Unit 1: Paragraph to Short Essay
part 2.
Monday, March 16th, 2009
Reference:
Morenberg, M. & Sommers, J. (2003). The writer’s options:
Lessons in style and arrangement, pp.143-158.
Review
• Topic sentence
• Unity
• Coherence
• Cohesion
Essays
Larger units
Paragraphs
Sentences
Words
Smallest units
IV. COHESION
• When the relationship btw different sentences or
different parts of sentences are clearly linked to
one another, a passage has cohesion.
Coherence 連貫性
Cohesion 緊密性
Relationship between ideas. Relationships between
sentences, or parts of
sentences.
To use a pattern of
1. Conjunctions
organization.
2. References
3. Structural sentences.
• Ways of reaching cohesion:
A. Using connectives and connective phrases.
B. Using reference to a previously stated word
or phrase by repetition, pronouns, or
synonyms.
C. Arranging sentences into structural patterns.
A. Using connectives and connective phrases
The second
The second
sentence gives sentence adds
an illustration another point
or example
For example,
For instance,
For one thing,
To illustrate,
and, also, too,
then, first,
second, next,
Furthermore,
Moreover,
In addition,
The second
sentence
restates,
summarizes,
or shows a
result
so, thus,
In fact,
Therefore,
As a result,
Accordingly,
In other words,
The second
sentence
expresses a
contrast
but, still, yet,
However,
Even so,
Nevertheless,
By contrast,
On the other
hand,
1. Connective words
• Many Americans think that Niagara Falls is the
highest waterfall in the world. Angel Falls in
Venezuela, at 3,212 feet, is roughly twenty
times higher.
• Many Americans think that Niagara Falls is the
highest waterfall in the world. But Angel Falls
in Venezuela, at 3,212 feet, is roughly twenty
times higher.
2. Connective phrases & clauses
• Some arid regions of the world receive an
average of only two- or three-hundredths of an
inch of rain annually and may go for years
without getting a drop. It usually comes in
torrential downpours.
• Some arid regions of the world receive an
average of only two- or three-hundredths of an
inch of rain annually and may go for years
without getting a drop. But when the rain does
come, it usually comes in torrential downpours.
Peer Review Time
B. Using reference to a previously stated
word or phrase
• Repeat words
• Use pronouns
• Create synonyms
1. Repetition
Topic
sentence
• Agatha Christie earned world renown as the author
of numerous mystery tales. But non of the fictional
takes is more mysterious than the true story of her
own disappearance in 1926. Waves of shock rumbled
throughout the British public when the newspapers
proclaimed that Christie had vanished. Not until
several months later was she discovered, supposedly
afflicted with amnesia, working as a nanny in
Yorkshire manor house. To this day, her fans are
intrigued because she was gone for so long without
being discovered.
Concluding
sentence
• Agatha Christie earned world renown as the
author of numerous mystery tales. But non of the
fictional takes is more mysterious than the true
story of her own disappearance in 1926. Waves
of shock rumbled throughout the British public
when the newspapers proclaimed that Christie
had vanished. Not until several months later was
she discovered, supposedly afflicted with
amnesia, working as a nanny in Yorkshire manor
house. To this day, her fans are intrigued by the
mystery of her disappearance.
2. Pronouns
• Virgos are simple and gentle people, with a
need to serve humanity. Careful and precise
by nature, Virgos make excellent secretaries
ad nurses. Virgos warm, shining eyes and their
bright appearances conceal their burning
desire for love.
• Virgos are simple and gentle people, with a
need to serve humanity. Careful and precise
by nature, they make excellent secretaries ad
nurses. Their warm, shining eyes and their
bright appearances conceal their burning
desire for love.
3. Synonyms
• Landlords usually require a renter to sign a
very complicated contract called a lease. It
stipulates the length of time the person must
stay in the apartment and the amount of rent
he/she must pay. It can limit the number of
people allowed to live in and restrict the
renter from having pets. The agreement also
includes the responsibilities of the landlord,
such as providing adequate heat, garbage
removal, and exterior maintenance.
C. Arranging sentences into structural
patterns
• Place parallel ideas into parallel structures.
• Organize old and new information into proper
sequences.
1. Parallel strucures
• The 1960s brought to American pop music a
fusion of radically different geographic and
cultural influences. The influence of religion
and mysticism which came from the East
made popular such instruments as the table
and the sitar. A Caribbean influence was
southern in origin, branching into such forms
as reggae and calypso, with their steel drums
and marimbas.
• The 1960s brought to American pop music a
fusion of radically different geographic and
cultural influences. From the East came the
influence of religion and mysticism, which
made popular such instruments as the table
and the sitar. From the South came the
Caribbean influence, branching into such
forms as reggae and calypso, with their steel
drums and marimbas.
• Exercise: Handout p.155
• Exercise: Handout p.157
From Paragraph to Short Essay
From Paragraph to Short Essay
• Similarity & Difference?
– Difference: a short essay is longer than a paragraph.
– Similarity: both have similar structures.
STRUCTURE
Introduction
Body paragraph
Conclusion
Paragraph
Short Essay
topic sentence
thesis statement
Few sentences to
support the idea of the
topic sentence
One or two paragraph
to develop the idea of
the thesis statement.
The final sentence.
Summarize the ideas.
The final paragraph.
Summarize the ideas.
CONTENT
Introduction
Body paragraph
Conclusion
Paragraph
Short Essay
The topic sentence states The introductory
the topic and the
paragraph states the
controlling idea.
topic.
The thesis statement
states the controlling
idea.
The supporting sentences
of the paragraph support
the idea in the topic
sentence.
The body paragraphs
support the idea in the
thesis statement.
Each boy paragraph has
a topic sentence.
The concluding sentence
summarize the idea in
the topic sentence.
The essay conclusion
summarize the idea on
the thesis statement..
• Example: Textbook p.16
Rhetorical Focus
• An effective essay must have the following elements.
• Introduction:
– Hook.
– Background.
– Thesis statement.
• Body paragraph:
– A topic sentence followed by supporting details.
• Conclusion:
– Summary or restatement of the thesis statement.
• Exercise: Textbook p.18, 19
Editing your writing
Reference:
McDonald, S. & Salomone, W. (2004). The Writer’s
Response: A Reading based approach to college writing,
pp.307-314.
Sentences
• A complete sentence must contain at least one main
clause.
• A main clause contains a subject and a verb, and
express a complete idea.
• Common error of writing sentences:
– Run-on sentences
• Fused sentences
• Comma splices
– Sentence fragment
• Dependent sentences
Run-on Sentences
• The sentence runs on too long and confuse the readers.
• In a run-on sentence, important punctuation is missing
between the clauses.
• Fused sentences: two or more main clauses are joined
without a coordinating conjunction and without punctuation.
– Tina jumped into the pool she waved at her father.
• Comma splice: two or more clauses are joined with a comma
but without a coordinating conjunction.
– Tina jumped into the pool, she waved at her father.
– I saved money to take a trip, however, I had to change my
plan at the last minutes.
• Solution:
– Punctuate the clauses as two separate sentences.
– Use a comma and a conjunction.
– Use a semicolon.
– Use a semicolon and a conjunction.
•
•
•
•
•
*Tina won the lottery she decided to buy a car.
Tina won the lottery, so she decided to buy a car.
Tina won the lottery; she decided to buy a car.
Tina won the lottery; therefore, she decided to buy a car.
When Tina won the lottery, she decided to buy a car.
Sentence Fragment
• A sentence fragment occurs when a group of words
that lacks a main clause in punctuated as a sentence.
• Some fragment contains no clause at all.
– The child in the park.
• Some fragments contains a verbal but still no clause.
– The child playing in the park.
• Some fragments contains a subordinate clause
(dependent clause) but no main clause.
– As the child played in the park.
– Because the swings in the park were wet.
Dependent Clauses
• A dependent clause is a clause that is not a complete
sentence by itself.
• It has a subject and a verb, but it does not have a
complete idea.
• It usually begins with a subordinate conjunction.
(when, because, before, since…)
• It must always be attached to a main (independent)
clause to make one complete sentence.
• Exercise: textbook p.25, 26