Writey's Crqft qnd Writing T:ilt,^,,ln the dictionary, craft is defined as "skill in dolng or

making somethinf '; fo a writer' craft is the strategies and

skills needed to .Jmmunicate ideas well. Like.cabinetmakers or

weavers, writers Inuia practice their skills. Daily practice is the

key to becoming a better writer' 'ate theirGood craftspeople also understand and apprecl

material. Painters learn to use paints' brushes' and canvas'

Weaversworkwithyarnorthread.Writersworkwithwords.Writefs learn to work with words by studying the qualities'

or traits, of gooO;'viiti"g You will learn more about these

iraits as You read this handbook'

The Traits of Good Writing

-{-WRITING

Conventionscorrect Punctuotion,grommor, sPelling

OrganizalionLogicol ond

cleor structureDarcloPmentReosons ond detoils

Focuslldeaslnteresting, cleor content Voice

ViewPoint ond toneVivid verbs, strong

cdjectives, sPecific nouns

Effective Sentences

Flow, rhythm, vorietYEffective ParagraPhsgimilor ideos grouPed together

As you practice your craft daily, use these questions to focus your thinking.When you can answer most of them with a "yes," you know you are becoming

skilled at your craft. The lessons in this handbook will help you work on those

areas that still need improvement.

Do I stick to the topic? Do I keep my purpose and

audience in mind?FOCUS/IDEAS

Do I have a clear beginning, middle, and ending?d o*oo",zATroN

Are my ideas supported with details and reasons?do=u=.oPMENT

ls my voice strong? Could a reader easily

understand my feelings about the topic?

Are my sentences clear? Do I use differentsentence types?

drrr=.r,u=SENTENCES

Are similar ideas grouped together in paragraphs?

Do I use transitions to connect ideas?

drrr=.r,u=PARAGRAPHS

Do I use exact and vivid nouns, verbs, anddescribing words?

d*o*o cHorcE

Are my punctuation, grammaL and spellingcorrect?

d.o*ur*roNs

Try This! Choose a piece of writing thatyou recently completed. Read it againstthe Checklist above. What did you dobest? Which areas need improvement?Make some changes in your writing ifyou wish.

r$-WRITING

Focus/IdeqsDid you ever tell stories when you were a little child? you

probably had plenty of ideas for stories that you told or actedout with toys. A story you were telling might have gone onand on until you got tired of it.

As you get older, your stories start to have more focus.You have a purpose in mind and certain ideas that you wantto express. You want an audience to enjoy your stories, too.The purpose of a story is usually to entertain readers. Otherkinds of writing have other purposes, such as to inform orto persuade.

Read the beginning of this student's story. What problemor conflict do you think the story will focus on? How mightthe writer have gotten the idea for the story?

-5-WRITING

Student ModelRoger was younger than the others irn his

class, but he seemed hr older than his years.Not only did he know vnore than the other kids,but he was responsible and sensiblq too, lt wasenough to drive his friend s c(azp,

"You're wraking us look bad," Celia told Rogerone dav. "You ace everY tsst you clean up yourr00n, and you netter fiorget Mother's ?ay. llowcan the rest of us conpete?"

Roger looked aI Celia, She and Moose andFreddy were his best friends in the world. theldid everything together. Celia couldn't really be

wad at hin, could she?

Who is themain character?

The dialogueincludes detailsthat relate to thestory's focus.

What problemdoes the maincharacter face?

r How trl FocusVriting\ Your V

Focus/ldeas Strateg ies How to Use the Strategies

Narrow your topic. Brainstorm ideas forwriting. Then choose amain idea or a centralconflict. State it nearthe beginning of yourcomposition.

Keep your purpose andaudience in mind.

Stick to your purpose ofentertaining, informing,or persuading. Use wordsand ideas that will beinteresting to youraudience.

Stay on the topic.

ffi

Make sure each detailrelates directly to thetopic. At the end of yourcomposition, restate themain idea, or show howthe conflict is resolved.

This! BrainstormTryproblems or conflicts that could be thefocus of a story-for example, getting lostin a mall or having an argument with a

friend. Choose one problem, and state itin a complete sentence, giving the namesof the characters involved.

tfcWRITING

Focus/IdeqsTo practice your craft, write a short story

that focuses on a problem and its resolution.

Wriie q shori story qbout q chorocter who must solveo problem ond complete o iqsk. Use descriptive detailsond diologue thot support your punpose qnd focus.

PrewriteUse a story map to plan your story.

DrqftFollow these steps to organize your story:

tratesiesWriters

r Focus on your purposefor writing: to entertain.

. Think about your ownexperiences for ideas.

. Use dialogue anddescription to make yourcharacters seem lifelike.

W lntroduce the setting and characters. Give detailsabout the time, place, and characters.

W Provide the problem. Show the main character,sproblem.

W solve the problem. show the steps the character takesto solve the problem. lnclude vivid details anddialogue.

W Conclude your story. Once the problem is solved,show how the characters feel.

r8-WRITING

ReviseRead over the draft of your short story. Use thischecklist to help you revise your writing:

d Oo all the details relate to your focus?

d Oo you need to add details to make the events

more interesting?

d oo", the sequence of events make sense?

d tn di.logue, is it always clear who is speaking?

ProofreqdUse this checklist as you proofread your story:

d H.u. you capitalized proper nouns?

d H.u" you used quotation marks correctly in

dialogue?

d Hru" you started a new paragraph when thespeaker changes?

d H"u" you indented the first line of eachparagraph?

d Hru" you checked your spelling?

Publish qnd ReflectMake a final copy of your story, and prepare to read italoud to a group. Ask your classmates to tell what theylike best about the story. Discuss whether you stayed

focused on the main problem or conflict. In yourWriter's Journal, write what you learned.

rQoWRITING

Student ModelIf you are looking for an interesting hobby, you

might find it right in your mailbox. Stamp collecting

is popular all over the world. It is easy to start your

own collection.First, decide what kinds of stamps to collect.

Next, you will need to buy a stamp album. You

might also invest in a magnifying glass and some

tweezers. Finally, begin collecting. You can tellfriends and family to save interesting stamps for you,

check the post office for new stamps, and look on

the Internet for stamp offers.

Now you're ready to begin your new hobby. As

your collection grows, you'Il learn a lot!

The writer beginsby introducingthe topic in aninteresting way.

What transitionwords does thewriter use?

OrgonizqtionJust as organizing your work space helps you work,

organizing your ideas helps you write. You can organizewriting in many ways. You usually organize events in timeorder, from beginning to end. You might organize a

description of a place in space order, for example, from leftto right or top to bottom. You might organize persuasive

writing by reasons, from most to least important, or fromleast to most important. You may also group ideas in

categories, such as likes and dislikes. With any pattern oforganization, you can use transition words, such as first,

next, and in addition, to help your reader follow your ideas.

As you read this student's how-to essay, think about howthe information is organized.

The writer uses

time order for thesteps.

-10-WRITING

( t ^-^- L^ ..--^-2-^ tr^-^ \

.\

strategies -l

\-rrgt[lr^at lllttJ.D , \_/Applying the Strategies

Order ideas clearly. Put ideas in an order that makessense, such as time ordeL spaceorder; categories, or order ofimportance.

Use transition words. Time-Order Words: after; before,finally, first, last, later; next, norysoon, then

Space-Order Words: above,around, below here, inside, nextto, ovel there, under

Words That Show Categories: inthe same way, similarly, on theother hand, in contrast, another

Words That Show Order oflmportance: first, last, primarily,second, third

Try This! A news article often uses bothorder of importance and time order. ltmay begin with the most important partof the news story and then tell otherparts of the story in time order. Find twonews articles in a newspaper. Tell howeach is organized.

- ll -WRITING

OrgonizqtionPractice your craft

essay that puts ideasfollow.

by writing a how-toin order and is easy to

Write o how-to essoy telling your clossmotes how tostdrt q new hobby on ociiviiy. Stote your topic in theintroduction, ond lisi oll the steps. Include detoilsond exomples to exploin the steps.

PrewriteUse a graphic to organize your information.

DroftFollow these steps to help you write your essay:

ffiffi lntroduce your topic in an interesting way. Tell whyyour audience might want to try the activity.

ffi List all materials and equipment. Explain items thatmight be unfamiliar to your audience.

o Decide on your purposeand audience.

r lmagine yourself doingthe task you areexplaining.

o lf something must bedone a certain way, tellthe reader why.

ffi Describe each main step. Write each step as a topicsentence for a separate paragraph. Add details andexamples.

ffi Write a concluding paragraph. Restate your topic.Encourage your audience to try the activity.

- 12-WRITING

Writinq Prompt

Iell whv you ore writinqAudience:

r

Iell who might reod

Steps:

ReviseRead over the draft of your how_to essay. Can youimprove the essay to make it easier to understand?Use this checklist to help you ,"uir" and proofreadyour instructions:

M Oo", your essay begin in a way that grabs thereader,s attention?d Rr" the steps in an order that makes sense?M SfroulO.you add or leave out some details tomake the instructions easier to tollowZd OiO you use transition words to help yourreader complete the steps?

ProofreqdUse this checklist as you proofread your essay:d Uru" you used capitalization and punctuation

correctly?

d U"u" you used singular and plural nouns correctly?d U.u" you used_apostrophes in possessive nouns butnot in plural nouns?d H.u" you used a dictionary to check your spelling?

Publish qnd ReflectAfter making a final copy of your how_to essay, share itwith a partner by reading it

"lorO. Ask your partnerwhether he or she would be able to follow yourdirections. Discuss what you tit"

"bout your partner,sessay, and talk about stritegies for writing clearer

,1'r;T"r in the future. R;;;; ylur ioeas in your Writer,s

rcry

-13rWRITING

Student Model0n ny street there is a beautiful little garden

where ny neighbors grow vegetahles. Mrs.sanfiago has atonato patcli with tonatoes asround and red as the setfir,tg sun. Sonsfines sheslices alomato right therein the qarden andgives ne a piece

lg !at, all juicy and warun in wryrrrouth. Old Mr. wiilians gr'ws five differenrkinds of leftuce. I love to took at all the differentshades of green, froru pale and delicatefu d;*and hearty. Mrs. Finn lets we help trer putt

-

earthy - srnellin g orange carrots f iowthe rrroistsoil. Our neighborhood qarden is a feast foitheops and the nose, as well as for the appetrte,

The writerestablishesher viewpoint.

The writerexpresses herfeelings andopinions.

VoiceYou have your own way of expressing yourself. lt comesthrough in the way that you speak, dresl,ind act, and it showsin your writing as weil. The way you express yourserf in writing

is called your voice.Your personar voice makes your writing different from

anyone else's. rt revears your opinions, feerings, impressions,and beliefs' you can share your personarity *ith you,. readerjust by the way you use words.

Read this descriptive paragraph. Think about how thewriter shows that she cares about her subject.

The writer chooseswords that appealto the senses.

Try This! Pretend that you wark brindforded into the gardendescribed above- what do you smet? Now take your brindfordoff. What do you see?

-14-WRITING

How to Develop YourPersonql Voice

Use figurative language andimagery.

Common types of figurativelanguage are similes,metaphors, andpersonification.

lmagery is vivid languagethat helps the reader form amental picture.

Simile: The baby's skin was as

smooth as a flower petal.

Metaphor: The clouds werepuffs of smoke.

Personification: The treesdanced in the wind.

lmagery: A frigid windrattled the bare branches.

lnclude sensory details.

Sensory details appeal to thefive senses: sight, hearing,touch, smell, and taste. Theyhelp the reader share yourexperience.

Sight and touch: The orangerock lay heavy in my hand.

Smell: Barney smelled theunm ista ka ble, eye-wateringstench of a skunk.

Express your own viewpoint.

Choose words that suggestemotions, such as happiness,feaI or fascination.

Fear: The terrifying beaststalked its victim.

VoiceTo practice your craft, write a descriptive

paragraph using personal voice.

Write q descripiive porogroph obout something fromnqture for your clqssmqtes. Include figurotivelonguoge, imogeny, qnd sensory detoils to help yourredder creqte q mentol imoge. Choose wondscorefully to express your viewpoint.

PrewriteOrganize your ideas in a web.

DroftFollow these steps:

,,'''''".,'"t"s#iiJfids"G,oadWrltersUse

:i!:i!:!!::,;!i!r!;i'e,' !;,i,r! j!:,!it!:!:.!,q'rr"

. Remember your purposand audience.

. lnclude details thatmake your viewpointclea r.

ffiffi Begin with a topic sentence. ldentify the object, andplace it in a setting.

Write in your own voice. Use language that helpsyour reader understand your view of the object.

ffi sum up the experience. concrude with an expressionof your viewpoint.

-16-WRITING

Writinq Promot

ReviseRead over the draft of your descriptive paragraph.Can you add anything to create a more vividpicture for your reader? Use this checklist tohelp you revise your paragraph:

d Wilt your readers be able to picture the objector scene in their minds?

d C.n you add figurative language or imageryto your description?

d oo", your viewpoint come through clearly?

ProofreqdUse this checklist as you proofread your paragraph:

d H.u" you used correct capitalization andpunctuation?

d Uru" you checked to see that every sentence hasa subject and a predicate?

d H.u" you used compound subjects to combinesentences where possible?

d H.u" you used a dictionary to check your spelling?

Publish qnd ReflectMake a final copy of your paragraph, and share it withseveral classmates. Tell what you like best about yourclassmates' descriptions. Point out examples of figurativelanguage, imagery, and sensory details. Discuss each other'sviewpoints and how they are expressed. ln your journal, writesome ideas about improving your own descriptive writing anddeveloping your personal voice.

-17-WRITING

Word ChoiceGood writers try to use exact words, or the right words for

what they want to say. suppose you want to tell how you feltafter riding in a bicycle race: Were you tired, or were youexhausted? You would choose the word that has the exactmeaning you want.

Good writers also use vivid words. These are words thatcreate strong, clear images in the reader's mind. For example,if you are describing someone who is small, you might talkabout stubby fingers, delicate feet, or tiny features. lf theperson talks loudly, you might refer to his or her rough growl,boisterous laugh, or jangling chatter.

Read this student's character sketch. what does the writer,sword choice tell you about the character?

Notice the useof vivid verbsand adjectivesto describe Mrs.Blake's actionsand speech.

Student ModelMarcus's mother, Mrs. Blake, was not a tall

woman, but she stood straight as a soldier. When shewalked, her small feer tapped rapidly and lightly. Hervoice rang out in firm, clear tones, leaving no doubtthat she expected Marcus to listen.

Marcus often noticed his mother's large, darkeyes. They flashed like lightning when she wasangry. More often, though, they crinkled withlaughter. Sometimes she laughed so hard that tearsstreamed down her face.

Mrs. Blake loved to cook. She made crumblycorn muffins, flaky hot biscuits, and stew sodelicious it made Marcus hungry just to smell it.

What does thephrase "flashedlike lightning" tellyou about Mrs.Blake's temper?

How doesthe writerfeel aboutMrs. Blake?How canyou tell?

-18-WRITING

r Strqteqies for \

Choosin g Words ,/Strategies Examples

Use exact words. Use words like bounces ortrudges to tell how a personwalks.Use specific nouns likecottage or skyscraperinstead of a general nounlike building.

Use vivid descriptive wordsand phrases.

Use words like brawny orfrail, cautiously or heedlessly,and phrases like hair as softas flower petals.

Express a tone, or attitude. The overall tone may behumorous, playful, sad,angry, respectful,sympathetic, and so on. a

Try This! Choose a place in your school,such as the library, the cafeteria, theplayground, or the principal's office.lmagine yourself there, and write severalsentences about what you see, hear,touch, and, perhaps, smell or taste.Rather than tell how you feel about theplace, show it through vivid and exactwords.

-19-WRITING

Word ChoiceNow it's your turn! Follow the steps on

these two pages to write a fantasy that uses

exact and vivid words.

Suppose you become something else for o doy-forexomple, o dog, on ont, o cor, o bockpock, opencil. Write obout your doY.

PrewriteBrainstorm details for your fantasy,

organize them in a web.

DrqftFollow these steps to organizeyour writing.

ffi Tell about events.

ffi Draw some conclusions.

Writinq Prompt

ffi lntroduce the topic.

Describe what you

noticed first and how you felt.

Tell the main things thathappened to you during the day.Use details that appeal to theSenses.

Tell what you learned from theexperience or how you felt whenit was over.

-20-WRITING

. Think of details that willinterest and surPriseyour readers.

. Let your own voice andtone come through.

Whot I noticed first

My Doy

0s0

Whot I sow, heord,

felt, ond smelled

ReviseRead over the draft of your fantasy. Do you wantto add, delete, or change anything? Use thischecklist to help you revise your work:

d witt your reader get a clear picture of theexperience?

d SfroutO you replace vague words with moreexact ones?

d Can you add any details that appeal to thesenses?

d Did you stick to the first-person point of view?

ProofreqdUse the checklist as you proofread your writing:

d Have you used verb forms correctly?

d Have you capitalized proper nouns?

t Have you punctuated sentences correctly?

t Have you used a dictionary to check your spelling?

Publish qnd ReflectMake a final copy of your fantasy, and read it aloud to apartner or a group of classmates. Point out vivid wordsand phrases in your classmates'writing. ln your Writer'sJournal, tell what you liked most about writinga fantasy.

-21 -WRITING

DevelopmentAdding reasons and details to explain your ideas is called

development. Everything you write will be improved by addingdetails. lt is most important to develop your ideas clearly andlogically when you write to persuade. When you want topersuade someone to do something or to agree with yourpoint of view, you must do more than express your opinion.You must support your opinion with reasons and facts.

Read this student's persuasive letter. Think about how thewriter develops her ideas and supports her opinion.

-22-WRITING

Student Model1o the Editor:

I have been reading about the plan to build

a nqir parkinq lot on [edge Street I believe thalthis is a biq wristake.

To build Ihe parkinq lot we would haveto cutdown vnanv trees, These Irees help protect us

troun air and noise pollution,

ln addition, Ihere is already too ruuch Irafticin that area,l walk lhere everv day and ottensee tratfic jans and ninor accidents.

I hope the readers 0f this newspaper will asktheir representatives on the City Council to voteagainst this plan.

Sinceraly,

Melissa Martino

What isMelissa'sopinion?

What tworeasons doesMelissa giveto supporther opinion?

What detailsdoes Melissagive todevelop herreasons?

a \ .fluw tu Lte\

Strategies

eroP rqeqs '-\Questions to Ask Yourself

ldentify your purpose andaudience.

What opinion do I want toexpress?

Whom do I want topersuade?

Use reasons and details. What reasons can I give toshow why others shouldagree with my opinion?

What details can I give tosupport each of my reasons?

Stay on the topic. Do all of my reasons anddetails clearly support myopinion?

Try This! Choose a magazine ornewspaper ad that includes a drawing orphotograph. Write a paragraph analyzingthe persuasive effect of these parts of thead: the setting, the facial expressions ofthe people, and the size and color of thewords used.

-23-WRITING

DevelopmentTo practice your craft, write a persuasive essay

that supports an opinion.WtrW4W1tpg"'*Ui

Write q persuosive essoy unging your clqssmotes to!o (on keep doing) someihing thot you think is goodfon them. Stote youn opinion, ond support your ideowith specific reosons ond exomples. Conclude byosking your clossmqtes to tqke qction.

. Decide on your purpdr Brainstorm reasons tli

will persuade youraudience.

. Ask yourself whatobjections your audietmight have to youropinion and answerthem.

Prewrite

DrqftFollow these steps to draft your essay:

W lntroduce your topic in a way that makes youraudience want to read on.

W State your opinion clearly and directly.

W support your opinion. organize reasons in order ofimportance from reast to greatest. rncrude facts andexamples.

@ conclude with a call to action. Restate your opinion.Tell your audience what to do.

-21{-WRITING

Writinq Promot

Use a graphic to plan your essay.

Purpose: to persuodemy clossmotes to _

My Opinion:

ReviseRead over your persuasive essay. Can you reviseyour essay to make it clearer? Use this checklist tohelp you revise your work:

M Could your reader easily restate your opinion?d Rr" your reasons organized into paragraphs?

t Have you included enough details, examples, orfacts to support each reason? (lf not, add moredetails.)

d Have you stayed on the topic?

ProofreqdUse this checklist as you proofread your essay:

d Do your subjects and verbs agree?

t Have you capitalized and punctuated sentencescorrectly?

d Have you spelled irregular verbs correctly?

d Have you used a dictionary to check yourspelling?

Publish qnd ReflectMake a final copy of your persuasive essay, and shareit with a partner. Tell what you like best about yourpartner's essay. Try to identify your partner's opinion,reasons, and details that strengthen those reaspns.Discuss why development is important in writing. Recordyour ideas in your Writer's Journal.

r25-WRITING

Student Model

'L!) Lthat the eagle was made of painteJpup"rt

My love of kites began one day last March. Itwas a beautiful, breezy day, and "u".yon" in theneighborhood was outside. I was sketching a robinin my backyard when a loud noir"ltualed me. Aneagle was swooping down from the sky. As it fell,it screamed,,Waaaah!,,I

leaped tomy f.eet and ran.

ll:1"'^rii p.n r looked _or. "ior"," r rearized, Where does

the writeruse acompoundpredicate?

Effective SentencesWhen you talk about yourself, d-g V9, begin every sentencewith /? your listeners would doze ottityo, O-iO. i, uo, speak,you naturaily vary your sentences to add interest and emphasis"nt]g make your meaning clear.Effective sentences rr""i;;;;ant in writing, too. when youwrite' your sentences shourd be varied ,no intir"*,ng. Theyshould not onry capture and hord a reader,s attention, but theyshould also be clear enough to com_municate your meaning.As you read the beginiing oi,f,i, student,s personalnarrative' think about r,o* tt"-*rit"r uses a variety of

:iJ: l.^": l. :i?, r,.e, t h e r", d

",.f i nr",""ri, ; j ;;

- ",make her meaning clear.

Try This! Choose a piece of

The writer begilwrth a sentencethat invites youto read on.

Some sentencesare long, andothers are shorlOne sentence us(a quotation toadd interest.

your own writing. Find yourshortest sentencl and your longestsentence. lf you used short, .f,oipysentences, see where you can combinesentences for better flow.

t26tWRITING

How to Write \

\E ffective Sentences ,/Strategies Applying the

StrategiesExam ples

Write aninterestingopening sentence.

Write a sentencethat tells what youare writing aboutand sparks yourreader's interest.

"What's goingon?" I wonderedwhen I saw the bigcrowd.

Use differentsentence types.

Use statements,questions, andexclamations.

The ostrich is

amazing! Did youknow that anadult ostrich is

faster than a

racehorse?

Use differentsentencestructures.

lnclude compoundsubjects andpredicates, as wellas compound andcomplex sentences.

I swung the batwith all mystrength, but I

missed the ball.

Try This! Find a piece written in the firstperson. Analyze the first two paragraphs.How does the author vary his or hersentences? Are the sentences effective?Explain your thinking.

Effective SentencesTo practice your craft, write a personal

narrative that uses effective sentences.

Wnite o pensonol nqrrqtive telling your clossmotes

,it:[: l':i il"r,you were ,uiprir"o ly somethins.Ii might be o good or q bqd ,rrprir". Eiu" yomnqrnqtive o beginning, o middle, qnd qn ending.

PrewriteUse a flowchart to help you plan your writing.

DroftUse these steps to organize your narrative:

ffi T:j?11.: y:y'topic

in a way that srabs your

", 'Sttutrniu, ,

GoodWrtirtUJi:l j+i!!:li?ili:.!,+'fg,:ti'i:ir.'

. Write about somethingthat interests you.

. Write in the first persorand use a strong, naturvotce.

. Use dialogue to addsentence variety.

audience's attention. Write t'he beginning of yournarrative.

ffi write the middle of your narrative. put events inthe order in which they happened. Remember tovary your sentences.Jis*lRw*esW# Write the ending. Explain what the events in yournarrative meant to you.

-28-WRITING

Writinq Promot

ReviseRead over the draft of your personal narrative. Doyou see ways to make your sentences moreeffective? Use this checklist to help you revise yourwriting:d l, your. opening sentence strong and direct?

d H.u" you used a variety of sentence types?

d witt your sentences capture and hold yourreader's interest?

d Could you combine some sentences to varysentence length?

ProofreqdUse this checklist as you proofread your narrative:d Hru" you used capitalization and punctuation

correctly?

d H.u" you used correct verb tenses?

d H.u" you used commas correctly in compoundand complex sentences?

d u.u" you used a dictionary to check your spelling?

Publish qnd ReflectMake a final copy of your personal narrative. lllustrateyour narrative with drawings or photographs. Over thenext few days, try to read several of your classmates,narratives. Notice whether their sentences are clear andeffective. Think about how you might use their ideas toimprove your own writing. Record your thoughts in yourWriter's Journal.

-29-WRITING

w

Effective PqrogrophsReading a story or a report that is ail one paragraph wourd

not be much fun. The use of paragraphs to gioup ideas herpsmake writing easy to understand and follow.

ln expository writing, most paragraphs have a topicsentence that states the main idea. This is the broadest, ormost general, idea in the paragraph. The other sentences givedetails about the topic sentence.

Read this paragraph from a student,s research report.Notice how the sentences work together to exprain themain idea.

A topic sentencetells the main idea.

Try This! Look at a magazine article. Try todetermine why the writer broke it into paragraphsthe way he or she did. Locate each topic sentence.Do the remaining sentences in the paragraphsupport that topic sentence?

-30-WRITING

Student Model

. Prospecting for gold was hardwork. ?eoplethought they could sinply pick up gold fron iheground. lnstead, thst had to sift through handfulsof dirt sand, and gravel washing it with waterin pans 0r spscial wooden boxes. lecause theflakes of gold were heavy, thsy sank to thebofforrr. Prospectors night takehours or wendays to sift through a snalt patch of ground.It took a lonq,long tine to find just a iitfle nitof gold.

Notice thetransition wordinstead.

What details areused to supportthe main idea?

,rO

The writerconcludes witha summary

How to Write \

\ Effective Porogrophs )Strategies Examples

Write a topic sentence,and write additionalsentences to give detailsthat relate to it.

Topic sentence: Because ofthe gold rush, California'spopulation grew rapidly.Details: There were 15,000

settlers in early 1848. Therewere more than 100,000 atthe end of 1849.

Give information in thecorrect order, or sequence.

When gold was discovered inCalifornia in 1848, the newsspread around the world. By

1849, thousands of peoplehad rushed to California,dreaming of becoming rich.

Use words and phrases thatshow how ideas connect toeach other.

Most people traveled toCalifornia by covered wagon,while others made the longjourney by ship.

Effective PqrogrophsTo practice your craft, irvrite an

informational report that uses effectiveparagraphs.

Choose o specific event in Americqn history thot youthink evenyone should know qbout. Us" ."sounces towrite q repont thqt tells whot hcppened. Think qbouiwhot you might do to mqke the inronmqiion

"" '"SiratesiesGood Writ"ut llo

' '-. ,: : ' . i ' '

o Narrow the topic to anidea that can be coveredin a short report.

r Remember your purposeand audience.

o Try to write about yourtopic in a new way.lnclude your own

interesting to reqders your oge.

PrewriteMake a chart to plan your report.

Main Topic:

Subtopic Facts andDetails

Subtopic Facts andDetails

DrqftFollow these steps:

viewpoint.

W lntroduce the topic in the first paragraph.

W organize the subtopics. write a paragraph for eachsubtopic. Give each Daraorenh a *nnr- -^Fr^_ -_subtopic. Give each paragraph a topic"sent.n.".

w Add facts and detairs that support each subtopic.y*"^-l::nctusion that te's why you think the eventts interesting rmportant.

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Writing Prompt

ReviseRead over the draft of your informational report.Use this checklist to help you revise your paragraphs:

d oo", each body paragraph contain a topicsentence?

d oo the details in each paragraph tell about its

topic sentence?

d Rr" your paragraphs in an order that makes

sense?

d nr" your introduction and conclusion effective?

ProofreqdUse this checklist as you proofread your report:

d Uru" you used capitalization and punctuationcorrectly?

d oo your subjects and verbs agree in number?

d H.u" you indented the first line of eachparagraph?

d H.u. you used a dictionary to check your spelling?

Publish qnd ReflectMake a final copy of your informational report. Then

deliver the report orally to the class. Answer anyquestions your classmates have. What do their questions

show about their understanding of your report?Write your reflections in your Writer's Journal.

ConventionsWritten language follows certain conventions that help

make it clear for readers. A convention is a kind of rule, or anaccepted way of doing something. For example, we write insentences from left to right on the page. Your writing wouldbe very hard to read if it did not follow these conventions.

When you proofread, you check to see how well you usedthe conventions of written English.

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Proofreqding Strote gies

Wait before proofreading. Avoid proofreading yourcomposition immediately after you have written it. Comeback to it later; and read it as if someone else had written it.

Proofread in stages. You might want to follow these steps:

1. Read your composition and think about its meaning.Make sure your sentences are complete and make sense.Make sure you have indented paragraphs.

2. Next, focus on grammaL usage, capitalization, andpunctuation. How would you change this sentence? Iheflote and the daft, was clooning in the worstest garnever. You can correct the grammar and punctuation inthis sentence without knowing what it means.

3. Last, focus on spelling. Try reading backwards to checkyour spelling. Circle any words you are not sure of, andlook them up in a dictionary.

Proofread with a partner. A classmate may see problemsthat you have overlooked.

Proofreqding Checklist

Sentences qnd Porogrophsd Oo", every sentence have a subject and a predicate?

d H"u" I avoided run-on sentences?

d Uru" I used the correct form for compound and complexsentences?

d Oo", each sentence begin with a capital letter and endwith the correct end mark?

d Have I indented each paragraph?

Grqmmol, Usoge, Copitqlizqtion, qndPunctuqtiond Oo my verbs agree with their subjects?

d Have I used the correct forms of irregularverbs?

d Do my pronouns agree with their antecedents? |

M Have I used the correct form of adjectives andadverbs that compare?

d Have I capitalized proper nouns and the pronoun /?d Have I used commas to join the parts of compound and

complex sentences?

d Have I used apostrophes correctly in possessive nouns andcontractions?

Spellingd nr I sure of the spelling of every word?

d Have I always used the correct homophone?

d Have I spelled noun plurals correctly?

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