Why is sentence variety so important?
Sentence variety is important because it is important. It is important so you don't always say the same thing over and over. Sentence variety is important so you don't sound like a broken record. It is boring if you use the same beginnings to sentences and the same sentence structure every time you write. People will just be waiting for that sentence that says something a little different and adds a little zest to your writing. See!
The paragraph above is an example of BAD sentence variety. This is why we should improve that part of our writing - otherwise, what we write becomes mush.
Here are some links to get you thinking! (and writing varied sentences)
And here!
Showing posts with label essay writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label essay writing. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thesis and Structure
Click here for a PDF about writing thesis statements. This may give you an idea about how to revise the one in your essay if you think it is weak.
Click here for a web site about organization. You can also try this link for a web site on outlining your essay. This will help you to switch where your paragraphs are or where you think they should be. You may even want to move around the sentences in your paragraphs so that they make more sense or flow more smoothly. Think of an outline as a map for your structure.
Click here for a web site about organization. You can also try this link for a web site on outlining your essay. This will help you to switch where your paragraphs are or where you think they should be. You may even want to move around the sentences in your paragraphs so that they make more sense or flow more smoothly. Think of an outline as a map for your structure.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Essay Writing - Exam Week
Let's get to essay writing! Today we are discussing some fine points of essay writing before I send you all to do it tomorrow. Tomorrow, you will be writing the entire period, refining and reworking your ideas INDEPENDENTLY.
After tomorrow's class, then we can rework what you have written and improve the writing for the final draft.
A few tips:
- Make sure you understand what the question is asking - read it through and reread it so that you answer it properly. There is nothing worse than writing an entire essay answering the question in the wrong way.
- Take your time. Even though sometimes we want to write everything all at once, take your time and really think about how you want to construct your idea. Don't take too much time though because then you will find it is the end of the period and you have nothing written. What ever you have at the end of the period on Tuesday is what you can work with from that point on, so make sure it is something substantial.
- Think. Think. Think. (as Pooh Bear says) Make sure you construct a good idea about what you are writing. Don't write what I expect, write about things that are "surprising" to you or that you think I will find interesting. Don't tell me what I know, tell me what you think.
- Most of all - do your best! That is all you can do, right? Your best may not be a five, but hopefully it is not a 1, but whatever it is, just do it!
After tomorrow's class, then we can rework what you have written and improve the writing for the final draft.
A few tips:
- Make sure you understand what the question is asking - read it through and reread it so that you answer it properly. There is nothing worse than writing an entire essay answering the question in the wrong way.
- Take your time. Even though sometimes we want to write everything all at once, take your time and really think about how you want to construct your idea. Don't take too much time though because then you will find it is the end of the period and you have nothing written. What ever you have at the end of the period on Tuesday is what you can work with from that point on, so make sure it is something substantial.
- Think. Think. Think. (as Pooh Bear says) Make sure you construct a good idea about what you are writing. Don't write what I expect, write about things that are "surprising" to you or that you think I will find interesting. Don't tell me what I know, tell me what you think.
- Most of all - do your best! That is all you can do, right? Your best may not be a five, but hopefully it is not a 1, but whatever it is, just do it!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Auteur
Please tell me I didn't butcher the french word for author...is that it in the title?
Anyways -- if you were an author, what would your first book be about? It can be fiction or non-fiction and about anything you think you would write about. How many chapters would it have? What would it explore?
I would want to write a book about education analyzing the way kids learn and teaching teachers more effective ways of engaging students in learning. I would also want to write a book about my sister-in-law's experiences with breast cancer or my sister's experience with infertility and then giving birth to a premature baby. I also have dreams of writing about travel, but sometimes travel writing can get boring, so I am not sure about this one.
Anyways -- if you were an author, what would your first book be about? It can be fiction or non-fiction and about anything you think you would write about. How many chapters would it have? What would it explore?
I would want to write a book about education analyzing the way kids learn and teaching teachers more effective ways of engaging students in learning. I would also want to write a book about my sister-in-law's experiences with breast cancer or my sister's experience with infertility and then giving birth to a premature baby. I also have dreams of writing about travel, but sometimes travel writing can get boring, so I am not sure about this one.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Memories... (you know this song too...I know you do)
Do you guys remember what you have learned about essay writing? What are some of the tips that you have gotten and retained or remembered over the years?
What are some things that make sense about essay writing and what are some things that you think you just don't get? (You need to be a humble learner for this one, so take off your coolness cloak and admit you don't know everything - okay?)
What are some things that make sense about essay writing and what are some things that you think you just don't get? (You need to be a humble learner for this one, so take off your coolness cloak and admit you don't know everything - okay?)
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Essays? Really?
We have been told to teach you guys how to write an essay and that it will be the next Exam you take. My first question is WHY?
Why in the world do we have to write an essay? And why in the world does it have to be about The Giver?
Well, we don't and it doesn't, but we are going to write one and it will be about The Giver.
Click here for a web site about how essay writing came about and why in school we usually write about literature when we write about an essay in English class.
Why in the world do we have to write an essay? And why in the world does it have to be about The Giver?
Well, we don't and it doesn't, but we are going to write one and it will be about The Giver.
Click here for a web site about how essay writing came about and why in school we usually write about literature when we write about an essay in English class.
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