EXPLORING SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS JOHN LANGAN WRITING 2E LANGAN Exploring 2E WRITING SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS www.mhhe.com EAN ISBN MHID Foundation by Langan, Inspiration by You. COHERENCE Organize and connect supporting evidence so that paragraphs and essays transition smoothly from one bit of supporting information to the next. UNITY Discover a clearly stated point, or topic sentence, and make sure all the other information in the paragraph or essay is in support of that point. SENTENCE SKILLS Revise and edit so that sentences are error-free for clearer and more effective communication. SUPPORT Support points with specifi c evi- dence, and plenty of it. Tatiana TTaa tt ii aa nn aa Connect Writing teaches you to be a more effective writer in the kinds of writing that are crucial to your success—business letters, memos, college essays, and more! The writing you do every day. Accessible to you anytime. Always online when you need it, Connect Writing fi ts your schedule. The help you need right now. Once you complete the initial diagnostics, Connect Writing adapts so that you get support that is customized to your unique needs. The daughter of Filipino immigrants, Tatiana is in her early 20s. She is nervous about college and eager to do well. She works part time at a veterinarian’s offi ce as a receptionist and is enrolled in college to study marketing. She’s skilled at communicating orally but is less so in writing. She knows that she’ll need strong writ- ing skills if she wants to do well in college and in her future career. [ [ MD DALIM #1047724 9/8/09 CYAN MAG YELO BLK Exploring Writing lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd ilan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd i 9/22/09 6:31:18 PM9/22/09 6:31:18 PM Exploring Writing Sentences and Paragraphs SECOND EDITION John Langan Atlantic Cape Community College T M lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd iiilan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd iii 9/4/09 2:36:50 PM9/4/09 2:36:50 PM Published by McGraw-Hill, an imprint of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright © 2010, 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro- duced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. This book is printed on acid-free paper. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 DOW/DOW 0 9 ISBN 978-0-07-337186-3 (student edition) MHID 0-07-337186-6 (student edition) ISBN 978-0-07-730317-4 (instructor’s edition) MHID 0-07-730317-2 (instructor’s edition) Vice President, Editor in Chief: Michael Ryan Publisher: David S. Patterson Senior Sponsoring Editor: John Kindler Marketing Manager: Jaclyn Elkins Director of Development: Dawn Groundwater Development Editor: Alyson Watts Editorial Coordinator: Jesse Hassenger Senior Production Editor: Karol Jurado Production Service: Aaron Downey, Matrix Productions Inc. Manuscript Editor: Dan Hays Design Manager: Preston Thomas Text Designer: Maureen McCutcheon Cover Designer: Laurie Entringer Photo Research: Emily Tietz Media Project Manager: Vivek Iyer Senior Production Supervisor: Tandra Jorgensen Composition: 11/13.5 Palatino by Macmillan Publishing Solutions Printing: 45# New Era Thin Plus, RR Donnelley & Sona Cover images: © Jo McRyan/Stone/Getty Images (top left); © White Packert/Stone/Getty Images (top right); © Michael Poehlman/Photographer’s Choice/Getty Images (bottom left); © Jan Cobb Photography Ltd./Photographer’s Choice/Getty Images (bottom right) Credits: The credits section for this book begins on page 637 and is considered an extension of the copyright page. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Langan, John Exploring writing : sentences and paragraphs / John Langan. — 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-07-337186-3 (alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-07-337186-6 (alk. paper) 1. English language—Sentences—Problems, exercises, etc. 2. English language—Paragraphs—Problems, exercises, etc. 3. English language—Rhetoric—Problems, exercises, etc. 4. Report writing—Problems, exercises, etc. I. Title. PE1441.L34 2009 808'.042076—dc22 2009004597 The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of publication. The inclusion of a Web site does not indicate an endorsement by the authors or McGraw-Hill, and McGraw-Hill does not guarantee the accuracy of the information presented at these sites. www.mhhe.com TM lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd ivlan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd iv 9/22/09 6:31:18 PM9/22/09 6:31:18 PM John Langan has taught reading and writing at Atlantic Cape Community College near Atlantic City, New Jersey, for more than twenty-five years. The author of a popular series of college textbooks on both writing and reading, John enjoys the challenge of developing materials that teach skills in an especially clear and lively way. Before teaching, he earned advanced degrees in writing at Rutgers University and in read- ing at Rowan University. He also spent a year writing fiction that, he says, “is now at the back of a drawer waiting to be dis- covered and acclaimed posthumously.” While in school, he sup- ported himself by working as a truck driver, a machinist, a battery assembler, a hospital attendant, and apple packer. John now lives with his wife, Judith Nadell, near Philadelphia. In addition to his wife and Philly sports teams, his passions include reading and turning on nonreaders to the pleasure and power of books. Through Townsend Press, his educational publishing company, he has developed the non- profit “Townsend Library”—a collection of more than fifty new and classic stories that appeal to readers of any age. i c y , l ar o h n s in ne d e a d - c tion e dis - e su p - b atter y w l ives v lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd vlan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd v 9/4/09 2:36:51 PM9/4/09 2:36:51 PM vi Preface xxi PART 1 Writing: Skills and Process 2 1. An Introduction to Writing 4 2. The Writing Process 16 PART 2 Writing Effective Paragraphs 44 3. Four Steps for Writing, Four Bases for Revising 46 4. Nine Patterns of Paragraph Development 85 5. Moving from Paragraph to Essay 126 PART 3 Sentence Skills 150 SECTION I Sentences 152 6. Subjects and Verbs 153 7. Fragments 162 8. Run-Ons 179 9. Sentence Variety I 195 SECTION II Verbs, Pronouns, and Agreement 209 10. Standard English Verbs 210 11. Irregular Verbs 220 12. Subject-Verb Agreement 231 13. Consistent Verb Tense 241 14. Additional Information about Verbs 245 15. Pronoun Reference, Agreement, and Point of View 252 16. Pronoun Types 263 SECTION III Modifiers and Parallelism 275 17. Adjectives and Adverbs 276 18. Misplaced Modifiers 283 19. Dangling Modifiers 289 20. Faulty Parallelism 295 21. Sentence Variety II 304 SECTION IV Punctuation and Mechanics 318 22. Paper Format 319 23. Capital Letters 324 lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd vilan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd vi 9/4/09 2:36:52 PM9/4/09 2:36:52 PM BRIEF CONTENTS vii 24. Numbers and Abbreviations 334 25. End Marks 339 26. Apostrophes 342 27. Quotation Marks 354 28. Commas 365 29. Other Punctuation Marks 379 SECTION V Word Use 385 30. Dictionary Use 386 31. Spelling Improvement 395 32. Omitted Words and Letters 402 33. Commonly Confused Words 407 34. Effective Word Choice 423 PART 4 Readings for Writers 436 INTRODUCTION TO THE READINGS 438 GOALS AND VALUES 442 EDUCATION AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT 483 HUMAN GROUPS AND SOCIETY 537 APPENDIXES 585 A. Parts of Speech 586 B. ESL Pointers 597 C. Sentence-Skills Diagnostic Test 609 D. Sentence-Skills Achievement Test 614 E. Answers to Activities in Part 3 619 Credits 637 Index 639 lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd viilan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd vii 9/5/09 2:46:08 AM9/5/09 2:46:08 AM Preface xxi PART 1 Writing: Skills and Process 2 1. An Introduction to Writing 4 Understanding Point and Support 5 An Important Difference between Writing and Talking 5 Point and Support in Two Cartoons 6 Point and Support in a Paragraph 8 Writing as a Skill 10 Why Does Your Attitude toward Writing Matter? 10 Writing as a Process of Discovery 12 Keeping a Journal 13 2. The Writing Process 16 How Do You Reach the Goals of Effective Writing? 17 Prewriting 17 Technique 1: Freewriting 17 Technique 2: Questioning 20 Technique 3: Making a List 21 Technique 4: Clustering 22 Technique 5: Preparing a Scratch Outline 23 Writing the First Draft 25 Writing a First Draft: A Student Model 25 Revising 27 Revising: A Student Model 28 Editing and Proofreading 29 Editing Tips 30 Proofreading Tips 30 Editing and Proofreading: A Student Model 31 Tips on Using a Computer 32 Using a Computer at Each Stage of the Writing Process 33 Using Peer Review 35 1. Identification 35 2. Scratch Outline 35 3. Comments 36 Review Activities 36 Prewriting 37 ix lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd ixlan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd ix 9/4/09 2:36:52 PM9/4/09 2:36:52 PM x CONTENTS Outlining, Drafting, and Revising 37 Taking a Writing Inventory 39 Chapter Review 40 PART 2 Writing Effective Paragraphs 44 3. Four Steps for Writing, Four Bases for Revising 46 What Are the Steps to Writing Effective Paragraphs? 47 Step 1: Make a Point 47 Step 2: Back Up Your Point 50 Step 3: Organize the Support 67 Step 4: Write Clear, Error-Free Sentences 73 Four Bases for Revising Writing 73 Base 1: Unity 74 Base 2: Support 75 Base 3: Coherence 76 Base 4: Sentence Skills 77 4. Nine Patterns of Paragraph Development 85 Important Considerations in Paragraph Development 86 Knowing Your Subject 86 Knowing Your Purpose and Audience 86 Patterns of Development 87 1. Exemplification 88 A Paragraph to Consider 89 Writing an Exemplification Paragraph 89 2. Description 92 A Paragraph to Consider 92 Writing a Descriptive Paragraph 93 3. Narration 97 A Paragraph to Consider 97 Writing a Narrative Paragraph 98 4. Process 100 A Paragraph to Consider 100 Writing a Process Paragraph 101 5. Cause and Effect 105 A Paragraph to Consider 105 Writing a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 106 6. Comparison or Contrast 108 Two Paragraphs to Consider 109 Writing a Comparison or Contrast Paragraph 111 lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd xlan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd x 9/4/09 2:36:53 PM9/4/09 2:36:53 PM CONTENTS xi 7. Definition 114 A Paragraph to Consider 114 Writing a Definition Paragraph 115 8. Division-Classification 117 Two Paragraphs to Consider 117 Writing a Division-Classification Paragraph 119 9. Argument 121 A Paragraph to Consider 121 Writing an Argument Paragraph 122 5. Moving from Paragraph to Essay 126 What Is an Essay? 127 Differences between an Essay and a Paragraph 127 The Form of an Essay 127 A Model Essay 128 Important Points about the Essay 129 Introductory Paragraph 129 Supporting Paragraphs 131 Transitional Sentences 131 Concluding Paragraph 132 Essays to Consider 132 Planning the Essay 135 Outlining the Essay 135 Form for Planning the Essay 136 Practice in Writing the Essay 136 Understanding the Two Parts of a Thesis Statement 136 Supporting the Thesis with Specific Evidence 137 Identifying Introductions 139 Revising an Essay for All Four Bases: Unity, Support, Coherence, and Sentence Skills 140 Essay Assignments 142 PART 3 Sentence Skills 150 SECTION I Sentences 152 6. Subjects and Verbs 153 A Simple Way to Find a Subject 154 A Simple Way to Find a Verb 154 More about Subjects and Verbs 157 Distinguishing Subjects from Prepositional Phrases 157 Verbs of More Than One Word 158 Compound Subjects and Verbs 159 lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd xilan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd xi 9/4/09 10:59:01 PM9/4/09 10:59:01 PM [...]... Dependent-Word Fragments 163 How to Correct Dependent-Word Fragments 164 -ing and to Fragments 167 How to Correct -ing Fragments 167 How to Correct to Fragments 168 Added-Detail Fragments 170 How to Correct Added-Detail Fragments 170 Missing-Subject Fragments 172 How to Correct Missing-Subject Fragments 172 8 Run-Ons 179 What Are Run-Ons? 180 A Warning: Words That Can Lead to Run-Ons Correcting Run-Ons... lan71866_FM_i-xxiv.indd xxiv 9/14/09 10:15:15 PM Exploring Writing lan71866_ch01_p00 1-0 15.indd 1 9/4/09 12:25:38 PM PART Writing: Skills and Process CHAPTER 1 An Introduction to Writing CHAPTER 2 The Writing Process PART ON E W I L L • introduce you to the basic principles of effective writing • present writing as both a skill and a process of discovery • explain and illustrate the sequence of steps in writing. .. how the four bases can be applied to the writing they do in their other classes as well Real Situations Just as the avatars work to improve their writing in class, at home, and in the workplace, Exploring Writing offers Beyond the Classroom for students to explore how certain professionals in the workforce may utilize a particular mode of writing in their day-to-day tasks How Am I Improving? Students... print (50% of which are new to Exploring Writing) students have ample opportunity to practice their skills • Collaborative Activity: These activities give students a chance to collaborate as they develop stronger writing skills • Introductory Activity: These provide hands-on introductions to the topics covered in each chapter of Part 3 • Exploring Writing Online: These writing prompts give students... best fits its purpose, and writing clear, error-free sentences to maximize the effectiveness of the writing In Exploring Writing: Sentences and Paragraphs, I encourage new writers to see writing as a skill that can be learned and a process that must be explored I refer to a set of four skills for effective writing as the four bases: • Unity: Discover a clearly stated point, or topic sentence, and make... the Annotated Instructor’s Edition, but not in the student text Goals Exploring Writing s diagnostics help students set individual learning plans and goals for their writing skills Similarly, each part of the print text opens with a list of goals and an intriguing full-page visual accompanied by a related writing prompt to get writers writing and thinking— immediately Readings for Writers Part 4 has been... (see the front cover foldout or jump online to meet a few) or the Writer’s Template activities, Exploring Writing emphasizes meaningful writing across the curriculum and throughout life • Avatars: Throughout the margins of Exploring Writing, you will meet more than thirty characters who are experiencing various writing dilemmas For instance, within the chapter on commas, we meet Amy, who is having trouble... lan71866_ch01_p00 1-0 15.indd 2 9/4/09 12:25:39 PM lan71866_ch01_p00 1-0 15.indd 3 9/4/09 12:25:49 PM C HAPTE R An Introduction to Writing CHAPTER PREVIEW Understanding Point and Support Writing as a Skill Writing as a Process of Discovery Keeping a Journal RESPOND I N G TO I M AG E S Do you think that Tiger Woods’ prowess on the golf course is more a result of natural talent or hard-earned skill? What... ability to write and perform multiple Grammy-winning hits? Take a few minutes to respond to these questions In this chapter, you will find the answer as it pertains to one’s ability to perform a skill lan71866_ch01_p00 1-0 15.indd 4 9/4/09 12:25:51 PM Copyright © 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc All rights reserved CHAPTER 1 An Introduction to Writing 5 Exploring Writing grows out of experiences I had... and mastered Furthermore, I learned that although there is no alternative to the work required for competent writing, there is satisfaction to be gained through such work I no longer feared or hated writing because I knew I could work at it and be good at it Exploring Writing: Sentences and Paragraphs explains in a clear and direct way the four basic principles you must learn to write effectively: . acid-free paper. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 DOW/DOW 0 9 ISBN 97 8-0 -0 7-3 3718 6-3 (student edition) MHID 0-0 7-3 3718 6-6 (student edition) ISBN 97 8-0 -0 7-7 3031 7-4 . EXPLORING SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS JOHN LANGAN WRITING 2E LANGAN Exploring 2E WRITING SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS www.mhhe.com EAN ISBN