Writing Fundamentals

By Feng Xue

Contents

• Capitalisation• Comma vs. period• Connecting sentences

– and, so, but, also• Layout of English passages

– Indentation– Full-block

• Exercises• Writing practice• Wrap up

CAPITALISATION-1

A Report on the Trips

“How was your trip?” I asked.

He said, “My trip to Yunnan was interesting.”

“My trip to Mount Tai,” she said, “was rather tiring.”

I asked, “Really? That’s funny.”

CAPITALISATION-2• First words of sentences (sentence fragments)• Key words in titles

– Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, long prepositions– Prepositions

• Proper names– People– Places (stars, continents, countries, cities, streets)– Languages – Holidays– Religions– Titles (Mr. , Ms. , President, Sir, etc.)

CONNECTING SENTENCES

• and, but, so, or• also

• as a result, therefore• When, before, after• …

CONNECTING SENTENCES

1. I realise now that the boys loved me.

2. I was little.

3. I often felt lonely and left.

4. They were always having fun together.

5. I was too small to play with them.

6. I suppose I was quite independent.

CONNECTING SENTENCES

I realise now that the boys loved me, but when I was little I often felt lonely and left out. They were always having fun together, but I was too small to play with them. As a result, I suppose I was quite independent

Punctuation & Basic Sentence Structures

• It too far from Beiwai, I think you can change your work to Tianjin.

It’s too far from Beiwai. I think you can …

It’s too far from Beiwai, but I think you can …

As it is too far from Beiwai, I think you can …

It’s too far from Beiwai, so I think you can …

It’s too far from Beiwai; I think you can …

It’s too far from Beiwai, and I think you can …

Punctuation & Basic Sentence Structures

– My brother like seeing films.

– The man and her daughter is here.

– It is early in the morning. I got up before my parents and …

Agreement

COMMA vs. PERIOD

• Maria是北京外国语大学的新生，她今年 19岁，来自英国。

• Maria is a new student at BFSU. She is 19 and is from Britain.

LAYOUT OF PASSAGES

Indented style Full block style

I work at a software company that is located near Fu Xing men, Xicheng district.

My home is in Hai-dian District, it’s about 12 kilometre from my workplace. Th

ere are many ways to went from my home to my office. It takes almost one hou

r by bus to get to my workplace from my home. Although it is long journey, Th

e transport is convenient. There are three direct bus service. No 716, No 732

and No 723 with air-condition, the fee of No 716 is very cheap, only 1 Yuan, b

ut No 732 or No 723 are 2 to 3 Yuans. I can also choose to take the subway to

save time, but it more expensive and I need to take bus to get to the sub

way station. I take subway only when I got up late. It spends me about 45 minut

e and 6 Yuan. The most expensive way to go to work is taxi. It’s really expensi

ve, but not save me much time actually. It always cost over 20 Yuan because o

f the traffic, so I seldom get to work by taxi. If the weather is fine and I am full of

energy, I prefer to go to work by bike. On my way to the workplace, I pass man

y university, the National Library, the Purple Bamboo Park and Diaoyu Tai. It is

also a good form of physical exercises for me, too.

Can you improve it?I work at a software company that is located near Fuxingmen, Xicheng District.

There are many ways to go from my home to my office. It takes almost one

732 and No 723 with air-conditioning. The fee of No 716 is very cheap, only 1

subway to save time, but it will be more expensive and I need to take a bus to

about 45 minutes and 6 Yuan. The most expensive way to go to work is by taxi.

It’s really expensive, but not saving me much time actually. It always costs over

20 Yuan because of the traffic, so I seldom get to work by taxi. If the weather isfine and I am full of energy, I prefer to go to work by bike. On my way to the wor

kplace, I pass many universities, the National Library, the Purple Bamboo Park

and Diaoyutai. It is also a good form of physical exercise for me, too.

My home is in Haidian District, about 12 kilometres from my workplace.

Yuan, but No 732 or No 723 are 2 to 3 Yuan. I can also choose to take the

get to the subway station. I take the subway only when I get up late. It takes me

hour by bus to get to my workplace from my home. Although it is a long journey

the transport is convenient. There are three direct bus services – No 716, No

Can you improve it?

Most family have washing machine , let me tell you how to use. first ,

you should plag it in. second, put the cloths which you want to wash

into the washing machine. third, put some wash in it and please noti

ce how many wash you use. Finally, you should begin to washing yo

ur clothes. And if you washing machine is used by your hand, please

tune process about your machine.

(75 words)

WRAP UP

• How to improve writing– Read– Copy/imitate/rewrite– Write

Please check your writing again

against these conventions before submitting

your first assignment.