Writing A2 – Week 1
COURSE DETAILS
• Materials:
Oshima, A., & Houge, A. (2017). Longman writing series 2:
Paragraphs to essays (4th ed.). Pearson Education.
• Assessment:
1. Participation (in-class participation + SPARK completion): 10%
2. Progress test: 30% (Describing people/places)-W7
(Reading+Listening+Writing on that day; Speaking: film
yourself and send your speaking video via Google
Forms)
LESSON 1
• Sentences building
• Introduction to paragraph writing - The writing process
TYPES OF SENTENCE
• -SIMPLE SENTENCE
• -COMPOUND SENTENCE
• -COMPLEX SENTENCE
• -COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE
• Sentences are a basic unit of text.
• The extent to which essays, reports, seminar papers are
effective has much to do with the content and mastery of
sentences.
• It is helpful, therefore, to be knowledgeable about the
structure of sentences and the rules and the conventions
which govern their use.
• This enables a writer to more confidently explore ways of
expressing his/her thoughts to others.
• A sentence signals at least one unit of thought that the
writer wants the reader to absorb.
• It could be as simple as:
• A. The Gold Coast is an enjoyable place to be.
• B. A tall man is standing next to the car.
• Or extensive as:
• C. The Gold Coast is Australia's premier tourist region
which has caused overdevelopment on what were once
some of most beautiful coastal areas on the eastern
seaboard.
• D. A tall man wearing a dark suit is standing with his arms
folded next to an old, red taxi.
SUBJECT+ PREDICATE=
SENTENCE
• The two fundamental parts of every English sentence are the
subject and the predicate.
• SUBJECT+ PREDICATE= SENTENCE
• A sentence can be analyzed into subject and predicate. The
predicate is all the rest of the sentence after the subject.
Most English sentences have three parts: a subject, a verb,
and an object or complement.
• These sentences are called SVO sentences.
SIMPLE SENTENCE
• The simple sentence often makes its point concise, for
it can be the shortest of the sentences.
• A simple sentence, also called an independent clause,
contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a
complete thought.
• In the following simple sentences, subjects are in bold
and verbs are underlined:
EXAMPLE: Simple Sentence
• a. The package arrived.
• b. Canals vary in length and width.
•c Juan and Arturo drove from Connecticut to Tennessee in
one day.
• d, The ape-man in the gray loincloth, a wooden spear in his
hand, attacked.
•e John Gordon goes to the library and studies there every day.
• Note that a sentence can contain a compound subject (c) and long
subject (d), and a sentence can contain a compound verb (e)
COMPOUND SENTENCE
• A compound sentence contains two or more independent
clauses or consists of two or more simple sentences
separated by conjunctions (joining words).
• That means that there are at least two units of thought
within the sentence, either of which can stand by itself as its
own sentence.
FORMING COMPOUND SENTENCE
• There are three ways to join independent clauses to form a compound
sentence.
• 1. by a coordinator (or a coordinating conjunction):/or, and, nor, but, or, yet,
so. Helpful hint: The first letter of each of the coordinators spells FANBOYS
• E.g.,
• a. The economy stagnates, and prices rise.
• b. Mrs. A was ill, so her husband had to bring their children to school.
• c. Sam wanted to study law, but he was rejected by the university he
applied to.
• Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always preceded by a
comma.
FORMING COMPOUND SENTENCE
(cont.)
• 2. by a conjunctive adverb. (Therefore, however)
• e.g., She did not want to go at that time; however, she still
went with him.
• 3. by a semicolon or colon (This kind of CS is possible
only when the two independence clauses are closely related
in meaning. If not, they should be written as 2 simple
sentences, each ending with a period (.))
• e.g., He never went to the snake house again; he had been
revolted by the alligator.
Punctuation mistake
• I forget my homework paper, I get a Zero. (comma-splice error).
• I forget my homework paper I get a Zero I am sad. (run-on
sentence).=> I forget my homework paper, so I get a Zero; therefore, I
am sad./ I forget my homework paper, so I get a Zero. Therefore, I am
sad.
• Because it rains. (Fragment)
• I’m => I am (avoid using contraction)
COORD- CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS SENTENCE
INATORS
and Besides Community colleges offer preparation for many
Furthermore occupations; moreover, they prepare students to
Moreover transfer to a 4-year college or university.
also
But However Many community colleges do not have
yet Nevertheless dormitories; however, they provide housing
nonetheless referral services.
or otherwise Students must take final exams; otherwise, they
will receive a grade of Incomplete.
so Accordingly Native and nonnative English speakers have
Consequently different needs; therefore, most school provide
Hence separate English classes for each group.
Therefore
thus
A: Eleanor tried a new recipe today; however, she
forgot to add the baking soda. (Conjunctive Adv.)
B: Michael played football, for Maria went shopping.
(Comma + Coordinative Conjunction )
D: I would like to do some exercise everyday, but I
have no time.
E: The whistle blew; the parade began. (Semicolon)
F: My older brother studies law; my
younger brother studies medicine.
COMPLEX SENTENCE
• The complex sentence gives depth to writing, reduces the number of
words used and through its main clause-subordinate clause shows
levels of relationships.
• A complex sentence consists of at least one main (independent)
clause joined by one or more subordinate ( dependent) clauses. A
main clause can stand by itself; a subordinate clause cannot. (It
relates to the main clause). Consider the example below:
• As it was summer, the holiday brought many people to the beach.
Complex Sentences / Adjective
Clauses
Sentences containing adjective clauses (or
dependent clauses) are also complex
because they contain an independent clause
and a dependent clause. The subjects,
verbs, and subordinators are marked the
same as in the previous sentences, and in
these sentences, the independent clauses are
also underlined.
Subordinating Conjunctions
After, although, as, as far as, as if, as long as, as soon as, as
though
Because, before, besides
Even though, even if, ever since
If, in order that
Since, so that
Than, that, though
Unless, upon, until
When, whenever, where, wherever, whether, while
•It rains.
•Because it rains,
I stay at home.
As it was summer, the holiday brought many people
to the beach.
• The subordinate clause in the sentence is clear.
• As it was summer: it cannot stand by itself; it is dependent
on the main clause the holiday brought many people to the
beach. To put in other words, in a complex sentence, one
idea is generally more important than the other one. The
more important idea is placed in the independent clause,
and the less important idea is placed in the dependent
clause.
EXAMPLE-Complex Sentence
• A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because,
since, after, although, when, while, even though, if or a relative
pronouns such as that, who, or which, whether, wh-questions and
sometimes if.
• Consider the examples below:
• a. Because the economy stagnates, high prices find new buyers.
• b. Men who are not married are called bachelors.
• c. Some people think it would be better to our environment and
economy if people only ate locally produced food.
• d. That the Earth's temperature is rising concerns scientists.
• e. Scientists believe that the Earth's temperature is rising.
A: When he handed in his homework, he forgot
to give the teacher the last page.
B: The teacher returned the homework after she
noticed the error.
C: The students are studying because they have
a test tomorrow.
D: After they finished studying, Juan and Maria
went to the movies.
E: Juan and Maria went to the movies after they
finished studying.
EXAMPLE-Complex Sentence
• a. The students, who formerly were weak at essay
writing, improved considerably as a result of reflecting
upon the task.
• b. While many students were absent from the party,
it was still the most enjoyable event held this year.
• c. The Australian impressionist painters have
received much acclaim because they were such strong
nationalists.
A: The woman whom my mom talked to
sells cosmetics.
B: The book that Jonathan read is on the
shelf.
C: The house which Abraham Lincoln was
born in is still standing.
D: The town where I grew up is in the
United States.
E: He raises his hands in order that the bus
might stop.
DC, IC (main clause) IC DC
•Because it rains, • I stay at home because it rains.
I stay at home.
[DC, IC] or [IC DC]
• There are two possible positions for a dependent adverb clause:
before or after the independent clause.
• (1) If it comes before the independent clause, it is followed by a
comma.
• Although women could own property, they could not vote.
• (2) If the dependent adverb clause comes after the independent
clause, no comma is used.
• Women could not vote although they could own property.
A complex sentence can be converted to a
simple sentence by REDUCING the adjective
clause in the dependent clause to a phrase
or a word
Complex sentence Simple sentence
• I have no money that I can lend • I have no money to lend you.
you. • The marble statue was brought
• The statue that is made of from Japan
marble was brought from Japan • The students studying seriously
• The students who study can get good marks. (turn the
seriously can get good marks. adjective clause into a phrase
“studying seriously”).
• The people who live in slums
face a lot of problems. • The people living in slums face a
lot of problems.
COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE
• Compound-Complex sentence, although less
common, pushes the possibilities further. A
compound-complex sentence consists of at least two
main clauses with at least one
subordinate/dependent clause. For example,
• We thought that we would go, but we decided not to.
• (INDEPENDENT) (DEPENDENT) (INDEPENDENT)
Compound-Complex sentences allow many possible
combinations, and their punctuation requires careful
attention.
• E.g.,
• a. I wanted to travel after I graduated from college; however, I had to go
to work immediately.
• b. After I graduated from college, I wanted to travel, but I had to go to
work immediately.
• c. I couldn't decide where I should work or what I should do, so I did
nothing.
• d. I wanted to travel after I graduated from college, but I had to go to
work immediately.
• e. It was summer, and many people went to the beach, although the
water was still cold.
PARAGRAPH
A paragraph is a group of related sentences that discuss one (and only
one) main idea. The paragraph should be long enough to develop the
main idea clearly.
In every paragraph, the first word is indented (five spaces from the
margin).
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FREEWRITING
QR code for PADLET
Choose a topic and try to write a paragraph of
about 100-150 words.
Your writing must include
-simple sentences
-compound sentences
-complex sentences
Focus on AN IDEA and try to DEVELOP it
(you can think about an example and give an
explanation; a feeling is also a good idea).
DON’T forget to add a SUMMARY or
conclusion
THE WRITING PROCESS
a. Step – 3
b. Topic – 4
c. gather – 8
d. Organise – 7
e. Paragraph – 2
f. Essay – 6
g. Proofread – 1
h. Edit - 5
6 STEPS
REVIEW
