Lab session 6- Punctuation and sentences

Fixing things up!

Dear students,

It's time to stop and review the quality

 of your writing. For this you are going to have two sessions and then at the end of the second class you are going to hand in your notebook for grading, ALL the activities must be done, remember that.

In today's lab session:

1.  You'll work on punctuation and sentence types. 

2. To finish, you'll review some aspects of giving opinion.

Checking punctuation

As well as spelling correctly, you are expected to use correct punctuation. 

You must use capital letters in the 
correct places and use punctuation 
marks such as periods, commas, 
and question marks correctly. It is 
also  important to indent each sentence in
                                                case you decide to use indentation.
                                                Remember to be consistent.

Indent	This is done at the beginning of each paragraph.
Capital letters	These are used at the beginning of each sentence and for proper nouns.
Period, question mark, exclamation point	One of these is always used at the end of a sentence.
Commas	In a list of three or more things. i.e. Home-cooked food is nutritious, tasty, and inexpensive.
	To separate transition words from the rest of the sentence. i.e. Additionally, physical education teaches children important skills such as teamwork.
	Between two independent clauses. i.e. Art and music classes are important, but academic classes are taken as even more important at school.
	To separate a non-restrictive* clause i.e. Maple syrup, which is made from the sap of the sugar maple tree, is an expensive treat.
	After a subordinate clause at the beginning of a sentence. i.e. If I had been more careful, I wouldn’t have lost the watch.

*non-restrictive clauses give additional information about a noun phrase. This extra information is not obligatory in the sentence.

Time for Practice Activities!

Tell me how well you did it. (Score)

 Activity 1:

Go to: 

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_55.htm

Do the exercises, and write all the correct answers (10 sentences, number them as they appear)

Activity 2:

Go to:

1.https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/3/16/14/

2.Do the exercises and write your  answers in your notebook. Use different color pen for the semicolons, colons, dashes, quotation marks, Italics , and parentheses .

3.Also write the correct ones.

Activity 3: Now do the following Quiz.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/apostrophe_quiz2.htm

Which was your score? Let me know.

Sentence Types

Using variety in your sentences keeps your writing lively and interesting. 
It also shows the range of your writing ability. One way you can vary 
your sentences is by using a variety of sentence types. There are four 
types of sentences: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.

Simple sentence	A simple sentence has one subject and one verb. i.e. Television offers a variety of programs.
Compound sentence	A compound sentence has two or more simple sentences linked by the conjunctions and, or, and but. i.e. Some people are not bothered by violent TV programs, but others avoid them.
Complex sentence	A complex sentence is made up of a simple sentence (an independent clause) and one or more subordinate clauses. i.e. If we don’t like a particular TV program, we can easily change the channel.
Compound-complex sentence	A compound-complex sentence has two or more simple sentences and one or more subordinate clauses. i.e. While many people avoid watching violent TV programs, others don’t mind them and they watch them frequently.

Activity 4:

Now do the following quiz related to sentences: 

http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/multi/satzType.htm

Write your answers as in the example , if wrong, correct it as it is shown

Ex. of a correct answer:

Q1. This is a simple sentence.

        Simple 

Ex. of a wrong answer

Q1. This is a simple sentence

        Complex  X. Simple

      

             Time for Practice !                     


 What is an opinion?

The introduction to your piece of writing should tell the reader what your
 opinion is. There is no right or wrong opinion. Whatever your opinion is, 
the reader will look to see how you express it. You can use certain set 
phrases, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs to express your opinion.

Set phrases	Verbs	Adjectives	Adverbs
In my opinion From my point of view In my view To my way of thinking To my mind It seems to me that To me It is my opinion that	Agree Believe Think Understand Suppose Guess Hope Imagine	Certain Positive Convinced Sure Persuaded Confident	Definitely Doubtless Certainly Probably Conceivably Maybe Perhaps Possibly Seemingly

Examples:

1. It seems to me that we haven't had many assignments in English this term.
2. I suppose it will all make sense when we grow up.
3. I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart's affections and the truth of imagination
4. I will make sure that I definitely pass my exams and show everyone that  I can do it.
5. You've probably promised yourself to get off the couch and get some exercise

Activity 5

There are many webpages aiming at discussing about literature. Read the extracts below about Jackson´s The Possibility of Evil:

- It is [a] very obvious [story] and does not catch my attention very much. Although it was quite comical at the ending when she receives the letter back.

- This is a good little story that teaches us to treat others well and that if we don't, karma may not be far behind.

- [This story] shows you what this world truly is and how some people have the face of evil hidden behind the face of a sweet woman/man.

Choose one of the opinions above and write two solid paragraphs supporting your opinion and beliefs. Write the assignment using a wide variety of sentences and check your punctuation before submitting your file.

Lab session 5 -Mystery Stories

Hello students,

Today's lab session will be about writing mystery stories.

Please read the following information before getting started.

Why do people like it?

"What people enjoy about a mystery is the intellectual challenge. A mystery often presents a problem, (most specifically a crime or a specific ill against a character or community) at the beginning and then offers clues that the reader  can put together in order to hypothesize about a resolution."

"For myself I like to read a mystery for a couple of reasons, one is that they usually involve clues that you have to put together like a puzzle. Another reason is that most good mysteries allow you to "get away" from the real world for a short time!"

 taken from http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/why-do-people-like-read-mysteries

The unknown plays an important role in every mystery story. Who did it? What was that strange noise at night? Will the detective find the gun? Who (or what) has been pursuing our hero so relentlessly—and why?   

As you might guess, mystery writers know the answers to such questions before they begin writing. As they write, they drop clues to the reader.

An observant reader can sometimes figure out the mystery before finishing the story.

In fact, if the ending is a complete surprise, the writer has not done a good job! After finishing a mystery, the reader should be able to go back through the story and find clues that hinted at the solution.

Relentlessly: without stopping.

So as not to confuse these genres, have a look at this table. Mainly focus your attention in the Mystery boxes after you realise the difference among Mystery, Horror and Suspense.

Taken from:http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/6-secrets-to-creating-and-sustaining-suspense

Activity 1

Are you a mystery lover?

Have a look at the video and tell me which is your favourite mystery and why. At least two paragraphs of five lines each; use the structures and wide range of vocabulary you have learnt.

Taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs1jKLK8Iv4

Activity 2:

Now read the following conclusion of a mystery story.

Think about how you would solve the mystery. 
Remember to give the reader a few hints along the way, so the ending isn’t a complete surprise.

A. Answer these questions first  as a way to brainstorm ideas:

1. How did she probably  meet  Doug? Why do you think so?

2. When did she meet Doug? 

3. Why was killing Doug the only way ?

4. Why did she want to be free?

5. Why did that car crush?Was she involved in the car crush? 

6. What is she going to do after this episode?

B. Now  write the rest of the story:

Work in pairs and  write a page with the rest of the story and give it an unexpected end.

When you are finished, make up a catchy title for your story, include a picture too.

Remember to share your printed work with your lab teacher next week.

Due date: Next class ( at the beggining of it)


Optional extra activity

Are you a  mystery lover? If so, visit the following link and enjoy reading mystery novels: 

http://flavorwire.com/434548/50-essential-mystery-novels-that-everyone-should-read

The year I was born.

Lab session 4

Hello Students!

As you remember our last topic was Biographies, here you  are going to find a special interview based on a bio. Have a look at it, you will be surprised. As you are going to see, everything can happen after a bio... Here we know about Shakespeare in first person; even though he passed away long ago.

In this lab session, you are going to write about  you and what happened the year you were born. And as we want you get some ideas watch the following inspiring video. Hope you like it!

Taken from:https://youtu.be/bShq1Ry-6AU

An Autobiographical Research Project

Do you know what happened the year that you were born? What was going on in your town, city or village? Were there important events going on in your country? How about the rest of the world?

Today you are going to start doing online research to find details on what was going on internationally, nationally, locally, in sports, music, arts, commercials, TV, and publishing during the year that you were born.

Activity 1:

Use the links below to browse the websites about the year you came to life. Use your notebook to record your findings.Write three situations which called your attention.

www.google.com

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.inthe90s.com/

http://www.inthe80s.com/

http://www.calendarhome.com/clink/history.html

http://www.scopesys.com/anyday/

http://dmarie.com/timecap/

Activity 2

1. You will conduct interviews of friends and family members to get more details, this time...about you  and your life!

Before your interview, brainstorm a list of questions to ask. You can include questions about your parents’ occupation, other members of the family and community, pets, significant family and community events (in addition to your birth), activities family and friends were involved in, extended family members, favorite music, book, or sports team, and so on.

Interview your family and other people about your birth and first year of life. If available, look through photo albums, baby books, and so forth. 

2. After you have done online research on the events that took place the year/date when you were born, and that you have also interviewed friends and family about you, go over your individual project notes and select the information you would like to put together into a two-page printed autobiographical text.

Let´s start with what an autobiography is.

An autobiography is an account of a person’s life written by that person. It’s different to a biography, which is an account of a person’s life written by someone else.

An autobiographical account isn’t a complete autobiography. It’s a small bit of one, which represents a defining, important, or memorable part of your life. For instance, you might write an account of your first experiences playing a certain sport or musical instrument. You might write about an early childhood friend and what you did together. Or you might recount a holiday somewhere. To get your mind running, here are some of the things you might use as the basis for an autobiographical account:

CHARACTERS are well developed in detail and are true-to-life.

SETTING is described vividly.

DETAILS are interesting.  Writers of autobiographies use objective and subjective details and anecdotes to tell their life stories.

• Objective details can be proved.
• Subjective details are based on personal feelings and opinions and cannot be proved.
• Anecdotes are short, often humorous, stories that enliven writing and illustrate a point.

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER is the order in which real-life events occur and the order in which most writers of autobiographies tell their stories.  Often events are arranged from childhood to adulthood.

POINT OF VIEW is the perspective from which an autobiography is written.  Since autobiographies are written by their subjects, they are told from the first-person point of view and use the pronouns I, me, and mine.  Readers experience events through the writer's eye-- knowing only what they think and feel about any given experience.

AUTHOR'S PURPOSE is the author's reason for writing.  Authors of autobiographies often want to make sense of events in their lives and to communicate an important personal statement about life.  They may also want to give credit to people who influence them.  Controversial individuals often write autobiographies to explain or justify their actions.

Hope it helped you!!

Taken from:http://sumreena.tripod.com/autobiography.htm

Optional :

For more information about the topic go to:http://www.englishtutes.com/Personal_writing/Autobiographical_accounts.shtml

Now, get down to work

Please have a look at the following tips and ideas before you actually write your autobiography. They will help you for sure.

This autobiography example  is here to show you that memoir writing can be easy and even exciting. All you need to do is to scroll this page down and enjoy this amazing sample and the related, practical hints.

A Lazy Student Autobiography Example

As now you know an autobiography is a story of your own life. Even if you think you don’t have much to include in your memoir, you can still make it quite interesting.

Bill Gates said: “I always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job, because he will find an easy way to do it.” This is why we found a lazy but smart student to write an autobiography and we now share the easiest ways to do it with you. 

So, here is a student memoir sample, with subheadings:

My childhood. (Why not start from the very beginning? Writing about your early years is the easiest and most logical start for an autobiography.)

I was born on a cold winter night, when even time seemed to stand still in my native Bennington, Oklahoma. I do not remember much of my early childhood, but my Mom said that I was a very active, curious and communicative child. I could ask tens of questions per minute, even without waiting for the answers. I suppose this is why my parents offered me books and educational movies as early as on my 3rd birthday.

Who Am I? (Describe yourself in a few words. It does not necessarily need to be too creative. Do not forget to make a transition from the previous part.)

Fortunately, my thirst for knowledge did not come to an end when I was at school. I was passionate about History and Science. This passion helped me develop very good skills in these areas and I was admitted to the college of my dreams. Today I am a student at a law school and I feel very happy about it.

My goals. (They say that a life with a goal is a life that is whole. Be positive and show everyone that your life is whole.)

I am certain that my degree will become my ticket to a better tomorrow. I want to become a good lawyer in the field of employment legislation. I study hard and devote my free time to reading scholarly reviews and watching interviews with recognized specialists in the field.

My ups and downs. (This part will show that you analyze your experiences and try to learn certain lessons from them.)

Sure, I understand that life is not just a bed of roses and challenges and hardships are an integral element of life. As my parents could not help me to cover my college expenses in full, paying off my student loan has become an important challenge for me. I combine a part-time job and full-time study to earn my living and my education. Yet, I feel triumphant at the beginning of every month when I receive my wages and I plan how I will spend my money…

Taken from:http://custom-writing.org/blog/writing-tips/free-essay-writing-tips/17711.html

Easy, don´t you think?

When you finish your work, print it, and hand in it to your teacher at the beginning of next class ( 8 am or 11 am, depending on your section. ), before we start next blog session.

This is an evaluated task.

Sing along and enjoy this song about life. Your impression about LIFE in the "comments" box below is more than welcomed, a sentence is enough. 

In my life, The Beatles