LT: L1 I can use correct grammar and

usage when writing or speaking.

EQ: How can I make my writing better?
Questions

Notes

5 writing issues at a
glance and how to fix
them

1. Inappropriate
Pronouns in
play

There are three pronoun cases.

The pronoun
cases

1. Subjective Case- Pronouns

used as subjects. These are
categorized into person and
number
2. Objective Case- Pronouns
used as objects of verbs or
prepositions.
3. Possessive Case- Pronouns
which express ownership.

Pronoun Basic Cases

Subjective Pronouns

Objective Pronouns

Possessive Pronouns

I
You
He
She
It
We
They
Who
One
And other yet unofficial
genderless pronouns

Me
You
Him
Her
It
Us
Them
whom

My (mine)
Your (yours)
His
Her (hers)
Its
Our (ours)
Their (theirs)
Whose

Subjective Pronouns Person and

Numbers
Person

Number

Singular

Plural

First

We

Person(s) speaking

Second

You

You

Person(s) spoken to

Third

He
She
it

they

person(s) spoken about

The pronouns this, that, these, those, and which do not change form

1. Please only use

third person
pronouns

2. Pronoun and
Antecedent
Agreement

Rule #1: The pronoun and its antecedent agree in

gender and number.
Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. The
antecedent of a pronoun is the word to which the pronoun
refers.
The pronoun is masculine (he, his, him) when the antecedent is
masculine, and feminine (she, her, hers) when the antecedent is
feminine, and neutral (it, its) when the antecedent has no
gender association.

Rule #2: A plural pronoun should be used with

a compound antecedent joined by and.
Mary and Bill ran until they were exhausted.

Rule #3: A singular pronoun is used to refer to two

or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor.
Ben or Tom will give his presentation today.
Rule # 4: A plural pronoun is used with two or more
plural antecedents joined by or or nor
Either the juniors or the seniors are singing their class song.

Rule # 5: When a singular antecedent and a plural

antecedent are joined by or or nor, use a pronoun
that agrees with the nearer antecedent.
The boy or his parents will present their idea.
The parents or the boy will present his idea.

Rule # 6: Use a singular pronoun when a collective

noun refers to a group as a single unit.
The class decided it wanted to do the project.
Rule #7 Use a plural pronoun when the collective
noun refers to a group's members as individuals.
The class stayed in their desks.

Rule # 8: Use singular pronouns to refer to indefinite

pronouns (words like everybody, none, nobody,
someone) used as antecedents
Each of the boys had his assignment ready.
Everyone on the women's team improved her time.
Everybody on the committee had his or her own agenda.

Rule # 9: Use the relative pronouns who, whom,

which, and that with the appropriate antecedents.
(Who refers to people and animals that have names. )
He is the one who committed the crime.
(Which refers to animals and things.)
The biology book, which is on the table, was very helpful.
(That refers to animals, things and sometimes to people).
The house that is on the right is being demolished.

Some
problems I
saw..

The job of education is to

teach a student the best
way to live their lives in the
future.
Education is supposed to
make students more
intelligent. How can we
trust them if they are not
prepared?

2. Make sure your

antecedents and
pronouns match
up

3. Lack of
defining your
terms

It is very important in an paper to

Some
problems I
saw..
Education
Adult life
Important

define key terms so that

A. you show you understand them,
B. you let your reader know how
you are using them.
C. you alert your reader that terms
may be problematic, ambiguous, or
subject to change over time (or
within particular contexts).

A few questions to ask yourself.

How does the author mean
the word? (Definition 1)
Are you making
assumptions of the authors
message because of what
you assume the terms to
mean? (Definition 2)

How could the audience

interpret the word to have a
different definition?
(Definition 3)
Have you taken the steps to
make sure your audience
knows which definition is
the one you are utilizing?

3. Define your
terms as you
write to have
greater clarity.

4. Losing your
objective tone
and succumbing
to a pathetic
argument.*

*Pathetic as is
relying too much
on pathos. Youre
getting into your
emotional stuff
instead of keeping
your bias out of
your argument.

Some
problems I
saw..

Some of you brought

personal baggage into the
analysis. This writing was
supposed to be analytic.
Whenever you try to bring
in pathos into analysis you
must do so as neutrally as
possible (see purposes for
writing section)

4. Maintain an
objective tone and
focus on your
assigned purpose.

5. Lack of
following the
purpose for
writing

Why do people
write?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

To inquire/ to explore
To argue/convince
To persuade
To analyze
To share a personal
experience

What does it
mean to
inquire or
explore?
Example: An essay exploring the
history of migrant farm workers in the
American West.

1. An inquiry/exploration essay
summarizes a topic, gives an
overview of a controversy, or
explores a subject explores a
subject you know little about.
2. Your purpose is not to make
an argument. In most cases,
you should write objectively
rather than take a stand for
or against a topic.

What does it
mean to argue
or convince?
Example: An essay arguing that
migrant labor has led to loss of jobs
for Americans.

1. In an essay to convince, the

goal is to argue a position or
make a claim and get readers to
both listen to and agree with
you. Build your case through
rational presentation of reasons
and evidence.
2. You write essays to convince
when your subject is
intellectual for example, when
youre writing about a scientific,
technical, or rigorously
academic topic.

What does it
mean to
persuade?
Example: An essay arguing that
migrant labor is exploitative and
immoral.

1. A persuasive essay, like an essay to

convince, involves arguing a position
using relevant reasons and evidence.
2. When you write a persuasive essay,
your goal is for your readers to agree
with you and, as a result, change their
attitudes or behavior in some way.
3. A persuasive essay is a call to action,
and your goal will be to reach your
audience on a deeper, more emotional
level (see Forms of Appeal). As a result,
a persuasive essay often is appropriate
when youre addressing topics such as
social issues, public policy, or values.

What does it
mean to
analyze?
Example: How does Steinbeck use
symbolism in The Grapes of Wrath?

In an analysis essay, you separate a

selected text into parts and study them.
Ultimately, you attempt to make a discovery
or answer a question about the text as a
whole.
To answer such a question, use thoughtful
interpretation of one or more textual
elements. Your purpose is to illuminate and
explain a writers strategies.
After closely reading a text, youll evaluate
the writers purpose, style, and/or rhetoric,
as well as the effect, intended or actual, that
the text has on readers.
Your evaluation will include analysis of
elements such as word choice, tone,
attitude, organization, evidence, writing
style, language, and argument.

What does it
mean to share
a personal
experience?
Example: An essay discussing your trip
to Florida orange groves and how it
shaped your views of migrant labor.

1. In a personal essay, youll write about

your own experiences and
observations as they relate to a
particular theme or subject.
2. You might write a personal essay to
reflect on something, or you might use
your personal experiences to argue a
point, in the manner of an essay to
convince or persuade.
3. Be sure to select your material
carefullyeach anecdote you include
in a personal essay should in some
way illuminate the purpose of the
essay as a whole.

5. Remain within
your purpose for
writing lane.

1. Introductions
2. Body
Paragraphs
What some
basic parts of 3. Counter
Argument
an essay?
Paragraphs
4. Conclusions

What are the

three pieces
of an
introduction?

An introduction usually has

three pieces
1. Attention Grabber
2. Background
3. Thesis/Overall Claim

Attention
Grabbers

What are
some
examples
of
attention
grabbers?

1. Comparisons
2. A quotation or paraphrase
3. A little known TRUE statistic or
striking fact
4. A statement of opinion that you
intend to challenge
5. An interesting incident or anecdote
related to your subject
6. Use the opposite of what you plan
to write about.
7. State the importance of the topic.
8. A definition
9. A question that will be answered
by your thesis, or will catch the
readers attention and lead toward
your thesis topic

What kinds of comparisons can I use as

an attention grabber?
Simile

comparisons using like,than, or as between two unlike things

A dog is like a cat is NOT a simile
Some days school can feel like a prison IS a simile

Metaphor

comparisons not using like or as between two unlike things

Daytime is when the sun is up is NOT a metaphor

School is a prison for teenagers that have only committed the crime of being born IS a
metaphor

Analogy

comparison focusing on only the similarities

What kinds of quotes can I use as an

attention grabber?
Education
is
If you use a quote, make
what remains
sure that it is relevant to
after one has
your topic, background
forgotten what
information or your thesis
one has learned
in some way.
Avoid over-used quotes or
in school. Albert
clichs, or if you must, try
Einstein
to put your own original
spin on an old clich.

What kinds of fact or statistic can I use

as an attention grabber?
Try to surprise and impress
your reader with an interesting
fact related to your topic.
If it is a commonly known fact,
people wont be as interested
in learning more.
Dont forget to cite your
research

About 25% of high school

freshmen fail to graduate
from high school on time.
"11 Facts About High School Dropout Rates."
DoSomething.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2016.
Both of these quotes work for discussing the importance
of the topic

Bibb County boosted its

overall graduation rate by
more than 12 percentage
points, from 58.9 percent in
2014 to 71.2 percent in 2015.
Zimmerman, Jeremy. "Middle Georgia High Schools Post
Better Graduation Rates for 2015." The Telegraph. N.p., 9
Nov. 2015. Web. 18 Aug. 2016.

What kinds of challenging statement

can I use as an attention grabber?

No one can resist a bit of

fair and healthy conflict. If
you can challenge the
readers understanding of
the world without alienating
their beliefs or values, you
have a good chance of
getting their attention
quickly.

What kinds of anecdote or interesting

incident can I use as an attention
grabber?
If you have observed or
experienced something
personally that can
demonstrate why the topic
interests you, then your
reader will likely be
interested as well.

How do I state the opposite of what I

plan on writing for my attention
grabber?
This is done for dramatic effect, as in
What if the world were like this instead
of what the world, or situation about to
be discussed, truly is? Readers are often
fascinated, intrigued by this type of
approach

How do I state the importance of the

topic for my attention grabber?
You do this by presenting statistical
data, facts, figures that underscore
the issues about to be discussed. The
data must be pertinent, validated and
presented in an objective manner
free of any editorializing the facts
speak for themselves

About 25% of high school

freshmen fail to graduate
from high school on time.
"11 Facts About High School Dropout Rates."
DoSomething.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2016.
Both of these quotes work for discussing facts and
statistics.

Bibb County boosted its

overall graduation rate by
more than 12 percentage
points, from 58.9 percent in
2014 to 71.2 percent in 2015.
Zimmerman, Jeremy. "Middle Georgia High Schools Post
Better Graduation Rates for 2015." The Telegraph. N.p., 9
Nov. 2015. Web. 18 Aug. 2016.

What kinds of definitions can I use as an

attention grabber?
While dictionary definitions are
ok, most people find them to
be quite dry. Try to
paraphrase, or write your own
unique take on a definition
whenever you can

What kinds of questions can I use as an

attention grabber?
A question that will be answered by
your thesis, or will catch the readers
attention and lead toward your thesis
topic. Questions can immediately
garner attention as long as the
answer isnt immediately obvious or
too obscure.

Background

Background

Background means a brief summary

of the work to give your reader
context. The background should not
be more than three sentences. This
is something to connected to both
your attention grabber and your
thesis. This is information that your
reader absolutely needs to
understand what you are discussing.
You can establish your credibility as
an authority by giving facts or by
providing some information about
what you will be writing about.

Background

Stay away from things like

In class weve been studying poetry, and
now I have to write a comparison essay
Poetry has a lot of literary devices like
figurative language and sound devices.
They also have themes.
Or anything else that makes you sound
like you have no idea what you are
talking about.
Be logical with you background information.
Ask yourself
How does this help make my point?
How does this clarify the things Im
going to say later?
How does this guide my reader to the
logical idea in my claim?

Thesis/Overall
Claim

Thesis/Overall
Claim

Claim/Thesis Statement this is what

you are trying to prove or explain in
your essay. It should be the last
sentence of your introduction
paragraph.
This is usually where you flat
out tell the reader what you are
going to be proving or explaining in
your essay and the evidence you
are going to be providing to make
your points.

Thesis/Overall
Claim

Examples:
a.
The author of What is
Education for? uses pathos,
description, and juxtaposition to
make his work more
persuasive.
b.
The central message of What
is Education for? is to discuss
the need for a change in school
curriculum.

Body Paragraphs usually have 5 parts.

What are
the parts
of a
paragraph
?

1. Topic sentence/Claim
2. Supporting Sentences
3. Detail Example from Text/
Quotes with Citations
4. Explanation sentences
5. Conclusion Sentence

THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT PARAGRAPH

ONLY HAVE FIVE SENTENCES. Ms.
Hernandez prefers at least 10 sentences in a
paragraph with the majority of the content
coming from supporting supporting sentence
and explanation sentences.

Topic Sentences

How do I
introduce
precise
claims?

Topic sentence/Claim that

usually states what the
paragraph is going to be
about. This must connect
to your OVERALL
CLAIM/THESIS and contain
what the paragraph will be
about.

How do I
introduce
precise
claims?

Examples:
a.

b.

c.

The rhetorical appeal

logos is employed in
order to convince the
reader
The rhetorical strategy
the author uses to argue
his point is definition of
terms.
One change the author
discusses is the need for
curriculum that focuses
on the student.

Supporting
Sentences

How do I
introduce
evidence?

Supporting Sentences are

usually where you introduce the
evidence by providing context
and/or define terms the reader
must know to understand your
writing.

Examples:

How do I
introduce
evidence?

a.

b.

c.

Definition of terms is when the author

spends a greater part of his/her
writing providing meanings for words
that are essential to understanding the
position of the text.
One example of logos, the use of facts
and figures to prove a point, is when
he cites acts of heroism from recent
American tragedies.
In the second paragraph of the text,
the author discusses the need for a
more diverse educational system.

Evidence and
Detail Sentence

What counts
as quality
evidence to
develop/prove
my claim?

Detail Example from the text /Quotes with

a Citation is directly is where you provide
evidence for your opinion in the topic
sentence.
Details and Example are usually quotes
from the original text or some other facts
1.
Fact-- a piece of information that can
be verified and is inarguable
2.
Evidencecollection of facts
indicating whether a claim is true or
valid
3.
Proof-- evidence helping to establish a
fact or the truth of a statement

What counts
as quality
evidence to
develop/prove
my claim?

Details and Examples are NOT

1.
Opinions-- a view or judgment not
necessarily based on fact or
knowledge
2.
Speculation- a theory about a subject
without firm evidence
3.
Conjecture-- an opinion or conclusion
formed on the basis of incomplete
information

Explanation
Sentences

How do I explain
my evidence to
make my reader
understand what
I am writing/
agree with my
argument?

Explanations this is where you break down

your thinking to your reader so they can
come to understand your explanation or
agree with what you are arguing.
When you explain you need to handle
a. Paraphrasing the quote or
simplifying it
b.
Explanation of the Quotes
meaning
c. Connection to Thesis/Overall
Claim

Concluding
Sentences

How do I provide
a concluding
statement or
section that
follows from and
supports the
argument
presented?

Conclusion Sentence this

is where you want to
restate your topic
sentence or thesis in
different words. Some will
also drop a hint as to
what is coming next.