The first participant to make the correct changes will receive the bonus mark.
My birthday dinner was a real pleasure; the food was good and the company even better!
Thursday, February 4, 2016
*NUMBER CHANGE*
If the sentence is singular, change it to the plural; if it is plural, change it to the singular.
The first participant to make the correct changes will receive the bonus mark.
The first participant to make the correct changes will receive the bonus mark.
SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS
We can describe something superficial as credible.
First, write a sentence that uses this word.
Then rewrite the sentence, first using a synonym and then using an antonym for this word.
Each participant should suggest a different synonym and antonym.
Example: easy.
Answer:
This exercise is easy.
First, write a sentence that uses this word.
Then rewrite the sentence, first using a synonym and then using an antonym for this word.
Each participant should suggest a different synonym and antonym.
Example: easy.
Answer:
This exercise is easy.
synonym: simple. This exercise is simple.
antonym: difficult. This exercise is difficult.*ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE*
Write two sentences using the verb fight.
In the first sentence, use the word in the active voice; in the second sentence, use it in the passive voice.
*TIME CHANGE*
Change the time in the following sentences by using a different verb tense and replacing any necessary time clues. Each student should choose a different verb tense.
Pancake Day is coming soon. We will celebrate by cooking a huge stack of pancakes. Some people may go out to eat, but we think the ones made at home taste best. Tradition calls for using lemon juice and sugar on top of the pancakes, but we'll add whatever we have available. The idea is to use up lots of good, rich ingredients before the start of Lent.
*SENTENCE COMBINATION*
Learning to combine ideas into more complex sentences is an important writing skill. There are many ways to do this. Try to combine the following three sentences. Do not use a semi-colon.
Sentence 1: The world is uncertain.
Sentence 2: In this world, we cannot cannot know what the future will bring.
Sentence 3: We must be prepared for any eventuality.
Sentence 2: In this world, we cannot cannot know what the future will bring.
Sentence 3: We must be prepared for any eventuality.
BUILD-A-SENTENCE
Write a sentence using the vocabulary and grammar indicated. Do not use a semi-colon.
Write a sentence using a dependent clause in the past perfect progressive tense and an independent clause in the simple past.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
WELCOME!
Welcome to the Effective Writing Blog for ENGL 155, 177 and 189. These courses may be taken separately or as part of the English Language Proficiency Program. The goal is to increase the level of communication between students and instructors, and to provide students with an opportunity to communicate with each other and to practice the grammar and mechanics taught in these courses. If you post general questions about the assignments or the course, they will be addressed in the blog. If you have detailed questions you want answered, then e-mail your instructor.
Feel free to post comments and suggestions on how to improve this site.
For information on how to participate, please contact the administrator.
Next blog: Friday, February 5, 2016
WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!
A hearty welcome to all the new students joining this course. We hope you enjoy your studies and have fun participating in this blog.
IMPORTANT: This blog site is open to the public; do not post personal information that could identify you. Your first name and the initial of your last name are the only personal information you should post. Please watch this video from the Government of Canada about privacy and social networking issues.
Also, be sure to let your tutors know the nickname you have chosen for this blog; otherwise, they will not be able to give you the bonus marks that you have earned for your participation.
Also, be sure to let your tutors know the nickname you have chosen for this blog; otherwise, they will not be able to give you the bonus marks that you have earned for your participation.
Next blog: Friday, February 5, 2016
PREVIOUS GRAMMAR QUESTION
The silver, new, shiney car was drove by Tim and I when we had gone to Western Canada seeing the Rocky mountains and some of tourist traps along the Highway; but we seen little wild animals and not a single bear: however the wild flowers had been blossoming.
1. Adjective word order:
Adjectives usually occur in the following order: (1) evaluation or opinion, (2) appearance, (3) age, (4) colour, and (5) origin. This gives us: shiny, new, silver (see the on-line resources page in the sidebar for more information).
2. Spelling:
Words that end in “e” usually drop that letter before adding a “y” to form an adjective.
3. Verb tense and form:
The correct form of the passive voice in the simple past tense is “was driven”. Also, we should be consistent with the verb tense when possible, so the past perfect “had gone” should be changed to “went”. Also note that “seen” is the past participle; the simple past is “saw”. Finally, instead of the past perfect progressive, we need the past progressive: “had been blossoming” should be changed to “were blossoming” (or “were blooming” or “were in bloom”).
4. Pronoun usage:
When the verb is in the active voice, the construction is “Tim and I,” as it forms the subject of the verb; however, in the passive voice, these become the object, and must therefore take the objective case, “Tim and me”. If this sounds awkward, it might be best to abandon the passive voice altogether.
5. Infinitive/gerund:
The phrase “go somewhere” needs the infinitive, not the gerund.
6. Idiomatic usage:
The phrase “tourist trap” is an idiom that refers to places that attract a lot of tourists.
7. Few/Little:
We use the word “little” with uncountable nouns; with countable nouns (such as “animals”), we should use “few”.
8. Punctuation:
We need a comma, not a semi-colon before the coordinating conjunction when it separates independent clauses. Unless we are expanding on an idea, we do not use a colon. Wild flowers are not a type of animal, so we need a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses.
9. Capitalization:
“Western” is not part of a proper name, so it should not be capitalized; nor should “highway” unless we are referring to a specific highway. For the same reason, we should capitalize “mountains” here, as it is part of the official name of the mountain chain.
Suggested solution:
Tim and I drove the shiny, new, silver car when we went to western Canada to see the Rocky Mountains and some of the tourist traps along the highway, but we saw few wild animals and not a single bear; however, the wild flowers were in bloom.
1. Adjective word order:
Adjectives usually occur in the following order: (1) evaluation or opinion, (2) appearance, (3) age, (4) colour, and (5) origin. This gives us: shiny, new, silver (see the on-line resources page in the sidebar for more information).
2. Spelling:
Words that end in “e” usually drop that letter before adding a “y” to form an adjective.
3. Verb tense and form:
The correct form of the passive voice in the simple past tense is “was driven”. Also, we should be consistent with the verb tense when possible, so the past perfect “had gone” should be changed to “went”. Also note that “seen” is the past participle; the simple past is “saw”. Finally, instead of the past perfect progressive, we need the past progressive: “had been blossoming” should be changed to “were blossoming” (or “were blooming” or “were in bloom”).
4. Pronoun usage:
When the verb is in the active voice, the construction is “Tim and I,” as it forms the subject of the verb; however, in the passive voice, these become the object, and must therefore take the objective case, “Tim and me”. If this sounds awkward, it might be best to abandon the passive voice altogether.
5. Infinitive/gerund:
The phrase “go somewhere” needs the infinitive, not the gerund.
6. Idiomatic usage:
The phrase “tourist trap” is an idiom that refers to places that attract a lot of tourists.
7. Few/Little:
We use the word “little” with uncountable nouns; with countable nouns (such as “animals”), we should use “few”.
8. Punctuation:
We need a comma, not a semi-colon before the coordinating conjunction when it separates independent clauses. Unless we are expanding on an idea, we do not use a colon. Wild flowers are not a type of animal, so we need a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses.
9. Capitalization:
“Western” is not part of a proper name, so it should not be capitalized; nor should “highway” unless we are referring to a specific highway. For the same reason, we should capitalize “mountains” here, as it is part of the official name of the mountain chain.
Suggested solution:
Tim and I drove the shiny, new, silver car when we went to western Canada to see the Rocky Mountains and some of the tourist traps along the highway, but we saw few wild animals and not a single bear; however, the wild flowers were in bloom.
*GRAMMAR QUESTION*
Correct the errors in the following sentence:
The solution will be posted in the next edition of the blog.
I am always eating my dinner late while I get home at 8:00 pm but the food is warmed quick in a microwave we brought at a neighbours garage sale.
PUZZLE
Solution to the previous puzzle:
As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives
Each wife had seven sacks
Each sack had seven cats
Each cats had seven kits
Kits, cats, sacks and wives
How many were going to St. Ives?
One, assuming you just crossed paths with the man and his enormous entourage.
New Puzzle:
What are the blended words that come from the following pairs.
Example: flutter + hurry
Answer: flurry.
1. blank out + beep
2. pain + sting
3. haggle + tussle
4. dumb + confound
5. bold + rash
6. chuckle + snort
7. internal + communication
8. blow + spurt
*Note, the first person with the correct answer gets the bonus point.
As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives
Each wife had seven sacks
Each sack had seven cats
Each cats had seven kits
Kits, cats, sacks and wives
How many were going to St. Ives?
One, assuming you just crossed paths with the man and his enormous entourage.
What are the blended words that come from the following pairs.
Example: flutter + hurry
Answer: flurry.
1. blank out + beep
2. pain + sting
3. haggle + tussle
4. dumb + confound
5. bold + rash
6. chuckle + snort
7. internal + communication
8. blow + spurt
*Note, the first person with the correct answer gets the bonus point.
IDIOMS
There are three idioms that use the word white:
Try not to use the same idiom as the other participants.
Watch this video, and then write a sentence that uses one (or more) of these three idioms.
Try not to use the same idiom as the other participants.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theteacher/2009/02/090226_teacher_white.shtml
*ALL CHANGE!*
Change the words in the sentence below as indicated.
For instance, if the original sentence is "Benson hurriedly told the bad news to his friends":
participant 1 could write "#1 Subject Noun: Michael hurriedly told the bad news to his friends";
participant 2 could then write "#2 Direct Object Noun: Michael hurriedly told the bad joke to his friends";
participant 3 could then write "#3 Indirect Object Noun: Michael hurriedly told the bad joke to his wife";
etc.
You are free to make as many changes as you wish. Just remember to number each change (and indicate the part of speech) so it is clear to everyone where we are on the list.
Participants who make all 7 changes will receive 2 bonus marks for their efforts.
When all 7 changes have been made, return to the top of the list and continue.
Here is the sentence:
The helpful, young instructor eagerly taught his students the basic rules of grammar
Changes:
1. subject noun
2. direct object noun
3. indirect object noun
4. adjective(s)
5. adverb(s)
6. verb name
7. verb tense
Please change only the exact word in the sequence given. Each participant should build on the changes made by the previous participant.
For instance, if the original sentence is "Benson hurriedly told the bad news to his friends":
participant 1 could write "#1 Subject Noun: Michael hurriedly told the bad news to his friends";
participant 2 could then write "#2 Direct Object Noun: Michael hurriedly told the bad joke to his friends";
participant 3 could then write "#3 Indirect Object Noun: Michael hurriedly told the bad joke to his wife";
etc.
You are free to make as many changes as you wish. Just remember to number each change (and indicate the part of speech) so it is clear to everyone where we are on the list.
Participants who make all 7 changes will receive 2 bonus marks for their efforts.
When all 7 changes have been made, return to the top of the list and continue.
Here is the sentence:
The helpful, young instructor eagerly taught his students the basic rules of grammar
Changes:
1. subject noun
2. direct object noun
3. indirect object noun
4. adjective(s)
5. adverb(s)
6. verb name
7. verb tense
AFFIXES
The word stem pan- (meaning "all") occurs in many words.
1. Add an affix to this stem to make another word.
2. Explain the meaning of the word in a complete sentence.
Each participant should add a different word to the list.
1. Add an affix to this stem to make another word.
2. Explain the meaning of the word in a complete sentence.
Each participant should add a different word to the list.
*COMPLETE THE SENTENCE*
Follow the instructions below to create three different sentences from the following clause:*
Sentence 1. Add a phrase
Sentence 2. Add a dependent clause
Sentence 3. Add an independent clause
*Add your words to the beginning or end of the clause (but not both) and do not use a semi-colon to join your independent clause.
… a gentle snow fell on the quiet streets…
Sentence 2. Add a dependent clause
Sentence 3. Add an independent clause
*Add your words to the beginning or end of the clause (but not both) and do not use a semi-colon to join your independent clause.
*NUMBER CHANGE*
If the sentence is singular, change it to the plural; if it is plural, change it to the singular.
The first participant to make the correct changes will receive the bonus mark.
The players in this year's Super Bowl will not have to contend with the cold and snow as the game is being held in sunny Santa Clara, California.
The first participant to make the correct changes will receive the bonus mark.
The players in this year's Super Bowl will not have to contend with the cold and snow as the game is being held in sunny Santa Clara, California.
*VOCABULARY*
Vocabulary building is important for both reading comprehension and writing.
Use the following two words in one sentence (note the parts of speech).
democracy (noun) and demagogue (noun).
To further improve your vocabulary, remember to check out the Word of the Day.
The site also has word games and puzzles.
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/
You can also test your skills while contributing to the World Food Programme here:
http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1498
You can also test your skills while contributing to the World Food Programme here:
http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1498
SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS
We can describe something superficial as analogous.
First, write a sentence that uses this word.
Then rewrite the sentence, first using a synonym and then using an antonym for this word.
Each participant should suggest a different synonym and antonym.
Example: easy.
Answer:
This exercise is easy.
First, write a sentence that uses this word.
Then rewrite the sentence, first using a synonym and then using an antonym for this word.
Each participant should suggest a different synonym and antonym.
Example: easy.
Answer:
This exercise is easy.
synonym: simple. This exercise is simple.
antonym: difficult. This exercise is difficult.*ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE*
Write two sentences using the verb wake.
In the first sentence, use the word in the active voice; in the second sentence, use it in the passive voice.
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