English Comprehension and
Composition – Lecture 32
Objectives:
• Review of the Course Contents
Grammar
Writing (Composition)
Message Composition
Presentation Skills
Strengthening Your
Reading Comprehension
• Analyze the time and place in which you are
reading ; mental fatigue or distractions or
interruptions
• Rephrase each paragraph in your own words;
approach complicated material sentence by
sentence, expressing each in your own words.
• Read aloud sentences or sections that are
particularly difficult; makes complicated
material easier to understand.
• Reread difficult or complicated sections
• Slow down your reading rate - reading more
slowly and carefully will provide you with the
needed boost in comprehension.
• Turn headings into questions - Refer to these
questions frequently and jot down or underline
answers.
• Write a brief outline of major points - This will
help you see the overall organization and
progression of ideas. [for more complicated
passages]
• Highlight key ideas - After you've read a section,
go back and think about and highlight what is
important.
• Write notes in the margins - Explain or rephrase
difficult or complicated ideas or sections.
• Determine whether you lack background
knowledge - Comprehension is difficult, at
times, and it is impossible, if you lack essential
information that the writer assumes you have.
Source: http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/304.HTM
READING SKILLS
Skimming
• Skimming is used to quickly gather the most
important information, or 'gist'. Run your eyes
over the text, noting important information. Use
skimming to quickly get up to speed on a
current business situation. It's not essential to
understand each word when skimming.
Examples of Skimming:
• The Newspaper (quickly to get the general news
of the day)
• Magazines (quickly to discover which articles
you would like to read in more detail)
• Business and Travel Brochures (quickly to get
informed)
Scanning
• Scanning is used to find a particular piece of
information. Run your eyes over the text looking
for the specific piece of information you need.
Use scanning on schedules, meeting plans, etc. in
order to find the specific details you require. If
you see words or phrases that you don't
understand, don't worry when scanning.
Examples of Scanning
• The "What's on TV" section of your newspaper.
• A train / airplane schedule
• A conference guide
Vocabulary in Context
Context clues are words and phrases in a
sentence which help you reason out the
meaning of an unfamiliar
word. Oftentimes you can figure out the
meanings of new or unfamiliar vocabulary
by paying attention to the surrounding
language. Below are the types of clues,
signals and examples of each clue.
Type of Context Clue
Antonym or Contrast Clue
Definition
Phrases or words that indicate opposite
Signals
but, in contrast, however, instead of, unlike, yet
Examples
Unlike his quiet and low key family, Brad
is garrulous.
Type of Context Clue
Definition or Example Clue
Definition
Phrases or words that define or explain
Signals
is defined as, means, the term, [a term in boldface or
italics] set off with commas
Examples
Sedentary individuals, people who are not very
active, often have diminished health.
Type of Context Clue
General Knowledge
Definition
The meaning is derived from the experience and
background knowledge of the reader; "common sense"
and logic.
Signals
the information may be something basically familiar to
you
Examples
Lourdes is always sucking up to the boss, even in front of
others. That sycophant just doesn't care what others
think of her behavior.
Type of Context Clue
Restatement or Synonym Clue
Definition
Another word or phrase with the same or a similar
meaning is used.
Signals
in other word, that is, also known as, sometimes called,
or
Examples
The dromedary, commonly called a camel, stores fat in
its hump.
PREVIEWING
Previewing a text means gathering as
much information about the text as
you can before you actually read it. You
can ask yourself the following
questions:
What is my purpose for reading?
Are you asked to summarize a particular
piece of writing? Are you looking for the
thesis statement or main idea? Or are you
being asked to respond to a piece? If so, you
may want to be conscious of what you
already know about the topic and how you
arrived at that opinion.
What can the title tell me about the text?
Before you read, look at the title of the text.
What clues does it give you about the piece
of writing? Good writers usually try to make
their titles work to help readers grasp
meaning of the text from the reader's first
glance at it.
Who is the author?
If you have heard the author's name
before, what comes to your mind in terms
of their reputation and/or stance on the
issue you are reading about? Has the
author written other things of which you
are aware? How does the piece in front of
you fit into to the author's body of work?
How is the text structured?
Sometimes the structure of a piece can give you
important clues to its meaning. Be sure to read all
section headings carefully. Also, reading the
opening sentences of paragraphs should give you a
good idea of the main ideas contained in the piece.
SOURCE:
http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/reading/critread/pop5a.cfm
READING FOR MAIN
IDEA
The main idea of a passage or reading
is the central thought or message. In
contrast to the term topic, which
refers to the subject under discussion,
the term main idea refers to the point
or thought being expressed.
Reading Tips
1. As soon as you can define the topic, ask yourself
“What general point does the author want to make
about this topic?” Once you can answer that question,
you have more than likely found the main idea.
2. Most main ideas are stated or suggested early on in a
reading; pay special attention to the first third of any
passage, article, or chapter. That’s where you are
likely to get the best statement or clearest expression
of the main idea.
3. Pay attention to any idea that is repeated in different
ways. If an author returns to the same thought in
several different sentences or paragraphs, that idea is
the main or central thought under discussion.
Which one of these is a complete
sentence???
1. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
2. Outside the window
3. Political parties
SENTENCE




A group of words that makes complete sense is
called a sentence.
Examples:
"Children are all foreigners."
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I
can't get my wife to go swimming."
(attributed to Jimmy Carter, among others)
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because
those who mind don't matter and those who
matter don't mind."
(Theodor Geisel)
Open the door!
PARTS OF A SENTENCE
• Every sentence has two parts
• The part that names the person or thing
we are talking about is called a subject
• The part that tells something about the
subject is called the predicate of the
sentence.
Example:
They wake up early in the morning.
Sentence Types
According to Meaning
English has four main sentence types:
• Declarative Sentences are used to form statements.
Examples: "Mary is here.", "My name is Mary."
• Interrogative Sentences are used to ask questions.
Examples: "Where is Mary?", "What is your name?"
• Imperative Sentences are used for commands.
Examples: "Come here.", "Tell me your name.“”
• Conditional Sentences are used to indicate
dependencies between events or conditions.
Example: "If you cut all the trees, there will be no
forest."
SENTENCE
STRUCTURES
Sentence Types
One way to categorize sentences is by the
clauses they contain.
(A clause is a part of a sentence containing a
subject and a predicate.)
There are 4 types of sentences in this
category:
Simple
• Contains a single, independent clause.
– I don't like dogs.
– Our school basketball team lost their last game of
the season 75-68.
– The old hotel opposite the bus station in the
center of the town is probably going to be
knocked down at the end of next year.
Compound
• Contains two independent clauses that are
joined by a coordinating conjunction. The
most common coordinating conjunctions
are: and, or, but, so.
– I don't like dogs, and my sister doesn't like cats.
– You can write on paper, or you can use a
computer.
– A tree fell onto the school roof in a storm, but
none of the students was injured.
Complex
• Contains an independent clause plus one
dependent clause. (A dependent clause starts
with a subordinating conjunction.
Examples: that, because, although, where,
which, since.)
– I don't like dogs that bark at me when I go past.
– You can write on paper, although a computer is
better.
– None of the students were injured when the tree
fell through the school roof.
Compound-complex
• Contains 3 or more clauses (of which at least
two are independent and one is dependent).
– I don't like dogs, and my sister doesn't like cats
because they make her sneeze.
– You can write on paper, but using a computer is
better as you can easily correct your mistakes.
– A tree fell onto the school roof in a storm, but
none of the students was injured although many
of them were in classrooms at the top of the
building.
MODIFIERS
• A word, phrase, or clause that functions
as an adjective or adverb to limit or
qualify the meaning of another word or
word group (called the head).
• Modifiers that appear before the head are
called premodifiers. Modifiers that appear
after the head are called postmodifiers.
Dangling Modifiers
• A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that
is not clearly and logically related to the word or
words it modifies (i.e. is placed next to).
Two notes about dangling modifiers:
• Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier
cannot be corrected by simply moving it to a
different place in a sentence.
• In most cases, the dangling modifier appears at
the beginning of the sentence, although it can
also come at the end.
Misplaced Modifiers
• A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or
clause that is improperly separated from
the word it modifies / describes.
• Because of the separation, sentences with
this error often sound awkward,
ridiculous, or confusing. Furthermore,
they can be downright illogical.
PUNCTUATION MARKS
Punctuation marks on a page are similar to signs on a road.
They guide you and direct you.
1. A period ( . ) ends a declarative or imperative sentence.
I live in Pasadena. They don’t live in Pasadena.
Listen to me. Don’t drink and drive. Please come here. Eat
your vegetables.
2. A question mark ( ? ) ends an interrogative sentence.
Do you live in Pasadena? Don’t you like chocolate ice cream?
3. An exclamation mark ( ! ) ends an exclamatory sentence
(a sentence that contains a lot of emotion).
Help! Stop! Don’t call me again!
4. A comma ( , ) separates items in a list.
I like coffee, soda, milk, and tea. Sara, Maria, Robert and
Steven will eat lunch.
5. A semicolon separates equal parts of a sentence.
Mary is at home; Bob is at school.
Give me a hamburger, with onions and lettuce; a coke, with a
straw; and fries, with ketchup.
6. A colon ( : ) usually precedes a list.
Bring these things with you: a book, a pencil, and a dictionary.
7. A dash ( – ) usually indicates a break in thought.
I’ll have a hot dog with mustard – no, make that ketchup.
8. A hyphen ( - ) separates syllables to make a word easier to
read.
co-ordinate re-elect pray-er
A hyphen also separates syllables when it’s necessary to
continue a word on the following line.
9. Parentheses ( ) or a pair of dashes contain extra
information.
John (my brother) is coming to the party.
John – my brother – is coming to the party.
10. An ellipsis (...) shows that information is missing or deleted.
“To be or not...the question.” (“To be or not to be. That is the question.”)
11. Quotation marks (“ ”) enclose the exact words of a person.
Maria said, “Where are the keys?”
12. An apostrophe ( ’ ) is a substitute for a letter or letters (in a
contraction).
isn’t = is not can’t = cannot don’t = do not I’ll = I will I’m = I am
He’s sick. = He is sick.
Bob’s rich. = Bob is rich. What’s new? = What is new?
They’ve worked. = They have worked.
’99 = 1999
An apostrophe also shows possession.
This is Sara’s book. (Don’t say: This is the book of Sara.)
Where is the dog’s dish?
13. Capitalization: Begin all sentences with a capital letter (i.e., capitalize
the first word in all sentences) and end all sentences with a
punctuation mark.
Capitalize the first word in a sentence and finish the sentence with a
punctuation mark.
Verb Tense
• A verb indicates the time of an action, event
or condition by changing its form. Through the
use of a sequence of tenses in a sentence or in
a paragraph, it is possible to indicate the
complex temporal relationship of actions,
events, and conditions
The four past tenses are
1. the simple past ("I went")
2. the past progressive ("I was going")
3. the past perfect ("I had gone")
4. the past perfect progressive ("I had been going")
The four present tenses are
1. the simple present ("I go")
2. the present progressive ("I am going")
3. the present perfect ("I have gone")
4. the present perfect progressive ("I have been going")
The four future tenses are
1. the simple future ("I will go")
2. the future progressive ("I will be going")
3. the future perfect ("I will have gone")
4. the future perfect progressive (“I will have been going”)
The Function of Verb Tenses
The Simple Present Tense
The simple present is used to describe an action, an event,
or condition that is occurring in the present, at the
moment of speaking or writing. The simple present is used
when the precise beginning or ending of a present action,
event, or condition is unknown or is unimportant to the
meaning of the sentence.
 The simple present is used to express general truths such as
scientific fact.
 The simple present is used to indicate a habitual action,
event, or condition
 The simple present is also used when writing about works of
art
 The simple present can also be used to refer to a future event
when used in conjunction with an adverb or adverbial phrase
The Present Progressive
• While the simple present and the present progressive
are sometimes used interchangeably, the present
progressive emphasizes the continuing nature of an
act, event, or condition.
• The present progressive is occasionally used to refer to
a future event when used in conjunction with an
adverb or adverbial phrase,
• The present perfect tense is used to describe action
that began in the past and continues into the present
or has just been completed at the moment of
utterance. The present perfect is often used to suggest
that a past action still has an effect upon something
happening in the present.
The Present Perfect Progressive Tense
Like the present perfect, the present perfect
progressive is used to describe an action,
event, or condition that has begun in the past
and continues into the present. The present
perfect progressive, however, is used to stress
the on-going nature of that action, condition,
or event.
The Simple Past Tense
The simple past is used to describe an action,
an event, or condition that occurred in the
past, sometime before the moment of
speaking or writing.
The Past Progressive Tense
The past progressive tense is used to described
actions ongoing in the past. These actions often
take place within a specific time frame. While
actions referred to in the present progressive
have some connection to the present, actions
referred in the past progressive have no
immediate or obvious connection to the present.
The on-going actions took place and were
completed at some point well before the time of
speaking or writing.
The Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is used to refer to
actions that took place and were completed in
the past. The past perfect is often used to
emphasize that one action, event or condition
ended before another past action, event, or
condition began.
The Past Perfect Progressive Tense
The past perfect progressive is used to
indicate that a continuing action in the past
began before another past action began or
interrupted the first action.
The Simple Future Tense
The simple future is used to refer to actions
that will take place after the act of speaking or
writing.
The Future Progressive Tense
The future progressive tense is used to
describe actions ongoing in the future. The
future progressive is used to refer to
continuing action that will occur in the future.
The Future Perfect Tense
The future perfect is used to refer to an action
that will be completed sometime in the future
before another action takes place.
The Future Perfect Progressive Tense
The future perfect progressive tense is used to
indicate a continuing action that will be
completed at some specified time in the
future. This tense is rarely used.
Word Order in English
Word Order in Affirmative Sentences
subject
verb(s)
object
I
speak
English
I
can speak
English
Word Order in Affirmative Sentences
subject verb
I
will tell
indirect
object
you
direct
place
object
the
story
time
at tomorrow.
school
Word Order in Past Perfect Simple
Negative Sentences
indirect direct
subject verbs
place
object object
I
had
you
not told
the
story
time
at
tomorrow
school
Word Order in Subordinate Clauses
Conjunction
because
indirect direct
subject verb(s)
place
object object
I
will tell
I
don't
have
you
the
story
time
time
at
tomorrow
school
...
now.
Position of Time Expressions
and Adverbs of Frequency
subject auxiliary/be
I
adverb
main verb
object,
place or
time
often
go
swimming
in the
evenings.
play
tennis.
He
doesn't
always
We
are
usually
here in
summer.
Word Order in Questions
Interro auxiliary
other indirect direct
subject
verb(s) object object
-gative
verb
What
When
would
you
like to
tell
Did
you
have
were
you
place
time
me
a party in your yesterday?
flat
here?
DETERMINERS
FUNCTION AND CLASSES
Function
Determiners are words placed in front of a
noun to make it clear as to what the noun
refers to.
The word 'people' by itself is a general
reference to some group of human beings. If
someone says 'these people', we know which
group they are talking about, and if they say 'a
lot of people' we know how big the group is.
Classes of Determiners
• Definite and Indefinite
articles
the, a, an
• Demonstratives
this, that, these, those
• Possessives
my, your, his, her, its, our,
their
• Quantifiers
a few, a little, much, many, a
lot of, most, some, any,
enough, etc.
• Numbers
one, ten, thirty, etc.
• Distributives
all, both, half, either, neither,
each, every
• Difference words
other, another
• Question words
Which, what, whose
• Defining words
which, whose
PREPOSITIONS
A preposition is a word that relates a
noun or pronoun to another word in a
sentence.
"The dog sat under the tree."
Parallelism
• We wanted to cook and to go swimming.
We wanted to cook and to swim.
• He is talented, intelligent and has charm.
He is talented, intelligent and charming.
• Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a
bicycle.
Mary likes hiking, swimming, and riding a
bicycle.
Parallel structure means that two or
more ideas in a sentence are expressed
in similar form. And, but and or usually
join similar terms—two or more nouns,
adjectives, verbs, adverbs, phases or
clauses.
• My ambition is to be a doctor and to
specialize in surgery. (Parallel)
Sentence Fragments
Every sentence has to have a subject and a
verb in order to be complete. If it doesn't, it's
a fragment. That's easy enough if you have
something
like
–Ran into town. (no subject)
–The growling dog. (no verb)
• A fragment may be missing a SUBJECT
Threw the baseball. (Who threw the
baseball?)
• A fragment may be missing a VERB
Mark and his friends. (What about them?)
• A fragment may be missing BOTH
Around the corner. (Who was? What
happened?)
You can correct a fragment by adding
the missing part of speech.
Add a subject: Rob threw the baseball.
Add a verb: Mark and his friends
laughed.
Add both: A dog ran around the corner.
Run-on Sentences
Two sentences that the writer has not
separated with an end punctuation mark,
or has not joined with a conjunction.
Here are three examples of run-ons:
1. Tyler delivered newspapers in the rain he got very
wet.
2. Kevin and his dog went for a walk it was a
beautiful day.
3. On Monday we went outside for recess it was fun.
There are three ways to correct a
run-on:
1.Add a period and a capital letter.
2.Add a semicolon.
3.Add a comma and a conjunction.
Pre-writing Techniques
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Free-writing
Note keeping
Brain storming
Mind mapping
Journalistic questions (how +5 w’s)
What is Pre-writing?
Pre-writing is the first stage of the writing
process, aimed to “discover and explore our
initial ideas about a subject.”
At the beginning of writing, it is usual to find
yourself totally blank, without ideas about
what to say. Pre-writing techniques, make it
much easier to start a writing.
1. Free-writing
• “Free Writing” is like pouring all of your
thoughts onto paper.
• Don’t take your pen off the page; keep writing
for the entire time.
• If you don’t know what to write, write “I don’t
know what to write” until you do.
• Don’t try to sort “good” and “bad” ideas.
• Don’t worry about spelling and grammar.
2. Note keeping/ Keeping a Journal
Keeping a journal is an excellent
way to practice your writing skills.
Your journal is mostly for you. It’s a
private place that you record your
experiences and your inner life; it is
the place where, as one writer
says, “I discover what I really think
by writing it down.”
How to keep a journal?
• You can keep a journal in a notebook.
• Every morning or night, or several times
a week, write for at least fifteen minutes
in this journal.
• Don’t just record the day’s events.
Instead write in detail about what most
angered, moved or amused you that day.
• Your journal is private, so don’t worry
about grammar or correctness.
3. Brain Storming
Brainstorming is a strategy of listing all the
terms related to the topic. No need to worry
about whether those ideas are useful or not.
You just jot down all the possibilities. The
more, the better. Then look back things you
have listed and circle those that make a sense
to the topic. Often, brainstorming looks more
like a list while free writing may look more
like a paragraph. With either strategy, your
goal is to get as many ideas down on paper as
you can.
4. Mind Mapping
• Mind mapping, Clustering, Mapping,
Idea mapping or Webbing is a
"visual of outlining”. It is another
way to organize your ideas.
• Start with your topic in the center,
and branch out from there with
related ideas.
• Use words and phrases, not
complete sentences.
5. Journalistic Questions (How + 5 w’s)
Journalistic techniques refer to asking yourself six
questions,
How? What? Where? When? Which? Who?
With these questions, you can fully explore ideas
about the topic you are about to write and put
everything down in detail. In this process, you
should not spare hard efforts on every question
but make it as flexible as possible. In other words,
some Ws (such as what or who) should be
attached with importance, while others (such as
where or who) can be ignored. This largely
depends on your topic.
What is a paragraph?
A developed, but manageable thought.
Writing a Paragraph
Hamburger Model
The hamburger
paragraph format
provides a clear
structure for writing an
organized paragraph.
Essentials of a Good Paragraph
• Unity
• A good topic sentence
• Logical sequence of
thoughts
• Variety
• A comprehensive final
sentence
ESSAY WRITING
Kinds and Characteristics
An essay is a short piece of writing
that discusses, describes or analyzes
one topic.
KINDS OF ESSAYS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Descriptive
Definition
Compare and contrast
Cause and effect
Narrative
Process
Argumentative
Critical
Imaginative
Characteristics of an Essay
•
•
•
•
•
Unity
Order
Brevity
Style
The Personal Touch
Writing a Précis
A précis is a short summary.
“It is a brief, original summary of the
important ideas given in a long selection. Its
aim is to give the general
effect created by the original selection."
RULES OF PRÉCIS WRITING
1) Read the given passage carefully at least three
times in order to be able to grasp what the writer
has said.
2) Underline the important points to be included in
your précis. A point is important if it is intimately
connected with the main subject.
3) Use your own language in the précis. While
words and phrases from the original may be used
in the précis. Whole sentences should never be
lifted out of the original to be included in it.
4) The précis should be roughly one-third of the original
passage. Always prepare a rough draft first and count the
words. If you find that it is too long, shorten it by removing
what seems unessential and by condensing, phraseology. If it
turns out to be too short, read the original to see what more
can be added to the précis.
5) Examples, illustrations, and comparisons should be left out
of the précis. Figures of speech should be removed and the
ideas are expressed in clear, direct language.
6) Your own comments on the ideas of the précis are
absolutely forbidden.
7) See that your précis is a readable piece of English and that
its ideas can be understood even by a person who has not
gone through original. This is very important.
8) Your précis should be connected whole. As such
it should not be divided into paragraphs.
9) Don't use the direct form of speech in précis.
10) Think of a suitable title for the précis if it is
required. The title should not be a complete
sentence.
11) Indicate the number of words in your précis at
the end.
MEMO WRITING
“A memo is a short, to the point
communication conveying your thoughts,
reactions or opinion on something.”
A letter is not a memo, nor is a memo a letter. A
memo can call people to action or broadcast a
bit of timely news.
With memo writing, shorter is better.
Approaches to Memo Writing
Decide if it’s to be persuasive or informative. A
persuasive memo engages the reader’s interest before
issuing a directive, where as an informative memo
outlines the facts and then requests the reader’s
actions.
Clearly state the purpose of communication in the
subject line. Make the subject line as descriptive as
possible so the reader understands the intent. A memo
simply titled “Vacation Time” might appear to be good
news – until the document explains that vacation time
won’t be granted unless first requested in writing. Thus,
a better memo title might be “New Vacation Time
Request Policy".
Write memos with purpose and make that purpose known
in the first paragraph. Outline the purpose and the desired
action in the memo’s first paragraph. Readers will become
conditioned to the importance of a memo and gain that
knowledge as soon as they open it.
K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple, Silly. This means that the topic
details should be concise, with clear directives and contacts
for follow-up. If it’s a complex topic extending into multiple
pages, still keep the language as direct as possible, add
headings or bullets to guide the reader and conclude with a
summary paragraph of key points.
PARTS OF A MEMO
HEADING
The heading segment follows this general
format:
TO: (readers' names and job titles)
CC: (any people you are copying the memo
to)
FROM: (your name and job title)
DATE: (complete and current date)
SUBJECT: (what the memo is about,
highlighted in some way)
OPENING SEGMENT
The gist of a memo should occur in the
opening sentences/paragraphs. It's a good
idea to include some information about the
context, a task statement and perhaps a
purpose statement.
SUMMARY SEGMENT
If your memo is longer than a page, you may
want to include a separate summary segment.
This segment provides a brief statement of the
key recommendations you have reached.
These will help your reader understand the
key points of the memo immediately.
DISCUSSION SEGMENT
The discussion segments are the parts in
which you get to include all the details that
support your ideas. Keep two things in mind:
1. Begin with the information that is most
important. This may mean that you will start
with key findings or recommendations.
2. For easy reading, put important points or
details into lists rather than paragraphs when
possible.
CLOSING SEGMENT
After the reader has read your information,
you want to close with a courteous ending
stating what action you want your reader to
take. For example, you might say, "I will be
glad to discuss this recommendation with you
during our meeting on Tuesday and follow
through on any decisions you make."
NECESSARY ATTACHMENTS
Attach necessary lists, graphs, tables, etc. at
the end of your memo. Be sure to refer to
your attachments in your memo and add a
notation about what is attached below your
closing, like this:
Attached: Several Complaints about Product,
January - June 2007
What is an Email?
“A system for sending and receiving messages
electronically over a computer network, as between
personal computers.”
Email is shorthand term meaning Electronic Mail. Email
is much the same as a letter, only that it is exchanged in
a different way. The first thing you need to send and
receive emails is an email address. When you create an
account with an Internet Service Provider you are
usually given an email address to send from and receive
emails. If this isn't the case you can create an email
address / account at web sites such as yahoo, hotmail
and gmail.
Anatomy of an E-Mail Message
• The header of an email includes the From:, To:, Cc:
and Subject: fields. So you enter the name and
address of the recipient in the From: field, the name
and address of anyone who is being copied to in the
Cc: field, and the subject of the message obviously in
the Subject: field.
• The part below the header of the email is called the
body, and contains the message itself.
• Spelling the correct address is critical with an email.
Like with a normal postal letter, if you get the address
wrong it won't go the correct receiver. If you send an
email to an address which doesn't exist the message
will come back to you as a Address Unknown error
routine.
Resume or Curriculum Vitea
A summary of your academic and work
history
Resume sections
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Your name
Your address
Resume objective
Profile or summary of qualifications
Employment history
Education
Skills
Activities
Basic Resume Formats
1. Chronological:
The chronological resume format lists work
experience first, beginning with your most
recent (or current) job. It then continues with
your education and concludes with extra
skills and interests that may contribute to
your ability to perform the job.
Basic Resume Formats
2. Skills Format:
The skills resume begins with a list of skills
that relate to the job for which you are
applying. The skills resume format is
exceptionally useful when:
1) you are applying for a job in a different
field than your work experience,
2) you have large gaps in your work
experience or
3) you have little or no paid work experience.
Basic Resume Formats
3. The Combination or Functional Format:
This format is useful in highlighting skills that
are relevant to a particular field of work. It is
best used to demonstrate improvement and
achievement within a specific field of work.
Cover Letter
Never send a resume without a cover letter!
Purposes of a Cover Letter
• Used when responding to specific, advertised
openings or expressing interest in organization
• Explains why you are sending the resume, how
you learned about company or position
• Convinces reader to look at your resume
• Calls attention to important attributes of your
background
• Shows your personality, attitude, enthusiasm
and communication skills
Do’s & Don’ts of Cover Letters
• Don’t repeat information found in resume
• Do Sum-up important qualities, areas of
expertise, and motivation about field or
position of interest
• Do include information about availability
• Do explain shortcomings or gaps in work
experience in history
• Do try to keep the cover letter to one page;
however, two pages are acceptable, especially
when reflective of extensive work experience
General Structure of the Cover Letter
1. Opening paragraph: State why you are writing,
how you learned of the organization or
position, and basic information about yourself
2. Main Body paragraph: Tell why you are
interested in employer or type of work.
Demonstrate that you know enough about the
employer or position and relate your
background to the employer or position.
Mention specific qualifications that make you a
good fit for the employer’s needs. Refer to the
fact that your resume is enclosed.
3. Closing paragraph: Indicate you would like
opportunity to interview for a position or to
talk with employer to learn more about career
opportunities. State how you will follow up on
the letter, such as calling the
company/employer. Offer to provide employer
with additional information such as
certificates, references, etc.
4. Thank the employer for his or her
consideration of your letter/attached resume
(could be a brief 4th paragraph).
How to Use a
Dictionary?
Dictionaries are books
that list all the words
in a language.
With a Dictionary, you can learn:
-How to spell a word
-What a word means
-How to say a word
-What part of speech a word is
-How many syllables are in a word
-Whether or not to capitalize a word
-How to abbreviate a word (example: USA)
-Meanings of prefixes and suffixes for a word
VOCABULARY
• Headword- the word you are looking up. It
is always in bold type.
• Entry- the information on the word you are
looking up.
• Pronunciation- tells you how to say the
word. Found in (parentheses).
• Part of speech- tells you how the word is
used in a sentence (n=noun, v=verb,
adj=adjective, adv=adverb).
VOCABULARY
• Definition- all possible meanings for the word.
Many words have more than one meaning.
• Examples- Shows you how the word is used in
a sentence. Usually found in italics.
• Etymology- this tells you the history of the
word, and what language it came from.
This is a definition for flag:
flag /flæg/
1. noun A piece of cloth with a pattern or symbol
of a country, an organization, etc.
2. verb To stop, or to signal. We flagged down
the police officer.
What is a Thesaurus?
A thesaurus is a book that can help you find
words with the same or similar meanings.
(No, a thesaurus is NOT a
kind of dinosaur)
Why use a Thesaurus?
• To avoid using the same word over and over
• To find a word that has the same or similar
meaning
• To find the opposite of a word
• To learn new words
• To make your writing more interesting or exciting
How do I use a Thesaurus?
A thesaurus is arranged very much like a dictionary.
• Alphabetical order
• Guide words
• Entries
A thesaurus entry usually has:
• Headword in BOLD
• Part of speech
• Synonyms (words with same or similar meaning)
• Antonyms (words with opposite meanings)
Effective Presentations Skills
Definitions
Presentation
• “Something set forth to an audience for the
attention of the mind “
Effective
• “…producing a desired result”
Effective Presentations
•
•
•
•
•
•
Control Anxiety – Don’t Fight It
Audience Centered
Accomplishes Objective
Fun For Audience
Fun For You
Conducted Within Time Frame
Why Give A Presentation?
Three Main Purposes
1. Inform
2. Persuade
3. Educate
Planning A Presentation
1. Determine Purpose
2. Assess Your Audience
– “Success depends on your ability to reach
your audience.”
– Size
– Demographics
– Knowledge Level
– Motivation
Planning A Presentation
3. Plan Space
– Number of Seats
– Seating Arrangement
– Audio/Visual Equipment
– Distracters
4. What Day and Time?
– Any Day!
– Morning
More Planning
5. Organization
– Determine Main Points (2-5)
– Evidence
– Transitions
– Prepare Outline
Organizing Your Presentation
Organizational Patterns
• Topical
• Chronological
• Problem/Solution
• Cause/Effect
Presentation Outline
•
•
•
•
Keyword Reminders
Conversational Flow
Flexibility
More Responsive to Audience
Recap
Objectives:
• Review of the Course Contents
Grammar
Writing (Composition)
Message Composition
Presentation Skills
References
• http://www.rong-chang.com/grammar/punctuation.html
• http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/arts/writcent/hypergramm
ar/usetense.html
• http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html
• http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/subjectVerbAgree.a
sp
• http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/word-order
• http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/determinertext.htm
• http://chompchomp.com/structure01/structure01.20.b.htm
• http://faculty.ncwc.edu/lakirby/English%20090/prewriting_st
rategies.htm
• http://xiamenwriting.wikispaces.com/Pre-writing+Techniques
• http://www.victoria.ac.nz/llc/academic-writing/
• http://www4.caes.hku.hk/acadgrammar/essay/section1/Essa
yTys.htm