1. Expository Writing DO’S AND DON’TS

2. EXPOSITORY ESSAY DON’TS  Avoid the same old, tired People @HEB examples:  Martin Luther King  Steve Jobs  Michael Jordan  Harry Potter  Hunger Games  Don’t use a quote as a lead. No technology, so it looks fake.  Don’t make up statistics. Again, no technology, so it looks fake.  Don’t use “A wise man once said…”. What wise man?

3. EXPOSITORY ESSAY DO’S  Use topics you know a lot about for People @ HEB examples:  Pro coaches and players  Primo ballerinas  Current book you are reading  Favorite movie  Song lyrics you know by heart  Personal experiences  Vary your word choice! Those who get an “8” do this!  Use compound and complex sentences. You know how, so go back and edit your essay to make them happen if it didn’t happen naturally.

4. 1.By not telling the reader right away the identity of Sarah's mother, the author _______ anticipation and intensity until it is revealed in the climax. A.shows B.displays C.builds D.gives 2.The lion escaped from the zoo, and the little girl _____. A.talked B.hollered C.wailed D.shrieked 3.While Julie's nature was not ____, she decided to defy her own parents for their own good. A.obedient B.helpful C.insubordinate D.vain 4.When Rita's homework load _________, she was forced to choose between school and friends. A.decreased B.multiplied C.intensified D.changed 5.The _____ gray of the metal door was extremely uninviting. A.steel B.hard C.colorful 6.While Susan waited in line at the amusement park, she thought with _________ about the _______ rollercoaster ride to come. A.jubilation, unpromising B.apprehension, horrendous C.encouragement, ordinary

5. With a partner, find a better way to show the reader what you are trying to say by replacing non-specific words. 1.The good fans cheered the winning team. 2.The produce market is selling nice tomatoes today. 3.The good salesperson won a good prize for having a good sales record. 4.The bad driver made a bad decision when he went the wrong way. 5.In the last few seconds, the good basketball player made a good shot. 6.Ms. Pleasant would like a good job in a good office. Now try it on your own. 1.Jay looked cool because he was wearing his neat jacket. 2.It was a nice semester for Tom because he earned nice grades – all Bs and Cs. 3.Voyager II made a nice discovery about Neptune’s rings. 4.Roy took Janet out for a nice dinner for their anniversary. 5.The choir sang a good song during their concert. 6.The two friends had a bad argument and didn’t talk to each other for weeks. 7.The babysitter got a bad headache from taking care of the bad children.

6. It was snowing and the world was quiet and white. The trees were covered in ice that looked pretty in the sunshine. I walked down the path to our neighbor ’ s house and felt cold air on my face. When she opened the door, I smelled warm things cooking. It felt cozy inside. I went in and sat down on the couch next to the dog. He smelled funny. I looked out the window and thought “ this is nice ”. I forgot all about the stuff I was worried about and enjoyed being stuck at my neighbor ’ s in the snow. With a partner, create a ridiculously overwritten version of this paragraph – one that has the kind of overblown, erudite vocabulary that you often think teachers want to hear. (That is, substituting “ten-dollar words” for as many simple words as you can.) We will share your new versions to see whose is the most outlandish. Now, take the same paragraph, but this time try to write a better version of it, with interesting word choices that enhance the writing but don’t overwhelm it. We will share to see whose is the most precise and clear.