ENGL 115

1. ENGL 115 Essay Writing Final Exam Revision

2. Final Exam Topics • Your final exam will include the following: • Units 3, 4 and 5 • Sentence Types • Identifying dependent and independent clauses • Correcting run-on and stringy sentences • Transitions • Providing examples • 1 composition/essay

3. Things to Remember • No matter what writing task you have been given, you must remember to do the following: • Begin each sentence with a capital letter. • End each sentence with the appropriate punctuation. • The pronoun “I” must always be capitalized. • At the very least, your sentence must contain a subject and a verb, otherwise it is incomplete. • For paragraphs, your ideas must be connected and sequenced in a logical order.

4. Things to Remember • Subject-verb agreement. In other words, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. Third person singular may have–s, -es, -iesin the present tense. • Be consistent with verb tenses. If you are writing about an event that took place in the past, your writing should reflect that. • Avoid adding irrelevant information. If it doesn’t provide background info or explain the topic, delete it.

5. Sentence Types

6. The Simple Sentence • Subject + Verb = A simple sentence • It’s one complete thought or idea, also referred to as an independent clause. • I swim. • Randa reads a lot. • Hanan and Hanin are twins. S + V A simple sentence can have more than one subject and verb. The point is that only one idea is expressed.

7. The Compound Sentence • A compound sentence contains 2 independent clauses. In other words, it expresses 2 complete thoughts or ideas. • The 2 independent clauses are joined together with a coordinating conjunction. • ID = Independent Clause • D = Dependent Clause • CC = Coordinating Conjunction

8. Coordinating Conjunctions

9. For example, Leena loves to swim. ,but Anmar loves basketball.

10. Other examples… • I walked to work today, andI was late. • Sahar was tired when she got home, so she decided to take a nap. • Nouf wants to go shopping, but Razan wants to go to the beach. • Marwan doesn’t have a job, yet he wants to get married. ID ID

11. The Complex Sentence • A complex sentence is called complex because it contains both an independent clause and a dependent clause. • A dependent clause will begin with a subordinating conjunction such as, • because although • when whereas • though if

12. Things to Note • If your sentence begins with a dependent clause, it is followed by a comma and then the independent clause. • If the sentence begins with an independent clause, there is no need for a comma.

13. Examples • When I was 23 years old,I converted to Islam. • I left Yanbubecause of the weather. IC DC NOTE: There’s no comma in this example. IC DC

14. Run-On Sentences

15. Run-On Sentences • A run-on sentence consists of two or more main clauses that are run together without proper punctuation. • For a reader, it may be difficult to decide where sentence ends and the other begins.

16. Examples • Incorrect: The boy showed us his tickets someone gave them to him. • Correct: The boy showed us his tickets. Someone gave them to him. • Incorrect: Judy leads a healthy life she never seems to get sick. • Correct: Judy leads a healthy life. She never seems to get sick.

17. Correcting Run-Ons • Run-on sentences can be repaired in multiple ways… • 1) Turn the run-on sentence into two separate sentences by adding a period and starting a new one. • 2) We can add a comma plus a coordinating conjunction. • We can use a semicolon.

18. Correct the Run-Ons • Amina broke her leg skiing, now she has to wear a cast. • Today is December 25, your calendar is on the wrong page. • Abeer got a cat for her birthday it’s really cute. • I went shopping last week, the stores were crowded. • I can’t wait for the vacation I’m going to Spain.

20. Stringy Sentences • Writing that has too many strings of independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions can be tiresome and frustrating for the reader. • These long rambling sentences leave the reader out of breath and wondering which information is important. • Sentences that never seem to end are also seen as informal because they copy spoken language.

21. Fix this paragraph. • I went home, but my roommate wasn't there, so I started to cook dinner, but my roommate came in and saw me trying to cook his favorite recipe, but I didn't really know how to make it well, and he got really angry, so I stopped cooking, and he made dinner for us, and then everything was all right.

22. Improving Essays

23. Topic Sentences • A topic sentence tells what the paragraph is about. • Remember: A topic sentence contains 2 parts and it expresses a complete thought or idea. • Topic + Comment = Topic Sentence

24. Topic Sentences • The comment explains what the writer will say about the topic. It must be something that can be supported, developed or demonstrated. • The comment can’t be a general statement or the sentence will be unclear.

25. Topic Sentences: The Comment • The comment should contain an idea or opinion about the topic. • The paragraph is then developed by one of the following: • Describing • Telling the cause/effect • Demonstrating/arguing • Narrating • Giving examples/reasons

26. Topic Sentences • Which sentence is the most effective topic sentence? • A surprise party is a kind of party. • There were 14 guests at my surprise party. • My classmates gave me an unforgettable surprise birthday party for my 20th birthday.

27. Find the Topic & Comment • Hiking is the best way to explore nature closely. • My uncle had a frightening experience as a child. • Text messaging has become popular among teenagers. • Every college student should take a computer course.

28. Conclusions • Writing a conclusion helps bring your writing to a close. • In a paragraph, it is usually one sentence. In longer compositions/essays it should be longer. Three sentences is the shortest acceptable conclusion for an essay.

29. Conclusions • The conclusion can do one of the following: • Restate the main idea (the topic sentence) in different words or in a different way. • Warn the reader • Make a prediction • Give an opinion • Summarize the main points of the essay

30. Using Transitions • We often use transitions to make the text easier to read. • They allow us to move from point to point in a smoother manner. • And they show relationships between ideas. In other words, they connect one idea to another.

31. Using Transitions • We use different transitions for different types of writing to show things such as: • Steps, stages, time order • Examples • Reasons • Contrast/Differences • Results

32. Giving Examples • To show examples, we can begin with… • For example, • For instance, • To show more examples, we can begin with… • Another example • One other example • Another instance • One other instance These transitions are typically followed by a verb or by a complete thought without a comma.

33. Steps, Stages, Time Order • To show steps such as explaining how to do something, we can use… • First, • Second, Next, Then, • Third, etc. • First, mix the ingredients. • Then, pour the mixture into a big pot.

34. Steps, Stages, Time Order • When writing narratives, we often use time order. The transitions used for this type of essay are many. • Now, • Then, • Before • Soon, • After that, etc.

35. To Add Information • When we want to add information, we use transitions such as: • Also, • In addition, • Likewise, • Furthermore, • Moreover, etc.,

36. Giving Reasons • Similar to giving examples, we can say: • One reason is…. • The first reason is…. • Another reason…

37. Results & Conclusions • Usually when we want to conclude our writing, we use transitions to signal the end of the composition or essay. • To summarize, • Finally, • As a result, • In conclusion, • To sum up,

38. Other Transitions • We can also use other transitions to signal matters such as comparison, contrast, cause and effect and emphasis. • For emphasis… • Indeed, in fact, truly, again, surely, etc. • For cause and effect… • So, since, because, consequently, therefore, etc.

39. Other Transitions • For comparison… • In the same way, similarly, likewise, by comparison • For contrast… • But, still, however, on the other hand, even though, although, in contrast, etc.