SCHOOLYEAR: 2021 - 2022 SECOND SEMESTER: MODULE 2

SUBJECT: READING AND WRITING

I. INTRODUCTION
“READING AND THINKING STRATEGIES”
When you have already gathered enough materials in developing your paragraphs or text, the next step is to
organize properly. Then you need to determine which ideas should be used in the beginning, middle and end of your texts
—coherence and cohesion should be considered in arranging your ideas. The mechanics of writing should be observed
too, like capitalization, contractions and punctuation marks. Lastly, you need to determine the type of language you are
going to use for you to be able to communicate with your target audience. All of the things mentioned above is what this
module is all about.
II. STANDARD
CONTENT STANDARD
The learner realizes that information in a written text may be selected and organized to achieve a particular purpose.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this module, students will be able to:
Identify properties of a well-written text
a. organization
b. coherence and cohesion
c. language use
d. mechanics
III. TRANSFER
In the end of the module, students will be able to critiques a chosen sample of each pattern of development focusing on
information selection, organization, and development.

IV. DISCUSSION
LESSON 1: PROPERTIES OF A WELL-WRITTEN TEXT

ORGANIZATION, COHERENCE AND COHESION

For a text to be well-written, one must keep in mind these three properties:
Organization - this is the structural framework for writing. It is important to effective writing because it provides readers
with a framework to help them fulfil their expectations for the text. This is the logical progression and completeness of
ideas in a text. Organization is achieved when ideas are logically and accurately arranged.
Coherence – by coherence we mean that every part of a composition must contribute to one main unifying thought, which
means that the various parts of a text must follow one another in an order which makes their relationship clear.
Cohesion - means that the overall text has meaning.

Text organization is the way a text is organized that helps to guide the reader logically through it. This property
makes a text readable and its message clear. Organization can be achieved through the following techniques:
 Physical format
 Signal words
 Structure

Physical Format-The format is an aspect of the organization that is immediately apparent to the reader. It is seen in how
the text physically appears like headings and subheadings, bullet points or font emphasis. However, use this technique
with discretion as improper or superfluous formatting can be confusing

 Example: Marxist ideology has three main theories. Historical materialism purports that all the features of society can
historically be traced back to economic activity. Social class in capitalist societies is what produces unjust structures of
power that exist today. Socialism would be the next rational step for the development of human society.

 Explanation: The words in bold are the three most important Marxist theories that the first sentence is referring to. By
emphasizing these words, the reader can identify the correct term for the concepts along with their definitions; this would
also aid in remembering the theories since they stick out from the rest of the text.

Signal Words- are textual cues that readers can use to follow a text. They can “signal” the transition from one point to
another, the ordering of events and concepts, or the writer’s chosen text type (e.g., linear narration, question and answer).

 Example: Chuck Palahniuk’s novel Fight Club greatly influenced me as a fictional writer. First, his use of the unreliable
narrator fascinated me, and I have written similar characters in my works. Second, the theme of patriarchal oppression can
also be found in the stories I write. Third, the novel’s stunning twist is something that I have been trying to recreate. Thus,
I am extremely grateful to have encountered Palahniuk’s genius early in my writing career.

 Explanation: By using sequential signal words (first, second and third) before the beginning of every sentence, the
reader can follow what seems to be the writer’s list of three reasons why the novel influenced him. The word thus also
signals the conclusion and the end of the list.

Structure- The structure provides the framework upon which the text is organized. It consists of the following:
 Beginning: introduction, thesis statement, hook

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 Middle: supporting details
 End: conclusion, summary, final message

 Example: Ancient philosophies believe that a person has an “aura,” this appears as a rainbow of light around the body
that can be seen by individuals with clairvoyant abilities. The colors change depending on one’s mood, health, and
thoughts. Some scientists believe that the existence of the aura has something to do with the electromagnetic fields
produced by cells and tissues in the human body. Whether auras are real or not, the fact remains that there are forces
everywhere that are real even though we cannot see them.

 Explanation: Organization in this paragraph is not readily noticeable as it does not use cues like formatting or signal
words. However, the text is organized in this way:
 Beginning: Introduce topic of aura
 Middle: Definition and evidence of existence of auras
 End: Ending message about forces in the world

If there is a clear statement of

purpose, positions, facts,
Ideas are formed and
examples, specific details, ORGANIZATION
definitions, explanation, well-developed
justification or opposing
viewpoints

And if there is ORGANIZATION, there is…

Coherence and Cohesion – by coherence we mean that every part of a composition must contribute to one main unifying
thought, which means that the various parts of a text must follow one another in an order which makes their relationship
clear. On the other hand, cohesion means that the overall text has meaning.
A text with coherence has ideas that are logically sequenced in a way that is easy to follow for the reader.
Although without cohesion, no central concept links all these ideas together. The main point of the text remains unclear
for readers.

 Example: My favorite painting is “The Weeping Woman” by Pablo Picasso, which is an intriguing painting that
symbolizes suffering. As a result, I love bright primary colors, so I wear a lot of shocking yellows, blues, and reds. Also,
as an outgoing person, I enjoy performing for large crowds. In the end, people should not judge an artist’s talent based on
one standard.

 Explanation: Connecting words in the text suggest a sequence of ideas that the writer wants to convey. “As a result”
implies an effect of the previous statement while “in the end” indicates the conclusion. However, the writer jumps from
one topic to another resulting in a lack of cohesion. For instance, the writer talks about his or her favorite colors “as a
result” of Picasso’s painting even though they are not connected in any way. It can be inferred that the choice of favorite
colors was inspired by the colors of the painting, but the writer does not make this clear.

Cohesion and Coherence

A text with both cohesion and coherence has a central concept linking all the ideas in the text, and these ideas are
presented in a logical manner. The main point is clear, and the text is easy to follow and understand.

 Example: International Women’s Day is celebrated on the 8th of March of every year. It began as a Socialist political
event in several Western countries. Then, other countries also started celebrating the holiday just as a way to express their
love for women. Currently, the United Nations observes the holiday as a way to bring to light women’s issues around the
world.
 Explanation: The main topic of the text is International Women’s Day, which was stated in the first sentence. The
paragraph proceeds to outline the history of the holiday starting from some Western countries and its spread to other
nations. It ends with the current way that the whole world celebrates the day. The writer can present different ideas about
the holiday in a logical manner and without veering away from the topic.

Remember the following when trying to evaluate if your text has cohesion and coherence:
 A text with cohesion but no coherence is difficult to follow.
 A text with coherence but no cohesion has no definite point.
 A text with both cohesion and coherence is logically sequenced and stays on topic.

Activity 1
Directions: Create a coherent paragraph by arranging the following jumbled sentences. Then write your arranged
paragraph on your answer sheet. Observe proper mechanics in writing your paragraph!

1.
 In these areas, 70 % of the agricultural land suffers from dryness and lack of irrigation.
 As a result, the crops are usually marginal with hardly enough production to feed the farmer’s family.

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 The first fact to consider is that over 60% of the population lives in rural communities.
 In my country, one of the most urgent problems facing the government today relates to agriculture.
 And without irrigation, agricultural production is wholly dependent on the uncertain rainfall.
 To understand the nature of this problem, one has to look at some facts.

2.
 To solve the problem of overpopulation, he devised a great war, which would sweep like a conflagration over Greece.
 This was the Trojan war.
 Zeus, the ruler of the gods, seemed to have realized that the earth was getting terribly overcrowded.

LANGUAGE USE AND MECHANICS

Language Use – refers to the appropriateness of word/vocabulary use. An effective language is specific, concise, familiar,
correct and appropriate.
It is important that you make good choices when it comes to language use because how you use language affects the tone
of the text and the readers’ interpretation of it. Before writing, you have to think about and consider your target audience.
Determine when it is appropriate to use formal language or when informal language is acceptable.

Informal language is usually used in writing for oneself or in writing to family, friends, and colleagues. On the other
hand, formal language is used in writing academic, business, and official texts.
Examples:
 We asked the secretary to call the professor and get her permission for us to continue our research.
 We requested that the secretary contact the professor and obtain her permission for us to continue our research.

Explanation: In the first sentence, the writer used casual words such as asked, call, and get permission, which made the
sentence informal. The second sentence used more serious words such as requested instead of asked, contact instead of
call, and obtain permission instead of get permission. This sentence is formal and is appropriate to use when talking or
writing to a person of authority. When you write, you should also make sure that the language you use is **direct and
simple rather than complicated so that readers would easily understand the text. If your readers are the youth, then you
should use words that are familiar to young people.

Example: Why Sunglasses Are a Must-Have for Kids (An Excerpt) (NewsUSA) Most parents know how damaging the
effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can be to our skin, which is why they dutifully slather sunscreen on their kids during
the summer. But one thing that often gets overlooked is protecting their children’s eyes. According to vision-care experts,
kids receive three times more UV exposure than adults annually, yet less than 30 percent of parents currently protect their
children’s eyes with sunglasses. The reason for concern is that children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the
sun’s rays because their ocular lenses are not mature enough to filter UV light as effectively as adults, causing damage to
the retina. “Everyone buys into what happens to your skin when it comes to sun damage, but many parents are really
surprised to learn about the cumulative UV damage to the eyes,” Dawn Hartman, an optometrist at Columbus
Ophthalmology Associates in Columbus, Ohio, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview. But the right sunglasses can
help, as parents become more aware that protection from the sun is not just skin deep.
Source: (USA, NEWS USA, 2016) http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com/health/why-sunglasses-are-a-must-have-for-kids/

Explanation: The entire text uses simple words. This lets readers easily understand the significance of letting kids wear
sunglasses. There were a few technical scientific terms that were necessary to mention in the text, such as ultraviolet
radiation, ocular lenses, and retina. However, the message of the text is still easy to grasp.
You should also be sensitive enough to use unbiased language so that you will not offend any individual or any particular
group of people. Unbiased language is language that is free of racial bias, free of religious bias, and free of gender bias.
Examples:
 A teacher should make it a point to motivate her students.
 Teachers should make it a point to motivate their students

Explanation: In the first sentence, the pronoun used is she, but teachers may also be male, so the statement shows gender
bias. The second sentence, on the other hand, makes use of the gender-neutral pronoun their, making it unbiased.

PROPER LANGUAGE USE

Proper language use allows you to capture the message that you want to convey to your readers. It is all about choosing
the right words that accurately capture your ideas.
However, writers sometimes encounter problems with the following:
 Misused Words
 Words with Unwanted Connotations
 Technical or Highfalutin Words

Misused Words
A writer might sometimes use a word incorrectly, and this occurs when the word does not mean what he or she thinks it
does. So, it is important to be certain of the definition of a word before using it; this often happens with words that sound
or look alike.

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 Example: There are many behaviors that past societies considered legal but are now deemed amoral including slavery,
sexism, and racism.
 Explanation: The writer confused the word “amoral” with “immoral.” The former means neither moral nor immoral
(without moral quality) while the latter means not moral. Sometimes, it is easy to guess the correct meaning of a word just
by looking at how it is spelled. The prefix a- signals that something is without such as in “anarachy” (without a
government) or “atypical” (without typical features). On the other hand, the prefix im- simply means not such as in
“imperfect” (not perfect) or “impossible” (not possible).

Words with Unwanted Connotations

There are words that take on a meaning specific to a context. Some writers might not be aware of these connotations, so
they end up using language that is unintentionally confusing, comical or even offensive to readers.
 Example: The coast guard salvaged Priscilla and her sister after their fishing boat was damaged in the storm.
 Explanation: The word “salvage” means to save usually from the wreckage of a marine vessel. However, the Philippine
media and police often use the term to mean a violent killing, which is opposite from its traditional English meaning. It
comes from the Spanish word “salvaje” that has a meaning similar to “savage.” Thus, if the writer produced this text for a
Filipino audience, the meaning that he or she intended would be lost. Using the word “saved” or “rescued” would remedy
the issue.

Technical or Highfalutin Words

Writers want to sound smart by using words that are very technical or have deep meanings. Though some writing genres
require the use of such words, writers should still be careful about using them since they make readers work harder to
understand texts.

 Example: There is an ongoing discourse about the antidisestablishment assemblage and the administrative political
body.  Explanation: The text is complicated because it is filled with words that are difficult to understand. If the terms
are important to use, then the writer could define what they mean. Otherwise, the sentence could be rewritten simply this
way: There is an ongoing discussion between the opposition and the government. This sentence still “sounds smart” but it
is easier for most people to understand and it does not change the meaning of the original sentence in any way.

MECHANICS - refers to a set of conventions on how to spell, abbreviate, punctuate and capitalize. Mechanics are
conventions that have to be considered in writing. Some of these conventions are spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
It is important to know and observe these conventions in writing to avoid confusion.

Spelling
When you write, always make sure that you are consistently using one standard with regard to the spelling of your words.
Remember that there are slight differences in American English spelling and British English spelling.

Punctuation
Punctuation is the act of using a system of symbols such as the comma, period, quotation marks, question marks, etc. that
are used to give structure to and organize a text. The use of punctuation guides the reader regarding how the text should be
read.
Examples:
 I love to paint portraits I would paint one every day if I had the time
 I love to paint portraits. I would paint one every day if I had the time.
 This book is dedicated to my parents, Noel and Corazon.
 This book is dedicated to my parents, Noel, and Corazon.

Explanation: The first example does not make use of proper punctuation marks, while the second example presents two
sentences that are correctly punctuated. In the third example, the sentence denotes that the author’s parents are Noel and
Corazon. In the fourth example, the use of the serial comma denotes that the book is dedicated to four persons: the
author’s mom, the author’s dad, Noel, and Corazon. The simple act of adding a comma completely changed the meaning
of the statement.

Capitalization
Capitalization is the act of writing the first letter of a word in uppercase while the rest of the letters are in lowercase.
There are rules in capitalization that one has to remember. Below are a few examples of words that require capitalization:
 proper nouns Alex, Manila
 Proper adjectives Canadian
 Days of the week Sunday
 Months of the year January
 Specific course titles Theater 101
 Kinship names used in place of personal names and are followed by personal names Grandma, Dad, Aunt Paz, Uncle
Alvin
 adjectives, verbs, adverbs, nouns, and pronouns in a title and the first and last word in a title Through the Looking-
Glass, and What Alice Found There (literature)
 historical periods, events, documents Great Depression, the Renaissance, the Constitution

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Activity 2
Directions: Copy the statements. Put a (  ) if the phrases or sentences are following the proper mechanics. If the words
or phrases are incorrect, rewrite them below the give items to make it correct. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS OR YOUR
PAPER WON’T BE CHECKED.
_____1. San miguel Corporation
_____2. Joe said, “he is my patient.”
_____3. do you believe me
_____4. Tom Cruise won the oscar award
_____5. Hon. Juan dela Cruz
_____6. girlie is one friend i know inside and out
_____7. i am from the philippines
_____8. Anna can pass for a movie star as a deadringer of anne Hathaway.
_____9. Being the only daughter, sylvia is the apple of the eye of her father.
_____10. please keep an eye on her while I am out.

V. NEW IDEAS
What have you learned from the discussion? I learned that _____________________________________.

VI. EVALUATION
A. Directions: Study the Narrative Text below. Look for errors that the author overlooked and rectify them following the
properties of a well-written text provided below, spot them:
 Organization
 Coherence and cohesion
 Language use
 Mechanics
“My Q Life”

The sun is high so do my hopes for you. I am in a complete sense of my life then you came like a storm in the calm sea.
Never taught that this time would come that I will be alone-seated in a room without a company at all. Scartching what is
itchy and hitting immediately the sound came near to my ears. Am I becoming crazy already? Why would I hit a sound?
Ha - ha. I don’t think I am, because I caught one- it was a mosquito all the time.

It all start with one, then without notice, it spread like a mayo in a bread. In an instant, you landed to all that you pass and
enjoyed destroying what is inside. While writing this one, there was a fly in my sight, so, I hit with all my might, but it got
away in an instant. Going back to where it all began, we were all protected with this mask and plastic in our eyes. I guess
you already know what hit us with this one. Despite all the protection we had, it still managed to demonstrate our organ. It
is saddening though. Nevertheless, I don’t want to protect all that I love, so I decided to be separated from them without
reservation and came in this room writing this one.

Overall, my life is in a mess right now. How I wish to keep back time and rectify what should be done right to avoid a
situation of this kind. Let us be learned with the set protocol and follow them with all our might. We do not know where
this virus will bring us- either in a hospital, quarantine facility, or worst, in cemetery. Thus, this virus, Covid-19 knows no
one and will keep on hitting anybody it will touch. Let us stay safe at home to protect youreself, your love ones and
everyone who sacrifices a lot to begin this pandemic.

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