ENG101 - Module 1 - The Writing Process

Recognize active and passive voice.

Active voice means that the subject of a very performs the action described by the verb: Tom ate the hamburger. Passive voice - an action is done TO the grammatical subject. Example Active: The cheering fans watched the game. Passive rewrite: The game was watched by hundreds of cheering fans.

Explain the elements of descriptive and definition essays.

Descriptive helps reader visualize using sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. Sense impressions - spatial order - dominant impressions. Spatial is top to bottom, left to right for example. Dominant - cheerful house - eerie woods. Definition essay - tries to capture the essence of something - an object, a feeling, or a task - in words. factual definitions are called objective definitions - defining a person, place, thing, or idea by providing facts such as physical characteristics, function or use, how it works, and its history. Subjective definition is a personal definition - one that reflects your attitude toward the subject. Subjective always reflects writers feeling on the topic.

Develop an understanding of the writing process.

Prewriting - thinking about a topic, jotting ideas. Can happen anywhere. Planning - get ideas down in rough form - can include thesis statement with main idea. Also include informal outline and research. Draft - actual writing - ignore grammar just write! Revise - let sit, then go over - can make big changes if piece not working. Proofread - final polish. Expect unexpected.

The kitten dug the dirt from the potted plant and scattered it all over the floor.

She turned over every wastebasket, too.

Write a clear, organized paragraph.

Topic sentence - presents general topic of paragraph - then makes specific point about topic. Supporting sentences - specific and give details and examples. Summary - sum up points, restate topic - always brings paragraph to a close.

Use shifts in verb tense and voice correctly

Verb tense gives the english language its sense of time, its sense of when events occur. Past perfect - furthest in the past - happened before another past action. Ex: I had walked up the stairs. Past - in the past - happened before now. Ex: I walked all the way around the center. Present perfect - in the past but extending to the present. Ex: I have walked every day for the past month. Present - happens regularly or often, or is happening now. Ex: I walk at least five miles a day. Future perfect - happens in the future but before another future event. Ex: by the time you join me on the track, I will have walked at least two miles. Future - happens at some time in the future. Ex: I will walk with you tomorrow. Make sure your shifts are staying in the past, present, etc in the sentence. Ex: Annie boarded the bus, saw her friend.

When I saw her, she

came up to me and said, "I can't believe it!"

Josie became excited about her scrapbooking project, and when she looked at the clock, an hour

had passed.

When Rick went to the parking garage to get his car, someone

had stolen his CD player.

Jason is very good with computers;

he constructed the Beta Club's webpage.

Choose the correct ending for each sentence, considering verb tense and avoiding passive voice. We were angry with the landlord because we had been complaining for two months and

he had not fixed our problem.

Choose the correct ending for each sentence, considering verb tense and avoiding passive voice. Vanessa heard snarling and barking in front of her house, so she

looked to see what had happened.

The frantic-looking mother ran to the clerk and

shouted, "My child is locked in the fitting room!"

The church is collecting food and clothing for the hurricane victims;

they especially need children's clothing.

Kareem is so good at word games that he

wins every time he plays.