Develop Your Writing Skills

FLHS – Kenitra
English Department
Composition II
Develop your writing Skills
Pr. BEKOU Ali – ali.bekou@uit.ac.ma

Introduction
At the heart of the English curriculum in the English Department is being

able to clearly and succinctly express oneself in a written format.
Contrary to belief, no one is a ‘naturally gifted’ or ‘born writer’; it is a skill
that is learned through process and practice. Like a muscle, the more you
properly exercise your writing abilities, the stronger they will become.
So if you need to exercise your writing muscles, where do you

start?
Pro, Bekou Ali - Email: Ali.bekou@uit.ac.ma

• Good writers are also readers: by exposing yourself to the well
written work of others in novels, stories, and articles will help you learn new w
ays to express your own ideas.
• Plan before you write anything important – sometimes just 5
minutes will help you plan and organize your ideas and result in stronger
results.
• Complete your written assignments early so that you can put
them aside to come back the next day to correct and proof them. When writing
anything, make sure that you stress that the idea/topic/theme is important to the
reader/world: essentially, answer the question: ‘why do we care about what
you are writing?’
Paragraph Types
Types of Paragraphs Definition Paragraph
When writing a definition paragraph, you take a thing or an idea and explain
what it is.
Example: Write a paragraph giving the definition of a pest.
Classification Paragraph
When writing a classification paragraph, you group things or ideas into specific
categories.
Example: Write a paragraph discussing two types of energy resources.
Description Paragraph
In a description paragraph, you are writing about what a person, place, or thing
is like. Sometimes, you may describe where a place is located.
Example: Write a paragraph describing what a polar bear looks like.
Compare and Contrast Paragraph
Types of Paragraphs In a compare and contrast paragraph, you write about the similarities and
differences between two or more people, places, things, or ideas.
Example: Write a paragraph comparing the weather in Marrakech and Paris.
Choice Paragraph
In a paragraph where you have to make a choice, you need to choose which
object, idea, or action that you prefer. Often, you will need to give your opinio
n on a choice of actions or events.
Example: Write a paragraph stating whether you would prefer to play or watch
football.
Sequence Paragraph
In a sequencing paragraph, you are writing to describe a series of events or a
process in some sort of order. Usually, this order is based on time.
Example: Write a paragraph outlining how a person becomes very famous.
Email: Ali.bekou@uit.ac.ma
Explanation Paragraph
Types of Paragraphs In an explanation paragraph, you need to explain how or why something
happens. Very often, you will be asked to explore causes and effects of
certain events.
Example: Write a paragraph explaining why so many Europeans moved to

Canada during the nineteenth century.
Evaluation Paragraph
In an evaluation paragraph, you make judgments about people, ideas, and
possible actions. You need to make your evaluation based on certain criteria
that you develop. In the paragraph, you will state your evaluation or
recommendation and then support it by referring to your criteria.
Example: Write a paragraph evaluating whether pesticides should be used

on farms.
Point and Support in a Paragraph
Difference between Writing and Talking
“My boss is a hard person to work for” Personal

“It’s not safe to walk in our neighborhood after dark” matters
or “Poor study habits keep getting me into trouble.”
“That trade will be a disaster for the team”; “CSI is the most Outside
entertaining drama on TV” issues
“Students are better off working for a year before attending
college.”
In conversation, you might say to a friend who has suggested a
movie, “No, thanks. Going to the movies is just too much of a hass
le. Parking, people, everything.”
From shared past experiences, your friend may know what you
are talking about so that you will not have to explain your
statement. But in writing, your point would have to be backed up
with specific reasons and details
Study a This is a paragraph about why
sample moviegoing is a nuisance
The Hazards of Moviegoing
Although I love movies, I have found that there are drawbacks to moviegoing. One
problem is just the inconvenience of it all. To get to the theater, I have to drive for at least fifteen
minutes, or more if traffic is bad. It can take forever to find a parking spot, and then I have to
walk across a huge parking lot to the theater. There I encounter long lines, sold-out shows, and
ever-increasing prices. And I hate sitting with my feet sticking to the floor because of other
people’s spilled snacks. Another problem is my lack of self-control at the theater. I often stuff
myself with unhealthy calorie-laden snacks. My choices might include a bucket of popcorn
dripping with butter, a box of Milk Duds, a large Coke, or all three. Finally, the worst problem is
some of the other moviegoers. As kids run up and down the aisle, teenagers laugh and shout at
the screen. People of all ages drop soda cups and popcorn tubs, cough and burp, and squirm
endlessly in their seats. All in all, I would rather stay home and watch movies on cable TV or
Netflix in the comfort of my own living room.
Study a
sample The evidence that supports the point in a paragraph often consists of a series
of reasons followed by examples and details that support the reasons. That is true
of the paragraph above: three reasons are provided, with examples and details that
back up those reasons. Supporting evidence in a paper can also consist of anecdotes
, personal experiences, facts, studies, statistics, and the opinions of experts.
The paragraph on moviegoing, like almost any piece of effective writing,

has two essential parts:
(1) a point is advanced, and
(2) that point is then supported.
Taking a minute to outline the paragraph will help you understand these
basic parts clearly.
Add the words needed to complete the outline of the paragraph.
Point: There are drawbacks to moviegoing.
Support:
1. _______________________________________________________________________________
a. Fifteen-minute drive to theater.
b. ____________________________________
c. Long lines, sold-out shows, and increasing prices
d. _____________________________________
2. Lack of self-control
a. Often stuff myself with unhealthy snacks
b. Might have popcorn, candy, soda, or all three
3. ________________________________________________________
a. ________________________________
b. ________________________________
c. People of all ages make noise
Assignement 1 (Next Week)
An excellent way to get a feel for the paragraph is to write one
The only guidelines you need to follow are the ones described
here. There is an advantage to writing a paragraph right away, at a point
where you have had almost no instruction. This first paragraph will give
a quick sense of your needs as a writer and will provide a baseline—
a standard of comparison that you and your instructor can use to
measure your writing progress during the semester.
Think about your strengths and weaknesses as a student.
Select one of your strengths or weaknesses and write a paragraph on
Here is why you believe it to be a strength or weakness. Provide three reasons
your Topic why you consider it a strength or weakness, and give plenty of details to
develop each of your three reasons.
Notice that the sample paragraph, “The Hazards of Moviegoing,” has the
same format your paragraph should have. You should do what this writer
has done:
• State a point in the first sentence.

• Give three reasons to support the point.
• Introduce each reason clearly with signal words (such as First of all,
Second, and Finally).
• Provide details that develop each of the three reasons.
Benefits of Paragraph Writing
Paragraph writing offers at least three benefits. First of
all, mastering the structure of the paragraph will help make
you a better writer. For other courses, you’ll often do writing
that will be variations on the paragraph form—for example,
exam answers, summaries, response papers, and brief reports.
In addition, paragraphs serve as the basic building blocks of
essays, the most common form of writing in college. The basic
structure of the traditional paragraph, with its emphasis on a
clear point and well-organized, logical support, will help you
write effective essays and almost every kind of paper that you
will have to do.
Second, the discipline of writing a paragraph will strengthen
your skills as a reader and listener. You’ll become more critically
aware of other writers’ and speakers’ ideas and the evidence they
provide—or fail to provide—to support those ideas.
Most important, paragraph writing will make you a stronger

thinker. Writing a solidly reasoned paragraph requires mental
discipline and close attention to a set of logical rules. Creating a
paragraph in which there is an overall topic sentence supported by
well-reasoned, convincing evidence is more challenging than writing
a free-form or expressive paper. Such a paragraph obliges you to
carefully sort out, think through, and organize your ideas. You’ll learn
to discover and express just what your ideas are and to develop those
ideas in a sound and logical way. Traditional paragraph writing, in
short, will train your mind to think clearly, and that ability will prove
to be of value in every phase of your life.
Comments
• A good writer should be able to sit down and write a paper straight
through without stopping.
Statement 1 is not true. Writing is, in fact, a process. It is done

not in one easy step but in a series of steps, and seldom at one
sitting.
If you cannot do a paper all at once, that simply means you
are like most of the other people on the planet. It is harmful to
carry around the false idea that writing should be easy.
• Writing is a skill that anyone can learn with practice.
Statement 2 is absolutely true. Writing is a skill, like driving or

cooking, that you can master with hard work. If you want to learn to
write, you can. It is as simple as that. If you believe this, you are
ready to learn how to become a competent writer.
Some people hold the false belief that writing is a natural gift,
which some have and others do not. Because of this belief, they
never make a truly honest effort to learn to write—and so they never
learn.
• I’ll never be good at writing because I make too many mistakes in
spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
The first concern in good writing should be content—what you

have to say. Your ideas and feelings are what matter most. You
should not worry about spelling, grammar, or punctuation while
working on content.
Unfortunately, some people are so self-conscious about making
mistakes that they do not focus on what they want to say. They need
to realize that a paper is best done in stages, and that applying the
rules can and should wait until a later stage in the writing process.
Through review and practice, you will eventually learn how to follow
the rules with confidence.
• Because I dislike writing, I always start a paper at the last
Possible minute.
This habit is all too common. You feel you are going to do poorly,
and then behave in a way that ensures you will do poorly! Your
Attitude is so negative that you defeat yourself—not even allowing
enough time to really try.
Again, what you need to realize is that writing is a process.
Because it is done in steps, you don’t have to get it right all at once.
If you allow yourself enough time, you’ll find a way to make a paper
come together.
• I’ve always done poorly in English, and I don’t expect that to
change.
How you may have performed in the past does not control how
you can perform in the present. Even if you did poorly in English in
high school, it is in your power to make English one of your best
subjects in college. If you believe writing can be learned and then
work hard at it, you will become a better writer.
In conclusion, your attitude is crucial. If you believe you are a

poor writer and always will be, chances are you will not improve.
If you realize you can become a better writer, chances are you will
improve. Depending on how you allow yourself to think, you can be
your own best friend or your own worst enemy.

Getting started
What Is a Topic Sentence?
1. A topic sentence states the main idea of a paragraph.

It is usually found at the beginning of a paragraph.
A topic sentence has several important jobs. It:
1. • introduces the main idea
2. • limits or focuses the topic
3. • often tells the reader how the information will be
organized in the paragraph
Analyzing a paragraph
Discuss the questions. Then read the paragraph and
answer the questions that follow.
1. Can you name three benefits of exercising

regularly?
2. What are three reasons that people do not exercise
regularly?
Reasons for Exercise
There are many excellent reasons for exercising severa
l times each week. First, people who exercise look better.
Exercise is important to keep our bodies in good shape.
In addition, people who exercise have more energy.
For example, a person who exercises can walk up stairs or
climb hills more easily. People who exercise have a healthier
heart, too. Finally, exercise reduces stress and helps you have
a clear mind. Too much stress can cause you to worry a lot,
and that is not good for your health. For these reasons, if you
want to improve your health, you should exercise regularly.
The topic sentence
A topic sentence has these important features.
Feature
1 It has a controlling idea that limits the topic and guides the flow of the
paragraph. The controlling idea tells the reader what you will say about
your topic. Here are two topic sentences. The topic is highlighted and the
controlling idea is underlined.
• Soccer is popular for many reasons.
Explanation: The reader expects the paragraph to explain why soccer is
popular.
• Many language students prefer bilingual dictionaries to monolingual
dictionaries.
Explanation: The reader expects the paragraph to explain why this
statement is true.
The topic sentence
Feature
2 It is not a fact. For example, “Libraries have books” is not a
good topic sentence.
The information in this sentence is true, but it is a fact and
there is little to say about it.
The topic sentence
Feature
3 It is specific. “Tea is delicious” is not a good topic sentence
because the information in the sentence is too general.
If you want to write a paragraph about tea, make your topic
sentence more specific, such as “Green tea has many health
benefits.”
The topic Sentence
Feature
3 It is not too specific. “This dictionary contains more than
42,000 words” limits the topic too much. There is nothing else
for the writer to say, so the paragraph cannot continue.
Practice
Recognizing topics and controlling ideas in topic sentences
Brush it
up
1. Crossword puzzles are not only educational and fun, but also addictive.
2. Recent research has shown once again that eating dark green, leafy
vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage may reduce the risk of some
types of cancer.
3. Although buying a house may seem like a good idea, renting an
apartment has many advantages.
4. The new test has three sections dealing with three important skills.
5. The shocking crash of the airplane off the coast of Florida confused
investigators.
Practice
Read the three sentences. Check (✓) the best topic sentence.
Underline the controlling idea in that sentence. Be prepared
Brush it
to explain your selections.
up
1.
____In an English class, most of the female students receive higher
grades than the males.
____Research has shown female students like learning languages more
than males do.
____Many students like languages very much.
Practice
Brush it 2.
up _____Cats are better pets than goldfish for many reasons.
_____Cats and goldfish are both animals.
_____Cats cannot swim very well, but goldfish can.
3.
____The people in my office eat lunch from 11:30 to 12:30.
____Yesterday I went to work late, and my boss was of course
very angry.
____Yesterday was the worst day of my life.
Adding Controlling Ideas
These topic sentences are too general. Using the same topic, write a topic
sentence with a clear controlling idea. Then compare your sentences with
a partner’s.
1. Flowers are beautiful. Flowers are the best gift to receive when you
are feeling down.
2. Cats are nice.
3. Paris is the capital of France.
4. Reading blogs is interesting.
5. Running is a hobby.
Review: Types of Sentences
Three kinds of sentences are important for your
writing: simple, compound, and complex.
• a simple sentence has one independent clause. An independent clause has one
subject-verb relationship, and it can stand alone as a sentence.
People from many different cultures live in Los Angeles.
• a compound sentence has two independent clauses that can stand alone. The
two clauses are connected with words such as and, but, so.
The weather there is hot, and it often rains.
• a complex sentence has one independent clause and one dependent clause
Each clause has a subject-verb relationship. A dependent clause cannot stand
alone. Here are two common types of dependent clauses.
Common dependent Clauses
TYPE OF DEPENDENT CLAUSE EXAMPLES OF COMPLEX SENTENCES
An adjective clause gives more People who exercise regularly are
information about a noun it follows. healthier.
It begins with a relative pronoun Dictionaries that have two languages
(who/whom, that, or which). are useful.
An adverb clause begins with a They play the guitar because they
connecting word, enjoy it.
such as because (reason); before, Before they start working, they
after, when (time); check email.
if (condition); although (contrast).
Identify each sentence. Write simple, compound, or complex.

Practice
Be ready to explain your answers.
When I walked into the room, I was very nervous
Beijing has many famous tourist attractions, such as the Imperial

Palace, Tian’anmen Square, and the Lama Temple.
Central Park has a zoo and many other interesting places to visit,
but sometimes it is too cold to visit in the winter.
A good writer learns to create longer, more detailed sentences
from simple ideas.
Some families do not have the extra time that pets require.
Although Bolívar’s name is not as well-known outside Latin America,
many people there consider him the most important historical person
E-readers are wireless, so students can carry them anywhere.
Like most countries in South America, the majority of people in Chile
speak Spanish.
Identifying types of complex sentences
Indicate the dependent clause in each sentence. Say whether it is
an adjective clause or it is an adverb clause.
People who live in glass houses should not thro
w stones.
If your photocopies cost 18 Dhs, your change should
be two Dhs.
Gumbo is a thick soup that is made with shrimp
and vegetables.
Biden became president after Trump was
president for four years
The season that many young children enjoy a lot is summer
Most people become angry when their computer freezes

Thank you

Develop Your Writing Skills

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Develop Your Writing Skills

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

FLHS – Kenitra

Pr. BEKOU Ali – ali.bekou@uit.ac.ma

At the heart of the English curriculum in the English Department is being

So if you need to exercise your writing muscles, where do you

Pro, Bekou Ali - Email: Ali.bekou@uit.ac.ma

Example: Write a paragraph explaining why so many Europeans moved to

Example: Write a paragraph evaluating whether pesticides should be used

Difference between Writing and Talking

“My boss is a hard person to work for” Personal

The Hazards of Moviegoing

The paragraph on moviegoing, like almost any piece of effective writing,

Add the words needed to complete the outline of the paragraph.

• State a point in the first sentence.

Most important, paragraph writing will make you a stronger

Statement 1 is not true. Writing is, in fact, a process. It is done

Statement 2 is absolutely true. Writing is a skill, like driving or

The first concern in good writing should be content—what you

In conclusion, your attitude is crucial. If you believe you are a

Pro, Bekou Ali - Email: Ali.bekou@uit.ac.ma

1. A topic sentence states the main idea of a paragraph.

1. Can you name three benefits of exercising

3. Paris is the capital of France.

4. Reading blogs is interesting.

Identify each sentence. Write simple, compound, or complex.

Beijing has many famous tourist attractions, such as the Imperial

Most people become angry when their computer freezes

You might also like