Writing & RevisionWriting & RevisionWriting & RevisionWriting & RevisionMaking your writing more Making your writing more powerful using the 6 traitspowerful using the 6 traits

Mrs. Cuadrado

English 10

Revising for IDEAS• Strong writing presents a clear focus or message with

specific details that support that focus

• BEGINNING WITHBEGINNING WITH a clear, complete thesis statement– States the theme you’re analyzing and connects it with at

least 1 element• How do the elements found in the story impact the characters

and their actions?

– EXAMPLE: The importance of father and son relationships emerges as a major theme in Night as Elie and his father depend on one another to survive the brutal conditions, treatment, and inhumanity they face in the concentration camps.

– EXAMPLE #2: While many of characters in Of Mice and Men exhibit the loneliness that accompanies the lifestyle of a migrant worker, George and Lennie show the reader the importance friendship, a major theme in Steinbeck’s novella.

Revising for IDEAS• Do my body paragraphs (analysis) clearly

reveal andand support my thesis statement?– Choose events related to the theme your thesis

statement reveals

• EXAMPLE: One way in which Elie and his father demonstrate their dependence on one another to survive is when …

• EXAMPLE #2: George and Lennie demonstrate the importance of having a friend when…

Revising for ORGANIZATION

• ORGANIZATION is the way your IDEAS are arranged in your essay

• A clear beginning, middle, and ending– Paragraphs flow smoothly from one to the

next• Opening sentence contains a key word or idea from

the previous paragraph to connect • Use of appropriate transitional words/phrases

– For example; Furthermore; Additionally; Although… (see complete list of transitions!)

– Each paragraph is coherent• Sentences within paragraph flow smoothly from

one to the next

Revising for VOICE• VOICE is the way your writing sounds

– It’s important to sound knowledgeable about your topic

• Be direct• Avoid beginning sentences with “It is” or “There is”

– Maintain the third-person point of view throughout!

• RIP: I, you, me, we• Use he, she, it, they instead!

Revising for WORD CHOICE

• Use words with correct connotation– Replace words that portray the wrong

feeling– Replace bland verbs, adverbs, and

adjectives with more powerful and vivid selections• RIP: very, nice, really, good, bad, etc.

USE A THESAURAS!!!!!!!USE A THESAURAS!!!!!!!

Revising for WORD CHOICE

• Have I effectively used literary terms in my analysis?– Literary terms reveal your understanding of

the novel and help you express yourself

• EXAMPLE: The importance of father and son relationships emerges as a major theme in Night as Elie and his father depend on one another to survive the brutal conditions, treatment, and inhumanity they face in the concentration camps.

Revising for SENTENCE FLUENCY

• Use a variety of sentence structures and lengths to create a pleasing rhythm– Short sentences place emphasis on an

important idea• Balance Sentences

– Elements within each sentence are parallel, or stated in the same way

• Examples– UNBALANCED SENTENCE: Granny knew that her

love could be seen in the food she cooked, her making all the clothes, and the gardens she liked growing.

– BALANCED SENTENCE: Granny knew that her love could be seen in the food she cooked, the clothes she made, and the garden she grew.

Revising for CONVENTIONS

• CONVENTIONS are the rules for punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling.– Spell check!– Place commas before and after any

words or phrases that interrupt the flow of your sentences

Revising for CONVENTIONS

• Your, you’re• To, two, too• Then, than• Except, accept

Revising for CONVENTIONS

• We always write about literature using the PRESENT TENSE!– Elie struggles to survive.– George and Lennie exemplify the

meaning of true friendship.

Miscellaneous