WRITING PROCESSStep by Step

KNOW THE PURPOSE What is the writing assignment?

An Essay A Report A Speech Test Story Letter

What is the purpose of the assignment? Answering questions in detail Informative Descriptive Factual Humor/Entertain Persuade Imagination/creative

6 TRAITS OF GOOD WRITING Content: clear, specific, well-supported,

accurate Organization: ideas arranged in a

logical order, writing is easy to follow Voice: shows personality and style of

writer Word choice: words are precise, clear,

concise, descriptive, engaging Sentence Fluency: writing flow, easy to

follow, variation in sentence structure Conventions: grammar, spelling,

punctuation, sentence structure, neatness

IT STARTS WITH A SENTENCE ALWAYS THE FIVE ELEMENTS: SUBJECT,

VERB, COMPLETE THOUGHT, CAPITALIZATION, PUNCTUATION

Topic of your sentence….purpose Details/facts/description Create an image…visuals Sentences should communicate to the

reader…VISUAL SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC IT HAS TO BE JUST RIGHT…NOT TOO

SHORT…NOT TOO LONG…JUST RIGHT

ADDING DETAILS TO A SENTENCE: LET’S COLOR A basic sentence: The dog ran. 5 parts: Capital letter, punctuation, complete

thought, subject, verb BORING! Needs detail…more color Using adjectives, adverbs, and phrases in

sentences helps rid the sentence of boredom. Lets Color: Write a sentence on each of the

following topics…You must include three colors in your sentence.

Topic: Dog: The brown dog ran across the green grass and through the red roses.

Topics: Bears, Your bedroom, Fast food, amusement parks, clothes

COMPOUND SENTENCES Compound…more than one part You can take two sentences to form a compound

sentence. Connectors/Conjunctions: and, but, or Place a comma before the conjunction…two

independent phrases.

Examples:The day is hot. I don’t mind.The day is hot, but I don’t mind.We could walk to school. We could ride to school.We could walk to school, or we could ride to school.

SHORTER SENTENCES TO MORE DESCRIPTIVE SENTENCES Simple sentences are good but description is better Combining Sentences…3 ways : Two independent clauses/sentences combined

together with a conjunction and a comma Sam sold the sheep. Fred sold the chickens. Sam sold sheep ,and Fred sold chickens Complex sentence: Combine two independent

sentences with because, while, before, or after. No comma needed

I am happy. I am going to a party. I am happy because I am going to a party.

Using a dependent clause…can not stand by itself…if although, when, until.

Sarah went to the fair. She rode the Ferris wheel. When Sarah went to the fair she rode the Ferris wheel.

USING SIMILE Creating a picture through comparison A simile make a comparison by using

the words LIKE or AS “Life is like a box of chocolates” “The girl is as sweet as a rose” Create a pictures using a Simile for each picture: in color

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN…. A. You are to write 5 sentences using a simile in

each sentence. Make sure your sentences reflect the 5 elements of a good sentence. Each sentence must have at least 8 words. ( black ink, cursive, no cross-outs)

B. For 3 of your sentences you need to illustrate the simile. Draw your illustration after the sentence. ( color, neatness)

NOW FOR METAPHORS Another way to add description…make your writing

more visual…words paint a picture..image Metaphor: a word or phrase that gives an image of an

object…the unfamiliar is expressed in terms of the familiar

Examples: His head was spinning with ideas Her home was a prison She has a heart of gold It is raining cats and dogs The noise is music to my ears My memory is a little cloudy about that incident Keep your eyes peeled Now illustrate a metaphor: in color

METAPHOR SIMILE HELP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W26o

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SIMILE AND METAPHOR SONG http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoSB

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PERSONIFICATIONS The chicken hurled insult after insult to me. Can a chicken really hurl insults? NO Can a chicken speak like a person? NO Personifications: words or phrases used in

writing that gives human characteristics to inhuman or inanimate objects.

Gives a visual effect in writing, descriptive The alarm clock screams at me each

morning NOW: Write 3 sentences with

personifications and illustrate the sentence: In color

BE OUR GUEST: PERSONIFICATION http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Gz

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ALLITERATIONS You’ll never put a better bit of butter on your knife. Good men are gruff and grumpy, cranky, crabbed, and cross.

Alliteration: words used in writing that are part of a sentence or phrase that repeats an initial consonant sound.

ALLITERATIONS

PUTTING SENTENCES INTO A PARAGRAPH Paragraph: A group of sentences that

relate to a particular topic or idea. All paragraphs must have a topic

sentence. A topic sentence: A topic sentence tells what the main

idea of a paragraph will be Think of it as a “clue” for you...reading

comprehension Think of it as “help”: it will tell you what

to write about.

THE MAIN IDEA Main idea: The main idea is the central,

or most important, thought or topic in the paragraph—what the paragraph is all about.

It is the BIG IDEA Topic Sentence: Good paragraphs have

a sentence that tells the main idea. My main idea: The carnival Topic sentence: I had fun at the carnival

yesterday because there were so many rides and games to play.

YOUR TURN

Below are topics for paragraphs. For each topic you are to write a topic sentence.Write the topic AND then give the topic

sentenceCursiveBlack InkNeatness/no cross-outs

TOPICSHomework My roomParents PetsVacation ClothesEaster RulesAnnoyances Inventions

PUTTING THE PARAGRAPH TOGETHER

My Circus Adventure My family and I went to the circus and it was quite

an adventure. ( topic sentence) I was so surprised at everything I saw at the circus. There were clowns on stilts and all kinds of animals. The circus acts like the trapeze flyers were amazing.You can not imagine the different kind of food you can get at a circus.I got to eat popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs, and a lemonade to drink.At the end of the day it had been quite a circus adventure and I was very tired.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN Write 5 good sentences about one of the topics listed below. You need to select one of the topics below and write a paragraph

about that topic. Underline your topic sentence. Make sure you have all the elements of a good sentence. Warning: You will be expanding on your chosen topic so keep that

in mind when choosing a topic. Directions: Cursive, black ink, no cross-outs. You must have a

minimum of 5 sentences including your topic sentence. Topics:

These are a few of my favorite things I need a hero What I like about me If wishes came true God Bless America It is the right thing to do If my house could speak Secrets

LET ME INTRODUCE YOU…AN INTRODUCTION TO A PAPER First impressions matter: “I want to

continue to read the paper.” The introduction sets the mood, tone,

purpose of the paper First sentence: Grab the reader’s

attention: use of humor, anecdote, quotation, statistics, question, definition, startling fact

Get to the point: two or three sentences Tie attention getter to thesis Write your thesis statement: “blueprint

of your paper”….this is what I am writing about

AN INTRODUCTION SAMPLE… “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on

kitten, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things…” We all have many things but among the many are those very special things that mean so much to us personally. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” My treasures include a patriotic picture, a Thomas Kincaid collectable, and a warm blanket.

WRAP IT UP…THE CONCLUSION Keep it brief: a final impression, leave

your paper on a good note Don’t repeat yourself…you have already

said that Tie your introduction back to your

introduction…your paper has gone full circle

Use a statistic, quotation, fact, answer the question, ask the question….

SAMPLES JUST FOR YOU Question: Close with a question that involves the

reader. You can answer the question, or leave it for the reader to decide on what you wrote

Example: It was the worst experience of his life. Andrew decided that it was the last time he would ever go on a roller coaster. Who can blame him?

Strong statement: Close with a statement that forcefully states your opinion.

Example: A criminal, no matter his/her age, should be dealt with according to the crime. The legal system is too lenient when it comes to juvenile offenders. Laws need to be rewritten immediately so that no more hard core criminals go free just because they are juveniles.

MORE SAMPLES… Personal Comment: close with a personal

comment or response with what you have written. It is not the same thing as an opinion. It is more like a personal conclusion you have reached or a lesson you have learned because of what you wrote about.

Example: Riding a roller coaster with someone who is a “chicken” is something I will certainly never do again. I should have listened when Sheila told me she did not what to ride it. I should have let her take the “chicken exit.” Next I will know better.

SAMPLES…SAMPLES..MORE SAMPLES Mystery: Close with a statement that

shows some things will never be resolved. However, be sure to do this in a way that the reader does not think you just forgot to end your story or paper.

Example: We watched Adam walk down the road until he became just a tiny speck and then disappeared altogether into the dust of twilight. Just as he appeared, he was gone. That was the last time any of us saw him.

ANOTHER ONE… Quotation from a famous person or not: Close with

a quotation that is well known or from a famous person. Be sure to put quotations around the quotation and give credit to the person who said it if you write it word for word. Of course, each quotation must be directly related to your topic.

Example: According to Senator Bob Dole, in order to be a citizen, all Americans must be able to speak English. In theory this seems like a good policy. However, what will become of the citizens who never learn to speak English?

Or not…”You are going to regret this.” Those were Sheila’s last words as I pulled her into the roller coaster seat. I now know she was not kidding.

A SAMPLE I am now content wrapped in a warm

blanket, listening to “The Night Before Christmas”, and seeing the meaning of patriotism and bravery in a simple picture. “Life does not get any better than this.” In life simple things can be favorite things.

FROM ONE TO THE NEXT A paper must have a “flow” about it…it smoothly goes

from one paragraph to the next and still stays connected.

Without transitions, your writing does not flow smoothly. Transitions are words and phrases that serve as bridges from on idea to the next, one sentence to the next, or one paragraph to the next. They keep the reader from having to find his or her own way and possibly getting lost in the reading.

Think of transitions as hallways…getting from room to room

Make a connection/”tie in” between the paragraphs. While valuing the sacrifice that has been made for us by our military I now begin to value a simple story of “The Night Before Christmas”.

TRANSITIONAL WORDS

TRANSITIONS TO EMPHASIZE A POINT

again another key point first thing to remember

for this reason frequently important to realizeindeed in fact key point

most compelling evidence

most important information

must be remembered

on the negative side on the positive side point often

overlookedsignificant that surprising surprisingly enoughto emphasize to point out to repeat

truly with this in mind

MORE TRANSITION

TRANSITIONS TO COMPARE ITEMS

accordingly also as comparable to

in the same way

in the same manner

in conjunction with this just as

like likewise similarly sometimes

WE ARE STILL IN TRANSITION

TRANSITIONS TO ADD INFORMATIONadditionally again along with also and

another as well besides equally important finally

for example

for instance further furthermor

e in addition

likewise moreover nexttogether

with

TRANSITION IN SEQUENCE

TRANSITIONS TO ENUMERATEThese transitions are to be used as sets;more transitions can be added to each set as needed.

firstsecondthirdone importantequally importantmost importanta significantanother significantof greatest significancefirstnextlastin the beginningtoward the middleat the endonealsoin addition

THE TRANSITIONAL ENDING

TRANSITIONS TO CONCLUDE OR SUMMARIZEaccordingly all in all as a result consequently

due to finally in closing in conclusion

in short in summary in the last analysis lastly

logical conclusion is therefore thus to con