Understanding and Understanding and Producing Written EnglishProducing Written English

Correcting ErrorsCorrecting ErrorsExpository WritingExpository Writing

Getting StartedGetting StartedReasoningReasoning

Revision of Assignment Revision of Assignment DeadlinesDeadlines

Narrative Essays at end of week Narrative Essays at end of week 1111

Expository EssayExpository Essay Outline onlyOutline only Hand in full essay next semester Hand in full essay next semester Revision of weightingRevision of weighting

Narrative 20%Narrative 20% Expository Outline 10%Expository Outline 10%

Language ClinicLanguage Clinic

On-line booking serviceOn-line booking service http://www.cityu.edu.hk/languaghttp://www.cityu.edu.hk/languag

e_clinic/e_clinic/ Uses of clinicUses of clinic

Not a editing serviceNot a editing service Help YOU to learn how to Help YOU to learn how to

proofread and edit betterproofread and edit better Introduce strategies for Introduce strategies for

improvementimprovement

Correcting your errorsCorrecting your errors

Marking vs. correcting errorsMarking vs. correcting errors Correcting your own errorsCorrecting your own errors Three stepsThree steps

Use your own background Use your own background knowledge and reasoningknowledge and reasoning

Check in reference booksCheck in reference books Ask someone (eg. Language Ask someone (eg. Language

Clinic, Tutor) Clinic, Tutor)

ExampleExample

Human isHuman isSing/PluSing/Plu complex complexToo Too generalgeneral. So our society now . So our society now is now is now a complexity.a complexity.?????? In order to g In order to get et awayawayWChoiceWChoice such frustration, you such frustration, you need to go back to simplicity, need to go back to simplicity, something that you originally have something that you originally have deep down your heart. deep down your heart.

ExamplesExamples

Generally speaking, the whole Generally speaking, the whole story of this book is very story of this book is very interesting and interesting and excitedexcitedWFormWForm. .

I would recommend this book to I would recommend this book to everyone especially everyone especially forforPrepositionPreposition those who those who just startjust startVTenseVTense to get to get seriously involved in love seriously involved in love relationships.relationships.

ExamplesExamples

Yet Julia Yet Julia was deadwas deadVFormVForm two years two years ago.ago.WChoiceWChoice AtAtPrepositionPreposition that that tragedytragedyWFormWForm night, Helen heard a wild night, Helen heard a wild scream of a terrified woman, so she scream of a terrified woman, so she rushed to her sister's room. She saw her rushed to her sister's room. She saw her sister in terrible pain and said, 'O, my sister in terrible pain and said, 'O, my God! Helen! it was the speckled band!' God! Helen! it was the speckled band!'

When reading When reading alongalongPrepositionPreposition this this book, I found myselfbook, I found myself incredible incredibleWFormWForm impress impress WFormWForm intointoPrepositionPreposition the the lessons. lessons.

Extra Grammar LessonsExtra Grammar Lessons

Review of Grammatical Review of Grammatical TerminologyTerminology

Tips on correcting errorsTips on correcting errors Mondays?Mondays? Tuesdays?Tuesdays? Fridays?Fridays?

A Fiction ChecklistA Fiction Checklist

Bring in a Bring in a complete complete DRAFT on DRAFT on Friday!Friday!

Use to edit your Use to edit your own workown work

Used to Used to comment on comment on your your classmates’ classmates’ work next week work next week

Beginnings and EndingsBeginnings and Endings

Does the opening grab Does the opening grab your attention and your attention and encourage the reader encourage the reader to go on?to go on?

Do you get into the Do you get into the story as quickly as you story as quickly as you can?can?

Have you got the best Have you got the best possible opening possible opening sentence or sentence or paragraph?paragraph?

Have you chosen the Have you chosen the right place in the story right place in the story to start?to start?

Do you have the right Do you have the right ending? Is it realistic? ending? Is it realistic?

DialogueDialogue

Does the dialogue sound real?Does the dialogue sound real? Can you recognize the characters by Can you recognize the characters by

whatwhat they are saying?they are saying? Is there enough or too much Is there enough or too much

dialogue?dialogue? Do you need to spend more time on Do you need to spend more time on

thinking about how your characters thinking about how your characters speak?speak?

Is the dialogue punctuated correctly? Is the dialogue punctuated correctly?

PlotPlot

Does the story make sense?Does the story make sense? Does the story build in Does the story build in

tension or excitement?tension or excitement? Is too much information given Is too much information given

away too soon?away too soon? Is your story too Is your story too

complicated?complicated? Does too much / too little Does too much / too little

happen?happen? Is there anything in the story Is there anything in the story

that you don't need?that you don't need? Does it have a good Does it have a good

structure: a beginning, a structure: a beginning, a middle and an end?middle and an end?

Does the story drag at any Does the story drag at any point?point?

Do you move quickly from Do you move quickly from scene to scene?scene to scene?

CharacterCharacter

How does the reader get How does the reader get to know your characters?to know your characters?

Are your characters Are your characters round or flat?round or flat?

Are you telling or Are you telling or showing?showing?

Do you need to get to Do you need to get to know your characters know your characters better?better?

Do you have too many Do you have too many characters?characters?

Does each character Does each character have a clear role in the have a clear role in the story? story?

LanguageLanguage

Is your language concrete and Is your language concrete and specific?specific?

Is your writing clear and easy to Is your writing clear and easy to understand? understand?

Is your writing original or clichéd? Is your writing original or clichéd? Does your language fit with the Does your language fit with the

tone of the story? tone of the story? Is your language grammatically Is your language grammatically

correct? correct?

GeneralGeneral

What are the strengths and What are the strengths and weaknesses of the story?weaknesses of the story?

Is the title right?Is the title right? Were you right to choose first Were you right to choose first

person / third person for this person / third person for this story?story?

Is the story original in any way?Is the story original in any way? Does anything sound corny or Does anything sound corny or

clichéd?clichéd? Does the story do what you want Does the story do what you want

it to do?it to do? Is place important to your story - Is place important to your story -

if so, do you portray the settings if so, do you portray the settings well?well?

Are you entertaining your Are you entertaining your reader / how will a reader reader / how will a reader respond to this?respond to this?

Expository WritingExpository Writing

Writing that ‘explains’ Writing that ‘explains’ Two IngredientsTwo Ingredients

AnalysisAnalysis ArgumentArgument

Basic StructureBasic Structure

Problem Problem Solution Solution

The secretThe secret Picking problems worth Picking problems worth

solvoingsolvoing Picking problems you Picking problems you

can solvecan solve

Expository WritingExpository Writing

Your experiencesYour experiences What went wrong?What went wrong?

TopicTopic AnalysisAnalysis ResearchResearch Proof Proof

Rule Number OneRule Number One

Prove It!Prove It!

How?How?

Give examplesGive examples Tell a storyTell a story Describe somethingDescribe something Quote someone smarter than youQuote someone smarter than you Give ‘facts’ (statistics, etc.) Give ‘facts’ (statistics, etc.)

Using what you have learnedUsing what you have learned

Narration Exposition

Description

Analysis/Argument

AnalysisAnalysis

ClassificationClassification Comparison and ContrastComparison and Contrast ProcessProcess Cause and EffectCause and Effect

Write a Sentence…Write a Sentence…

I am an expert (preposition) I am an expert (preposition) (gerund or gerund phrase) (gerund or gerund phrase)

Expository WritingExpository Writing

Writing that explainsWriting that explains Writing that ‘exposes’ Writing that ‘exposes’ Doesn’t have to be boringDoesn’t have to be boring ‘‘Creative writing’Creative writing’ Stories and descriptionsStories and descriptions Examples of expository writing Examples of expository writing

from ‘real life’ from ‘real life’

StepsSteps

Brainstorming subjects of interestBrainstorming subjects of interest Evaluating possible topicsEvaluating possible topics Considering purpose and audienceConsidering purpose and audience Narrowing down your topicNarrowing down your topic Gathering information and evidenceGathering information and evidence Deciding on a designDeciding on a design Formulating a ‘thesis’Formulating a ‘thesis’ Making an outlineMaking an outline

Choosing a topicChoosing a topic

What are you an expert on?What are you an expert on? ‘‘Applying for the job’Applying for the job’ Self-awareness and self-Self-awareness and self-

confidenceconfidence Writing and the ‘real world’Writing and the ‘real world’

Purpose and AudiencePurpose and Audience

Whom are you writing for? Whom are you writing for? What do you want them to What do you want them to

think/do? think/do? What image do you want them What image do you want them

to have of you? to have of you?

Narrowing down your topicNarrowing down your topic

Biggest Danger: Trying to do to Biggest Danger: Trying to do to muchmuch

Exploring your subjectExploring your subject A journalist questionsA journalist questions Who, what, where, when, why, how? Who, what, where, when, why, how? Observing and describingObserving and describing Thinking of storiesThinking of stories

Gathering informationGathering information

‘‘Research’ Research’ ObservingObserving Talking to peopleTalking to people Introspection and rememberingIntrospection and remembering ReadingReading Gathering thingsGathering things

Determining your design: Determining your design: ReasoningReasoning Start with your purpose!Start with your purpose! What’s the problem?What’s the problem? Problem>SolutionProblem>Solution Deductive Pattern (writing)Deductive Pattern (writing) Main Idea> Points> Main Idea> Points>

Reasons>Reasons>EvidenceEvidence Inductive Pattern (thinking)Inductive Pattern (thinking) Eivdence/ExperienceEivdence/Experience> Reasons> > Reasons>

Points> Main IdeaPoints> Main Idea

Design PatternsDesign Patterns

ClassificationClassification To solve the problem, you need To solve the problem, you need

to understand the different to understand the different characteristics of the different characteristics of the different kinds of Xkinds of X

Compare/ContrastCompare/Contrast To solve the problem, you need To solve the problem, you need

to understand how X is different to understand how X is different from or similar to Yfrom or similar to Y

Design PatternsDesign Patterns

Cause/EffectCause/Effect To solve the problem, you need To solve the problem, you need

to understand what caused X or to understand what caused X or what the effect of X might bewhat the effect of X might be

ProcessProcess To solve the problem, you need To solve the problem, you need

to understand how X develops to understand how X develops over time (or how to do X) over time (or how to do X)

DangersDangers

‘‘As we know…’, ‘It has been said…’As we know…’, ‘It has been said…’ Writing about ‘ideas’ rather than ‘real Writing about ‘ideas’ rather than ‘real

things/people’things/people’ ‘‘Putting the cart before the horse’Putting the cart before the horse’ Using clichUsing clichèsès ‘‘Old hat’ and obvious statementsOld hat’ and obvious statements Stealing Stealing NewspapersNewspapers

DangersDangers

GeneralizationsGeneralizations

Making an OutlineMaking an Outline

The basic unit of an expository The basic unit of an expository essay is…essay is…

The ParagraphThe Paragraph A paragraph is A paragraph is not not just a bunch just a bunch

of sentencesof sentences Idea+explanation/elaborationIdea+explanation/elaboration Point+evidence/examplesPoint+evidence/examples