WRITING


 * SENTENCE COMBINING **


 * Sentence combining** is one of the most effective writing techniques. It is generally carried out in the following ways:
 * We can combine several sentences according to their structure into **one simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex sentence.**
 * **Simple sentence**: (It has a subject and a predicate. The subject and/or predicate could be simple or compound)
 * **Compound sentence**: (2 main clauses united by **,and ,or ,but, so, yet, nor** or **; )**
 * **Complex sentence**: (1 main clause and 1 or 2 suborinate clauses)
 * **noun clause** (takes the place of a noun)
 * **adjective clause** (modifies a noun, begins with a relative pronoun, and follows the word it **modifies)**
 * **adverb clause** (modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb and begins with a subordinating conjunction) If it is located at the beginning of the sentence, it is called an **introductory adverb clause.** Introductory adverb clauses are alwaysfollowed by a comma.
 * Appositive or appositive phrase (renames the noun)
 * Participial phrases (present participle ends in **ing –**past participle regular verbs end in **ed-** irregular verbs do not follow a specific pattern. Participial phrases function as adjectives)
 * Prepositional phrases (they begin with a preposition and end with a noun Ex: under the chair…)
 * Use correlative conjunctions to compare or contrast ideas in a sentence
 * Series: ( Ex: apples, pears, and bananas = Susy, Mary, and John)
 * Use of adjectives (Ex: The girl fell down. The girl was pretty. = The pretty girl fell down.)

v **Relative pronouns:** who, whose, whom, which, that, what **(Adjective Clause)** v **Relative adverb:** when, where, why

v **Subordinating conjunction: (Adverb Clause)** v **Time:** after, as, as soon as, before, since, until when, whenever, while v **Place:** where, wherever v **Manner:** as, as if, as though v **Cause:** as, because, inasmuch as, since, so that v **Concession:** although, even though, though v **Condition:** if, unless

v **Words that introduce noun clauses (Noun Clause):** how, however, that, what, whatever, when, where, which, whichever, who, whom, whoever, whomever, whose, why

v **Coordinating conjunctions:** and, or, but, so, yet, not **(compound sentence)**

v **Correlative conjunctions: both......and either......or neither........nor**
 * Whether…….or Not only.......but also (used to compare or contrast two ideas)**

Use different sentence combining techniques to combine the following sentences:

September 11, 2001 was a bright day.September 11, 2001 was a clear day.Millions of Americans in New York City streamed toward their workplaces.Suddenly, at 8:48 am the bright morning turned into a nightmare.A passenger jet slammed into one of the two World Trade Center towers.The towers were in New York City.Fifteen minutes later, another airplane flew.It flew into the other tower.Another jet hit the Pentagon.The Pentagon is in Arlington, VirginiaThe crashes were the work of terrorists.The terrorists attacked buildings.

The buildings were symbols of American Power.The Pentagon represents U.S. military strength.The Pentagon was built of concreteIt was built in 1940.It is called the Pentagon because it has five sides.The World Trade Center´s twin towers symbolized American wealth.They were built in the early 1970s. They were the tallest buildings in the world.The lives of the victims were profoundly changed.The lives of the survivors were profoundly changed.The American government put in place many new policies.The policies were to confront the threat of terrorism.After September 11, Americans realized many things.They realized that the threat of terrorism is always present.

= = __**SIMPLE SENTENCE WITH ADJECTIVE**__
 * September 11, 2001 was a **bright, clear** day.


 * __COMPOUND SENTENCE__**


 * The Pentagon represents U.S. military strength**, and** The World Trade Center´s twin towers symbolized American wealth.


 * __COMPLEX SENTENCE WITH INTRODUCTORY ADVERB CLAUSE__**
 * **Since** a passenger jet slammed into one of the two World Trade Center towers, the bright September 11th morning turned into a nightmare.

__** SIMPLE SENTENCE WITH APPOSITIVE AND PREPOSITONAL PHRASE **__
 * The World Trade Center´s twin towers, **the tallest buildings in the world**, were attacked by terrorists **in New York City.**

__**SIMPLE SENTENCE WITH PARTICIPIAL PHRASE**__
 * ** Slamming into one of the two World Trade Center towers, ** a passenger jet killed many people.

__** CORRELATIVE CONJUCTIONS **__
 * The terrorist jet **not only** destroyed the North Twin Tower **but also** the south Twin Tower.

__**SIMPLE SENTENCE WITH PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE**__
 * The Pentagon was built of concrete **in 1940**.
 * __COMPLEX SENTENCE (NOUN CLAUSE)__**


 * ** How the American government put in place many new policies ** is not certain.
 * __COMPLEX SENTENCE (ADJECTIVE CLAUSE)__**


 * After September 11, Americans realized **that** the threat of terrorism is always present.


 * __COMPLEX SENTENCE (ADVERB CLAUSE)__**


 * The terrorist attack caused a great deal of damage **since it destroyed The Twin Towers.**


 * __COMPLEX SENTENCE (INTRODUCTORY ADVERB CLAUSE)__**


 * ** Because the terrorists attacked buildings **, the lives of the survivors were profoundly changed.

=**THE END**=

__** WRITING MODEL: EXPOSITORY WRITING: **__ __** RESEARCH REPORT CAUSE-AND-EFFECT- ESSAY **__

THE ENDANGERED MANATEE Manatees still live in the warm waters of Florida, US.A., but they may not be there much longer. As of July 2000, there were only 2,400 manatees left. The disappearance of the manatee should concern us all because anything that upsets the balance of nature is harmful to us too. Besides, we owe it to future generations to protect our waters and the animals that live in it. The manatee has no natural enemies, so what is killing off the gentle giant? Sadly, the answer is people. **Therefore, we must do something to stop the killing of this gentlegiant. (CONFLICT BETWEEN PEOPLE AND NATURE AND POSITION STATEMENT)** More that 90% of the people who live in Florida live within ten miles of the coast, and many of them enjoy boating. Though boating is fun for people, it can be harmful to manatees. Manatees eat plants that grow deep in the water, but like other mammals they must come to the surface to breathe. When they surface, they swim into the path of motorboats. Because they are slow swimmers, they cannot get off the way rapidly. Scientists believe manatees cannot hear low-frequency sounds made by the motors of a boat. As a result, manatees are often hit or injured by boats. (**SPECIFIC RESEARCHED INFORMATION- CAUSE AND EFFECT ACTIONS)** Collisions with boats are not the manatee’s only problem. Many manatees are killed in accidents with canal locks. Accidents involving these structures are the second leading cause of manatee deaths. Canal locks are large underwater walls that are raised and lowered or opened and closed to control water levels. Some slow-moving manatees get caught between the gates and are crushed or trapped and drowned. Also, Florida’s bays and rivers contain small buoys. Frequently, the manatees become entangled with the wires of the buoys. When it struggles to free itself, it can become injured, the injury gets infected, and the manatee dies. **(SPECIFIC RESEARCHED INFORMATION- CAUSE-AND-EFFECT ACTIONS)**

What can we do to protect the manatees from accidental deaths? More strict laws should be issued to avoid boating in areas where manatees live. Also a special device that sends high frequency waves that manatees could hear, should be invented, so boaters and fishermen could attach them to their motorboats and buoys. **(OFFERS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM)** Let’s do our part to make sure that manatees continue to swim there long after we are gone. It is our responsibility. If we don’t do something about it now, the manatee will become an extinct specie like the dinosaurs. **(CONCLUDES WITH A PREDICTION ABOUT THE FUTURE)**

**WORKS CITED (BACK OF MARYMOUNT PAGE)**  Clark, Margaret. “ Monsters of the Sea”. __The Vanishing Manatee.__ New York: Cobblehill, 1990 Eliot, John. “ Manatees Can´t Hear Boats”. __National Geographic.__ New York, Feb. 2000 “Manatee Mortality Statistics”. Save the Manatee Club www.savethemanatee.org/mort.htm __ CAUSE-EFFECT ESSAY __


 * GOAL ** : TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE A CAUSE-EFFECT ESSAY
 * LANGUAGE FOCUS ** : TO LEARN THE USE OF CAUSE-EFFECT TRANSITIONAL WORDS OR CONNECTORS

A cause-effect essay shows the reader the relationship between something that happens and its consequences, or between actions and results. For example, iF too much commercial fishing is allowed in the North Atlantic Ocean (action), the fish population in some areas will diminish or disappear (result). Lets review two kinds of cause-effect essays. TOPIC: The extinction of the manatee ** Cause-effect essay ** ** Language focus: Transitional cause-effect words or connectors for cause-effect essays. ** __**WRITING PROCESS**__ It can be divided into 3 big steps:
 * **__ “Focus –on- Cause” Method __** CAUSE   (Why does something happen?)   Why are manatees disappearing?  ||  EFFECT: Boats kill them.   EFFECT: Canal locks and under water walls injure and kill them.   EFFECT: Water buoys injure and kill them.  ||
 * **__ “Focus-on- Effect” Method __** CAUSE: manatees cannot get rapidly off the way of boats?   CAUSE: manatees get caught between canal locks or under water walls?   CAUSE: manatees get entangled with the wires of the buoys?   (What happens when ….?)  ||  EFFECT: Manatees get injured, they die, and can become extinct.  ||
 * 1)  Introduction with position statement
 * 2)  Body – Two paragraphs- Topic sentence, support sentences, researched information, cause/effect actions.
 * 3)  Conclusion – Restate position statement, offer possible solution to the problem, and conclude with a prediction about the future.
 * ** Connectors that show cause: ** ||  ||
 * ** As a result of ** ** Because of ** ** Due to ** || boating, manatees get injured and die.   being slow swimmers, manatees cannot get off the way of boats rapidly   the need to breath, they come to the surface and swim into the path of boats.  ||
 * ** Because ** ** Since ** || they are slow swimmers, manatees cannot get off the way of boats rapidly   they need to breath, they come to the surface and swim into the path of boats.  ||
 * ** Connectors that show cause: ** ||  ||
 * Manatees are slow swimmers. || ** For this reason **, they get trapped in buoys.  ** Therefore ** , they get in the way of boats.  ** As a result ** , they get trapped by canal locks.  ** Thus ** , they get caught by underwater walls.  ** Consequently, ** they become entangled in buoys, get injured, and die.  ||
 * ** Connectors that show cause: ** ||  ||
 * Manatees are slow swimmers. || ** For this reason **, they get trapped in buoys.  ** Therefore ** , they get in the way of boats.  ** As a result ** , they get trapped by canal locks.  ** Thus ** , they get caught by underwater walls.  ** Consequently, ** they become entangled in buoys, get injured, and die.  ||

1) Pre-Writing 2) Writing 3) Post-Writing


 * 1) ****__ PRE-WRITING: Planning stage of writing. __**

a) **__ BRAINSTORMING __** : Brainstorming the story topic or the story you will be writing about. Thinking. Getting Ideas. You may use a chart, cluster, or list to record your ideas  ** b) ****__ ORGANIZATION: __**** VERY IMPORTANT STEP ** Organize ideas in an outline, including the parts of a paragraph, that is, topic sentence, main ideas and supporting details, and a closing sentence.

2) WRITING: Connect the ideas written in the organizer and add details to them.   a) FIRST DRAFT: Do not expect to write a perfect paper the first time. Do not focus on spelling or sentence structure. b) RESPONDING OR PEER CONFERENCE: In a peer conference, students ( in pairs) should discuss aspects related to the context and organization of the first draft.   c) REVISING: To observe and discover. You may want to use more exact nouns, verbs, or adjectives, or you want to make your writing clearer. Center attention on meaning, content and organization. d) EDITING OR PROOFREADING : At this point evaluate your writing for language usage,. Reading over your work and correcting errors. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization should be checked.   3) POST-WRITING: Includes the publishing of the final draft and the writing conference. a) FINAL DRAFT: Is a clean copy of the work done so far. Rewrite to improve your writing.   b) WRITING CONFERENCE: Student-Teacher conference. PROOF-READING JOURNAL : The following information should be included in order to write the most common mistakes to ensure that they are not repeated in future writing. Always check the proof-reading journal before each new writing.
 * DATE || MISTAKE || CORRECTIONS || LOOK FOR NEXT TIME ||
 * || This cats || These cats || plurals ||
 * || John run || John runs || “s” third person present tense ||
 * || I did not went || I did not go || Past tense in negative form ||

RESPONDING TIPS
Ask your partner to read your writing assignment and answer the following questions:


 * 1) Does my writing make sense?
 * 2) Is it interesting to read?
 * 3) Is the main idea clearly stated?
 * 4) Do the supporting details go along with the main idea?
 * 5) Have I used new vocabulary words?
 * 6) What are my suggestions to improve my writing?
 * 7) Are there any grammar or spelling mistakes?

=__REVISING TIPS__=


 * Use complete thoughts in each sentence.
 * Write paragraphs that have main ideas.
 * Write sentences that keep to the main idea.
 * Use exact nouns to make your sentences clearer.
 * Use interesting verbs to make your sentences clearer.
 * Choose exact adjectives.
 * Use adverbs to make your sentences clearer.
 * Combine sentences by joining their subjects.
 * Combine sentences by joining their verbs.
 * Combine short, choppy sentences into one sentence.
 * Vary your sentence length; use some short and some long ones.
 * Use only one point of view at a time.

PROOFREADING TIPS
Check to see that every sentence:


 * has a subject and a verb.
 * Begins with a capital letter.
 * Ends with a period, exclamation point, or question mark.

Check to see that you have:


 * Indented the first line of each paragraph.
 * Capitalized all nouns that need capital letter.
 * Formed plurals correctly.
 * Used commas to separate words in a series.
 * Used commas to set off YES or NO, and the name of the person spoken to.
 * Checked for spelling.
 * Used the S form of the verb with singular subjects.
 * Used the plain form of the verb with plural subjects.
 * Put commas between the day and the year in a date.
 * Put commas between the city and state in a sentence and address.
 * Used and apostrophe and an S to make a singular noun possessive.
 * Used an apostrophe to make a plural noun that ends in S possessive.
 * Used an apostrophe to show where letters are left out in a contraction.
 * Spelt the past tense forms of verbs correctly.
 * Said exactly what you want to say.

POST-WRITING TIPS

 * Did I write neatly?
 * Did I write with my best handwriting?