JOURNAL RULES





Write three quarters of a page (or a half
page if you have big paper)
Practice organizing your thoughts into
paragraphs
Practice using appropriate language
conventions—pay attention to spelling,
grammar and punctuation.
Don’t write anything you wouldn’t be
comfortable with the whole class reading!
Write the number and the topic. That’s all
you need to copy.
#1 THIS YEAR

THE RULE:
 IT’S = IT IS
○ It’s bed time!
 ITS = Possessive
○ The dog wagged its tail

THE PROMPT: Will this year be
different? How so? Use it’s or its.
#2 ARGUMENT

THE RULE: Notice the punctuation and
capitalization in the following dialogue.
 “Hello,” said Gary.
 “How are you?” asked Susan.
 Gary replied, “Very good.”

THE PROMPT: Write about the last
argument you got in or the last argument
you heard. Include appropriately
punctuated dialogue.
#3 ALIEN LANDING

THE RULE: Some quotes in dialogue continue
after the identification of speaker. Notice how
these are punctuated.
 “My name,” said the stranger, “is Gary.”
 “It’s lunchtime!” shouted Susan. “Let’s eat!”

THE PROMPT: Write about an alien landing in
front of your home. Practice using more
complex dialogue and punctuation.
#4 BEST METHOD
THE RULE:
Strong paragraphs sometimes follow a pattern of
“Definition,” “Example,” and “Advantage”
Syphoning is a method of getting water out of
something using a hose…For example, if you need
to get water out of a fish tank, you might pump a
hose up and down in it until water comes out…This
is less messy than scooping water.
 THE PROMPT: Write a paragraph about the best
method of doing something. Practice the
“Definition,” “Example,” and “Advantage”
formula.

#5 I BELIEVE
THE RULE: The best paragraphs have the most
important information in the first sentence (topic
sentence).
I believe that people need to have fewer
children. It is obvious that overpopulation is a
potential threat to the United States, and it has
already brought about a lot damage in countries like
India. The earth’s population is growing at a faster
and faster rate and the earth is already struggling to
sustain everyone.


THE PROMPT: Write about an issue that you
believe in. Practice using at least two paragraphs
with topic sentences.
#6 DISAGREE

THE RULE:
 Subjects are words that DO something.
○ Grandma bakes cookies. (She’s baking!)
○ The gift from Gary was amazing! (It’s being amazing!)
○ We napped and they worked. (Some sentences have
two subjects!)

THE PROMPT: Is there something that you
disagree with your friends and/or family about?
A rule? A political issue? Explain. CIRCLE
EVERY SUBJECT!
#7 GET TOGETHER

THE RULE: Predicate verbs are words that
show what the subject is doing. They are
the main verbs in the sentence.
 Grandma enjoys baking cookies.
 Gary is a sea captain who sails the ocean.

THE PROMPT: What does your family like
to do when they get together? OR what do
your friends do when they get together?
CIRCLE THE PREDICATE VERBS
#8 OCEAN EXPLORER

THE RULE:
 Compound sentences have two subjects
and two verbs. Note the comma.
○ Gary plays defense, and Skippy tackles.
○ Mom looked in the kitchen, but I was hiding.
○ The park is closed, so we are going home.

THE PROMPT: Imagine you are a
Fifteenth-Century ocean explorer. Write
a story about your experience that uses
at least four compound sentences.
#9 ZOO

THE RULE:
 Some statements begin with the word “because,”
“if” or “when.” These sentences need commas
between the first subject-verb pair and the
second
○ Because we are tired, we will sleep.
○ When Gary arrived, he found Skippy.
○ If she sneezes, we will be caught!
 These are called “complex sentences”

THE PROMPT: Write a story about a trip to
the zoo. Practice using complex sentences
that begin with if, because and when.
#10 TEN YEARS

THE RULE:
 Sentences with “if,” “because,” or “when” in the
middle don’t need commas.
○ We enter when the door opens.
○ I am smart because I do my homework.
○ You can borrow my book if you are careful
 These are called “complex sentences.”

THE PROMPT: Where will you be in ten
years? Practice using complex sentences
with “if,” “because” or “when” in the middle.
#11 QUIRKY PEOPLE

THE RULE
 Use commas when you list adjectives. Just like you
would when you list nouns.
○ The grizzly, sweaty, fierce man chops trees.
 Notice some adjectives are part of the noun itself.
Don’t use commas before these.
○ The sweet, kind, friendly old lady bakes pie.

THE PROMPT
 Describe someone quirky—a person with an
unusual personality or unique behavior. Consider
describing more than one person. Practice listing
adjectives when you can.
#12 SOMEWHERE RELAXING

THE RULE:
 Prepositions are words that show position.
○ Above, about, below, beyond, between by, in,
on etc.

THE PROMPT: Describe somewhere
that you can go to relax. It might be your
bedroom, somewhere outdoors, a
favorite restaurant or your friend’s
house. Describe it in detail and circle the
prepositions.
#13 JUNGLE EXPLORER

THE RULE:
 Prepositional phrases are strings of words that
begin with prepositions.
 When a prepositional phrase longer than three
words begins a sentence, it takes a comma.
○ In the cabinet above the sink, we found the keys.
○ On top of the refrigerator, Gary put the money.

THE PROMPT: You are a famous jungle
explorer. Describe your journey and use at
least three prepositional phrases.
#14 ANOTHER STATE

THE RULE:
 There = Demonstrative pronoun
○ Put it there. He lives there. There she is.
 They’re = Contraction (they are)
○ They’re ready. They’re here!
 Their = Plural possessive pronoun
○ It’s their house. This is their car.

THE PROMPT: You get to spend a summer in
another state. Where would it be and why?
Somewhere new? Somewhere familiar?
Practice using there, their and they’re.
#15 FORMAL LETTER

THE RULE:
 Remember that a formal letter begins with a
salutation and a colon.
○ Dear Sir or Madam:
○ To Whom It May Concern:

THE PROMPT: Write a formal letter to
the school board about a school rule
that you feel should be changed. (No
homework? Later start time?)
#16 IN THE KITCHEN

THE RULE:
Use hyphens when you create compound
adjectives or use prefixes (re, un, pre, mid, de)
 The extra-soggy cookies were gross.
 We de-sprinkled one cupcake for Gary.

THE PROMPT: Write a story about
cooking something in the kitchen. Use at
least two words that require hyphens.
#17 FORMER TEACHERS
THE RULE:
Similes are words that compare things
using like or as

 Ms. Gilmore was as ferocious as a shark.
 Ms. Felix was like a crazy grandma.

THE PROMPT: Describe some of your
elementary school teachers using
similes.
#18 FAMILY

THE RULE:
 Metaphors are words that show comparison
without using like or as
○ The instructor, an old ogre, walked up to the
front of the class.
○ My sister is a puppy, always happy and full of
energy.

THE PROMPT: Describe people in your
family using three metaphors. Or
describe one person using one
extended metaphor.
#19 GIFT

THE RULE: The best sentences place
the strongest word last.
 BAD: I got a snowmobile for my birthday.
 GOOD: For my birthday, I got a snowmobile.

THE PROMPT: Write about a gift you
gave or received, OR write about a
special day when you received a lot of
gifts. Remember to place the most
interesting words last.
#20 TWIN

THE RULE:
 Remember that words that end in S use
apostrophes just like any other word.
○ James’s shirt
○ The grass’s color

THE PROMPT: You have a long lost twin
named Francis. He/She is visiting for
one day. Where would you take
Francis? Practice using at least one
possessive apostrophe .
JOURNAL RULES





Write three quarters of a page (or a half
page if you have big paper)
Practice organizing your thoughts into
paragraphs
Practice using appropriate language
conventions—pay attention to spelling,
grammar and punctuation.
Don’t write anything you wouldn’t be
comfortable with the whole class reading!
Write the number and the topic. That’s all
you need to copy.
#21 SAN DIEGO

THE RULE:
 Remember that plural nouns take the apostrophe after the
last S.
○ All the cats’ milk…
○ All the monkeys’ bananas…
○ The Lopezes’ house…
 The rule doesn’t apply to plural nouns that don’t end in S.
○ The children’s show…
○ The deer’s food…

THE PROMPT: Do you enjoy living in San Diego?
How would you characterize the city to someone
unfamiliar with it? Practice using plural possessives
when you can (cats’, monkeys’ children’s).
#22 ENTITLED

THE RULE:
 Remember that singular nouns take an s
○ Bad: The dog run
○ Good: The dog runs
 Remember that words like “everyone,” “everybody,”
“someone” and “no one” are singular. They need
singular verbs.
○ BAD: Everyone who owns dogs and cats love animals.
○ GOOD: Everyone who owns dogs and cats loves animals.

THE PROMPT: If you are entitled to something,
that means you deserve it without question—like
a fair trial. What else do you see as something
everyone is entitled to? A home? A car? Love?
Explain why you include or don’t include others.
Use “Everyone who…” sentences.
#23 HOT & COLD

THE RULE:
 Modifying phrases are descriptors that come
after nouns
○ The men with torches and pitchforks demanded to
see the monster.
○ Gary, flailing his arms madly, ran the whole way
home.

THE PROMPT: Do you think of yourself as
more of a passionate, emotional person, or
as more of a calm, rational person? Explain
why and use modifying phrases when you
can.


#24 NATURE vs. NURTURE
THE RULE:
 Affect = Verb (“It affected me.” “Smoke affects my lungs.”)
 Effect = Noun (“special effects” “a negative side effect”)
THE PROMPT: How do you think our personalities
are developed? More by our parents and
environment (nurture)? Or are we born with a
personality (nature)? Explain what you believe and
why. Use affect and effect!
#25 NEW DISEASE

THE RULE:
Dashses are often used to emphasize something in a
sentence.
○ We soon learned of a negative side effect—constant
sneezing.
○ Some students learn about the importance of school
work the hard way—they get an F.
Notice that dashes (—) are longer than hyphens (-)

THE PROMPT: Write a story about Skippy
learning from the doctor that he has a rare,
new disease (use your imagination). Write
about his conversation with the doctor. include
dashes.
#26 BEST INVENTION

THE RULE:
 A colon is often used to rename something
(a dash or comma can do this, too).
○ We bought a new dog: a snarling Rottweiler.
○ Gary enjoys only one sport: soccer.

THE PROMPT: What do you think is the
best invention of the “new millennium.”
Remember this includes things like the
iPods, Facebook, YouTube, Smart
Phones, Hybrid Cars, ebooks etc.
#27 SONG

THE RULE: Remember that things like
songs, poems, article titles or short stories
appear in quotation marks.
 “The Telltale Heart” is a great story.
 I enjoy “Love Story,” by Taylor Swift.

THE PROMPT: Write about a song (or
poem, or short story etc.) that you enjoy.
Why does this song appeal to you? What
do you enjoy listening to in general?
Remember appropriate punctuation.
#29 SOMETHING INTERESTING

THE RULE:
 When you talk about a fact you learned
somewhere, it’s best to say “according to.”
○ According to The History Channel, Albert
Einstein immigrated to America from
Germany.

THE PROMPT: Write about something
interesting you recently learned (from
school or elsewhere). Remember to say
“according to…”
#28 MOVIES

THE RULE: Remember that things like
newspapers, movie titles and book titles
appear underlined or italicized—not in
quotation marks.
 The Union Tribune
 Star Wars
 Oliver Twist

THE PROMPT: Write about your favorite
movie. What type of films do you generally
enjoy? Remember to underline or use
italics.
#30 SCHOOL YEAR

THE RULE:
 There are two ways to use “However.”
Notice the punctuation with each.
○ Speeding, however fun it may seem, is
dangerous.
○ I enjoy speeding; however, I know it’s
dangerous.

THE PROMPT: How would you change
the school year? Longer summer?
Longer school day? Four day week?
Practice using “However.”
#31 TWO WAYS

THE RULE:
 Transitions are an important part of well-
structured essays. They link paragraphs
together.
○ “On the other hand…”
○ “Furthermore…”
○ “Nevertheless…”

THE PROMPT: Write about an issue that
you feel two ways about. It could be a
political issue or a personal life decision.
Practice using transitions at the beginning
of each paragraph.
#32 FAVORITE ASSIGNMENT

THE RULE:
 Semicolons act like periods. They separate
complete sentences that are closely related.
○ Gary looked at his watch; it was noon.
○ I enjoy chocolate; it’s my favorite.

THE PROMPT: What was your favorite
assignment in school ever? It could be
in English or another subject. Why did
you enjoy it? Use a semicolon.
#33 GOOD PARENTING

THE RULE:
 Parallelism means listing things in a unique way with
similar structure.
Example: Skippy enjoys the finer things in life: a can of caviar
with dinner, a glass of wine with breakfast, a Cuban cigar with dessert.
Example: Each worker has a job: for the baker, making treats,
for the architect, building skyscrapers.
Example: Barry had a gift for each cousin: for Gary, a stuffed
bear, for Edwin, a yo-yo, for Gertrude, a box of matches.

THE PROMPT: What do you think qualifies as
“good parenting”? You might use your own parents
as an example, or you might describe things you
would do differently when you are a parent. List
some characteristics using balanced sentences
(parallelism).
#34 AXIOM

THE RULE:
 An axiom is a one sentence statement or
expression that expresses a philosophical truth.
○ “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy,
wealthy and wise” Ben Franklin.
○ “Better safe than sorry” your mom.

THE PROMPT: Can you think of an axiom
that someone you know always says? Do
you agree with it or disagree? Why do you
think they value that axiom so much?
#35 WEATHER

THE RULE
 Weather = Sunshine, rain, clouds
 Whether = “Whether or not…”

THE PROMPT: What type of weather do
you most enjoy? Why?
#36 INSTANT TALENT

THE RULE:
 Modifying phrases often need commas.
○ Dogs, which are colorblind, cannot appreciate a rainbow.
 (commas because the modifying phrase isn’t very important to
understanding the sentence)
 Sometimes we don’t use commas if we are pointing to a
specific group or category.
○ People who are colorblind cannot appreciate a rainbow.
 (no commas because we mean a specific group of people)

THE PROMPT: If you could suddenly have a new
talent, what would it be (Chinese-speaking,
piano-playing, anything!)? Practice using
modifying phrases and commas.
#37 TOO MUCH

THE RULE:
 An idiom is an expression that is understood to
someone in a specific culture, but it might not
make sense to someone learning that language.
○ “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
○ “I’m really in a pickle.”

THE PROMPT: What do you do too much?
Video games? Internet? Homework? Write
about it and use an idiom.
# 38: IGLOO LIVING

THE RULE:
 Items in lists need commas.
○ I need books, coffee, candy, and TV.
 The comma before “and” (Oxford comma) is
optional

THE PROMPT
 You are imprisoned for one winter in an igloo
with a complete bathroom and necessary
food and clothing. What other four items
would you bring? Practice listing items.
#39 ROOM

THE RULE: Before you begin a list, you
might use a colon.
 On my bookshelf I have the following: Great
Expectations, Oliver Twist and The Pickwick
Papers.

THE PROMPT: What’s in your room?
You might describe big items or small
items that are interesting or special to
you. Practice creating a list with a colon.
#40 FIFTY YEARS

THE RULE:
 Remember that numbers generally take
hyphens ○ Twenty-one
○ Twenty-first

THE PROMPT: Where will you be in fifty
years? Retired? Still working? In a big
house? In a retirement home? With your
children? Explain, and practice using
hyphenated numbers.
JOURNAL RULES





Write three quarters of a page (or a half
page if you have big paper)
Practice organizing your thoughts into
paragraphs
Practice using appropriate language
conventions—pay attention to spelling,
grammar and punctuation.
Don’t write anything you wouldn’t be
comfortable with the whole class reading!
Write the number and the topic. That’s all
you need to copy.
#41 PRINCIPLES

THE RULE
 Principal—the person in charge of the school
 Principle—a rule or idea that one lives by

THE PROMPT:
 What are some of the principles (Honesty?
Kindness? Hard work?) that your parents or the
adults important in your life have taught you? How
do they show that principle is important? Use the
word “principle.”
#42 FIFTY DOLLARS

THE RULE:
 Smart writers blend long and short sentences in
order to create special emphasis on the short
sentence.
○ We looked all over the park for anything that might
indicate that Gary was near. We found nothing.

THE PROMPT:
 You got fifty dollars for your birthday! What are you
going to do with it? How do you handle money in
general? Practice mixing long and short sentences.
#43 MORE MONEY

THE RULE:
 Being FORMAL means speaking in a very
polite and respectful way for an appropriate
audience.

THE PROMPT: Write a formal letter to
the president. What would you want him
to spend more money on? Schools?
Parks? Military? Relief for the
unemployed? Nothing? Be formal.
#44 SPORTS

THE RULE:
 Appositives are phrases that re-name
○ The dog, an enormous poodle, barked
viciously.
○ The reason for the water, a leaky pipe, soon
became apparent.

THE PROMPT: Do you enjoy sports?
Why or why not? Practice using
appositives.
#45 CHILDHOOD

THE RULE: You can add life to sentences
by beginning with something besides the
subject
 Exhausted and famished, he ate a sandwich
and went to bed. (adjectives)
 Flailing his arms and stomping wildly, Gary
appeared to be on fire. (gerund phrase)
 The water rising, we looked for dry land.
(absolute phrase)

THE PROMPT: What kind of little kid were
you? Have you changed? Practice
beginning your sentences in colorful ways.
#46 OVERHEARD

THE RULE:
 Indirect discourse is when you paraphrase what
someone said, using that. No quotes are
needed.
○ Mom said that we need to clean the bathroom.
○ Susan asked if she could use your car.

THE PROMPT: Write about a conversation
you overheard between other people
(strangers sitting beside you? Teachers
and students?). Practice using indirect
discourse.
#47 FOOD

THE RULE: It’s better to say “the reason…
that” instead of “the reason… because”
 BAD: The reason he is sleepy is because he is sick.
 GOOD: The reason he is sleepy is that he is sick.

THE PROMPT: Why do students leave food on
the ground and stick gum under the desks
even though other people have to pick it up?
Practice using a sentence that begins with
“The reason…” appropriately.
#48 USED TO

THE RULE:
 “Used to” and “Supposed to” have D’s.

THE PROMPT: What do you know about
your parents life before you were born?
Write about it. Practice writing “used to”
and “supposed to.”
#49 ELEPHANT

THE RULE:
 I before E
○ Pie
Friend
 Except after C
○ Ceiling
Deceit
 Except when like “ay”
○ Neighbor
Weigh

Belief
Perceive
Eight
THE PROMPT: Write a story about what you
would do if an elephant followed you home.
Underline your IE or EI combinations.
#50 ENORMOUS ASTEROID

THE RULE: When a word ends in Y, most
suffixes like FUL or ED will make the Y an I
○ Beauty+ful = Beautiful
○ Satisfy+ed = Satisfied
 ING endings will usually leave the Y alone
○ Satisfy+ing = Satisfying

THE PROMPT: If scientists knew an enormous
asteroid was headed for earth in twenty years,
what would your advice to them be? Explain.
Practice using some words with Y’s (hurrying)
or Y’s-become-I’s (hurried)
Journal Rules





Write three quarters of a page (or a half
page if you have big paper)
Practice organizing your thoughts into
paragraphs
Practice using appropriate language
conventions—pay attention to spelling,
grammar and punctuation.
Don’t write anything you wouldn’t be
comfortable with the whole class reading!
Write the number and the topic. That’s all
you need to copy.
#51 FIRST IMPRESSION

THE RULE
 Accept: to receive (I accept your gift)
 Except: other than (Everyone except Gary)

THE PROMPT
 Can you remember a time when your first
impression (of a person, a class, a city, etc.)
turned out to be wrong? Explain. Use
accept and except each once.
#52 LEADER

THE RULE:
 LEAD: The metal
 LEAD: To guide
 LED: Past tense of “to lead”

THE PROMPT: Are you a leader? Think
about all the times and places where you
might be a leader—at home, during group
work at school, among your friends. Why do
you behave the way you do in these
situations? Practice using “Lead” and “Led.”
#53 SLEEPY

THE RULE:
 The perfect tense refers to phrases with the auxiliary verbs,
“has,” “had” or “have” (had kept, had sat, had been). These
new verbs are called past participles. They are often the
same as normal verbs.
Jill had dreamt
-We have noticed -he has discovered
 The perfect tense refers to when something has happened
before the main action
Yesterday, when I arrived, the room had been decorated.
THE PROMPT:
Write about a day when you were very tired. Why were
you tired? What HAD you been doing the night before?
Practice using perfect verb tense (“had” verbs).

#54 DETECTIVE

THE RULE:
Many “perfect tense verbs” are irregular.
 Had swum
Had begun
Had swung
Had taken
Had beaten Had eaten
Had awoken
Had known
Had flown
Had gotten
Had become Had been
(same with “have” or “has” )

THE PROMPT: Write a short story where
someone arrives at a place and reviews clues
in order to realize what has happened. You
might write it like a mystery or detective story
(“Sherlock noticed that someone had written
something on the wall…”)
#55 AMERICAN VACATION

THE RULE:
 Abbreviations usually take periods
○ Apt. = Apartment Dr. = Doctor p.m. = post meridian
 When you abbreviate proper nouns, no period is
needed
○ CA = California USA = United States of America
 Acronyms also do not take periods
○ AIDS NASA SCUBA LASER

THE PROMPT: If you had your own personal
airplane and could travel anywhere in America
you wanted this summer, where would it be to
and why? Practice using abbreviations.
#56 BAD MUSIC

THE RULE:
 Titles or words in quotations take periods and
commas inside the quotation marks.
○ The Beatles sang “Yellow Submarine.”
 Exclamation points or question marks should appear
outside the quotation marks.
○ Did The Beatles sing “Yesterday”?
THE PROMPT:
Do you have a least favorite singer or band?
Write about them and some of their songs.
Remember that songs appear in quotation marks
and that commas and periods should appear in
the quotation marks also.

#57 NEW PLANET

THE RULE:
 Some modifying phrases need commas. Others do not
○ Men who are lazy are completely helpless.
○ Men, who are lazy, are completely helpless.
○ Women who always nag are annoying.
○ Women, who always nag, are annoying
(Notice how the commas make it seem like the underlined
phrase applies to ALL women or ALL men)
THE PROMPT:
Write a story about an exploration on a new
uncharted planet. Use modifying phrases and
appropriate punctuation.

#58 HOW TO

THE RULE:
 There are a number of interjections you may insert
in a sentence using commas
-Cotton, not wool, is the best kind of material
-Yes, you can take your seat.
-I need help, Gary, with the lawn mower.
-“Nature,” said Susan, “is my great inspiration.”

THE PROMPT:
Write instructions for something you know how to do.
It can be something difficult (long-division) or
something simple (making a bowl of cereal). Explain
the directions thoroughly. Practice using interjections
that require commas.
# 59 I DISAGREE

THE RULE:
The strongest writers speak in the positive
form—they avoid the word “not”
 BAD: I am not in favor of legalizing drugs.
 GOOD: I support criminalizing drugs.
THE PROMPT:
Write about an idea or topic that you disagree
with. It could be a major socio-political issue, or
it could be a matter of personal taste. Explain
why you think the way you do. Avoid “NOT.”

#60 IRONIC
THE RULE:
Irony is something that is funny, surprising or
that suggests an opposite
- “Mr. Read doesn’t like books.”
- “We ate salad at the famous Hamburger Diner”
- “The famous wrestler was hospitalized over a
papercut.”
 THE PROMPT: Can you think of something
ironic that happened to you or someone you
know? Think of funny or surprising situations
you’ve been in. What was ironic about it?

#61 LEAST FAVORITE

THE RULE:
“Neither” and “nor” usually appear together.
-Neither cats nor dogs are easy to manage.
-I need neither money, charity nor sympathy.
Sometimes “Nor” appears without “Neither” as when it is a
FANBOYS style conjunction. Remember the comma.
-He did not save, nor did he spend carefully.

THE PROMPT: What is your least favorite chore or
job to do around the house? (possibly homework?).
Explain why and use a “neither/nor” combination.
#62 OPPORTUNITY
THE RULE:
Possessive pronouns do not take an apostrophe
-BAD: Your’s
GOOD: Yours
- The bicycle lost its basket
- The yellow house is theirs
- This is ours


THE PROMPT: Do you think that everyone in
America has an opportunity for great success?
Why or why not? Practice using possessive
pronouns.
#63 TALENTS

THE RULE:
 When you can, don’t use passive verbs: IS,
BE, ARE, WERE, BEEN, WAS, AM
○ BAD: Swimming is what I do.
○ GOOD: I swim.

THE PROMPT: What are your talents,
strengths or virtues? Are there talents
you wish you had? Avoid passive verbs
as much as you can.
#64 HOT DAY

THE RULE:
 Always think of colorful words and imagery to
describe something when you can.
○ BAD: It was cold.
○ GOOD: Freezing gusts of wind swept over us.

THE PROMPT: Write a story about a very
hot day without using the word “hot” or
“warm.”
#65 REBUTTAL
THE RULE:
A rebuttal is when you address an
opposing viewpoint and explain why it’s
wrong.


THE PROMPT: Write a paragraph
explaining what you think is the
reasoning behind a rule or idea. Then,
write a rebuttal paragraph about why
you disagree with that rule or idea.
#66 MOTIVATION

THE RULE:
When analyzing literature, it is important to
understand what a character wants. What
desire is shaping their behavior?
THE PROMPT:
Write about the last movie or book that
you enjoyed. What was the character’s
central motivation?

#67 FABLE
THE RULE:
A fable is a story that teaches a lesson.
Example: “The Tortoise and the Hare”
teaches that steady determination is more
important than arrogant power.


THE PROMPT: Write a fable. At the top of
your page, write what the lesson is that
your fable will teach. Then write a made-up
story that proves it is true.
#68 ALLEGORY
THE RULE:
An allegory is a story in which characters
and objects represent real life people and
ideas. For example, Snowball, in Animal
Farm, represented Leon Trotsky.


THE PROMPT: Write an allegory about
your last family vacation. Use animals to
stand in place of each family member.
#69 MYTH

THE RULE: The earliest narratives were
myths—supernatural stories told in order
to explain how the world works.
THE PROMPT: Write a myth. You may
choose from the following three topics.
--How the zebra got its stripes
--How the elephant got its trunk
--How the reindeer got its antlers

#70 ODE
THE RULE:
An Ode is a poem that celebrates something, a
poem about how much you love something.
Speakers write odes to important things (Walt
Whitman wrote an Ode to Abraham Lincoln) and
funny things (Pablo Neruda wrote an Ode to his
socks).


THE PROMPT: Write an ode. Remember this
is a poem (it doesn’t have to rhyme).
#71 LIMERICK

THE RULE: A limerick is a short humorous
poem that follows an A,A,B,B,A rhyme scheme.
The first, second and last lines are nine
syllables long. The third and fourth are five
syllables.
Bob went ice-fishing during a storm
I asked if catching much was his norm.
He spat out some worms,
Ignoring the germs.
“Yes, the trick is to keep the bait warm.”

THE PROMPT: Write two limericks about
someone you know. Remember the rules about
number of syllables and rhyme scheme.
#72 ALLITERATION
THE RULE:
Alliteration is when you create a repeated
consonant sound
Good Gary likes grabbing grapes.(repeated G)
He has happy horses and hyenas. (repeated H)


THE PROMPT: Write a short poem about school
that uses alliteration. The whole poem can focus
on one letter or you might try a different letter for
each line.
#73 ASSONANCE
THE RULE:
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds.
“Harry’s pants have sand.” (repeated a)
“Will is itching in his iguana pit.” (repeated I)


THE PROMPT: Write a poem that tells a story
(narrative poem) using assonance.
#74 COUPLET
THE RULE:
A couplet is just two lines of poetry that rhyme.

Bob built an astounding, huge igloo.
Each ice block was held there with pig glue.
Notice that couplets appear at the end of sonnets.
Notice also that Shakespeare loves to use them,
even in dialogue.

THE PROMPT: Write five couplets about a hobby
or activity you enjoy.
Thoughtful Journal

Today, write whatever is on your mind. If
you want, you can choose to not write
anything and just sit quietly for a few
minutes.
#75 STORMY WEATHER
THE RULE:
A quatrain is four lines of poetry that rhyme. It can
follow an A,A,B,B, rhyme scheme. Or it can follow a
A,B,A,B rhyme scheme.

Gary slumped on the couch. (A)
His mother said, “Don’t slouch.” (A)
So he stood tall and proud. (B)
And said, “Okay,” real loud. (B)

THE PROMPT: Write about a vicious storm
using two quatrains. Label your rhyme scheme.
#76 REDUCE
THE RULE:
Use “Fewer” with nouns that can be counted.
- There are fewer employees here than there
were a year ago.
- He has three fewer teeth than most people.
Use “Less” with un-countable quantities.
-He feels less pressured to do well.
-I like gorillas less than chimpanzees.


THE PROMPT: What is something we need
less of? Homework? Plastic bottles? Taxes?
Write about what you would reduce and why?
Practice using “fewer” or “less.”
#77 SOMEONE ADMIRABLE
THE RULE:
e.g. comes from the Latin phrase “exampli gratia.” i.e.. means “id est” (“that is”).
Both phrases essentially mean “For Example”
-Skippy practiced various sports, i.e. swimming and track.

etc. comes from the phrase “et cetera” in Latin. This means “and so forth.”
-Gary already had fins and goggles etc.
et al. short for “et allia,” meaning ”and others”
--The book was written by Jones, Smith et al.
EACH OF THESE IS INFORMAL. DO NOT USE THESE WITH FORMAL
ACADEMIC WRITING.
THE PROMPT:
Write about someone you admire who is your age or younger. What talents,
virtues or behaviors of theirs do you think are admirable?
Practice using etc., e.g. or i.e.

#78 INCREASE
THE RULE:
TOO is used when you say “Too many” or
“Too much” or “Me too!”
TO is the preposition. “Happy birthday to
you!” “Send it to him” “To whom shall I give
it?”
TWO is a number.
 THE PROMPT: What is something that we
need more of? Use “Two,” “To” and “Too” in
your response.

#79 SLEEPY OCTOPUS
THE RULE:
The word “LIE” is usually used to mean
“RECLINE”
“I like to lie in the sand.”
The past tense is LAID
“We laid in the grass”
LAY is used with setting down objects.
“Just lay that book on the table.”


THE PROMPT: Write a story about a sleepy
octopus. Where would he take a nap? Use
Lay and Lie in your story at least once.
#80 NEW CAPITAL
THE RULE:
“Capitol” describes a building where the
government meets. (“the capitol building”)
“Capital” describes a city where the head of
government is located. (“our nation’s capital”)
Note also—“capital” letters
 THE PROMPT: If you had to relocate the capital
of America where would you choose? OR if you
had to relocate the capital of California, where
would you choose? Think about what is special
about the city you choose.

#81 STAGE DIRECTIONS
THE RULE: Most plays include stage
directions in parentheses to show what
the actor should be doing when a line is
read, or how the line should be read.
SKIPPY: (angrily) When are we leaving?
GARY: (touching his shoulder) Soon.
 THE PROMPT: Write a short play about
the last vacation you went on. Include
stage directions.

#82 TONE
THE RULE
Tone Refers to the way something sounds to the
reader. If the narrator were speaking, would he or
she sound angry? Sad? Happy?
• Here are some unusual words to describe tone:
Melancholy
Jubilant
Ecstatic
Sullen
Cynical
Pensive
Remember, just one word in a paragraph can help
you identify the tone.
 THE PROMPT
Write a paragraph about testing in one of these
tones. Label which one you chose before you start.

#83 STICK ‘EM UP!
THE RULE: Remember that pluralpossessive nouns take an apostrophe after
the last S.
-All the kittens’ milk had turned sour.
-The buildings’ roofs each had an antennae.
Notice that this doesn’t work with irregular
plurals
-The children’s choir meets today.
 THE PROMPT: Write a story about a bank
robbery. Use plural-possessives.

#84 OSTRICH RACING
THE RULE :
Loose: The string is loose.
Lose: He will lose the game.
Choose: Every day I choose a shirt.
Chose: Yesterday I chose a shirt.
 THE PROMPT: Skippy and Gary are
ostrich racing. Write a story about it and
use fifty O’s, including the words above.

#85 ONOMATOPOEIA
THE RULE:
Buzz! Pop! Bang! Crunch! Woof!
These are examples of onomatopoeia.


THE PROMPT: Write about a visit to a
candy factory that goes horribly, horribly
wrong. Use onomatopoeia.
#86 PARENTHETICAL CITATION
THE RULE: When you want to say
where you got a fact from you can put it
in parentheses at the end of a sentence.
Emus, ostriches and kiwis are flightless
birds. They are called ratites (Zoobooks).
 THE PROMPT: Write about the last
interesting thing that you learned. Put in
parentheses where you got your
information from.

#87 ANECDOTE
THE RULE:
An anecdote is a small story (usually one
that happened to you personally). In
persuasive writing, you can use it to prove
a point.
 THE PROMPT:
Tell about something that happened to
you. What point does this prove? It can be
a big point or a small point.

#88 SHAKESPEARE STYLE
THE RULE:
Shakespeare uses words that we don’t use today.

Thee/Thou-you
Thy-your
Yonder-that/over there
Ere-before
Hath-have
Aye-yes

ST ENDING
Hast sayest Dost knowest
TH ENDING
giveth taketh shareth
THE PROMPT: Write a script that takes place in the
modern day but is written in Shakespearean English.
SKIPPY: Hast thou thy iPhone with thee today?
BOBBY: Ay, and I shall texteth thee during lunch.
#89 PALINDROME
THE RULE: A palindrome is a word spelt
the same forward and backwards.
Hannah, Racecar, Mom, Pop
Can you write an entire sentence spelt the
same forward and backwards?
God spots stops dog…???
 THE PROMPT:
Write about your Spring Break. Make up
details in order to use palindromes. Bonus
points if you can write an entire sentence
palindrome.

# 90 MEMORABLE
THE RULE:
Use WHICH when you talk about things
The coffee pot, which needed water…
Use WHO (whom and whose) when you talk about
people.
The boy who needed water…
Use THAT for people or things.
The boy that… The pot that…
 THE PROMPT: What do you think will be
memorable to you about your current year of high
school? Use the above words appropriately.

# 91 IAMBIC PENTAMETER
THE RULE:
Iambic pentameter means a poem where every other
syllable is emphasized.

“Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves,
And ye that on the sands with printless foot…”
(from The Tempest, by Shakespeare)
THE PROMPT:
Can you write a few lines of poetry about summer in which
every other syllable is emphasized?

#92 SYNESTHESIA
THE RULE:
Synesthesia means using adjectives to
describe a mode of sensory experience with
which those adjectives are not usually
associated.

Delicious music, stinky homework, loud shirt

THE PROMPT: Write about a visit to
another city. Use synesthesia.
#93 HUBRIS

THE RULE: Hubris refers to when a
character has an enormous pride that
leads to their ruin.
Odysseus in the Odyssey has hubris.
Who in Romeo and Juliet has hubris?

THE PROMPT: Write a story about
someone prideful who meets with a ruinous
end.
#94 DRAMATIC IRONY

THE RULE: Dramatic Irony refers to
when the audience knows something
the characters don’t. In Romeo and
Juliet, the audience knows that Juliet
isn’t really dead, but Romeo doesn’t.

THE PROMPT: Write about a book, TV
show or movie when you knew what
was going on, but the character(s) did
not.
#95 MOTIF
THE RULE:
A motif is an object or image that appears
throughout a story. It isn’t always symbolic, but
the author makes it a prominent part of the story.

What do you think would be the motif of a story
with a sentence like this?
The fire truck flew past the stop signs and
through the strawberry fields.

THE PROMPT: Write a short story about an
unsolved crime. Use a color motif. Try not to
say the name of the color you are using.
#96 SERIALIZATION
THE RULE:
Dickens used serialization—publishing just a few
chapters at a time—to create suspense and make
more money. Today authors and screenwriters use
serialization a lot. Sometimes CLIFFHANGERS are
used in order to get readers or viewers to keep up
with a series.


THE PROMPT: Write a story about a car chase
that ends with a cliffhanger.
#97 SERIALIZATION CONTINUED

THE RULE: Review the story you started
yesterday. You ended on a
CLIFFHANGER—a moment when
suspense is used to create interest in the
next installment.

THE PROMPT: Finish the story you started
yesterday. Can you pay off on the
suspense you created? Would a reader of
your story be satisfied with this resolution?
#98 FREE VERSE/BLANK VERSE
THE RULE:
Free verse and blank verse poetry do not
rhyme. Poems that do not rhyme can still
have rhythm or use literary devices.


THE PROMPT: Write a ten line poem
about breakfast. Try not to use rhyming.
#99 FOIL

THE RULE: A foil is a pair of characters
who are opposites of one another. In
Romeo and Juliet, angry Tybalt and
peaceful Benvolio are thought to be
foils.

THE PROMPT: Write a story about a foil
(pair of opposite people) who are next
door neighbors. They can be imaginary
or based on people you know in real life.
#100 DIFFERENT NOW

THE RULE: Often commas appear when
something is renamed
 My friend, Steve has a horse.
 Her boyfriend, Rick was there.
 The movie, Star Wars was playing.
This is somewhat different than the kind of
renaming in which commas appear on both sides.
• Skippy, a tall man with a hat, was watching.
THE PROMPT:
Do you know anyone who has changed in an
interesting way since your first knew them?
Explain.

#101 FOUR CITY RAILROAD
THE RULE:
Items in a list need a comma: “Milk, eggs, cheese,
toast and potatoes.”
Items in a list that already include a comma (like
cities and states) use semicolons:
“San Diego, California; Austin, Texas; Miami, Florida
and Boston, Massachusetts.”
 THE PROMPT:
If you were building a railroad that stopped at
America’s best four cities, which ones would you
include? List the cities in the appropriate style.

#102 SYMBOLISM
THE RULE:
Symbolism refers to when one thing represents
another thing. In fiction, authors use it to make a
point about things outside of the books reality.
“In the poem, ‘The Raven,’ the bird is a symbol of
the speaker’s unhappy memories.”

THE PROMPT:
Write a story about a zookeeper who meets an
animal that symbolizes something important.

#103 ASIDE
THE RULE: An ASIDE is a remark that a
character says that the audience can hear, but
the other characters on stage cannot. It shows
what a character is thinking:
STEVE: Hello, Skippy! (aside) He will never
suspect my plan!
SKIPPY: How are you? (aside) He thinks I do not
know!
 THE PROMPT: Write a script about a secret
club. Include ASIDES.

#104 ENJAMBMENT
THE RULE:
Enjambment refers to when a sentence in a poem carries
over from one line to the next

I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree.
(sentence breaks into new line halfway through)
THE PROMPT:
Use enjambment to write a rhyming poem about lunch.

#105 HYPERBOLE
THE RULE: Hyperbole refers to an
exaggeration to make a point. It is a type
of figurative language.
“I’ve walked all over the earth today!”
“It’s freezing in here!”
 THE PROMPT:
Write a story about doing chores. Use
hyperbole.

#106 SECOND PERSON
THE RULE:
SECOND PERSON means using the word
YOU or YOUR (to be specific, these are
second person pronouns).
 THE PROMPT
Write a story entirely in second person
about someone waking up and hearing a
strange noise. “You wake up…”

#107 ANAPEST
THE RULE: Anapest refers to when a
line of poetry has every THIRD syllable
emphasized:
I must FINish my JOURNey aLONE


THE PROMPT: Write a poem about
pizza. Use at least one line of anapest.
#108 SYNTAX
THE RULE:
Syntax refers to word order. Shakespeare
sometimes used a different syntax than we use.
Gave you to him this message?
You gave this message to him?
To him you gave this message?
 THE PROMPT:
Write instructions for how to use a piece of
technology. Use incorrect syntax. Be creative!
EXAMPLE: The computer’s first button press on.
VERSUS: First, press the computer’s on button.

#109 OXYMORON
THE RULE:
An oxymoron is a word made up of a pair of opposites.
Some Shakesperian oxymorons include:
Bright Smoke
Cold Fire
Fiend Angelical

Some everyday oxymorons are:
Jumbo shrimp almost exactly centered around
THE PROMPT:
Create an oxymoron about school. Does your term
make sense in a complex way? Think about it and
explain why your term is a fitting description for school.

#110 BALLAD
THE RULE:
A ballad is a narrative poem made up of
multiple four line stanzas. Often the
second and fourth line rhyme.

THE PROMPT:
Write a ballad about a football, basketball
or baseball game.

#111 HAIKU

A haiku is a poem with five syllables, then
seven, then five
“Flaming Hot Cheetos.
They are not too hot for me
My fingers are red.”
THE PROMPT:
Write three haikus about the month of June.

#112 DIFFERENT

How are you a different person now than
you were back in September?
 Think about different beliefs, interests, goals,
challenges, or new skills