FIVE TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR WRITINGStrengthening Your Academic Writing Skills

1. Write Out ContractionsContraction Written Out

don’t do not

can’t cannot

won’t will not

isn’t is not

shouldn’t should not

couldn’t could not

wouldn’t would not

haven’t have not

hasn’t has not

hadn’t had not

2. Avoid There Is & There Are

No Yes

There are many opportunities for students to excel in school.

Students excel in school by taking advantage of various opportunities.

There are three characters in this story who are very important.

Three characters in this story are very important.

There comes at the end of this story a very surprising ending.

A surprising ending comes at the end of this story.

There is something about this poem that almost defies analysis.

Something about this poem almost defies analysis.

The word there in the first sentence is referred to as a “dummy subject.” That means that it is not the true subject of the sentence. Find the word or words in the sentence that are the true subject and then begin the sentence with those words.

Can you change the following sentences by correctly eliminating the there phrase?

1. There are some short stories that have truly become classics.

2. There is one symbol in this poem that is the most important one to analyze.

3. There have been many attempts by readers to find too much symbolism in Poe’s “The Raven.”

3. Avoid Really, Very, A Lot & So

No, really. Take a look where this word might show up and clunk up a sentence:

It’s really important that you sign up for this. This is a really valuable product. You have to check this out – it’s really interesting.

I’m specifically talking about instances where really is an intensifier. In grammar, an intensifier is like a modifier, only better, and its job is… well, to intensify the emotional context of words like “important” or “valuable” or “interesting.”

But an intensifier actually adds no particular contribution or value. Take it out, and the whole sentence still works just fine, thank you very much.

The problem with really is that it’s supposed to enhance the word it’s modifying and amplify its meaning. But really has become so common that it doesn’t actually make us think more of the item in question. It makes us think less of it.

Watch what happens here: Sign up. It’s important. This is valuable. Interesting.

Your Turn – Avoid Weak Words

1. A lot of stuff happened.2. She was really big.3. The cookies were so good.

4. Use Active Voice What Is Active Voice? I'll start with active voice because it's simpler. In an active

sentence, the subject is doing the action. A straightforward example is the sentence "Steve loves Amy." Steve is the subject, and he is doing the action: he loves Amy, the object of the sentence.

Another example is the title of the Marvin Gaye song “I Heard It through the Grapevine.” "I" is the subject, the one who is doing the action. "I" is hearing "it," the object of the sentence.

What Is Passive Voice? In passive voice, the target of the action gets promoted to the

subject position. Instead of saying, "Steve loves Amy," I would say, "Amy is loved by Steve." The subject of the sentence becomes Amy, but she isn't doing anything. Rather, she is just the recipient of Steve's love. The focus of the sentence has changed from Steve to Amy.

If you wanted to make the title of the Marvin Gaye song passive, you would say “It was heard by me through the grapevine,” not such a catchy title anymore.

Passive Voice vs. Active Voice Examples

Passive Voice Active Voice

There is a considerable range of expertise demonstrated by the spam senders.

The spam senders demonstrate a considerable range of expertise.

It was determined by the committee that the report was inconclusive.

The committee determined that the report was inconclusive.

We were invited by our neighbors to attend their party.

Our neighbors invited us to attend their party.

1. Groups help participants realize that most of their problems and secrets are shared by others in the group.2. The proposed initiative will be bitterly opposed by abortion rights groups.

Suggested Revisions:1. Through working together, participants realize that others in the group share most of their problems and secrets.2. Abortion rights groups will bitterly oppose the proposed initiative.

5. Use Strong Verbs Reducing “to BE” Verbs in Writing Writers require the verb “BE” (i.e. am, is, are, was, were, be,

being, been) regularly.

We use “BE” to help main verbs communicate a sense of time (e.g., was typing,

will be typing, is typing). link one idea to another similar to an equal sign (The water

bottle is black.) indicate passive voice when the subject receives the action

(e.g., was purchased, will be finished, was hit, and will be spent).

However, we often tend to rely too heavily upon the “BE” verb in our writing rather than choosing a stronger main verb or re-writing the sentence in active voice. This can lead to vague, and even boring, papers. Replacing the “BE” verbs helps:

increase the coherency of claims. identify redundant sentences/information. broaden vocabulary in writing and speaking.

Eliminating Helping Verbs Follow the simple process below to help identify the “to BE” verb and find

a stronger way to replace it. Step 1: Circle every “BE” verb in your paper. Step 2: Use the questions below to identify the function of the

“BE” verb. A. Is “BE” used along with an –ing verb (e.g., is finishing)? Helping verb.

Most likely unavoidable because it’s communicating a sense of time. B. Is “BE” used along with an –ed verb or another irregular verb in the

past participle tense (e.g., was finished or was hit)? Helping verb. Passive voice. Try to change to active voice. See step 4.

C. Is “BE” linking a subject to a description (e.g., Yesterday was fun.)? Linking verb. Try to replace “BE” with a stronger verb. See step 3.

Step 3: Replacing “BE” with a stronger linking verb. It’s not always possible to replace “BE”; when possible, try a stronger

linking verb from the list below.

seem appear become grow remain stay prove feel look smell sound taste Ex: The sunset was magnificent. The sunset looked magnificent.

Problem-Solving Strategies to Eliminate the “To-Be” Verb

1. Substitute-Sometimes a good replacement just pops into your brain. For example, instead of “That cherry pie sure is good,” substitute the “to-be” verb is with tastes as in “That cherry pie tastes amazingly delicious.”

2. Rearrange-Start the sentence differently to see if this helps eliminate a “to-be” verb. For example, instead of “The monster was in the dark tunnel creeping,” rearrange as “Creeping down the dark tunnel, the monster searched for his next unsuspecting victim.”

3. Change another word in the sentence into a verb-For example, instead of “Charles Schulz was the creator of the Peanuts cartoon strip,” change the common noun creator to the verb created as in “Charles Schulz created the Peanuts cartoon strip.” “The monster crept down the dark tunnel, lurking in the shadows.”

4. Combine sentences-Look at the sentences before and after the one with the “to-be” verb to see if one of them can combine with the “to-be” verb sentence and so eliminate the “to-be” verb. For example, instead of “The child was sad. The sensitive young person was feeling that way because of the news story about the death of the homeless man,” combine as “The news story about the death of the homeless man saddened the sensitive child.”

Wimpy Verbs vs. Strong, Vivid Verbs

Wimpy Verbs Strong, Vivid Verbs

made an objection objected

was limping limped

conducted an investigation investigated

were studying studied

Your Turn:

1. were walking2. were talking3. had climbed

FCAT Rubric Check 4’sFOCUS ORGANIZATON SUPPORT CONVENTIONS

*On topic? *Focused? *Clear declaration/claim?*Relevant reasons/support?*Purposeful? *Reflects insight?*No unrelated information?*Restates topic or key words in each paragraph?*Connection between paragraphs?

*Mature transitions?—*Thesis Reminders? *Beginning of ¶? *Within¶? *End of ¶?*Topic sentences?*Concluding sentences? *Logical progression of ideas?*Sense of completeness/wholeness?*Reasons not merely “listed”?-FULL-CIRCLE ENDING*TITLE

SUPPORT: TS, CD, CM, CM, CD, CM, CM, CS*Substantial? *Ample?*Adequate? *Evenly developed?*Declaration/Claim – explain why it is controversial?*Relevant, strong, clear, accurate reasons/premises/support? * Discuss reasons against claim & explain why it is valid?*Mature Command of Language?*Active, vivid verbs?*Diction/Word choice varied, strong, and vivid – yet natural?*Academic Lang –ex: no contractions?* CWS ~ -Face Tricks?? *Figurative Language? *Specific Details for Effect? *Repetition for Effect? Tricolon? *Humor? *Hyphenated Modifiers? *Full-Circle Ending?/New Insight*Examples/Anecdotes/Scenarios?

*Varied syntax?*Sentence Composing Tools?*Polysyndeton?Asyndeton?*Complete sentences?*All sentences make complete sense?*No awkward sentences?*Fragments used purposefully?*Few if any errors? *Spelling *Usage *Mechanics *Punctuation

Revise Your Writing Thesis statement – circle topic, zigzag controlling

claim, box 3 supporting claims Circle & Eliminate:

◦ Contractions – write them out◦ There Is & There Are◦ “Helping Verbs” – use strong, vivid verbs◦ Really, Very, A Lot & So

Strong Verbs (Diction) – strengthen 5+ words Underline transitional words/phrases within

paragraphs – 2+ in each paragraph Vary Syntax ~ +Phrases – add 3+ participial phrases

to add extra detail Annotate Creative Writing Strategies Attention-getter & zinger – can they be

strengthened – can bridges be strengthened Underline key words from the prompt – in thesis &

topic sentences Catchy Title