Writing Suggestions After grading the cover letter, résumé, and personal essays and reading the compare/contrasts drafts, Ms. Miller put together the following writing suggestions.

Read and follow instructions It sounds simple, but many fail to do so. Look for the bullets in Ms. Miller’s assignments

Frequent errors/weaknesses There statements There statements Not following MLA format Not following MLA format Poor word choice Poor word choice Pron./ant. and other agreement in # issues Pron./ant. and other agreement in # issues Missing or misplaced thesis statements Missing or misplaced thesis statements Run-on sentences Run-on sentences Tense shifts Tense shifts

We can’t fix everything today It is impossible to improve in all areas at once, so today we will focus on four issues: MLA format MLA format There statements There statements Agreement in # (including pron./ant. agreement) Agreement in # (including pron./ant. agreement) Run-on sentences (r/o) Run-on sentences (r/o)

MLA Format Good news: The format is standard throughout the course. It will not change. Memorize it. Use it with every paper requiring MLA format.

MLA Format cont. 12 pt. Times New Roman (or comparable)—set this first so all text, even pagination, matches) 12 pt. Times New Roman (or comparable)—set this first so all text, even pagination, matches) Pagination (upper right-hand corner, ½” from top margin, 1” from right margin, last name and page number—this should be placed in the header) Pagination (upper right-hand corner, ½” from top margin, 1” from right margin, last name and page number—this should be placed in the header)

MLA Format Cont. Double space Double space One-inch margins One-inch margins 4-line MLA heading (NOT in header because it prints on first page only—student name, teacher name, course, date) 4-line MLA heading (NOT in header because it prints on first page only—student name, teacher name, course, date) Centered title (do not set title of in any other manner) Centered title (do not set title of in any other manner)

There Statements Expletives are words or phrases which add nothing to sentences. The most commonly utilized expletives in student writing are there statements (there is, there are, there have been, there was, there were, etc.)

There Statements Cont. There statements weaken prose. Ridding papers of there statements offers the fastest way to strengthen weak writing. Good news: it is fairly easy to rid writing of there statements. Offer: anytime a student is writing in/for my class and can’t think of anything to write but a there statement, he should ask for help. I will help the student eliminate it and learn to do so himself

There Statements cont. Student example: “There is no answer.” This sentence is grammatically correct, but structurally weak. How can the sentence be rewritten with more strength?

There Statements cont. “There is no answer.” Improvement: No answer exists. The improvement removes the empty word and includes an action verb.

There Statements cont. Student example: “There are many goals I have achieved through hard work and determination.” How can the sentence be strengthened?

There Statements cont. “There are many goals I have achieved through hard work and determination.” I accomplished many goals through hard work and determination.

There Statements cont. Student example: “There are many things that are different between Beowulf and Superman.” How can this sentence be strengthened?

There Statements “There are many things that are different between Beowulf and Superman.” Beowulf and Superman vary greatly. Or Beowulf and Superman possess many differences.

Agreement in Number The essays had many issues with number agreement, frequently pronoun antecedent agreement. Errors in agreement are grammatic mistakes.

Agreement in Number Agreement in number errors demonstrate a lack of consistency A singular subject requires a singular verb A singular antecedent requires a singular pronoun A singular adjective requires a singular noun or pronoun

Agreement in Number Agreement in number errors demonstrate a lack of consistency A plural subject requires a plural verb A plural antecedent requires a plural pronoun A plural adjective requires a plural noun or pronoun

Agreement in Number Student example: “I mean that no one person should believe they have the right to down or trash someone else’s religion.” What is the agreement (pron./ant.) error? How might it be corrected?

Agreement in Number Student example: “I mean that no one person should believe they have the right to down or trash someone else’s religion.” Error: plural pronoun “they” refers back to singular “person.” Correction: I mean that no one person should believe he has.... (making entire sentence plural would be appropriate as well)

Agreement in Number Student example: These people’s success is to.... What is the agreement (modifier/subj.) error? How might it be corrected?

Agreement in Number Student example: These people’s success is to.... Error: “People’s” is plural but “success” is singular. Correction: These people’s successes.... (The verb will need to be plural as well.)

Agreement in Number Student Example: “An identity in a person tells a lot about their background and their personality.” What is the agreement (pron./ant.) error? How can it be corrected?

Agreement in Number “An identity in a person tells a lot about their background and their personality.” Error: plural “their” (times 2) refers back to singular “person.” “background” and “personality” singular Correction: People’s identities tell a lot about their backgrounds and their personalities.

Number Agreement cont. Student example: Even though these two flaws are very different, they still come together as a problem for the hero in their poem or novel. How can this sentence be corrected?

Number Agreement con. Even though these two flaws are very different, they still come together as a problem for the hero in their poem or novel. These diverse flaws present problems for the heroes in their respective works.

Run-On Sentences A major issue which shows up again and again in student writing is run-on sentences. In order to correct run-on sentences, students must understand dependent and independent clauses.

Run-On Sentences Clauses Clause: a group of words with a subject and a verb Clause: a group of words with a subject and a verb Dependent (aka subordinate) clause: a clause that can’t stand alone as a sentence (contains a subject and a verb but not a complete thought) Dependent (aka subordinate) clause: a clause that can’t stand alone as a sentence (contains a subject and a verb but not a complete thought) Independent clause: a clause that can stand alone as a sentence (complete thought) Independent clause: a clause that can stand alone as a sentence (complete thought)

Run-On Sentences Another aid in eliminating run-on sentences is an understanding of sentence types.

Run-On Sentences Simple sentence: a sentence containing only one independent clause Simple sentence: a sentence containing only one independent clause Compound sentence: a sentence containing two or more independent clauses Compound sentence: a sentence containing two or more independent clauses

Run-On Sentences Complex sentence: a sentence containing one independent clause and at least one dependent clause Complex sentence: a sentence containing one independent clause and at least one dependent clause Compound/complex sentence: a sentence containing at least one dependent clause and two (or more) independent clauses Compound/complex sentence: a sentence containing at least one dependent clause and two (or more) independent clauses

Run-On Sentences: Punctuating Independent Clauses Two independent clauses may be written as two separate sentences—utilize a period and a capital letter to correct. Two independent clauses may be divided with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, so, etc.). Two independent clauses may be separated by a semicolon.

Run-On Sentences: Punctuating Independent Clauses Two independent clauses may be separated by semicolon, a conjunctive adverb (however, therefore, moreover, nonetheless, etc.), and a comma. Two independent clauses may be separated by a colon if the first introduces a second clause which modifies the first. (This usage occurs infrequently—do not force!) Two independent clauses may be separated by a colon if the first introduces a second clause which modifies the first. (This usage occurs infrequently—do not force!)

Run-On Sentences Student example: “Spiderman maintains a secret identity and he wants no one to know who resides beneath the suit.” Two independent clauses: 1. Spiderman maintains a secret identity 2. He wants no one to know who resides beneath the suit.

Run-On Sentences Possible corrections: Two sentences: Spiderman maintains a secret identity. He wants no one to know who resides beneath the suit. Comma and coordinating conjunction: Spiderman maintains a secret identity, and he wants no one to know who resides beneath the suit.

Run-On Sentences Possible corrections: Semi-colon: Spiderman maintains a secret identity; he wants no one to know who resides beneath the suit. Semi-colon/conj. adv/.comma: Spiderman maintains a secret identity; moreover, he wants no one to know who resides beneath the suit.

Run-On Sentences Possible correction: Colon: Spiderman maintains a secret identity: he wants no one to know who resides beneath the suit.

Run-On Sentences Student example: “William, however, knows he is not a good knight and strives to better himself, he is confident but not to the point of arrogance.” What is the issue? How might it be corrected?

Run-On Sentences “William, however, knows he is not a good knight and strives to better himself, he is confident but not to the point of arrogance.” Two sentences:... himself. He.... Comma and coordinating conjunction:... himself, and he.... Semi-colon:...himself; he.... Semi colon/conj. adv./comma:...himself; furthermore, he....

Run-On Sentences cont. Student example: “Beowulf was a hero from the old days and Sarah is a hero from our time.” How can the run-on sentence be corrected? This also uses past tense to discuss literature and film.

Agreement in Number and Run-On Sentences Student example: “Beowulf and Batman are alike in some ways but they differ in their motives for rising up to be a hero.” Correction and improvement: Alike in many ways, Beowulf and Batman differ in their motives for rising up as heroes.

Agreement in Number and Run-On Sentences Student example: “To rise to leadership, it is expected that the leader give back to their people, for in turn the people will defend them to the death.” Correction and improvement??

Final Thoughts Writing is hard work. Do not expect to eliminate all errors and weaknesses at once. Select a few items to begin. Today, we looked in depth at MLA format, there statements, agreement, and run-on sentences. Improvement is expected in the next set of essays.