Aspects of Clear and Coherent Writing

A guide to help you write better!

What are the aspects of clear and coherent writing? Development and Organization How an Essay is Written Proper Grammar Focus

Development and OrganizationHave a paper that is well organized and not jumping from one topic to another.

Have a beginning, middle and end Have logical order if you can’t have

beginning, middle and end

Development and Organization ExampleHow would you put these sentences in proper order?

1. Finally, I went downstairs for breakfast.2. First, I woke up.3. Then I got up and got dressed.

Development and Organization ExampleThe order would be 2, 3, 1 so the sentences would look like this:

First, I woke up. Then I got up and got dressed. Finally, I went downstairs for breakfast.

This shows the logical order of this person’s morning routine.

Development and Organization ExampleWhen writing a paper that doesn't’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end, make sure that your paper is in logical order.

For example: If you’re presenting an argument, explain your side with facts and then present and end with an action people should take afterwards.

Development and Organization Example Make sure your ideas and sentences are

developed. Give details, make sentences complex, be

descriptive, think outside the box

Which sentence would be more developed?

1. Vegetables are good for you.2. Vegetables are good for you because they

provide several important vitamins and minerals to the body.

Development and Organization ExampleSentence number 2 is more developed.

Vegetables are good for you because they provide several important vitamins and minerals to the body.

But why? More descriptive More complex sentence Gives supporting details

How an Essay is Written How is writing developed?

Word choice Tone Syntax (Sentence Formation)

How an Essay is Written ExamplesCan you list a few tone examples?

Some more include… Scary Happy Sad Excited Angry Mysterious

How an Essay is Written ExamplesWhat kind of tone do you see in this paragraph? Also, think of word choice and syntax!

Today, I got a new puppy! She is an active and sweet bulldog. She is also super cute. Her name is Pepper and she is only a few months old. My family is very happy to have a new family member. I am so excited to have a new puppy in my home!

How an Essay is Written ExamplesThe tone is happy or excited. How can you tell?

Today, I got a new puppy! She is an active and sweet bulldog. She is also super cute. Her name is Pepper and she is only a few months old. My family is very happy to have a new family member. I am so excited to have a new puppy in my home!

Word choice Long sentences make it seem happy Exclamation points

How an Essay is Written ExamplesWord choice should be descriptive and effective.

Hungry StarvingSad DepressedEat Devour Angry Livid

Having more descriptive words makes your paper more interesting.

How an Essay is Written Examples Syntax, or sentence formation, is very important.

Have complete sentences in your essays Have varied sentence lengths in your

essays

How an Essay is Written Examples What is the problem with this paragraph?

I like school. School is fun. I learn a lot in school. I learn a lot in math. Math is my favorite subject. I have fun in school. I have fun in school with my friends. We play at recess. I really like school.

How an Essay is Written Examples What’s wrong with that paragraph?

Lots of short sentences Sentences could be combined Repetitive sentences

Brainstorm: How can we fix it?

How an Essay is Written Examples Here’s one example:

I like school because school is fun. I learn a lot in school, especially in math. Math is my favorite subject. I have fun in school with my friends, like when we play at recess. I really like school.

Now you have a variety of sentences and the paragraph reads a lot better!

Proper GrammarAlways use proper grammar in writing as well as proper capitalization and punctuation rules.

Having proper grammar will make your writing easier to read and understand!

Proper Grammar ExamplesWhich of these sentences has improper grammar?

1. The cats is drinking milk.2. What do you think we should do today?3. I like many of you, wish we could have

a longer lunch.4. I can’t wait to write my papers!

Proper Grammar ExamplesSentences 1 and 3 have improper grammar.

1. The cats is drinking milk.3. I like many of you, wish we could have a longer lunch.

What do you think we could do to fix these sentences?

Proper Grammar ExamplesImproper Grammar:1. The cats is drinking milk.3. I like many of you, wish we could have a longer lunch.

Proper Grammar:1. The cats are drinking milk.4. I, like many of you, wish we could have a longer lunch.

Proper Grammar ExamplesHere are some of the most common grammar mistakes you should look out for while writing and editing your paper!

Improper comma usage Subject/verb agreement Improper punctuation Fragment or run on sentences Improper apostrophe usage (ex. its vs. it’s) Improper capitalization

FocusKnow what your focus is! What are you writing about or writing for? Expository – to provide

information Persuasive – to give an

opinion and influence the reader

Narrative – to tell a story or describe an event

Focus Examples Expository Essay

Your focus is to provide information about a topic or subject.

Who is your audience in an EXPOSITORY essay? General audience, who are looking to be

informed This essay should be professional and

non-opinionated

Focus Examples Persuasive Essay

Your focus is to give your opinion and influence the reader to agree with your opinion. Sometimes, you ask them to take action to support your opinion.

Who is your audience in a PERSUASIVE essay? General audience, who sometimes don’t

initially agree with your opinion This essay should be professional, but

opinionated

Focus Examples Narrative Essay

Your purpose is to tell a story or to describe an event.

Who is your audience in a NARRATIVE essay? General audience who are looking for

entertainment This essay should be fun and entertaining

to read

Tips to Improve Your Writing Read your draft out loud – this will

help you catch any errors when something doesn’t sound quite right

Edit your drafts! Take the time to have one of your peers edit, your parents or guardians edit, other family member or friends edit or even me, the teacher, edit!

Have fun! If you like what you’re writing about, it will be a lot easier to write!