1. Organizing Information: Getting rid of extraneous details (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016

2. Extraneous details An extraneous detail is extra information that is neither necessary nor helpful. When prewriting, get rid of extraneous details before you begin your draft. (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016

3. How do I find extraneous details? Ask yourself: 1. Does this detail serve my purpose? 2. Is this detail interesting to my audience? 3. Does this detail fit with the other details? (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016

4. Four corners Sentence 1Sentence 2 Sentence 3Sentence 4 We are about to play four corners! We will read a paragraph together, and you will decide which sentence is extraneous. When I say “Go”, you have ten seconds to go to the corner of the room that represents that sentence. (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016

5. Which detail is extraneous? (1) Electric eels are native to South American waters. (2) Electrical shock is one possible danger in using power tools. (3) Make sure your hands are not wet. (4) Working with wet hands and power tools can cause serious injury. (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016

6. Which detail is extraneous? (1) Your attitude about your job may affect your chances of becoming sick. (2) A cold and a viral infection are common illnesses. (3) A university study indicated that employees with good attitudes were sick less often. (4) On the other hand, those that were unhappy used their sick days more frequently. (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016

7. Which detail is extraneous? Dear Mr. Payne, (1) We should have a dress down day at school. (2) Dress down days can be a great fundraiser for schools. (3) By charging a few dollars to wear jeans, you can earn money to support the school. (4) I also like dress down days because I get to be fashionable. Sincerely, A student (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016

8. Which detail is extraneous? (1) Come on down to the Be Fabulous Hair Salon to get your new hairstyle! (2) Our stylists are the best in the city, and they have been trained in the best cosmetology schools of New York City to do your ‘do. (3) The new beta keratine treatment is difficult and pricey to do, but better than a perm. (4) Our prices are low, but our standards are high—you’re guaranteed to be pleased with your new style! (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016

9. Fill out detail cards for your current writing project! Collect details that support your purpose. Collect details that will interest your audience. Use information you gathered from: – Your personal experience – Interviews with experts – Books, journals, websites, and other print or electronic sources (C) FreeWritingWorksheets.com 2016