A teacher comments that your paper does not flow well. What do you do?
Transitions:
- transitions are phrases or words used to connect one idea to the next
- transitions are used by the author to help the reader progress from one significant idea to the next
- transitions also show the relationship within a paragraph (or within a sentence) between the main idea and the support the author gives for those ideas
- different transitions do different things
- Examples of transition words
- Actually, Additionally, Also, Lastly, Furthermore, First, Second, Third, Finally
Parallel Structure:
- Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. The usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as "and" or "or."
- Skim your paper, pausing at the words "and" and "or." Check on each side of these words to see whether the items joined are parallel. If not, make them parallel.
- If you have several items in a list, put them in a column to see if they are parallel.
- Listen to the sound of the items in a list or the items being compared. Do you hear the same kinds of sounds? For example, is there a series of "-ing" words beginning each item? Or do your hear a rhythm being repeated? If something is breaking that rhythm or repetition of sound, check to see if it needs to be made parallel.
Dangling and misplaced modifiers:
Definition:
- A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept
- Name the appropriate or logical doer of the action as the subject of the main clause
- Having arrived late for practice, a written excuse was needed.
- Who arrived late? This sentence says that the written excuse arrived late. To revise, decide who actually arrived late. The possible revision might look like this:
- Having arrived late for practice, the team captain needed a written excuse.
- The main clause now names the person (the captain) who did the action in the modifying phrase (arrived late).
- Change the phrase that dangles into a complete introductory clause by naming the doer of the action in that clause
- Without knowing his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
- Who didn't know his name? This sentence says that "it" didn't know his name. To revise, decide who was trying to introduce him. The revision might look something like this:
- Because Maria did not know his name, it was difficult to introduce him.
- The phrase is now a complete introductory clause; it does not modify any other part of the sentence, so is not considered "dangling."
- Combine the phrase and main clause into one
- To improve his results, the experiment was done again.
- Who wanted to improve results? This sentence says that the experiment
was trying to improve its own results. To revise, combine the phrase
and the main clause into one sentence. The revision might look
something like this:
- He improved his results by doing the experiment again.
Fixing wordiness with concise writing:
Definition:
- The goal of concise writing is to use the most effective words. Concise writing does not always have the fewest words, but it always uses the strongest ones. Writers often fill sentences with weak or unnecessary words that can be deleted or replaced
- Replace several vague words with more powerful and specific words.
- Interrogate every word in a sentence
- Check every word to make sure that it is providing something important and unique to a sentence
- Combine Sentences
- Some information does not require a full sentence, and can easily be inserted into another sentence without losing any of its value
Vocabulary:
- How do you improve your vocabulary?
- Make it a priority to learn new words
- Decide to learn one new word every day or two
- Make your vocabulary practical
- Start by learning the words that can express what’s most important to you
- Find the right word for you and use it
- When you’re writing something, use a thesaurus frequently
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