Transcript english_and_grammar_presentation

Fundamentals of Good Writing
(Structure, Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation)
Introduction/Body/Conclusion
Introduction
• Say why you are writing
• Say (briefly) what you are going to say
• Say what is in it for the reader (the hook)
Body
• List the main points
• Consider the order
• For each paragraph, write a topic (first) sentence
Conclusion
• Say why you have written
• Summarise the main points
• Make it clear what you want the reader to do
The Writing Structure
Main Divisions
Long Documents
Report Sections
Book Chapters
Letters/Memos/Faxes
Paragraphs
Sentences
Paragraphs
Paragraphs
Problems can occur when:
•
•
•
There is no main idea
Meaningless or confusing
sentence relationships
Out of sequence
• Are units of writing that
assist structure & guide
reader from one main idea
to the next
• Each should contain ONE
significant point &
contribute to the overall
‘whole’
• The main point should be
in the first (topic) sentence
Identify the Topic Sentence (main idea)
Jenny graduated from TAFE in 2007 with both Certificate III and
Certificate IV in Business Administration. She achieved very high
grades which was due to many hours of study. Her favorite
subjects were the computing modules.
The following year Jenny obtained her first job as an
Administrative Assistant at Qantas. She commenced in the
Human Resources department but eventually worked her way up
to a senior position in Corporate Services.
Sentences
Sentences
• Should express a complete
thought (ie. subject &
predicate (object)
• Short sentences are effective
(ie. 20 words or less)
• Sentences can be joined by
conjunctions which enable
writing to flow
Subject & Predicate
Subject
• What the sentence is about
• Simple subject contains a
noun or pronoun
(eg. he, she, dog, house)
Predicate (object)
• What the subject is or does
• Simple predicate contains
a verb
(eg. sit, was dancing)
The medical expert referred to his notes before replying.
Conjunctions
(are used to connect sentences and make text flow)
Conjunctions
•
•
•
•
•
•
and
yet
because
where
neither/nor
but
Connectives
(adverbs)
•
•
•
•
•
otherwise
therefore
accordingly
although
however
Rewrite this passage using
conjunctions and connectives
Television was invented by John Logie Baird. When he was
young he built an aeroplane. He tried to fly in it. It crashed.
Baird was fortunate not to be killed. It did not discourage him.
When he was older he tried to make diamonds from coal. There
was an enormous explosion. He was not injured. He became a
business man. His business failed. He thought of working at
television. His family advised him not to. He did not listen to
them. He rented an attic. He bought the materials he needed.
He started working. He worked for a long time He was not
successful. One day he saw a picture on his screen. He rushed
out to get someone he could ‘televise’. He found an office boy.
He took him back to his room. No image of the boy appeared on
his screen. The boy, terrified, had put his head down. He put it
up again. His picture appeared on the screen. Television had
been discovered.
Does this match your work?
Television was invented by John Logie Baird. When he was
young, he built an aeroplane and tried to fly in it. It crashed.
Baird was fortunate not to be killed, but It did not discourage him.
When he was older he tried to make diamonds from coal. There
was an enormous explosion but again he was not injured. He
then became a business man but his business failed. Next, he
thought of working at television; although his family advised him
not to, he did not listen to them. He rented an attic and bought
the materials he needed. He started working and worked for a
long time without success. One day he saw a picture on his
screen. He rushed out to get someone he could ‘televise’. He
found an office boy and took him back to his room. However, no
image of the boy appeared on his screen; the reason was that the
terrified boy had put his head down. When he put it up again, his
picture appeared on the screen. Television had been discovered.
Assist flow/sequencing with
common signposts
To introduce an additional idea
The girl was enrolled into a day Certificate III in
Business Administration course. In addition she
was doing a Banking course at night.
To introduce an opposite idea
John was going to study Medicine at Sydney
University. However, because of the length of
the course, he decided instead to do accounting.
To introduce a choice or alternative
Nancy and her friends think they might go to
Bali for their school reunion. Alternatively, they
might go to Hawaii. Also Fiji could be an option.
Furthermore
Moreover
In addition
Again
On the other hand
However
In contrast
Conversely
Nonetheless
Otherwise
Alternatively
Also
Similarly
Grammatical parts
Noun
Place, person, thing (you can see &
touch them)
Verb
Doing words (go, run, stop, chase)
Pronoun
I, me, you, her, him
Adjective
Descriptive of the noun
Adverb
Descriptive of the verb
Participle
Past, present (she went, he is going)
Preposition
Gives direction of where something is
– (up, down, over, near, on)
Identify the parts of this sentence
Common noun
Preposition
Verb
Proper noun
JOHN, THE NEW COURIER, IS GOING TO
DELIVER IT URGENTLY ON MONDAY.
Participle
Adjective
Adverb
Proper noun
Spelling is important
What is wrong with this statement?
Too bee oar knot two bee.
Be aware of Homophones
This is the current/currant book version
We will not be effected/affected by the
strike.
The school principal/principle is a nice man.
The hotel is licenced/licensed to sell
alcohol.
More Homophones
There/their/they’re are plenty of places for them
to go on there/their/they’re next holiday but
there/their/they’re probably going to go to
there/their/they’re holiday house.
It will be two/too/to expensive for the
company two/too/to update to a completely
new system. That will be at least two/too/to
years away.
If you want my advice/advise, you should go.
Plurals
If there is more than one – mostly you add an S
or IES
One computer
Two computers
One keyboard
Five keyboards
One lady
Two ladies
One try
Three tries
Plurals –
Sometimes there are also
irregular
plurals
One child
Two children
One criterion
Two criteria
One person
Three people
One tooth
Two teeth
One nucleus
Two nuclei
One fish
Two fish
Punctuation
FULL STOPS
When to Use
When not to use
1.
End of sentence
Abbreviations in CAPITALS, eg.
PTO BA
2.
Abbreviation ending in a letter Abbreviation ending in a letter
which is NOT the last letter,
which is the last letter, eg. Pty Ltd
eg Aust. Co.
Acronyms, eg. ANZAC,
UNESCO, USA
NB: In direct speech, put full stop
inside final quotation marks,
eg. John said abruptly, ‘I
want to see you.’
Punctuation
CAPITALS
When to Use
1.
Titles
–
–
–
–
–
Novels
Plays
Poems
Stories
Books
2.
Start of sentences
3
Proper nouns, eg. John,
Washington, Eiffel Tower
Punctuation
COMMAS
When to Use
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
To separate main statement
from additional material
To separate items in a list
To introduce direct speech
To separate the name or
phrase referring to the person
addressed from the rest of the
sentence.
After direct speech
To mark continuation of a
sentence after being
interrupted by an explanatory
phrase
Diane drove with caution, although
there wasn’t a lot of traffic.
Tom ordered furniture, computers,
air conditioning, stationery, carpet
and a new telephone system for
his new office.
The Judge turned to the
Prosecutor, Mr Roberts, and said,
‘I am mindful of the complexities of
this matter, particularly those
relating to the criminal record of the
accused, but please try to stick to
the facts of this case’.
Punctuation
APOSTROPHES
When to Use
When NOT to use
1.
Don’t use in simple plurals,
eg. cats, chickens, ideas
To show ownership
(remember singular & plural)
eg.
Don’t use in dates, eg. 1960s
dog’s bowl (one dog)
teachers’ resource room
(more than one teacher)
2.
In contractions, eg. don’t,
isn’t, who’s, there’s, ’04
Don’t use in plural numbers, eg.
Zoe cannot write her 9s
properly.
Punctuation
APOSTROPHES
DON’T CONFUSE:
Its
It’s
(possessive)
(contraction)
Whose
Who’s
(possessive)
(contraction)
Theirs
There’s
(possessive)
(contraction)
Punctuation
EXCLAMATION MARKS
When to Use
1.
Used for interjections,
eg. Ah! Oh!
2.
Used to express emotion,
eg. Curse you! He’s
gorgeous!
3.
Used with exclamatory
sentences beginning with
‘what’ or ‘how’,
eg. How lucky she is! What
a ride!
Punctuation
DASHES
When to Use
1.
Used to sum up, to comment
on a group, subject or object,
eg. I visited Tom, Mary and
Deidre – they were all very
pleased to see me.
3.
To attach a comment to a
complete sentence,
eg. My cousin should study
much harder – but won’t.
2.
To add an aside,
eg. While I was waiting for
Louise – I had been there
some forty minutes – the
weather changed
dramatically.
4.
To show an abrupt change of
thought,
eg. I should sell you some
more books – but no, I’m
not going to.
Punctuation
HYPHENS
When to Use
1.
In compound verb/nouns,
eg. sewing-circle, boxingmatch
3.
To join a prefix and a word,
eg. pro-Liberal, anti-nuclear,
quasi-scientific.
2.
To separate double-vowels,
eg. re-examine, re-edit
4.
To join words of equal
importance,
eg. history-geography,
Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.
Use ‘Plain English’
 Be clear
 Use straightforward expression
 Use only as many words as are necessary
 Never use a long word when a short word will do
 Use Active voice rather than Passive
Could you rewrite this passage using
Plain English?
Direction for work to cease
When a health and safety representative is confronted with
a situation where, in the opinion of the health and safety
representative, there appears to be an immediate threat to
the health and safety of a person, then if the nature of the
threat and the degree of risk are such that the threat is
immediate, then the appropriate Head(s) of Budgetary
Unit(s) and the health and safety representative of the
designated work group in relation to which the issue has
arisen, may after consultation, jointly direct or, if the
consultation does not lead to agreement between them,
either of them may direct that the work shall cease.
Direction for work to cease
When a health and safety representative
believes there is an immediate threat to
the health and safety of a person, they
should consult with the appropriate
Budgetary Unit heads, after which time
they can jointly or individually direct that
work shall cease.
Active vs Passive Voice
 More personal
ACTIVE VOICE
 More lively
 More explicit
 Easier to understand
We have extended the
period of payment.
PASSIVE VOICE
The period of payment has
been extended.
Active vs Passive Voice
ACTIVE VOICE
PASSIVE VOICE
The parliamentary committee
discussed the draft bill and then
debated the crucial issues until
late afternoon.
The draft bill was discussed and
then crucial issues were debated
until late afternoon.
? Who discussed
and debated
the draft bill?
In the PASSIVE example:
Is it clear who discussed?
Is it clear who debated?
Was it the same group?