Writing 101: Important Points to remember when writing.

Remember . . . Form your opinion (that is your thesis

statement). Use some of the information in the situation

in your introduction. Give three strong reasons in your

introduction to support your thesis (opinion) Use a conclusion strategy. For example, your

conclusion could bring up 2 counter arguments, discredit each counter argument (prove each wrong) and restate your thesis.

All of your paragraphs (at least the first four) should go from general to specific GENERAL

EXAMPLES: Students Teachers Parents Friends People Famous people

SPECIFIC EXAMPLES: _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

General to Specific(Introduction)

Many people are of the opinion that second hand smoke does not harm others. There are still designated smoking areas in many public places, but this fact is a shame. Second hand smoke is deadly! It is more dangerous than first hand smoke. It is horrible for our environment, and second hand smoke can harm your children.

General to Specific(Body)

Second hand smoke is much more dangerous than first hand smoke. There are an estimated 46,000 deaths in one year from heart disease in people who are currently non-smokers. My great-uncle was a smoker. However, guess who died of lung cancer? My great-aunt died in 2005 of a combination of heart disease and lung cancer.

Conclusions Best approach when writing a persuasive

document: counter argument EXAMPLE:

Second hand smoke kills! Some smokers may say that second hand smoke should be tolerated, but, I know from experience that it is truly as dangerous as first hand smoke. Don’t be taken in by a charming smoker. Exposure to any nicotine smoking product should be a choice, not a tolerance.

FIVE FATAL FLAWS:

Avoid/correct these errors when writing.

Run-on Sentences

Run-On Sentence = two independent clauses joined withOUT punctuation and/or a coordinating conjunction.

How to Correct a Run-On Sentence Example: Deelra ran the hurdles in record time Shawna placed

second.

Solution: Deelra ran the hurdles in record time. Shawna placed second. (Make two sentences out of the run-on sentence.)

Solution: Deelra ran the hurdles in record time, but Shawna placed second. (Add a coordinating conjunction FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO after the comma.

Solution: Deelra ran the hurdles in record time; Shawna placed second. (Separate the independent clauses with a semicolon.)

Comma SpliceComma splice = two independent

clauses joined only by a comma.

How to Correct a Comma Splice Example: I don’t know where the oil paints are, they were over by

the easel.

Solution: I don’t know where the oil paints are. They were over by the easel. (Make two sentences by separating the first clause from the second with end punctuation, such as a period or a question mark, and start the second sentence with a capital letter.)

Solution: I don’t know where the oil paints are, but they were over by the easel. (Add a coordinating conjunction after the comma.)

Solution: I don’t know where the oil paints are; they were over by the easel. (Place a semicolon between the main clauses of the sentence.)

Fragment Fragment = incomplete sentence

starting with a capital letter and ending with a period or other end forms of punctuation. Fragments lack a subject or a verb or both.

How to Correct a Fragment Example: He enjoys flowers and shrubs. Which help screen

his yard from the street. (Note: “which” will never start a sentence, but it may begin a question.

Solution: He enjoys flowers and shrubs. They help screen

his yard from the street. (“They” is a subject, so now this is a sentence instead of a fragment.)

How to Correct a Fragment Example: Having driven across the desert. We

enjoyed the cool weather.

Solution: Having driven across the desert, we

enjoyed the cool weather.

Subject/Verb AgreementAgreement = Plural Subject + Plural Verb OR Agreement = Singular Subject + Singular

Verb

BUT

Agreement ≠ Plural Subject + Singular Verb OR Agreement ≠ Singular Subject + Plural Verb

How to Create Subject/Verb Agreement

Singular: The rose in the vase is beautiful. (“rose” is

the subject and needs the singular verb “is”)

Plural:The roses in the vase are beautiful. (“roses”

is the subject and needs a plural verb “are” – Note: “in the vase” is a prepositional phrase – subjects won’t be found inside prepositional phrases!)

How to Create Subject/Verb Agreement

Singular: The student needs attention.(“student” is the subject; “needs” is the

verb)

Plural: The students need attention.(“students” is the subject; “need” is the

verb)

Singular: A zinnia blooms best in the sun(“zinnia” is the subject; “blooms” is the

verb)

Plural: Zinnias bloom best in the sun(“Zinnias” is the subject; “bloom” is the

verb)

How to Create Subject/Verb Agreement

ApostrophesApostrophes = possessionApostrophes show that one thing

owns/has/possesses something else.

OR Apostrophes = left out letters or

numbers Examples: don’t; they’ll; can’t; won’t;

class of ‘11

Sometimes Apostrophes = plural form of strange “words”

Examples: his p’s and q’s; too many F’s; all of

the ifs and ands; his 7s; the 1990s

Apostrophes

Where NOT to Place an Apostrophe

Plural ≠ Possessive

ours, yours, hers, theirs

Its motor is small. Its name is Spot.

Spelling Counts

Misspellings make the reader doubt you.

Misspellings make the reader think you don’t know your information.

Misspellings make the reader think you don’t know how to present information clearly and correctly.

Commonly Misspelled Words

always, all ways; break, brake; choose, chose; desert, dessert; fair, fare; hear, here; lead, led; lose, loose; passed, past; plain, plane; sense, since; than, then; there, their; they’re; threw, through, thorough; to, too, two; weather, whether; were, where, ware; who’s, whose; your, you’re; quiet, quite, quit

Abbreviations, Slang, and E-mail Speak

Don’t use: “&” for “and” “b/c” for “because” “w/” for “with” “OMG” for “oh, my, God!” “plz” for “please” “cuz” for “because”

Never use slang or e-mail speak when writing a formal paper.

These are informal, and essays must be written in formal language.