Fundamentals of Academic Writing Level 1 PDF
Fundamentals of Academic Writing Level 1 PDF
Fundamentals of Academic Writing Level 1 PDF
Level
Fundamentals of
Academic Writing
PEARSON
Longman
Contents
C h a p te r 3 E v e r y P i c t u r e T e l l s a S t o r \ j .............................................................. 5 2
C h a p te r 4 S a t u r d a y s ........................................................................................................7 6
Chapter P re v ie w ...................................................................................................................... 77
P art 1: Organization
Time O rder........................................................................................................................ 79
P art 2: Sentence Structure and Vocabulary
Simple Sentence Patterns I ............................................................................................. 81
Adverbs of Frequency..................................................................................................... 83
P art 3: G ram m ar and Mechanics
Common Verbs ................................................................................................................ 86
Using Prepositions to Show T im e .................................................................................. 88
Titles ................................................................................................................................ 90
P art 4: The W riting Process
Your Paragraph: My Partner’s Saturdays ..................................................................... 92
Results of the Writing Process ...................................................................................... 95
Expansion Activities
Your Journal...................................................................................................................... 96
Challenge: My Favorite H oliday.................................................................................... 96
C h a p te r 5 W h a t ’s G o i n g O n ? ...................................................................................... 9 7
C hapter P re v ie w ...................................................................................................................... 98
P art 1: Organization
Topic Sentences and SupportingSentences I ................................................................. 100
P art 2: Sentence Structure
Simple Sentence Patterns I I ............................................................................................. 103
P art 3: G ram m ar
The Present Progressive................................................................................................... 105
Non-Action Verbs ........................................................................................................... 110
P art 4: The W riting Process
Your Paragraph: What Is Happening in This Photo? ................................................... 113
Results of the Writing Process ...................................................................................... 116
Contents v
Expansion Activities
Your Journal....................................................................................................................... 116
Challenge: My Own Photo ............................................................................................. 116
APPENDICES
A p p e n d ix A: T h e P arts o f S p e e c h ........................................................................................ 201
A p p e n d ix B: S u b je c t P ro n o u n s; O b je ct P ro n o u n s; P o s s e s s iv e
A d je c tiv e s ; P o s s e s s iv e P r o n o u n s ................................................................ 2 0 2
A p p e n d ix C: C o u n t a n d A lo n co u n t N o u n s; P o s s e s s iv e N o u n s ..................................2 0 3
A p p e n d ix D: T h e V erb Be— P r e se n t a n d P a s t ...................................................................2 0 5
A p p e n d ix E: T h e S im p le P r e s e n t ......................................................................................... 2 0 8
A p p e n d ix F: T h e P r e se n t P r o g r e s s i v e ................................................................................210
A p p e n d ix G: T h e S im p le P a s t .................................................................................................2/2
A p p e n d ix H: Irre g u la r V e rb s .................................................................................................. 2/5
A p p e n d ix 1: E x p r e s s in g F u tu re T im e w ith Be G oing To a n d Will ...........................2 /6
A p p e n d ix J : O rder o f A d j e c t i v e s ........................................................................................... 2 /9
A p p e n d ix K: S e n te n c e T y p e s .................................................................................................. 2 /9
A p p e n d ix L: R u le s fo r C a p ita liza tio n ................................................................................. 22/
A p p e n d ix M: P u n c tu a tio n ..........................................................................................................222
A p p e n d ix l\l: C o rre ctio n S y m b o ls .............................................................................................. 223
I n d e x ....................................................................................................................................................2 25
Preface
To the Instructor
The text offers a wealth of realistic models to inspire and guide student writers. It
also features clear explanations of sentence structure, grammar, and mechanics,
followed by the extensive practice students need to assimilate the material and write
with accuracy. The text focuses on the elements of good sentences but within the
context of simple descriptive and narrative paragraphs on student-centered topics. It
effectively combines an introduction to basic paragraph structure with an emphasis
on personal writing, the kind of writing that is most appropriate and motivating for
learners at the beginning level. There are interactive tasks throughout the text— pair
work, small-group activities, and full-class discussions— that engage students in
the learning process and complement the solitary work that writers must do. There
are also directions for keeping a journal, with plentiful suggestions for journal-entry
topics, so that students write for fluency building in addition to doing the more
formal assignments. Finally, the extensive appendices and thorough index make the
text a valuable and easy-to-use reference tool.
Chapter Each chapter begins with a C hapter Preview that includes two sim ple model
P review paragraphs which let students see exactly where they are headed. The models use
structures and vocabulary that are easy for beginners to understand and emulate.
The questions following the models draw the students’ attention first to content
and organization and then to certain features of the w riters' language, such as verb
forms, transition signals, key vocabulary, and so on.
vii
Preface
O rganization The second section of each chapter is devoted to organization. In the early chapters,
students learn what sentences and paragraphs are and how their papers should look.
Later chapters deal with the elements of standard paragraph structure, patterns of
organization within paragraphs (such as chronological order), and writers’ strategies
for organizing their ideas.
S en ten ce Four strands— Sentence Structure, Grammar, Mechanics, and Vocabulary— combine
S tru ctu re/ in various ways, always with a focus on writing at the word and sentence level. You
Gram m ar/ will find brief, clear explanations followed by valuable practice in the nuts and bolts
M ech an ics/ of effective and accurate writing.
Vocabulary/ • Sentence Structure. Students first learn to identify subjects and verbs. Then
they progress through four patterns of simple sentences, followed by
compound sentences with and, but, and so, and finally, a brief introduction
to complex sentences with time clauses.
• Grammar. Students focus initially on the basic parts of speech and later
on the structures that will be most useful to them in writing the assigned
paragraph for that chapter. For example, they study the verb tenses needed
to write about everyday life (simple present), describe ongoing activities
(present progressive), relate past events (simple past), and write about the
future (be going to and will).
• Mechanics. Students learn such basics as elementary rules for capitalization,
end punctuation, titles, and commas.
• Vocabulary. Students further their understanding of the parts of speech and
broaden their vocabulary base, particularly in ways that will help them with
the assigned writing.
The Writing In Chapter 1, students learn the term process, and they get an overview of the writing
P ro cess process. In Chapter 2, they learn the specific steps they will take as they plan, compose,
and finalize their paragraphs. In Chapters 2 through 9, students are guided step by step
through the process of writing the assigned paragraph, initially with substantial support,
later with increasing demands on their own creativity. By consistently following these
steps, they learn how to tackle a writing assignment.
Expansion This concluding section of each chapter has two goals: (1) to encourage journal
A ctivities writing and (2) to provide additional paragraph-writing tasks. The latter can provide
further practice for the entire class or serve as extra assignments for those students
ready to work independently.
Teaching Suggestions
The Getting Started section offers a good icebreaker at the start of a course. It helps
students get to know one another by interviewing, introducing, and writing about
a classmate. In addition, its three sections— Prewriting, W riting, and Sharing—
anticipate the writing process students will follow. If you collect the students’
papers, I suggest you do not correct them but rather keep the focus on content at
this point. Consider holding on to the papers until the end of the course, when
seeing them again can serve as a delightful reminder to students of how far they
have come.
Preface
Begin each chapter with a close look at the model paragraphs. Two models are
provided in each case so that students can see more than one way of addressing a
writing task and have ample material to guide them as they create their paragraphs.
The questions about the models are intended for work in pairs or small groups, to
be followed by teacher-led full-class discussion. You may wish to do further analysis
of the models— comparing and contrasting the writers’ choices, vocabulary, and so
on— as appropriate for your class.
The writing process, as presented on page 45 and in each chapter thereafter, has
four steps: Prewrite, Write, Edit, and Write the Final Draft.
• When they do prewriting, students interact with their classmates in various
ways. They brainstorm, take notes, question one another, do freewriting, and
learn strategies for organizing ideas. Interaction with classmates is good for
generating ideas and, like peer review later on, raises student awareness of
the audience for their writing.
• When they write a first draft, students rely on their notes and refer back to the
models in the Chapter Preview. This can be done in class or for homework.
Composing in class allows you to observe and assist; composing at home
saves class time. You may wish to have students hand in both their prewriting
and their first draft along with their final draft for clues to the writer’s
thinking and the development of the paragraph.
Preface
• Students must take responsibility for checking and improving their own
work. However, they are often best able to do so when they can see their
writing through the eyes of a reader and when they develop revising
and editing skills by reviewing other w riters’ work. For these reasons,
I encourage peer review but only at a very basic level. Each chapter
includes a simple checklist to guide the reviewer through the process
slowly and thoughtfully. See page 46 for an example of a peer reviewer’s
markings on a first draft.
• The term final draft is used to mean a revised and edited draft handed in to
the teacher, possibly for a grade. It is not necessarily the last draft that the
student will write. As explained to the student under Results of the Writing
Process, another draft, based on written and/or oral feedback from you,
may be required. Also, a useful set of correction symbols can be found in
Appendix N, along with sample marked-up paragraphs, which can form the
basis of lessons in understanding and responding to teacher feedback.
Students are instructed to hand in new drafts stapled on top of earlier ones so that
you can make comparisons. You may wish to have students keep their finals drafts
in a folder so that they compile a collection of paragraphs written during the course.
They can go back later and further revise their work so that in effect the writing
course mirrors the writing process: full of brainstorming, drafting, and sharing early
on, with a greater emphasis on polishing later, when students can apply everything
they have learned to date about good English sentences and paragraphs.
A nsw er Key An Answer Key is available upon request from the publisher.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I would like to thank two key people for entrusting me with this
project: Laura Le Drean, Pearson Longman executive editor, and Ann Hogue,
author of First Steps in Academic Writing and, with Alice Oshima, Introduction
to Academic Writing and Writing Academic English. I would also like to thank all
the members of the Longman team whose work helped bring this book to life,
particularly Kim Steiner, John Beaumont, Paula Van Ells, and Gina DiLillo.
The following reviewers helped to shape this book with their thoughtful
comments and suggestions, for which I thank them: Gena Bennett, Georgia State
University, Georgia; Vicki Blaho, Santa Monica College, California; Charlotte
Calobrisi, Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia; Jackye Cumby,
M ercer University, Georgia; Diana Davidson Del Toro, Cuyam aca College,
California; Greg Davis, Portland State University, Oregon; Diane Harris, Imperial
Valley College, California; Shelagh Lariviere, College of the North Atlantic, Doha,
Qatar; Linda Lieberman, College of Marin, California; Kathy Llanos, Cypress
College, California; Theresa Nahim, Pace University, New York; Tara Narcross,
Columbus State Community College, Ohio; M ark Neville, Alhosn University,
Abu Dhabi, UAE; Daria Ruzicka; Christine Tierney, Houston Community
College, Texas; Lay Kuan Toh, W estchester Com munity College, New York;
Stephen Whelan, College of the North Atlantic. Doha, Qatar.
Preface
Finally, a special thank you and a round of applause to the students who shared
samples of their writing with me, some of which have been adapted for this book:
Mary Benvenutty, Wai Chan, Antonio Colon, Blasnelly Diodonet, Leslie Dones, Rose
Feliciano Reyes, Juliana Gonzalez, Maryia Hancharonak, Zam Zam Hussein, Nataliya
Kondratyuk, Nadia Kravchuk, Iris Laviera, Nelly Martinez, Oksana Morozova,
Tam Kenny Nguyen, Mirjeta Nuhiu, Venhar Nuhiu, Moises Ortiz, Tatyana Pchelka,
Viktor Rafalskiy, Osmayra Rivera, Ina Ruskevich, Yelena Sokolova, Jason Son, Minja
Son, Vera Stolyarova, and Penny Wu.
This book is dedicated to a great teacher of mine, Jane Boggs Sloan. Twenty-five
years later, when faced with a teaching dilemma, I still ask myself, “What would
Jane do?”
To the Student
Welcome to Fundamentals o f Academic Writing! Learning to write in English is like
learning to play the game of baseball, or almost any sport. There are many rules that
all players must follow, but no two games are ever alike. Just as every game is
different, so is every piece of writing— and every writer. This book will help you
learn the rules that good writers know. It will also give you many chances to “play
the game” of writing English. I hope that you will write a lot, that you will have fun
writing, and that you will feel proud of your work.
Linda Butler
Your Classmates Getting
Started
Classmates
Pre writing
Ask Questions
Introduce Your Partner
Writing
Look at Model Paragraphs
Write a Paragraph About Your Partner
Sharing
Show Your Paragraph to Your Partner
Share Paragraphs with Your Class
2 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Prewriting
Before you write, you need a topic — something to write about. Here
is a topic for you: a classmate. Write about a person in your class. This
classmate will be your partner — someone you work with.
Step 1 : Work with a partner. Ask your partner these questions. Listen
and write the answers. If you cannot spell a word, ask, “How
do you spell that?”
Step 2: Are there any extra questions you want to ask? Ask your
questions, and write the answers here.
/ T his is Martin. He is f
V e n ezu ela. He has
Writing
You are going to write a paragraph about your partner.
i M artin Herrera
i My Classmate Yelena
| She lives with her family in Chicago. She is married. She has
Ali Abdi
My Classmate Jason
not have a job. In his free time, he likes to play soooer and
Step 2: Take a piece of lined paper. Write your name at the top of
the paper, on the right. Then write this title:
M y C la ssm ate_______________________________
(your partner’s first name)
Sharing
Step 1: Show your paragraph to your partner. Is the information
correct? Make changes if necessary.
Step 2 : Your teacher may ask the class to share all the paragraphs.
Then you can read other paragraphs and learn about people
in your class.
Introducing Yourself
Chapter Preview
Part 1: Organization
From Words to Sentences to Paragraphs
What Does a Paragraph Look Like?
Expansion Activities
6
(
Chapter Preview
You are going to write a paragraph about yourself. First, look at three
model paragraphs. Models are examples. Model sentences and paragraphs
help writers. Models help us think about what we want to write.
1. Work with a partner. Read each model paragraph. At the right, circle
the information you find in the paragraph.
name work
family
name work
I would (ike to introduce myself. My home country classes at school
name is Catherine Ortiz. I am nineteen
years old. I am from (-\or\dums. I live on languages free-time fun
oampus. On weekends, I like to go where she lives friends
dancing with my boyfriend. I love music,
especially Latin music. age plans for the future
family
name work
I W o u Id lik e to in t r o d u c e myself.
home country classes at school
fAy n a m e is W ic h e U e A n d r e . I a m a
new stuAent. I a m t a k in g W rit in g languages free-time fun
r e a d i n g and o ra l c o m m u n i c a t i o n .
where she lives friends
fAy m o t h e r and f <ather and sister a r e
in h a i t i . I miss w y f a m ily . I live With age plans for the future
m y aunt. I Work p a r t - t i m e in h e r
family
re s ta u ra n t .
8 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
2. Write six or more sentences about yourself. Look at the three model
paragraphs for help.
1. My name is ____________________________________________
2 . 1 am from ______________________________________________
3 .1 speak_____________________________________ ___________
4 . ______________________________________________________
5 . ______________________________________________________
6 . ______________________________________________________________________
You will use your sentences later in this chapter to write a paragraph
about yourself (page 11).
PART 1 I Organization
From Words to Sentences to Paragraphs
We use letters to form words.
Letters Words
Capital hi
A B C D E....
Letters -► love
students
Small
a b c d e.... Los Angeles
Letters
ice cream
Chapter 1 I Introducing Y ourself 9
S en tences
I am a student.
This is my book.
What’s your name?
Do you like pizza?
(1) The first sentence is indented. There is a space before it. Remember
to indent the first sentence in your paragraphs.
(2) The second sentence follows the first sentence on the same line.
It does not go on a new line.
NEW SENTENCE, SAME LINE
INDENT \
—►Strawberries are a delicious kind of fruit. They
are small and red. They are sweet and juicy. I have
strawberries in my garden every summer. I love to eat
them.
10 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 1.1 Work alone or with a partner. Read the letter. Answer the questions below.
Recognizing
Paragraphs
and Topics
w
September A
Sincerely yours,
Nadia Duric
PRACTICE 1.2 Copy the sentences below to complete the paragraph on page 11. Continue
Paragraph skipping lines.
Content and
Form at There are two main points about paragraphs.
.......a b o u t :
.............................................
S k ip L in e s
PRACTICE 1.3 Write a paragraph about yourself (like the models on page 7). Follow
W riting a these steps.
Paragraph
About Yourself Step 1: Take a piece of paper. Write your name at the top.
He (loves) music.
PRACTICE 1.4 Work alone or with a partner. Circle the verb in each sentence. Write V
Subjects
above it. Then underline the subject of that verb. Write S above it.
and Verbs S V
1. Ahmet thrives) a taxi.
7. I drink tea.
S e n te n c e s
Statem ents Q uestions
Rules Examples
PRACTICE 1.5 Work alone or with a partner. Add a capital letter to each sentence. Put a
Using Capital period after each statement. Put a question mark after each question.
Letters and End
Punctuation 1. are you married? 6. the movie starts at 7:00
2. my friend speaks English 7. where do you live
3. are you from China 8. how do you spell your name
4. he is from Mexico 9. she works part-time
5. do you drink coffee 10. we like to go dancing
14 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 1.6 Work alone or with a partner. Put the words in order. Write statements.
Word Order: Look at the examples of statements on page 13 for help. Add periods.
Statements
1. is / My class / big My class is big.__________________________
PRACTICE 1.7 Work alone or with a partner. Put the words in order. Write questions.
Word Order: Look at the examples of questions on page 13 for help. Add question
Questions marks.
4. he / Is / a new student___________________________________
7. from / is / he / W here___________________________________
8. is / he / How old
Chapter 1 I Introducing Y ourself 15
PRACTICE 1.8 Some sentences are missing capital letters on the first word. Make
Editing: Capital corrections.
Letters M
my name is Mayra. I am from the Dominican Republic, my firs t
PRACTICE 1.9 Make corrections to this paragraph. Add five more capital letters and
Editing: Capital seven more periods.
Letters and S
Periods ktazumi is one of my classmates, ^he is from Oapan she speaks
Japanese her parents live in Tokyo she has no brothers or sisters she
is single k'aiumi likes music and fashion her clothes are beautiful
1 .1 am taking __________________________________________
(course name / number)
4. We meet i n __________________________________________
(room number)
B. Copy the sentences from Part A on the lines below. Write them as a
paragraph.
1 am taking__________________________________________
He speaks Japanese.
Many verbs are words for actions. They are words for things that
someone or something does, like builds, drives, or plays. These verbs
describe movement or change that you can see. In the next three pictures,
you can see what Arturo does.
PRACTICE 1.11 Work alone or with a partner. Circle the verb in each sentence.
Recognizing
Verbs 1 .1 (have) a cell phone.
4. We talk a lot.
6 . 1 listen to my messages.
PRACTICE 1.12 Work with a partner. Write six statements. Use words from each box.
Building Use all six verbs.
Sentences with
Common Verbs
Subject Verb
a cell phone
is a computer
my roommate rides a student
my friend has fish
he eats horses
she listens the bus
goes to music
to movies
Nouns
A noun is a word for a person, place, thing, or idea.
1. I love my brother. X
4. He is at the airport. X
9. He drives a Toyota. X
PRACTICE 1 Work alone or with a partner. Look at the fifteen boldfaced nouns in this
Identifying
paragraph. Write person, place, thing, or idea above each noun. {Note:
Meanings For some nouns, there can be more than one answer.)
o f Mouns
place thing/place
New York City is my favorite city. I have several relatives in New York. My
aunt and uncle live there, and my sister does, too. She has an apartment near
Central Park. I like to spend time with her. We go to clubs to listen to music.
We go out to eat together. She shows me stores with clothes at great prices.
PRACTICE 1 Work with a partner or in a small group. Write as many nouns as you
Building
can. Count your nouns, and write the total.
Vocabulary:
Mouns 1. Nouns for people in a family:
Examples: mother, father
_________________________________________Total:
_________________________________________Total:
Total:
Chapter 1 I Introducing Yourself 21
Singular Plural
hot dog hot dogs
watch watches
library libraries
Some plural nouns are irregular. They do not follow the rules for plural
nouns. They do not end in -5.
Singular Plural
person people
man men
woman women
child children
PRACTICE 1.16 Write the plural form of each singular noun. (See Appendix C for help
W riting Plural with spelling.)
Nouns
1. pencil pencils 7. dish
PRACTICE 1.17 Look at the boldfaced nouns in this paragraph. Mark each noun s
Identifying (singular) or pi (plural).
Singular Versus s
Plural Nouns Paris is the capital of France. It is
a beautiful city. Millions of people visit
Paris each year. There are wonderful
museums, historic buildings, lovely
parks, and excellent restaurants. A
visitor can have a great time in Paris.
PRACTICE 1.18 Circle the fourteen nouns in this paragraph. The first noun is circled for
Recognizing you. Mark each noun s (singular) or pi (plural),
IMouns pi
(Dd p h ins) are interesting animals.
First, a dolphin is not a fish. It is a
mammal, like cats, horses, and
people. Also, did you know that a
dolphin sleeps with one eye open?
One half of the dolphin’s brain rests,
A bottlenose dolphin
and the other half stays awake.
PRACTICE 1.19 Work with a partner. Complete the chart with nouns and verbs. Write
Building two words in each box. Each word must begin with the letter at the top.
Vocabulary:
Nouns
and Verbs A B C D E
Nouns apple
A lberto
Verbs ask
answer
Chapter 1 | Introducing Y ourself 23
In your everyday life, you often follow a process. For example, you
follow a process when you wash clothes in a washing machine. Your goal
is to get your clothes clean. What do you do first? What do you do next?
Number these steps in order from 1 to 5.
Writers also follow a process. The writing process can help you write
clear and correct paragraphs in English. The writing process looks
something like this:
24 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Look at the picture of the writing process on page 23, and discuss these
questions with your class:
• Where does the writing process begin?
• What is the next step?
• How does the process continue?
• What happens after the teacher returns a paper to a student?
PRACTICE 1.20 Complete the sentences. Use the same word from the box in sentences
Understanding
a and b.
Key Words
goal process result step
Expansion Activities
Keeping a Journal
Writing in a journal can help you become a better writer in English.
A journal is a notebook in which you write about your life.
Each time you write in your journal, you make a journal entry.
Sometimes your journal entries will be short. Sometimes you will want
to write more.
Your teacher will read your journal and write back to you in it. Your
journal is like a conversation between you and your teacher. In your journal,
you can ask your teacher questions. Your teacher can ask you questions, too.
Then you should write the answers or talk to your teacher.
Your journal writing will be different from the other writing you do
for this class. You will not need to correct your journal entries.
4. How often should I write journal entries? How often will the
teacher read them?
Ask your teacher.
26 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
April 2 6
Remember to:
a. Put the date before each journal entry.
b. Leave margins on the left and right side of each page. Leave
some space after each journal entry, too. Your teacher will need
space in your journal to write back to you.
2. For your first journal entry, write about yourself. What do you want
your teacher to know about you? What is important in your life?
Chapter Preview
Part 1: Organization
What Should Your Paper Look Like?
Papers Typed on a Com puter
Part 3: M echanics
Rules for Capitalization
Expansion A ctivities
27
28 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Chapter Preview
Work with a partner or in a small group. Read the model paragraphs.
Each paragraph describes someone’s morning routine — the things they
usually do. Answer the questions that follow.
First, I take a shower. Then I get dressed, fix my hair, and put on my
makeup. At 7:15 a .m ., I wake up my husband and my children. I help
my children get dressed. Then we have breakfast. At 8:00 a .m ., I walk
my daughter to the bus for school. After that, I drive my son to day
care. Finally, I go to school for my 9:00 a .m . class. That is my busy
morning routine.
3. How much time does the writer need before class each day?
b. I ____________ a t 8:30 a .m .
c. I _________ my clothes.
3. How much time does the writer need before class each day?
4. Talk about the writer’s morning routine. What is the same for her
and the writer of paragraph 1? What is different?
6. Write the words the writer uses to show the order of her actions:
You will write a paragraph about your morning routine later in this
chapter (page 48).
PART 1 I Organization
What Should Your Paper Look Like?
You will write many paragraphs for this class. When you write a
paragraph, you need to think about the format of your paper — the way
it looks.
1. The paper
Use lined paper. Notebook paper that is 8'A by 11 inches is a good size.
2. The heading
The heading goes in the upper right-hand corner of your paper. The
heading includes your name and the date. Your teacher may ask you to add
other information, too.
3. The title
4. Skipping lines
Do not write on the line below your title. Skip that line. Begin writing
on the third line. Continue skipping lines.
Chapter 2 I Describing Your Morning Routine 31
5. Margins
Leave spaces on the left and right sides of your paper. These spaces are
the margins.
Sometimes a word is too long. It cannot fit at the end of a line. Do not
divide the word into two parts. Move the whole word to the beginning of
the next line.
M a r g in
H e a d in g Aleksandr Mihailov
September 8
English 15
T it le
I
Introducing Myself
PRACTICE 2.1 A. Work alone or with a partner. Look at Vu’s paper. How many
problems can you find in the format of his paper? Mark them with
Form at circles or arrows.
Introducing Myself
1. Margins
Set margins at the top and bottom of your paper and on the left and right
sides of your paper. Make them about one inch (or three centimeters) wide.
Leave one space after each word. Do not leave a space before a period.
Remember to save your work. You can use your paragraph title as the
file name. Add the date. For example, write M yself 10102007. Make a
backup copy of the file.
Deko Hussein
English 11B
November 12
My Computer
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, September 18, 23:07
Subject: hellooooooo
Hi Jen
Marissa
S u b ject P ro n o u n s
Singular Plural
I we
you you
he
she they
it
Rules Examples
3. Use they to refer to people or things. The children are small. Thev are two
years old.
4. Use it to tell:
the time It is nine o’clock (9:00).
the day It is Wednesday.
the date It is September 25.
the weather It is warm and sunny.
36 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 2.3 Complete each sentence with the correct subject pronoun.
Using Subject
Pronouns 1. That man’s name is Hugo. He is from Mali.
PRACTICE 2 .4 Work alone or with a partner. Correct the subject pronoun error in each
Editing: Errors sentence.
w ith Subject 1. Martin he has a motorcycle.
Pronouns
2. You and i have the same teachers.
3. Is Friday.
4. He is a nice girl.
5. My friends they are at the mall.
6. She is a little boy.
7. They is two o’clock.
8. Is hot today.
Subject Be Subject Be
I am We
He
in class. are in class.
She is They
It
PRACTICE 2 .5 Complete the statements. Use the correct form of the verb be.
B e in
A ffirm ativ e 1. This exercise is easy.
Statements
2 . 1 ________ busy.
6. Y ou________ my partner.
I am We
He
not in class. are not in class.
She They
is
It
PRACTICE 2 .6 Complete the statements. Use the correct form of the verb be + not.
Be in Negative
Statements 1. You are not late.
3. It cold today.
10. We ready.
Chapter 2 I Describing Your Morning Routine 39
PRACTICE 2.7 Look at each group of words. Check (V) It is a com p lete sen ten ce,
Complete or It is n ot a se n ten ce. T here is no verb. Then correct the incomplete
Sentences w ith sentences.
Be
It is a It is not a
complete sentence.
sentence. There is
no verb.
am
1 .1 from Kuwait.
A
PRACTICE 2 .8 Work alone or with a partner. Look at each statement. Check (V)
Editing: Correct or Incorrect. Make corrections.
Statements
w ith Be Correct Incorrect
not
□ 0 1. He no is in class today.
A
□ □ 2 .1 am a student.
□ □ 3. We not at home.
□ □ 4. It a nice day.
□ □ 5. The teacher no is here.
□ 0 6. You in class.
El □ 7. Hana is not a new student.
□ □ 8 .1 am no cold.
□ □ 9. Mr. Sweeney ateacher.
□ □ 10.1 busy in the morning.
40 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Rules Examples
Subject Be + Noun
1. To identify a person or thing: They are mv friends,
Use be + a noun. Dolphins are mammals,
Mali is a country in Africa.
Subject Be + A djective/A ge
3. To describe someone or something: The sky is blue.
Use be + an adjective or age. They are married.
1 am twenty years old.
The verbs am, is, and are can be used with verbs ending in -ing:
Shhh! The baby is sleeping.
They are working today.
These sentences have present progressive verbs. See page 105 for
more information.
Chapter 2 I Describing Your Morning Routine 41
PRACTICE 2 .9 Work alone or with a partner. Check ( y ) the use of the verb be in each
Sentence of these statements.
Patterns with Be
Be + Be +
Be + Moun Expression A djective/
o f Place Age
1. Soccer is a game.
4. That is my book.
7. I am not at home.
PRACTICE Edgar is writing about himself and his school. Complete Edgar’s
Statements
statements with a subject from the box and am, is, or are.
with Be
Subjects
My name
I
My first language
My school
My classmates
My classes
1. M y name is Edgar.
3. Spanish,
4. a student,
5. in Los Angeles,
7. interesting,
PRACTICE Take a piece of paper. Write ten statements with be about yourself and
Writing
your school. See Practice 2.10 for models. Use all three sentence patterns:
Statements be + a noun, be + an expression of place, and be + an adjective/age.
with Be
PRACTICE Take a piece of paper. Write answers to these questions. Use the verb be.
Statements
with Be Examples: What day is after Monday?
Tuesday is after Monday.
What are carrots and potatoes?
Carrots and potatoes are vegetables.
Chapter 2 I Describing Your Morning Routine 43
PART 3 I Mechanics
Rules for Capitalization
Some words in English must begin with a capital letter. English has
many rules for using capital letters. Here are five rules you need to know.
Rules Examples
PRACTICE 2.13 Correct the fourteen errors in capitalization in this paragraph. The first
Editing: error is corrected for you.
Errors in 1 U
Capitalization t have a friend named t homas. i go to school with him. he speaks
f \\ \7 i
Chinese and a little english. he is from taiwan. how he is living with
Massachusetts.
PRACTICE 2.14 Work alone or with a partner. Review the capitalization rules on page 43.
Capitalization Then write two sample sentences for each rule.
1. Rule 1 :__________________________________________________
2. Rule 2:
3. Rule 3:
4. Rule 4:
5. Rule 5:
Chapter 2 I Describing Your Morning Routine 45
Prewrite WriteEdit W
Final Draft
o---------o--------- o--------- o
Step 1: Prewrite
At this step, you begin to get ideas for your paragraph. There are
many ways to get ideas, such as brainstorming and freewriting. You will
learn about these two ways and other prewriting activities in this book.
Step 2: Write
The first time that you write a paragraph, your paper is called your
first draft. Your work is not finished! Writing the first draft is only one
step on the way to your final paper.
Step 3: Edit
Editing is an important part of the writing process. Editing means
checking for mistakes and making corrections. You can also make
changes to the content — the ideas and information in your paragraph.
For example, you can add new information or move sentences. Always
edit your writing before you show it to a classmate or to your teacher.
W r it e r ’s Tip
Sometimes you will do peer review. Your classmates are your peers.
When you do peer review, you work with a partner. You read and talk
about each other’s paragraphs. You think about these things:
• the content
• the words and sentences
• the format of the paper
Then you give your partner feedback — you say what you think
about his or her work. When you give feedback, it is important to be
both honest and kind.
PRACTICE 2.15 A. Work alone or with a partner. Look at Henry’s first draft below. Henry
Comparing First showed his first draft to a classmate. His classmate gave him feedback.
and Final Drafts
Henry Liu
Aafe English 112-01
title margin
! wakes me up a t 7:30.
r...................... T u i\ r { ................................................................................
hI get up and have a shower. I aet dressed. I drive to
B. Henry edited his paragraph. Look at his final draft below. What is
different? Mark the changes. How many changes did Henry make?
Henry Liu
February 1
English 112-01
G etting Ready fo r the Day
cereal fru it, eggs, and to a s t. I drink orange juice and tea.
PRACTICE 2.16 Work alone or with a partner. Write the words from the box next to their
Understanding meanings.
the Steps in the
Writing Process editing first draft prewriting
feedback peer review
Step 2: Write
a. Choose a title for your paragraph. You can use Getting Ready fo r
the Day or My Morning Routine if you like.
b. Begin your paragraph with a general statement about your morning
routine. Look at the models on page 28 for examples.
c. Continue your paragraph, using your notes from Step 1.
0 —0 —# —o Step 3: Edit
a. Read your paragraph again. It may help you to read it out loud.
Make changes if needed.
b. Edit your paper carefully. Check for mistakes before you show it to
anyone.
c. Peer review: Exchange papers with a partner. Follow the Reviewer’s
Checklist below. Check (V) each box when you finish that step.
Content
□ Read all of your partner’s paragraph.
□ Underline any part of the paragraph you do not understand.
Ask your partner to explain it.
□ Ask questions if you want more information about your partner’s
morning routine.
Form
Look at these parts of your partner’s paper. Mark any problems on
the paper in pencil. Put a question mark (?) if you are not sure about
something. (See Henry Liu’s first draft on page 46 for an example of
how to mark a paper.)
□ the heading □ skipping lines
□ the title □ correct use of capital letters
□ indenting the first sentence □ a period after every statement
50 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
d. Return your partner’s paper. Say something nice about it, such as
“It’s a good start” or “Your paragraph is interesting.”
e. Look at your own paper. If you do not agree with a comment on it,
then ask another student or your teacher.
a. On your first draft, mark any changes you want to make. You may
want to add information or change sentences. Be sure to correct all
mistakes.
b. Take another piece of paper, and write your final draft.
c. Edit your paragraph carefully. Then hand it in to your teacher.
Expansion Activities
Your Journal
Keep making entries in your journal. Write as much as you can. Write
as often as you can.
Do not worry about writing perfect sentences. Your journal entries are
not formal compositions. A journal entry is like a message to a friend.
Think of your own topics for your journal entries or choose from these
topics:
• Write about a favorite food or drink. When and where do you have
it? Do you make it, does someone make it for you, or do you buy it?
• Do you have a best friend? Write about a friend who is important
to you. What do you like to do together?
• How is the weather today? Do you like this kind of weather? Name
a place with great weather. Name a place with terrible weather.
• Draw a picture or put a photo in your journal. Then write about it.
• Where and how do you learn new words in English? Do you write
new words in a notebook? What kind of dictionary do you have?
Chapter Preview
Part 1: Organization
Topic Sentences
Expansion A ctivities
52
Chapter 3 | Every Picture Tells a Story 53
Chapter Preview
Work with a partner or in a small group. Look at the photo. Then read
the two model paragraphs. The writers of these paragraphs have different
ideas about the man in the photo. Their paragraphs tell different stories
about him. Answer the questions that follow the models.
2. Read the first sentence again. What is the writer’s main idea about
the topic?______ _________________________________________
4. Write the simple present verbs that complete these sentences from
the paragraph.
b. H e _________ married.
f. H e _________ to be a lawyer.
5. Which of the sentences in 4a-f has the verb be? Sentence 4 _______
2. Read the first sentence again. What is the writer’s main idea about
the topic?____________________________________________ _
You will write a paragraph about someone in a photo later in this chapter
(page 70).
Chapter 3 | Ever\/ Picture Tells a Stor\/ 55
PART 1 | Organization
Topic S en ten ces
A topic sentence comes at the beginning of a paragraph. The topic
sentence gives the writer’s main idea. A good topic sentence helps readers
understand the paragraph.
A topic sentence has two parts: (1) a topic — what the paragraph is
about, and (2) a controlling idea — what the writer is going to focus on
in the paragraph. For example, look at this topic sentence:
TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA
David Ferreira is a good father.
This topic sentence tells us that the paragraph will be about David
Ferreira. The writer will tell us about David as a father. The paragraph will
not have other information about David. For example, it will not have
information about his education, his friends, or his future plans. It will tell
us only about David as a father.
Either the topic or the controlling idea can come first in a topic sentence.
Compare these two topic sentences:
CONTROLLING IDEA TOPIC
There are several reasons whv I like my room.
TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA
I like my room for several reasons.
Sometimes the topic and the controlling idea are in two sentences. Look
at the example below. Find the topic and the controlling idea.
In this example, the topic is sea lions and seals. The controlling idea —
that they are different in several ways — is in the second sentence.
Not all paragraphs begin with a topic sentence, but topic sentences are
an important part of academic writing in English. You will need good topic
sentences for paragraphs you write for school. You will also need good
supporting and concluding sentences. You will learn about these in
Chapters 5, 6, and 8.
PRACTICE 3.1 Work alone or with a partner. Read each paragraph. Then find the topic
Examining sentence. Circle the topic and underline the controlling idea.
Topic Sentences
1. A betta makes a good pet. First,
it is a beautiful fish, especially in the
sunlight. The light brings out its
amazing color. Second, it is easy to
take care of a betta. Just feed it every
day, and give it clean water once a
week. Finally, a betta is not expensive.
You do not have to spend much money
on the fish, its food, or its fishbowl.
I tell all my friends to get a betta.
0°C = 32°F
PRACTICE 3 .2 Work alone or with a partner. Read each paragraph and the three
Choosing the sentences that follow it. Choose the best topic sentence for the
Best Topic paragraph. Write that sentence on the line.
Sentence
1.
For example,
butterflies called Painted Ladies fly all the
way from Europe to Africa. They also fly from
Australia to New Zealand. Monarch butterflies
fly from Canada to Mexico. That trip can be
3,000 miles long. It is amazing how far some
A monarch butterfly
butterflies can fly.
2 . ____________________________________________ He played
two sports in high school. He was the captain of the wrestling and
tennis teams. He is also a good swimmer and a fast runner. He runs
every day to stay in shape. Sometimes Kai and I play Ping-Pong
together. Kai usually wins. He is good at Ping-Pong, too.
a. Kai is my friend.
b. I have a friend at school.
c. My friend Kai is good at sports.
58 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
3. ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ The
letters a, e, i, o, and u are vowels. The other twenty-one letters are
consonants. The letter y can be a consonant or a vowel. For example,
y has a consonant sound in the words yes and you, but it has a vowel
sound in the words key and play. Students of English need to learn all
the letters and their sounds.
4. ______________________
The best
beans come from criollo trees. These
trees grow only in Central and South
America. Most beans come from forastero
trees. These trees grow in West Africa.
Finally, the third kind of bean comes from
trinitario trees. These trees grow in both
Africa and the Americas. All three kinds
of cocoa beans are used to make
chocolate. Cocoa beans in a pod
PRACTICE 3.3 Work with a partner. Read each topic sentence. Circle the topic and
Supporting a underline the controlling idea. Then write two examples of sentences
Topic Sentence you might find in the paragraph.
3. A verb can have more than one Alex and his friends have cars.
subject.
60 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Work alone or with a partner. Find the subject and the verb in each
Identifying
sentence. Circle the subject and write S above it. Underline the verb and
Subjects and write V above it.
Verbs S V
supermarket.
Is friendly.
Has five people in her family.
Bella is friendly.
She has five people in her family.
Look at these groups of words. They are not complete sentences either.
Something is missing.
PRACTICE 3 .5 Work alone or with a partner. Look at each sentence. Check (>/)
Editing: C om plete or Incom plete. For each incomplete sentence, tell what is
Recognizing missing. Write No subject or No verb. Then correct the incomplete
Complete sentences.
Sentences
is No verb
b. Beijing a big city. V
A
PRACTICE Work alone or with a partner. Find the seven incomplete sentences in this
Editing:
paragraph. Make corrections. The first incomplete sentence has been
Incomplete corrected for you.
Sentences
I want to tell you about my friend Yasmin. She lives in Seattle,
She is
Washington, te young and single. She twenty-four years old. Works in
her job. Clothes very important to her. Loves to shop. She spends her
money on new clothes and shoes. She has a plan to open a clothing
PRACTICE Work alone or with a partner. Find the incomplete sentences. Make
Editing:
corrections.
Incomplete
Sentences The name of my hometown is l-Lan. My parents and my
seasons. The winter wet and cool. The summer hot and humid.
place to live.
Chapter 3 I Every Picture Tells a Story 63
The boldfaced words in the three sentences below are adjectives. The
words they describe are underlined.
Rules Examples
Be + Adjective
A djective + IVoun
PRACTICE 3 .8 Work alone or with a partner. The boldfaced words in this paragraph are
Adjectives adjectives. Underline the words (nouns or subject pronouns) that the
and the Words adjectives describe.
They Describe
I have a favorite beach. It has soft,
white sand and nice, clean water. In
the summer, the beach is hot. I sit
under a big umbrella, and I often go into
the cool water. This beach is a good
place to swim. The waves are usually
small. Sometimes I spend the whole
day at the beach. On other days, I go to
the beach in the late afternoon or in the
early evening. It is quiet at that time.
PRACTICE 3 .9 Work alone or with a partner. Circle the twelve adjectives in this
Identifying
paragraph. The first adjective is circled for you.
Adjectives
Carlos likes living in Westfield, Massachusetts. It is a (small)and
quiet town. The streets are narrow. Along the streets there are many
big trees. They are beautiful. Westfield has great parks, too. Stanley
Park is Carlos’s favorite park. It is large and green. There are nice
fields for playing baseball and new courts for playing basketball.
Carlos has a good time in the park with his friends.
PRACTICE 3.10 A. Look at the adjectives in this list. Mark each word 0, 1, or 2.
Understanding
Common
0 = 1 know nothing about this word.
Adjectives
1= 1 know a little about this word.
PRACTICE 3.11 Take a piece of paper. Write sentences with adjectives. Follow the
Using directions.
Adjectives
Examples: Name a food and describe it. Candy is sweet.
Name a song and describe it. "Happy Birthday" is
a famous song.
1. Name a movie and describe it.
2. Name a friend and describe him or her.
3. Name a city and describe it.
4. Name an actor and describe him or her.
5. Name a kind of car and describe it.
6. Name a kind of animal and describe it.
7. Describe your hair.
8. Describe your eyes.
(2) describe routines and habits — actions that happen again and again.
I We
sleep.
You You
He
sleep.
She They
sleeps.
It
Rules Examples
3. The verb have is irregular. It is not like I/You/We/They have brown eyes.
other verbs. He/She/It has blue eyes.
PRACTICE 3.13 Write the third person singular form of each verb. See Appendix E
Spelling Third for help.
Person Singular
Verbs 1. f l y _____ flies_____ 8. catch __________
S im p le P r e se n t: N e g a tiv e S t a te m e n ts
I We
do
You You
He
not run. do not run.
She They
does
It
PRACTICE 3.15 Underline the verb in the first statement. Use the same verb in the
Simple Present second statement, but make it negative.
Verbs in
Negative 1. Baseball players catch baseballs.
Statements Soccer players do not catch
soccer balls.
PRACTICE 3.16 A. Complete the paragraph. Write the correct forms of the verbs in
A ffirm ativ e parentheses.
and Negative
Statements I really like winter. My city, Montreal, Quebec,________
(1. like) (2. get)
I really do not like winter. M y city. New Orleans. Louisiana, does not get
a lot of snow._____________________________________________________
70 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 3.17 Work alone or with a partner. Find the verb error in each statement.
Editing: Errors Make corrections.
in Simple
speaks does
Present Verbs
Examples: My friend speak Arabic. He not speak English.
a. Look at the people in the four photos on page 71. Choose one
person to write about. Imagine that you know the person well.
Chapter 3 ! Every Picture Tells a Story 71
A. R
C. D.
Step 2: Write
a. Choose a title for your paragraph. You can use The Man/Woman in
the Photo if you like.
b. Begin your paragraph with a topic sentence. Identify the person
(which photo are you writing about?), and state your main idea
about him or her. This will be the controlling idea about your
topic. For example, you can use one of these statements:
O— O— # — O Step 3: Edit
a. Read your paragraph again. It may help you to read it out loud.
Make changes if needed.
b. Edit your paragraph carefully. Check for mistakes before you show
it to anyone.
c. Peer review: Exchange papers with a partner. Follow the
Reviewer’s Checklist on page 73. Check (S ) each box when
you finish that step.
Chapter 3 I Every Picture Tells a Story 73
Form
Look at these parts of your partner’s paper. Mark any problems on
the paper in pencil. Put a question mark (?) if you are not sure about
something. (See Henry Liu’s first draft on page 46 for an example of
how to mark a paper.)
□ the heading □ capital letters and periods
□ the title □ a subject in every sentence
□ indenting the first sentence □ a verb for every subject
d. Return your partner’s paper. Say something nice about it, such as
“It’s a good first draft” or “I like your ideas.”
e. Look at your own paper. If you do not agree with a comment on it,
then ask another student or your teacher.
a. On your first draft, mark any changes you want to make. Then take
another piece of paper and write a new draft.
b. Edit your paragraph carefully. Then hand it in to your teacher.
74 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Expansion Activities
Your Journal
Continue making entries in your journal. Remember to read your
teacher’s comments. Sometimes your teacher will write questions in your
journal. Write the answers, or talk to your teacher about the questions.
If you need a topic for a journal entry, maybe these ideas will help:
• Who do you talk to on the phone? Name three people. When do
you talk to them? What kinds of things do you usually talk about?
• Name a place that you think is beautiful. What makes it beautiful?
• Do you have a pet? Write about your pet, or write about an animal
that interests you.
• Do you like to watch movies? What kinds of movies do you like
most? Name a movie that you have seen recently. Do you think
your teacher would like it?
• When do you usually do your homework? Where do you do it? Do
you work alone, or do you work with other people? Do you listen
to music while you work? Do you eat or drink while you work?
Chapter 3 I Every Picture Tells a Story 75
Start by writing some notes about this person. The list of questions on
page 71 might help you get ideas. Then write a first draft. Remember to
begin your paragraph with a topic sentence. For example, you could write
My friend Elizabeth is very important in my life.
Ask a friend or a classmate to review your first draft. Use the Reviewer’s
Checklist on page 73. Prepare a final draft, and give it to your teacher.
Saturda\/s
Chapter Preview
Part 1: Organization
Time Order
Expansion Activities
76
Chapter 4 I Saturdays 77
Chapter Preview
Work with a partner or in a small group. Read the two model paragraphs.
Answer the questions that follow.
1. What is the topic sentence? Copy it on the line below. Circle the
topic and underline the controlling idea.
a. T hey_____________ chores.
1. What is the topic sentence? Copy it on the line below. Circle the
topic and underline the controlling idea.
3. Talk about what you think this sentence means in the paragraph:
It d e p en d s on the w ea th er.
You will interview a classmate and write a paragraph about his or her
Saturday activities later in this chapter (page 92).
PART 1 I Organization
Time Order
When you write, you must think about organization — planning and
presenting information in a clear order. Writers need to organize
information to make it easy for people to read. There are many ways to
do this.
Time-order words also help make information clear to the reader. Here
are some examples of time-order words:
PRACTICE 4.1 Underline the six time-order words in this paragraph. The first one is
Tim e-O rder underlined for you.
Words
Luis and Ada have a daily routine
at their bookstore. They always get to
the store at 8:30 a . m . First. Luis
unlocks the door and turns on the
lights. Next, he turns on the
coffeemaker, and Ada starts up the
computer. Then they put new books
on the shelves and in the store
window. After that, they open for
business. Luis begins working with
customers in the store, and Ada works
on the computer. Later, they change places. They clean the store
together at the end of the day. Finally, they close up and go home.
PRACTICE 4 .2 Work alone or with a partner. Add the words in the box to the paragraph
Tim e-O rder below. There is more than one correct answer in some cases.
Words
PRACTICE 4 .3 Number the sentences in order by time. Then write them as a paragraph
Time O rder on the lines.
The two subjects go with the same verb, so there is one subject-verb
combination.
82 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 4 .4 Underline the verbs and write V above them. Circle the subjects and
Simple write S above them.
Sentence 5 S V
Patterns
1.(Red and blug)are my favorite colors.
2. The sky and the ocean are blue.
3. The color blue seems peaceful.
4. Both men and women usually like blue.
5. Red is a strong and exciting color.
6. In China, red means “happiness.”
7. Red and blue are two of the primary colors.
8. The other primary color is yellow.
9. The secondary colors are orange, green, and purple.
10. Rainbows have all the primary and secondary colors.
Chapter 4 I Saturdays 83
Adverbs of Frequency
Rules Examples
Subject Be Adverb
2 In statements with be'
1 am often early.
Put the adverb after be.
George is usually late.
PRACTICE 4 .6 Rewrite each statement three times. Add sometimes in three different
Sometimes in positions.
A ffirm ative
Statements 1. My family has a special holiday meal.
Rules Examples
Not Adverb
1. Put always, usually, and often after not. He does not always sleep well,
They are not often late.
2. Put sometimes at the beginning of the Sometimes he does not understand the
statement. homework.
PRACTICE 4 .8 Take a piece of paper. Write complete sentences to answer the questions.
Using Adverbs Use at least three different adverbs of frequency.
o f Frequency
Examples: Do you ever watch the news?
I do not usually watch the news.
Pay attention to the words after the four common verbs in this chart. If
you can, add other examples of words that can follow each verb.
4. get get, gets get sick, get hungry, get tired, get married
get (something) at the store
get to (a place)
Other examples:
When you see these common verbs, pay attention to the words that
follow them.
The verb be is also very common. See page 40 for information about
I how be combines with other words.
88 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 4 .9 A. Read the paragraph. Circle the forms of have, do, make, and get.
Word Partners Underline the words that follow these verbs.
B. Look at the words you underlined. Some are already in the chart on
page 87. Add new examples to the chart under “Other examples.”
PRACTICE 4.10 Take a piece of paper. Write three true statements using each verb.
Using Common
Example: have I have a new Watch.
Verbs
I have tea in the morning.
I have a son named kfen.
1. have 3. make
2. do 4. get
PREP. + NOUN
I sometimes get up in the afternoon.
There are many rules for using prepositions to show time. Here are four
rules you need to know.
Rules Examples
Lunch is at noon.
PRACTICE 4.11 Underline the seven time expressions with prepositions. The first one is
Prepositions underlined for you.
in Time
Expressions The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in
Cleveland, Ohio, is a big attraction. Half a
million people visit each year. The hall is
usually open from 10:00 a .m . to 5:30 p .m .
On Wednesdays, it is also open in the
evening. In the summer (from Memorial
Day to Labor Day), it stays open late on
Saturdays, too. The hall is closed only on
Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are
exhibits, films, concerts, and a museum
store. It is a great place for rock and
roll fans to visit.
90 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 4.12 Complete the sentences. Use in, on, at, from, or to to show time.
Prepositions
in Time 1. Do you dream _______ night?
Expressions
2. The movie ru n s_______ 7:00 p .m . ________ 8:50 p .m .
Titles
A title is the name of a book, a song, a story, or a movie. Titles are not
usually sentences. They are usually just a few words. A title can be one
word, such as Titanic or Superman.
W r it e r ’s T ip
It is a good idea to write your paragraph before you write your title.
Finish your first draft, check your topic sentence, and then add a title.
Chapter 4 | Saturdays 91
Rules Examples
3. Do not put a period after your title. Getting Ready for the D ay
PRACTICE 4.13 Work alone or with a partner. Rewrite each title with the capital letters
Capital Letters needed.
in Titles
1. fundamentals of academic writing
Fundamentals of Academic Writing
5. a wrinkle in time
7. introduction to psychology
PRACTICE 4.14 Work with a partner. Think of good titles for books or movies about the
inventing Titles topics below.
Example: two young people in love
First and Last Love______________________________
5. a bank robbery
# — O— O— O Step 1: Prewrite
in the
morning
in the
afternoon
in the
evening
Step 2: Write
O— O— # — O Step 3: Edit
a. Read your paragraph again. It may help you to read it out loud.
Make changes if needed.
b. Edit your paragraph carefully. Check for mistakes before you show
it to anyone.
c. Peer review: Exchange papers with the partner that you wrote
about. Follow the Reviewer’s Checklist below. Check (S ) each box
when you finish that step.
Content
□ Read all of your partner’s paragraph.
□ Underline any part of the paragraph you do not understand. Ask
your partner to explain it.
□ Tell your partner if any information is not correct.
□ Circle the topic sentence. Write TS on the paper if there is no topic
sentence.
Form
Look at these parts of your partner’s paper. Mark any problems on
the paper in pencil. Put a question mark (?) if you are not sure about
something. (See Henry Liu’s first draft on page 46 for an example of
how to mark a paper.)
□ the title □ the use of words to show time
□ a subject in every sentence (time-order words, time
□ a verb for every subject expressions with prepositions,
adverbs of frequency)
d. Return your partner’s paper. Say something nice about it, such as
“I liked reading this” or “Good job.”
e. Look at your own paper. If you do not agree with a comment on it,
then ask another student or your teacher.
Chapter 4 I Saturdays 95
a. On your first draft, mark any changes you want to make. Then take
another piece of paper and write a new draft.
b. Edit your paragraph carefully. Then hand it in to your teacher.
Expansion Activities
Your Journal
Continue making entries in your journal. Do not worry about making
mistakes. Your journal is a good place to experiment with new words.
If you need a topic for a journal entry, try one of these ideas:
• What is your favorite color? Do you have more than one favorite?
What colors do you usually w^ear?
• Write about a friend who has a job. What does your friend do?
Where and when does your friend work? Do you think that he or
she has a good job?
• Name an island you want to visit. What do you know about this
island? Why do you want to go there?
• What are the seasons of the year where you live? Which season do
you like most? Why?
• Wrhat languages do you know7? Why are you learning English? Tell
how you feel about learning English.
Use your notes to write a paragraph. Begin your paragraph with a topic
sentence, such as Independence Day is always a lot o f fun or New Year's
Eve is my favorite holiday. Remember to give your paragraph a title.
Ask a friend or a classmate to review your first draft. Use the Reviewer’s
Checklist on page 94. Prepare a final draft, and give it to your teacher.
What’s Going On?
5
What’s up?
Chapter Preview
Part 1: Organization
Topic Sentences and Supporting Sentences I
Part 3: Grammar
The Present Progressive
Non-Action Verbs
Expansion Activities
98 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Chapter Preview
Work with a partner or in a small group. Read the two model paragraphs.
Answer the questions that follow.
B.
MODEL
Tap Dancers
- aph Photo A shows a boy and his grandfather. They look happy. The
boy is looking up at his grandfather and smiling. His grandfather is
teaching him to tap dance. They are dancing on the sidewalk in front
of their house. They are doing the same step. The sun is shining, and
it looks like summer. It is a beautiful day, and they are having fun.
MODEL
____________ _ At the Hair Salon
Pa 1 1 The young woman in photo B looks nervous. She is at a hair
salon. A man is cutting her hair. She is sitting, and she has a towel
around her shoulders. The man is standing in back of her. He is
holding her hair with one hand. He has a pair of scissors in his other
hand. He is saying something. She is trying to smile. She is
wondering, “What is he doing? Am I making a mistake?”
Chapter 5 I What’s Going On? 9 9
1. The writer’s topic and controlling idea are in the first two
sentences. Copy them on the line below. Circle the topic and
underline the controlling idea.
2. What details does the writer give in describing photo A? Check (V)
your answers.
1. What is the topic sentence? Copy it on the line below. Circle the
topic and underline the controlling idea.
3. What are the two different meanings of the verb look in these two
sentences?
The young woman looks nervous.
He is looking at his grandfather.
100 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
a. He / say / something____________________________________
c. I / make / a mistake____________________________________
PART ] I Organization
Topic Sentences and Supporting Sentences I
Some paragraphs end with a concluding sentence. You will learn more
about concluding sentences in Chapter 8.
Chapter 5 I What’s Going On? 101
T o p ic S e n t e n c e
C o n c l u d in g S e n t e n c e
There are six supporting sentences in the paragraph. They explain why
the writer calls the human heart a hard worker.
Here are two more patterns for simple sentences. These patterns also
have one subject-verb combination.
Rules Examples
1. Use and to add a second subject or verb. Oiga and Anna are musicians.
Do not use a comma. They sing and play the piano.
2. Use or to connect two negative verbs. 1do not sing or play the piano.
Do not repeat do/does not or am/is/ Anna is not singing or playing right now.
are not.
PRACTICE 5 .2 Work alone or with a partner. Find the verbs and write V above them.
Simple Find the subjects and write S above them.
Sentence
S V V
Patterns 1. Minja exercises and eats healthy food.
2. She takes vitamins and does not smoke.
3. She eats fresh vegetables and avoids fast food.
4. Her parents and her brother also eat well and exercise.
5. Minja and her brother work out or swim six days a week.
104 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 5 .3 Combine the sentences into one simple sentence. Use and or or. Make
Combining any other changes needed.
Sentences:
Three Patterns Example: London is a capital city. Paris is a capital city.
5. Most birds have wings and fly. Many insects have wings and fly.
8. Laura works hard. She takes few vacations. Peter works hard.
He takes few vacations.
PART 3 I Grammar
The Present Progressive
In Chapter 3, you learned about verbs in the simple present tense. Now
you will learn about the present progressive (also called the present
continuous).
A present progressive verb has two parts: (1) am, is, or are and (2) a
main verb that ends in -ing.
Singular Plural
I am We
She is
It
PRACTICE 5. Match the words and pictures. Write the sentences with present
Describing progressive verbs.
Actions a. They are standing. e. They are shopping.
b. He is shouting. f. She is writing.
c. She is laughing. g. They are relaxing.
d. He is studying. h. She is driving.
1. She is laughing.
8.
Chapter 5 ! What’s Going On? 107
PRACTICE 5 .5 Write the correct present progressive form of the verb in parentheses.
Present (See Appendix F for spelling rules for -ing verbs.)
Progressive:
A ffirm ative 1. (play) Two teams are paying
soccer.
Singular Plural
It
PRACTICE 5 .6 Write the present progressive form of the verb in parentheses. (See
Present Appendix F for spelling rules for -ing verbs.)
Progressive:
Negative 1. (not, work) Jacinto is on vacation this week. He is not working.
3. (not, get up) The children are sick, so they are staying in bed
today. T h ey ___________________
PRACTICE 5.7 Work alone or with a partner. Take a piece of paper. Write four or more
Using the
statements about the people in each picture. Use the present progressive.
Present Include affirmative and negative statements.
Progressive
Examples: Picture A: The woman is talking to the man. He is not
smiling. They are wearing business clothes.
Chapter 5 I What’s Going On? 109
Rules Examples
Non-Action Verbs
Some verbs do not express action or movement. Do not use these verbs
in the present progressive. Use the simple present tense.
know does not know
I am knowing his name, but he is not knowing my name.
Verbs like know are called non-action verbs (or verbs with stative
meaning). Other non-action verbs are:
PRACTICE 5.
Non-Action
1 Circle the correct verb.
^ . ./rT'v . ,
V erbs 1. This pizza tastes great. I (am liking /(lik^)) it!
5. Beatriz is at the mall. She (is looking for / looks for) a new dress.
6. Nanami has her radio on. She (is listening / listens) to the news.
7. Listen! Do you hear music? — No, I (am not hearing / do not hear)
anything.
9. The children are happy in the pool. They (are loving / love) the water.
10. We are looking for Ali, but we (aren’t seeing / don’t see) him.
PRACTICE 5 Work alone or with a partner. Find and correct the nine errors in present
Editing: Verb
progressive and simple present verbs. The first error is corrected
Errors for you.
wants
to buy a car. He is having a new job and needing
listens to her. The car is not bad, but Danny is not liking it very much.
He is want a nice car, but he is not having much money. The price for
PRACTICE 5.12 Work alone or with a partner. Take a piece of paper. Look at the photos
Using Present on pages 1, 27, and 97. Choose one photo.
Progressive
and Simple A. Use your imagination. Write four or more facts about the people in
Present your photo. Use simple present verbs.
# — O— O— O Step 1: Prewrite
a. Work with a partner. Look at the four photos on the next page.
Match one or more adjectives in the box to the people in each
photo.
b. Choose one of the four photos to write about. You and your partner
must choose different photos. Ask your partner questions about his
or her photo. For example, ask:
B.
Step 2: Write
O— O— # — O Step 3: Edit
a. Read your paragraph again. It may help you to read it out loud.
Make changes if needed.
b. Edit your paper carefully. Check for mistakes before you show it to
anyone.
c. Peer review: Exchange papers with a partner. Follow the Reviewer’s
Checklist below. Check (V) each box when you finish that step.
Content
□ Read all of your partner’s paragraph.
□ Underline any part of the paragraph you do not understand. Ask
your partner to explain it.
□ Circle the writer’s main idea about the photo.
□ Ask questions if you want more information.
Form
Look at these parts of your partner’s paper. Mark any problems on
the paper in pencil. Put a question mark (?) if you are not sure about
something.
□ the title □ the use of simple present verbs
□ capital letters and periods □ the use of present progressive
□ a subject in every sentence verbs
d. Return your partner’s paper. Say something nice about the paragraph,
such as “Good work” or “It’s a good start.”
e. Look at your own paper. If you do not agree with a comment on it,
then ask another student or your teacher.
a. On your first draft, mark any changes you want to make. Then take
another piece of paper and write a new draft.
b. Edit your paragraph carefully. Then hand it in to your teacher.
116 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Edit your new draft carefully before you hand it in. Remember to hand
in your old and new drafts together, with the new draft on top.
When you do not need to rewrite a paragraph anymore, put it in your folder.
Expansion Activities
Your Journal
Continue making entries in your journal. If you need a topic for a
journal entry, these ideas might help:
• Where are you at this moment? Describe what you are doing and
what you are wearing. Are there any other people around you? Tell
what they are doing.
• Name a job that interests you, one that you might like to do in the
future. Why are you interested in this job?
• Do you watch TV? If you do, tell when, where, and what you
watch. If you do not watch TV, tell why not.
• What do you do for exercise? Do you exercise every day,
sometimes, or never?
• These days, you are going to classes and you are using this book.
What else are you doing — in school and out — to learn English?
What helps you the most?
Use your notes to write the first draft of a paragraph. Describe what the
people are doing and wearing. Give your paragraph a title.
Ask a friend or a classmate to look at your photo and to review your first
draft. Use the Reviewer’s Checklist on page 115. Prepare a final draft.
Then give your paper and your photo to your teacher.
Your Hometown
C hapter P re v iew
P art 2: G ram m ar
There Is and There Are
A , An, and The
P art 4: T he W riting P r o c e s s
Your Paragraph: Describing My Hometown
Results of the Writing Process
117
118 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Chapter Preview
MODEL My Hometown
aph I am from Canovanas, Puerto Rico. It is a small city with a big
heart. It is in the northeastern part of Puerto Rico. There are about
30,000 people there. They are not rich, and their houses are small.
There are good people in Canovanas. My neighbors are like my
family. When there is a problem, people are always ready to help.
That is the best thing about my hometown. I miss the friendly
people of Canovanas.
1. The topic and the controlling idea are in the first two sentences.
Copy them on the line below. Circle the topic and underline the
controlling idea.
3. Copy a sentence that supports the idea that Canovanas has “a big
heart.”
Chapter 6 | Your Hometown 119
1. What is the topic sentence? Copy it on the line below. Circle the
topic and underline the controlling idea.
2. Where is A lm aty?_________________________________________
3. Why does the writer think that Almaty is special? List three
reasons.
PART 1 I Organization
Topic Sentences and Supporting Sentences II
PRACTICE 6.1 Work with a partner or in a small group. Read the paragraph. Then
Supporting a follow the directions below.
Topic Sentence
My Best Friend’s Room
My best friend’s room is very neat. Her desk always looks clean
and organized. There are only a few books and her laptop on it. She
always puts her clothes away. There are never any clothes on the floor
or on her bed. She also makes her bed every day. It always looks
perfect. I wish my room looked like her room.
Paragraph Unity/
“My Best Friend’s Room” in Practice 6.1. You could add this sentence to
the paragraph. Which one is it? The other two sentences are irrelevant —
not directly related to the main idea of the paragraph.
(3) She puts her pens and papers away in the drawers.
Sentence (1) is irrelevant because the paragraph is about her room only.
It is not about her hair or any other part of her life. Sentence (2) is also
irrelevant. It does nothing to support the main idea. Sentence (3) is the
only relevant sentence. It tells how she keeps her desk neat. It supports
the main idea.
Read the following paragraph. Two irrelevant sentences are crossed out.
Why are they irrelevant?
My Favorite Holiday
I always loved the traditions of New Year’s Eve in my country. First,
we all cleaned our homes so they looked nice for the new year. We
also put up colored lights and other decorations. Then everyone
dressed up in nice new clothes. My brother never wanted to dress^
up or help w ith the cleaning. The best part was a special dinner
with my whole family. Then at midnight, everyone went outside, and
there were fireworks in the streets. Somet imes we had fireworks on
othor-holidays, too. New Year’s Eve was always an exciting night in
my country.
The writer’s topic is New Year’s Eve in her home country. Her paragraph
describes the holiday traditions that she loved. The sentence about her
brother is irrelevant because it does not describe a tradition that she loved.
The sentence about fireworks on other holidays is not about New Year’s
Eve, so that is also irrelevant.
122 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 6. Work alone or with a partner. Read each paragraph. Underline the topic
Identifying sentence. Find two irrelevant sentences, and cross them out.
Irrelevant
Sentences
1. Roberto
My friend Roberto is a kind person. He helps everybody in his
family. He drives his mother to the doctor or the store. He helps her
understand English. People speak Spanish in Mexico. He checks his
little brothers’ homework. He also plays baseball with them. Roberto
is a good soccer player, too. He listens to his sisters’ problems. He
gives them good advice. Roberto is a good son and a good brother.
2. Hot-Air Balloons
It is easy to understand how a hot-air
balloon works. Airplanes are harder to
understand. A gas burner heats the air inside
the balloon. The hot air is lighter than the air
outside, so the balloon rises. When the burner
is turned down, the air inside the balloon cools
off. Then the balloon starts going down. That is
how a hot-air balloon works. Two men in France
took the first hot-air balloon ride in 1783.
4. Conditions in Antarctica
Antarctica is a difficult and dangerous
place for people. Penguins live there. It is
very cold, with the average temperature
about 40 degrees below zero. The air is very
dry, and there are strong winds. In the
winter, the sun never comes up. I would
never go there in the winter. In the summer,
the sun’s rays are bad for people’s skin and
eyes. They need protection from both the
cold and the sun. Some scientists stay there
to work for a few weeks or months, but no
one calls Antarctica home.
PART 2 I Grammar
There Is and There Are
Sentences with there is and there are often introduce new information.
There is a lot of work to do!
See Appendix Cfor information about singular, plural, and noncount nouns.
124 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 6 .5 Take a piece of paper. Answer the questions below. Write complete
Using T here Is sentences with there is and there are.
and T here Are
Example: Are there many plants in your bedroom?
No, there are no plants in my bedroom.
1. How many floors are there in the building where you live?
2. Is there a map of the world in your classroom?
3. How many desks are there in your classroom?
4. Is there a swimming pool at your school?
5. How many people are in your family?
6. Are there pictures in your wallet?
The words a, an, and the are articles. Articles often come before nouns.
Using A and An
Rules Examples
3. Use a or an when:
• the noun is not specific 1 need an eraser. (Anv eraser — 1do not
care which eraser.)
• the noun is first introduced There is a bank on Green Street.
See Appendix Cfor information about singular, plural, and noncount nouns.
See Appendix J for information about adjectives before nouns.
126 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 6 .7 Work alone or with a partner. Write definitions for the words in
Using A and An
parentheses. Use the words in the box. Use a or an as needed.
in Definitions
animal city country insect language
2. (India)___________________________
3. (a horse).
4. (English)
6. (an elephant)
7. (M exico)___
8. (Japanese)
9. (Baghdad)
10. (a mosquito)
11. (Syria)____
12. (Cairo)____
Chapter 6 I Your Hometown 127
Using The
Rules Examples
2. Use the when the noun means a specific Specific: 1know all the students in my
person, place, or thing. class.
N ot specific: Students go to school.
3. Use the when you repeat a noun already There is a bank on Green Street. You can
introduced. aet cash at the bank.
PRACTICE 6 .8
A, An, o r The
Complete the sentences. Write a, an, or the.
2 . ___ aquarium i s ____ building where people can see fish and
a- b.
other sea animals. My hometown h a s ___ new aquarium.
c.
aquarium in my hometown is very interesting.
d.
PRACTICE 6 .9 Circle the ten prepositions in this paragraph. The first one is circled
Recognizing f ° r y ° u-
Prepositions
I love visiting my grandparents. They live (on)a farm in a
small town in Turkey. It is near the Black Sea. There is a big garden
next to their house. My grandparents grow vegetables and herbs
in the garden. There is a small barn in back of the house. The
goats and chickens sleep in the barn. There are many apple trees
in front of the house. The farm is a beautiful place in the spring
and summer.
3. Use at + a specific address or building. The Kelleys live at 132 King Street.
He works at the hospital.
3 . 1live o n ___________
4. My home is at
Rules Examples
PRACTICE 6.12 Underline the prepositional phrases in the examples on the right. Then
Recognizing match the rules and the examples. Write the letters.
Prepositional RULES EXAMPLES
Phrases
c 1. be + prepositional phrase a. The animals on these islands
are unusual.
PRACTICE 6.13 Work alone or with a partner. Take a piece of paper. Look at the map of
Using Cambodia. Write six or more sentences about places on the map. Use
Prepositional between, in, near, next to, and on.
Phrases
Example: Cambodia is next to Thailand.
MYANMAR
132 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Step 1: Prewrite
b. Work with a partner. Ask your partner questions about his or her
hometown:
Where are you from? Where is it? What is it like? What is special about it?
d. Look again at the notes from page 132. The writer has made
changes. She has decided on a title. She has written a topic
sentence. She has crossed out irrelevant information.
Almaty
la rg e s t
in the world
O— 0 — O— O Step 2: Write
Use your notes to write your first draft. Begin your paragraph with
a topic sentence. See the models on page 118 for examples. Remember,
your supporting sentences must relate to your topic sentence.
W r i t e r ’s T ip
O— O— # — O Step 3: Edit
a. Read your paragraph again. It may help you to read it out loud.
Make changes if needed.
b. Edit your paper carefully. Check for mistakes before you show it to
anyone.
c. Peer review: Exchange papers with a partner. Follow the
Reviewer’s Checklist below. Check ( y ) each box when you finish
that step.
Content
□ Read all of your partner’s paragraph.
□ Underline any part of the paragraph you do not understand.
Ask your partner to explain it.
□ Circle the topic sentence. Write TS on the paper if there is no topic
sentence.
□ Read the supporting sentences again. Ask questions if you want
more information.
Form
Look at these parts of your partner’s paper. Mark any problems on
the paper in pencil. Put a question mark (?) if you are not sure about
something.
□ the format of the paper — □ the use of there is and
heading, title, margins, spacing there are
□ a subject in every sentence □ the use of prepositions
□ a verb for every subject
d. Return your partner’s paper. Say something nice about it, such as
“I liked reading about your hometown” or “Good first draft.”
e. Look at your own paper. If you do not agree with a comment on it,
then ask another student or your teacher.
Chapter 6 I Your Hometown 135
a. On your first draft, mark any changes you want to make. Then take
another piece of paper and write a new draft.
b. Edit your new draft carefully. Then hand it in to your teacher.
Edit your new draft carefully before you hand it in. Remember to hand
in your old and new drafts together, with the new draft on top.
Expansion Activities
Your Journal
Continue making entries in your journal. If you cannot think of a topic
for a journal entry, try one of these ideas:
• Do you ever see the sun come up? Do you ever watch it set?
Describe a place where you like to watch the sunrise or sunset.
• Go to a public place and do some people-watching. Choose a
person, and describe him or her. What does the person look like?
How old is he or she? What is the person doing? What is he or she
wearing?
• Do you carry a wallet, a purse, or a backpack? Describe what is in
it right now, or describe the things you usually carry and tell why.
• Describe a nice place to visit in your country. It could be a famous
place, such as a city or national park, or a place that few people
know about.
• Write about using English outside of class. Who do you talk to in
English? When do you listen to English or read it?
136 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Use your notes to write your first draft. Begin your paragraph with a topic
sentence. All the supporting sentences should relate to your main idea.
Ask a friend or a classmate to review your first draft. Use the Reviewer’s
Checklist on page 134. Then prepare a final draft and give it to your
teacher.
Remembering an
Important Day
A big day
P art 4: T he W riting P r o c e s s
Your Paragraph: An Important Day
Results of the Writing Process
137
138 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Chapter Preview
1. What is the topic sentence? Copy it on the line below. Circle the
topic and underline the controlling idea.
Chapter 7 I Remembering an Important Day 139
2. What details does the writer include in his description of the day?
3. Give one reason why it was a good day for the writer.
4. What words and phrases help show that the writer is using time
order? Write three of them here:_____________ , ______________.
and_____________
5. Complete these sentences from the paragraph with the simple past
forms of the verb be.
a. I t _________ a Saturday.
6. Complete these sentences from the paragraph with the simple past
forms of regular verbs.
7. Complete these sentences from the paragraph with the simple past
forms of irregular verbs.
1. The topic and the controlling idea are in the first two sentences.
Copy them on the lines below. Circle the topic and underline the
controlling idea.
140 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
2. What three memories of her wedding day does the writer focus on?
□ the weather □ the people at her wedding
□ the way she looked □ the place she got married
□ the music □ the way she felt
You will write a paragraph describing an important day in your life later
in this chapter (page 156).
PART 1 I Organization
Organizing Your Ideas
The information in a paragraph needs to be organized. The writer must
put the information in order. This makes the paragraph easier to read and
understand.
There are many ways to organize a paragraph. For example, you can use
time order. You studied time order in Chapter 4. Model paragraph 1 on
page 138 uses time order. Model paragraph 2, however, is different. Read
how the two writers organized their ideas.
Chapter 7 I Remembering an Important Day 141
got up
had breakfast
made phone calls
got dressed - new clothes
-> T's house - 6 friends
drive around town, drive to school
walking into hall with my class
parents, grandparents, pictures
honor students first, my prize
dinner at restaurant
parties
PRACTICE 7.1 Work alone or with a partner. Reread model paragraph 1 on page 138. In
Organizing the list of notes above, underline the details that the writer chose for his
Ideas from paragraph. Cross out the other notes.
P rew riting
PRACTICE 7.2 Reread model paragraph 2 on page 138. Then look at the writer’s
Organizing
freewriting above. Underline the parts of her freewriting that she decided
Ideas from to use for her paragraph.
Prew riting
The writer of model paragraph 2 decided not to use time order in her
paragraph. She chose listing order. She lists three important memories of
her wedding day — the lovely weather, the smiles of her friends and
relatives, and the walk down the aisle with her husband — and she gives
details about each one.
PRACTICE 7.3 Look again at model paragraph 2 on page 138. Compare it with the
Adding Details
freewriting above. Look for details in the paragraph that were not in her
notes. On page 138, underline the new details.
Chapter 7 I Remembering an Important Day 143
2 subjects + 2 verbs She and her friends love music and often go
to concerts.
PRACTICE 7.4 Find the four compound sentences in the paragraph. In each one, mark
the subjects S and the verbs V. Also, circle the comma and coordinating
Recognizing
Compound conjunction. The first compound sentence has been done for you.
Sentences
Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is difficult
S V
but possible. The mountain is 5,895
condition. The climb is hard work, but the views from the top are
wonderful.
Rules Examples
2. Use but when the second idea He works in the city, but he does
is different or surprising. not live in the city.
2. Hee Eun did not study for the test, (but / so) she got a good grade.
3 .1 liked the movie, (and / but) I did not understand all of it.
4. First, I cleaned the kitchen, (and / so) then I cleaned the bathroom.
5. It rained all day, (but / so) they did not play baseball.
6. The music was great, (and / but) there was free food.
7. Their apartment building is nice, (but / so) that part of the city
is not.
8. The shoes did not fit right, (but / so) I did not buy them.
PRACTICE 7.6 Combine each pair of simple sentences into a compound sentence. Use
Creating the coordinating conjunction in parentheses.
Compound
Sentences 1. Last year, my son was six years old. My
daughter was four, (and)
3. The children were in the kitchen. I was not with them, (but)
5. He did not talk to the operator. She knew our phone number and
address, (but)
146 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
6. She believed that we had an emergency. She sent the police to our
house, (so)
8 .1 was upset with the children. I had a serious talk with them, (so)
Using Commas
On pages 143 and 144, you learned about using commas in compound
sentences. Here are four more rules for using commas.
Rules Examples
1. Use a comma between the date and He was born on July 1, 1955.
the year.
3. Use a comma between items in a series You. Tomasz. Sara, and I are in one qroup.
of words or phrases. The students wrote their final drafts,
checked them, and handed them in.
4. Do not use a comma when you connect Mike and all his friends were at the aame.
only two words or phrases. I did not see Luis or call him.
Chapter 7 I Remembering an Important Day 147
PRACTICE 7.7 The following sentences are missing twelve commas. Add commas as
Adding Commas needed. Some sentences need no commas.
1 .1 was born on June 16 1988.
2. My parents were born in 1956.
3. In August of 2006 we had a big
family reunion.
4. My parents invited all our relatives
and everyone came to our house
for the day.
5. My grandparents aunts uncles and
cousins brought many kinds of food.
6. We ate together at a table in our backyard.
7. There were many delicious main dishes salads and desserts.
8. After that the children played games and the adults sat and
talked.
9. In the evening we said our good-byes and everyone went home.
10. Then we washed and dried all the dishes.
PRACTICE 7.8 Take a piece of paper. Write answers to the questions. Use commas and
W riting the words in parentheses.
Sentences with
Commas Examples: What are three things you do not own? (or)
I do not own a motorcycle, a horse, or a boat.
Present Past
Mr. Lee is a grandfather now. Mr. Lee was a child in the 1950s.
Singular Be Plural Be
Subject Subject
I was We
He They
here last week. were here last week.
She
was
It
My friend My friends
Chapter 7 I Remembering an Important Day 149
Rules Examples
1. Add not after was or were to make the 1was not here last week.
statement negative. They were not there a month ago.
2. The past of there is/are is there was/were. There was a meeting yesterday.
There were no cars 200 years ago.
5. My family is on vacation.
Last August,__________
PRACTICE 7.10 Change the sentences to the past. Use was or were + not. (Do not use
Was/Were: never.)
Negative
Statements 1 .1 am never late for class.
I was not late for class __________________________ this morning.
PRACTICE 7.11 Take a piece of paper. Answer the questions in complete sentences. Use
Using W as/W ere was or were-
1. Where were you at 6:00 p .m . yesterday?
2. How was the weather yesterday?
3. When you were a child, who were your best friends?
4. When you were a child, what were your favorite stories or TV shows?
5. What color was your first (bicycle / car)?
6. Where were you in 2004?
7. Where were you in 1994?
8. Who were two important people in the history of your country?
A ffirm a tiv e S ta te m e n ts
See A ppendix G fo r spelling rules fo r regular verbs in the sim ple past.
N eg a tiv e S ta te m e n ts
PRACTICE 7.12 Write the simple past tense form of each verb. Check Appendix G for
Spelling spelling rules.
Practice:
Regular Verbs 1. listen listened 6. plan _______________
PRACTICE 7.13 Complete the sentences. Repeat the same verb, but make it negative. Use
Regular Verbs: the past time expression in parentheses.
Negative
Statements 1 . (last night) I often watch T V at night, but I did not watch TV
last night.___________________________
PRACTICE 7.14 Take a piece of paper. Write ten true statements using the simple past.
Using Regular
Use verbs from the box. Include both affirmative and negative
Verbs in the statements.
Simple Past
clean fix play snow study wait
cook listen rain stay talk walk
Present Past
Many common verbs are irregular. You must study them and memorize
their simple past forms.
See A ppendix H for a list o f common irregular verbs and their sim ple p a st form s.
Chapter 7 i Remembering an Important Day 153
In negative statements, irregular verbs are like regular verbs. Use did not
+ the base form of the verb.
Regular verb: start We started work on time. We did not start late.
Irregular verb: begin We began work on time. We did not begin late.
PRACTICE 7.15 Complete the sentences with the words given. Use the simple past.
Irregular Verbs:
Affirm ative 1. 1/ take / a trip with my family
Statements In 1998, I took a trip with mv family.____________________
yesterday evening.
5. He said good-bye.______________________________________
Read the following story. Then answer the questions. Write complete
Reading and sentences.
W riting About
the Past
Kublai Khan, the powerful ruler of Mongolia and China. He liked Marco
Polo and gave him work to do. Polo spent seventeen years in China,
and he got rich there. He finally made the long trip back to Venice in
1295. Later, he wrote the story of his travels. His book was a great
success in Europe. Polo died in 1324, but Europeans continued to
read his book. In fact, for almost 600 years, they depended on his
book for information about China.
Work alone or with a partner. Find and correct the twelve errors in verbs
Editing: The
in this paragraph. The first error has been corrected for you.
Simple Past had
Last Monday, Harry was have a terrible
morning. At noon, his boss came in. He was angry. “You did not a
good job on this report,” he say to Harry. Harry felt bad. He no went
out to lunch with his friends. Instead, he was stayed in his office and
whole day.
W r ite r ’s Tip
Some writers like to do freewriting this way: First, they freewrite for
five minutes. Next, they read what they wrote and choose one idea from
their writing. Then they freewrite about that idea for five minutes more.
b. Work with a partner. Take turns describing your days. Then tell
your partner three things you remember about his or her day.
c. Look at your notes or freewriting. Decide what information is most
important to your description of the day. Circle or underline it.
Decide how you want to organize your paragraph. Use time order,
like model paragraph 1, or listing order, like model paragraph 2
(page 138).
Step 2: Write
Write your first draft. Begin with a topic sentence. See the models
on page 138 for examples. Make sure your supporting sentences
show why your topic sentence is true.
Step 3: Edit
a. Read your paragraph again. It may help you to read it out loud.
Make changes if needed.
b. Edit your paper carefully. Check for mistakes before you show it
to anyone.
c. Peer review: Exchange papers with a partner. Follow the
Reviewer’s Checklist on page 158. Check (✓) each box when you
finish that step.
158 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Content
□ Read all of your partner’s paragraph.
□ Underline any part of the paragraph you do not understand. Ask
your partner to explain it.
□ Circle the topic sentence. Write TS on the paper if there is no topic
sentence.
□ Reread the supporting sentences. Ask questions if you want more
information.
Form
Look at these parts of your partner’s paper. Mark any problems on
the paper in pencil. Put a question mark (?) if you are not sure about
something.
□ the format of the paper □ the use of simple past verbs
□ a subject in every sentence □ the use of commas
□ a verb for every subject
Check your new draft carefully before you hand it in. Remember to
hand in your old and new drafts together, with the new draft on top.
When you do not need to rewrite your paragraph, save it in your folder.
Expansion Activities
Your Journal
Continue making entries in your journal. If you cannot think of a topic
for a journal entry, try one of these ideas:
• How was this past weekend? Did you have fun? Did you do
anything special, or was it just a typical weekend? Describe what
you did.
• Write about your education. How old were you when you started
school? What schools did you go to? How did you feel about
school?
• Think of a time when you had some good luck. What happened?
Why do you think you were lucky?
• Think of someone who was important to you when you were
growing up. Who was this person? WThy was he or she important in
your life?
• When did you start learning English? Did you choose to study
English, or did you have to learn it? Describe your first
experiences with learning English.
Begin your paragraph with a topic sentence. In your topic sentence, tell
the reader what kind of experience you are going to describe. Be sure to
include enough details in your paragraph.
Going on a trip!
P art 4: T he W riting P r o c e s s
Your Paragraph: Memories of a Trip
Results of the Writing Process
161
162 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Chapter Preview
Work with a partner or in a small group. Read the model paragraphs.
Answer the questions that follow.
1. The writer uses the first two sentences to introduce the topic and
the controlling idea.
3. Did the writer use time order to organize the paragraph? (Yes / No)
1. What is the topic sentence? Copy it below. Circle the topic and
underline the controlling idea.
2. Why was the trip a shock for the writer? Check (S ) your answers.
3. Did the writer use time order to organize the paragraph? (Yes / No)
You will write a paragraph about a trip that you took later in this chapter
(page 175).
PART 1 I Organization
Concluding Sentences
Some paragraphs end with a concluding sentence. Concluding means
“finishing” or “completing.” A concluding sentence marks the end of the
writer’s comments on the topic. It usually connects to information in the
topic sentence. Below are two ways for a concluding sentence to do that.
(2) Sometimes the writer ends the paragraph with a personal comment
about the topic:
PRACTICE 8. Read each paragraph. Then choose the best concluding sentence. Write
Choosing a
that sentence on the lines.
Concluding
Sentence 1. The Secrets to a Successful Restaurant
There are four keys to running a successful restaurant. First, the
food must taste good. Boring or bad food will not bring in customers.
Second, the dining room must be a comfortable and attractive place.
People should feel good spending time in the restaurant. Third, there
must be good service. Both the kitchen staff and the servers need to
do their jobs well. Finally, the price must be right. There must be a
good match between the cost and the dining experience._________
2. A Wonderful City
There are three main reasons why
I love Florence, Italy. First of all, I enjoy
the people of Florence. They are
friendly, interesting, and good-looking.
Second, I like to hear people speak
Italian. I think it is a beautiful language.
Finally, I love the food in Florence. You
can get delicious things to eat in the
markets, shops, and restaurants.
4. An Easy Recipe
Peanut butter cookies are
very easy to make. The following
recipe has only four ingredients
and takes only a few minutes.
Start by beating an egg in a
mixing bowl. Add one cup of
sugar, one cup of peanut butter,
and one teaspoon of vanilla. Mix everything well. Using a spoon, drop
small amounts of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for
10 minutes at 325°F._______________________________________
U sin g A g o or L a s t
Rules Examples
Rules Examples
6. They were away a week. 12. Our son was born 2003.
PRACTICE 8 .5 Take a piece of paper. Write eight true statements about your life. Use
W riting About the time expressions given.
Past Time
Example: yesterday
I went to my classes yesterday.
1. yesterday 5. in 1999
2. last weekend 6. for a long time
3. last summer 7. fo r_____ years
4. one year ago 8 . _____ years ago
170 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Rules Examples
1. Use after + an earlier event. Thev took a trip after their weddina.
(first, the wedding; then the trip)
3. Put the phrase at the beginning or end Before class. 1talked to the teacher.
of a sentence. The meaning is the same. (first, the talk; then the class)
4. Put a comma after a prepositional After their wedding, they took a trip.
phrase at the beginning of a sentence.
PRACTICE 8 .6 Work alone or with a partner. Combine the two sentences, keeping the
B efore and
time and word order the same. Use after or before + the boldfaced
After: words.
Combining after
Sentences Examples: Wo finished work. We went fishing.
A fter work, we went fishing.
before
I washed my hands. I had lunch.
I washed my hands before lunch.
PRACTICE 8.7 Take a piece of paper. Write four true statements with before + a noun
Using B efore and four true statements with after + a noun. Use the nouns in the box,
and A fter + a or choose other nouns.
l\loun
Examples: People often feel nervous before an exam.
They saw the Taj Mahal. When did they see it?
A past time clause must have three things: a time word, a subject, and
a verb.
1 2 3
We said good-bye before we left.
PRACTICE 8 .8 Work alone or with a partner. Look at each group of words below. Check
Recognizing (V ) Main C lause or Past Tim e Clause.
Main and Past
Time Clauses
T h is
3. Use when + something that happened at h a ppen ed a t th e same time.
the same time or soon afterward. Evervbodv cried when we said aood-bve.
4. A past time clause can come before or When we said good-bye, everybody cried.
after the main clause. Put a comma after
the time clause when it comes first.
Do not put a comma after the word after. Do not put after at the end of a
sentence.
PRACTICE 8.9 Work alone or with a partner. Write 1 above the action that happened first
Complex and 2 above the action that happened later. Underline the past time clause.
Sentences with
2 I
Before and 1. Mariela and Ricardo met after they entered the London School of
After
Economics.
2. Mariela knew Ricardo’s friends before she met him.
3. After Ricardo heard about Mariela, he wanted to meet her.
4. He fell in love soon after he met her.
5. Before Mariela agreed to marry him, Ricardo had to meet her
family in Venezuela.
174 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
6. Ricardo and Mariela graduated from the university before they got
married.
7. They went on a honeymoon after they got married.
8. After they returned from their trip, they found jobs in Caracas.
PRACTICE 8.10 Take a piece of paper. Write sentences with past time clauses to answer
Using Past Time
the questions. Use after, before, and when. Underline each past time
Clauses clause.
Examples: When did you start school?
I started school when I was five years old.
When did you buy a ticket before you did something?
I bought a ticket before I took a train last weekend.
1. Did your parents decide on your name before or after you were
born?
2. When did you start learning English?
3. Did you get this book before or after you went to the first class?
4. When did you buy new clothes before you did something?
5. When did you feel nervous before you did something?
6. When did you feel good after you did something?
7. When did you make an important decision?
8. When did you have fun with a friend?
Sentence Fragments
A fragment is a broken piece of something. A sentence fragment is a
piece of a sentence, not a complete sentence. Something is missing.
Here are two ways to correct a fragment like After Noriko arrived.
PRACTICE 8.11 Work alone or with a partner. Read the paragraph. Correct the five
Editing: sentence fragments. Add commas as needed. The first fragment has been
Sentence corrected for you.
Fragments
shopping after
Yesterday, Vincent went shopping. After he finished his classes.
He needed new running shoes because his old shoes were worn out.
did not feel right, and some were too expensive. He tried on several
pairs of shoes. Before he found the right ones. When he went to pay
for them. He realized that he did not have his wallet. It was not in his
pocket. He asked the salesclerk to hold the shoes for him. He needed
to come back later. After he found his wallet in his room. He went
0 — O— O— O Step 1: Prewrite
a. Get ready to write by doing a prewriting activity. Choose one of
the following activities:
176 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
• Make notes about the trip in time order. (See page 141 for an
example of notes in time order.)
• Freewrite about the trip for at least five minutes. (See pages
141— 142 for an explanation of freewriting and an example.)
b. Find a partner and take turns asking about each other’s trip. Ask
questions like the following:
Where did you go on How long was your trip?
your trip? What did you do on your trip?
When did you go? |_|ow ^ yQU fee| 3 ^0^ ^ e trip?
Who went with you?
Step 2: Write
Write your first draft. Begin your paragraph with a topic sentence.
See the models on page 162 for examples. Give details in your
supporting sentences. End your paragraph with a concluding sentence.
Try to include both past time expressions and past time clauses.
Step 3: Edit
a. Read your paragraph again. It may help you to read it out loud.
Make changes if needed.
b. Edit your paper carefully. Check for mistakes before you show it
to anyone.
c. Peer review: Exchange papers with a partner. Follow the
Reviewer’s Checklist on page 177. Check (^ ) each box when you
finish that step.
d. Return your partner’s paper. Say something nice about the
paragraph.
e. Look at your own paper. If you do not agree with a comment, then
ask another student or your teacher.
Chapter 8 I M em ories o f a Trip 177
Content
□ Read all of your partner’s paragraph.
□ Underline any part of the paragraph you do not understand. Ask
your partner to explain it.
□ Circle the topic sentence. Write TS on the paper if there is no topic
sentence.
□ Reread the supporting sentences. Ask questions if you want more
information.
□ Circle the concluding sentence. Write CS on the paper if there is
no concluding sentence.
Form
Look at these parts of your partner’s paper. Mark any problems on
the paper in pencil. Put a question mark (?) if you are not sure about
something.
□ the format of the paper □ the use of past tense verbs
□ a subject in every sentence □ the use of before and after
□ a verb for every subject □ the use of commas
Expansion Activities
Your Journal
Continue making entries in your journal. If you cannot think of a topic
for a journal entry, try one of these ideas:
• Write about another trip you remember. Tell where and when
you made this trip. Focus on describing one thing that you heard,
smelled, saw, or tasted on this trip.
• Describe a time when someone or something surprised you.
What happened? Was it a good or a bad surprise? Why?
• Write about an important decision you made. What did you
decide? Why did you make this decision? Do you think your
decision was good or bad?
• Write a short biography of one of your parents, one of your
grandparents, or another older person. (Biography means “the
story of a person’s life.”)
• Write about one of your earliest memories of English. Did you
hear a song in English? Did you learn a word in English? Why do
you remember this event?
Chapter 8 | M em ories o f a Trip 179
I can’t wait!
Chapter Preview
Part 1: Organization
Listing Order and Listing-Order Words
Expansion A ctivities
180
Chapter 9 I Looking Ahead 181
Chapter Preview
Work with a partner or in a small group. Read the model paragraphs.
Answer the questions that follow.
MODEL My Future
Paragraph 2
I have big plans for my future. I am going to study nursing after
I learn more English. I am going to finish the English program here
before I transfer to a university. At the university, I plan to get a
bachelor’s degree in nursing. After I become a nurse, I am going to
work in a hospital. I hope that I will find a good job. I am also
planning to get married someday. I hope that I will meet a kind and
intelligent man. I would like to have four children, two boys and two
girls. I am looking forward to my career, but my family will be the
most important part of my future.
b. He also hopes__________________________________________
4. Does the writer use time order to organize his paragraph? Circle:
(Yes / No)
5. Complete these sentences with the verbs the writer uses to describe
future events.
a. In two weeks, h e __________________ four years old, and we
a party for him at home.
2. Put the writer’s goals in the order she expects to reach them.
Number them from 1 to 6.
6. Circle the verb in each future time clause that you wrote above
(5a, b, c). Which tense are the three verbs you wrote?
(simple present / future)
Later in this chapter (page 196), you will write a paragraph about
something you look forward to in your future.
PART 1 I Organization
Listing Order and Listing-Order Words
One way to organize a paragraph about the future is to use time order.
The writers of both model paragraphs on page 181 used time order.
Read this paragraph by the writer of model paragraph 2 on page 181. She
is writing about the same future plans, but here she uses listing order. Her
topic sentence tells us that the paragraph will list her three goals.
The three boldfaced words in the paragraph on page 183 are listing-
order words. They introduce each of the writer’s three goals. Notice the
position of also in I also want to get married. All the other listing-order
words go at the beginning of the sentence.
For more examples of paragraphs with listing order, see the following:
• “My Wedding Day” on page 138
• “The Secrets to a Successful Restaurant”on page 166
• “A Wonderful City” on page 166
When you read these paragraphs, notice the topicsentences and the listing-
order words and phrases.
PRACTICE 9.1 Work alone or with a partner. Check (v') the topic sentences that tell the
Listing-Order
reader the paragraph will be in listing order.
Paragraphs:
Topic Sentences 0 1. There are three reasons why I want to be a lawyer.
S in g u la r P lu ral
I am We
He They
going to win. are going to win.
She
IS
It
Tony The men
See Appendix D fo r the contracted forms of dim, is, and are (+ not).
186 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Rules Examples
1. Use be going to for future plans (to tell 1am going to be at home in June.
what someone has already decided to do). We are going to invite all our friends to
the party.
3. To form the negative, add not after be. We are not going to go tonight.
It is not going to rain.
PRACTICE 9 .3 Complete each sentence with the correct form of be going to. Use the
Statements verb in parentheses.
with Be
Going To 1. (have) I am going to have .a day off next Monday.
PRACTICE 9 .4 Take a piece of paper. Write answers to the questions below. Write
Stating Plans complete sentences with be going to. Use / think/1 do not think if you
and Making are not sure about what is going to happen.
Predictions 1. What are you going to do this evening?
2. What time are you going to get up tomorrow?
3. What do you think the weather is going to be like tomorrow?
4. Who do you think is going to call you soon?
5. Where are you going to be next summer?
6. What is something important that you are going to do in your
future?
Singular Plural
I We
Rules Examples
1. Use will for predictions about the future. You will love this song. = You are going to
In this case, will and be going to have love this song.
the same meaning.
2. To form the negative, add not after will. The meeting will not take long.
Writer’s T ip
Use and to join two verbs. Do not repeat will or be going to.
PRACTICE 9 .5 Rewrite these predictions. Use will. (Note: The meaning of the sentences
Making does not change.)
Predictions
with Will Example: The flight is going to take about six hours.
Surfing
PRACTICE i Work alone or with a partner. Find and correct the verb error in each
Editing: statement. (Note: There is more than one way to make the corrections.)
Statements
About the be
Future 1. Dinner will to be ready soon, or Dinner is going to be ready soon.
2. It’s will be sunny tomorrow.
3 .1 think my brothers going to study chemistry.
4. Your adviser will going to help you.
5 . 1 think Brazil will winning the next World Cup.
6. Hiral is going have her baby in May.
7. The p a r t y g o in g to s ta r t a t 9:00 p .m .
U sing T his, N e x t, o r In
Rules Examples
2. Use next + a specific time period. 1am going to leave next Monday.
They will finish the job next week.
The time period has not yet started.
6. The semester began three weeks ago. It will end (next / in) twelve
weeks.
Chapter 9 I Looking Ahead 191
PRACTICE 9 .8 Take a piece of paper. Write complete sentences to answer the questions.
Using Future Include the time expressions.
Time 1. What are you going to do tomorrow?
Expressions
2. Where are you going to be the day after tomorrow?
3. What are you going to do this weekend?
4. Where are you going to be next week?
5. What is going to happen in a few years?
A future time clause must have three things: a time word, a subject, and
a verb.
1 2 3
I will call you when I arrive.
Sentences with time clauses are com p lex sentences. See Appendix K
Ifor more information.
192 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
PRACTICE 9. Work alone or with a partner. Check (V) the sentences with future time
Identifying clauses. Underline the future time clause. The first one has been done.
Future Time
Clauses □ 1. Vote for me next election day!
F u tu re T im e C la u s e s w ith B e fo re , A f t e r , a n d W hen
The time words before, after, and when can introduce future time clauses.
Rules Examples
1. Use a simple present verb in a future The meeting will start when everyone
time clause. Do not use w ill or be is here.
going to. He will sav aood-bve before he leaves.
2. A future time clause can come before 1 am going to go to medical school after
or after the main clause. The meaning 1 finish college.
is the same.
Put a comma after a time clause when After 1finish college, 1am going to go to
it comes first. medical school.
3. Remember, before and after can also be 1 am going to go to graduate school after
prepositions. college.
PRACTICE 9 .1 0 Work alone or with a partner. Mark the main clause and the future time
Sentences with clause in each sentence. Circle the correct verb.
Future Time
Clauses: Verbs 1. Sonia and Tony are going to get married after
they ((|jnTsK)/ will finish ) school.
3. After they (are / are going to be) married, they are going to take
a trip.
4. When they (come / will come) back, they are going to find
work.
5. They (look / will look) for a place to live after they have jobs.
6. They are going to wait a few years before they (have / will have)
children.
8 .1 hope they will be very happy when they (are / will be)
married.
PRACTICE 9.11 Take a piece of paper. Copy and complete the following sentences.
Using Future 1. After I finish this exercise, . . .
Tim e Clauses
2. Before I go to bed tonight, . . .
3. . . . after I get up tomorrow.
4. I am going to have something to eat . . .
5. . . . , I am going to relax.
6. . . . , I will be happy.
194 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Run-On Sentences
A run-on sentence is a mistake. Run-on sentences happen when writers
do not connect sentences correctly. Look at these four examples and the
ways to correct them.
2. Run-On: They are going to save their money, then they will buy a house.
Problem: Then is not a connecting word.
Correction: Separate the two simple sentences.
They are going to save their money. Then they will buy a house.
4. Run-On: First, he will wash the clothes, after he will dry them.
Problem: The word after is used incorrectly.
Correction: (a) Write a compound sentence with and then.
First, he will wash the clothes, and then he will dry them.
(b) Use a future time clause with after.
After he washes the clothes, he will dry them.
Chapter 9 I Looking Ahead 195
PRACTICE 9.12 Work alone or with a partner. Write RO next to each run-on sentence.
Identifying Write OK next to each correct sentence.
Run-On
Sentences 1. In the year 2025,1 think my life will be very different.
1
5. Now I do not own a house, but I hope to have a nice one
in 2025.
PRACTICE 9.13 Work alone or with a partner. Correct these run-on sentences. There is
Correcting more than one way to correct each sentence.
Run-On When we
Sentences 1. We- said good-bye to our friends, I felt sad about leaving my
homeland.
Work alone or with a partner. Find and correct the seven run-on
Editing: Run-On
sentences in this paragraph. The first run-on sentence has been corrected
Sentences for you. There is more than one way to make a correction.
going to spend some time in cities, I especially want to see Kyoto and
Beijing. I also hope to visit the countryside. After two months in Asia,
see wild animals, of course, I will have my camera. My next flight will
my trip in the great cities of Europe, cities like Athens, Rome, Berlin,
and St. Petersburg. I am going to need a lot of money for this trip,
Step 1: Prewrite
a. Get ready to write by doing some prewriting. Choose one of these
activities:
• Make notes in time order about what is going to happen. (See
page 141 for an example of notes in time order.)
• Freewrite about your plans for at least five minutes. (See
pages 141— 142 for an explanation of freewriting and an
example.)
b. Find a partner and take turns asking about each other's plans. Add
information to your notes as needed.
c. Plan how you will organize the information in your paragraph.
You can use time order or listing order. There are models on
pages 181 and 183 showing both ways to organize a paragraph
about the future.
Step 2: Write
Use your notes to write a first draft. Your paragraph must begin
with a topic sentence. See the models on page 181 for examples.
Your supporting sentences should all relate to your main idea. End
your paragraph with a concluding sentence. It should connect to the
ideas in your topic sentence. Remember to use be going to, not will,
when you write about your plans for the future.
Step 3: Edit
a. Read your paragraph again. It may help you to read it out loud.
Make changes if needed.
b. Edit your paragraph carefully. Check for mistakes before you show
it to anyone.
c. Peer review: Exchange papers with a partner. Follow the
Reviewer’s Checklist on page 198. Check (S ) each box when you
finish that step.
d. Return your partner’s paper. Say something nice about it.
e. Look at your own paper. If you do not agree with a comment, then
ask another student or your teacher.
198 Fundamentals o f Academic Writing
Content
□ Read all of your partner’s paragraph.
□ Underline any part of the paragraph you do not understand. Ask
your partner to explain it.
□ Circle the topic sentence. Write TS on the paper if there is no topic
sentence.
□ Reread the supporting sentences. Ask questions if you want more
information.
□ Circle the concluding sentence. Write CS on the paper if there is
no concluding sentence.
Form
Look at these parts of your partner’s paper. Mark any problems on
the paper in pencil. Put a question mark (?) if you are not sure about
something.
□ the format of the paper □ the use of verbs with be going to
□ a subject in every sentence □ the use of time-order or
□ a verb for every subject listing-order words
Expansion Activities
Your Journal
Continue making entries in your journal. If you cannot think of a topic
for a journal entry, try one of these ideas:
• Write about what you are going to do tomorrow. Include at least
six activities. Are you looking forward to the day?
• Choose any place in the world and write a weather forecast for this
place. Use your imagination, or get current weather information
from TV or the Internet.
• Write about the future plans of a friend or family member. Are
there going to be any important changes in this person’s life? Will
this person’s plans affect you?
• Write about your life five years from now. Where do you think you
will be? What do you think will be different, and what will be the
same?
• Write about how you will be learning English in the next few
weeks or months. What are you going to continue to do? Are you
going to make any changes?
Begin with a prewriting activity to gather ideas. Then write a first draft.
Begin your paragraph with a topic sentence, and be sure that all your
supporting sentences relate to your main idea. Include plenty of details.
End your paragraph with a concluding sentence.
Ask a friend or a classmate to review your first draft. Use the Reviewer’s
Checklist on page 198. Then prepare a final draft and give it to your
teacher.
Appendices
Appendix
A The Parts o f Speech
The different kinds of words are called the parts of speech.
201
2 0 2 Appendix B I Pronouns and P o ssessiv es
Singular Plural
O bject P ro n o u n s
Singular Plural
you you This chair is for you. These chairs are for you.
P o s s e s s iv e A d jectiv es
Singular Plural
P o s s e s s iv e P r o n o u n s
Singular Plural
Count Mouns
Count nouns can be singular or plural.
1. For most count nouns, add -s. sister / sisters house / houses
2. For count nouns ending in ch, sh, box / boxes match / matches
or ss, add -es.
3. For most count nouns ending in a tomato / tomatoes volcano / volcanoes
consonant + o, add -es. (Exceptions: photos, pianos)
4. For count nouns ending in a vowel + y, boy / boys key / keys
add -s.
5. For count nouns ending in a consonant baby / babies party / parties
+ y, change the y to i and add -es.
6. For count nouns ending in /o r /e , knife / knives wife / wives
drop thQf(e) and add -ves.
2 0 4 Appendix C I Count and Noncount Mouns; P o ssessiv e Mouns
Noncount Nouns
Noncount nouns have only one form. These nouns cannot be counted. For
example, it is not correct to say one homework or many homeworks.
Some nouns (often nouns for food or drink) can be count or noncount:
P ossessive IVouns
A possessive noun shows the owner of something.
That is Hiro’s car. = Hiro is the owner of that car. It is his car.
Appendix
D The Verb Be—Present and Past
The Present o f Be
S ta te m e n ts: Full F o rm s
We We
They They
He He
It It
2 0 6 Appendix D I The Verb Be—Present and Past
Affirmative Negative
Q u e stio n s and A n sw e rs
Am 1 late? 1 am. 1 am
we we we
he he he
is. is
Is she ready? she she
it it it
T he P ast o f Be
S ta te m e n ts
He He
It It
Q u e stio n s and A n sw e r s
we we we
he he he
it it it
2 0 8 Appendix E I The Simple Present
Appendix
The Simple Present
S ta te m e n ts
We We
work. do do + not =
You You don’t
He He
1 1 1
we we we
Do do. do
you you you
it it it
Rules Examples
1. For most verbs, add -5 to the base form works plays reads writes
of the verb.
2. For verbs ending in x, ch, sh, or ss, boxes kisses watches washes
add -es.
3. For verbs ending in a consonant + y, study / studies carry / carries
change the y to i and add -es. fly /flie s
Appendix
F The Present Progressive
S ta te m e n ts
1 am 1 am not
We We
He He
It It
we we we
he he he
it it it
Rules Examples
1. Add -ing to the base form of most verbs. go / going read / reading fly / flying
2. When the base form ends in e, drop make / making write / writing
the e and add -ing.
3. When the base form ends in ie, change die / dying lie / lying
the ie to y and add -ing.
4. When the last three letters of the base begin / beginning stop / stopping
form are consonant + vowel + consonant,
double the final consonant and add -ing.
Appendix
G The Simple Past
Regular Verbs in the Simple Past
1 1
We We
You You
She She
It It
Appendix G I The Simple Past 213
Did Subject Base Form Yes Subject Did /Vo Subject Did Mot
1 1 1
we we we
Did they work? Yes, they did. No, they did not.
he he he
it it it
Rules Examples
1. Add -ed to the base form of most regular watched played listened
verbs.
4. When the base form ends in consonant + plan / planned shop / shopped
vowel + consonant, then double the final prefer / preferred
consonant and add -ed.
Appendix
H Irregular Verbs
Be Going To
S ta te m e n ts
1 am
We
She is
It
Q u e stio n s and A n sw e rs
Am 1
we
Are you
See Appendix D for the short
they going to eat? answers for questions with be in
the present tense.
he
Is she
it
Appendix 1 I Expressing Future Time with Be Going To and Will 217
Will
S ta te m e n ts
1 1 I’ll
We We w e’ll
They will work. They will not work. they’ll will + not
= won’t
He He he’ll
It It it’ll
218 Appendix 1 I Expressing Future Time with Be Going To and Will
Q u e stio n s and A n sw e rs
Will Subject Base Form Yes Subject W ill /Vo Subject W ill Mot
1 1 1
we we we
Will they work? Yes, they will. No, they will not.
he he he
it it it
Appendix
J Order o f Adjectives
Use commas + and or or when you use a series of three adjectives from
the same category.
The orange, white, and green flag of Ivory Coast is similar to the
Irish flag.
There are no French, German, or Spanish students in the class.
Never put a comma between the last adjective in a series and the noun.
Appendix
K Sentence Types
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence has one subject-verb combination. See page 103 for
examples of simple sentences.
2 2 0 Appendix K I Sentence Types
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence has two subject-verb combinations (simple
sentence + simple sentence). See page 143 for examples of compound
sentences.
A compound sentence needs a comma and a coordinating conjunction to
connect the simple sentences. There are seven coordinating conjunctions:
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence has one independent clause and one or more
dependent clauses.
1 will call you when 1 get home. When 1get home, 1will call you.
He watches the news if he has time. If he has time, he watches the news.
Appendix L I Rules for Capitalization 221
Appendix
L Rules for Capitalization
Appendix
M Punctuation
quotation Use before and after the exact words He said, “ Meet me at 4:00.”
marks that someone spoke.
Appendix 1M I Correction Sym bols 223
4. Use after the first part of a compound He loves good food, but
sentence. he does not like to cook.
Appendix
M Correction Symbols
Group 1
Symbol Meaning Example of Error
cap*.
cap. capitalization error The class meets on monday.
P1-
pi. plural She has two book,
sp.
sp. spelling mistake He is a coleae student.
A missing word HeAmy friend.
some of my
rewrite as shown I go with my some friends.
cap.
1would like to introduce myself, my name is Isabel Angara.
sp.
hfrom the Philippines, huarned. I have one son and one daugther.
am taking cap. pi.
I take two classes. I want to learn english. I want to study computer.
2 2 4 Appendix INI I Correction Symbols
Group 2
Symbol Meaning Example of Error
w.w.
w.w. wrong word He makes cars in a Honda fabric.
r ^ j
wrong word order It is a ^restaurant/nice.)
_______ w.w.
Alessandro Santos has a\life^ery busyl He has nineteen years old.
Group 3
p- punctuation error She was born on March,. 13, 1987.
v.t.
v.t. wrong verb tense Last night, I see a good movie.
w.f.
w.f. wrong word form We are aoina shop downtown.
FRAG
FR AG sentence fragment I went home. Because I was tired.
RO
R0 run-on sentence He gets up early he takes a shower.
V.t.
I have a scary experience two years ago I was in a car accident. The
w.f.
other driver did not stop a t a stop sign, so his car hitting my car.
FR A © p.
When he ran into me. My car turned^and hit another car. 1was very
w.f. p. w.f.
scary. There was a lot of damage to the cars but no one was bad hurt.
Index
225
Information questions Papers typed on a computer, format,
simple past, 213-214 32-33
simple present, 209 Paragraphs
with be, 206, 208 body, 101
with be going to ,2 \l concluding sentences, 100-101, 164-165
with will, 218 definition, 8
Irregular count nouns, 21, 204 format, 9
Irregular verbs, 139, 152-153, supporting sentences, 100-101, 120-121
214-215 topic sentences, 55, 100, 120
unity, 120
Journals, 25 Partners, 2
example of journal entry, 26 Parts of speech, 63, 201
FAQs, 25 Past tense. See Simple past tense
topics, 26, 51, 74, 96, 116, 135, 159, Past time clauses, 171
178, 199 Past time expressions, 168
Peer review, 46. See also Reviewer's
Last, 168 Checklists
Letters Periods, 13, 222
capital, 8, 13, 43 Plans, expressing future, 186, 188
small, 8 Possessives
Lines adjectives, 202
skipping, 30-31 nouns, 205
spacing between, 31, 33 pronouns, 203
Listing order, 142, 183-184 Predictions about the future, 186, 188
Listing-order words, 143, Prepositional phrases, 130
183-184 for describing location, 128
Location, prepositions for, 128 for describing past time, 168
to show time, 88
Main clauses, 171, 191 Prepositions, 88, 201
Make, 87 before and after, 170
Margins, 31-32 prepositional phrases. 88, 128, 130, 168
Model paragraphs, 7, 28, 53, 77, 98. 118, Present progressive. 99
138. 162, 181 functions, 109
questions, 211
Next, 190 spelling rules, verbs ending in -ing, 212
Non-action verbs, 110 statements, 105, 107,210
Noncount nouns, 123, 204 Present tense. See Simple present tense
Notes Prewriting
from brainstorming, 132 brainstorming, 131
in time order, 141 definition, 45
taking, 48, 133 freewriting, 141-142
Nouns notetaking, 48, 133, 141
count, 19, 21, 203-204 Process
definition, 19, 201 definition, 23
noncount, 123, 204 writing, 24, 45-46. 51
possessive, 205 Pronouns
singular versus plural, 21 definition, 201
spelling rules for plural, 203 object, 202
with adjectives, 125 possessive, 203
with prepositions, 88 subject, 34-35, 202
Punctuation, 13, 222-223
Object pronouns, 202 commas, 146, 173, 192, 223
On, 89, 129, 168 periods, 13, 222
Organizing ideas. 140 question marks, 13, 222
Index 227
Regular verbs. See Simple past Tenses. See Simple present, Present
Relevant versus irrelevant sentences, progressive, Simple past, Future
120-121 The, 127
Results of the writing process, 51 Their versus there, 124
Reviewer’s Checklists, 49, 73, 94, 115, There is/are, 123
134, 158. 177, 198 statements. 123-124
Run-On sentences, 194 versus their, 124
versus they are, 124
Sentence fragments, 174 This, 190
Sentences, 9, 12-13, 60-61 Time expressions, 88
complex, 172, 191, 220 future, 190
compound, 143-144, 220 past, 168
concluding, 164-165 Time order, 79, 141
fragments, 174 Time-order words, 79
run-on, 194 Titles, 30-31, 90-91
simple, 81, 103, 143, 219 To, 89
subjects of, 12, 59-60, 103 Topic
supporting, 100, 120 definition, 2
topic, 55 in topic sentences, 55
types, 219-220 Topic sentences
with future time clauses, 191 controlling idea in, 55
with past time clauses, 171 definition of, 55
Simple past tense, 139 links to concluding sentences, 164
be, 139, 148, 207-208 topic in, 55
function, 148 support for, 100-101.120
questions, 213
spelling rules for verbs ending in -ed, 214 Verbs. See also Simple present.
statements, 150-153, 212, 214-215 Present progressive, Simple past,
Simple present tense, 54 Future
be, 36-38, 205-206 base form of, 36, 66, 87, 151, 185,
function, 65 208-218
questions, 209 common, 86
spelling rules, third person singular, 210 definition, 16-17, 201
statements, 66, 68, 208 have, 111
Simple sentences, 81, 103, 130, 143, 219 in complete sentences, 60-61
Skipping lines, 30-31 irregular, 152-153
So, 143-144 non-action, 110
Spacing regular, 150-151
between lines, 31, 33 with stative meaning, 110
between words, 32
Spelling rules When, 173, 192
plural count nouns, 203 Will, 187-188
present progressive verbs ending Writing process
in -ing, 212 illustrated, 24
simple past verbs ending in -ed, 214 results of, 51
simple present verbs, third person steps in, 45-46
singular. 210
Steps in the writing process, 45-46 Yes/no questions and short answers
Subject pronouns, 34-35, 202 be, 206-207
Subjects of sentences, 12, 59-60, 103 simple past, 213
Subordinating conjunctions, 173, 192. 221 simple present, 209
Supporting sentences, 100-101 future, 216, 218