COLLEGE COMPOSITION

2 Good introduction & conclusion, Description, subj-verb agreement

Home
1 sentences, paragraph, process writing
2 Good introduction & conclusion, Description, subj-verb agreement
3 Narration,consistency, writing the essay
4 Process,coordination and subordination,sentence errors
5 Using Partition/figures of speech/Business letters
6 Using Classification,apostrophes, revision skills,pronouns
7 Comparison and contrast, Cause and Effect, mechanics, proof reading
8 Giving Reasons/Making business reports
9 Essay Writing 1, Strengthening Essay with Research
10 Essay Writing 2
11 Final Exam

DEVELOPING A GOOD INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION PARAGRAPHS

Four Rules of Description:

Observe carefully. Look at the world around you. Doing this will give you the most benefit when writing a description.

Form a central impression. What do you see, in general, when you observe. You may note that a person's room is very messy. This is your central impression.

Now, select specific, concrete details to support your impression. In the messy room are three pairs of dirty socks strewn across the floor. On the desk, a brown banana skin is beginning to grow a dull green mold.

Finally, organize your details. For a messy room, you might start with eye level, then move to what you see on the floor. 

Example : A Special Haven

      One place I like is the haven I find inside my car while I drive to or from my work. I'm sure many people are the same as I am when it comes to the car "cocoon." Here, I enjoy the radio personalities on the CBC: in the morning, Rick Cluff; at noon, Mark Forsythe; in the evening, Jane Farrow. It 's like being in my own private living roomI can laugh at their jokes, even sing along with the music they play. You may have noticed people like me, singing by themselves in their cars! In my Corolla, I even like the warm aroma of the plastic, either baking under the hot sun, or coming from the heater at my feet. A car is like an old shoe, sometimes, full of interesting smells. I even like the smell of gasoline that lingers after filling up, especially when I've gotten the best price of the week. The inside of my car, while I drive it to work, is really a great refuge, and it gives me the opportunity to both get ready for work and to prepare for my life at home, away from the demands of daily life.

Assignment 1:

Think of a place you either dislike or like very much. Observe the place (in your mind) and form a central impression. Select at least three different details that support your impression. Describe it carefully in a short paragraph form.

Assignment 2

Choose a person you know very well. Spend five to ten minutes writing down an example for each of the three headings below.

Do not use any general words, such as "untidy," "hardworking," or the like. Let your descriptions tell the story. Your fellow students should have a clear idea of that person's character from your indirect description.

Be sure to clarify any misunderstandings and help each other to improve your descriptions.

Physical characteristics:

(E.g.: He is a small man, with unkempt hair, whose trousers were patched at the knees.)

Behaviours:

(E.g.: Whenever he disagrees with me, he stands, arms across his chest, chin jutted out. Then, he waves his finger at me and says, "You have no idea, no idea at all.")

Anecdotes:

(E.g.: Once, when hiking, we were trying to find our way down from a mountain. John clambered down and began slipping towards a sixty foot cliff below. I said to him to hold on a second, put down my pack, held onto a sizable root and pulled him back up.)

Assignment 3

Pick a favourite place and remember four details of the smells present there.

Food smells, household smells, cooking smells, if the place you remember is a home.

Outdoors smells in nature, while combined with a walk in a beautiful place, often produce strong memories as well. List the four smells before you begin your paragraph.

Write the memory. Include at least one other person who was present at the place you remember. Mention three smells. Keep your paragraph short, so you can finish in 20 minutes or so.

source  http://palc.sd40.bc.ca/palc/bcassign/advanced.htm

SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT
 
The verb agrees with the subject in number.
Example:
 
1. The pilot controls the plane during take-off. (singular subject takes the S form of the verb.)
 
2. The  professor's ideas on this matter seem well thought out.(the plural subject does not take the S form of the verb.
 
Everyone, nobody, somebody, someone, no one, either, neither, each,  and one are used as singular subjects.
 
Everyone thinks that the suggestion is good.
Either of the men considers the suggestion of the manager.
 
Exercise
 
1. Surfing (is, are) an extreme sport that (has, have) become very popular.
2. Most beginners (do, does) basic moves on dry land.
3. An ocean beach with gentle, regular waves (is, are) the ideal place to surf.
4. An expert (do, does) a roller coaster.
5. Expert surfers (has, have) exceptional skills and (is, are) at home in the monstaer waves.
6. Riding a tube (is, are)  a thrilling trip thru the transparent green tunnel of a giant wave.
7. Hawaiian coastlines (has, have) some of the world's best surfing.
8. Yet the sport (has, have) new converts every year.
9. Many say that it (is, are) a spiritual experience.
10. Each of these ferns (needs, need) special care.
11  One of the customers always (forget, forgets) his or her umbrella.
12  Which one of the flights (goes, go) nonstop to Dallas?
13  Every one of those cameras (costs, cost)more than I can afford.
14  Either of the comoputer disks (contain, contains) the information.
15 ONe of these oysters (holds, hold) a pearl.
16  Neither of the twins (resembles, resemble) his parents.
17  One of the scientists (believes, believe) he can cure baldness
18  Each of these inventions (has , have) an effect ono how we spend our leisure.
19  All the CD players on that shelf (comes, come) with a remote control.
20. The lizard on the wall (has, have) only three legs.
 
Fawcett, Susan. Evergreen, A Guide to Writing with Readings.New York: Houghton Mifflin Co. 2004.
 
 

Backpacker taking a drink; Size=180 pixels wide
Taking a break from work

What a job!

I might describe my job in a little more detail here. I'll write about what I do, what I like best about it, and even some of the frustrations. (A job with frustrations? Hard to believe, huh?)

Assignment 3
 
Make a 5 paragraph Composition on the topic: "The Most beautiful Garden in the World."
 
Follow these steps:
1. Brainstorm - write as many words and phrases about the topic (minimum 30 words,phrases)
2. Organize- group the words and phrases to categories
3. Make the essay
    introduction
    body (3 paragraphs)
    conclusion

Here's a list of some of my favorite movies:

Jules and Jim, Manhattan, Breaking the Waves

Here's a list of some of my favorite music:

Nirvana, Frank Sinatra, Ibrahim Ferrer

BRAINSTORMING-