Organizing and Composing – Beginning

Organizing and Composing – Beginning

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Describing Action in Progress

In this picture,* there are many people riding on a bus. Some of the people are standing and some aresitting. The bus driver is talking to a young man who is just getting on the bus. An old woman isstanding in the aisle and is leaning against a post. She looks very tired. Next to her, there is a shopping cart full of groceries. Two men are standing near the old woman. They are arguing about something. On the right side of the bus, there is a bald man looking out the window, and sitting behind him is a young man listening to the radio. On the left side of the bus, there are some girls chatting happily while someone is smoking in the seat behind them. I think this looks like a typical day on the bus in Taiwan. Describing Action in Progress: Present Progressive Tense He is standing. They are sitting. There is Prepositions There are to show movement and position in, on, by, near, over, under, next to, in front of, on the right (side) Opinions I think . . . It looks like . . . They look tired. They appear to be tired.

Describing Action in the Past

Sample Past Tense

Yesterday, I had a very rough day. I got up early to go shopping, but as soon as I stepped out of the door, it began to rain, so I had to go back to the apartment and get my umbrella. The elevator was out, so I had to climb six flights of stairs to get to my place. When I got back downstairs, I was so exhausted that I had to sit down on a bench to rest. By that time, it had stopped raining, but the ground was still wet. A brown dog came to where I was sitting and begged for something to eat. I tried to ignore him, but he splashed water all over my brand new shoes. Finally, the bus came, and I was on my way to the supermarket. When I got to the supermarket, I realized I had forgotten my shopping list, so I couldn't remember everything I wanted to buy. The cashier was too busy to help me, so I gathered up a few items and carried them to the counter. After the cashier finished ringing up my purchase, he gave me the wrong change and stuffed my groceries into my small shopping cart. I was not in a good mood when I left the supermarket. If that wasn't bad enough, I had a terrible time on the bus ride home. First, the bus driver yelled at me because I took too much time to get on. Couldn't he see that I had a cart full of groceries? Then, there were not seats. I'm sure that someone on the bus could have offered me a place to sit, but everyone was so rude. They pretended not to see me. I just stood there, leaned against one of the poles in the aisles, put my head down, and sighed.

Describing Action at Present

Sample Present Tense

Every day Mr. Lee gets up at 6:00 a.m. and heads for the station. He has to be at work at 6:30 sharp. As soon as he reaches the station, he punches his time card and checks his vehicle--tires, fuel, engine, interior. Everything must be in good shape for the day's passengers. After he has made sure his vehicle is all right, Mr. Lee gets himself comfortable in his seat, adjusts his mirrors, and starts the engine. He pulls out of the station at 6:35.

Mr. Lee makes his first stop at Maple Street, where a few people get on. Usually, the earliest passengers are elderly men and women who like to avoid the rush hours. M.r Lee drives down Maple Street making several other stops. By the time he gets to Tanner Boulevard, the vehicle is hal full. Around 7:00, it starts to become crowded. Some of the passengers are going to school, others to work. Everyone seems to be in a hurry. At about 8:30, the crowd dies down a bit, and Mr. Lee's work becomes more pleasant.

During the daytime hours, people are usually more friendly because they aren't so rushed to get where they are going. Many of the passengers during these hours are going shopping or visiting friends. They often smile and chat with each other. Once in a while, Mr. Lee meets a rude man or woman who argues with him or one of the passengers or refuses to give his seat to an elderly person.

Mr. Lee's shift usually ends at 3:30 p.m, just before the evening rush hour. Then, he goes back to the station and turns his vehicle over to another driver. After a few minutes of writing reports in the office, Mr. Lee is finished for the day. Even though there are good days and bad days, he enjoys his work as a _____________.

Getting Ideas Organized

1. Make a list. (Get your ideas down on paper.) 2. Select those items that are most interesting/appropriate. 3. Formulate a topic sentence. 4. Arrange ideas in an outline. Example: Topic: Sports Baseball Basketball Soccer Badminton Olympics Professional Sports Athletes Coaches Sports medicine Muscles Being in shape Heart rate Karate Team sports Competition School Contests Revised Topic: High school sports competitions High school sports competitions require that athletes be in good shape, follow their coach, and work together as a team. 1. Be in good shape muscles heart rate flexibility 2. Follow the coach leader of the team conditioning of the athletes rules 3. Work as a team cooperation team spirit strategy

Writer's Checklist

1. Grammar

Verbs

Tense

Verb Form

Sentence Structure

S - V relationship

Clarity (Is it clear or confusing)

Other

Articles

Prepositions

Wordiness

2. Vocabulary

Word choice

Any translation?

3. Organization

Introduction

General statements

Thesis statement

Body

Support

Details

Concrete examples

Transitions

Conclusion

4. Overall Effect

What is the main message?

Is it interesting to read?

How does it look?

Paragraph division

Handwriting

Topics for Writing 

The following Topics for Writing are just a small sample from the game, Roll Play, by Dymon Publications.

Hypothetical What would you do if you were late for an important appointment?  What would you do if someone accused you of a crime you didn't commit?  What would you do if you got lost in an unfamiliar city?  What would you do if you left something in a locked building?  What would you do if your best friend stole something from you?  What would you do if you didn't have enough money to pay your bills?  What would you do if your children were caught shoplifting?  What would you do if your car got a flat tire on the freeway?  If you could change one thing about your past, what would it be?  If you could change one major historical event, what would it be? Description Describe a famous park or recreation area in your home country.  Describe an interesting neighbor you have had.  Describe something you could never give away.  Describe a place you will never forget.  Describe a sporting event you attended recently.  Describe a memorable birthday celebration.  Describe a place you go for recreation or exercise.  Describe your childhood home.  Describe someone you respect deeply.  Describe the nightlife in a city you are familiar with. Narration Tell about a recent interview.  Tell about a time when you lost something.  Tell about one of your fondest childhood memories.  Tell about a time when you lied to your parents, boss, or teacher.  Tell about a time when you were treated unfairly.  Briefly tell about a movie you saw recently.  Tell about something you made ?from scratch.?  Tell about a "close call" you had recently.  Tell about something you wish had never happened.  Tell about a time when you inadvertently caused trouble for someone else. Opinion What is your opinion about cellular phones?  What is your opinion about women in the military?  What is your opinion about a current politician?  What is your opinion about violence on television?  What is your opinion about fortune telling?  What is your opinion about the tabloids?  What is your opinion about legalizing marijuana?  What is your opinion about the welfare system?  What is your opinion about cloning?  What is your opinion about recycling? Instructions Tell how to find something on the Internet.  Tell how to feed family members who drop by unexpectedly.  Tell how to dump a boyfriend/girlfriend.  Tell how to get from your house to the supermarket.  Tell what to do in an earthquake.  Tell how to get someone to fall in love with you.  Tell how to make a paper airplane.  Tell how to get a good table at a restaurant.  Tell how to get a discount on an expensive item.  Tell how to discipline an unruly child.