages.

At this moment, my concern is more particularly with cockfighting. My concern is driven by the fact that cockfights have been popular for centuries. The main questions I ask to address this concern is;…

Costa Rica

These fights are illegal in Costa Rica for many reasons. One of the reasons is the animal cruelty…

Even this is a reality even today…

Cockfighting is a fight…

…are placed in a place…

Don’t repeat ideas just to fill in your essay because you are not going to fool the professor!!!

Missing components…because is illegal for many reasons, first is

very violent and put two animals to kill each other is cruel, there is alcohol and drugs and underagers participating in brutal fights and learning things won’t make them better individuals… It violates all kinds of rules possible and well being for animals and humans.

…when the bird tries to socialize with other of the same species is difficult…

…avoid sedentary life style.

An example of the gains possible through such illegal gamblings _found in Iraq…

…Inform _about it or_ what to do.

…because _is cruel sport…

…because of that _is important…

At the natural environment cocks fight among them but_ is a natural way…

…in the Bible _is written

This activity is illegal, _causes health risks…

This _a practice that involves…

Because of this situation_ is important to know…

ConnectorsAlso the places where the fights take place

are inadequate because they do not have health permits. Although these people do not care the animals they only think in the money.

As well mentioned by the…. that this is a regular tradition practiced since biblical times, as well this animals are well care…

…this kind of activity is their main incoming although it is a lucrative one.

…claims that this activity is not only a matter of animal cruelty but also is unsanitary and illegal.

…in rural areas of our country it is common for people to participate in these practices although it is a lucrative and clandestine activity in rural sectors.

Spite/In spite

I think we have the right to enjoy our Costa Rican traditions but also I think the animal…

We must take into account that the values and virtues only are protected if the community is involved in this activity. On the other hand, some people think it is better that people are united as a community and not be in their houses in a solitary way.

For them the important thing is that it generates money. Otherwise, they believe it is better to invest their money.

other words/in other words

Structures…one of the foundations of the cockers is

“these…..

I think that today, with sports and other events that do not require the cruel death of animals, that blood sports like animal fights…

In this kind of fight always count with a referee…

…participants greed is highest than the animal consideration…

This is a practice where the animals are especially raised to be fighting and then to be dead.

…while in cockfighting only ones who enjoy them…

Owners train the animal to kill the other cock or till it is seriously injured.

Then another reason for those that say they are in favor, is just because…

…hurt more each other…

…and fight until die…

It is due that exists a winner cock, and therefore a loser cock.

Also, it’s important to take into account that although the rooster will not die physically. Often wounds in the body will make the bird is living dead.

The most important aspects are the opinions in favor of cockfighting, the opinions against these practices and a personal opinion.

Word choice (meaning)These animals genetically are made to fight.

(genetically?)

…intended to charities…./ be given to charities

We all have listened…/ We have all heard…

…replace them by steel blades to be more accurate when fighting/ ?

This activity will come down/ stop

…mistake he did about animal cruelty/ made-regarding

…a fine of…. colons can be apply/ can be fined with

…and honor that the rooster’s owner made win/ can gain

…see the difference due the animals don’t have to fight…/ since

…the Penal Code does not cover it as a crime, so only punished with fines… / according to the PC, it is not a crime…

Supporters believe that rooster fights are a healthy activity/ entertaining? wholesome?

And, since they haven’t been set as illegal no legal institution can be after them trying to cancel them until the government states them as illegal activities

…so if we realize about some of these fights we must inform to the law/ find out…. inform the law

…if a person is caught in these issues…/ activities

…it was an activity that people do on those times…/ have

…cockfights are a cruel situation against these birds/ cockfights are cruel

…even take it as a sport…/ consider it…

…they are penalized by massacring roosters / killing

They also complaint/ complain

assist/attend

massacre/ killing

concerning/ disturbing

specially/ especially

disagreeable point/ negative aspect

deathly/ deadly

article/ object

fishers/ fishermen

field of fight/ cockpit

battle field/ cockpit

Impersonal statementIt is considered + adjective + infinitive +

prepositional phrase

“It is considered rude to smoke on the train.”

Also it is consider a cruelty…

Information given…practices that are similar in violence and

bad behavior.

…the owners turn them into aggressive animals and sometimes they inject them unknown substances to make them more aggressive.

These are many of the opinions…

Michael Vick is currently serving a prison sentence because….

Don’tThis essay contains different people’s

opinions about “rooster fights” and many of the organizations that are against cockfighting in Costa Rica.

I think how nice would it be if people only sacrifice some animals as God considered necessary for our own survival.

It crosses my mind to think how these cocks feel at the moment they are fighting.

Once I searched about it I found that some of the reasons are because; (follows with one example)

…the thing is that…

I bet that like me…

…earn big bucks of the bet…

• Y • really

• thing, something, everything, nothing

• there are/ there is

• this (alone)

• it (at the beginning of a sentence)

• God

Ok

good

bad

evil

very

nice

you

Another and OtherAnother is an adjective or pronoun used

with a single referent and it means one more.

My favorite book is “One hundred years of solitude” , and another book by García Marquez that I like is “Love in the times of cholera”.

Other means different ones.

Other disadvantage/ another disadvantage

Other means different ones.

Lisa likes to dance, but there are other activities she also enjoys such as swimming, and hiking.

Other disadvantage/ another disadvantage

To agreeI agree

You agree

He agrees etc..

Not, I am agree, you are agree…

Be careful with what you write…breeders say that the act of cockfighting is

not illegal, even they dared to say…

…all the fish are killed to be eaten by humans.

…because to their food is added chemicals with the intention of a chemical reaction in their bodies.

The most curious is that only in countries with less access to education is realized and developed countries are prohibited. (legal in Spain and France, Costa Rica has access to education)

It is an industry like drug trafficking and white slavery which generates a lot of money.

…when they gamble for the cocks that will win the battle.

…if the cockfight is going to be against the law…

Foreign Words

Foreign words, titles etc… go in ITALIC.