Preface for Instructors A Student's Guide to Using Writing First
Self-Assessment Checklists for Writing Paragraphs and Essays
WRITING PARAGRAPHS AND ESSAYS
UNIT 1 Focus on Paragraphs
CHAPTER 1 Writing a Paragraph
A Understanding Paragraph Structure
B Focusing on Your Assignment, Purpose, and Audience
C Finding Ideas
D Identifying Your Main Idea and Writing a Topic Sentence
E Choosing and Arranging Supporting Points
F Drafting Your Paragraph
G Revising and Editing Your Paragraph
Self-Assessment Checklist: Revising Your Paragraph
Review Checklist: Writing a Paragraph
CHAPTER 2 Fine-Tuning Your Paragraph
A Writing Unified Paragraphs
B Writing Well-Developed Paragraphs
C Writing Coherent Paragraphs
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Fine-Tuning Your Paragraph
UNIT 2 Patterns of Paragraph Development
CHAPTER 3 Exemplification
A What is Exemplification?
B Writing an Exemplification Paragraph
Self-Assessment Checklist: Writing an Exemplification Paragraph
Moving from Paragraph to Essay: Exemplification
CHAPTER 4 Narration
CHAPTER 5 Description
CHAPTER 6 Process
CHAPTER 7 Cause and Effect
CHAPTER 8 Comparison and Contrast
CHAPTER 9 Classification
CHAPTER 1 Definition
CHAPTER 11 Argument
Note: Chapters 4 - 11 follow the same format as chapter 3 but details have been omitted to save space.
UNIT 3 Focus on Essays
CHAPTER 12 Writing an Essay
A Thinking about Paragraphs and Essays
B Deciding on a Topic
C Finding Ideas
D Stating Your Thesis
E Choosing Supporting Points
F Arranging Supporting Points
G Drafting Your Essay
H Revising Your Essay
Self-Assessment Checklist: Revising Your Essay
I Editing Your Essay
Self-Assessment Checklist: Editing Your Essay
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Writing an Essay
CHAPTER 13 Introductions and Conclusions
A Introductions
B Conclusions
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Introductions and Conclusions
Chapter 14 Patterns of Essay Development
A Exemplification
Self-Assessment Checklist: Writing an Exemplification Essay
B Narration
C Description
D Process
E Cause and Effect
F Comparison and Contrast
G Classification
H Definition
I Argument
Review Checklist: Patterns of Essay Development
Note: Sections B - I follow the same format as section A but details have been omitted to save space.
REVISING AND EDITING YOUR WRITING
UNIT 4 Writing Effective Sentences
Chapter 15 Writing Simple Sentences
A Subjects
B Prepositional Phrases
C Verbs
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Writing Simple Sentences
Chapter 16 Writing Compound Sentences
A Using Coordinating Conjunctions
B Using Semicolons
C Using Transitional Words and Phrases
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Writing Compound Sentences
Chapter 17 Writing Complex Sentences
A Identifying Complex Sentences
B Using Subordinating Conjunctions
C Using Relative Pronouns
D Punctuating with Relative Pronouns
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Writing Complex Sentences
Chapter 18 Achieving Sentence Variety
A Varying Sentence Types
B Varying Sentence Openings
C Combining Sentences
D Mixing Long and Short Sentences
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Achieving Sentence Variety
Chapter 19 Using Parallelism
A Recognizing Parallel Structure
B Using Parallel Structure
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Using Parallelism
Chapter 2 Using Words Effectively
A Using Specific Words
B Using Concise Language
C Avoiding Slang
D Avoiding Clichés
D Using Similes and Metaphors
E Avoiding Sexist Language
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Using Words Effectively
Unit Review
UNIT 5 Solving Common Sentence Problems
Chapter 21 Run-Ons
A Recognizing Run-Ons
B Correcting Run-Ons
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Run-Ons and Comma Splices
Chapter 22 Sentence Fragments
A Recognizing Sentence Fragments
B Missing-Subject Fragments
C Phrase Fragments
D -ing Fragments
E Dependent Clause Fragments
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Sentence Fragments
Chapter 23 Subject-Verb Agreement
A Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement
B Compound Subjects
C Be, Have, and Do
C Words Between the Subject and the Verb
D Avoiding Agreement Problems with Indefinite Pronouns as Subjects
E Collective Noun Subjects
F Indefinite Pronoun Subjects
G Verbs Before Subjects
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Subject-Verb Agreement
Chapter 24 Illogical Shifts
A Shifts in Tense
B Shifts in Person
C Shifts in Voice
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Illogical Shifts
Chapter 25 Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
A Correcting Misplaced Modifiers
B Correcting Dangling Modifiers
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
Unit Review
UNIT 6 Understanding Basic Grammar
Chapter 26 Verbs: Past Tense
A Regular Verbs
B Irregular Verbs
C Problem Verbs: Be
D Problem Verbs: Can/Could and Will/Would
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Verbs: Past Tense
Chapter 27 Verbs: Past Participles
A Regular Past Participles
B Irregular Past Participles
C The Present Perfect Tense
D The Past Perfect Tense
E Past Participles as Adjectives
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Verbs: Past Participles
Chapter 28 Nouns and Pronouns
A Identifying Nouns
B Forming Plural Nouns
C Identifying Pronouns
D Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
E Special Problems with Agreement
F Vague and Unneccessary Pronouns
G Pronoun Case
H Special Problems with Case
I Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Noun and Pronouns
Chapter 29 Adjectives and Adverbs
A Identifying Adjectives and Adverbs
B Comparatives and Superlatives
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Adjectives and Adverbs
Chapter 3 Grammar and Usage for ESL Writers
A Subjects in Sentences
B Plural Nouns
C Count and Noncount Nouns
D Determiners with Count and Noncount Nouns
E Articles
F Negative Statements and Questions
G Verb Tense
H Stative Verbs
I Modal Auxiliaries
J Gerunds
K Placing Modifiers in Order
L Choosing Prepositions
M Prepositions in Familiar Expressions
N Prepositions in Phrasal Verbs
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Grammar and Usage for ESL Writers
Unit Review
UNIT 7 Understanding Punctuation, Mechanics, and Spelling
Chapter 31 Using Commas
A Commas in a Series
B Commas with Introductory Phrases and Transitional Words and Phrases
C Commas with Appositives
D Commas with Nonrestrictive Clauses
E Commas in Dates and Addresses
F Unnecessary Commas
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Using Commas
Chapter 32 Using Apostrophes
A Apostrophes in Contractions
B Apostrophes in Possessives
C Incorrect Use of Apostrophes
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Using Apostrophes
Chapter 33 Understanding Mechanics
A Capitalizing Proper Nouns
B Punctuating Direct Quotations
C Setting Off Titles
D Using Minor Punctuation Marks
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Understanding Mechanics
Chapter 34 Understanding Spelling
A Becoming a Better Speller
B ie and ei
C Prefixes
D Suffixes
E Commonly Confused Words
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Understanding Spelling
Unit Review
BECOMING A CRITICAL READER
Unit Eight Reading Essays
Chapter 35 Reading for College
A Previewing
B Highlighting
C Annotating
D Outlining
E Summarizing
F Writing a Response Paragraph
G Reading In the Classroom, In the Community, and In the Workplace
Chapter 36 Readings for Writers
A Exemplification
Judith Ortiz Cofer, "Don't Call Me a Hot Tamale"
Ellen Goodman, "The Suspected Shopper"
B Narration
Lynda Barry, "The Sanctuary of School"
Martin Gansberg, "Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn't Call the Police"
C Description
Amy Tan, "Fish Cheeks"
Esmeralda Santiago, "Guavas"
D Process
Russell Baker, "Slice of Life"
Malcolm X, "My First Conk"
E Cause and Effect
John Schwartz, "The Poncho Bearer"
Lawrence Otis Graham, "The 'Black Table' Is Still There"
F Comparison and Contrast
Indira Ganesan, "Resisting My Family History"
John Gray, "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus"
G Classification
Jo-Ellan Dimitrius and Mark Mazzarella, "Liars"
Scott Russell Sanders, "The Men We Carry In Our Minds"
H Definition
Gayle Rosenwald Smith, "The Wife-Beater"
Judy Brady, "Why I Want a Wife"
I Argument
Edwidge Danticat, "Impounded Fathers"
Ji-Yeon Yuh, "Let's Tell the Story of All America's Cultures"
Dave Eggers, "Serve or Fail"
APPENDIX A Strategies for College Success
APPENDIX B Using Research in Your Writing
APPENDIX C Taking Standardized Assessment Tests
APPENDIX D Job-Hunting Strategies
Answers to Odd-Numbered Exercise Items
Index
Correction Symbols (last book page)
Parts of Speech (inside back cover)