READING AND

WRITING
 Properties of Well-
written Texts
A. O RGA N IZAT IO N
b. C oh ere n ce & C ohe s ion
• Cohesi ve D e vice s
• (1. a. Su bst it ut io n ;
(1. b. C on n e cti ve s)
c. La ng ua ge Use
d. Mech an ic s
(Gra mma r, Pu n ctu at io n s, Ca pitalizat io n s)
O
R A TE XT I S CONSIDERED ORGA NI ZE D
G WH E N I DEAS A RE ACCURATE LY AN D
A
N LOGI C AL LY A RRA NGED WITH A
I FOCUS ON THE A RRANGEME N TS OF
Z I DE A S, I NCIDENTS, EVIDE NCE , OR
A
T DE TA I LS IN A D EFI NITE ORDE R I N A
I
O PARAGRAPH, ESSAY, OR SPE E CH .
N
 THREE MAJOR PARTS OF A TEXT

BE G IN N IN G
TEXT
STRUCTURE M ID D LE

END
 SI GN A L WOR D S AR E T E XT UA L CU E S
T HAT R E AD E RS USE TO FOL LOW A
TE XT. T HE Y C AN S IG N A L T H E
T RAN S IT IO N FR OM O NE P O IN T TO
AN OT HE R , TH E OR D E R IN G OF E V E N TS
A N D CON C E PTS, O R T HE W R IT E R ’ S
C H OS E N TE XT TYP E .
 COHESION IS THE
C OH E R E NC E
CONNECTION OF
REFERS TO THE
IDEAS BOTH AT THE
OVERAL L SENSE
SENTENCE LEVEL
OF UNI TY IN A
AND AT THE
TEXT.
PARAGRAP H LEVEL.
 T RA N SI TI ON S
R E P E TI TI ON S
COHERENCE SY N ON Y MS
AND
COHESION P R ON OUN S
PARAL L E L
STR U CTU R E
 2. Repetitions include a word, a phrase, or a full
sentence repeated to highlight its importance in
the entire text.
E X AMPLES :
1. THE PRE SIDE NT SA ID, “ WO R K, WO RK, AN D WO R K,” A RE THE
KE YS TO S UCCE SS.
2. IF YO U T HINK YO U CA N M A KE IT, YO U CA N M AKE IT.
3. MOST STUDE NTS A RE IN TIM ATE D BY TH E WO RKS O F WILLIA M
SHAKE SPE ARE . THE Y B E LIEVE S HA KE PE A RE ‟ S SO NN E TS A N D PL AYS
ARE FAR TOO COM PLICAT E D TO R EA D A N D UN DERSTAN D.
 3. Synonyms are words similar in meaning to
important words or phrases. This technique is used
if direct repetition is too obvious.

EX AMPLE : TE E NAGE RS FAC E AN E N O RM O US AM O UN T O F PE ER

PRE SSURE F RO M FRIEN DS . HEN CE , M AN Y YO UN G AD ULTS ARE
SHOWING SIGN S OF GRE AT STRE SS O R DE PRE SSIO N AT A N E A RLY
AGE .
 4. Pronouns are used to connect sentences by
referring to preceding nouns and pronouns.
E X AMPLES : 1 . RO DRIGO R. DUTE RTE IS T HE 1 6 TH PRE SIDE N T O F
THE RE PUB LIC O F THE PHILIPPIN E S. MO RE OVE R, HE A LSO SE R VE D
AS DAVAO CITY ’S M AYO R FO R A LO NG PER IOD O F TIM E . HE IS A LSO
KNOW N BY MANY A S A STR ON G LE A DE R.

2. MRS. GO M EZ AP PR OVE D TO HAVE A ME E TIN G WITH THE

WORKE RS’ UN IO N B EFO RE SHE SIGN E D THE CO N TRACT. SHE W AS
WILLIN G TO HE AR THE IR CO N C ER N S A BO UT THE N E WLY PRO PO SE D
AMENDME NTS IN THE CO M PAN Y.
5. Parallel Structures include the use of matching
words, phrases, clauses, or sentence structures to
express similar ideas.

E X AMPLE : IN T HE CON F E RE N CE HA LL, THE STUDEN TS

ATTE NDE D A LECTURE WHE RE THE S PE A KE R DE M ON ST RATE D
HOW TO PRO P ER LY WE A R A PPE. THE Y A LSO ATTE N DE D A
LE CTURE
LANGUAGE USE
It refers to the appropriateness of
word/vocabulary usage. Language
use is one of the strongest indicators
of a well-written text because it
leads writers to effectively
communicate ideas without
confusing the reader.
SIX CHARACTERISTICS
OF EFFECTIVE
LANGUAGE:
1. concrete and specifi c, not
vague and abstract
2. concise, not verbose
3. familiar, not obscure
4. precise, not ambiguous
5. constructive, not destructive
6. appropriately formal
 SP E L LI N G

MECHANICS P UN CTUATI ON

C A PI TA L IZATI ON
Activity 2 Directions: Rewrite and improve the text by applying the necessary
corrections which you think the paragraph must follow based on the properties of a
well-written text. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper (1/2 crosswise).

1) Learning how to drive a car with a stick shift is difficult. (2) The
location of each gear and the best speed to drive for each gear must
be learned. (3) How to push in the clutch and change the gear to
obtain the best speed can be tricky until the driver discovers just
where the clutch accelerates the gear speed. (4) bouncing and
jerking can occur until the maneuver is mastered. (5) The ―sweet
spot‖ is different in all cars. (6) Downshifting has to be learned to
allow for turns and slowing. (7) The clutch and gear speed work
together again but the gear is shifted to slow down, not to speed up.