PROPERTIES OF A

WELL-WRITTEN
TEXT
By the end of the lesson, you will have
been able to . . .

• Identify the properties of well-

written text;
• Revise faulty and weak
paragraphs; and
• Create an essay observing the
properties of a well-written text.
 What are the properties of a well-
written text? This is not an easy question
to answer. Many very different kinds of
text are considered “well-written” and
for many different reasons. There is no
formula or program for writing well.

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However, there are certain properties that
most examples of well-written text share.
The following is a brief description of five
important properties of a well-written text.
The properties described here are
especially appropriate for academic and
expository writing.

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 A paragraph is a series of
sentences that are
organized, coherent, and
are all related to a single
topic.
 The first line of a paragraph is usually indented.

This indentation of a paragraph indicates where

the paragraph begins. Remember that you must
capitalize the first word in each sentence and end
each sentence with a punctuation mark, most often
a period (.).
PARTS OF THE PARAGRAPH

 Introduction

The first section of a paragraph; it

should include the topic sentence and any
other sentences at the beginning of the
paragraph that give background
information or provide a transition.
PARTS OF THE PARAGRAPH

 Body

It discusses the controlling idea,

using facts, arguments, analysis,
examples, or other information.
PARTS OF THE PARAGRAPH

 Conclusion

The final section; summarizes the

connections between the information
discussed in the body of the
paragraphs and the paragraph's
controlling idea.
 For a paragraph, or for any composition, to be
effective, it must always consider the Properties
of a Well-Written Text.

These properties are: Organization, Coherence

and Cohesion, Unity, Language Use, and
Mechanics.
A well-written text should have an organization.

Organization also known as arrangement, is

achieved when ideas are logically and accurately
arranged with focus on the arrangement of ideas,
incidents, evidence, or details in a definite order in a
paragraph, essay, or speech. It can be done with a
recognizable plan that defines one sentence
connection to the other sentence and paragraph to
the other paragraph.
A well-written text should have an organization.
Check the following paragraph arrangements and the
words which are useful in securing in each of them:

1. Chronological Order

first, second, later, before, next, as soon as, after, then,

finally, meanwhile, following, last, during, in, on, until

2. Order of Importance

less, more, primary, next, last, most important,

primarily, secondarily
A well-written text should have unity.

It is achieved when a composition is

focused on one idea. In a unified text,
all supporting ideas are relevant to the
main thought. Without unity, text will
be confusing.
A well-written text should have coherence and cohesion.

Coherence refers to the overall sense of unity in

a passage, including both the main point of
sentences and the main point of each
paragraph.

Cohesion is also a very important aspect of

academic writing because it immediately affects the
tone of your writing. It is the connection of ideas at
the sentence level.
 Techniques to improve paragraph cohesion:
 Transitions

Use a conjunction or conjunctive adverb to link sentences with particular logical

relationships.

 To Specify Sequence

again, also, and, and then, besides, finally, first . . . second . . . third, furthermore, last,
moreover, next, still, too

 To Specify Time

After a few days, after a while, afterwards, as long as, as soon as, at last, at that time,
before, earlier, immediately, in the meantime, in the past, lately, later, meanwhile,
now, presently, simultaneously.
 Techniques to improve paragraph cohesion:
 Repetition

In sentence B, repeat a word from sentence A.

 Synonymy

If direct repetition is too obvious, use a synonym of the word you wish to repeat. This
strategy is called 'elegant variation.'

 Antonym

Using the 'opposite' word, an antonym, can also create sentence cohesion, since in
language antonyms actually share more elements of meaning than you might imagine.
A well-written text should have correctness or the proper
Language use.

It is one of the clearest indicators of a well

written text. It enables writers to effectively
communicate ideas without confusing the reader.

An effective language is: Specific, Concise,

Familiar, Correct, and Appropriate.
 Levels of in Language Use
 Informal / Personal- slang, local expressions, text messaging.

Hey Bes Yow Sup Pet Nigga (friend) OTW Gnyt Dude BRB

 Standard/Academic - widely accepted words and phrases found in books,

magazines, and newspapers.

Note to a professor:
I missed yesterday’s class and will e-mail my paper later.

The problem was on garbage management as it greatly affects the students who are
occupying the SHS Blg.
 Levels of in Language Use

 Business / Technical – scientific terms, jargons, and special expressions.

Psychiatrist’s report:

“Dissociative rage order is not indicated by the ER assessment.”

 A well-written text should have Mechanics.

It focuses on the technicalities of the

structure. It determines errors on
subject-verb agreement, prepositions,
tenses, the grammar, spelling,
capitalization, abbreviations and
acronyms, the use of numbers as part of
the statement, and the punctuation
marks.
 Spelling
Capitalization
Abbreviation and Acronyms
Numbers
Punctuation Marks
Grammar
 Organization Coherence is Cohesion is Unity is Language Mechanics
It is about the the connection the connection oneness of use is one of focuses on the
arrangement the ideas in the of ideas in the ideas all the clearest technicalities of
of: concept level: sentence level: pertaining to indicators of a the structure.
the theme or well written text.
It enables writers It determines
Is the first Did it use the topic errors on subject-
Ideas topic related to pronouns sentence. to effectively
Incident communicate verb agreement,
the next? properly? Things to prepositions,
Details ideas without
check: confusing the tenses, the
Evidence Did it use grammar,
Order reader. An
transitions? Lead effective spelling,
Is this Topic Sentence capitalization,
language is: abbreviations
sentence Did it do Thesis
connected to repetition of Statement and acronyms,
Specific, the use of
the topic the subject Concise, numbers as part
sentence? matter Familiar, of the statement,
Correct, and and the
Appropriate punctuation
marks.
ACTIVITY
Read the following paragraphs and identify the missing
property of well-written text in each item.

1. They are the memorable students in any class they

participate fully in any mis-chief they see no point in
volunteering for extra jobs they delight in distracting
their classmates they take no pleasure in learn-ing
they are never satisfied.

Missing property of a well-written text:

_________________________________________________
2. When I was growing up, one of the places I enjoyed
the most was the cherry tree in the backyard.
Behind the yard was an alley and then more houses.
Every summer when the cherries began to ripen, I
used to spend hours high in the tress, picking and
eating the sweet, sun-warmed cherries. My mother
always worried about my falling out of the tree, but I
never did.

Missing property of a well-written text:

__________________________________________
3. Zombies are becoming an important part of
popular culture, perhaps as a way of
coping with some of the common fears in modern
North American culture. Films like Shaun of the
Dead and Fido blend comedy with aspects of
horror and romance, but still focus on zombies.
Simon Pegg has gone on to do other films and is a
popular and talented comedic actor.

Missing property of a well-written text:

________________________________________
3. Canadian software

Missing property of a well-written text:

________________________________________
Thank You ! ! !