Noun- person, place, or thing Pronoun- replaces a noun without being specific Verb- action word Adjective- describes a noun Adverb- describes a verb Prepositions- conveys relationship of it’s object to the rest of the sentence

 Subject/Verb Agreement ◦ Ex. Joe were a tall man. OR Joe was a tall man.  Verb Tense Agreement ◦ Ex. We worked yesterday and drink coffee. OR We worked yesterday and drank coffee.

 Clause- a group of related words that contain a subject and a verb  Conjunctions- joining words that link parts of sentences  Comma- punctuation mark that separates and encloses phrases and clauses

 With conjunctions (and, but, so,or, for, yet) to separate main clauses Ex. Kristen works at the animal shelter, and she volunteers at the hospital. Ex. I haven't done my homework, but I know I should.

 To introduce sentences Ex. After going to the gym, Tom was very tired Ex. When I was young, I liked to play outside.

 With adjectives Ex. The calm, quiet beach was perfect for watching the sunset. Ex. The baker made a two-tiered, chocolate, sprinkle-covered birthday cake for the party.

 With a list of related objects Ex. The dog chased the ball through the yard, under the porch, and around the house. Ex. The store was having a sale on shirts, socks, and shoes.

 A topic sentence should include a topic and a controlling idea.  Clear topic sentences let the reader know what to expect, therefore understanding your ideas better. ◦ Ex. There are several advantages to enforcing a dress code in schools. ◦ Ex. Students can avoid bad grades by studying for tests.

 Topic- What are you writing about?  Controlling idea- What do you want to say about the topic?

 Word choice ◦ Slang- continual and ever-changing use of words in conversation  Ex. My paper was a hit with the teacher.  My paper was a success with the teacher. ◦ Colloquial Language- words and phrases common to spoken, informal language  Ex. I don’t get why I have to do that assignment.  I do not understand why I have to do that assignment. ◦ Regional Language- language specific to a certain geographic area  Ex. We’re fixin’ to go to the store.  We are getting ready to go to the store.

 Exact Language ◦ Connotation and Denotation ◦ Synonyms- use carefully to avoid connotation mistakes (Use the thesaurus, but be aware of meaning.) ◦ Figurative Language ◦ Clichés-  Ex. As plain as the nose on your face.  It is very obvious.

 Concise Language ◦ Make every word count.  She called and said she was going to be late to meet us.  She called. She is going to be late. ◦ Use pronouns to reduce repetition.  Jeff went to the school to meet Jeff’s teacher.  Jeff went to the school to meet his teacher.

 Do not write the same way you speak.  Ask these questions: ◦ Did you reread your writing out loud? ◦ How does it sound? ◦ Is it formal or conversational?

 A minimum of well developed sentences  Parts of a Paragraph: ◦ Topic sentence- What are you going to write about? ◦ Body-Write about it. ◦ Conclusion- What did you just write about?

 In formal writing, there are some things to avoid. ◦ Contractions ◦ Ambiguous antecedents-  We went to the store.  Jane and I went to the store.  Who is “we”? ◦ First and second person pronouns  I, we, us, me, my, our, etc.  You, your ◦ Run-on sentences-  Do not be afraid of punctuation.

 Read your paper after you write it.  Use the proofreading symbols worksheet to correct assignments.