Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 1

2 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

Writing for Success
Workbook by Scott McLean

1 Introduction to Writing

A Reading and Writing in College

EXERCISE 1
Review Table 1.1 “High School versus College Assignments” and think about how you have found your
college experience to be different from high school so far. Respond to the following questions:
1. In what ways do you think college will be more rewarding for you as a learner?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. What aspects of college do you expect to find most challenging?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 3
 3. What changes do you think you might have to make in your life to ensure your success in college?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 2
Choose any text that that you have been assigned to read for one of your college courses. Complete the
following tasks:
1. Summarize the main points of the text in two to three sentences.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Write down two to three questions about the text that you can bring up during class discussion.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 3
Choose another text that that you have been assigned to read for a class. Use the SQ3R process to com-
plete the reading. (Keep in mind that you may need to spread the reading over more than one session,
especially if the text is long.)
Be sure to complete all the steps involved. Then, reflect on how helpful you found this process. On a
scale of one to ten, how useful did you find it? How does it compare with other study techniques you have
used? Explain below.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

4 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

B Developing Study Skills
EXERCISE 1
Now that you have learned some time-management basics, it is time to apply those skills. For this exer-
cise, you will develop a weekly schedule and a semester calendar.
1. Working with your class schedule, map out a week-long schedule of study time. Try to apply the
“two- to three-hour” rule. Be sure to include any other nonnegotiable responsibilities, such as a job
or child care duties.
2. Use your course syllabi to record exam dates and due dates for major assignments in a calendar (pa-
per or electronic). Use a star, highlighting, or other special marking to set off any days or weeks that
look especially demanding.
EXERCISE 2
The key to managing your time effectively is consistency. Completing the following tasks will help you
stay on track throughout the semester.
1. Establish regular times to “check in” with yourself to identify and prioritize tasks and plan how to
accomplish them. Many people find it is best to set aside a few minutes for this each day and to take
some time to plan at the beginning of each week.
2. For the next two weeks, focus on consistently using whatever time-management system you have set
up. Check in with yourself daily and weekly, stick to your schedule, and take note of anything that
interferes. At the end of the two weeks, review your schedule and determine whether you need to
adjust it.
3. Review the preceding list of dos and don’ts.
a. Identify at least two habits from the “Dos” list that you could use to improve your time-manage-
ment skills.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
b. Identify the habit from the “Don’ts” list that you are most likely to slip into as the semester gets
busier. What could you do to combat this habit?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 3
Over the next few weeks, establish a note-taking system that works for you.
1. If you are not already doing so, try using one of the aforementioned techniques. (Remember that the
Cornell system can be combined with other note-taking formats.)
2. It can take some trial and error to find a note-taking system that works for you. If you find that you
are struggling to keep up with lectures, consider whether you need to switch to a different format or
be more careful about distinguishing key concepts from unimportant details.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 5

 3. If you find that you are having trouble taking notes effectively, set up an appointment with your
school’s academic resource center.

C Becoming a Successful College Writer

EXERCISE 1
In this exercise, make connections between short- and long-term goals.
1. For this step, identify one long-term goal you would like to have achieved by the time you complete
your degree. For instance, you might want a particular job in your field or hope to graduate with
honours.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Next, identify one semester goal that will help you fulfill the goal you set in step one. For instance,
you may want to do well in a particular course or establish a connection with a professional in your
field.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

3. Review the goal you determined in step two. Brainstorm a list of stepping stones that will help you
meet that goal, such as “doing well on my midterm and final exams” or “talking to Professor Gibson
about doing an internship.” Write down everything you can think of that would help you meet that
semester goal.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. Review your list. Choose two to three items, and for each item identify at least one concrete action
you can take to accomplish it. These actions may be recurring (meeting with a study group each
week) or one time only (calling the professor in charge of internships).

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

6 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 5. Identify one action from step four that you can do today. Then do it.

______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 2
Identify at least one college resource that you think could be helpful to you and you would like to investi-
gate further. Schedule a time to visit this resource within the next week or two so you can use it through-
out the semester.

D Introduction to Writing: End-of-Chapter Exercises

EXERCISES
1. Find out more about your learning style by visiting your academic resource center or doing Internet
research. Take note of strategies that are recommended for different types of learners. Which strate-
gies do you already use? Which strategies could you incorporate into your routine?
2. Apply the following comprehension and active reading strategies to an assigned reading:
• Locate the writer’s main idea and major supporting points. (Use text features to gather clues.)
• Apply the SQ3R strategy: Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Record, and Review and Reflect.
• Apply at least one other active reading strategy appropriate for the text, such as visualizing or con-
necting the text to personal experiences.
3. After reviewing your syllabus, map out a timeline of major assignments in the course. Describe the
steps you anticipate needing to follow in order to complete these assignments.
4. Take a few minutes to skim through the remaining chapters of this book, whose contents are de-
scribed in. Use self-stick notes or flags to mark any sections that you expect to consult frequently
when you write, such as a grammar guide or guidelines for a particular essay format. You may wish
to similarly make notes in other writing handbooks you own and any other reference books you will
need to use frequently.

2 Writing Basics: What Makes a Good Sen-

tence?

A Sentence Writing
EXERCISE 1
Read the following sentences. Underline the subjects, and circle the prepositional phrases.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 7

 1. The gym is open until nine o’clock tonight.
2. We went to the store to get some ice.
3. The student with the most extra credit will win a homework pass.
4. Maya and Tia found an abandoned cat by the side of the road.
5. The driver of that pickup truck skidded on the ice.
6. Anita won the race with time to spare.
7. The people who work for that company were surprised about the merger.
8. Working in haste means that you are more likely to make mistakes.
9. The soundtrack has over sixty songs in languages from around the world.
10. His latest invention does not work, but it has inspired the rest of us.
EXERCISE 2
Underline the verb(s) twice. Name the type of verb(s) used in the sentence in the space provided (LV, HV,
or V).
1. The cat sounds ready to come back inside. ________
2. We have not eaten dinner yet. ________
3. It took four people to move the broken-down car. ________
4. The book was filled with notes from class. ________
5. We walked from room to room, inspecting for damages. ________
6. Harold was expecting a package in the mail. ________
7. The clothes still felt damp even though they had been through the dryer twice. ________
8. The teacher who runs the studio is often praised for his restoration work on old masterpieces.
________
EXERCISE 3
Use what you have learned so far to bring variety in your writing. Use the following lines or your own
sheet of paper to write six sentences that practice each basic sentence pattern. When you have finished,
label each part of the sentence (S, V, LV, N, Adj, Adv, DO, IO).
1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________
6. ________________________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Find an article in a newspaper, a magazine, or online that interests you. Bring it to class or post it online.
Then, looking at a classmate’s article, identify one example of each part of a sentence (S, V, LV, N, Adj,

8 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

Adv, DO, IO). Please share or post your results.
EXERCISE 4
Circle the fragments of the following sentences. Then combine the fragment with the independent clause
to create a complete sentence.
1. Working without taking a break. We try to get as much work done as we can in an hour.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. I needed to bring work home. In order to meet the deadline.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. Unless the ground thaws before spring break. We won’t be planting any tulips this year.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. Turning the lights off after he was done in the kitchen. Robert tries to conserve energy whenever
possible.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. You’ll find what you need if you look. On the shelf next to the potted plant.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. To find the perfect apartment. Deidre scoured the classifieds each day.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 5
A reader can get lost or lose interest in material that is too dense and rambling. Use what you have
learned about run-on sentences to correct the following passages:
1. The report is due on Wednesday but we’re flying back from Miami that morning. I told the project
manager that we would be able to get the report to her later that day she suggested that we come
back a day early to get the report done and I told her we had meetings until our flight took off. We
e-mailed our contact who said that they would check with his boss, she said that the project could
afford a delay as long as they wouldn’t have to make any edits or changes to the file our new deadline
is next Friday.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 9

 2. Anna tried getting a reservation at the restaurant, but when she called they said that there was a wait-
ing list so she put our names down on the list when the day of our reservation arrived we only had to
wait thirty minutes because a table opened up unexpectedly which was good because we were able to
catch a movie after dinner in the time we’d expected to wait to be seated.
3. Without a doubt, my favorite artist is Leonardo da Vinci, not because of his paintings but because of
his fascinating designs, models, and sketches, including plans for scuba gear, a flying machine, and
a life-size mechanical lion that actually walked and moved its head. His paintings are beautiful too,
especially when you see the computer enhanced versions researchers use a variety of methods to
discover and enhance the paintings’ original colors, the result of which are stunningly vibrant and yet
delicate displays of the man’s genius.
Writing Application
Using the six basic sentence structures, write one of the following:
1. A work e-mail to a coworker about a presentation.
2. A business letter to a potential employer.
3. A status report about your current project.
4. A job description for your résumé.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

B Subject-Verb Agreement
EXERCISE 1
Beside each line, write the correct verb form for each of the following sentences.
1. I (brush/brushes) my teeth twice a day.
2. You (wear/wears) the same shoes every time we go out.
3. He (kick/kicks) the soccer ball into the goal.
4. She (watch/watches) foreign films.
5. Catherine (hide/hides) behind the door.
6. We (want/wants) to have dinner with you.

10 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 7. You (work/works) together to finish the project.
8. They (need/needs) to score another point to win the game.
9. It (eat/eats) four times a day.
10. David (fix/fixes) his own motorcycle.
EXERCISE 2
Complete the following sentences by writing the correct present tense form of be,have, or do. Use your
own sheet of paper to complete this exercise.
1. I ________ sure that you will succeed.
2. They ________ front-row tickets to the show.
3. He ________ a great Elvis impersonation.
4. We ________ so excited to meet you in person!
5. She ________ a fever and a sore throat.
6. You ________ not know what you are talking about.
7. You ________ all going to pass this class.
8. She ________ not going to like that.
9. It ________ appear to be the right size.
10. They ________ ready to take this job seriously.
EXERCISE 3
Correct the errors in subject-verb agreement in the following sentences. If there are no errors in sub-
ject-verb agreement, write OK. Copy the corrected sentence or the word OK on your own sheet of note-
book paper.
1. My dog and cats chases each other all the time.
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. The books that are in my library is the best I have ever read.
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. Everyone are going to the concert except me.
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. My family are moving to California.
_______________________________________________________________________________
5. Here is the lake I told you about.
_______________________________________________________________________________
6. There is the newspapers I was supposed to deliver.
_______________________________________________________________________________
7. Which room is bigger?
_______________________________________________________________________________

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 11

 8. When are the movie going to start?
_______________________________________________________________________________
9. My sister and brother cleans up after themselves.
_______________________________________________________________________________
10. Some of the clothes is packed away in the attic.
_______________________________________________________________________________
EXERCISE 4
Correct the errors in subject-verb agreement in the following paragraph. Copy the paragraph on a piece
of notebook paper and make corrections.

Dear Hiring Manager,

I feels that I am the ideal candidate for the receptionist position at your company. I has three years of
experience as a receptionist in a company that is similar to yours. My phone skills and written communi-
cation is excellent. These skills, and others that I have learned on the job, helps me understand that every
person in a company helps make the business a success. At my current job, the team always say that I am
very helpful. Everyone appreciate when I go the extra mile to get the job done right. My current employer
and coworkers feels that I am an asset to the team. I is efficient and organized. Is there any other details
about me that you would like to know? If so, please contact me. Here are my résumé. You can reach me
by e-mail or phone. I looks forward to speaking with you in person.
Thanks,
Felicia Fellini
Writing Application
Use your knowledge of subject-verb agreement to write one of the following on another sheet of paper:
1. An advertisement for a potential company
2. A memo to all employees of a particular company
3. A cover letter describing your qualifications to a potential employer
Be sure to include at least the following:
• One collective noun
• One irregular verb
• One question

C Verb Tense
EXERCISE 1
Correct the following sentences by selecting the correct form of the verb in simple present, simple past,
or simple future tenses. Circle the correct verb.
1. The Dust Bowl (is, was, will be) a name given to a period of very destructive dust storms that oc-
12 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
 curred in the United States during the 1930s.
2. Historians today (consider, considered, will consider) The Dust Bowl to be one of the worst weather
of events in American history.
3. The Dust Bowl mostly (affects, affected, will affect) the states of Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas,
and New Mexico.
4. Dust storms (continue, continued, will continue) to occur in these dry regions, but not to the devas-
tating degree of the 1930s.
5. The dust storms during The Dust Bowl (cause, caused, will cause) irreparable damage to farms and
the environment for a period of several years.
6. When early settlers (move, moved, will move) into this area, they (remove, removed, will remove)
the natural prairie grasses in order to plant crops and graze their cattle.
7. They did not (realize, realized, will realize) that the grasses kept the soil in place.
8. There (is, was, will be) also a severe drought that (affects, affected, will affect) the region.
9. The worst dust storm (happens, happened, will happen) on April 14, 1935, a day called Black Sunday.
10. The Dust Bowl era finally came to end in 1939 when the rains (arrive, arrived, will arrive).
11. Dust storms (continue, continued, will continue) to affect the region, but hopefully they will not be
as destructive as the storms of the 1930s.
EXERCISE 2
Correct the following sentences by selecting the correct form of the irregular verb in simple present, sim-
ple past, or simple future tense. Circle correct verb.
1. Marina finally (forgived, forgave, will forgive) her sister for snooping around her room.
2. The house (shook, shaked, shakes) as the airplane rumbled overhead.
3. I (buyed, bought, buy) several items of clothing at the thrift store on Wednesday.
4. She (put, putted, puts) the lotion in her shopping basket and proceeded to the checkout line.
5. The prized goose (layed, laid, lay) several golden eggs last night.
6. Mr. Batista (teached, taught, taughted) the class how to use correct punctuation.
7. I (drink, drank, will drink) several glasses of sparkling cider instead of champagne on New Year’s Eve
next year.
8. Although Hector (growed, grew, grows) three inches in one year, we still called him “Little Hector.”
9. Yesterday our tour guide (lead, led, will lead) us through the maze of people in Times Square.
10. The rock band (burst, bursted, bursts) onto the music scene with their catchy songs.
EXERCISE 3
Write a sentence using the correct form of the verb tense shown below.
1. Throw (past)

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 13
 2. Paint (simple present)

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. Smile (future)

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. Tell (past)

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. Share (simple present)

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 4
Edit the following paragraph by correcting the inconsistent verb tense. Copy the corrected paragraph
onto your own sheet of paper if there is not enough room.
In the Middle Ages, most people lived in villages and work as agricultural laborers, or peasants. Every
village has a “lord,” and the peasants worked on his land. Much of what they produce go to the lord and
his family. What little food was leftover goes to support the peasants’ families. In return for their labor,
the lord offers them protection. A peasant’s day usually began before sunrise and involves long hours of
backbreaking work, which includes plowing the land, planting seeds, and cutting crops for harvesting.
The working life of a peasant in the Middle Ages is usually demanding and exhausting.
Writing Application
Tell a family story. You likely have several family stories to choose from, but pick the one that you find
most interesting to write about. Use as many details as you can in the telling. As you write and proofread,
make sure your all your verbs are correct and the tenses are consistent.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
14 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

D Capitalization
EXERCISE 1
Write five proper nouns for each common noun that is listed. The first one has been done for you.
Common noun: river
1. Nile River
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________
4. _____________________________
5. _____________________________
Common noun: musician
1. _____________________________
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________
4. _____________________________
5. _____________________________
Common noun: magazine
1. _____________________________
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________
4. _____________________________
5. _____________________________

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 15

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 2
Edit the following sentences by correcting the capitalization of the titles or names.
1. The prince of england enjoys playing polo.
2. “Ode to a nightingale” is a sad poem.
3. My sister loves to read magazines such as the new yorker.
4. The house on Mango street is an excellent novel written by Sandra Cisneros.
5. My physician, dr. alvarez, always makes me feel comfortable in her office.
EXERCISE 3
Edit the following paragraphs by correcting the capitalization.

david grann’s the lost City of Z mimics the snake-like winding of the amazon River. The three distinct
Stories that are introduced are like twists in the River. First, the Author describes his own journey to the
amazon in the present day, which is contrasted by an account of percy fawcett’s voyage in 1925 and a de-
piction of James Lynch’s expedition in 1996. Where does the river lead these explorers? the answer is one
that both the Author and the reader are hungry to discover.
The first lines of the preface pull the reader in immediately because we know the author, david grann,
is lost in the amazon. It is a compelling beginning not only because it’s thrilling but also because this is a
true account of grann’s experience. grann has dropped the reader smack in the middle of his conflict by
admitting the recklessness of his decision to come to this place. the suspense is further perpetuated by
his unnerving observation that he always considered himself A Neutral Witness, never getting personally
involved in his stories, a notion that is swiftly contradicted in the opening pages, as the reader can clearly
perceive that he is in a dire predicament—and frighteningly involved.
Writing Application
Write a one-page biography. Make sure to identify people, places, and dates and use capitalization cor-
rectly.

E Adjectives and Adverbs

EXERCISE 1
Edit the following paragraph by correcting pronoun agreement errors in number and person.

Over spring break I visited my older cousin, Diana, and they took me to a butterfly exhibit at a museum.
Diana and I have been close ever since she was young. Our mothers are twin sisters, and she is insepara-
ble! Diana knows how much I love butterflies, so it was their special present to me. I have a soft spot for
caterpillars too. I love them because something about the way it transforms is so interesting to me. One
summer my grandmother gave me a butterfly growing kit, and you got to see the entire life cycle of five
Painted Lady butterflies. I even got to set it free. So when my cousin said they wanted to take me to the
butterfly exhibit, I was really excited!

16 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 EXERCISE 2
Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct pronoun. Copy the completed sentence onto
your own sheet of paper. Then circle the noun the pronoun replaces.
1. In the current economy, nobody wants to waste ________ money on frivolous things.
2. If anybody chooses to go to medical school, ________ must be prepared to work long hours.
3. The plumbing crew did ________ best to repair the broken pipes before the next ice storm.
4. If someone is rude to you, try giving ________ a smile in return.
5. My family has ________ faults, but I still love them no matter what.
6. The school of education plans to train ________ students to be literacy tutors.
7. The commencement speaker said that each student has a responsibility toward ________.
8. My mother’s singing group has ________ rehearsals on Thursday evenings.
9. No one should suffer ________ pains alone.
10. I thought the flock of birds lost ________ way in the storm.
EXERCISE 3
Revise the following sentences in which the subject and object pronouns are used incorrectly. Copy the
revised sentence onto your own sheet of paper. Write a C for each sentence that is correct.
1. Meera and me enjoy doing yoga together on Sundays.
________________________________________________________________
2. She and him have decided to sell their house.
________________________________________________________________
3. Between you and I, I do not think Jeffrey will win the election.
________________________________________________________________
4. Us and our friends have game night the first Thursday of every month.
________________________________________________________________
5. They and I met while on vacation in Mexico.
________________________________________________________________
6. Napping on the beach never gets boring for Alice and I.
________________________________________________________________
7. New Year’s Eve is not a good time for she and I to have a serious talk.
________________________________________________________________
8. You exercise much more often than me.
________________________________________________________________
9. I am going to the comedy club with Yolanda and she.
________________________________________________________________
10. The cooking instructor taught her and me a lot.
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 17
________________________________________________________________
EXERCISE 4
Complete the following sentences by adding who or whom.
1. ________ hit the home run?
2. I remember ________ won the Academy Award for Best Actor last year.
3. To ________ is the letter addressed?
4. I have no idea ________ left the iron on, but I am going to find out.
5. ________ are you going to recommend for the internship?
6. With ________ are you going to Hawaii?
7. No one knew ________ the famous actor was.
8. ________ in the office knows how to fix the copy machine?
9. From ________ did you get the concert tickets?
10. No one knew ________ ate the cake mom was saving.
Writing Application
Write about what makes an ideal marriage or long-term relationship. Provide specific details to back up
your assertions. After you have written a few paragraphs, go back and proofread your paper for correct
pronoun usage.

F Adjectives and Adverbs

EXERCISE 1
Complete the following sentences by adding the correct adjective or adverb from the list in the previous
section. Identify the word as an adjective or an adverb (Adj, Adv).
1. Frederick ________ choked on the piece of chicken when he saw Margaret walk through the door.
2. His ________ eyes looked at everyone and everything as if they were specimens in a biology lab.
3. Despite her pessimistic views on life, Lauren believes that most people have ________ hearts.
4. Although Stefan took the criticism ________, he remained calm.
5. The child developed a ________ imagination because he read a lot of books.
6. Madeleine spoke ________ while she was visiting her grandmother in the hospital.
7. Hector’s most ________ possession was his father’s bass guitar from the 1970s.
8. My definition of a ________ afternoon is walking to the park on a beautiful day, spreading out my
blanket, and losing myself in a good book.
9. She ________ eyed her new coworker and wondered if he was single.
10. At the party, Denise ________ devoured two pieces of pepperoni pizza and a several slices of ripe
watermelon.

18 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 EXERCISE 2
Edit the following paragraph by correcting the errors in comparative and superlative adjectives.
Our argument started on the most sunny afternoon that I have ever experienced. Max and I were sitting
on my front stoop when I started it. I told him that my dog, Jacko, was more smart than his dog, Merlin. I
could not help myself. Merlin never came when he was called, and he chased his tail and barked at rocks.
I told Max that Merlin was the most dumbest dog on the block. I guess I was angrier about a bad grade
that I received, so I decided to pick on poor little Merlin. Even though Max insulted Jacko too, I felt I
had been more mean. The next day I apologized to Max and brought Merlin some of Jacko’s treats. When
Merlin placed his paw on my knee and licked my hand, I was the most sorry person on the block.

Collaboration ‘'
Share and compare your answers with a classmate.
EXERCISE 3
Write good, well, bad, or badly to complete each sentence.
1. Donna always felt ________ if she did not see the sun in the morning.
2. The school board president gave a ________ speech for once.
3. Although my dog, Comet, is mischievous, he always behaves ________ at the dog park.
4. I thought my back injury was ________ at first, but it turned out to be minor.
5. Steve was shaking ________ from the extreme cold.
6. Apple crisp is a very ________ dessert that can be made using whole grains instead of white flour.
7. The meeting with my son’s math teacher went very ________.
8. Juan has a ________ appetite, especially when it comes to dessert.
9. Magritte thought the guests had a ________ time at the party because most people left early.
10. She ________ wanted to win the writing contest prize, which included a trip to New York.
EXERCISE 4
Write the correct comparative or superlative form of the word in parentheses.
1. This research paper is ________ (good) than my last one.
2. Tanaya likes country music ________ (well) of all.
3. My motorcycle rides ________ (bad) than it did last summer.
4. That is the ________ (bad) joke my father ever told.
5. The hockey team played ________ (badly) than it did last season.
6. Tracey plays guitar ________ (well) than she plays the piano.
7. It will go down as one of the ________ (bad) movies I have ever seen.
8. The deforestation in the Amazon is ________ (bad) than it was last year.
9. Movie ticket sales are ________ (good) this year than last.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 19

10. My husband says mystery novels are the ________ (good) types of books.
Writing Application
Using the exercises as a guide, write your own ten-sentence quiz for your classmate(s) using the concepts
covered in this section. Try to include two questions from each subsection in your quiz. Exchange papers
and see whether you can get a perfect score.

G Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

EXERCISE 1
On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the following sentences to correct the misplaced modifiers.
1. The young lady was walking the dog on the telephone.
2. I heard that there was a robbery on the evening news.
3. Uncle Louie bought a running stroller for the baby that he called “Speed Racer.”
4. Rolling down the mountain, the explorer stopped the boulder with his powerful foot.
5. We are looking for a babysitter for our precious six-year-old who doesn’t drink or smoke and owns a
car.
6. The teacher served cookies to the children wrapped in aluminum foil.
7. The mysterious woman walked toward the car holding an umbrella.
8. We returned the wine to the waiter that was sour.
9. Charlie spotted a stray puppy driving home from work.
10. I ate nothing but a cold bowl of noodles for dinner.
EXERCISE 2
Rewrite the following the sentences onto your own sheet of paper to correct the dangling modifiers.
1. Bent over backward, the posture was very challenging.
2. Making discoveries about new creatures, this is an interesting time to be a biologist.
3. Walking in the dark, the picture fell off the wall.
4. Playing a guitar in the bedroom, the cat was seen under the bed.
5. Packing for a trip, a cockroach scurried down the hallway.
6. While looking in the mirror, the towel swayed in the breeze.
7. While driving to the veterinarian’s office, the dog nervously whined.
8. The priceless painting drew large crowds when walking into the museum.
9. Piled up next to the bookshelf, I chose a romance novel.
10. Chewing furiously, the gum fell out of my mouth.
EXERCISE 3
Rewrite the following paragraph correcting all the misplaced and dangling modifiers.
I bought a fresh loaf of bread for my sandwich shopping in the grocery store. Wanting to make a delicious
sandwich, the mayonnaise was thickly spread. Placing the cold cuts on the bread, the lettuce was placed
on top. I cut the sandwich in half with a knife turning on the radio. Biting into the sandwich, my favorite
song blared loudly in my ears. Humming and chewing, my sandwich went down smoothly. Smiling, my
sandwich will be made again, but next time I will add cheese.

Collaboration ‘'
20 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

H Writing Basics: End-of-Chapter Exercises

1. On your own sheet of paper, identify each sentence as a fragment, a run-on, or correct (no error).
Then rewrite the paragraph by correcting the sentence fragments and run-ons.
My favorite book is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, he was born in 1894 and died in 1963
________. Written in 1931 ________. A futuristic society where humans are born out of test tubes and
kept in rigid social classes ________. This may not seem like a humorous premise for a novel, but Hux-
ley uses satire, which is a type of humor that is used to make a serious point ________. The humans in
Brave New World learn through sleep teaching, Huxley calls this “hypnopedia” ________. Everyone is
kept “happy” in the brave new world by taking a pill called soma, there is one character named John the
Savage who does not take soma ________. because he comes from a different part of the world where
there is no technology, and he believes in natural ways of living ________. It turns out that John has a big
problem with the brave new world and how people live there ________. Will he be able to survive living
there, well you will have to read the novel to find out ________. Brave New World is considered a classic
in English literature, it is one of the best novels I have ever read ________.
2. Each sentence contains an error in subject-verb agreement, irregular verb form, or consistent verb
tense. Identify the type of error. Then, on your own sheet of paper, rewrite the sentence correctly.
a. Maria and Ty meets me at the community center for cooking classes on Tuesdays.
________________________________________________________________
b. John’s ability to laugh at almost anything amaze me.
________________________________________________________________
c. Samantha and I were walking near the lake when the large, colorful bird appears.
________________________________________________________________
d. I builded my own telescope using materials I bought at the hardware store.
________________________________________________________________
e. My mother freezed the remaining tomatoes from her garden so that she could use them during
the winter.
________________________________________________________________
f. Bernard asked the stranger sitting next to him for the time, and she says it was past midnight.
________________________________________________________________
g. My mother and brother wears glasses, but my father and sister do not.
________________________________________________________________
h. We held our noses as the skunk runs away.
________________________________________________________________
i. Neither Soren nor Andrew are excited about the early morning swim meet.
________________________________________________________________

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 21

 j. My hands hurted at the thought of transcribing all those notes.
________________________________________________________________
k. The police questioned the suspect for hours but she gives them no useful information.
________________________________________________________________
l. Terry takes short weekend trips because her job as a therapist was very emotionally draining.
________________________________________________________________
m. She criticize delicately, making sure not to hurt anyone’s feelings.
________________________________________________________________
n. Davis winded the old clock and set it atop his nightstand.
________________________________________________________________
o. Cherie losed four poker hands in a row before realizing that she was playing against professionals.
________________________________________________________________
p. Janis and Joan describes their trip to the Amazon in vivid detail.
________________________________________________________________
q. You should decides for yourself whether or not to reduce the amount of processed foods in your
diet.
________________________________________________________________
r. The oil rig exploded and spills millions of gallons of oil into the ocean.
________________________________________________________________
s. The handsome vampire appeared out of nowhere and smiles at the smitten woman.
________________________________________________________________
t. The batter swinged at the ball several times but never hit it.
________________________________________________________________
3. Correct the capitalization errors in the following fictional story. Copy the corrected paragraph onto
your own sheet of paper.
lance worthington signed a Recording Contract with Capitol records on june 15, 2007. Despite
selling two million copies of his Debut Album, nothing to lose, lance lost quite a bit as his tax re-
turns from the irs revealed. lance did not think it was fair that the Record Company kept so much of
his earnings, so he decided to hire robert bergman, a prominent music Attorney with a Shark-like
reputation. bergman represented lance all the way to the supreme court, where lance won the case
against capitol records. Lance worthington was instrumental in changing intellectual property rights
and long standing Record Company practices. All artists and musicians can thank him for his brave
stance against record companies. Lance subsequently formed his own independent record label
called worthy records. worthy is now a successful Label based out of chicago, illinois, and its Artists
have appeared on well known shows such as The tonight show and Saturday night live. Lance worth-
ington is a model for success in the do-it-yourself World that has become the Music Industry.

Collaboration ‘'
22 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
4. Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct comparative or superlative adjective or
adverb. Then copy the completed sentence onto your own sheet of paper.
a) Denise has a (cheerful) ________ outlook on life than her husband.
b) I don’t mean to brag, but I think I am the (good) ________ cook in my family.
c) Lydia is the (thoughtful) ________ person I know.
d) Italy experienced the (bad) ________ heat wave in its history last year.
e) My teacher, Ms. Beckett, is the (strange) ________ person I know, and I like that.
f) Dorian’s drawing skills are (good) ________ this semester than last.
g) My handwriting is the (sloppy) ________ of all my classmates.
h) Melvin’s soccer team played (badly) ________ than it did last season.
i) Josie’s pen writes (smooth) ________ than mine.
j) I felt (lucky) ________ than my sister because I got in to the college of my choice.

3 Punctuation

A Commas
EXERCISE 1
Look for the introductory word or phrase and add a comma to correct the sentence.
1. Suddenly the dog ran into the house.
2. In the blink of an eye the kids were ready to go to the movies.
3. Confused he tried opening the box from the other end.
4. Every year we go camping in the woods.
5. Without a doubt green is my favorite color.
6. Hesitating she looked back at the directions before proceeding.
7. Fortunately the sleeping baby did not stir when the doorbell rang.
8. Believe it or not the criminal was able to rob the same bank three times.
EXERCISE 2
Use what you have learned so far about comma use to add commas to the following sentences.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 23

 1. Monday Tuesday and Wednesday are all booked with meetings.
2. It was a quiet uneventful unproductive day.
3. We’ll need to prepare statements for the Franks Todds and Smiths before their portfolio reviews next
week.
4. Michael Nita and Desmond finished their report last Tuesday.
5. With cold wet aching fingers he was able to secure the sails before the storm.
6. He wrote his name on the board in clear precise delicate letters.
EXERCISE 3
On your own sheet of paper, create a compound sentence by combining the two independent clauses
with a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
1. The presentation was scheduled for Monday. The weather delayed the presentation for four days.
________________________________________________________________
2. He wanted a snack before bedtime. He ate some fruit.
________________________________________________________________
3. The patient is in the next room. I can hardly hear anything.
________________________________________________________________
4. We could go camping for vacation. We could go to the beach for vacation.
________________________________________________________________
5. I want to get a better job. I am taking courses at night.
________________________________________________________________
6. I cannot move forward on this project. I cannot afford to stop on this project.
________________________________________________________________
7. Patrice wants to stop for lunch. We will take the next exit to look for a restaurant.
________________________________________________________________
8. I’ve got to get this paper done. I have class in ten minutes.
________________________________________________________________
9. The weather was clear yesterday. We decided to go on a picnic.
________________________________________________________________
10. I have never dealt with this client before. I know Leonardo has worked with them. Let’s ask Leonardo
for his help.
________________________________________________________________
EXERCISE 4
Insert commas to separate the interrupting words from the rest of the sentence.
1. I asked my neighbors the retired couple from Florida to bring in my mail.
2. Without a doubt his work has improved over the last few weeks.

24 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 3. Our professor Mr. Alamut drilled the lessons into our heads.
4. The meeting is at noon unfortunately which means I will be late for lunch.
5. We came in time for the last part of dinner but most importantly we came in time for dessert.
6. All of a sudden our network crashed and we lost our files.
7. Alex hand the wrench to me before the pipe comes loose again.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 5
Use what you have learned about using commas to edit the following letter.
March 27 2010
Alexa Marché
14 Taylor Drive Apt. 6
New Castle Maine 90342
Dear Mr. Timmons
Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I am available on Monday the fifth. I can stop by your office at
any time. Is your address still 7309 Marcourt Circle #501? Please get back to me at your earliest conve-
nience.
Thank you
Alexa

EXERCISE 6
On your own sheet of paper, use what you have learned about comma usage to edit the following para-
graphs.
1. My brother Nathaniel is a collector of many rare unusual things. He has collected lunch boxes lim-
ited edition books and hatpins at various points of his life. His current collection of unusual bottles
has over fifty pieces. Usually he sells one collection before starting another.
2. Our meeting is scheduled for Thursday March 20. In that time we need to gather all our documents
together. Alice is in charge of the timetables and schedules. Tom is in charge of updating the guide-
lines. I am in charge of the presentation. To prepare for this meeting please print out any e-mails
faxes or documents you have referred to when writing your sample.
3. It was a cool crisp autumn day when the group set out. They needed to cover several miles before
they made camp so they walked at a brisk pace. The leader of the group Garth kept checking his
watch and their GPS location. Isabelle Raoul and Maggie took turns carrying the equipment while
Carrie took notes about the wildlife they saw. As a result no one noticed the darkening sky until the
first drops of rain splattered on their faces.
4. Please have your report complete and filed by April 15 2010. In your submission letter please include
your contact information the position you are applying for and two people we can contact as refer-
ences. We will not be available for consultation after April 10 but you may contact the office if you

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 25

 have any questions. Thank you HR Department.

B Semicolons
EXERCISE 1
Correct the following sentences by adding semicolons. If the sentence is correct as it is, write OK.
1. I did not notice that you were in the office I was behind the front desk all day.
2. Do you want turkey, spinach, and cheese roast beef, lettuce, and cheese or ham, tomato, and cheese?
3. Please close the blinds there is a glare on the screen.
4. Unbelievably, no one was hurt in the accident.
5. I cannot decide if I want my room to be green, brown, and purple green, black, and brown or green,
brown, and dark red.
6. Let’s go for a walk the air is so refreshing.

C Colons
EXERCISE 1
Correct the following sentences by adding semicolons or colons where needed. If the sentence does not
need a semicolon or colon, write OK.
1. Don’t give up you never know what tomorrow brings.
________________________________________________________________
2. Our records show that the patient was admitted on March 9, 2010 January 13, 2010 and November
16, 2009.
________________________________________________________________
3. Allow me to introduce myself I am the greatest ice-carver in the world.
________________________________________________________________
4. Where I come from there are three ways to get to the grocery store by car, by bus, and by foot.
________________________________________________________________
5. Listen closely you will want to remember this speech.
________________________________________________________________
6. I have lived in Sedona, Arizona Baltimore, Maryland and Knoxville, Tennessee.
________________________________________________________________
7. The boss’s message was clear Lateness would not be tolerated.
________________________________________________________________
8. Next semester, we will read some more contemporary authors, such as Vonnegut, Miller, and Orwell.

26 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 ________________________________________________________________
9. My little sister said what we were all thinking “We should have stayed home.”
________________________________________________________________
10. Trust me I have done this before.
________________________________________________________________

D Quotes
EXERCISE 1
Correct these sentences by adding quotation marks where necessary. If the sentence does not need any
quotation marks, write OK.
1. Yasmin said, I don’t feel like cooking. Let’s go out to eat.
________________________________________________________________
2. Where should we go? said Russell.
________________________________________________________________
3. Yasmin said it didn’t matter to her.
________________________________________________________________
4. I know, said Russell, let’s go to the Two Roads Juice Bar.
________________________________________________________________
5. Perfect! said Yasmin.
________________________________________________________________
6. Did you know that the name of the Juice Bar is a reference to a poem? asked Russell.
________________________________________________________________
7. I didn’t! exclaimed Yasmin. Which poem?
________________________________________________________________
8. The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost Russell explained.
________________________________________________________________
9. Oh! said Yasmin, Is that the one that starts with the line, Two roads diverged in a yellow wood?
________________________________________________________________
10. That’s the one said Russell.
________________________________________________________________

E Apostrophes

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 27

 EXERCISE 1
Correct the following sentences by adding apostrophes. If the sentence is correct as it is, write OK.
1. “What a beautiful child! She has her mothers eyes.”
2. My brothers wife is one of my best friends.
3. I couldnt believe it when I found out that I got the job!
4. My supervisors informed me that I wouldnt be able to take the days off.
5. Each of the students responses were unique.
6. Wont you please join me for dinner tonight?

F Parentheses
EXERCISE 1
On your own sheet of paper, clarify the following sentences by adding parentheses. If the sentence is clear
as it is, write OK.
1. Are you going to the seminar this weekend I am?
2. I recommend that you try the sushi bar unless you don’t like sushi.
3. I was able to solve the puzzle after taking a few moments to think about it.
4. Please complete the questionnaire at the end of this letter.
5. Has anyone besides me read the assignment?
6. Please be sure to circle not underline the correct answers.

G Dashes
EXERCISE 1
On your own sheet of paper, clarify the following sentences by adding dashes. If the sentence is clear as it
is, write OK.
1. Which hairstyle do you prefer short or long?
2. I don’t know I hadn’t even thought about that.
3. Guess what I got the job!
4. I will be happy to work over the weekend if I can have Monday off.
5. You have all the qualities that we are looking for in a candidate intelligence, dedication, and a strong
work ethic.

H Hyphens

28 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

No Exercises

I Punctuation: End-of-Chapter Exercises

EXERCISES
1. Each sentence contains a punctuation error. Correct each sentence by adding the correct punctua-
tion. The headings will let you know which type of punctuation mistakes to look for. If the sentence
does not need corrections, write OK.
Commas
a) The wedding will be July 13 2012.
b) The date by the way is the anniversary of the day that they met.
c) The groom the bride and their parents are all planning the event.
d) Actually all of their friends and relatives are involved in the planning.
e) The bride is a baker so she will be making the wedding cake herself.
f) The photography the catering and the music will all be friends.
Semicolons
a) Some people spend a lot of money hiring people for wedding services they are lucky to have such
talented friends.
b) The flowers will be either roses, daisies, and snapdragons orchids, tulips, and irises or peonies and
lilies.
Colons
a) There will be three colors for the wedding: white, black, and gold.
b) They’ve finally narrowed down the dinner choices salmon, steak, and a vegan stew.
c) Their wedding invitations contained the following quote from the Roman poet Ovid If you want
to be loved, be lovable.
Quotes
a) The invitations said that the wedding would be “outdoor casual.”
b) “What exactly does ‘outdoor casual’ mean?” I asked the bride.
c) She told me to dress comfortably and wear shoes that do not sink into the ground.
Apostrophes
a) On the day of the wedding, were going to rent a limo.
b) My brothers wife will make the arrangements.
c) Shes a great party organizer.
Parentheses
a) On the day of the wedding, the bride looked more beautiful than ever and I’ve known her for fif-
teen years.
b) All the details were perfect in my opinion.
Dashes
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 29
 a) Everyone danced at the wedding except my mother.
b) It was to be expected she just had hip surgery.
Hyphens
a) The groom danced with his new mother in law.
b) It was a spectacular, fun filled day for everyone.
2. Each sentence contains a punctuation error. On your own sheet of paper, correct each sentence by
adding commas, semicolons, colons, apostrophes, parentheses, hyphens, and dashes as needed.
a) My mothers garden is full of beautiful flowers.
b) She has carefully planted several species of roses peonies and irises.
c) She is especially proud of her thirty year old Japanese maple tree.
d) I am especially proud of the sunflowers I planted them!
e) You should see the birds that are attracted to the garden hummingbirds, finches, robins, and spar-
rows.
f) I like to watch the hummingbirds they are my favorite.
g) We spend a lot of time in the garden planting weeding and just enjoying the view.
h) Each flower has its own personality some seem shy and others seem bold.
i) Arent gardens wonderful?
j) You should come visit sometime Do you like to garden?
3. The following paragraph contains errors in punctuation. On your own sheet of paper, correct the
paragraph by adding commas, semicolons, colons, apostrophes, parentheses, hyphens, and dashes as
needed. There may be more than one way to correct the paragraph.
May 18 2011
Dear Hiring Manager
Allow me to introduce myself in my previous position I was known as the King of Sales. I hope to
earn the same title within your company. My name is Frances Fortune. I have thirteen years expe-
rience in corporate sales and account management. I have been the top rated seller for two years in
a row in my previous position. Clients recognize me as dependable honest and resourceful. I have a
strong work ethic and great interpersonal skills. I excel at goal setting and time management. Howev-
er you don’t have to take my word for it I will be happy to provide personal and professional referenc-
es upon request. Youre welcome to contact my previous employer to inquire about my work perfor-
mance. I look forward to speaking with you in person in the near future.
Sincerely
Frances Fortune

4. Read the following paragraph. Edit by adding apostrophes, parentheses, dashes, and hyphens where
needed. There may be more than one correct way to edit some sentences. Consider how the punctua-
tion you choose affects the meaning of the sentence.
I was a little nervous about the interview it was my first in years. I had to borrow my roommates suit,
but it fit me well. A few days ago, I started to research the companys history and mission. I felt like
30 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
 I was well qualified for the job. When I arrived, I shook hands with the interviewer she had a strong
grip! It nearly caught me off guard, but I did my best to smile and relax. I was a little distracted by
all the books in the womans office she must have had a hundred books in that tiny room. However,
I think my responses to her questions were good. Ill send her an e-mail to thank her for her time.
Hopefully shell call me soon about the position.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
Writing Application
Review some of the recent or current assignments you have completed for school or work. Look through
recent business and personal e-mails. Does your work contain any errors in punctuation? Correct the
errors and compile a list of the types of errors you are correcting (commas, semicolons, colons, apos-
trophes, quotation marks, parentheses, dashes, hyphens, etc.). Use this list as a reference for the types of
punctuation marks that you should review and practice.
If you do not find many errors—great! You can still look for ways to add interest to your writing by using
dashes, semicolons, colons, and parentheses to create a variety of sentence lengths and structures.

4 Working with Words: Which Word Is Right?

A Commonly Confused Words

EXERCISE 1
Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct word.
1. My little cousin turns ________(to, too, two) years old tomorrow.
2. The next-door neighbor’s dog is ________(quite, quiet, quit) loud. He barks constantly throughout
the night.
3. ________(Your, You’re) mother called this morning to talk about the party.
4. I would rather eat a slice of chocolate cake ________(than, then) eat a chocolate muffin.
5. Before the meeting, he drank a cup of coffee and ________(than, then) brushed his teeth.
6. Do you have any ________(loose, lose) change to pay the parking meter?
7. Father must ________(have, of) left his briefcase at the office.
8. Before playing ice hockey, I was ________(suppose, supposed) to read the contract, but I only
skimmed it and signed my name quickly, which may ________(affect, effect) my understanding of

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 31

 the rules.
9. Tonight she will ________(set, sit) down and ________(right, write) a cover letter to accompany her
résumé and job application.
10. It must be fall, because the leaves ________(are, our) changing, and ________(it’s, its) getting darker
earlier.
EXERCISE 2
The following paragraph contains eleven errors. Find each misused word and correct it by adding the
proper word.

The original United States Declaration of Independence sets in a case at the Rotunda for the Charters
of Freedom as part of the National Archives in Washington, DC. Since 1952, over one million visitors
each year of passed through the Rotunda too snap a photograph to capture they’re experience. Although
signs state, “No Flash Photography,” forgetful tourists leave the flash on, an a bright light flickers for just
a millisecond. This millisecond of light may not seem like enough to effect the precious document, but
supposed how much light could be generated when all those milliseconds are added up. According to the
National Archives administrators, its enough to significantly damage the historic document. So, now, the
signs display quit a different message: “No Photography.” Visitors continue to travel to see the Declaration
that began are country, but know longer can personal pictures serve as mementos. The administrators’
compromise, they say, is a visit to the gift shop for a preprinted photograph.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
Writing Application
Review the latest assignment you completed for school or for work. Does it contain any commonly con-
fused words? Circle each example and use the circled words to begin your own checklist of commonly
confused words. Continue to add to your checklist each time you complete an assignment and find a
misused word.

B Spelling
EXERCISE 1
Identify and correct the nine misspelled words in the following paragraph.

Sherman J. Alexie Jr. was born in October 1966. He is a Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Indian and an American
writer, poet, and filmmaker. Alexie was born with hydrocephalus, or water on the brain. This condition
led doctors to predict that he would likly suffer long-term brain damage and possibly mental retardation.
Although Alexie survived with no mental disabilitys, he did suffer other serious side effects from his con-

32 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

dition that plagud him throughout his childhood. Amazingly, Alexie learned to read by the age of three,
and by age five he had read novels such as John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Raised on an Indian res-
ervation, Alexie often felt aleinated from his peers due to his avid love for reading and also from the long-
term effects of his illness, which often kept him from socializeing with his peers on the reservation. The
reading skills he displaid at such a young age foreshadowed what he would later become. Today Alexie is
a prolific and successful writer with several story anthologeis to his credit, noteably The Lone Ranger and
Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and The Toughest Indian in the World. Most of his fiction is about contempo-
rary Native Americans who are influenced by pop culture and pow wows and everything in between. His
work is sometimes funny but always thoughtful and full of richness and depth. Alexie also writes poetry,
novels, and screenplays. His latest collection of storys is calledWar Dances, which came out in 2009.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 2
Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct homonym.
1. Do you agree with the underlying ________(principle, principal) that ensures copyrights are pro-
tected in the digital age?
2. I like to ________(where, wear, ware) unique clothing from thrift stores that do not have company
logos on them.
3. Marjorie felt like she was being ________(led, lead) on a wild goose chase, and she did not like it one
bit.
4. Serina described ________(witch, which) house was hers, but now that I am here, they all look the
same.
5. Seeing his friend without a lunch, Miguel gave her a ________(peace, piece) of his apple.
6. Do you think that it is healthy for mother to talk about the ________(passed, past) all the time?
7. Eating healthier foods will ________(lessen, lesson) the risk of heart disease.
8. I know it sounds cliché, but my father had the ________(patients, patience) of a saint.
9. Daniela ________(sees, seas, seize) possibilities in the bleakest situations, and that it is why she is
successful.
10. Everyone goes ________(through, threw) hardships in life regardless of who they are.
EXERCISE 3
Identify and correct the ten commonly misspelled words in the following paragraph.

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs that make up New York City. It is located on the eastern shore of
Long Island directly accross the East River from the island of Manhattan. Its beginings stretch back to the
sixteenth century when it was founded by the Dutch who originally called it “Breuckelen.” Immedietely

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 33

after the Dutch settled Brooklyn, it came under British rule. However, neither the Dutch nor the British
were Brooklyn’s first inhabitants. When European settlers first arrived, Brooklyn was largely inhabited by
the Lenapi, a collective name for several organized bands of Native American people who settled a large
area of land that extended from upstate New York through the entire state of New Jersey. They are some-
times referred to as the Delaware Indians. Over time, the Lenapi succumbed to European diseases or
conflicts between European settlers or other Native American enemies. Finalley they were pushed out of
Brooklyn completely by the British.
In 1776, Brooklyn was the site of the first importent battle of the American Revolution known as the
Battle of Brooklyn. The colonists lost this battle, which was led by George Washington, but over the next
two years they would win the war, kicking the British out of the colonies once and for all.
By the end of the nineteenth century, Brooklyn grew to be a city in its own right. The completion of
the Brooklyn Bridge was an ocasion for celebration; transportation and commerce between Brooklyn
and Manhattan now became much easier. Eventually, in 1898, Brooklyn lost its seperate identity as an
independent city and became one of five boroughs of New York City. However, in some people’s opin-
ien, the intagration into New York City should have never happened; they though Brooklyn should have
remained an independent city.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
Writing Application
What is your definition of a successful person? Is it based on a person’s profession or is it based on his or
her character? Perhaps success means a combination of both. In one paragraph, describe in detail what
you think makes a person successful. When you are finished, proofread your work for spelling errors.
Exchange papers with a partner and read each other’s work. See if you catch any spelling errors that your
partner missed.

C Word Choice
In each of the following items, you will find words with similar denotations. Identify the words’ connota-
tions as positive (+), negative (-), or neutral (?) by writing symbol (+, -, or ?) above each word.
1. curious, nosy, interested
2. lazy, relaxed, slow
3. courageous, foolhardy, assured
4. new, newfangled, modern
5. mansion, shack, residence
6. spinster, unmarried woman, career woman

34 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 7. giggle, laugh, cackle
8. boring, routine, prosaic
9. noted, notorious, famous
10. assertive, confident, pushy
EXERCISE 2
Edit the following paragraph by replacing the slang words and phrases with more formal language. Re-
write the paragraph on your own sheet of paper.

I felt like such an airhead when I got up to give my speech. As I walked toward the podium, I banged my
knee on a chair. Man, I felt like such a klutz. On top of that, I kept saying “like” and “um,” and I could not
stop fidgeting. I was so stressed out about being up there. I feel like I’ve been practicing this speech 24/7,
and I still bombed. It was ten minutes of me going off about how we sometimes have to do things we
don’t enjoy doing. Wow, did I ever prove my point. My speech was so bad I’m surprised that people didn’t
boo. My teacher said not to sweat it, though. Everyone gets nervous his or her first time speaking in pub-
lic, and she said, with time, I would become a whiz at this speech giving stuff. I wonder if I have the guts
to do it again.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 3
Revise the following sentences by replacing the clichés with fresh, original descriptions.

1. She is writing a memoir in which she will air her family’s dirty laundry.
2. Fran had an ax to grind with Benny, and she planned to confront him that night at the party.
3. Mr. Muller was at his wit’s end with the rowdy class of seventh graders.
4. The bottom line is that Greg was fired because he missed too many days of work.
5. Sometimes it is hard to make ends meet with just one paycheck.
6. My brain is fried from pulling an all-nighter.
7. Maria left the dishes in the sink all week to give Jeff a taste of his own medicine.
8. While they were at the carnival Janice exclaimed, “Time sure does fly when you are having fun!”
9. Jeremy became tongue-tied after the interviewer asked him where he saw himself in five years.
10. Jordan was dressed to the nines that night.
EXERCISE 4
Revise the following sentences by replacing the overly general words with more precise and attractive
language.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 35

 1. Reilly got into her car and drove off.
2. I would like to travel to outer space because it would be amazing.
3. Jane came home after a bad day at the office.
4. I thought Milo’s essay was fascinating.
5. The dog walked up the street.
6. The coal miners were tired after a long day.
7. The tropical fish are pretty.
8. I sweat a lot after running.
9. The goalie blocked the shot.
10. I enjoyed my Mexican meal.
Writing Application
Review a piece of writing that you have completed for school. Circle any sentences with slang, clichés, or
overly general words and rewrite them using stronger language.

D Prefixes and Suffixes

EXERCISE 1
Identify the five words with prefixes in the following paragraph, and write each word and its meaning
below.

At first, I thought one of my fuzzy, orange socks disappeared in the dryer, but I could not find it in there.
Because it was my favorite pair, nothing was going to prevent me from finding that sock. I looked all
around my bedroom, under the bed, on top of the bed, and in my closet, but I still could not find it. I did
not know that I would discover the answer just as I gave up my search. As I sat down on the couch in the
family room, my Dad was reclining on his chair. I laughed when I saw that one of his feet was orange and
the other blue! I forgot that he was color-blind. Next time he does laundry I will have to supervise him
while he folds the socks so that he does not accidentally take one of mine!
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
36 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 2
Add the correct prefix to the word to complete each sentence.

1. I wanted to ease my stomach ________comfort, so I drank some ginger root tea.

2. Lenny looked funny in his ________matched shirt and pants.
3. Penelope felt ________glamorous at the party because she was the only one not wearing a dress.
4. My mother said those ________aging creams do not work, so I should not waste my money on
them.
5. The child’s ________standard performance on the test alarmed his parents.
6. When my sister first saw the meteor, she thought it was a ________natural phenomenon.
7. Even though she got an excellent job offer, Cherie did not want to ________locate to a different
country.
8. With a small class size, the students get to ________act with the teacher more frequently.
9. I slipped on the ice because I did not heed the ________cautions about watching my step.
10. A ________combatant is another word for civilian.
EXERCISE 3
Write correctly the forms of the words with their suffixes.

1. refer + ed
2. refer + ence
3. mope + ing
4. approve + al
5. green + ness
6. benefit + ed
7. resubmit + ing
8. use + age
9. greedy + ly
10. excite + ment
Writing Application
Write a paragraph describing one of your life goals. Include five words with prefixes and five words with
suffixes. Exchange papers with a classmate and circle the prefixes and suffixes in your classmate’s paper.
Correct each prefix or suffix that is spelled incorrectly.

E Synonyms and Antonyms

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 37

 EXERCISE 1
Replace the underlined words in the paragraph with appropriate synonyms.

When most people think of the Renaissance, they might think of artists like Michelangelo, Raphael, or
Leonardo da Vinci, but they often overlook one of the very important figures of the Renaissance: Filippo
Brunelleschi. Brunelleschi was born in Florence, Italy in 1377. He is considered the very best architect
and engineer of the Renaissance. His impressive accomplishments are a testament to following one’s
dreams, persevering in the face of obstacles, and realizing one’s vision.
The most difficult undertaking of Brunelleschi’s career was the dome of Florence Cathedral, which took
sixteen years to construct. A major blow to the progress of the construction happened in 1428. Brunelles-
chi had designed a special ship to carry the one hundred tons of marble needed for the dome. He felt
this would be the most inexpensive way to transport the marble, but the unthinkable happened. The ship
went down to the bottom of the water, taking all the marble with it to the bottom of the river. Brunelles-
chi was really sad. Nevertheless, he did not give up. He held true to his vision of the completed dome.
Filippo Brunelleschi completed construction of the dome of Florence Cathedral in 1446. His influence on
artists and architects alike was felt strongly during his lifetime and can still be felt in this day and age.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 2
Write a sentence with each of the following words that illustrates the specific meaning of each synonym.

1. leave, abandon

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. mad, insane

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. outside, exterior

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. poor, destitute

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
38 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
 5. quiet, peaceful

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. riot, revolt

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
7. rude, impolite

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
8. talk, conversation

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
9. hug, embrace

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
10. home, residence

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 3
Correct the following sentences by replacing the underlined words with an antonym.

1. The pilot who landed the plane was a coward because no one was injured.
2. Even though the botany lecture was two hours long, Gerard found it incredibly dull.
3. My mother says it is impolite to say thank you like you really mean it.
4. Although I have learned a lot of information through textbooks, it is life experience that has given
me ignorance.
5. When our instructor said the final paper was compulsory, it was music to my ears!
6. My only virtues are coffee, video games, and really loud music.
7. Elvin was so bold when he walked in the classroom that he sat in the back row and did not partici-

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 39

 pate.
8. Maria thinks elephants who live in freedom have a sad look in their eyes.
9. The teacher filled her students’ minds with gloomy thoughts about their futures.
10. The guest attended to every one of our needs.
Writing Application
Write a paragraph that describes your favorite dish or food. Use as many synonyms as you can in the
description, even if it seems too many. Be creative. Consult a thesaurus, and take this opportunity to use
words you have never used before. Be prepared to share your paragraph.

F Using Context Clues

EXERCISE 1
Identify the context clue that helps define the underlined words in each of the following sentences.

1. Lucinda is very adroit on the balance beam, but Constance is rather clumsy.
2. I saw the entomologist, a scientist who studies insects, cradle the giant dung beetle in her palm.
3. Lance’s comments about politics were irrelevant and meaningless to the botanist’s lecture on plant
reproduction.
4. Before I left for my trip to the Czech Republic, I listened to my mother’s sage advice and made a copy
of my passport.
5. His rancor, or hatred, for socializing resulted in a life of loneliness and boredom.
6. Martin was mortified, way beyond embarrassment, when his friends teamed up to shove him into
the pool.
7. The petulant four-year-old had a baby sister who was, on the contrary, not grouchy at all.
8. The philosophy teacher presented the students with several conundrums, or riddles, to solve.
9. Most Americans are omnivores, people that eat both plants and animals.
10. Elena is effervescent, as excited as a cheerleader, for example, when she meets someone for the first
time.
EXERCISE 2
Write the name of the context clue that helps to define the underlined words.

Maggie was a precocious child to say the least. She produced brilliant watercolor paintings by the age of
three. At first, her parents were flabbergasted—utterly blown away—by their daughter’s ability, but soon
they got used to their little painter. Her preschool teacher said that Maggie’s dexterity, or ease with which
she used her hands, was something she had never before seen in such a young child. Little Maggie never
gloated or took pride in her paintings; she just smiled contentedly when she finished one and request-
ed her parents give it to someone as a gift. Whenever people met Maggie for the first time they often

40 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

watched her paint with their mouths agape, but her parents always kept their mouths closed and simply
smiled over their “little Monet.”

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
Writing Application
Write a paragraph describing your first job. In the paragraph, use five words previously unknown to you.
These words could be jargon words or you may consult a dictionary or thesaurus to find a new word.
Make sure to provide a specific context clue for understanding each word. Exchange papers with a class-
mate and try to decipher the meaning of the words in each other’s paragraphs based on the context clues.

G Working with Words: End-of-Chapter Exercises

EXERCISES
1. Proofread the paragraph and correct any commonly confused words and misspelled words.
Grunge, or the Seattle sound, is a type of rock music that became quiet popular in the late 1980s and
early 1990s. It began in Seattle, Washington. Grunge musicians rejected the dramatic an expensive stage
productions that were trendy at the time. There music was striped down with an emphasis on distort-
ed electric guitars. Grunge musicians did not ware makeup or sport extravagent hairstyles like many of
the day’s rock musicians and bands. Many grunge musicians would by they’re clothes from secondhand
stores. The lyrics too grunge songs were also quit different compared two what was populer at the time.
Grunge lyrics are charecterized by dark or socially conscience themes. Grunge music is still admired
today buy music lovers of all ages.
2. Complete the following sentences by filling in the blank line with the correct homonym or frequently
misspelled word.
a. Kevin asked me a serious question and ________(then, than) interrupted me when I attempted to
answer.
b. A hot compress will ________(lessen, lesson) the pain of muscle cramps.
c. Jason was not a graceful ________(looser, loser) because he knocked his chair over and stormed
off the basketball court.
d. Please consider the ________(effects, affects) of not getting enough green vegetables in your diet.
e. ________(Except, Accept) for Ajay, we all had our tickets to the play.
f. I am ________(threw, through) with this magazine, so you can read it if you like.
g. I don’t care ________(whose, who’s) coming to the party and ________(whose, who’s) not.
h. Crystal could ________(sea, see) the soaring hawk through her binoculars.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 41

 i. The ________(principal, principle) gave the students a very long lecture about peer pressure.
j. Dr. Frankl nearly lost his ________(patience, patients) with one of his ________(patience, pa-
tients).
3. Rewrite the following personal essay by replacing the slang, clichés, and overly general language with
stronger, more precise language.
My biggest regret happened in high school. I had always felt like a fish out of water, so during my soph-
omore year I was determined to fit in with the cool people. Man, was that an uphill battle. I don’t even
know why I tried, but hindsight is 20/20 I guess. The first thing I did was change the way I dressed. I went
from wearing clothes I was comfortable in to wearing stuff that was so not me. Then I started wearing
a ton of makeup, and my brother was all like, “What happened to your face?” Not only did my looks
change, my personality changed a lot too. I started to act all stuck up and bossy with my friends, and they
didn’t know how to respond to this person that used to be me. Luckily, this phase didn’t last more than a
couple of months. I decided it was more fun to be me than to try to be someone else. I guess you can’t fit
a square peg in a round hole after all.
4. Write the correct synonym for each word.
a. lenient ________(relaxed, callous)
b. abandon ________(vacate, deceive)
c. berate ________(criticize, encourage)
d. experienced ________(callow, matured)
e. spiteful ________(malevolent, mellow)
f. tame ________(subdued, wild)
g. tasty ________(savory, bland)
h. banal ________(common, interesting)
i. contradict ________(deny, revolt)
j. vain ________(boastful, simple)

5 Help for English Language Learners

A Word Order
EXERCISE 1
Underline the prepositional phrases in these sentences.

42 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 1. Linda and Javier danced under the stars.
2. Each person has an opinion about the topic.
3. The fans walked through the gates.
4. Jamyra ran around the track.
5. Maria celebrated her birthday in January.
EXERCISE 2
Identify the subject, verb, direct object, and indirect object in the following sentences.

1. Captain Kirk told the crew a story.

2. Jermaine gave his girlfriend a dozen yellow tulips.
3. That hospital offers nurses better pay.
4. Dad served Grandma a delicious dinner.
5. Mom bought herself a new car.
EXERCISE 3
Rewrite the sentences in the correct order. If the sentence is correct as it is, write OK.

1. The pizza Jeannine burnt.

______________________________________________________
2. To the Mexican restaurant we had to go for dinner.

______________________________________________________
3. Jeannine loved the food.

______________________________________________________
4. So full were we during the walk home.

______________________________________________________
5. I will make the pizza next time.

______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 4
Create questions from the following sentences.

1. Slumdog Millionaire is a film directed by Danny Boyle.

______________________________________________________
2. The story centers on a character named Jamal Malik.

______________________________________________________
3. He and his older brother find different ways to escape the slums.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 43

______________________________________________________
4. His brother, Salim, pursues a life of crime.

______________________________________________________
5. Jamal ends up on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 5
Place the following sets of adjectives in the correct order before the noun. The first one has been done for
you.

1. book: old, small, Spanish

a small old Spanish book (age, size, ethnicity)
2. photograph: new, strange

______________________________________________________
3. suit: wool, green, funny

______________________________________________________
4. opinion: refreshing, new

______________________________________________________
5. dress: fashionable, purple

______________________________________________________

B Negative Statements
EXERCISE 1
Rewrite the positive sentences as negative sentences. Be sure to keep the sentences in the present tense.

1. Everybody is happy about the mandatory lunch.

______________________________________________________
2. Deborah likes to visit online dating sites.

______________________________________________________
3. Jordan donates blood every six months.

______________________________________________________
4. Our writing instructor is very effective.

______________________________________________________

44 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 5. That beautiful papaya is cheap.

______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 2
Rewrite the following paragraph by correcting the errors in the past-tense negative sentences.

Celeste no did call me when she reached North Carolina. I was worried because she not drove alone
before. She was going to meet her friend, Terry, who lived in a town called Asheville, North Carolina. I
did never want to worry, but she said she was going to call when she reached there. Finally, four hours
later, she called and said, “Mom, I’m sorry I did not call. I lost track of time because I was so happy to see
Terry!” I was relieved.

Collaboration ‘'
Once you have found all the errors you can, please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Did
your partner find an error you missed? Did you find an error your partner missed? Compare with your
instructor’s answers.
EXERCISE 3
Correct the double negatives and rewrite the following sentences.

1. Jose didn’t like none of the choices on the menu.

______________________________________________________
2. Brittany can’t make no friends with nobody.

______________________________________________________
3. The Southwest hardly had no rain last summer.

______________________________________________________
4. My kids never get into no trouble.

______________________________________________________
5. I could not do nothing about the past.

______________________________________________________
Writing Application
Write a paragraph describing your favorite meal. Use rich, colorful language to describe the meal. Ex-
change papers with a classmate and read his or her paragraph. Then rewrite each sentence of your class-
mate’s paragraph using negatives. Be sure to avoid double negatives. Share your negative paragraphs with
each other.

C Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 45
 EXERCISE 1
On a separate sheet of paper, label each of the following nouns as count or noncount.
1. Electricity ________
2. Water ________
3. Book ________
4. Sculpture ________
5. Advice ________
EXERCISE 2
On a separate sheet of paper, identify whether the italicized noun in the sentence is a count or noncount
noun by writing C or NC above the noun.

1. The amount of traffic on the way home was terrible.

2. Forgiveness is an important part of growing up.
3. I made caramel sauce for the organic apples I bought.
4. I prefer film cameras instead of digital ones.
5. My favorite subject is history.
EXERCISE 3
On a separate sheet of paper, write the correct article in the blank for each of the following sentences.
Write OK if the sentence is correct.

1. (A/An/The) camel can live for days without water. ________

2. I enjoyed (a/an/the) pastries at the Bar Mitzvah. ________
3. (A/An/The) politician spoke of many important issues. ________
4. I really enjoyed (a/an/the) actor’s performance in the play. ________
5. (A/An/The) goal I have is to run a marathon this year. ________
EXERCISE 4
Correct the misused or missing articles and rewrite the paragraph.

Stars are large balls of spinning hot gas like our sun. The stars look tiny because they are far away. Many
of them are much larger than sun. Did you know that a Milky Way galaxy has between two hundred
billion and four hundred billion stars in it? Scientists estimate that there may be as many as five hundred
billion galaxies in an entire universe! Just like a human being, the star has a life cycle from birth to death,
but its lifespan is billions of years long. The star is born in a cloud of cosmic gas and dust called a nebula.
Our sun was born in the nebula nearly five billion years ago. Photographs of the star-forming nebulas are
astonishing.

Collaboration ‘'
46 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
Once you have found all the errors you can, share with a classmate and compare your answers. Did your
partner find an error you missed? Did you find an error your partner missed? Compare with your in-
structor’s answers.
Writing Application
Write five sentences using the definite article the. Write five sentences using the indefinite article a or an.
Exchange papers with a classmate and check each other’s work.

D Pronouns
EXERCISE 1
Complete the following sentences by circling the correct pronoun.

1. Unfortunately, the house was too expensive for (we, us, they).
2. I completed (mine, my, your) research paper, and she completed (his, hers, theirs).
3. My dog Buster is old, but (he, it, them) is very playful.
4. That ring belongs to my father, so it is (hers, his, theirs).
5. I cannot find my textbook, so I think (they, it, he) is lost.
EXERCISE 2
Correct the following sentences that have pronoun errors. If the sentence is correct as it is, write OK.

1. Us are going to the county fair this weekend.

2. Steven did not want to see a movie because she had a headache.
3. The teacher congratulated Maria and me.
4. The eighth grade students they were all behaving mysteriously well.
5. Derrick and he received the best grade on the grammar test.
EXERCISE 3
Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct relative pronoun.

1. He showed me a photo (who, that) upset me.

2. Soccer is a fast moving game (who, that) has many fans worldwide.
3. Juan is a man (which, who) has high standards for everything.
4. Jamaica is a beautiful country (that, who) I would like to visit next year.
5. My mother only eats bananas (who, that) are green.
EXERCISE 4
Combine the two sentences into one sentence using a relative pronoun.

1. Jeff is a dependable person. He will never let you down.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 47

 2. I rode a roller coaster. It was scary.
3. At the beach, I always dig my feet into the sand. It protects them from the hot sun.
4. Jackie is trying not to use so many plastic products. They are not good for the environment.
5. My Aunt Sherry is teaching me how to drive. She has never been in accident or gotten a ticket.
Writing Application
Proofread a piece of your writing for the types of pronoun errors discussed in this section. Correct any
errors you come across.

E Verb Tenses
EXERCISE 1
Complete the following sentences by adding the verb in the correct simple tense.
1. Please do not (erase, erased, will erase) what I have written on the board.
2. They (dance, danced, will dance) for hours after the party was over.
3. Harrison (wash, washed, will wash) his laundry after several weeks had passed.
4. Yesterday Mom (ask, asked, will ask) me about my plans for college.
5. I (bake, baked, will bake) several dozen cookies for tomorrow’s bake sale.
EXERCISE 2
Correct the verb tense mistakes in the following paragraph.

Last summer, I walk around Walden Pond. Walden Pond is in Concord, Massachusetts. It is where the
philosopher Henry David Thoreau will live during the mid-nineteenth century. During his time there, he
wrote a book called Walden. Walden is a book of Thoreau’s reflections on the natural environment. It will
be consider a classic in American literature. I did not know that Walden Pond is consider the birthplace
of the environmental movement. It was very relaxing there. I will listen to birds, frogs, and crickets, not
to mention the peaceful sound of the pond itself.

Collaboration ‘'
Once you have found all the errors you can, please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Did
your partner find an error you missed? Did you find an error your partner missed? Compare with your
instructor’s answers.
EXERCISE 3
Complete the following sentences by circling the correct form of the verbs to be, to have, and to do in the
three simple tenses.

1. Stefan always (do, does, will do) his taxes the day before they are due.

48 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 2. We (are, is, was) planning a surprise birthday party for my mother.
3. Turtles (have, had, has) the most beautiful patterns on their shells.
4. I always (do, did, will do) my homework before dinner, so I can eat in peace.
5. You (is, are, was) so much smarter than you think!
EXERCISE 4
Complete the following sentences by using the correct perfect verb tense for the verb in parentheses.
1. I plan to start a compost bin because I ________ (to want) one for a long time now.
2. My brother told me he ________ (to argue) with his friend about politics.
3. By the time we reach the mountain top the sun ________ (to set).
4. Denise ________ (to walk) several miles in the past three hours.
5. His mother ________ (to offer) to pay him to work in her office.
EXERCISE 5
Revise the following sentences, written in simple tenses, using the progressive tenses indicated in paren-
theses.

1. He prepared the food while I watched. (past progressive tense)

2. Jonathan will speak at the conference. (future progressive)
3. Josie traveled to Egypt last July. (past progressive tense)
4. My foot aches, so I know it will rain. (present progressive tense)
5. Micah will talk a lot when I see him. (future progressive)
6. I yawn a lot because I feel tired. (present progressive tense)
EXERCISE 6
Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct infinitive or gerund.

1. I meant ________ (to kiss, kissing) my kids before they left for school.
2. The children hoped (to go, going) to a restaurant for dinner.
3. Do you intend ________ (to eat, eating) the entire pie?
4. Crystal postponed ________ (to get dressed, getting dressed) for the party.
5. When we finish ________ (to play, playing) this game, we will go home.
Writing Application
Write about a lively event that is either remembered or imagined. Ask yourself the following three ques-
tions: What happened during the event? What happened after the event? Looking back, what do you
think of the event now? Answer each question in a separate paragraph to keep the present, past, and
future tense verbs separate.

F Modal Auxiliaries
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 49
 EXERCISE 1
Edit the following paragraph by correcting the common modal auxiliary errors.

I may to go to France on vacation next summer. I shall might visit the Palace of Versailles. I would to
drive around the countryside. I could imagining myself living there; however, I will not move to France
because my family should miss me very much.
EXERCISE 2
On a separate sheet of paper, complete the following sentences by changing the given verb form to a
modal auxiliary in present perfect tense.

1. The man ________ (laugh).

2. The frogs ________ (croak).
3. My writing teacher ________ (smile).
4. The audience ________ (cheer) all night.
5. My best friend ________ (giggled).
Writing Application
On a separate sheet of paper, write ten original sentences using modal auxiliaries.

G Prepositions
EXERCISE 1
Edit the following letter from a resident to her landlord by correcting errors within, at, and on.
Dear Mrs. Salazar,

I am writing this letter to inform you that I will be vacating apartment 2A in 356 Maple Street at Wednes-
day, June 30, 2010. I will be cleaning the apartment at the Monday before I leave. I will return the keys to
you on 5 p.m., sharp, at June 30. If you have any questions or specific instructions for me, please contact
me in my office. I have enjoyed living at Austin, Texas, but I want to explore other parts of the country
now.
Sincerely,
Milani Davis
EXERCISE 2
On a separate sheet of paper, complete the following sentences by writing the correct preposition after the
verb.

1. Charlotte does not ________ (apologize for, believe in) aliens or ghosts.
2. It is impolite to ________ (hear about, talk about) people when they are not here.
3. Herman said he was going to ________ (believe in, apply for) the internship.
50 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
 4. Jonas would not ________ (talk about, apologize for) eating the last piece of cake.
5. I ________ (care about, agree with) the environment very much.
EXERCISE 3
On a separate sheet of paper, complete the following sentences by writing the correct preposition after the
verb.

1. Meera was deeply ________ (interested in, thankful for) marine biology.
2. I was ________ (jealous of, disappointed in) the season finale of my favorite show.
3. Jordan won the race, and I am ________ (happy for, interested in) him.
4. The lawyer was ________ (thankful for, confused about) the details of the case.
5. Chloe was ________ (dressed in, tired of) a comfortable blue tunic.
Writing Application
Write about a happy childhood memory using as many prepositions followed by verbs and adjectives as
you can. Use at least ten. When you are finished, exchange papers with a classmate and correct any prep-
osition errors you find.

H Slang and Idioms

EXERCISE 1
Edit the business e-mail by replacing any slang words and phrases with more formal language.
Dear Ms. O’Connor:

I am writing to follow up on my interview from last week. First of all, it was awesome to meet you. You
are a really cool lady. I believe I would be a pro at all the stuff you mentioned that would be required of
me in this job. I am not a workaholic, but I do work hard and “take care of business.” Haha. Please con-
tact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
M. Ernest Anderson
Writing Application
Write a short paragraph about yourself to a friend. Write another paragraph about yourself to an employ-
er. Examine and discuss the differences in language between the two paragraphs.

I Help for English Language Learners:

End-of-Chapter Exercises
EXERCISES
1. On a separate sheet of paper, create questions from the following sentences.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 51

 a. My daughter will have to think about her college options.
b. Otto is waiting in the car for his girlfriend.
c. The article talks about conserving energy.
d. We need to reduce our needs.
e. Rusha is always complaining about her work.
2. Underline the prepositional phrase in each of the following sentences.
a) Monica told us about her trip.
b) I hope we have sunshine throughout the summer.
c) The panther climbed up the tree.
d) The little boy was standing behind his mother’s legs.
e) We stayed awake until dawn.
3. Place the following sets of adjectives in the correct order before the noun.
a) eyes: black, mesmerizing
b) jacket: vintage, orange, suede
c) pineapple: ripe, yellow, sweet
d) vacation: fun, skiing
e) movie: hilarious, independent
4. On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the positive sentences as negative sentences. Be sure to keep the
sentences in the present tense.
a) Sometimes I work on Saturdays.
b) The garden attracts butterflies and bees.
c) He breathes loudly at night.
d) I chew on blades of grass in the summer time.
e) I communicate well with my husband.
5.On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the following paragraph by correcting the double negatives.
That morning it was so hot Forrest felt like he couldn’t hardly breathe. Ain’t nothing would get him out
the door into that scorching heat. Then he remembered his dog, Zeus, who started whining right then.
Zeus was whining and barking so much that Forrest didn’t have no choice but to get off the couch and
face the day. That dog didn’t do nothing but sniff around the bushes and try to stay in the shade while
Forrest was sweating in the sun holding the leash. He couldn’t not wait for winter to come.

Collaboration ‘'
Once you have found all the errors you can, please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Did
your partner find an error you missed? Did you find an error your partner missed? Compare with your

52 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

instructor’s answers.

6 Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and

Shaping Content

A Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content

EXERCISE 1
Read the following paragraphs about four films and then identify the purpose of each paragraph.

1. This film could easily have been cut down to less than two hours. By the final scene, I noticed that
most of my fellow moviegoers were snoozing in their seats and were barely paying attention to what
was happening on screen. Although the director sticks diligently to the book, he tries too hard to
cram in all the action, which is just too ambitious for such a detail-oriented story. If you want my
advice, read the book and give the movie a miss.
2. During the opening scene, we learn that the character Laura is adopted and that she has spent the
past three years desperately trying to track down her real parents. Having exhausted all the usual
options—adoption agencies, online searches, family trees, and so on—she is on the verge of giving
up when she meets a stranger on a bus. The chance encounter leads to a complicated chain of events
that ultimately result in Laura getting her lifelong wish. But is it really what she wants? Throughout
the rest of the film, Laura discovers that sometimes the past is best left where it belongs.
3. To create the feeling of being gripped in a vice, the director, May Lee, uses a variety of elements to
gradually increase the tension. The creepy, haunting melody that subtly enhances the earlier scenes
becomes ever more insistent, rising to a disturbing crescendo toward the end of the movie. The des-
peration of the actors, combined with the claustrophobic atmosphere and tight camera angles create
a realistic firestorm, from which there is little hope of escape. Walking out of the theater at the end
feels like staggering out of a Roman dungeon.
4. The scene in which Campbell and his fellow prisoners assist the guards in shutting down the riot im-
mediately strikes the viewer as unrealistic. Based on the recent reports on prison riots in both Detroit
and California, it seems highly unlikely that a posse of hardened criminals will intentionally help
their captors at the risk of inciting future revenge from other inmates. Instead, both news reports and
psychological studies indicate that prisoners who do not actively participate in a riot will go back to
their cells and avoid conflict altogether. Examples of this lack of attention to detail occur throughout
the film, making it almost unbearable to watch.

Collaboration ‘'
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 53
Share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 2
Consider the essay most recently assigned to you. Identify the most effective academic purpose for the
assignment.

My assignment: ____________________________________________
My purpose: ____________________________________________
EXERCISE 3
On your own sheet of paper, generate a list of characteristics under each category for each audience. This
list will help you later when you read about tone and content.

1. Your classmates
• Demographics ____________________________________________
• Education ____________________________________________
• Prior knowledge ____________________________________________
• Expectations ____________________________________________
2. Your instructor
• Demographics ____________________________________________
• Education ____________________________________________
• Prior knowledge ____________________________________________
• Expectations ____________________________________________
3. The head of your academic department
• Demographics ____________________________________________
• Education ____________________________________________
• Prior knowledge ____________________________________________
• Expectations ____________________________________________
4. Now think about your next writing assignment. Identify the purpose (you may use the same purpose
listed in Note 6.12 “Exercise 2”), and then identify the audience. Create a list of characteristics under
each category.
My assignment: ____________________________________________
My purpose: ____________________________________________
My audience: ____________________________________________

• Demographics ____________________________________________
• Education ____________________________________________
• Prior knowledge ____________________________________________
• Expectations ____________________________________________

54 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 4
Think about the assignment and purpose you selected “Exercise 2”, and the audience you selected in “Ex-
ercise 3”. Now, identify the tone you would use in the assignment.
My assignment: ____________________________________________
My purpose: ____________________________________________
My audience: ____________________________________________
My tone: ____________________________________________

EXERCISE 5
Match the content in the box to the appropriate audience and purpose. On your own sheet of paper, write
the correct letter next to the number.

1. Whereas economist Holmes contends that the financial crisis is far from over, the presidential advi-
sor Jones points out that it is vital to catch the first wave of opportunity to increase market share. We
can use elements of both experts’ visions. Let me explain how.
2. In 2000, foreign money flowed into the United States, contributing to easy credit conditions. People
bought larger houses than they could afford, eventually defaulting on their loans as interest rates
rose.
3. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, known by most of us as the humungous government
bailout, caused mixed reactions. Although supported by many political leaders, the statute provoked
outrage among grassroots groups. In their opinion, the government was actually rewarding banks for
their appalling behavior.
1. Audience: An instructor
Purpose: To analyze the reasons behind the 2007 financial crisis
Content: ____________________________________________
2. Audience: Classmates
Purpose: To summarize the effects of the $700 billion government bailout
Content: ____________________________________________
3. Audience: An employer
Purpose: To synthesize two articles on preparing businesses for economic recovery
Content: ____________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 55

 EXERCISE 6
Using the assignment, purpose, audience, and tone from “Exercise 4”, generate a list of content ideas.
Remember that content consists of examples, statistics, facts, anecdotes, testimonies, and observations.

My assignment: ____________________________________________
My purpose: ____________________________________________
My audience: ____________________________________________
My tone: ____________________________________________
My content ideas: ____________________________________________

B Effective Means for Writing a Paragraph

EXERCISE 1
Circle the main idea and underline the controlling idea in each of the following topic sentences.

1. Exercising three times a week is the only way to maintain good physical health.
2. Sexism and racism are still rampant in today’s workplace.
3. Raising the legal driving age to twenty-one would decrease road traffic accidents.
4. Owning a business is the only way to achieve financial success.
5. Dog owners should be prohibited from taking their pets on public beaches.
EXERCISE 2
Choose the most effective topic sentence from the following sentence pairs.

1. a. This paper will discuss the likelihood of the Democrats winning the next election.
b. To boost their chances of winning the next election, the Democrats need to listen to public opin-
ion.
2. a. The unrealistic demands of union workers are crippling the economy for three main reasons.
b. Union workers are crippling the economy because companies are unable to remain competitive as
a result of added financial pressure.
3. a. Authors are losing money as a result of technological advances.
b. The introduction of new technology will devastate the literary world.
4. a. Rap music is produced by untalented individuals with oversized egos.
b. This essay will consider whether talent is required in the rap music industry.
EXERCISE 3
Using the tips on developing effective topic sentences in this section, create a topic sentence on each of
the following subjects. Remember to include a controlling idea as well as a main idea. Write your re-
sponses on your own sheet of paper.

1. An endangered species
56 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
____________________________________________
2. The cost of fuel
____________________________________________
3. The legal drinking age
____________________________________________
4. A controversial film or novel
____________________________________________
EXERCISE 4
Identify the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentence in the following paragraph.

The desert provides a harsh environment in which few mammals are able to adapt. Of these hardy crea-
tures, the kangaroo rat is possibly the most fascinating. Able to live in some of the most arid parts of the
southwest, the kangaroo rat neither sweats nor pants to keep cool. Its specialized kidneys enable it to sur-
vive on a miniscule amount of water. Unlike other desert creatures, the kangaroo rat does not store water
in its body but instead is able to convert the dry seeds it eats into moisture. Its ability to adapt to such a
hostile environment makes the kangaroo rat a truly amazing creature.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 5
On your own paper, write one example of each type of concluding sentence based on a topic of your
choice.

EXERCISE 6
Using your own paper, write a paragraph on a topic of your choice. Be sure to include a topic sentence,
supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence and to use transitional words and phrases to link your
ideas together.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

C Writing Paragraphs: End-of-Chapter Exercises

EXERCISES
1. Select one of the following topics or choose a topic of your choice:
• Drilling for oil in Alaska
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 57
 • Health care reform
• Introducing a four-day work week
• Bringing pets to work
• Charging airline passengers to use the in-flight bathroom
Create a topic sentence based on the topic you chose, remembering to include both a main idea and
a controlling idea. Next, write an alternative topic sentence using the same main idea but a different
controlling idea. Explain how each fully developed paragraph might differ in tone and content.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
2. At some point during your career, you may be asked to write a report or complete a presentation.
Imagine that you have been asked to report on the issue of health and safety in the workplace. Using
the information in Section 6.1.2 “Identifying the Audience”, complete an analysis of your intended
audience—your fellow office workers. Consider how demographics, education, prior knowledge, and
expectations will influence your report and explain how you will tailor it to your audience according-
ly.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
3. Group activity. Working in a group of four or five, assign each group member the task of collecting
one document each. These documents might include magazine or newspaper articles, workplace
documents, academic essays, chapters from a reference book, film or book reviews, or any other type
of writing. As a group, read through each document and discuss the author’s purpose for writing.
Use the information you have learned in this chapter to decide whether the main purpose is to sum-
marize, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate. Write a brief report on the purpose of each document, using
supporting evidence from the text.
4. Group activity. Working in a small group, select a workplace document or academic essay that has
a clear thesis. Examine each paragraph and identify the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and
concluding sentence. Then, choose one particular paragraph and discuss the following questions:
• Is the topic sentence clearly identifiable or is it implied?
• Do all the supporting sentences relate to the topic sentence?
• Does the writer use effective transitions to link his or her ideas?
• Does the concluding sentence accurately summarize the main point of the paragraph?
As a group, identify the weakest areas of the paragraph and rewrite them. Focus on the relationship
among the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentence. Use transitions to illus-
trate the connection between each sentence in the paragraph.
5. Peer activity. Using the information you have learned in this chapter, write a paragraph about a cur-
rent event. Underline the topic sentence in your paragraph. Now, rewrite the paragraph, placing the
topic sentence in a different part of the paragraph. Read the two paragraphs aloud to a peer and have
him or her identify the topic sentence. Discuss which paragraph is more effective and why.

58 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate, compare your answers, and discuss the contrasting results.

7 Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve

My Writing Technique?

A Sentence Variety
EXERCISE 1
Combine each set of simple sentences into a compound or a complex sentence.

1. Heroin is an extremely addictive drug. Thousands of heroin addicts die each year.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Shakespeare’s writing is still relevant today. He wrote about timeless themes. These themes include
love, hate, jealousy, death, and destiny.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. Gay marriage is now legal in six states. Iowa, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire,
and Maine all permit same-sex marriage. Other states are likely to follow their example.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. Prewriting is a vital stage of the writing process. Prewriting helps you organize your ideas. Types of
prewriting include outlining, brainstorming, and idea mapping.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. Mitch Bancroft is a famous writer. He also serves as a governor on the local school board. Mitch’s two
children attend the school.

______________________________________________________
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 59
______________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 2
Rewrite the following sentences by moving the adverbs to the beginning.

1. The red truck sped furiously past the camper van, blaring its horn.

______________________________________________________
2. Jeff snatched at the bread hungrily, polishing off three slices in under a minute.

______________________________________________________
3. Underage drinking typically results from peer pressure and lack of parental attention.

______________________________________________________
4. The firefighters bravely tackled the blaze, but they were beaten back by flames.

______________________________________________________
5. Mayor Johnson privately acknowledged that the budget was excessive and that further discussion
was needed.

______________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 3
Rewrite the following sentences as inverted sentences.

1. Teresa will never attempt to run another marathon.

______________________________________________________
2. A detailed job description is enclosed with this letter.

______________________________________________________
3. Bathroom facilities are across the hall to the left of the water cooler.

______________________________________________________
4. The well-dressed stranger stumbled through the doorway.

______________________________________________________
5. My colleagues remain unconvinced about the proposed merger.

60 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

______________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

B Coordination and Subordination

EXERCISE 1
Combine each sentence pair into a single sentence using either a coordinating conjunction or a conjunc-
tive adverb.

1. Pets are not allowed in Mr. Taylor’s building. He owns several cats and a parrot.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. New legislation prevents drivers from sending or reading text messages while driving. Many people
continue to use their phones illegally.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. The coroner concluded that the young man had taken a lethal concoction of drugs. By the time his
relatives found him, nothing could be done.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. Amphibians are vertebrates that live on land and in the water. Flatworms are invertebrates that live
only in water.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. Ashley carefully fed and watered her tomato plants all summer. The tomatoes grew juicy and ripe.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. When he lost his car key, Simon attempted to open the door with a wire hanger, a credit card, and a
paper clip. He called the manufacturer for advice.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 61
Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 2
Combine each sentence pair into a single sentence using a subordinating conjunction.

1. Jake is going to Mexico. There are beautiful beaches in Mexico.

______________________________________________________
2. A snowstorm disrupted traffic all over the east coast. There will be long delivery delays this week.

______________________________________________________
3. My neighbor had his television volume turned up too high. I banged on his door and asked him to
keep the noise down.

______________________________________________________
4. Jessica prepared the potato salad and the sautéed vegetables. Ashley marinated the chicken.

______________________________________________________
5. Romeo poisons himself. Juliet awakes to find Romeo dead and stabs herself with a dagger.

______________________________________________________
EXERCISE 3
Edit Joshua’s essay using the techniques you have learned in this section. Join the underlined sentences
using coordination or subordination. Check your revised sentences for punctuation.

62 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

C Parallelism
EXERCISE 1
Revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using coordinating conjunctions.

1. Mr. Holloway enjoys reading and to play his guitar at weekends.

______________________________________________________
2. The doctor told Mrs. Franklin that she should either eat less or should exercise more.

______________________________________________________
3. Breaking out of the prison compound, the escapees moved carefully, quietly, and were quick on their
feet.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. I have read the book, but I have not watched the movie version.

______________________________________________________
5. Deal with a full inbox first thing in the morning, or by setting aside short periods of time in which to
answer e-mail queries.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 2
Revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using than or as.

1. I would rather work at a second job to pay for a new car than a loan.

______________________________________________________
2. How you look in the workplace is just as important as your behavior.

______________________________________________________
3. The firefighter spoke more of his childhood than he talked about his job.

______________________________________________________
4. Indian cuisine is far tastier than the food of Great Britain.

______________________________________________________
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 63
 5. Jim’s opponent was as tall as Jim and he carried far more weight.

______________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 3
Revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using correlative conjunctions.

1. The cyclist owns both a mountain bike and has a racing bike.

______________________________________________________
2. The movie not only contained lots of action, but also it offered an important lesson.

______________________________________________________
3. My current job is neither exciting nor is it meaningful.

______________________________________________________
4. Jason would rather listen to his father than be taking advice from me.

______________________________________________________
5. We are neither interested in buying a vacuum cleaner nor do we want to utilize your carpet cleaning
service.

______________________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 4
Read through the following excerpt from Alex’s essay and revise any instances of faulty parallelism. Re-
write the sentences to create a parallel structure.

64 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

D Refining Your Writing: End-of-Chapter Exercises
EXERCISES
1. Children’s stories are deliberately written in short, simple sentences to avoid confusion. Most sen-
tences are constructed using the standard subject-verb-object format. Choose a children’s story that
is suitable for eight- to ten-year-olds. Rewrite a chapter of the story so that it appeals to a slightly old-
er age group, by editing for sentence variety. Experiment with the techniques you learned in Section
7.1 “Sentence Variety”, including the three different ways to vary sentence structure at the beginning
of a sentence and the three different ways to connect ideas between sentences. Compare the revised
chapter with the original version and consider how sentence variety can be used to target a particular
audience.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
2. Compile a selection of real-life writing samples from the workplace or around the home. You might
like to choose one of the following: e-mail, junk mail, personal letter, company report, social net-
working page, local newspaper, bulletin-board posting, or public notice. Choose two samples that
lack sentence variety. Highlight areas of each writing sample that you would edit for sentence variety
and explain why. Replace any recognizable name with a pseudonym, or a fictitious name.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 65

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
3. Group activity. Choose a well-known speech, such as Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech,
Winston Churchill’s “Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat” speech, or Barack Obama’s inaugural address.
Make a copy of the speech and, as a group, underline examples of parallelism. Discuss the effects of
using parallelism and consider whether it is always used to achieve the same result or whether the
writer manipulates parallelism to create a variety of responses among his or her audience.
4. Group activity. Working in a small group, select a workplace document or academic essay. Examine
each paragraph and identify examples of sentence variety, coordination and subordination, and par-
allelism. Then, choose one particular paragraph and discuss the following questions:
• Does the writer use sentence variety effectively?
• Does the writer connect his or her ideas effectively?
• Does the writer use subordination and coordination correctly?
• Does the writer use parallelism to emphasize his or her points?
As a group, identify the weaker areas of the paragraph and rewrite them. Focus on sentence struc-
ture and sentence variation. Use coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions to join
sentences.
5. Choose a college essay or a recent piece of writing from your work or everyday life. Use the tech-
niques you have learned throughout this chapter to edit your writing for sentence variety, appro-
priate coordination and subordination, and parallelism. When you have finished, compare the two
versions and write a brief analysis of how sentence variety, coordination and subordination, and
parallelism help refine a piece of writing.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

8 The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?

A Apply Prewriting Models

EXERCISE 1
Freewrite about one event you have recently experienced. With this event in mind, write without stop-
ping for five minutes. After you finish, read over what you wrote. Does anything stand out to you as a
good general topic to write about?

66 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 EXERCISE 2
Choose a general topic idea from the prewriting you completed in “Exercise 1”. Then read each question
and use your own paper to answer the 5WH questions. As with Mariah when she explored her writing
topic for more detail, it is OK if you do not know all the answers. If you do not know an answer, use your
own opinion to speculate, or guess. You may also use factual information from books or articles you pre-
viously read on your topic. Later in the chapter, you will read about additional ways (like searching the
Internet) to answer your questions and explore your guesses.
5WH Questions

1. Who?
_____________________________________________________
2. What?
_____________________________________________________
3. Where?
_____________________________________________________
4. When?
_____________________________________________________
5. Why?
_____________________________________________________
6. How?
_____________________________________________________
Now that you have completed some of the prewriting exercises, you may feel less anxious about starting
a paper from scratch. With some ideas down on paper (or saved on a computer), writers are often more
comfortable continuing the writing process. After identifying a good general topic, you, too, are ready to
continue the process.
EXERCISE 2a
Write your general topic on your own sheet of paper, under where you recorded your purpose and audi-
ence. Choose it from among the topics you listed or explored during the prewriting you have done so far.
Make sure it is one you feel comfortable with and feel capable of writing about.
My general topic: ____________________________________________
EXERCISE 3
In “Exercise 2a”, you chose a possible topic and explored it by answering questions about it using the
5WH questions. However, this topic may still be too broad. Here, in Note 8.21 “Exercise 3”, choose and
complete one of the prewriting strategies to narrow the focus. Use either brainstorming, idea mapping, or
searching the Internet.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Share what you found and what interests you
about the possible topic(s).

B Outlining
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 67
 EXERCISE 1
Using the topic you selected in Section 8.1 “Apply Prewriting Models”, develop a working thesis statement
that states your controlling idea for the piece of writing you are doing. On a sheet of paper, write your
working thesis statement.
EXERCISE 2
Using the working thesis statement you wrote in Note 8.32 “Exercise 1” and the reading you did in Sec-
tion 8.1 “Apply Prewriting Models”, construct a topic outline for your essay. Be sure to observe correct
outline form, including correct indentions and the use of Roman and arabic numerals and capital letters.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your outline. Point out areas of interest from their outline and
what you would like to learn more about.
EXERCISE 3
Expand the topic outline you prepared in Note 8.41 “Exercise 2” to make it a sentence outline. In this
outline, be sure to include multiple supporting points for your main topic even if your topic outline does
not contain them. Be sure to observe correct outline form, including correct indentions and the use of
Roman and arabic numerals and capital letters.

C Drafting
EXERCISE 1
Using the topic for the essay that you outlined in Section 8.2 “Outlining”, describe your purpose and your
audience as specifically as you can. Use your own sheet of paper to record your responses. Then keep
these responses near you during future stages of the writing process.

My purpose: ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
My audience: ____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
EXERCISE 2
To build your sense of appropriate paragraph length, use the Internet to find examples of the following
items. Copy them into a file, identify your sources, and present them to your instructor with your anno-
tations, or notes.
• A news article written in short paragraphs. Take notes on, or annotate, your selection with your
observations about the effect of combining paragraphs that develop the same topic idea. Explain how
effective those paragraphs would be.
• A long paragraph from a scholarly work that you identify through an academic search engine. Anno-
tate it with your observations about the author’s paragraphing style.

68 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 EXERCISE 3
Study how Mariah made the transition from her sentence outline to her first draft. First, copy her outline
onto your own sheet of paper. Leave a few spaces between each part of the outline. Then copy sentences
from Mariah’s paragraph to align each sentence with its corresponding entry in her outline.
EXERCISE 4
Reread body paragraphs two and three of the essay that Mariah is writing. Then answer the questions on
your own sheet of paper.
1. In body paragraph two, Mariah decided to develop her paragraph as a nonfiction narrative. Do you
agree with her decision? Explain. How else could she have chosen to develop the paragraph? Why is
that better?
2. Compare the writing styles of paragraphs two and three. What evidence do you have that Mariah
was getting tired or running out of steam? What advice would you give her? Why?
3. Choose one of these two body paragraphs. Write a version of your own that you think better fits Ma-
riah’s audience and purpose.

D Revising and Editing

EXERCISE 1
1) Answer the following two questions about Mariah’s paragraph:
1. Do you agree with Mariah’s decision to make the deletions she made? Did she cut too much, too
little, or just enough? Explain.
2. Is the explanation of what screen resolution means a digression? Or is it audience friendly and essen-
tial to understanding the paragraph? Explain.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
2) Now start to revise the first draft of the essay you wrote in Section 8 “Writing Your Own First Draft”.
Reread it to find any statements that affect the unity of your writing. Decide how best to revise.
EXERCISE 2
1) Answer the following questions about Mariah’s revised paragraph.
1. Do you agree with the transitions and other changes that Mariah made to her paragraph? Which
would you keep and which were unnecessary? Explain.
2. What transition words or phrases did Mariah add to her paragraph? Why did she choose each
one?
3. What effect does adding additional sentences have on the coherence of the paragraph? Explain.
When you read both versions aloud, which version has a more logical flow of ideas? Explain.
2) Now return to the first draft of the essay you wrote in Section 8 “Writing Your Own First Draft” and
revise it for coherence. Add transition words and phrases where they are needed, and make any other
changes that are needed to improve the flow and connection between ideas.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 69

 EXERCISE 3
Now return once more to the first draft of the essay you have been revising. Check it for unnecessary
words. Try making your sentences as concise as they can be.
EXERCISE 4
1) Answer the following questions about Mariah’s revised paragraph:
1. Read the unrevised and the revised paragraphs aloud. Explain in your own words how changes in
word choice have affected Mariah’s writing.
2. Do you agree with the changes that Mariah made to her paragraph? Which changes would you
keep and which were unnecessary? Explain. What other changes would you have made?
3. What effect does removing contractions and the pronoun youhave on the tone of the paragraph?
How would you characterize the tone now? Why?
2) Now return once more to your essay in progress. Read carefully for problems with word choice. Be
sure that your draft is written in formal language and that your word choice is specific and appropri-
ate.
EXERCISE 5
Exchange essays with a classmate and complete a peer review of each other’s draft in progress. Remember
to give positive feedback and to be courteous and polite in your responses. Focus on providing one posi-
tive comment and one question for more information to the author.
EXERCISE 6
Work with two partners. Go back to Note 8.81 “Exercise 4” in this lesson and compare your responses
to Activity A, about Mariah’s paragraph, with your partners’. Recall Mariah’s purpose for writing and her
audience. Then, working individually, list where you agree and where you disagree about revision needs.
EXERCISE 7
With the help of the checklist, edit and proofread your essay.

E The Writing Process: End-of-Chapter Exercises

EXERCISES
1. In this chapter, you have thought and read about the topic of mass media. Starting with the title “The
Future of Information: How It Will Be Created, Transmitted, and Consumed,” narrow the focus of
the topic until it is suitable for a two- to three-page paper. Then narrow your topic with the help of
brainstorming, idea mapping, and searching the Internet until you select a final topic to explore.
Keep a journal or diary in which you record and comment on everything you did to choose a final
topic. Then record what you will do next to explore the idea and create a thesis statement.
2. Write a thesis statement and a formal sentence outline for an essay about the writing process. Include
separate paragraphs for prewriting, drafting, and revising and editing. Your audience will be a gen-
eral audience of educated adults who are unfamiliar with how writing is taught at the college level.
Your purpose is to explain the stages of the writing process so that readers will understand its bene-
fits.

Collaboration ‘'
70 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
3. Pieces of writing in a variety of real-life and work-related situations would benefit from revising and
editing. Consider the following list of real-life and work-related pieces of writing: e-mails, greeting
card messages, junk mail, late-night television commercials, social networking pages, local newspa-
pers, bulletin-board postings, and public notices. Find and submit at least two examples of writing
that needs revision. Explain what changes you would make. Replace any recognizable names with
pseudonyms.
4. Group activity. At work, an employer might someday ask you to contribute to the research base for
an essay such as the one Mariah wrote or the one you wrote while working through this chapter.
Choosing either her topic or your own, compile a list of at least five sources. Then, working in a
group of four students, bring in printouts or PDF files of Internet sources or paper copies of non-In-
ternet sources for the other group members to examine. In a group report, rate the reliability of each
other’s sources.
5. Group activity. Working in a peer-review group of four, go to Section 8.3 “Drafting” and reread the
draft of the first two body paragraphs of Mariah’s essay, “Digital Technology: The Newest and the
Best at What Price?” Review those two paragraphs using the same level of inspection given to the es-
say’s third paragraph in Section 8.4 “Revising and Editing”. Suggest and agree on changes to improve
unity and coherence, eliminate unneeded words, and refine word choice. Your purpose is to help
Mariah produce two effective paragraphs for a formal college-level essay about her topic.

9 Writing Essays: From Start to Finish

A Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement

EXERCISE 1
On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement for each of the following topics. Remember to make
each statement specific, precise, demonstrable, forceful and confident.
Topics
• Texting while driving
• The legal drinking age in the United States
• Steroid use among professional athletes
• Abortion
• Racism

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 71

 EXERCISE 2
Read the following thesis statements. On a separate piece of paper, identify each as weak or strong. For
those that are weak, list the reasons why. Then revise the weak statements so that they conform to the
requirements of a strong thesis.
1. The subject of this paper is my experience with ferrets as pets.
2. The government must expand its funding for research on renewable energy resources in order to
prepare for the impending end of oil.
3. Edgar Allan Poe was a poet who lived in Baltimore during the nineteenth century.
4. In this essay, I will give you lots of reasons why slot machines should not be legalized in Baltimore.
5. Despite his promises during his campaign, President Kennedy took few executive measures to sup-
port civil rights legislation.
6. Because many children’s toys have potential safety hazards that could lead to injury, it is clear that
not all children’s toys are safe.
7. My experience with young children has taught me that I want to be a disciplinary parent because I
believe that a child without discipline can be a parent’s worst nightmare.
EXERCISE 3
In the first section of Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”, you determined your purpose
for writing and your audience. You then completed a freewriting exercise about an event you recently ex-
perienced and chose a general topic to write about. Using that general topic, you then narrowed it down
by answering the 5WH questions. After you answered these questions, you chose one of the three meth-
ods of prewriting and gathered possible supporting points for your working thesis statement.
Now, on a separate sheet of paper, write down your working thesis statement. Identify any weaknesses
in this sentence and revise the statement to reflect the elements of a strong thesis statement. Make sure it
is specific, precise, arguable, demonstrable, forceful, and confident.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

B Writing Body Paragraphs

EXERCISE 1
Choose one of the following working thesis statements. On a separate sheet of paper, write for at least five
minutes using one of the prewriting techniques you learned in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do
I Begin?”.
1. Unleashed dogs on city streets are a dangerous nuisance.
2. Students cheat for many different reasons.
3. Drug use among teens and young adults is a problem.
4. The most important change that should occur at my college or university is ____________________
________________________.

72 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 EXERCISE 2
Refer to the previous exercise and select three of your most compelling reasons to support the thesis
statement. Remember that the points you choose must be specific and relevant to the thesis. The state-
ments you choose will be your primary support points, and you will later incorporate them into the topic
sentences for the body paragraphs.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 3
In “Exercise 2”, you chose three of your most convincing points to support the thesis statement you se-
lected from the list. Take each point and incorporate it into a topic sentence for each body paragraph.

Supporting point 1: ____________________________________________

Topic sentence: ____________________________________________
Supporting point 2: ____________________________________________
Topic sentence: ____________________________________________
Supporting point 3: ____________________________________________
Topic sentence: ____________________________________________

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.
EXERCISE 4
Using the three topic sentences you composed for the thesis statement in Note 9.18 “Exercise 1”, draft at
least three supporting details for each point.

Thesis statement: ____________________________________________

Primary supporting point 1: ____________________________________________
Supporting details: ____________________________________________
Primary supporting point 2: ____________________________________________
Supporting details: ____________________________________________
Primary supporting point 3: ____________________________________________
Supporting details: ____________________________________________

C Organizing Your Writing

EXERCISE 1
Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports,
schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your
goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 73

focus your writing.
EXERCISE 2
Write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your
reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first,
second,then, and finally.
EXERCISE 3
Write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport,
filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly
discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.
EXERCISE 4
Write a paragraph using spatial order that describes your commute to work, school, or another location
you visit often.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

D Writing Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs

EXERCISE 1
Jot down a few general remarks that you can make about the topic for which you formed a thesis in Sec-
tion 9.1 “Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement”.
EXERCISE 2
Reread each sentence in Mariah’s introductory paragraph. Indicate which techniques she used and com-
ment on how each sentence is designed to attract her readers’ interest.
EXERCISE 3
Restate your thesis from “Exercise 2” of this section and then make some general concluding remarks.
Next, compose a final emphatic statement. Finally, incorporate what you have written into a strong con-
clusion paragraph for your essay.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers

E Writing Essays: End-of-Chapter Exercises

EXERCISES
1. Choose one of the examples of a proper thesis statement from this chapter (one that interests you)
and form three supporting points for that statement. After you have formed your three points, write
a topic sentence for each body paragraph. Make sure that your topic sentences can be backed up with
examples and details.
2. Group activity. Choose one of the topics from “Exercise 1” in Section 9.1 “Developing a Strong, Clear
74 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
 Thesis Statement” and form a yes-or-no question about that topic. Then, take a survey of the people
in your class to find out how they feel about the subject. Using the majority vote, ask those people to
write on slips of paper the reasons for their opinion. Using the data you collect, form a thesis state-
ment based on your classmates’ perspectives on the topic and their reasons.
3. Write an introduction for an essay based on the thesis statement from the group activity using the
techniques for introductory paragraphs that you learned in this chapter.
4. Start a journal in which you record “spoken” thesis statements. Start listening closely to the opinions
expressed by your teachers, classmates, friends, and family members. Ask them to provide at least
three reasons for their opinion and record them in the journal. Use this as material for future essays.
5. Open a magazine and read a lengthy article. See if you can pinpoint the thesis statement as well as
the topic sentence for each paragraph and its supporting details.

10 Rhetorical Modes

A Narration
EXERCISE 1
On a separate sheet of paper, start brainstorming ideas for a narrative. First, decide whether you want to
write a factual or fictional story. Then, freewrite for five minutes. Be sure to use all five minutes, and keep
writing the entire time. Do not stop and think about what to write.
The following are some topics to consider as you get going:
1. Childhood
2. School
3. Adventure
4. Work
5. Love
6. Family
7. Friends
8. Vacation
9. Nature
10. Space

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 75

 EXERCISE 2
Take your freewriting exercise from the last section and start crafting it chronologically into a rough plot
summary. To read more about a summary, seeChapter 6 “Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shap-
ing Content”. Be sure to use the time transition words and phrases listed in Table 10.1 “Transition Words
and Phrases for Expressing Time” to sequence the events.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your rough plot summary.
EXERCISE 3
On a separate sheet of paper, add two or three paragraphs to the plot summary you started in the last
section. Describe in detail the main character and the setting of the first scene. Try to use all five senses in
your descriptions.

B Illustration
EXERCISE 1
On a separate piece of paper, form a thesis based on each of the following three topics. Then list the types
of evidence that would best explain your point for each of the two audiences.
1. Topic: Combat and mental health
Audience: family members of veterans, doctors
2. Topic: Video games and teen violence
Audience: parents, children
3. Topic: Architecture and earthquakes
Audience: engineers, local townspeople
EXERCISE 2
On a separate sheet of paper, form a thesis based on one of the following topics. Then support that thesis
with three pieces of evidence. Make sure to use a different phrase of illustration to introduce each piece of
evidence you choose.
1. Cooking
2. Baseball
3. Work hours
4. Exercise
5. Traffic

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Discuss which topic you like the best or would
like to learn more about. Indicate which thesis statement you perceive as the most effective.

76 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 EXERCISE 3
On a separate sheet of paper, write a five-paragraph illustration essay. You can choose one of the topics
from “Exercise 1” or “Exercise 2”, or you can choose your own.

C Description
EXERCISE 1
On a separate sheet of paper, describe the following five items in a short paragraph. Use at least three of
the five senses for each description.
1. Night
2. Beach
3. City
4. Dinner
5. Stranger
EXERCISE 2
On a separate sheet of paper, choose an organizing strategy and then execute it in a short paragraph for
three of the following six items:
1. Train station
2. Your office
3. Your car
4. A coffee shop
5. Lobby of a movie theater
6. Mystery Option*
*Choose an object to describe but do not indicate it. Describe it, but preserve the mystery.
EXERCISE 3
On a separate sheet of paper, choose one of the topics that you started in Note 10.37 “Exercise 2”, and
expand it into a five-paragraph essay. Expanding on ideas in greater detail can be difficult. Sometimes it is
helpful to look closely at each of the sentences in a summary paragraph. Those sentences can often serve
as topic sentences to larger paragraphs.
Mystery Option: Here is an opportunity to collaborate. Please share with a classmate and compare your
thoughts on the mystery descriptions. Did your classmate correctly guess your mystery topic? If not, how
could you provide more detail to describe it and lead them to the correct conclusion?

D Classification
EXERCISE 1
On a separate sheet of paper, break the following categories into smaller classifications.
1. The United States

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 77

 2. Colleges and universities
3. Beverages
4. Fashion
Using your classifications from “Exercise 1”, write a brief paragraph explaining why you chose to organize
each main category in the way that you did.
EXERCISE 3
Building on “Exercise 1” and Note “Exercise 2”, write a five-paragraph classification essay about one of
the four original topics. In your thesis, make sure to include the topic, subtopics, and rationale for your
breakdown. And make sure that your essay is organized into paragraphs that each describes a subtopic.

E Process Analysis
EXERCISE 1
On a separate sheet of paper, make a bulleted list of all the steps that you feel would be required to clearly
illustrate three of the following four processes:
1. Tying a shoelace
2. Parallel parking
3. Planning a successful first date
4. Being an effective communicator
EXERCISE 2
Choose two of the lists you created in Note 10.52 “Exercise 1” and start writing out the processes in
paragraph form. Try to construct paragraphs based on the complexity of each step. For complicated steps,
dedicate an entire paragraph. If less complicated steps fall in succession, group them into a single para-
graph.
EXERCISE 3
Choose one of the expanded lists from Note 10.54 “Exercise 2”. Construct a full process analysis essay
from the work you have already done. That means adding an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, time
transition phrases, body paragraphs, and a solid conclusion.

F Definition
EXERCISE 1
On a separate sheet of paper, write about a time in your own life in which the definition of a word, or the
lack of a definition, caused an argument. Your term could be something as simple as the category of an
all-star in sports or how to define a good movie. Or it could be something with higher stakes and wider
impact, such as a political argument. Explain how the conversation began, how the argument hinged on
the definition of the word, and how the incident was finally resolved.

78 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your responses.
EXERCISE 2
On a separate sheet of paper, define each of the following items in your own terms. If you can, establish a
context for your definition.
1. Bravery
2. Adulthood
3. Consumer culture
4. Violence
5. Art
EXERCISE 3
Create a full definition essay from one of the items you already defined in “Exercise 2”. Be sure to include
an interesting introduction, a clear thesis, a well-explained context, distinct body paragraphs, and a con-
clusion that pulls everything together.

G Comparison and Contrast

EXERCISE 1
Brainstorm an essay that leans toward contrast. Choose one of the following three categories. Pick two
examples from each. Then come up with one similarity and three differences between the examples.
1. Romantic comedies
2. Internet search engines
3. Cell phones
EXERCISE 2
Brainstorm an essay that leans toward comparison. Choose one of the following three items. Then come
up with one difference and three similarities.
1. Department stores and discount retail stores
2. Fast food chains and fine dining restaurants
3. Dogs and cats
EXERCISE 3
Create an outline for each of the items you chose in “Exercise 1” and “Exercise 2”. Use the point-by-point
organizing strategy for one of them, and use the subject organizing strategy for the other.

EXERCISE 4
Choose one of the outlines you created in “Exercise 3”, and write a full compare-and-contrast essay. Be
sure to include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, well-defined and detailed paragraphs, and a fit-
ting conclusion that ties everything together.
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 79
H Cause and Effect
EXERCISE 1
Consider the causes and effects in the following thesis statements. List a cause and effect for each one on
your own sheet of paper.
1. The growing childhood obesity epidemic is a result of technology.
2. Much of the wildlife is dying because of the oil spill.
3. The town continued programs that it could no longer afford, so it went bankrupt.
4. More young people became politically active as use of the Internet spread throughout society.
5. While many experts believed the rise in violence was due to the poor economy, it was really due to
the summer-long heat wave.
EXERCISE 2
Write three cause-and-effect thesis statements of your own for each of the following five broad topics.
1. Health and nutrition
2. Sports
3. Media
4. Politics
5. History
EXERCISE 3
Look at some of the cause-and-effect relationships from “Exercise 2”. Outline the links you listed. Outline
one using a cause-then-effect structure. Outline the other using the effect-then-cause structure.
EXERCISE 4
Choose one of the ideas you outlined in “Exercise 3” and write a full cause-and-effect essay. Be sure to
include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, strong evidence and examples, and a thoughtful conclu-
sion.

I Persuasion
EXERCISE 1
Try to form a thesis for each of the following topics. Remember the more specific your thesis, the better.
1. Foreign policy
2. Television and advertising
3. Stereotypes and prejudice
4. Gender roles and the workplace
5. Driving and cell phones

80 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

Collaboration ‘'
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Choose the thesis statement that most interests
you and discuss why.
EXERCISE 2
On a separate sheet of paper, take three of the theses you formed in “Exercise 1”, and list the types of evi-
dence you might use in support of that thesis.
EXERCISE 3
Using the evidence you provided in support of the three theses in “Exercise 2”, come up with at least one
counterargument to each. Then write a concession statement, expressing the limits to each of your three
arguments.
EXERCISE 4
Choose one of the topics you have been working on throughout this section. Use the thesis, evidence,
opposing argument, and concessionary statement as the basis for writing a full persuasive essay. Be sure
to include an engaging introduction, clear explanations of all the evidence you present, and a strong con-
clusion.

J Rhetorical Modes: End-of-Chapter Exercises

EXERCISES
1. The thesis statement is a fundamental element of writing regardless of what rhetorical mode you are
writing in. Formulate one more thesis for each of the modes discussed in this chapter.
2. Which rhetorical mode seems most aligned with who you are as a person? That is, which mode
seems most useful to you? Explain why in a paragraph.
3. Over the next week, look closely at the texts and articles you read. Document in a journal exactly
what type of rhetorical mode is being used. Sometimes it might be for an entire article, but some-
times you might see different modes within one article. The more you can detect various ways of
communicating ideas, the easier it will be to do yourself.

11
Learn?
Writing from Research: What Will I

A The Purpose of Research Writing

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 81
 EXERCISE 1
Write a paragraph about a time when you used research in your everyday life. Did you look for the
cheapest way to travel from Houston to Denver? Did you search for a way to remove gum from the
bottom of your shoe? In your paragraph, explain what you wanted to research, how you performed the
research, and what you learned as a result.
EXERCISE 2
Think about the job of your dreams. How might you use research writing skills to perform that job? Cre-
ate a list of ways in which strong researching, organizing, writing, and critical thinking skills could help
you succeed at your dream job. How might these skills help you obtain that job?
EXERCISE 3
Review the steps of the research writing process. Then answer the questions on your own sheet of paper.
1. In which steps of the research writing process are you allowed to change your thesis?
2. In step 2, which types of information should you include in your project schedule?
3. What might happen if you eliminated step 4 from the research writing process?

B Steps in Developing a Research Proposal

EXERCISE 1
Set a timer for five minutes. Use brainstorming or idea mapping to create a list of topics you would be in-
terested in researching for a paper about the influence of the Internet on social networking. Do you close-
ly follow the media coverage of a particular website, such as Twitter? Would you like to learn more about
a certain industry, such as online dating? Which social networking sites do you and your friends use? List
as many ideas related to this topic as you can.
EXERCISE 2
Review the list of topics you created in Note 11.18 “Exercise 1” and identify two or three topics you
would like to explore further. For each of these topics, spend five to ten minutes writing about the topic
without stopping. Then review your writing to identify possible areas of focus.
Set aside time to conduct preliminary research about your potential topics. Then choose a topic to pursue
for your research paper.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share your topic list with a classmate. Select one or two topics on his or her list that you would like
to learn more about and return it to him or her. Discuss why you found the topics interesting, and learn
which of your topics your classmate selected and why.
EXERCISE 3
Using the topic you selected in “Exercise 2”, write your main research question and at least four to five
subquestions. Check that your main research question is appropriately complex for your assignment.

82 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 EXERCISE 4
Write a working thesis statement that presents your preliminary answer to the research question you
wrote in “Exercise 3”. Check that your working thesis statement presents an idea or claim that could be
supported or refuted by evidence from research.

C Managing Your Research Project

EXERCISE 1
1. Working backward from the date your final draft is due, create a project schedule. You may
choose to write a sequential list of tasks or record tasks on a calendar.
2. Check your schedule to be sure that you have broken each step into smaller tasks and assigned a
target completion date to each key task.
3. Review your target dates to make sure they are realistic. Always allow a little more time than you
think you will actually need.
EXERCISE 2
Revisit the schedule you created in Note 11.42 “Exercise 1”. Transfer it into a format that will help you
stay on track from day to day. You may wish to input it into your smartphone, write it in a weekly plan-
ner, post it by your desk, or have your e-mail account send you daily reminders. Consider setting up a
buddy system with a classmate that will help you both stay on track.
EXERCISE 3
Visit your library’s website or consult with a reference librarian to determine what periodicals indexes or
databases would be useful for your research. Depending on your topic, you may rely on a general news
index, a specialized index for a particular subject area, or both. Search the catalog for your topic and
related keywords. Print out or bookmark your search results.
1. Identify at least one to two relevant periodicals, indexes, or databases.
2. Conduct a keyword search to find potentially relevant articles on your topic.
3. Save your search results. If the index you are using provides article summaries, read these to deter-
mine how useful the articles are likely to be.
4. Identify at least three to five articles to review more closely. If the full article is available online, set
aside time to read it. If not, plan to visit our library within the next few days to locate the articles you
need.
EXERCISE 4
Use a search engine to conduct a web search on your topic. Refer to the tips provided earlier to help you
streamline your search. Evaluate your search results critically based on the criteria you have learned.
Identify and bookmark one or more websites that are reliable, reputable, and likely to be useful in your
research.
EXERCISE 5
Create a working bibliography using the format that is most convenient for you. List at least five sources
you plan to use. Continue to add sources to your working bibliography throughout the research process.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 83

E Critical Thinking and Research Applications
EXERCISE 1
Review the research questions and working thesis you developed in Chapter 11 “Writing from Research:
What Will I Learn?”, Section 11B “Steps in Developing a Research Proposal”. Set a timer for ten minutes
and write about your topic, using your questions and thesis to guide your writing. Complete this exercise
without looking over your notes or sources. Base your writing on the overall impressions and concepts
you have absorbed while conducting research. If additional, related questions come to mind, jot them
down.
EXERCISE 2
Review your research questions and working thesis again. This time, keep them nearby as you review
your research notes.
1. Identify information that supports your working thesis.
2. Identify details that call your thesis into question. Determine whether you need to modify your the-
sis.
3. Use your research questions to identify key ideas in your paper. Begin categorizing your notes ac-
cording to which topics are addressed. (You may find yourself adding important topics or deleting
unimportant ones as you proceed.)
4. Write out your revised thesis and at least two or three big ideas.
EXERCISE 3
Review the organizational structures discussed in this section and Chapter 10 “Rhetorical Modes”. Work-
ing with the notes you organized earlier, follow these steps to begin planning how to organize your paper.
1. Create an outline that includes your thesis, major subtopics, and supporting points.
2. The major headings in your outline will become sections or paragraphs in your paper. Remember
that your ideas should form the backbone of the paper. For each major section of your outline, write
out a topic sentence stating the main point you will make in that section.
3. As you complete step 2, you may find that some points are too complex to explain in a sentence.
Consider whether any major sections of your outline need to be broken up and jot down additional
topic sentences as needed.
4. Review your notes and determine how the different pieces of information fit into your outline as
supporting points.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share the outline you created with a classmate. Examine your classmate’s outline and see if any
questions come to mind or if you see any area that would benefit from an additional point or clarifica-
tion. Return the outlines to each other and compare observations.

84 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

F Writing from Research: End-of-Chapter Exercises
EXERCISES
1. In this chapter, you learned strategies for generating and narrowing a topic for a research paper.
Review the following list of five general topics. Use freewriting and preliminary research to narrow
three of these topics to manageable size for a five- to seven-page research paper. Save your list of top-
ics in a print or electronic file, and add to it periodically as you identify additional areas of interest.
• Illegal immigration in the United States
• Bias in the media
• The role of religion in educational systems
• The possibility of life in outer space
• Modern-day slavery around the world
2. Working with one of the topics you have identified, use the research skills you learned in this chapter
to locate three to five potentially useful print or electronic sources of information about the topic.
Create a list that includes the following:
• One subject-specific periodicals database likely to include relevant articles on your topic
• Two articles about your topic written for an educated general audience
• At least one article about your topic written for an audience with specialized knowledge
3. Organize your list of resources into primary and secondary sources. What makes them such? Pick
one primary source and one secondary source and write a sentence or two summarizing the infor-
mation that they provide. Then answer these questions:
• What type of primary source did you choose? Who wrote it, and why? Do you think this source
provides accurate information, or is it biased in some way?
• Where did the information in the secondary source come from? Was the author citing an initial
study, piece of literature, or work of art? Where could you find the primary source?

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 85

12 Writing a Research Paper

A Creating a Rough Draft for a Research Paper

EXERCISE 1
Write the introductory paragraph of your research paper. Try using one of the techniques listed in this
section to write an engaging introduction. Be sure to include background information about the topic
that leads to your thesis.
EXERCISE 2
On a separate sheet of paper, practice summarizing by writing a one-sentence summary of the same pas-
sage that Jorge already summarized.
EXERCISE 3
On a separate sheet of paper, follow these steps to practice paraphrasing.
1. Choose an important idea or detail from your notes.
2. Without looking at the original source, restate the idea in your own words.
3. Check your paraphrase against the original text in the source. Make sure both your language and
your sentence structure are original.
4. Revise your paraphrase if necessary.

B Developing a Final Draft of a Research Paper

EXERCISE 1
Follow these steps to begin revising your paper’s overall organization.

1. Print out a hard copy of your paper.

2. Read your paper paragraph by paragraph. Highlight your thesis and the topic sentence of each para-
graph.
3. Using the thesis and topic sentences as starting points, outline the ideas you presented—just as you
would do if you were outlining a chapter in a textbook. Do not look at the outline you created during
prewriting. You may write in the margins of your draft or create a formal outline on a separate sheet
of paper.
4. Next, reread your paper more slowly, looking for how ideas flow from sentence to sentence. Identify
places where adding a transition or recasting a sentence would make the ideas flow more logically.
5. Review the topics on your outline. Is there a logical flow of ideas? Identify any places where you may
need to reorganize ideas.
6. Begin to revise your paper to improve organization. Start with any major issues, such as needing to

86 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 move an entire paragraph. Then proceed to minor revisions, such as adding a transitional phrase or
tweaking a topic sentence so it connects ideas more clearly.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share your paper with a classmate. Repeat the six steps and take notes on a separate piece of paper.
Share and compare notes.
EXERCISE 2
Follow these steps to begin revising your paper to improve cohesion.
1. Print out a hard copy of your paper, or work with your printout from Note 12.33 “Exercise 1”.
2. Read the body paragraphs of your paper first. Each time you come to a place that cites information
from sources, ask yourself what purpose this information serves. Check that it helps support a point
and that it is clearly related to the other sentences in the paragraph.
3. Identify unnecessary information from sources that you can delete.
4. Identify places where you need to revise your writing so that readers understand the significance of
the details cited from sources.
5. Skim the body paragraphs once more, looking for any paragraphs that seem packed with citations.
Review these paragraphs carefully for cohesion.
6. Review your introduction and conclusion. Make sure the information presented works with ideas in
the body of the paper.
7. Revise the places you identified in your paper to improve cohesion.

Collaboration ‘'
Please exchange papers with a classmate. Complete step four. On a separate piece of paper, note any areas
that would benefit from clarification. Return and compare notes.
EXERCISE 3
Using Checklist 12.3, line-edit your paper. You may use either of these techniques:

1. Print out a hard copy of your paper, or work with your printout from Note 12.33 “Exercise 1”. Read it
line by line. Check for the issues noted on Checklist 12.3, as well as any other aspects of your writ-
ing style you have previously identified as areas for improvement. Mark any areas where you notice
problems in style or tone, and then take time to rework those sections.
2. If you prefer to work with an electronic document, use the menu options in your word-processing
program to enlarge the text to 150 or 200 percent of the original size. Make sure the type is large
enough that you can focus on only one paragraph at a time. Read the paper line by line as described
in step 1. Highlight any areas where you notice problems in style or tone, and then take time to re-
work those sections.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 87

Collaboration ‘'
Please exchange papers with a classmate. On a separate piece of paper, note places where the essay does
not seem to flow or you have questions about what was written. Return the essay and compare notes.

C Writing a Research Paper: End-of-Chapter Exercises

EXERCISES
1. In this chapter, you learned strategies for generating and narrowing a topic for a research paper.
Brainstorm to create a list of five general topics of personal or professional interest to you that you
would like to research. Then use freewriting and preliminary research to narrow three of these topics
to manageable size for a five- to seven-page research paper. Save your list of topics in a print or elec-
tronic file and add to it periodically as you identify additional areas of interest. Use your topic list as
a starting point the next time a research paper is assigned.
2. Working with one of the topics you just identified, use the research skills you learned in this chapter
to locate three to five potentially useful print or electronic sources of information about the topic.
Create a list that includes the following:
• One subject-specific periodicals database likely to include relevant articles on your topic
• Two articles about your topic written for an educated general audience
• At least one article about your topic written for an audience with specialized knowledge
3. In real-life and work-related contexts, people consult a wide range of different information sources
every day, without always making conscious judgments about whether the source is reliable and why.
Identify one media source of information you use at least once a week—for instance, a website you
visit regularly, or a newspaper or magazine to which you subscribe. Write two paragraphs explaining
the following:
• What topics you learn about by reading or viewing this source
• Whether you consider this source reliable and why
In addressing the latter point, be sure to consider details that help you evaluate the source’s credibility
and reputability, as well as the presence or absence of bias.
4. Different professional communities develop their own standards about the writing style people in
that community use when creating documents to share with others. In some cases, these standards
may apply to a very broad group of professionals—for example, researchers in many different social
sciences use APA style in academic writing. MLA style is commonly used in the humanities, includ-
ing English classes. In other cases, style guidelines are specific to a particular company or organiza-
tion. Find a document, such as a newsletter or brochure, that was produced by an organization to
which you belong. (Make sure it is a document you have permission to share.) Review the document
and answer the following questions:
• What are the purpose, intended audience, and message of this document?
• How does the writing style function to fulfill the purpose, appeal to a particular audience, and
convey a message? Consider elements of style, such as word choice, the use of active or passive

88 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 voice, sentence length, and sentence structure. If your document includes graphics, consider their
effectiveness as well.
• Are there any places where the style is inconsistent?
• Is the writing style of this document effective for achieving the document’s purpose? Why or why
not? If it is not effective, explain why.

13 APA and MLA Documentation and For-

matting

A Formatting a Research Paper

EXERCISE 1
Write an abstract summarizing your paper. Briefly introduce the topic, state your findings, and sum up
what conclusions you can draw from your research. Use the word count feature of your word-processing
program to make sure your abstract does not exceed one hundred fifty words.
EXERCISE 2
Begin formatting the final draft of your paper according to APA guidelines. You may work with an exist-
ing document or set up a new document if you choose. Include the following:
• Your title page
• The abstract you created in Note 13.8 “Exercise 1”
• Correct headers and page numbers for your title page and abstract
EXERCISE 3
Working with the document you developed in “Exercise 2”, begin setting up the heading structure of the
final draft of your research paper according to APA guidelines. Include your title and at least two to three
major section headings, and follow the formatting guidelines provided above. If your major sections
should be broken into subsections, add those headings as well. Use your outline to help you.
Because Jorge used only level 1 headings, his Exercise 3 would look like the following:
Level of Information Text Example
Level 1 Purported Benefits of Low-Carbohydrate Diets
Level 1 Research on Low-Carbohydrate Diets and Weight Loss
Level 1 Other Long-Term Health Outcomes
Level 1 Conclusion

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 89

B Citing and Referencing Techniques
EXERCISE 1
Review the places in your paper where you cited, quoted, and paraphrased material from a source with a
single author. Edit your citations to ensure that
• each citation includes the author’s name, the date of publication, and, where appropriate, a page ref-
erence;
• parenthetical citations are correctly formatted;
• longer quotations use the block-quotation format.
EXERCISE 2
Review the citations in your paper once again. This time, look for places where you introduced source
material using a signal phrase in your sentence.
1. Highlight the verbs used in your signal phrases, and make note of any that seem to be overused
throughout the paper.
2. Identify at least three places where a stronger verb could be used.
3. Make the edits to your draft.
EXERCISE 3
1. Review the places in your paper where you cited material from a source with multiple authors or
with an organization as the author. Edit your citations to ensure that each citation follows APA
guidelines for the inclusion of the authors’ names, the use of ampersands and et al., the date of publi-
cation, and, where appropriate, a page reference.
2. Mark any additional citations within your paper that you are not sure how to format based on the
guidelines provided so far. You will revisit these citations after reading the next few sections.
EXERCISE 4
Revisit the problem citations you identified in Note 13.55 “Exercise 3”—for instance, sources with no
listed author or other oddities. Review the guidelines provided in this section and edit your citations for
these kinds of sources according to APA guidelines.

C Creating a References Section

EXERCISE 1
Set up the first page of your references section and begin adding entries, following the APA formatting
guidelines provided in this section.
1. If there are any simple entries that you can format completely using the general guidelines, do so at
this time.
2. For entries you are unsure of how to format, type in as much information as you can, and highlight
the entries so you can return to them later.

90 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 EXERCISE 2
Revisit the references section you began to compile in Note 13.73 “Exercise 1”. Use the guidelines provid-
ed to format any entries for book-length print sources that you were unable to finish earlier.
Review how Jorge formatted these book-length print sources:

Atkins, R. C. (2002). Dr. Atkins’ diet revolution. New York, NY: M. Evans and Company.
Agatson, A. (2003). The South Beach diet. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Griffin.
EXERCISE 3
Revisit the references section you began to compile in Note 13.73 “Exercise 1”. Use the guidelines pro-
vided above to format any entries for periodicals and other shorter print sources that you were unable to
finish earlier.
EXERCISE 4
Revisit the references section you began to compile in Note 13.73 “Exercise 1”.
1. Use the APA guidelines provided in this section to format any entries for electronic sources that you
were unable to finish earlier.
2. If your sources include a form of media not covered in the APA guidelines here, consult with a writ-
ing tutor or review a print or online reference book. You may wish to visit the website of the Amer-
ican Psychological Association at http://www.apa.org or the Purdue University Online Writing lab
athttp://owl.english.purdue.edu, which regularly updates its online style guidelines.
3. Give your paper a final edit to check the references section.

D Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Style

EXERCISE 1
In Chapter 13 “APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting”, Section 13.1 “Formatting a Research
Paper”, you created a sample essay in APA style. After reviewing this section and exploring the resources
linked at the end of the section (including California State University–Sacramento’s clear example of a
paper in MLA format), please convert your paper to MLA style using the formatting and citation guide-
lines. You may find it helpful to use online applications that quickly, easily, and at no cost convert your
citations to MLA format.
EXERCISE 2
Please convert the APA-style citations to MLA style. You may find that online applications can quickly,
easily, and at no cost convert your citations to MLA format. There are several websites and applications
available free (or as a free trial) that will allow you to input the information and will produce a correct
citation in the style of your choice. Consider these two sites:

• http://www.noodletools.com
• http://citationmachine.net
Hint: You may need access to the Internet to find any missing information required to correctly cite in
MLA style. This demonstrates an important difference between APA and MLA style—the information
provided to the reader.
Sample Student Reference List in APA Style

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 91

 1 Brent, D. A., Poling, K. D., & Goldstein, T. R. (2010). Treating depressed and suicidal ado-
lescents: A clinician’s guide. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2 Dewan, S. (2007, September 17). Using crayons to exorcise Katrina.The New York Times.
Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/17/arts/design/17ther.html
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

3 Freud, S. (1955). Beyond the pleasure principle. In The Complete Works of Sigmund
Freud. (Vol. XVII, pp. 3–66). London, England: Hogarth.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

4 Henley, D. (2007). Naming the enemy: An art therapy intervention for children with bipo-
lar and comorbid disorders. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Associa-
tion, 24(3), 104–110.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

5 Hutson, M. (2008). Art therapy: The healing arts. Psychology Today.Retrieved from http://
www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200705/art-therapy-the-healing-arts
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

6 Isis, P. D., Bus, J., Siegel, C. A., & Ventura, Y. (2010). Empowering students through cre-
ativity: Art therapy in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Art Therapy: Journal of the
American Art Therapy Association, 27(2), 56–61.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

7 Johnson, D. (1987). The role of the creative arts therapies in the diagnosis and treatment
of psychological trauma. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 14, 7–13.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

92 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

8 Malchiodi, C. (2006). Art therapy sourcebook. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

9 Markel, R. (Producer). (2010). I’m an artist [Motion picture]. United States: Red Pepper
Films.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

10 Kelley, S. J. (1984). The use of art therapy with sexually abused children. Journal of Psy-
chosocial Nursing and Mental Health, 22(12), 12–28.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

11 Pifalo, T. (2008). Why art therapy? Darkness to light: Confronting child abuse with cour-
age. Retrieved from http://www.darkness2light.org/KnowAbout/articles_art_therapy.asp
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

12 Rubin, J. A. (2005). Child art therapy (25th ed.). New York, NY: Wiley.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

13 Schimek, J. (1975). A critical re-examination of Freud’s concept of unconscious mental

representation. International Review of Psychoanalysis, 2, 171–187.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

14 Strauss, M. B. (1999). No talk therapy for children and adolescents. New York, NY: Nor-
ton.
MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

15 Thompson, T. (2008). Freedom from meltdowns: Dr. Thompson’s solutions for children
with autism. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 93

 MLA ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

EXERCISES
1. In this chapter, you learned strategies for using APA and MLA style documentation and formatting
in a research paper. Locate a source that uses APA or MLA style, such as an article in a professional
journal in the sciences or social sciences. Identify these key components of an APA or MLA paper in
your example: the abstract, section heads, in-text citations, and references list.
2. Check one of your assignments for correct APA or MLA formatting and citations. (You may wish to
conduct this activity in two sessions—one to edit the body of the paper and one to edit the references
section.) Check for the following:
• All components of an APA or MLA paper are included.
• The title page (or title block) and body of the paper are correctly formatted.
• In-text, or parenthetical, citations are complete and correctly formatted.
• Sources cited within the paper match the sources listed in the references or works cited section.
• The references or works cited section uses correct formatting and lists entries in alphabetical or-
der.
3. As electronic media continually change, guidelines for citing electronic sources are continually up-
dated. Identify three new or emerging forms of electronic media not listed in this text—for instance,
virtual communities, such as Second Life, or social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook,
and MySpace. Answer the following questions:
• Under what circumstances would this media be a useful source of information for a research pa-
per? How might students use these sources to conduct research five or ten years from now?
• What information would a student need to provide if citing this source? Why?
• Develop brief guidelines for how to cite the emerging media source types you identified.

14
Ideas
Creating Presentations: Sharing Your

A Organizing a Visual Presentation

EXERCISE 1
1.Revisit your presentation assignment, or think of a topic for your presentation. On your own sheet of
notebook paper, write a list of at least three to five key ideas. Keep the following questions in mind
when listing your key ideas:

94 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 • What is your purpose?
• Who is your audience?
• How will you engage your audience?
2.On the same paper, identify the steps you must complete before you begin creating your presentation.
EXERCISE 2
Work with the list you created in “Exercise 1” to develop a more complete outline for your presentation.
Make sure your outline includes the following:
• An introduction that uses strategies to capture your audience’s attention
• A body section that summarizes your main points and supporting details
• A conclusion that will help you end on a memorable note
• Brief notes about how much time you plan to spend on each part of the presentation (you may adjust
the timing later as needed)
EXERCISE 3
Review the outline you created in “Exercise 2”. Complete the following steps:

1. Identify at least two to three places in your presentation where you might incorporate visual or audio
media. Brainstorm ideas for what media would be effective, and create a list of ideas. (In Chapter
14 “Creating Presentations: Sharing Your Ideas”, Section 14.2 “Incorporating Effective Visuals into a
Presentation”, you will explore different media options in greater depth. For now, focus on coming up
with a few general ideas.)
2. Determine whether you will use presentation software to deliver your presentation as a slideshow. If
you plan to do so, begin using your outline to draft your slides.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 95

Figure 14.2

Source:http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/media/imagens/2010/01/14/14.01.10RP5978.jpg/view

EXERCISE 4
Begin to annotate your outline. (You will probably add more notes as you proceed, but including some
annotations now will help you begin pulling your ideas together.) Mark your outline with the following
information:
1. Write notes in brackets to any sections where you definitely plan to incorporate visual or audio me-
dia.
2. If you are presenting a slideshow, add notes in brackets indicating which slides go with each section
of your outline.
3. Identify and set off any text that should be emphasized.

96 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

B Incorporating Effective Visuals into a Presentation
EXERCISE 1
In this exercise, you will begin to refine your ideas for incorporating media into your presentation. Com-
plete the following steps on your own sheet of paper.
1. Revisit the list you brainstormed for Note 14.12 “Exercise 3” in Chapter 14 “Creating Presentations:
Sharing Your Ideas”, Section 14.1 “Organizing a Visual Presentation” and the annotated outline you
developed for Note 14.17 “Exercise 4”.
2. Analyze the two different types of visual aids: images and informational graphics. Identify at least
two places in your presentation where you might incorporate visual aids.
3. Evaluate the purpose of the visual aid. Does it create emotional impact, or does it organize informa-
tion? Is the visual effective?
4. Determine whether you will be able to create the visual aid yourself or will need to find it.
EXERCISE 2
In this exercise, you will begin to develop visual aids for your presentation. Complete the steps in this
exercise—and enjoy the chance to be creative. Working with visuals can be a pleasant way to take a break
from the demands of writing.

1. Revisit the ideas you developed in Note 14.24 “Exercise 1”. Choose at least two ideas that you can
create. (Note: If you are using software to develop a slideshow presentation, count this as one of your
self-created visual aids. Include at least one other self-created visual aid, such as an original photo-
graph, within your slideshow.)
2. Get creative! Take your photographs, construct a 3-D model, create informational graphics, or work
on your presentation slides. Develop good working drafts.
3. After you have completed drafts of your visual aids, set them aside for a while. Then revisit them with
a critical eye. First, check any text included with the graphic. Make sure your facts are correct, your
words are clear and concise, and your language is free of errors.
4. Next, evaluate how well your aids work visually. Are they large enough to be seen and read from
Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 97
 a distance? Are captions and labels easy to find? Are photographs of reasonably high quality? Ask
someone else for feedback, too.
5. Begin making any needed changes. As you proceed through the rest of this section, continue to re-
visit your work to improve it as needed.

Collaboration ‘'
Please share the first version of your visual aids with a classmate. Examine what they have produced. On
a separate piece of paper, note both the elements that catch your attention and those that would benefit
from clarification. Return and compare notes.
EXERCISE 3
In this exercise, you will locate visual aids created by others and continue developing the work you began
earlier. Complete these steps.

1. Revisit the ideas you developed in Note 14.24 “Exercise 1”. Choose at least two ideas for which it
would make more sense to find the visual aid than to create it yourself.
2. Use the search tips provided in this section to locate at least two visual aids from reputable sources
that you can use. Prepare them for your presentation by adding clarifying text as needed. Be sure to
credit your source.
3. Incorporate the visual aids you created in Note 14.26 “Exercise 2” and Note 14.32 “Exercise 3” into
your presentation. This may involve preparing physical copies for display or inserting graphic files
into an electronic presentation.
4. Take some time now to review how you will integrate the visual and verbal components of your pre-
sentation.
• If you are working with presentation software, refine your slides. Make sure the visual approach is
consistent and suits your topic. Give your text a final proofread.
• If you are not using presentation software, review the annotated outline you created in Note 14.24
“Exercise 1”. Update it as needed to reflect your current plan. Also, determine how you will physi-
cally set up your visual aids.

C Giving a Presentation
EXERCISE 1
In this exercise, you will work on refining the oral delivery of the annotated outline you developed in
Note 14.17 “Exercise 4” of Section 14.1 “Organizing a Visual Presentation”.
1. Set up a microphone to record yourself. (You may use a webcam if you wish.) For this exercise, assess
yourself on your verbal delivery only, not your body language.)
2. Rehearse and record your presentation.
3. Replay the recording and assess yourself using the following criteria: resonance, enunciation, vol-
ume, pitch, pace, and tone. Rate yourself from one to five on each criterion, with five being the high-
est rating. Determine which areas are strengths and which areas you need to improve.
4. If you wish, ask another person to evaluate your presentation.
98 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK
 EXERCISE 2
In this exercise, present the same oral presentation from Note 14.41 “Exercise 1”, but this time, evaluate
your body language.
1. Set up a video camera to record yourself, or ask someone else to evaluate you.
2. Rehearse and, if applicable, record your presentation.
3. Replay the recording and assess yourself (or have your companion assess you) on the following cri-
teria: eye contact, facial expressions, posture, movement, and gestures. Rate yourself from one to five
on each criterion, with five being the highest rating. Determine in which areas you have strength and
in which areas you need to improve.
EXERCISE 3
If you have not yet rehearsed in front of an audience, now is the time. Ask a peer (or a small group of
people) to observe your presentation, provide a question-and-answer session, and have your audience
provide feedback on the following:

• The overall quality of your content (clarity, organization, level of detail)

• The effectiveness of your visual aids
• Your vocal delivery (resonance, enunciation, volume, pitch, pace, and tone)
• The effectiveness of your body language (eye contact, facial expressions, posture, movement, and
gestures)
• Your response to questions the audience posed during the question-and-answer session
Use your audience’s feedback to make any final adjustments to your presentation. For example, could you
clarify your presentation to reduce the number of questions—or enhance the quality of the questions—
the audience asked during the question-and-answer session?
EXERCISE 4
To practice overcoming public-speaking anxiety, ask a family member, coworker, or peer to view a re-
hearsal of the presentation. Schedule the rehearsal at a time that works for you, and plan to get plenty of
rest the night before. After the presentation, answer the following questions.

1. When did you feel most nervous during the presentation? Make a note on your outline of the most
nervous moments. Next to this note, add one strategy that may ease your anxiety. For example, you
could add a reminder to relax, such as, “Take a deep breath here!” or a few words of encouragement,
such as, “You are doing a great job!”
2. Ask your rehearsal audience for feedback on which moments of the presentation seemed most nerve
wrecking for you. What nonverbal or verbal clues indicated to your audience that you were nervous?
Which were most distracting to the audience? Make a note of these clues and practice the presenta-
tion again; be aware of how you show your anxiety and try to lessen these distractions.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 99

D Creating Presentations: End-of-Chapter Exercises
EXERCISES
1. Identify a topic of personal interest to you that you would enjoy presenting. (It is best to choose a
topic you already know something about.) Create a brief, informal presentation—about three min-
utes and no more than five to six slides. You may conduct some research if necessary, but this ex-
ercise does not need to be extensively researched. Instead, focus on summarizing your main points
concisely and using visuals effectively. If possible, share your presentation with a partner and evalu-
ate each other’s work.
2. Conduct an Internet search to find examples of strong and weak slideshow presentations. Determine
the reasons why each presentation is or is not successful. Consider the following elements:
• The number of slides and the amount of information presented overall
• The amount of information on each slide and how well it is organized
• The ratio of text to graphics
• The clarity and appropriateness of the graphics
• The use of special formatting, sounds, slide transitions, and so on
3. It is sometimes difficult to evaluate one’s own speaking skills. It is very helpful to rehearse and record
yourself. Use the questions from the following list that to determine if your presentation needs addi-
tional work. If possible, have a partner evaluate your presentation.
• Is the presentation clear, concise, and organized? Would your audience understand your main
point and supporting points?
• Are your visual aids relevant, appropriate, and effective? What changes (if any) are needed?
• Is your vocal delivery effective? If possible, have a partner evaluate your presentation on the fol-
lowing criteria: resonance, enunciation, volume, pitch, pace, and tone.
• Are you using your body language effectively? If possible, have a partner evaluate your eye contact,
facial expressions, posture, movement, and gestures.
4. View one or more television infomercials. Evaluate the presentations using the following questions:
• Does the presenter deliver information clearly and engage the audience? Does the infomercial
fulfill its purpose—to convince the audience to buy the product?
• Does the presenter use visual aids effectively? How?
• Is the presenter’s vocal delivery effective? Why or why not?
• Is the presenter’s body language effective? How does the presenter use body language to connect
with the television audience and to emphasize the product’s value?

100 Writing for Success: WORKBOOK

 15 Readings: Examples of Essays
After reading each example in the section, explain how you could identify it was an essay of the type
specified.

Writing for Success: WORKBOOK 101