Fundamentals of Good Writing

(Structure, Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation)

Introduction/Body/Conclusion

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

• Say why you are writing• Say (briefly) what you are going to say• Say what is in it for the reader (the hook)

• List the main points • Consider the order• For each paragraph, write a topic (first) sentence

• Say why you have written• Summarise the main points

• Make it clear what you want the reader to do

The Writing StructureMain Divisions

Report SectionsBook Chapters

Paragraphs Sentences

Long Documents Letters/Memos/Faxes

Paragraphs

Paragraphs • Are units of writing that assist structure & guide reader from one main idea to the next

• Each should contain ONE significant point & contribute to the overall ‘whole’

• The main point should be in the first (topic) sentence

Problems can occur when:

• There is no main idea• Meaningless or confusing

sentence relationships• Out of sequence

Identify the Topic Sentence - (main idea)

Jenny graduated from TAFE in 2007 with both Certificate III and Certificate IV in Business Administration. She achieved very high grades which was due to many hours of study. Her favorite subjects were the computing modules.

The following year Jenny obtained her first job as an Administrative Assistant at Qantas. She commenced in the Human Resources department but eventually worked her way up to a senior position in Corporate Services.

Sentences

Sentences• Should express a complete

thought (ie. subject & predicate (object)

• Short sentences are effective (ie. 20 words or less)

• Sentences can be joined by conjunctions which enable writing to flow

Subject & Predicate

Subject

Predicate (object)

• What the sentence is about• Simple subject contains a

noun or pronoun (eg. he, she, dog, house)

• What the subject is or does

• Simple predicate containsa verb (eg. sit, was dancing)

The medical expert referred to his notes before replying.

Conjunctions (are used to connect sentences and make text flow)

Conjunctions • and• yet• because• where• neither/nor• but

Connectives (adverbs)

• otherwise• therefore• accordingly• although• however

Rewrite this passage using conjunctions and connectives

Television was invented by John Logie Baird. When he was young he built an aeroplane. He tried to fly in it. It crashed. Baird was fortunate not to be killed. It did not discourage him. When he was older he tried to make diamonds from coal. There was an enormous explosion. He was not injured. He became a business man. His business failed. He thought of working at television. His family advised him not to. He did not listen to them. He rented an attic. He bought the materials he needed. He started working. He worked for a long time He was not successful. One day he saw a picture on his screen. He rushed out to get someone he could ‘televise’. He found an office boy. He took him back to his room. No image of the boy appeared on his screen. The boy, terrified, had put his head down. He put it up again. His picture appeared on the screen. Television had been discovered.

Does this match your work?

Television was invented by John Logie Baird. When he was young, he built an aeroplane and tried to fly in it. It crashed. Baird was fortunate not to be killed, but It did not discourage him. When he was older he tried to make diamonds from coal. There was an enormous explosion but again he was not injured. He then became a business man but his business failed. Next, he thought of working at television; although his family advised him not to, he did not listen to them. He rented an attic and bought the materials he needed. He started working and worked for a long time without success. One day he saw a picture on his screen. He rushed out to get someone he could ‘televise’. He found an office boy and took him back to his room. However, no image of the boy appeared on his screen; the reason was that the terrified boy had put his head down. When he put it up again, his picture appeared on the screen. Television had been discovered.

Assist flow/sequencing with common signposts

To introduce an additional idea Furthermore

Moreover

In addition

Again

To introduce an opposite idea On the other hand

However

In contrast

Conversely

Nonetheless

To introduce a choice or alternative Otherwise

Alternatively

Also

Similarly

The girl was enrolled into a day Certificate III in Business Administration course. In addition she was doing a Banking course at night.

John was going to study Medicine at SydneyUniversity. However, because of the length ofthe course, he decided instead to do accounting.

Nancy and her friends think they might go toBali for their school reunion. Alternatively, they might go to Hawaii. Also Fiji could be an option.

Grammatical parts

Noun Place, person, thing (you can see & touch them)

Verb Doing words (go, run, stop, chase)

Pronoun I, me, you, her, him

Adjective Descriptive of the noun

Adverb Descriptive of the verb

Participle Past, present (she went, he is going)

Preposition Gives direction of where something is – (up, down, over, near, on)

JOHN, THE NEW COURIER, IS GOING TO DELIVER IT URGENTLY ON MONDAY.

Identify the parts of this sentence

Proper noun

Common noun

Adverb

PrepositionVerb

Participle

Adjective Proper noun

Spelling is important What is wrong with this

statement?

Too bee oar knot two bee.

Be aware of Homophones

This is the current/currant book version

We will not be effected/affected by the strike.

The school principal/principle is a nice man.

The hotel is licenced/licensed to sell alcohol.

More Homophones

There/their/they’re are plenty of places for them to go on there/their/they’re next holiday but there/their/they’re probably going to go to there/their/they’re holiday house.

It will be two/too/to expensive for the company two/too/to update to a completely new system. That will be at least two/too/to years away.

If you want my advice/advise, you should go.

Plurals

If there is more than one – mostly you add an S or IES

One computer

Two computers

One lady

Two ladies

One keyboard

Five keyboards

One try

Three tries

Plurals – Sometimes there are also

irregular plurals

One child

Two children

One person

Three people

One criterion

Two criteria

One tooth

Two teeth

One nucleus

Two nuclei

One fish

Two fish

Punctuation

1. End of sentence Abbreviations in CAPITALS, eg. PTO BA

2. Abbreviation ending in a letter which is NOT the last letter, eg Aust. Co.

Abbreviation ending in a letter which is the last letter, eg. Pty Ltd

Acronyms, eg. ANZAC, UNESCO, USA

NB: In direct speech, put full stop inside final quotation marks, eg. John said abruptly, ‘I want to see you.’

FULL STOPSWhen to Use When not to use

Punctuation

1. Titles– Novels– Plays– Poems– Stories– Books

2. Start of sentences

3 Proper nouns, eg. John, Washington, Eiffel Tower

CAPITALS

When to Use

Punctuation

COMMASWhen to Use1. To separate main statement

from additional material

2. To separate items in a list

3. To introduce direct speech

4. To separate the name or phrase referring to the person addressed from the rest of the sentence.

5. After direct speech

6. To mark continuation of a sentence after being interrupted by an explanatory phrase

Diane drove with caution, althoughthere wasn’t a lot of traffic.

Tom ordered furniture, computers,air conditioning, stationery, carpetand a new telephone system forhis new office.

The Judge turned to the Prosecutor, Mr Roberts, and said, ‘I am mindful of the complexities of this matter, particularly those relating to the criminal record of the accused, but please try to stick to the facts of this case’.

PunctuationAPOSTROPHESWhen to Use When NOT to use1. To show ownership

(remember singular & plural) eg.

dog’s bowl (one dog)

teachers’ resource room(more than one teacher)

Don’t use in simple plurals, eg. cats, chickens, ideas

Don’t use in dates, eg. 1960s

2. In contractions, eg. don’t, isn’t, who’s, there’s, ’04

Don’t use in plural numbers, eg. Zoe cannot write her 9s properly.

Punctuation

APOSTROPHESDON’T CONFUSE:

Its (possessive)

It’s (contraction)

Whose (possessive)

Who’s (contraction)

Theirs (possessive)

There’s (contraction)

Punctuation

EXCLAMATION MARKSWhen to Use

1. Used for interjections, eg. Ah! Oh!

3. Used with exclamatory sentences beginning with ‘what’ or ‘how’,

eg. How lucky she is! What a ride!

2. Used to express emotion, eg. Curse you! He’s

gorgeous!

Punctuation

DASHESWhen to Use1. Used to sum up, to comment

on a group, subject or object,

eg. I visited Tom, Mary and Deidre – they were all very pleased to see me.

3. To attach a comment to a complete sentence,eg. My cousin should study much harder – but won’t.

2. To add an aside, eg. While I was waiting for Louise – I had been there some forty minutes – the weather changed dramatically.

4. To show an abrupt change of thought, eg. I should sell you some more books – but no, I’m not going to.

Punctuation

HYPHENSWhen to Use1. In compound verb/nouns,

eg. sewing-circle, boxing-match

3. To join a prefix and a word,eg. pro-Liberal, anti-nuclear, quasi-scientific.

2. To separate double-vowels, eg. re-examine, re-edit

4. To join words of equal importance, eg. history-geography, Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.

Use ‘Plain English’

Be clearUse straightforward expressionUse only as many words as are necessaryNever use a long word when a short word

will doUse Active voice rather than Passive

Could you rewrite this passage using Plain English?Direction for work to cease When a health and safety representative is confronted with a situation where, in the opinion of the health and safety representative, there appears to be an immediate threat to the health and safety of a person, then if the nature of the threat and the degree of risk are such that the threat is immediate, then the appropriate Head(s) of Budgetary Unit(s) and the health and safety representative of the designated work group in relation to which the issue has arisen, may after consultation, jointly direct or, if the consultation does not lead to agreement between them, either of them may direct that the work shall cease.

Direction for work to cease

When a health and safety representative believes there is an immediate threat to the health and safety of a person, they should consult with the appropriate Budgetary Unit heads, after which time they can jointly or individually direct that work shall cease.

Active vs Passive Voice

More personal

More lively

More explicit

Easier to understand

ACTIVE VOICE

We have extended the period of payment.

PASSIVE VOICE

The period of payment has been extended.

Active vs Passive Voice

ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

The parliamentary committee discussed the draft bill and then debated the crucial issues until late afternoon.

The draft bill was discussed and then crucial issues were debated until late afternoon.

In the PASSIVE example:

Is it clear who discussed?

Is it clear who debated?

Was it the same group?

? Who discussed

and debated the draft bill?