Writing Flashcards
1
Q
Characteristics of effective writing (improving sentences)
A
- Consistency
- Logical Expression of Ideas
- Clarity and Precision
- Appropriate Use of Conventions
2
Q
Consistency
A
- Sequence of tenses (current, pass, future, must agree)
- Shift of pronoun (you, one, he, she)
- Parallelism (repetition)
- Noun-number agreement (they=plural)
- Subject-verb agreement (there is vs there are)
3
Q
Logical Expression of Ideas
A
- Coordination and subordination (commas vs. semicolons)
- Logical comparison (comparing person to person vs person to thing)
- Modification and word order (ordering words to make more sense, tree had dogs leash vs. dog wrapped its leash around tree)
4
Q
Clarity and Precision
A
- Ambiguous and vague pronouns (they)
- Wordiness
- Missing subject
- Weak passive verbs (less fancy sounding. You should preheat the over :) the oven should be preheated :(
5
Q
Appropriate use of conventions
A
- Adjective and adverb confusion (when to use reckless vs. recklessly)
- Pronoun case (I vs me)
- Idiom
- comparison of modifiers (makes more money :( makes the most money :))
- Sentence fragment
- Comma splice or fused sentence (semicolons)
6
Q
Tips for writing the essay
A
- Read prompt carefully and write on the given topic
- Decide your viewpoint on the topic
- Spend a couple of minutes planning
- Vary the sentence structure in your writing (simple, compound, complex)
- Use clear, precise, and appropriate vocabulary (don’t overdo just sound educated and provoke interest)
- Leave time to review what you’ve written
7
Q
action verbs
A
- to be, be, am, is, was, were, being, been
- used if someone or something other than the subject performs its actions
- the decision was greeted. referring to the decision rather than the workers decision.
8
Q
abstract nouns
A
- nouns that refer to ideas, thoughts, intangible ideas
- nouns you can not experience with your 5 senses
- ex. the DECISION of the manager
- ex. end the PRACTICE of overtime
BAD DONT USE THEM
9
Q
infinitives
A
- future
- to bring
- to see
10
Q
Gerunds
A
- ing words that are verbs
- ex. she loves to sing
11
Q
Present participles
A
- ing words that describe a noun
- ex. the singing bird
12
Q
preposition
A
- in, of, to, by
- followed by nouns
13
Q
prepositional phrase
A
a preposition and its object
- ex. the rooms IN my house
- the name OF my friend
14
Q
actions verbs are
A
bad
15
Q
how to improve sentences
A
- avoid the verb to be in favor of a verb that communicates action (be, am, are, is, was, were, being, been)
- Reduce the number of abstract nouns
- replace prepositional phrases with single-word adjectives and adverbs when you can
16
Q
when writing sentences
A
be direct, don’t make it wordy or fancy
17
Q
abstract ve concrete language and improving sentences
A
- abstract can be interpreted many different ways, concrete can not.
- ex of abstract- beauty, happiness
- ex of concrete- a 520 on the SAT
- both can be used, better to use concrete but not strictly
- use them to complement and explain each other
- basically- use specific language when possible but abstract can be useful as well
18
Q
5 essay scoring elements
A
- Explosive opening/dramatic ending
- Short philosophical thesis
- two to three concrete examples that sound smart
- strong vocab/transition words/bridges
- 5 paragraphs
19
Q
essay tips
A
- pick a solid side
- write with an active voice not passive (the captain flew the airplane not the airplane was flown by the captain)
- pick a few high level vocab words to use in your essay
- use bridge words
- Vary lengths of sentences. use a three word sentence after a long one.
- make the first and last sentence REALLY interesting
- feel free to use first person
- essay doesn’t have to be factual. ex. fact or example from a book.
- make sentences detailed but not fluffy to sound smart
