Prompt Writing Tips - Bird Edition Part I

I was in process of making a power point of strong examples and areas needing attention (akin to the Keats' diction prompt) when I realized it would take several class periods to go over individual mistakes that may not be an issue with the majority of the class. However, the majority of us (I included myself in there as grammar and mechanics are a lifelong study), need a refresher of rules from time to time to avoid distractions and not annoy the audience with countless errors. Hence, this blog post and the given links will give you the opportunity for personal study prior to the next prompt writing and our eventual argumentative essay work. If you need additional help for a specific distraction, you can always set up a study session with me before or after school or e-mail for additional suggestions, tips, or practices.

• Formal writing does not use contractions. Spell out your words to avoid any issue with its and it's. Possessive pronouns do not have apostrophes.  http://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-2/pronouns/lesson-2/cases-of-personal-pronouns
• Writers use transitions for flow. These transitions (hence, therefore, however, on the other hand) are not part of the sentence's grammatical structure and are known as conjunctive adverbs or adverbial conjunctions depending on your grammar handbook. Therefore, commas are needed to separate the transition from the sentence.  http://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-7/conjunctions-and-interjections/lesson-4/conjunctive-adverbs
• Write in full sentences and avoid dependent clauses. Even though fictional writers use dependent clauses to create atmosphere and add to the voice of the narrator, the AP reader wants to see your ability to write grammatically correct sentences. What makes such a sentence? A subject, a verb, and a complete thought.
• Example: "John Keats and Percy Shelley, the blinding infernos that yearned for so much yet fell short of their desires." There is a subject but only a dependent clause following it.
• Improved: "The blinding infernos John Keats and Percy Shelley yearned for so much yet fell short of their desires." In this improved version, the subject now has an active verb and a complete thought.
• Speaking of verbs, you should be writing with active verbs and amend any passive constructions or "to be" verbs that muddle up your writing.  https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/539/
• Improper title punctuation creates a distraction from the opening paragraph - especially if you use quotation marks and underlining at the same time. If a text is short or can be removed from a larger text (short story, essay, poem), you will utilize quotation marks. If a text is long, you will choose underlining if you are handwriting or italics if you are typing.  https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/Punctuating_Titles_chart.pdf
• When mixing and matching clauses, you need to incorporate the appropriate punctuation. Starting with a dependent clause, you normally need a comma before the independent clauses. I put "normally" as some grammar rule books like to say you should have 5 words or more before utilizing a comma. However, take this example: "Throughout this poem Shelley makes a sudden tone change." Without the comma, "poem Shelley" becomes one idea; therefore, a comma is needed to isolate the separate ideas. If you reverse the situation and have the independent clause first, you do not need a comma before the dependent clause. A comma before because is unnecessary in almost every situation.  https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/598/01/
• In our previous power point, we spent time discussing quotation marks (the fences) and punctuation marks. Remember, commas and period go inside the fence; semicolons and colons go outside the fence.  http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/quotation-marks.html#adjacentpunctuation
• We spent a great deal of time talking about punctuation with citations and where periods go. Amend this issue to alleviate distractions. I really am fond of this link as it gives a plethora of examples. https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/documents/Lit_Citation_Problems.pdf
• If you are thesis mapping or listing rhetorical strategies in your introduction, you need to keep the same sequence in the body paragraphs. 
• If you have a compare and contrast assignment, avoid the predictable words of "alike," "similarities," and "differences." Your audience will groan at reading these familiar words. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6Fnhu3dWHJ8J:faculty.ncc.edu/LinkClick.aspx%3Ffileticket%3DRg4fkx2Qhhg%253D%26tabid%3D4476%26mid%3D5702+&cd=12&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

To improve your overall writing, you must take a vested interest in review, practice, and study outside of the classroom. If you find something challenging or need clarification, it is up to you to ask for help or additional tutoring. Take the initiative -- I am here to help you earn a 5 on that AP exam.

More tips and links to follow in upcoming blogs!