Writing Exercise- Easy Instructions

Think about something you know how to do well. It can be anything from washing the dishes to long division. Write a few paragraphs (or more if you wish) explaining some aspect of how to do what you do. Assume your reader is completely ignorant about the subject. This writing shouldn’t sound like a dry instruction manual. Try to write in a conversational style, as though you’re verbally explaining the process. Break down the steps in a way that makes the reader understand exactly what to do, without using business jargon or buzzwords.

Writing Exercise- Perspective

     In this exercise, you’ll practice writing from another person’s perspective. You can choose a person you know well, or you can write from the point of view of an imagined character. Put yourself in this person’s shoes, see things through their eyes, and react the way they would react. Choose one situation, encounter, or setting, and write what you see, hear, think, and feel about the scenario. Get inside of this person’s brain, and try to be as descriptive as possible. You can write a paragraph or several pages if you’re inspired.

Writing Exercise- Descriptions that come alive

Write a paragraph in which you describe a character (real or imagined) without using adjectives. You can use similes or metaphors.

Example:

Instead of saying “Mike is tall” you could say “Mike stands like a tower and wherever he goes people have to look up at him.”

Essay Writing: Transitions Practice

Transition Words

In addition                          Similarly Furthermore                        Moreover In contrast                           Therefore For this reason                     However Thus                                     On the other hand                                        On the contrary                    As a result

Write each transitional word in the group it belongs to:

Addition (AND)             Contrast (BUT)       Cause and Effect (SO)

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Fill in the blanks with a transitional words from the list above.

1. Using cell phones can be extremely helpful for young people. ________________, it can be harmful to their learning.
   
2. When I receive a text, it takes my attention away from my studies. ________________, I always turn the volume off when I’m studying for a test.
   
3. Nowadays, cell phones have so many useful apps, such as a dictionary and map. ___________, they provide internet access, which can be helpful when doing research.
   
4. Most teachers are opposed to using cell phones in class. _______________, they do allow laptops for taking notes.

Write a sentence that logically follows the transition.

5. I use my phone for everything. As a result, __________________________________________.
   
6. I use my phone for everything. However, ____________________________________________.

Rewrite the following sentence using Therefore. You may have to change the punctuation.

My friend really liked a rapper who was always drinking alcohol in his music videos, so she started drinking, too.

Fill in the blanks with a transition word that fits each context, keeping in mind punctuation rules. You may not change the punctuation in the paragraph. Do not use the same transition word twice.

The author states that multi-tasking can cause negative results. ______________, he points out how our brains can get confused and overwhelmed if we do too many things at once.
I agree that multi-tasking can sometimes be a bad idea. ____________, I don’t think that we should avoid it all the time. ______________, in certain situations it can even be helpful. For example, at my job at a restaurant, I am expected to multi-task all the time. I need to talk to customers, write down their orders, get their drinks, and bring them their food. ______________, my brain can feel a little tired and unfocused by the end of the day. ______________, I have never made a huge mistake because I was multi-tasking. _____________ doing two things at the same time can be mentally fatiguing, it doesn’t always bring negative results.

Free-write: e.e. cummings

Our free-write today comes from American modernist e.e. cummings's "A Poet's Advice to Students":

Almost anybody can learn to think or believe or know, but not a single human being can be taught to feel. Why? Because whenever you think or you believe or you know, you're a lot of other people : but the moment you feel, you're nobody-but-yourself. 

Do you agree with cummings that you can be taught to think, believe, or know, but not to feel? Reflect on this in a five-minute free write.  Remember, you must not stop writing during the five minutes.  If you can't think of what to write, write "I can't think of what to write."

Free-Write: Just a Minute (Flashback for RWA)

I’ve only just a minute,

Only sixty seconds in it.

Forced upon me, can’t refuse it,

Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it,

But it’s up to me to use it.

I must suffer if I lose it,

Give an account if I abuse it,

Just a tiny little minute,

But eternity is in it.

-Dr. Benjamin E. Mays

What does this poem make you think of?  Reflect on it in a five-minute free-write.  Remember you cannot stop writing during the five minutes.  Even if you can't think of anything to write, write "I can't think of anything to write."  You've only just five minutes.

Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement

BASIC RULE OF SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT IS: “THE S RULE”:
If subject is singular, verb ends in S.
If subject is plural, verb does NOT end in S.
The employee think/thinks the manager is unreasonable.
The employees think/thinks the manager is unreasonable.
The man want/wants to go now.
The men want/wants to go now.
Note: Remember The S Rule with doesn’t and don’t (and isn’t and aren’t)
He doesn’t want to go (not: he don’t want to go!)

COMPOUND SUBJECTS

AND: the subject is plural.

Example: Anna and I walk the dog.

OR and NOR: singular or plural, depending on whether the subject closest to the
verb is singular or plural.

Examples: Anna or Shirley walks the dog.
The twins or Anna walks the dog.
Anna or the twins walk the dog

DON’T BE CONFUSED BY PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES!
Prepositional phrases are clauses in the sentence that start with a preposition (OF,
IN, ON, ABOVE, ETC.) and ends with a noun (or pronoun). They NEVER
contain the subject! DISREGARD them when deciding verb agreement!

Example: The vase of flowers is on the table.

Vase is the subject and it is singular!!! Ignore the words “of flowers”

AND DON’T BE CONFUSED BY “INTERRUPTERS” :
As well as
In addition to
Along with
Together with
Besides
NOTE: these words will be surrounded by commas.

Example: Evan, as well as his mom, is home.

RULE: IGNORE interrupters when deciding verb agreement; they are NOT part of the
subject.

Example: Bill, along with three other guys, lives in that apartment.
(Bill is the subject, and it is singular)

SPECIAL CASES:

(1) EACH, EITHER, NEITHER: always singular

Examples: Each of the children has a cupcake.
Neither room has been cleaned.
Either is fine.

(2) ALL, SOME, NONE, MOST, ANY: singular or plural depending on
what it refers to

Example 1: All of the snow is melted. All is singular here because
it refers to the snow
Example 2: All of the kids eat ice-cream. Now all is plural because
it refers to the kids.

NOTE: This is an exception to the rule that you ignore the
prepositional phrases! Here, you must look at the prepositional
phrase to know what the subject “ALL” refers to.

Practice:
Directions- Identify and correct the 10 Subject-Verb Agreement errors in the following paragraph.

In her article, ‘Lower the Drinking Age for Everyone,’ Michelle Minton argue that the US should allow 18 year olds to buy and consume alcohol. She point out the inconsistency that although 18 year olds are considered legally adults, when it comes to alcohol they doesn’t have the same rights as older people. Minton also claims that a high drinking age do not prevent alcohol-related problems. America have a worse rate of alcoholism in young people than Europe, even though nearly all European countries has a lower drinking age. She thinks this is because making alcohol illegal for college-aged people force them to drink on the sneak, which is more dangerous. To me, the most interesting idea presented in the article is that a high drinking age doesn’t simply do no good, it actually make things worse. I think this is true, because banning alcohol do not stop people from drinking. It only changes the way that they drinks.