High School Writing Readiness

4 Points For Improvement

Day 1: Parallel Structure

Many students remark that their favorite

things to do in Ocean City are visit the boardwalk, Dumser’s Iced Cream, and they like to go to all-u-can-eat crabhouses.

What Is Wrong?

Many students remark that their favorite things to

do in Ocean City are: visit the boardwalk, Dumser’s Iced Cream, and they like to go to all-u-can-eat crabhouses.

False Parallel Structure

Many students remark that their favorite things to

do in Ocean City are: visit the boardwalk, (transitive action verb and object) Dumser’s Iced Cream, (proper noun) and they like to go to all-u-can-eat crabhouses.

(independent clause)

False Parallel Structure

A. Items in a series can include nouns,

complements, phrases, or clausesB. Parallel structure demands that all items in a

series take the same formC. Similarly, when two items are compared, they

must be in the same formD. If they don’t, it is called “false parallel

structure”

I. Parallel Structure

Many students remark that their favorite things to do

in Ocean City are visit the boardwalk, Dumser’s Iced Cream, and they like to go to all-u-can-eat crabhouses.

Many students remark that their favorite things to do in Ocean City are visiting the boardwalk, eating Dumser’s Iced Cream, and going to all-u-can-eat crabhouses.

Correcting Parallel Structure

Here, I change them all to participial phrases.

Many students remark that their favorite things to do in

Ocean City are visit the boardwalk, eat Dumser’s iced cream, and devour all-u-can-eat crabs. (all transitive verbs)

Many students remark that their favorite things to do in Ocean City are to visit the boardwalk, to eat Dumser’s Iced Cream, and to devour all-u-can-eat crabs. (all infinitive phrases)

Many students remark that their favorite thigns to do in Ocean City are when they visit the boardwalk, when they eat Dumser’s Iced Cream, and when they devour all-u-can-eat crabs. (all subordinate clauses)

Correcting Parallel Structure

To swim in Ocean City is different than

swimming in the warm waters of the Outer Banks.

To swim in Ocean City is different than swimming in the warm waters of the Outer Banks.

Comparative Parallel Structure

To swim in Ocean City is different than

swimming in the warm waters of the Outer Banks.

Swimming in Ocean City is different than swimming in the warm waters of the Outer Banks.

Comparative Parallel Structure

1. Visiting the Outer Banks allows vacationers to enjoy quiet beaches, they can swim in warmer gulf stream water, and relaxing in the many state parks.

2. In Ocean City, visitors have many family traditions such as eating Thrasher’s Fries, they like to mini golf, and many travelers see the horses on Assateague Island.

3. Visiting Ocean City can be just as rewarding as to travel to the Outer Banks.

Practice: Rewrite the following sentences, correcting the error in parallel

structure

Day 2: Agreement

What Is Wrong?

Many of the authors we study writes about life in America.

Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain is some of the most famous.

Neither Mr. Bailey nor his students likes the New York Yankees.

II. Agreement Rules

A. Verbs must agree with their subject in number. A singular subject must get a singular verb. A plural subject must get a plural verb.

Many of the authors we study writes about life in America.Many of the authors we study write about life in America.

Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain is some of the most famous.Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain are some of the most famous.

Neither Mr. Bailey nor his students likes the New York Yankees. Neither Mr. Bailey nor his students like the New York Yankees.

Agreement Rules

(continued)B. Any two nouns joined by “and” get a plural verb except when the two items count as one (like “spaghetti and meatballs” or “peanut butter and jelly”)

Mr. Bailey and Dr. Donovan are English teachers.

The students and teachers enjoy the Turkey Bowl.

Agreement rules

(continued)C. If two nouns are joined by “nor,” or “or”, the noun closer to the verb decides whether the verb is singular or plural.

Neither Mr. Bailey nor his students cheer for the Yankees.

Neither his students nor Mr. Bailey cheers for the Yankees.

Agreement Rules

(continued)D. If the words “each,” “either,” neither,” “anyone,” “someone,” “everyone,” “anybody,” “somebody,” or “everybody” are used AS A SUBJECT, they get a singular verb

Everyone enjoys Mr. Bailey’s English class.

Each of the students enjoys Mr. Bailey’s English class.

Neither boy enjoys Mr. Bailey’s English class.

Either of the teachers will proctor your class.

Agreement Rules

(continued)E. If the words “several,” “few,” “both,” or “many” are used, the verb is plural.

Several of the students play Titanfall.

Many of the students prefer Xbox.

Both of the teachers play on Steam.

Day 3: Action Verbs

A rarely discussed rule in baseball is the

rule applying to “spitballs.” A spitball is when a pitcher uses spit or sweat to moisten the ball. A wet ball is unpredictable and is thus harder to hit. It is now a rules violation to deliberately moisten the baseball. However, it is common to see pitchers wiping sweat from their brow. For umpires, it is difficult to determine the pitcher’s intention.

What Is Wrong?

A rarely discussed rule in baseball is the

rule applying to “spitballs.” A spitball is when a pitcher uses spit or sweat to moisten the ball. A wet ball is unpredictable and is thus harder to hit. It is now a rules violation to deliberately moisten the baseball. However, it is common to see pitchers wiping sweat from their brow. For umpires, it is difficult to determine the pitcher’s intention.

What Is Wrong?

A. There is nothing grammatically wrong with

using linking verbsB. Linking verbs are used to describe or rename

a subject (they take a subject complement).C. Linking verbs are repetitive and overused in

English – avoid them.

III. Action Verbs

Your freshmen English instructors will not let you use linking verbs

AT ALL!

This burger is good.

This burger emanates flavor. This burger produces ecstasy when consumed. This burger delights and satiates its eater. This burger leaves me in a greasy, beefy state of

joy.

Action > Linking

Replace boring linking verbs with expressive action verbs.

Ketchup is the most common hamburger

topping.

Five Guys is one of the best burger restaurants in town, but Gino’s will be many students’ choice.

Jalapenos and steak sauce are my favorite toppings.

McDonalds was once very popular, but it is now regarded as of low quality.

Practice: Rewrite each of the following sentences by eliminating the linking verb. Do not change the

main idea of the sentence.

Day 4: Usage Errors

When visiting the aquarium, your likely to

see many beautiful animals. Too weeks ago, I took my daughter their. First we spent some time looking at the new blacktip reef, than we looked at some of they’re smaller exhibits. She felt excited two see an octopus, but when she finally did, it had the affect of sheer terror on her. She prefered the jellyfish more then the other animals, though she enjoyed the dolphin show to.

What’s Wrong?

When visiting the aquarium, your likely to

see many beautiful animals. Too weeks ago, I took my daughter their. First we spent some time looking at the new blacktip reef, than we looked at some of they’re smaller exhibits. She felt excited two see an octopus, but when she finally did, it had the affect of sheer terror on her. She preferred the jellyfish more then the other animals, though she enjoyed the dolphin show to.

What’s Wrong?

A. They’re / There / Their

1. They’re = contracted form of “they are”2. There = indicates a place or location3. Their = possessive

Their friends indicated that they’re going over there.

IV. Common Usage Errors

B. You’re / Your

1. You’re = contracted form of “you are”2. Your = possessive form of “you”

You’re going to have to study your notes on commas for the exam.

IV. Common Usage Errors

C. Two / Too / To

1. Two = the number 22. Too = adverb meaning “excessively” or can

mean “in addition” 3. To = a preposition indicating movement in a

direction or can be the first word in an infinitive.

To eat two whole burritos can be too much for one person. When you go to Chipotle, do you feel that

way too?

IV. Common Usage Errors

D. Affect/ Effect

1. Affect = a verb meaning “change,” “alter,” or “impact”

2. Effect = a noun meaning “consequence” or “result”

Humbert was affected by the nuclear bomb’s detonation, but didn’t feel the effects until he

began to glow in the dark.

IV. Common Usage Errors

E. Than / Then

1. Than = subordinate conjunction used in comparisons.

Hubert possesses more pounds of fat than Umberto. More students prefer Qdoba than Chipotle.

2. Then = adverb used to express time ordering

First Hubert ate twelve hot dogs, then he ate iced cream.The students ordered burritos then asked for queso on top.

Since Mr. Bailey felt hungrier than Mr. O’Kane, he went to Chik-Fil-A then visited Qdoba for a second dinner.

IV. Common Usage Errors

F. It’s / Its

1. It’s = contracted form of “it is”2. Its = possessive form of “it”

Zoo patrons are warned that when a tiger puts its tail up, it’s going to spray urine. Watch out!

IV. Common Usage Errors

Write a sentence using “it’s” and “too” and

“your” appropriately.

Write a sentence using “affect” “two” and “their” appropriately.

Write a sentence using “effect” “you’re” and “then” appropriately

Practice

The End