Professional Documents
Culture Documents
(Writing In Discipline)
Submitted to:
Ms. Sharmane B. Delgado
ENGL2 Instructor
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I. Structural Analysis…………………………………………3
II. Homonyms, Homograph & Heteronyms………………..8
III. Word Association…………………………………………..10
IV. Idioms……………………………………………………….12
V. Synonyms and Antonyms………………………………...13
VI. Figures of Speech………………………………………….14
VII. Tenses of the Verb…………………………………………17
VIII. Run-ons…………………………………………………….37
IX. Fragments…………………………………………………..40
X. Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers………………………43
XI. Capitalization………………………………………………46
XII. Punctuations……………………………………………….58
XIII. Qualities of a Paragraph………………………………….77
XIV. Friendly Letters…………………………………………….78
XV. Business Letters…………………………………………..83
XVI. Application Letter…………………………………………89
XVII. Rules in Subject-Verb Agreement…………………….95
.
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STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
Categories of Affixes
Circumfix - one portion appear at the front of a stem, and the other at
the rear.
Roots
Root Meaning Example
Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Example
Suffixes
Suffixes Meaning Example
ul full of careful
ly like,manner of carelessly
Homonyms
Homonyms (also called homophones) are words that sound like one
another but have different meanings. Some homonyms are spelled the
same, like bark (the sound a dog makes) and bark (the outer layer of a
tree trunk). Some homonyms are spelled differently, like one (the
number) and won (having been victorious).
Examples:
Aunt-ant
Allowed-aloud
Be-bee
Fair-fare
Feat-feet
Homographs
Homographs are different words that are spelled the same. They have
different meanings and origins. Homographs may or may not have the
same pronunciations.
Examples:
bear (verb) – to support or carry
bear (noun) – the animal
sow (verb) – to plant seed
sow (noun) – female pig
.
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Heteronyms
Heteronyms (also known as heterophones) are words that are
written identically but have different pronunciations and meanings. In
other words, they are homographs that are not homophones.
Examples:
attribute – a characteristic
Word Association
Stimulation of an associative pattern by a word.
The connection and production of other words in response to a
given word, done spontaneously
1. Similarity
e.g.
• Beautiful-Pretty
• Funny- Humorous
• Old- Antiquated
2. Contrast
e.g.
• Near - Far
• War- Peace
• Rude- Polite
3. Assonance
e.g.
• Ate- Eight
• Weight- Wait
• Through- Threw
4. Subordination
e.g.
• Sports- Basketball, Volleyball, Golf
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5. Coordination
e.g.
• Basketball- Volleyball- Softball
• Blue- Red- Yellow
• Cavite- Manila- Quezon
6. Super Ordination
e.g.
• Nurse-Job
• Eight-Number
• Banana-Fruits
7. Derivation’
e.g
• Play-Playful
• Love-Lover
• Court-Courtship
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IDIOMS
An idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is
different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words.
Examples:
1.) beat one's brains out: try very hard to understand or do
something.
7.) in over one's head: in a situation that is too much / too difficult
for one to manage.
Synonyms
A synonym is a word with the same meaning. The meaning of the unknown
word is understood because the idea is repeated in familiar words.
Examples:
Bellicose – warlike
Misleading - wrong
Fallacious - deception
Dominate - rule
Stupendous – marvelous
Puke – vomit
Loquacious –talkative
Smart – intelligent
Scrupulous – careful
Colossal – humongous
Antonyms
Antonyms are words or phrases that are opposite in meaning.
Examples:
Figure s of Speech
-is a change from the ordinary manner of expression using words in
other that literal sense to enhance the way or thought is expressed.
*Alliteration
-the same sound is repeated noticeably at the beginning of words
placed closed together.
Example:
Santa's Short Suit Shrunk
Tie twine to three tree twigs.
Six slimy snails sailed silently.
*Apostrophe
-direct address of an absent or dead person or personified thing.
Example:
"Science! True daughter of Old Time thou art!"
"Then come, sweet death, and rid me of this grief."
"O black night, nurse of the golden eyes!"
*Hyperbole
-exaggeration not meant to be taken literally.
Example:
“I’ve told you a million times”
“It was so cold, I saw polar bears wearing jackets”
He's got tons of money.
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*Simile
-a comparisons between things, events or actions which are
fundamentally unlike. Typically involves the words ''like'' or ''as''.
Example:
“cute as a kitten,” comparing the way someone looks to the way
a kitten looks
“as busy as a bee” comparing someone’s level of energy to a
fast-flying bee
"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're
going to get." comparing the uncertainty of life to the uncertainty
of choosing a chocolate from a box.
*Personification
-representing a thing, quality or idea as a person.
Example:
The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky.
The phone awakened with a mighty ring.
The tornado ran through town without a care.
*Metaphor
-is a figure of speech that says that one thing is another different
thing.
Example:
The noise is music to his ears
Heart of a lion
Love is a growing garland
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*Oxymoron
-a paradoxical statement in which two contradictory terms or words
are brought together.
Example:
After celebrating the new year all night, she was miserable,
hung over and looked like living death.
Her new hairstyle is pretty ugly.
This chocolate is bitter sweet.
*Metonomy
-substituting a word which is suggested by it or which is closed
associated with it for another word.
Example:
The White House supports the bill (using White House instead
of President. The President is not like the White House, but
there is contiguity between them).
We need a couple of strong bodies for our team. (strong people)
I've got a new set of wheels. (car, motorcycle, etc.)
*Onomatopoeia
-using words to imitate the sound they represent.
Example:
Don't beep that horn again.
The birds in the tree went cheep, cheep, cheep until they were
fed
We heard the tlot-tlot of the horses hoofs
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There are many ways of categorizing the twelve possible verb tenses.
The verb tenses may be categorized according to the time frame: past
tenses, present tenses, and future tenses.
The simple present is also used when writing about works of art, as in
the following sentences.
While the simple present and the present progressive are sometimes
used interchangeably, the present progressive emphasises the
continuing nature of an act, event, or condition.
This sentence suggest that the documents were not delivered in the
past and that they are still undelivered.
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The health department has decided that all high school students
should be immunised against meningitis.
The writer of this sentence uses the present perfect in order to suggest
that the decision made in the past is still of importance in the present.
Here both actions took place sometime in the past and continue to
influence the present.
In this sentence, the writer uses the present perfect to indicate that a
condition (the heat wave) began in past and continues to affect the
present.
Donna has dreamt about frogs sitting in trees every night this
week.
Here the action of dreaming has begun in the past and continues into
the present.
That dog has been barking for three hours; I wonder if someone
will call the owner.
I have been relying on my Christmas bonus to pay for the gifts I
buy for my large family.
They have been publishing this comic book for ten years.
We have been seeing geese flying south all afternoon.
Even though the coroner has been carefully examining the
corpse discovered in Sutherland's Gully since early this
morning, we still do not know the cause of death.
in the past. These actions often take place within a specific time frame.
While actions referred to in the present progressive have some
connection to the present, actions referred in the past progressive
have no immediate or obvious connection to the present. The on-going
actions took place and were completed at some point well before the
time of speaking or writing.
Lena was telling a story about the exploits of a red cow when a
tree branch broke the parlour window.
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Here the action "was telling" took place in the past and continued for
some time in the past.
When the recess bell rang, Jesse was writing a long division
problem on the blackboard.
This sentence describes actions ("ran" and "was writing") that took
place sometime in the past, and emphasises the continuing nature of
one of the actions ("was writing").
The archivists were eagerly waiting for the delivery of the former
prime minister's private papers.
Between 1942 and 1944 the Frank and Van Damm families
were hiding in a Amsterdam office building.
Miriam arrived at 5:00 p.m. but Mr. Whitaker had closed the
store.
All the events in this sentence took place in the past, but the act of
closing the store takes place before Miriam arrives at the store
Here the praise ("had raved") precedes the finding ("located") of the
restaurant. Both actions took place sometime before the moment of
speaking or writing.
The elephant had eaten all the hay so we fed it oats for a week.
In this sentence, both actions take place in the past, but the eating of
the hay ("had eaten") preceded the eating of the oats ("fed").
While the sentence "The heat wave has lasted three weeks" suggests
that a condition began in the past and continues into the present, this
sentence describes an action that began and ended sometime in the
past ("had lasted"). By using the past perfect the writer indicates that
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the heat wave has no connection to any events occurring in the
present.
Here the learning took place and was completed at a specific time in
the past. By using the past perfect rather than the simple past
("learned"), the writer emphasises that the learning preceded the
feeling of independence.
The toddlers had been running around the school yard for ten
minutes before the teachers shooed them back inside.
Here the action of the toddlers ("had been running") is ongoing in the
past and precedes the actions of the teachers ("shooed") which also
takes place in the past.
We had been talking about repainting the front room for three
years and last night we finally bought the paint.
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In this example, the ongoing action of "talking" precedes another past
action ("bought").
Here, the action of digging ("had been digging") took place in the past
and occurred over a period of time. The digging was followed by the
action of finding ("found").
The simple future is used to refer to actions that will take place after
the act of speaking or writing.
In this sentence, the act of operating ("will have operated") takes place
in the future sometime before the act of attending ("attends").
The plumber and his assistant will have soldered all the new
joins in pipes before they leave for the next job.
Here, the plumbers' act of soldering ("will have soldered") will precede
the act of leaving ("leave").
By the time you get back from the corner store, we will have
finished writing the thank you letters.
In this sentence, the act of returning from the store ("get back") takes
place after the act of writing ("will have written").
In this example, the act of finishing ("will have finished") occurs well
before the act of starting ("starts").
They will have written their first exam by the time we get out of
bed.
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Here, the act of getting out of bed occurs sometime after the writing of
the exam.
I will have been studying Greek for three years by the end of
this term.
By the time the meeting is over, the committee will have been
arguing about which candidate to interview for three hours.
Similarly in this sentence, the ongoing nature of a future act ("will have
been arguing") is emphasised by the use of the future perfect
progressive. The act of sustained arguing will take place before the
meeting is over.
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When he returns, the wine will have been fermenting for three
months.
Here the ongoing action of fermentation will precede ("will have been
fermenting") the act of return
Run on Sentences
Run on sentences are sentences that contain too many ideas without
proper punctuation. Not all long sentences are run on sentences. It is
perfectly acceptable to join several related ideas in one compound
sentence. However, if you don't follow punctuation rules, a sentence
can become a run on. A simple explanation of run ons and some
examples of run on sentences should help to make this point clear.
Components of a Sentence
Each sentence has 3 necessary components
For example, lets look at the sentence "Jim is cold." This sentence has
a subject: "Jim." It has an action: "is" which is a form of the "to be"
verb. Jim is doing the action of "being cold." It also expresses a
complete thought- the purpose of this sentence is to tell the reader that
Jim is cold.
3. Ann likes to read; she reads lots of books; she goes to the
library 3 times a week.
While semicolons can be used to link independent thoughts, they can
only be used to link 2 independent thoughts. You can't use 2
semicolons to link 3 independent thoughts. One of these thoughts
needs to be a separate sentence, or a conjunction needs to be used.
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For example, it would be acceptable to say "Ann likes to read; she
reads lots of books and goes to the library 3 times a week."
Fragments
Every sentence has to have a subject and a verb in order to be
complete (remember what we said about subjects and verbs?). If it
doesn't, it's a fragment. That's easy enough if you have something like
Unfortunately, there's a little more to it than that. You can have a group
of words with both a subject and a verb that is still a fragment. Not fair?
What is? So, before we go any further, we need to cover some basics.
A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. There are two
types that you need to be able to distinguish:
1. main (independent) clause: one that can stand alone and express
a complete thought
2. subordinate (dependent) clause: one that depends on another
element for its complete meaning
These are all main clauses. The information might be sketchy, but the
ideas are complete. Compare these with the following which are all
subordinate clauses. There is a subject and a verb, but the ideas are
incomplete.
1. When it is cold.
2. After the dishes are put up.
3. Who pat my head and give me treats.
These are fragments because they are punctuated incorrectly. It's easy
to spot this kind of mistake: just read your paper aloud, slowly and
carefully, exactly as it is punctuated (that is, stop at each period). If
anything is incomplete (a fragment), you should hear it.
Think about it: if I come into the room and haven't spoken to you, you'll
be a little puzzled if all I say is "When it is cold." You're going to be
waiting for more information. (Actually, you'd probably be more than
puzzled if I said anything!)
One way to put these examples together clearly and correctly is:
Misplaced Modifier
A modifier is misplaced when it is placed so far from the word it
modifies that it gives rise to misinterpretations. Place the phrase
modifier near the noun it modifies.
Examples:
(It seems that the children are rattling the window panes.)
Improved: The wind rattling the window panes frightened the children.
EXAMPLES:
Capitalization
Capitalization Rules
Courts
- Federal and State and Provincial Courts - Capitalize when
used with a definite name.
Examples:
· the Supreme Court of Canada · the State Court of Appeals
· the United States Circuit Court
Do not capitalize district or city courts. (example: the
magistrate’s court)
Compass Points
- Capitalize points of the compass when they designate
geographical parts of a country, region or city.
Examples:
· the Inland Northwest · Southeast states · out West · Eastern
sources
- Capitalize northern, southern, western, eastern, east, west, north,
south when used as part of proper names to designate a world
division. DO NOT capitalize when used to indicate parts of
states or provinces.
Examples:
· Eastern Hemisphere · Southwestern Europe · Southeast
Asia
· southern California · northern Quebec
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Degrees - Academic
- Capitalize academic degrees and professional
designations. When writing more than one degree/designation,
arrange them in accordance to their importance
Examples:
· Laura Bates, Ph.D. · James Pallister, M.D. · Peter Wong,
M.D., BChir
Flags
Geographical Terms
- The following geographical terms are usually capitalized
immediately following the names:
Basin Bend Branch Butte Canal
Canyon Harbor Passage Peninsula Plateau
Geographical Words
- The following words are usually capitalized when they
stand before or after a name or when used as part of a name:
Government
- Capitalize the word “Government” when referring to the
country’s Government or that of any foreign nation.
Example:
· Her Majesty’s Government · Government responsibility
· Imperial Government · on official Government business
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Holy Bible
- Names for the Bible – Capitalize all names for the Bible, for
parts and versions of the Bible and all names of other sacred
books.
Examples:
· Bible · Scriptures · Word of God · Holy Bible
Military
- Army, Navy and Air Force – Capitalize when referring to these
organizations by name or with other widely accepted references to
them.
Examples:
· the Army · U.S. Army · French Army · Organized Reserves · 1st
Regiment
· the Navy · U.S. Navy · British Navy · Marine Corps · the Marines
Names/Persons
- Proper Nouns – Capitalize all proper nouns that are names
of individuals.
Examples:
· Sally Jane Anderson · John. A. Smith
Organized Bodies
- Capitalize when referring to these organized groups as a
whole.
Examples:
· Shriners · Democrats · Elks
Organizations
- Capitalize names of clubs, societies, associations,
companies, foundations, institutes, etc.
Examples:
· Knights of Columbus · American Lung
Association · Microsoft Corporation
Poetry
- Traditionally, the first word of every line of poetry is
capitalized.
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- In some modern English poetry formats, only the first word
of the first line is capitalized, and sometimes even this word is
all lower-case.
Quotations
- Capitalize the first word of every complete quotation within
quotation marks.
Example:
· The waitress asked, “Do you want your coffee with cream and
sugar?”
- DO NOT capitalize that part of a quotation resumed within
the same sentence.
Example:
· “Do you want your coffee,” the waitress asked, “with cream
and sugar?”
Sentences
- Capitalize the first word of every sentence, whether it is a
complete sentence or not.
State or Province/Provincial
- Capitalize when used with a name or when used in place of
the name. Lower-case applies when used as a general term.
Examples:
· The Province of Ontario · New York
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State · State’s legislation
· provincial park · state prison
Titles - Personal
- Academic and Religious titles – Capitalize when
preceding a name or when used as a means of personally
addressing the individual.
Examples:
· Professor David Schwartz · Bishop Larry Wiseman
· Doctor Paul McNeil · Dr. Paul McNeil
· Reverend Henry Krause · Rev. Henry Krause
· Please be completely honest with me, Doctor, about your
prognosis.
Titles - Other
- Book titles – Capitalize all principal words (nouns,
pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first word in book
titles.
Example:
· Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.
- Document and Report titles – Capitalize all principal
words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first
word in these titles.
Examples:
· U.S. Constitution · American Lung Association Annual Report
- Captions/Pictures – Capitalize all principal words (nouns,
pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first word in the
captions under pictures.
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Example:
· Da Vinci’s “Last Supper”
- Musical Composition titles – Capitalize all principal words
(nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) when referring to
musical compositions.
Example:
· Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, Opus 28, No.15
- Radio Program titles – Capitalize all principal words (nouns,
pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first word in radio program
titles.
Example:
· All Things Considered with hosts Robert Siegel, Michele Norris
and Melissa Block
Punctuations
Valuable punctuation tips on how to implement the basic rules of
punctuation into your every day writing.
1. Apostrophe 2. Brackets
Apostrophe
The proper use of apostrophes in writing is important to maintain the
writer’s precise meaning.
The apostrophe is used:
a) To indicate contractions:
Example:
it’s (it is) don’t (do not) o’clock (on the clock)
b) To show possession.
Example:
1) The girl’s dress was purple. ... (singular - referring to
only one girl)
2) All the girls’ dresses were purple. ... (plural - referring to
more than one girl)
Sometimes it may be difficult to decide where to place the
apostrophe to indicate correct possession. A simple rule to
follow is to turn the phrase in the sentence around to read:
2001-2004
sections 8-10
pages 112-134
Genesis 11:5-8
Exclamation Mark
Parenthesis
a) Enclose words not directly relevant to the main topic of the
sentence but too important to omit.
Example:
c) Add examples.
Example:
The new photo copier has many features (including
scanning options and faxing capabilities) that will be most
beneficial to us in this office.
Question Mark
d) If the question mark does not form part of the quotation, it
is placed outside of the quotation marks.
Example:
Bracket
Comma
Hyphen
A guide to the proper use of the hyphen in compounded words
and phrases.
A hyphen is used:
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a) To compound words which will form a compound
adjective that precedes a noun.
Examples:
first-rate service one-man job up-to-date fashions
Period
Quotation Marks
“They just all stopped working and walked out of the plant!”
exclaimed the supervisor.
(Exclamation)
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i. If the question mark does not form part of the
quotation, it is placed outside of the quotation marks.
Example:
Did Jane say, “The meeting will start earlier because of
the game, or end earlier because of the game”?
2. Coherence
- is when a sentence follow one another in such a way that the writer`s
ideas are expressed in a clear logical manner without sudden shifts or
gaps of thought.
3. Emphasis
- is the principle of composition by means of which important ideas are
made to stand.
4. Order
- the quality that gives the paragraph a specific direction.
- it guides the readers mind towards the point the writer wishes to
make or directs the direct the reader towards the understanding of that
point.
The next few paragraphs will usually consist of the message you want
to get across along with any details you may want to convey.
The last paragraph will usually be the conclusion where you wrap
everything up. You can sum up your main idea in this paragraph, thank
the recipient for their time, wish the recipient well, and/or ask any
questions.
Since friendly letters are less formal, you can feel free to write it
however you like, but the above format is fairly common.
Body Paragraph
1.......................................................
.........................................................
........................................
Body Paragraph
2.......................................................
.........................................................
........................................
Body Paragraph
3.......................................................
.........................................................
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Closing (Sincerely...), 5
Signature 6
P.S. 7
In the friendly letter format, your address, date, the closing, signature,
and printed name are all indented to the right half of the page (how far
you indent in is up to you as long as the heading and closing is lined
up, use your own discretion and make sure it looks presentable). Also
the first line of each paragraph is indented.
Your Address 1
All that is needed is your street address on the first line and the city,
state and zip on the second line. (Not needed if the letter is printed on
paper with a letterhead already on it.)
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Date 2
Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day
Year e.g. August 30, 2003. Skip a line between the date and the
salutation.
Salutation 3
Usually starts out with Dear so and so, or Hi so and so. Note: There is
a comma after the end of the salutation (you can use an exclamation
point also if there is a need for some emphasis).
Body 4
The body is where you write the content of the letter; the paragraphs
should be single spaced with a skipped line between each paragraph.
Skip 2 lines between the end of the body and the closing.
Closing 5
Let's the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually
ends with Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that
there is a comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in
the closing is capitalized.
Signature 6
Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink
with a pen. Skip a line after your signature and the P.S.
P.S. 7
If you want to add anything additional to the letter you write a P.S.
(post script) and the message after that. You can also add a P.P.S
after that and a P.P.P.S. after that and so on.
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Dear Susan,
It feels like such a long time since the last time I saw you. I know it's only
been several weeks since I saw you. So far my summer has been great!
P a g e | 83
I spend my all my weekends at the beach. I am getting a nice tan and
you can no longer say I am paler than you. I have been playing lots of
volleyball, surfing and building a nice collection of sea shells. Just this past
weekend I took second place in a sandcastle building contest!
On the weekdays I work. I drive an ice cream truck around and sell ice
cream to the kids. It is so cool. It is a combination of the two things I love
most, ice cream and kids. The pay isn't too great but I love the job so much.
I hope the summer's been going well for you too. There's only a month
and a half left in summer vacation and after that it's back to school. Would
you like to meet up some time before school starts?
Your friend,
Signature
The next element is that you make sure your present your objective in
a clear and concise manner. Don't be vague about your objective, most
people will not have the patience to sit there and guess at the meaning
of your letter or the time to read a long-winded letter, just get to the
point without going into unnecessary details.
Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.........................................................
.....................................................
Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.........................................................
.....................................................
Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.........................................................
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Closing (Sincerely...), 7
Signature 8
Your Name (Printed) 9
Your Title
Enclosures (2) 10
Typist Initials. 11
P a g e | 86
The block format is the simplest format; all of the writing is flush
against the left margin.
Your Address 1
The return address of the sender so the recipient can easily find out
where to send a reply to. Skip a line between your address and the
date. (Not needed if the letter is printed on paper with the company
letterhead already on it.)
Date 2
Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day
Year i.e. August 30, 2003. Skip a line between the date and the inside
address (some people skip 3 or 4 lines after the date).
Inside Address 3
The address of the person you are writing to along with the name of
the recipient, their title and company name, if you are not sure who the
letter should be addressed to either leave it blank, but try to put in a
title, i.e. "Director of Human Resources". Skip a line between the date
and the salutation.
Salutation 4
Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:, Dear Director of Department Name: or
To Whom It May Concern: if recipient's name is unknown. Note that
there is a colon after the salutation. Skip a line between the salutation
and the subject line or body.
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Subject Line (optional) 5
Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter is about. Skip
a line between the subject line and the body.
Body 6
The body is where you write the content of the letter; the paragraphs
should be single spaced with a skipped line between each paragraph.
Skip a line between the end of the body and the closing.
Closing 7
Let's the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually
ends with Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that
there is a comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in
the closing is capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the
printed name, so that there is room for the signature.
Signature 8
Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink
with a pen.
Printed Name 9
The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title
or position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed
name and the enclosure.
Enclosure 10
If letter contains other document other than the letter itself your letter
will include the word "Enclosure." If there is more than one you would
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type, "Enclosures (#)" with the # being the number of other documents
enclosed, not including the letter itself.
Reference Initials 11
If someone other than yourself typed the letter you will include your
initials in capital letters followed by the typist's initials in lower case in
the following format; AG/gs or AG:gs.
October 5, 2004
It has come to my attention that your company, The Cooking Store has been
late with paying their invoices for the past three months.
In order to encourage our customers to pay for their invoices before the due
date, we have implemented a discount model where we'll give you 2% off
your invoice if you pay us within 10 days of receiving the invoice.
I hope that everything is going well for you and your company. You are one of
our biggest customers, and we appreciate your business. If you have any
questions, feel free to contact me at (555) 555-5555.
Sincerely,
Signature
Bob Powers
Accounts Receivable
A cover letter typically accompanies each resume you send out. Your
cover letter may make the difference between obtaining a job interview
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and having your resume ignored, so it makes good sense to devote the
necessary time and effort to writing effective cover letters.
form letter and send it to every potential employer (you know what you
do with junk mail!).
Effective cover letters explain the reasons for your interest in the
specific organization and identify your most relevant skills or
experiences (remember, relevance is determined by the employer's
self-interest). They should express a high level of interest and
knowledge about the position.
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Contact Information
Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address
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Date
Salutation
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name, (leave out if you don't have a contact)
First Paragraph
The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why
you are writing. Mention the job you are applying for and where you
found the job listing. Include the name of a mutual contact, if you have
one.
Middle Paragraph(s)
The next section of your application letter should describe what you
have to offer the employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications
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match the job you are applying for. Remember, you are interpreting
your resume, not repeating it.
Final Paragraph
Conclude your application letter by thanking the employer for
considering you for the position. Include information on how you will
follow-up.
Complimentary Close
Sincerely,
Signature
Date
Sincerely,
Signature
FirstName LastName
Rule 1
Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.
Example:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Rule 2
Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a
singular verb as in Rule 1. Examples:
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.
Rule 3
When I is one of the two subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor,
put it second and follow it with the singular verb am.
Example:
Neither she nor I am going to the festival.
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Rule 4
When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject,
put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.
Example:
The serving bowl or the plates go on that shelf.
Rule 5
When a singular and plural subject are connected
by either/or or neither/nor, put the plural subject last and use a plural
verb.
Example:
Neither Jenny nor the others are available.
Rule 6
As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when
they are connected byand.
Example:
A car and a bike are my means of transportation.
Rule 7
Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such
as along with, as well as, besides, or not. Ignore these expressions
when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.
Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
Rule 8
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The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone,
anybody, someone, andsomebody are singular and require singular
verbs. Do not be misled by what follows of.
Examples:
Each of the girls sings well.
Every one of the cakes is gone.
NOTE: Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one is
two words when the meaning is each one.
Rule 9
With words that indicate portions—percent, fraction, part, majority,
some, all, none, remainder, and so forth —look at the noun in
your of phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a
singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a
singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared.
Pie is the object of the preposition of.
Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared.
Pies is the object of the preposition. One-third of the city is unemployed.
One-third of the people are unemployed.
NOTE: Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
None of the garbage was picked up.
None of the sentences were punctuated correctly.
Of all her books, none have sold as well as the first one.
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NOTE: Apparently, the SAT testing service considers none as a
singular word only. However, according to Merriam Webster's
Dictionary of English Usage, "Clearly none has been both singular and
plural since Old English and still is. The notion that it is singular only is
a myth of unknown origin that appears to have arisen in the 19th
century. If in context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular
verb; if it seems like a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable
beyond serious criticism" (p. 664).
Rule 10
The expression the number is followed by a singular verb while the
expression a number is followed by a plural verb.
Examples:
The number of people we need to hire is thirteen.
A number of people have written in about this subject.
Rule 11
When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs.
Examples:
Neither of them is available to speak right now.
Either of us is capable of doing the job.
Rule 12
The words here and there have generally been labeled as adverbs
even though they indicate place. In sentences beginning
with here or there, the subject follows the verb.
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Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Rule 13
Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time.
Examples:
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Rule 14
Sometimes the pronoun who, that, or which is the subject of a verb in
the middle of the sentence. The pronouns who, that,
and which become singular or plural according to the noun directly in
front of them. So, if that noun is singular, use a singular verb. If it is
plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
Salma is the scientist who writes/write the reports.
The word in front of who is scientist, which is singular. Therefore, use
the singular verb writes.
He is one of the men who does/do the work.
I. Structural Analysis
hand out given by Mrs. Mildred Par last semester
II. Homonyms, Homograph & Heteronyms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homonym
III. Word Association
IV. Idioms
V. Synonyms and Antonyms
VI. Figures of Speech
http://yourdictionary.com
http://www.uebersetzung.at
http://wikipedia.org
http://wiki.answers.com
http://answers.yahoo.com
http://bigcsshop.hubpages.com
VIII. Run-ons
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http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/sentences/run-on-
sentences.html
IX. Fragments
X. Modifiers
examples.yourdictionary.com
Language Literature World Literature Revised Edition
(Grammar Workbook) IV
Authors: Remedios F. Nery, Esperanza Chee Kee,
Lourdes M. Ribo
XI. Capitalization
www.libraryonline.com
XII. Punctuations
www.libraryonline.com
XIII. Qualities of a Paragraph
www.wiki.answers.com
XIV. Friendly and Business Letter
www.letterwritingguide.com
XV. Application Letter
www.jobsearch.about.com
XVI. Rules in Subject verb Agreement
http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbA
gree.asp
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Submitted by:
Lezette P. Endozo
Rachelle A. Francisco
Marivic A. Gallanosa
Rohmar L Ibañez