conventions

1. conventions The 6th writing trait

2. Conventions • Spelling • Grammar and Usage • Punctuation • Capitalization • Paragraphing Conventions are the mechanical correctness of a piece of writing.

3. Editing • Conventions are the rules of the language that make your text correct and easy for others to read. • When you follow the rules, readers don’t need to waste energy mentally editing; they can pay attention to your clever ideas, creative organization, unique voice, vibrant word choice, and lyrical fluency.

4. Notes on conventions • Conventions are different than the first 5 traits because, to improve those traits, you have been learning to revise – how to rethink and re-see your work. • Editing is fixing – making sure the text is as error-free as possible. The purpose is to make your paper readable to someone else. • Sometimes mistakes in conventions get in the way and keep the reader from understanding your message.

5. Developing a Proof-Reader’s Eye: • Check everything • Then check it again • It’s often hard to spot your own mistakes. • Try reading it aloud; it makes you slow down. • Have someone else look at your work. • To be a good editor, you must practice. • Teach yourself to read slowly, and with care. • Be honest – dare to see what is!

6. One of the hardest tasks of the writer is to read what is on the page, not what the writer hoped would be on the page. • Donald Murray

7. the important of convections • it is so important to us good convection in you’re righting sew that your reader can understand what you are tring to say using punctuation is very important if you dont use propper punctuation the reeder can bee very confuse you do not want to confuse the reader when grammar was used incorrectly it can cause unecesaryprobs for your reader make sure to proofreed every thing you due at least once or two too make it the best possible composition it can when yur reader can just focus on the content and not on the litlemisteaks they will enjoy your work so much more

8. How important is spelling? • I cdnuoltblveieetaht I cluodaulacltyuesdnatnrdwaht I was rdanieg. The phaonmnealpweor of the hmuanmnid! • Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at CmabrigdeUinervtisy, it deosn'tmttaerinwahtoredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olnyiprmoatnttihng is taht the frist and lsatltteer be in the rghitpclae. The rset can be a taotlmses and you can sitllraed it wouthit a porbelm. • Tihs is bcuseae the huamnmniddeos not raederveylteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh, and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt.

9. Some comments: • I wulodkontlkie to raedwaht you wotre in a nveol a tushonadpgeaslnog. • And, of course, your brain wouldn't know what to look for in mixed up text if you hadn't learnt the patterns of correctly spelled words in the first place.

10. Homonyms: Spell Checker Eye halve a spelling chequer It came with my pea sea It plainly marques for my revue Miss steaks eye kin knot sea. Eye strike a key and type a word And weight four it two say Weather eye am wrong oar write It shows me strait a weigh.

11. As swoon as a mist ache is maid It nose bee fore two long And eye can put the error rite Its rare lea ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw it I am shore your pleased two no Its letter perfect awl the weigh My chequer tolled me sew.

12. Punctuation Matters! • Comma joke: A panda walks into a restaurant and orders his food. When he is done, he pulls out a shotgun and blows off the waiter’s head and leaves. Another waiter is confused and tells his boss. The boss chuckles and shows him a dictionary. The dictionary reads: • “the panda, a large furry bear; eats, shoots, and leaves.”

13. Punctuation Matters! Dear John, I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, and thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we’re apart. I can be forever happy – will you let me be yours? Gloria

14. Punctuation Matters! Dear John, I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we’re apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? Yours, Gloria

16. Insert commas into the following sentences where you think appropriate: • Slow children crossing. • Look at that huge hot dog. • Go get him doctors! • After we left Grandma Dad and I went to the cinema. • James walked on his head a little higher than usual. • What is this thing called honey? • The student said the teacher is crazy. • A woman without her man is nothing.

17. See the variations in meaning? • Slow children crossing. OR Slow, children crossing.

18. See the variations in meaning? • Look at that huge hot dog. OR Look at that huge, hot dog.

19. See the variations in meaning? Go get him, doctor! OR Go, get him doctors!

20. See the variations in meaning? After we left Grandma, Dad and I went to the cinema. OR After we left, Grandma, Dad and I went to the cinema.

21. See the variations in meaning? • James walked on, his head a little higher than usual. OR James walked on his head, a little higher than usual.

22. See the variations in meaning? • What is this thing called honey? OR What is this thing called, honey?

23. See the variations in meaning? • The student said the teacher is crazy. OR “The student”, said the teacher, “is crazy”.

24. See the variations in meaning? • A woman, without her man, is nothing. OR A woman: without her, man is nothing.

25. Find the errors in convention These are real!