Welcome to

English Composition

Today’s ClassReading reviewEditing practiceSample essay outline discussionEssay outline group workshopReading previewHomework

Reading ReviewChapter 5: An Approach to Style

1. Put yourself in the background.Your voice should not draw attention away from the content. 1. Write in a way that comes naturally.

Do not be afraid to imitate, but don’t try to imitate.

2. Work from suitable designs.Choose a suitable structure to accomplish your goal.

3. Write with nouns and verbs.Use adjectives and adverbs only if you can’t find nouns and verbs that contain the proper meaning.

Reading ReviewChapter 5: An Approach to Style

5. Revise and rewrite.Edit, edit, edit!

6. Do not overwrite.

7. Do not overstate.You will lose your reader’s trust.

8. Avoid the use of qualifierskind of, sort of, etc.

The Importance of Editing

"Books aren't written- they're rewritten.” -Michael Crichton

"Writing is Rewriting.” -Richard North Patterson

""The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time... You can always do it better."  -Robert Cormier

Lets Try an Editing ExercisePlease find:

1. Add 4 possessive apostrophes (‘)

2. Add 2 sets of parenthetic commas

3. Delete 1 redundant phrase

4. Move 4 words or names in front of the related nouns

5. Delete 2 unnecessary sentences

6. Correct 3 other simple grammar errors

Class WorkshopNow look at some sample essay outlines

Things to look for:• Is the structure appropriate?• Is it organized logically?• Does it include all necessary information?• Do you have any ideas how to improve the

essay?

Group WorkshopNow lets workshop each other's essay

outlines

Things to look for:• Is the structure appropriate?• Is it organized logically?• Does it include all necessary information?• Do you have any ideas how to improve the

essay?

Reading PreviewChapter 5: An Approach to Style

9. Do not affect a breezy manner.

10.Use orthodox spelling.

11.Do not explain too much.

12.Do not construct awkward adverbs.

13.Make sure the reader knows who is speaking.

Reading PreviewChapter 5: An Approach to Style

14.Avoid fancy words.

15.Do not use dialect unless your ear is good.

16.Be clear.

17.Do not inject opinion.

18.Use figures of speech sparingly.

Reading PreviewChapter 5: An Approach to Style

19.Do not take shortcuts at the cost of clarity.

20.Avoid foreign languages.

21.Prefer the standard to the offbeat.

HomeworkReading for Wednesday, December 9th.

The Elements of Style Chapter 5: An Approach to Style Parts 9 – 21

Homework E-WorkshopStep 1: Format your essay properly (see notes about essay formatting)Step 2: Email your essay to all members of your group.Step 3: Edit the group members’ essays using the Microsoft Word editing function.Step 4: Email the essays back to the group members who wrote them, and the teacher, before 12 noon on Monday, November 30th

Assignment FormattingFiletype (please do not paste into the email):

.doc or .docx format

Font: Times New Roman 12 ptFile name

should look like: yourname_essay_title.doc

First three lines of the essay should be:TitleNameWord Count