How To Develop Our Writing Skill
1. Use ACTIVE VOICE Don't say: "The stepmother's house was cleaned by Cinderella." (Passive.) Say instead: "Cinderella cleaned the stepmother's house." (Active voice.) Passive voice construction ("was cleaned") is reserved for those occasions where the "do-er" of the action is unknown. Example: "Prince Charming saw the glass slipper that was left behind."
2. Mix it up in terms of PUNCTUATION Here are a few commonly misused punctuation marks that a lot of people aren't sure about: The semi-colon (;) separates two complete sentences that are complementary. Example: "She was always covered in cinders from cleaning the fireplace; they called her Cinderella."
T he colon (:) is used... a. preceding a list. Example: "Before her stepmother awoke, Cinderella had three chores to complete: feeding the chickens, cooking breakfast, and doing the wash."
b. as a sort of "drum roll," preceding some big revelation. Example: "One thing fueled the wicked stepmother's hatred for Cinderella: jealousy."
The dash (--) is made by typing two hyphens (-). No spaces go in between the dash and the text. It is used... a. to bracket off some explanatory information. Example: "Even Cinderella's stepsisters-who were not nearly as lovely or virtuous as Cinderella-were allowed to go to the ball."
b. in the "drum roll" sense of the colon. Example: "Prince Charming would find this mystery lady--even if he had to put the slipper on every other girl in the kingdom."
3. Vary your SENTENCE STRUCTURE Don't say: "Cinderella saw her fairy godmother appear. She was dressed in blue. She held a wand. The wand had a star on it. She was covered in sparkles. Cinderella was amazed. She asked who the woman was. The woman said, 'I am your fairy godmother.' She said she would get Cinderella a dress and a coach. She said she would help Cinderella go to the ball." Instead say: (there are multiple correct ways to rewrite this, but here's one) "Amazed, Cinderella watched as her fairy godmother appeared. The woman dressed in blue was covered in
sp ar kl es an d ca rr ie d a st ar -s ha pe d wa nd . Ci nd er el la as ke d th e wo ma n wh o sh e wa s, to wh ic h th e woman replied, 'I am your fairy godmother." The fairy godmother would get Cinderella a dress and a coach; she would help Cinderella get to the ball."
4. Closely related to this, avoid CHOPPINESS Don't say: "She scrubbed the floors. They were dirty. She used a mop. She sighed sadly. It was as if sh e we re a se rv an t ."
Instead say : (again, there are multiple ways to do this) "She scrubbed the dirty floors using a mop, as if she were a servant. She sighed sadly."
5. Avoid REPETITION. Don't say: "The stepsisters were jealous and envious ." Instead say : "The stepsisters were jealous ." (...or envious. Pick one.)
6. Be CONCISE Don't say: "The mystery lady was one who every eligible man at the ball admired." Instead say : "Every eligible man at the ball admired the mystery lady."
7. Use the VOCABULARY that you know. Don't always feel you have to use big words. It is always better to be clear and use simple language rather than showing off flashy words you aren't sure about and potentially misusing them. This is not to say, however, that you shoul d settle for very weak vocabulary choic es (like "bad" or "big" or "mad").
8. But also work on expanding your VOCABULARY. VOCABULARY. When reading, look up words you don't know. See how they're used. Start a list. Incorporate them into your writing as you feel comfortable and as they are appropriate.
9. Keep language FORMAL and avoid language of everyday speech. Don't say: "Cinderella was mellow and good. She never let her stepmother get to her ." Say instead: "Cinderella was mild-mannered and kind. She never let her stepmother affect her high sp ir it s ."
So, essentially, when it comes to working on style, there are three things to remember: Empower yourself with knowledge.
Learn to punctuate correctly, enhance your vocabul ary, etc. Give yourself all the tools there are so that you are free to...
...Mix it up! Avoid repetition of words and sentence structure. Variance promotes good "flow" and is more interesting for your reader.
"Write to EXPRESS, not to IMPRESS." Above all, write actively, clearly, and concisely. (Carini, 2002)
How to develop 5 Body paragaraph
Introduction:
Introductory Paragraph See, first, Writing Introductory Paragraphs for different ways of getting your reader involved in your essay. The introductory paragraph should also include the thesis statement, a kind of mini-outline for the paper: it tells the reader what the essay is about. The last sentence of o f this paragraph must also contain a transitional "hook" which moves the reader to the first paragraph of the body of the paper. Body:
Body — First paragraph: The first paragraph of the body should contain the strongest argument, most significant example, cleverest illustration, or an obvious beginning point. The first sentence of this paragraph should include the "reverse hook" which ties in with the transitional hook at the end of the introductory paragraph. The topic for this paragraph should be in the first or second sentence. This topic should relate to the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. The last sentence in this paragraph should include a transitional hook to tie into the second paragraph of the body.
Body — Second paragraph: The second paragraph of the body should contain the second strongest argument, second most significant example, second cleverest illustration, or an obvious follow up the first paragraph in the body. The first sentence of o f this paragraph should include
the reverse hook which ties in with the transitional hook at the end of the first paragraph of the body. The topic for this this paragraph should be in the first or second sentence. This topic should relate to the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. The last sentence in this paragraph should include a transitional hook to tie into the third paragraph of the body.
Body — Third paragraph: The third paragraph of the body should contain the weakest argument, weakest example, weakest illustration, or an obvious follow up to the second paragraph in the body. The first sentence of this paragraph paragraph should include the reverse hook hook which ties in with the transitional hook at the end of the second paragraph. The topic for this paragraph should be in the first or second second sentence. This topic should should relate to the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. The last sentence in this paragraph should include a transitional concluding hook that signals the reader that this is the final major point being made in this paper. This hook also leads into the last, or concluding, paragraph. Conclusion:
Concluding paragraph: This paragraph should include the following: 1. an allusion to the pattern used in the introductory paragraph, 2.
a restatement of the thesis stat ement, using some of the original language or language that "echoes" the original language. (The restatement, however, must not be a duplicate thesis statement.) 3. a summary of the three main points from the body of the paper. 4. a final statement that gives the reader signals that the discussion has come to an end. (This final statement may be a "call to action" in an persuasive paper.)
A Sample Paper 1
The introductory i ntroductory paragraphincludes a
as Carrie and Pet Sematary , stated that
paraphrase of something said by a
the Edgar Allan Poe stories he read as a
famous person in order to get the
child gave him the inspiration and
reader's attention. The second
instruction he needed to become the
sentence leads up to the thesis
Stephen King, creator of such stories
2
writer that he is. Poe, as does Stephen
statement which is the third sentence.
King, fills the reader's imagination with
The thesis statement (sentence 3)
the images that he wishes the reader
presents topic of the paper to the
to see, hear, and feel. 3His use of vivid,
reader and provides a mini- outline.
concrete visual imagery to present
The topic is Poe's use of visual imagery.
both static and dynamic settings and to
The mini- outline tells the reader that
describe people is part of his
this paper will present Poe's use of
technique.4Poe's short story "The Tell-
imagery in three places in his writing: w riting:
Tale Heart" is a story about a young
(1) description of static setting; (2)
man who kills an old man who cares
description of dynamic setting; and (3)
for him, dismembers the corpse, then
description of a person. The last
goes mad when he thinks he hears the
sentence of the paragraph uses the
old man's heart beating beneath the
words "manipulation" and "senses" as
floor boards under his feet as he sits
transitional hooks.
and discusses the old man's absence with the police. 5In "The Tell-Tale Heart," a careful reader can observe Poe's skillful manipulation of the senses.
1
In the first sentence of the second
is particularly susceptible to
paragraph (first paragraph of the
manipulation. 2In "The Tell-Tale Heart,"
body) the words "sense" and
Poe uses the following image to
"manipulation" are used to hook into
describe a static scene: "His room was
the end of the introductory paragraph.
as black as pitch with the thick
The first part of the second sentence
darkness . . ." Poe used the words w ords
provides the topic for this paragraph--
"black," "pitch," and "thick darkness"
imagery in a static scene. Then a
not only to show the reader the
quotation from "The Tell-Tale Heart" is
condition of the old man's room, but
presented and briefly discussed. The
also to make the reader feel the
last sentence of this paragraph uses
darkness."3"Thick" is a word that is not
the expressions "sense of feeling" and
usually associated with color
"sense of sight" as hooks for leading
(darkness), yet in using it, Poe
into the third paragraph.
The sense of sight, the primary sense,
stimulates the reader's sense of fee ling as well as his sense of sight.
1
The first sentence of the third
couple of words that cross not only the
paragraph (second paragraph of the
sense of sight but also the sense of
body) uses the words "sense of sight"
feeling to describe a dynamic
and "sense of feeling" to hook back
scene. 2The youth in the story has been
into the previous paragraph. Note that
Further on in the story, Poe uses a
standing in the open doorway of the
in the second paragraph "feeling"
old man's room for a long time, waiting
came first, and in this paragraph
for just the right moment to reveal
"sight" comes first. The first sentence
himself to the old man in order to
also includes the topic for this
3
frighten him. Poe writes: "So I opened
paragraph--imagery in a dynamic
it [the lantern opening]--you cannot
scene. Again, a quotation is taken from
imagine how stealthily, stealthily--
the story, and it is briefly discussed.
until, at length, a single dim ray, like
The last sentence uses the words wo rds "one
the thread of the spider, shot from out
blind eye" which was in the quotation.
the crevice and fell full upon the
This expression provides the
vulture eye." 4By using the metaphor
transitional hook for the last paragraph
of the thread of the spider (which we
in the body of the paper.
all know is a creepy creature) and the word "shot," Poe almost makes the reader gasp, as surely did the old man whose one blind eye the young man describes as "the vulture eye."
1
In the first sentence of the fourth
about what the old man in this story
paragraph (third paragraph in the
looks like except that he has one blind
body), "one blind eye" is used that
The reader does not know much
2
eye. In the second paragraph of "The
hooks into the previous paragraph.
Tell-Tale Heart," Poe establishes the
This first sentence also lets the reader
young man's obsession with that blind
know that this paragraph will deal with
eye when he writes: "He had the eye of
descriptions of people: ". . . what the
the vulture--a pale blue eye, with a film
old man looks like . . .." Once again Poe
over it." 3This "vulture eye" is evoked
is quoted and discussed. The last
over and over again in the story sto ry until
sentence uses the word "image" which
the reader becomes as obsessed with
hooks into the last paragraph. (It is less
4
it as does the young man. His use of
important that this paragraph has a
the vivid, concrete word "vulture"
hook since the last paragraph is going
establishes a specific image in the mind
to include a summary of the body o f
of the reader that is inescapable.
the paper.)
1
The first sentence of the concluding
spider," and "vulture eye" are three
paragraph uses the principal words
images that Poe used in "The Tell-Tale
from the quotations from each
Heart" to stimulate a reader's
paragraph of the body of the paper.
"Thick darkness," "thread of the
2
senses. Poe wanted the reader to see
This summarizes those three
and feel real life. 3He used concrete
paragraph. The second and third
imagery rather than vague abstract
sentences provide observations which
words to describe settings and
can also be considered a summary, not
people. 4If Edgar Allan Poe was one of
only of the content of the paper, but
Stephen King's teachers, then readers
also offers personal opinion which was
of King owe a debt of gratitude to that
logically drawn as the result of this
nineteenth-century creator of horror
study. The last sentence returns to the
stories.
Edgar Allan Poe-Stephen King relationship which began this paper. This sentence also provides a "wrapup" and gives the paper a sense of finality.
