It’s week 7 of the semester. Time to wrap up the old writing assignments and get ready for an exam.
This Week
- return quiz and review answers
- finish returning old writing assignments
- review study notes for the mid term exam
- check test schedule
Hour 1
In the first hour this week, let’s do 2 things.
1 Make the exam schedule (5)
I suggest Tuesday April 23 (regular class time and classroom).
Sooner the better, right?
2 Review Articles (35)
We have not spent any time talking about this small but important writing problem: how to use articles properly. I want to spend some time on this before the exam. Let’s try the practice questions and work out the rules.
Click here to review 7 rules for articles and 2 sets of practice questions.
This worksheet had more practice questions with articles.
Hours 2-3
The midterm exam will be 50 minutes. It is worth 25% of your final grade. The midterm exam is going to have 3 parts.
I estimate the time requirements as follows:
- Part 1: 20 minutes
- Part 2: 10 minutes
- Part 3: 10 minutes
- Total: 40 minutes
Some people will be a little faster and some a little slower.
Part 1. Rewrite one story. That will be either #1 Place (do, see, eat) or #2 Creative story (show me, don’t tell me). (20 minutes)
My choice.
Why rewrite an old story on the text? Show me your best long writing.
It will be graded as follows:
- 1-3 pages (max) in length
- demonstrates ability to put 6+1 writing traits in a story
- no major grammar or spelling errors
- no major missing details (all main questions should be discussed in the text like who, what, where, when, why and how)
- it should have a strong first sentence, good flow and a good ending
- it’s interesting
- it should use the writing elements we studied in class (e.g. complex sentences, complex sentences with one subject, sentences with prepositional phrases).
- proper presentation and organisation (paragraphs and margins)
Part 2 Edit Skill: Fix Wordy Sentences (10)
You are going to read some sentences which have good grammar but bad style. What’s wrong with these sentences? They have too many words.
Remember: good writing means you say your idea in the fewest number of words possible.
Click here and we will do these practice editing exercises in class.
Part 3: One Hundred Words (10)
This question tests your ability to write one complete idea – or story – in one paragraph. In order to answer this question well, you might need to spend a little time thinking about it.
Your story should have:
- one idea
- a subject that you choose
- interesting sentences
- sentence variety
- 100 words
- no errors
Click here to read one example of a 100 word story.