Contents OVERVIEW xi UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO PARAGRAPHS 1 What Is a Paragraph? 1 Topic Sentences 2 Elements of a Topic Sentence 2 Five Features of a Good Topic Sentence 5 Practice with Controlling Ideas 7 Building Better Sentences 10 Brainstorming 10 Writer s Note: Brainstorming 10 Supporting Sentences 12 Types of Supporting Sentences 12 Writer s Note: Avoiding Unrelated Sentences 14 Building Better Sentences 15 Language Focus: Identifying Verbs and Fragments 16 Language Focus: Nouns and Noun Forms 17 Connecting Topic Sentences and Supporting Details 18 Concluding Sentences 22 Features of a Concluding Sentence 22 Transitions with Concluding Sentences 22 Four Features of a Well-Written Paragraph 23 Building Better Sentences 25 Building Better Vocabulary 26 Original Student Writing 28 Writer s Note: Tips for Peer Editing 30 Timed Writing 30 UNIT 2 FIVE ELEMENTS OF GOOD WRITING 31 What Makes a Good Paragraph? 31 Five Elements of Good Writing 31 Element 1: Purpose 31 Purpose Statement 33 Element 2: Audience 35 Relating to Your Audience 35 Person 35 v
Writer s Note: Consistent Pronoun Usage 36 Choosing Person in Formal or Informal Writing 37 Element 3: Clarity 38 Language Focus: Using Clear, Descriptive Language 38 Writer s Note: Adding Description 39 Clarity in Sentences 40 Building Better Sentences 42 Language Focus: Clear Pronoun Reference 43 Element 4: Unity 45 Building Better Sentences 46 Building Better Sentences 48 Element 5: Coherence 48 Logical Order 48 Repetition of Key Words 49 Transitional Words and Phrases 49 Proofreading 50 Writer s Note: Proofreading Your Work 50 Five Proofreading Strategies 50 Writer s Note: Titles for Your Work 50 Building Better Vocabulary 51 Original Student Writing 52 Timed Writing 54 UNIT 3 TYPES OF PARAGRAPHS 55 Descriptive Paragraphs 56 Building Better Sentences 58 Writer s Note: Use of the Pronoun / in Academic Writing 58 Original Student Writing: Descriptive Paragraph 58 Comparison Paragraphs 60 Building Better Sentences 62 Original Student Writing: Comparison Paragraph 63 Language Focus: Subject-Verb Agreement 65 Language Focus: Word Forms 66 Cause-Effect Paragraphs 67 Original Student Writing: Cause-Effect Paragraph 69 Classification Paragraphs 71 Building Better Sentences 73 Original Student Writing: Classification Paragraph 73 Writer s Note: Remembering the Purpose of Your Paragraph 75 Building Better Vocabulary 76 Timed Writing 78 vi
UNIT 4 DESCRIPTIVE ESSAYS: MOVING FROM PARAGRAPH TO ESSAY 79 Reviewing Paragraph Basics 80 Descriptive Paragraphs and Essays 80 Example Essay 1: Prisoner at Work 81 Writer s Note: The Hook 84 Building Better Sentences 84 Outlining a Descriptive Essay 85 Language Focus: Describing with the Five Senses 87 Two Ways to Organize Descriptive Essays 88 Example Essay 2: The Restaurant 88 Building Better Sentences 90 Language Focus: Prepositions of Place 90 Writer s Note: Five-Paragraph Essay Blueprint 90 Understanding the Writing Process: The Seven Steps 91 Step 1: Choose a Topic 92 Step 2: Brainstorm 92 Step 3: Outline 93 Step 4: Write the First Draft 95 Introductory Paragraph 96 Building Better Sentences 97 Body Paragraphs 1 3 97 Conclusion Paragraph 97 Step 5: Get Feedback from a Peer 98 Step 6: Revise the First Draft 98 Step 7: Proofread the Final Draft 98 Building Better Vocabulary 99 Original Student Writing: Descriptive Essay 100 Additional Topics for Writing 103 Timed Writing 104 UNIT 5 COMPARISON ESSAYS 105 Choosing a Topic 105 Organization of a Comparison Essay 106 Block Method 106 Point-by-Point Method 108 Supporting Details 108 Writer s Note: Variety of Outlines 109 Example Essay 3: The Weather in Chicago and Miami 112 Building Better Sentences 113 Writer s Note: Adverbs of Degree 114 Connectors and Transitions 116 vii
Language Focus: Forming the Comparative and Superlative of Adjectives and Adverbs 117 Language Focus: Parallel Structure 118 Working with Language in a Comparison Essay 119 Example Essay 4: The Wonder of Flight 119 Building Better Sentences 123 Building Better Vocabulary 124 Original Student Writing: Comparison Essay 126 Additional Topics for Writing 127 Timed Writing 128 UNIT 6 CAUSE-EFFECT ESSAYS 129 Choosing a Topic 129 Organization of a Cause-Effect Essay 131 Supporting Details 133 Example Essay 5: Clinical Depression 136 Building Better Sentences 137 Connectors and Transitions 139 Language Focus: Ways of Expressing Past Actions 140 Building Better Sentences 142 Language Focus: Preposition Combinations with Nouns 142 Working with Language in a Cause-Effect Essay 144 Example Essay 6: The Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle 144 Building Better Sentences 148 Building Better Vocabulary 149 Original Student Writing: Cause-Effect Essay 150 Additional Topics for Writing 152 Timed Writing 152 UNIT 7 CLASSIFICATION ESSAYS 153 Choosing a Topic 153 Organization of a Classification Essay 154 Supporting Details 155 Example Essay 7: The Many Faces of Acting 160 Building Better Sentences 162 Connectors and Transitions 164 Language Focus: The Passive Voice 165 Writer s Note: Using the Passive Voice 166 Language Focus: Adjective Clauses 166 viii
Working with Language in a Classification Essay 168 Example Essay 8: Vacations for Everyone 168 Building Better Sentences 172 Building Better Vocabulary 173 Original Student Writing: Classification Essay 174 Additional Topics for Writing 176 Timed Writing 176 BRIEF WRITER S HANDBOOK WITH ACTIVITIES 177 Understanding the Writing Process: The Seven Steps 179 Editing Your Writing 187 Capitalization Activities 192 Punctuation Activities 195 Sentence Types 202 Additional Grammar Activities 205 Connectors 210 Citations and Plagiarism 213 APPENDICES 217 Appendix 1 Building Better Sentences 218 Appendix 2 Peer Editing Sheets 237 INDEX 267 ix