Introducing Essay 2: Illustration Writing Also Discussing Run-On Sentences and Commas

Freewrite - English 21 Tell me about a place or a group of people you are familiar with that has changed significantly over the years.

Reading : "Los Chinos Discover El Barrio” After you read, discuss the following questions in your group: What is the CHANGE the author is discussing? What EVIDENCE of that change does he give? What is the author's TONE towards that change? (Note difference between Author's attitude and the attitude of his subjects.) Why do you think there is a difference between what the people the author interviews will tell him when he's got his notebook open and what they'll say when he's not writing? What is the "hopeful sign" he mentions at the end?  

Illustration Writing – Essay 2 The essay we just discussed is an excellent example of Illustration Writing. Illustration writing uses concrete, specific examples to prove a point. (Your thesis.) Illustrations can be short descriptions or short narratives (stories) that help to prove your main point (thesis). As with our last essay, the more detail you use the better your illustration essay will be.

A Word on Examples: All examples should prove your central point. You wouldn't have an essay about why all of the superhero movies that have come out lately are horrible, and then talk about how much you LIKED The Avengers. Your examples should be backing up, proving, and making a case for whatever your main point is in your thesis.

Choose Specific Examples for an Illustration Essay  Examples should be specific and on point. Vague or off-topic examples do not help you to prove your point.  Examples should not be abnormal events or things that happened just once. Examples should be about things that that happened more than once or are typical of the situation.  Each example should be clearly connected to your thesis.

More Tips on Essay 2 For your essay about change in a community, you should…  Think about why these changes took place, and ask yourself if this change is part of a larger pattern you might discuss. Have at least three examples. Why do you think we have three? Three seems to be a good number for proof. Just one might be a coincidence, two is getting better, and three shows a pattern that proves that your statement isn't just something you noticed once. You can have more than three, of course. I just want you to have a least three.

Brainstorming for Essay #2 Choose a community you are familiar with that has changed over time. Perhaps use the one your wrote about for your freewrite earlier? Brainstorm for five minutes about what the community used to be like. Don’t censor yourself. Write down everything you can think of. Now, brainstorm for five minutes about what it's like now. What differences do you notice? Is there a theme to these differences?

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How to Fix Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices FUSED Sentences How to Fix Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices

Run On Sentences This chapter starts on p. 124 of your Pathways textbook. A RUN-ON occurs when two (or more) independent clauses are in the same sentence without any punctuation separating them from each other. You can recognize run-ons by… Reading a sentence aloud and listening for the places where you pause naturally. Is there proper punctuation where you paused? (See p. 125-6 to test this skill.) Identifying independent clauses and checking for proper punctuation. Checking long sentences. (Not all long sentences are run-ons, but they often are.)

How to Fix a Run-on Turn the run-on into two separate sentences with a period and a capital letter. I passed my driving test it was easy. I passed my driving test. It was easy. Use a semicolon (;) to separate the two independent clauses. I like action movies she likes comedies. I like action movies; she likes comedies. This method usually works best when there is a close, clear relationship between the two independent clauses.

More Ways to Fix Run-Ons Use a comma AND a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) to separate the independent clauses. See p. 129 for a list of coordinating conjunctions and their meanings. We wanted to play baseball outside it rained all afternoon. We wanted to play baseball outside, but it rained all afternoon.

The Final Way to Fix a Run-on… Make one of the independent clauses into a subordinate (dependent) clause. I like to go to the zoo we go two or three times every year. Because I like to go to the zoo, we go two or three times every year. Remember the comma rules for independent and dependant clauses: Dependant clause first = need a comma Independent clause first = no comma We go to the zoo two or three times a year because I like to go.

Comma Splices A Comma Splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined only by a comma. Comma Splices are incorrect. I didn’t know how to bake chocolate chip cookies, I called my mom and asked her. Notice that this is a comma splice because only a comma separates the two independent clauses. Comma splices can be fixed in the same four ways as run-on sentences.

Grammar Practice: Run-Ons and Comma Splices LEARN MORE: About Run-On Sentences and how to recognize them: Page 125-126 Recognizing Comma Splices Page 135 Identify the Run-On Sentences: Do Exercise 5-1 on page 127 Correct the Comma Splices: Do Exercise 5-7 on page 136 We will learn more about commas and comma use next week!

For Next Week: Tuesday, October 14 InClass: Further discussion of Illustration Essay. Discuss Pronouns and Pronoun Agreement. DUE: Pathways “Example Paragraphs” p. 376-380 Summary and Reading Response for “The Homecoming and then the Hard Part” p. 194-106. Answer questions 1, 3, and 6 and bring to class. Begin brainstorming the Illustration Essay. Use the prompt handout and the outline on the back. * Achieve Mastery in “Pronouns” in the “Basic Grammar” module