Beth Staas

Inside Each Person, a Book

bethstaas — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:37:00 +0000

It is said that everyone has at least one book inside. It may be the story of an event, a historical moment or a noteworthy comment on a problem of the day. It might be feeling a gentle nudge every time you open a book, knowing that you could convey that very thought more clearly, more forcefully or with greater wit. Or it could be a nagging inner voice that says your work on earth is still unfinished. Whatever the prompt, it’s worth considering. One page per day and you would have written a book within a year.

Memoirs contain what has been lived. They range from the personal history of Barak Obama, the reflections of Tom Brokaw on his Great Generation, to the tribute written by the son of author, Susan Sontag, chronicling her battle with cancer. That is not to say that every memoir will conjure remarkable sales. But there are other rewards. Beyond the sheer joy of seeing thoughts take flower, there is value to those around you. How many times have you asked Granny Grace or Uncle Bill about events they’d experienced, learning about Johnny’s broken arm when he fell out of the tree or about Uncle Rudy’s triumph over tuberculosis? How often have pictures been left a puzzle because those whose lives they touched are now gone?

So after a timid “maybe,” you’ve decided to scratch that itch, to answer your daughter’s questions in a structured way. You have decided to write a book.

You start with voice. If the narrator is “I” (first person point of view) the story will be intimate and personal. The reader will be able to identify with the narrator and experience events vicariously. But first person is also limited because that narrator can’t look into the minds and feelings of the other characters in the story. The alternative, third person omniscient, has its own strengths and limitations, the first being that it is “all-seeing.” But also keeps the reader at arm’s length. You choose. But once started, continue in that same form. Consistency is everything.

You also need to decide where to begin, even though by its very nature, a memoir re-discovers the past. Will it be a person reminiscing about the world around (flashback) or will it be Granny or Aunt Martha telling what happened to her and her family during the dust storm in Oklahoma?
I used to tell my student that an assigned 500-word essay indicated not only length, but depth. That applies to novel writing as well. The topic must be narrow enough to provide a picture with convincing intensity and supporting detail. You can’t write a history of the Viet Nam War, or cover the Feminist movement from the 1920s to the present in one 365-page manuscript. Instead, it needs to be focused on one period or aspect that will enable the writer to maintain control.

Who is the intended audience? If your book is aimed at family members, the details will be a bit different than if you are hoping to sell it on a general market. If it is for children or young adults, the vocabulary will reflect that as will the kinds of details you choose, knowing that children are still learning fundamental facts that adults take for granted.

Once these decisions have been made, you are ready to begin.

Where and when you work should be consistent. If you’re a morning glory and hop out of bed rarin’ to go, it might be worthwhile to set the alarm an hour earlier and devote that time to writing. If you’re a night owl, try giving up the late night news to spend an hour writing. If you are immersed in the work world and know there will never be time during the week but can devote Saturday mornings to pursuing a project, do it then. Although less satisfactory than a daily stint of an hour or two, it shouldn’t make you feel inadequate. Take it one page at a time. Once started, you will discover how the re-telling of events becomes a self-validation and every word underscores a statement that says, “This is me. I am.”

CONSTRUCTING A PARAGRAPH

The paragraph is one of the building blocks of writing. It begins with a topic sentence made up of a subject and comment followed with supporting evidence or examples that prove or confirm it to be true. It is a guide for the reader and raises expectations of what is to follow. Yet, too often a person will either leave out the topic sentence or write it so vaguely that it misdirects the reader.

The following is an exercise I’ve done with students to show how important a topic sentence can be.

First, I distribute a sequence of sentences and ask students to construct a topic sentence that would be appropriate. There was no right or wrong answer. This is the sequence.

She stumbled into the darkened room, hearing the door slam behind her. Flinging herself into the chair, she buried her face in her hands. Nothing before had prepared her for this. When would it end? Would she ever be the same?

After a collaboration in groups, my students might come up with the following topic sentences:

1. The kidnappers removed her mask and shoved her forward.

2. It was cruel for Johnny to break their engagement over the phone, and all she could think of was running upstairs to the sanctuary of her bedroom.

3. She walked off the stage accompanied by thunderous applause, her debut at Carnegie Hall having left her totally shaken.

Each topic sentence could legitimately be supported by the examples given. Yet each paragraph that resulted would have an entirely different meaning.

After realizing this, my students might leave out the topic sentences from time to time, but were always willing to correct it after the first reading.

In Other Words....

bethstaas — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 20:55:00 +0000

Although the concept has been around since the 70s, “framing” of ideas has taken on greater currency as we view the presidential hopefuls and witness the changing world events. It’s what English teachers and linguists called connotation, a meaning that goes beyond the dictionary definition. Through a careful choice of words, one can communicate an attitude or point of view beyond mere facts. These words can indirectly persuade or influence the thinking of an audience much like body language or tone of voice. Once more, words have power.

An example is the difference between the words “murder” and “homicide.” Although both words mean the taking of a life, each carries its own sense of responsibility, the one being premeditated, the other unintentional. The same is true of “mother” and “mom,” the first being rather formal, the second conveying a feeling that is cozy and warm.

“Framing” goes one step further and actually labels events, formulate ideas to guide actions, knowing that all words elicit some kind of mental picture, and hence, a response. The more words, the more varied the opportunity. And once language is acquired, the process is inevitable. George Lakoff, author of the book, Do Not Think of an Elephant, points out that the mere mention of the word "elephant" will provoke an image, an accompanying frame and a response. It is impossible NOT to do so. In the same respect, when “estate tax,” is changed to “death tax,” it directs sympathy to those whose inheritance would now be garnered by the state instead of a negative attitude toward the estate holder which presumes unearned wealth. When the United States Cabinet position of Secretary of War was changed to Secretary of Defense, it responded to America’s changing perception after World War II. War was bad; defense was good. “Second Hand” clothiers re-state their product as “Re-cycled” or “Like New,” a far more attractive image.

We all can cite examples of framing as a propaganda or Madison Avenue tool. Image is everything. Yet it can be useful in consolidating ideas, adding to mental awareness and reasoning. Included are the connection of ideas, expansion of concepts that might not be easily understood or shifting them in a different direction. The survival of Israel and the beliefs of some Christians can be framed through the linking of Biblical beliefs. The words Viet Nam and Iraq resonate when placed in a framework of peace, categorizing both wars within the perameters of a similar image. Even the courage of noted war heroes can be transformed when cast within a powerful negative frame.

Parents (who are instinctive psychologists) understand that positive reinforcement works best as a disciplinary tool with punishment (negative reinforcement) used only as a fall back. So when ideas are framed to show benefits, the response is positive. Johnny can stay up fifteen minutes longer if he eats his peas. And if the fifteen minutes is what he really wants, he’ll present a clean plate in a hurry. Of course Johnny has to understand the terms of the proposal, but if it is made clear, there will be no problem in achieving the desired response. On the other hand, a negative frame can be powerful if the alternative is clearly marked as beneficial. It might very well be persuasive to declare that candidate Jones or Smith is dishonest, indifferent, uninformed or untrustworthy if one can show that the opposition is quite the opposite.

Neurologists have linked certan parts of the brain to the effect of framing. But before going into a deep analysis, one might simply resolve to be aware of the subtle nuances of words. Where, when and how words are expressed can strongly affect the response. One does not cry “Fire” in a crowded theater. Nor does one extol abortion rights in a convocation of Catholic priests. It is not dishonest to choose one’s words carefully. Still, the frame of reference can have a far-reaching effect.

USING MODIFIERS

1. Adjectives tell more about a noun or pronoun; adverbs tell more about verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. Adjectives answer the question of Which one, What kind and How many. They often precede nouns Adverbs (often, but not always, have –ly at the end) answer When, Where, How, Why and How Much. Since they’re both modifiers, it’s easy to confuse one form with the other. Here are a few examples to keep in mind.

Example: The secretary must see that the office runs smoothly (not smooth because it modifies runs, a verb).

Example: With today’s global warming, the chances for survival of the polar bear look really slim. (answers “How much”)

2. Adjectives can also describe the subject as a complement (“completing” the thought) when preceded by a linking verb (any of the “to be” verbs plus those of “feeling” which describe states of being rather than action).

Example: Love is blind (blind love).

If the word following a linking verb describes the subject, use the adjective form. If it modifies the the verb, use the adverb form.

Example: The child was careful as she crossed the street (careful child).

Example: The child crossed the street carefully (answers “How” which modifies crossed.)

3. Sometimes demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, those) identify or point to nouns, functioning like adjectives.

Example: This picture talks to me.

The Wonders of School

bethstaas — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:37:00 +0000

For many, fall is the time of renewal. It is the time when there is a touch of energizing cool in the air, a time when vacations are a pleasant memory and school and work begin in earnest. For children, academics are only a part of the educational experience. They will also learn responsibility, morality and respect for themselves and others, an extension of family and community.

As a child, born of immigrant parents, I entered a classroom filled with books, crayons and blocks of paper, and I was starry-eyed. After I married, I watched my five children enter first grade and learn the magic of reading, writing and arithmetic. As a teacher, I faced students with anticipation and joy, for each year is a collaboration of learning that is an ever-surprising wonder.

When my first child entered kindergarten, I resolved to listen to her recount exciting experiences with as much interest as I did my husband’s stories at the end of the day. I knew this would enhance the excitement of learning. 1 would also try to remember that fatigue, over-stimulation and frustration might make her weepy and irritable.

Later, I would encourage all of my kids to share new found knowledge, for learning is a two-way street with informed teacher and eager student working together. Furthermore, even though each child was different, there needed to be a celebration of the good in each. Jimmy was not academic, but his sense of sportsmanship on the baseball diamond later translated into people skills. John was academic, but needed to learn how to be more playful.

When my youngest child went to school, I took a deep breath and looked in a different direction to fill my time. Going back to teaching, I resolved that my students and their parents would receive full value for their expenditure of time and money. Hard work is exhilarating when the results are positive and visible. That was not to say that each student could earn "A's." It did mean that the "C" student could become the best "C" student possible. By the same token, each deserved a rich share of attention, ranging from the struggling student to the gifted, knowing that boredom sometimes came disguised as laziness.

I would also be alert to signs of drug use or emotional turmoil. Pain or sadness might not be obvious when it is covered by indifference or artificial cheerfulness. I resolved to watch and not be shy about asking questions. But if my suspicions proved right, I resolved never, never to give up on a child.

These were some of my resolutions over the years as each fall brought a new beginning. How many resolutions were kept?

As a parent, I was often harsh and impatient. As a teacher, I was sometimes demanding, occasionally boring and always, always tired. But this is not a confession of failure. Instead, it is a celebration of the human capacity to rise and try again. It allows the Nobel prize winner who has put. in 30 years of work to claim that one shining moment. It's the less-than-perfect parent who helps a handicapped child finally achieve a tiny breakthrough. It’s the teacher who spreads her attention over a classroom of 30 kids and yet still manages to reach one child in a significant way, even if it happens only a week before the school year ends.

When students do well on a test, it confirms the skill of a teacher. When a child is firm but polite to those who would use racial slurs, it confirms the skills of a parent. And when there’s any form of teamwork, be it on the soccer field or in a study group, it validates our whole system of education. For we are never alone. Therefore, as a celebration of the human spirit and the gifts given to each of us, as the summer winds down, let us all resolve…

ENGLISH BASICS
A review of conventions (in case you forgot)

Words are given names according to what they ARE

NOUNS identify a person, place, thing or idea.
Example: doctor, Chicago, hat, song.

VERBS describe action or state of being.
Example: run, jump, eat, think, is.

PRONOUNS: take the place of nouns.
Example: he, she, it.

ADJECTIVES: tell you more about a noun.
Example: fluffy (cat), silly (girl), strong (man)

ADVERBS: tell you more about a verb. They explain when, how, why and how much.
Example: yesterday, slowly, first, very.

PREPOSITIONS: introduce a word or group of words to show relationships.
Example: My mother shops at the Jewel. She fell under the bookcase.

CONJUNCTIONS: join words or groups of words to show relationships. There are six conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet (think FANBOY, the first letter of each).
Example: My favorite meal is pork chops and mashed potatoes. It’s warm outside but very cloudy.

ARTICLES: mark (or point to) nouns in a regular way
Example: a, an or the

BASIC SENTENCE RULES:

The parts of a SENTENCE are given names according to what they DO. different parts of speech can take different jobs or functions.

Every sentence must have a subject and a predicate.

The predicate must always contain at least one VERB and describes the action.

The subject tells who or what is doing the action. It can be a NOUN or a PRONOUN.

Different parts of speech can be changed in function by the use of a different ending. RUN is a verb (action) and can be the predicate in a sentence.
Example: I like to RUN every afternoon.
RUNNING functions as a noun and can be the subject of a sentence.
Example: RUNNING is good exercise.

How Words Convey Your Feelings

bethstaas — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:38:00 +0000

Most of us consider language as intending to inform, persuade or denote meaning. But scholars are beginning to recognize that hidden emotions and feelings are an important part of the mix. Decision-making in business, politics and science incorporates pre-conceived ideas and biases can have a profound effect on outcome. Innermost thoughts blend into our perceptions unconsciously. Sometimes these biases hinder thinking, for once ideas have been categorized, their verbal expressions become automatic, stereotyped or inappropriate. The reverse is also true, for certain words can have a profound effect in framing new thought. Ask any adman on Madison Avenue or a politician engaged in civil strife.

Psychologists tell us that newborns have limited emotions: comfort, discomfort and fear. But as the baby learns to walk or talk, there is evidence of anger, frustration and delight, feelings that are soon put into words. This continues throughout life, influenced by time, circumstance, education, geography, importance and culture, all reflected in language. The more important something is, the more terms to describe it. Eskimos had many words to describe snow, for texture or quantity determined what activities were possible. Margaret Mead reported the hundreds of variants of sweet potato in her anthropological study, a crop vital to the Samoan economy. In contrast, the defeated Japanese had to incorporate American terms like girlfriend and boyfriend whole hog because such concepts, as well as the words, did not exist in that society before World War II. One can wonder which came first, the new words, the behavior, or the feelings that were expressed.

Shrinking the vocabulary can have the opposite effect. George Orwell in his book 1984 describes an imaginary dictatorship that creates the concept of Newspeak, suggesting that mind control is possible through language limitation. Without words like freedom or individuality, the concepts don’t exist. By limiting words that express emotion, the feelings will also dissipate. Since the word good presupposes its opposite, there is no need for bad, hence the use of ungood. To enhance good, one need only add a prefix: plusgood. When done across the entire language, subtlety disappears.

Modern advertising has a further effect. In technologically sophisticated Western society, the list of words describing love, affection and friendship continues to grow as does reflected behavior. Honey, Darling and Dearest are used with abandon, with hugs and air-kisses replacing the formal handshake. In our capitalist society, florists, restaurants and greeting cards add much to the Gross National Product. Commercials touting their wares have expanded human interaction as well as concepts of correct behavior. One need only compare today with the 19th Century and Life with Father or I Remember Mamma, a time before billboard, radio and TV advertising to see its effect.

Wartime and cultural conflict generate their own language, with words carefully chosen to soften the harshness of death and destruction, a grim necessity during war even though it’s a violation of one’s sense of self-preservation. Gentler terminology might also surround the actual to minimize their sting; laudatory words to enhance their power. In The Iliad, Homer declares that “if you are very valiant, it is a god, I think, who gave you this gift.” And Moses, in explaining his command against the Canaanites asserts that “The Lord is a man of war,” assuring his people of heavenly support.

During the Middle Ages, conflict was tied to chivalry and honor. The ladies were fair, the knights formidable, the enemy treacherous. In LeMorte d’Arthur, Thomas Malory describes Medieval battles fought upon magnificent steeds by knights in gleaming armor, a Camelot worthy of late-night TV. If there is any bloodshed, its mention is only as a passing reference.

Individual words can also take on a variety of meanings. The term cool has had many definitions over the years ranging from unfriendly (She treated me with cool indifference) to describing attractive manners (He is not only handsome, but really cool). During America’s Civil Rights movement, there were new expressions for both sides, underscoring the rising intensity of feeling. The term lunch-counter liberal had two meanings, depending which side you were on. The same was true of women’s march for voting rights in the 20’s and Women’s Lib forty-five years later. Some women burned their bras in defiance of perceived stereotype. But bra-burner quickly became an insult for those on the other side.

Today’s linguistic struggle has less to do with precision or linguistic color than being politically correct – another euphemism meaning to be inoffensive.

In his book, Don’t Think of an Elephant! George Lakoff discuses framing debate linguistically, arguing that choice of words makes a difference. Does it matter whether we call someone an insurgent or a freedom fighter? Does equal mean the same as fair? How about assassinate versus murder? If terminology is not first agreed upon, communication can falter. More important, it does not convey the truth.

Knowledge encompasses feelings and opinions as well as reasoning. Its language defines who and what we are. We can only assume that thoughts and words are inseparable. If true in the here and now, it is also true in the way we are remembered by those whose lives we have touched. As such, we might look to Descartes’ saying, “I think, therefore I am,” as including the colorful ways all thoughts are expressed.

TROUBLE SPOTS WITH ARTICLES

Articles are noun markers. A, an and the signal that a noun is about to appear. Other markers, called determiners identify nouns such as my, your, this, that, all, every, and so on. Usually, an article is not used with another noun marker. Here are a few conventions.

Use a or an with singular count nouns whose identity is not known to the reader.
Example: Mary arrived in a limousine.
Example: We are looking for an apartment.

Do not use a or an with a non-count noun. Instead, you can use quantifiers or determiners such as more, many, some or less. But remember that non-count nouns do not have plural forms so a determiner should not imply plurality such as many, few or a couple of.
Example: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Example: I see plenty of work that still needs to be done.
But not: A couple of ice cream or many milk.

Use the with nouns that have an identity known to the reader.
Example: I got up early enough to see the sun rise. (The reader knows there is only one sun)
Example: Please close the window when you leave. (The speaker and listener know which window is open.)

Do not use the with plural or non-count nouns that mean “all.” Do not use the with someone’s name.
Example: Cigarettes are not good for you. (Cigarettes is plural.)
Example: I prefer coffee to tea in the morning. (Coffee and tea are both non-count nouns.)

Learning the Easy Way

bethstaas — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 16:29:00 +0000

Active learning encompasses all of the senses. But with most of us, one sense dominates: sight, sound or touch. Good teachers understand this. In English class, you read both silently and aloud, using the visual and the auditory senses. The teacher might write on the board instead of handing out copies, knowing that while you watch her arm move across the board and her fingers form the words or illustrations, you are mentally going through the motions with her – a kinetic experience. In math class, you read the textbook, listen to Mr. Johnson's explanation, then write the problems on the board, lessons through the visual, auditory and kinetic senses. Biology, physics and chemistry are obvious illustrations. Read the text, listen to the instruction and conduct the experiment: sight, sound and touch.

Are you a visual learner? Then you are probably a good student, willing to sit quietly and read for long periods of time. You have absorbed grammar and spelling and rarely commit errors, even though you might not know the difference between a direct object and a predicate nominative. Lectures are distracting, but once you start taking notes, ideas move smoothly into the brain, stored like pages in a book. Some can even train their minds toward a photographic memory, retrieving information by mentally “reading” what has been stored. Because clear writing is based on the progression of ideas, your mind is logical, moving easily from point to point. You can identify inconsistencies, fallacies or incomplete thoughts, but because this comes so naturally to you, it might take effort to explain why. Your thinking tends to be reflective, pausing to mull over ideas before digesting them. This could make the visual learner seem slow, yet knowledgeable because of the ability to recall.

If you are an auditory learner, the electronic media was made for you. TV, film, CD's or books on tape have brought you into your own. You are the student who rarely takes notes during lectures, yet retains it all, right down to the number of times the teacher coughs or clears his throat. TV and film are a series of rapid scenes, but your learning follows easily with each picture absorbed at the speed of a thousand words. Ideas and sounds enhanced by images and clusters dart in and out without immediate concern about being related. Where the visual learner conceptualizes, you dance from one idea to the next and can become exasperated when ideas are repeated (“Mom, I heard you the first time!”). In terms of retention, your mind is like a Technicolor gallery without frames. This is in contrast to the visual learner who pictures words on a printed page. Instead of dwelling on an idea or stopping for discussion, you wait until the message is totally clear or the story ends. And because contemplation comes late in the process, interruptions are annoying (“Not now! Wait ‘til this is over...”).

The third type is the kinesthetic learner. “Don't bother me with the book. Just let me get my hands on it and I'll figure it out for myself.” These are the words of the automobile mechanic or the computer Geek. It also applies to the artist or the dancer. Such people learn best through movement or touch. A pianist who stumbles will go back a few bars and begin again, relying on finger to remember a phrase. A dancer will do the same, as does an actor.

Of course, we intermix learning styles as needed. Just as the auditory learner includes some element of the visual and vice versa, kinesthetic learning encompasses the other two forms. But the easiest method always dominates. It is the style you will gravitate to if given a choice. Within the visual, auditory and kinesthetic styles, language and math acquisition can also be quite different. A person can be a visual learner when it comes to language yet when balancing the checkbook or making a telephone call, need to say the numbers out loud.

Look inside yourself. Find instances in which you are most comfortable and where you have succeeded most easily. Find their common denominator and then figure outs a way to adapt as many learning situations into your strength. If you prefer learning by listening and you have 50 pages of history to read each week, take out your tape recorder and summarize each page into one or two sentence as you read. It will keep you on task and force you to concentrate on the main points. The fifty pages now have become a fifty-sentence summary which you can listen to while eating dinner or driving to work or school. If you are in a lecture class of 400 students with most of the information coming directly from the professor, yet you are best as a visual learner, take notes and read them over at home. If a kinetic learner, transcribe them into the computer. It's not cheating to adapt. No one is good at everything. Learn to adjust your skills and capitalize on your strengths.

Some 2500 years ago Socrates coined the admonition, “Know Thyself.” I suspect that this ancient Greek, strolling in the shadow of the Parthenon, was an auditory learner, because it was his buddy, Plato (a visual learner), who wrote down his ideas. Even then, there were ways of getting around one’s limitations.

FIVE BASIC COMMA RULES

Like everything else in grammar, comma use reflects rules and you probably know most of them.

1. After an introductory subordinating element in a sentence.

Example:
Yes, I’ll have more cake. (single word)
After dinner, we’ll go to a movie. (phrase)
Since I hate horror films, I’ll stay home. (clause)

2. A pair of commas bracketing unnecessary elements in a sentence (something that could be left out without a change of basic meaning or grammatical construction).

Example:
John’s car, dirty from a long trip, needs a bath.
(Basic sentence is John’s car needs a bath)

3. Between words in series, the comma substituting for “and.”

Example:
I went shopping for bread, milk, ice cream and eggs.
(Note: Comma between ice and cream would change meaning)
I love my new red straw hat.
(No commas because none would pass the “and” test)

4. To separate direct quotes from the rest of the sentence.

Example:
Mary said, “I hate cold weather,” and put on her coat.

5. For dates, time and titles.

Example:
On July 4, 1776, our country was born.
Jason Smith, M.D., performed the surgery.
I live at 27 Maple Ave., Chicago, IL.

If you remember these five rules, your comma mistakes will be less than 2%. Just keep in mind: When in doubt, leave it out.

Making Nice-Nice with Critical Thinking

bethstaas — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 21:17:00 +0000

A current buzzword is the concept of Critical Thinking, a process whereby one analyzes incoming information, placing it within the framework of past knowledge and experience. Educators call it Higher Level Thinking, whereby a person weighs the value, impact and importance of events as they occur. Rather than being a negative process, it evaluates the many aspects of fact, opinion and belief through careful judgment into a structured basis for positive living. It is a lifelong skill that can range from choosing what car to buy to determining the direction of a career. In this Information Age, we are able to find all kinds of information via TV, film and the Internet both good and bad. But easy access does not guarantee accuracy; hence, the need to know how to discriminate.

By the time students reach 5th or 6th grade, they have learned to identify certain literary devices such as plot, character, and setting. They may even understand the concept of logical fallacy such as ad homonym, bandwagon approach and slanted truth. But there’s a big difference between identifying and evaluating. One path to formulating careful, considered judgment is through comparison and contrast of two works, genres or periods of time (or in the case of buying a car, between a Ford and a Toyota). This will not only generate independent thinking but move readers toward the real purpose of reading an article, story or book; namely to come to an understanding of the human condition. Some of the elements to explore might be the following:

THEME
1. What is each author saying to his audience and how do the two compare or differ? What might be the reasons for this?
2. What response does each author elicit from the reader? If the stories or articles are similar, are there still different “tones” or “feelings” within each piece to create differing moods? What is gained by each?
3. Why has each author chosen to express his observation in his own distinct way such as humor, irony or anger? The reader might explore possible reasons. Does the period of time, the environment, or the political circumstance have something to do with it?
4. If the authors’ messages conflict, which is the more valid? Why?

PLOT
1. In fiction, the writers choose a story line to draw their readers into the plot and bring about a vicarious experience. What experiences are the readers invited into? How does each author bring this about? It might be worthwhile to speculate on the purpose or intent of the writer as well.
2. The reader needs to examine his/her own reaction. How does the reader feel about what is happening in each piece? How do they compare or differ? Is this what the author is striving for? Why or why not?

CHARACTER
1. Authors invent people and then manipulate them on a stage he has created for them. What does each want to achieve in terms of reader response or identity?
2. What are the different characters intended to reveal about the human condition? Why is such insight valuable (according to each author)? How do they differ in each work?
3. Do the authors achieve their seeming intent? How is the reader expected to respond in each instance? Is it effective?

In choosing a common denominator, however far afield, literary works can be examined productively; for example, The Scarlet Letter compared to Silas Mariner in the treatment of girls and women, Brave New World compared to 1984 in the treatment of totalitarianism, or even two different books by the same author. In so doing, readers gain insight into the thinking of great writers or the issues relating to current social problems while honing their own critical thinking skills.

TROUBLE SPOTS WITH ARTICLES

Articles are noun markers. A, an, and and signal that a noun is about to appear. Other markers, called determiners identify nouns such as my, your, this, that, all, every, and so on. Usually, an article is not used with another noun marker. Here are a few conventions.

Use a or an with singular count nouns whose identity is not known to the reader.
Example: Mary arrived in a limousine.
Example: We are looking for an apartment.

Do not use a or an with a non-count noun. Instead, you can use quantifiers or determiners such as more, many, some or less. But remember that non-count nouns do not have plural forms so a determiner should not imply plurality such as many, few or a couple of.
Example: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Example: I see plenty of work that still needs to be done.
But not: A couple of ice cream or many milk.

Use the with nouns that have an identity known to the reader.
Example: I got up early enough to see the sun rise. (The reader knows there is only one sun)
Example: Please close the window when you leave. (The speaker and listener know which window is open.)

Do not use the with plural or non-count nouns that mean “all.” Do not use the with someone’s name.
Example: Cigarettes are not good for you. (Cigarettes is plural.)
Example: I prefer coffee to tea in the morning. (Coffee and tea are both non-count nouns.)

I've Finished with the Research. Now What?

bethstaas — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 19:01:00 +0000

Knowledge requires study and study requires some sort of research. But looking things up is only the beginning. In school or on the job, things need to be notated and organized before their usefulness is understood. Whether you’re a neatnik or someone who thrives on clutter, you need to have a way of digesting the information and finding its basic order so that it makes sense. That usually involves putting it in writing.

If you’re an adult, you probably have already written research papers – lots of them. In school, you might have looked at a desk filled with scraps and scribble, some belched from the copier, some from books and magazines marked with yellow stickups, some from note cards that might have missing numbers or titles. What to do with this mess? Where to begin?

So as the deadline crept ever closer, you plunged in and shuffled papers as best as you could, hoping something would emerge if you wished hard enough. If your teacher required it, you also outlined the finished paper the way you were taught, beginning with Roman numerals followed by sub-topics identified by letters and another array headed by numbers, grateful to have the added bulk in the finished project. Once into the swing of it, you might have decided it wasn’t so bad after all. Maybe it would even earn a “B.” But to your dismay, it came back with a grade of “C” and the notation, “needs to be better organized.” Unfortunately, you placed the cart before the horse. Outlining needs to come first.

You already know that any report or essay – even a letter – has a thesis statement that alerts the reader of the topic and its thrust. “I am writing to thank you for the warm mittens.” Or, “Scientists agree on the fact of global warming but not on the cause.” Since this is written early on, it also governs the subsequent research. It can take an hour, an afternoon or a month, depending upon the assignment. Once done, the fun begins. By going through a few simple steps, outline will emerge.

Begin by breaking down each piece of information you have studied into a few words (“Alaska melting ice,” or “increased incidents of hurricanes”) into a general list. You can add to it as the ideas emerge; for example, while taking a coffee break, taking your morning shower or driving to work. Ultimately you’ll run dry, at which point it’s time to put the list aside to “cool off.” Then after a little time – hour, day or week, go back to the list and one by one, categorize or classify each item. You will be amazed to see how easily they fall into groupings. The first example above could be classified as “temperature” or “ice,” and the second into “hurricanes” or “weather related events.” As before, the number of categories will depend on the subject. Upon completion, these categories become sub-topics that you convert into topic sentences, and the items within that category become supporting detail.

At this point you have a thesis, a series of sub-topics headed by a topic sentence and supporting information in each category. If a sub-topic has only one item in its grouping, you will immediately see that it doesn’t belong in this piece or that it needs to be filled out, another surprising benefit. Now all that remains is to sequence the ideas and add some fleshing out to establish continuity and smoothness. Then write your introduction and conclusion that will tie it all together. Add the endnotes or footnotes as required and the work is finished.

How long should this take? I’ve walked a college freshman class through this exercise and it was finished in an hour. A magazine assignment that was to report on different kinds of prizes awarded to sales associates took me less than that. A serious research paper might need to germinate for a week or so but once begun, completed in one evening.

By using this method, outlining has changed from an added chore to a time saving device that ensures a well-organized piece of writing. And that has always been its intent. Too bad your teachers never pointed that out.

GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

Citing in a research paper can be tricky. You certainly want to quote an authority when it gives substance to your ideas. On the other hand, a cut-and-paste report of everyone else’s ideas is not much more than a list. A rule of thumb when writing is to use your own words and paraphrase your outside sources. Use direct quotes only for the following:

· For a particular turn of phrase or colorful use of language

· When exact wording is needed for technical accuracy

· When a recognized authority explains an issue, giving weight to an argument.

· When the exact language is an issue in itself.

Even when using paraphrases or indirect quotes, you need to let your reader know when you move from your own ideas to those of your sources. Signal phrases that include the author’s name will prepare your reader for a quote.

Example:
John Jones points out that today’s global warming goes far beyond the pattern registered over the past hundred years (Jones).

In the words of Larson and Schmidt, we read of incidents where drought has brought wild game into residential areas as animals seek desperately for food (Larson and Schmidt).

There are many signal verbs to add variety to the writing such as argues, asserts, declares, implies, refutes, and so on.

Hunkering Down as a Writer

bethstaas — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 17:29:00 +0000

Every person has at least one story inside: the personal one. It’s a pull that some feel more strongly than other. As such, each of us could become writers. At the same time, there has been so much written about the romance of writing, such aspirations appear either overwhelming or glamorous beyond the ordinary Joe or Jane who has to slog through a nine to five job fifty-two weeks of the year. Well, okay. Writers think and do their work in a distinctive way. But it’s less exotic than one might think. There are several characteristics that describe the writer in the midst of the writing process.

1. Writing is a job and serious writers will work whether they feel like it or not. They write regularly and usually on a schedule. It can be for a certain number of hours every day or until they have produced a specific amount of material.

2. Believe it or not, most writers do a kind of ritual dance as they prepare to write. They’ll go to the same place every day and use the same tools. Details like the kind of paper, the writing implement, the clothes they wear, the temperature of the room are all important. Sometimes they will choose to sharpen pencils, pace the room three times or finish X-number of cups of coffee before settling down to serious work.

3. Deadlines are important. If writers do not have them imposed by an editor or another outsider, they will set their own demands and impose their own deadlines. This then forces them to write.

4. Writers are procrastinators, finding all kinds of excuses to delay settling down. They might suddenly find it necessary to wash the windows, walk the dog or go to the library for research. They recognize that writing is demanding and exhausting, but that they get satisfaction from having written. So they devise methods to shorten the distraction and get back to work.

5. Writers know there will be writing blocks. But they understand there are ways to overcome them, such as skipping from creating to editing, working with another genre or going for a brisk walk.

6. Writers recognize that each person has a different style. Some may write best in the morning, others late at night; some under pressure, others in more serene moments. Some write quickly; others in a more thoughtful pace. Like in music, one is a Beethoven, another a Mozart. Knowing when writing comes best enables the writer to perform optimally.

7. Effective writes recognize that writing is generative; they expect to get new ideas and additional insights as they write. They know that writing is an act of discovery. They also know that writing is recursive; they continually go back to reread what they have written in order to get the stimulus to continue writing, knowing that they are moving in the right direction. They trust their intuitions and their subconscious minds and recognize the value of accidental discoveries and hunches.

8. Writers are watchers. They are curious and observe carefully, collecting material and ideas that might be useful. Their notes could be contained in a file drawer, a box of cassettes or the daily journals on a computer.

9. Effective writers work in stages; they seldom plan to finish a piece of writing in one session. They revise as they write, using their own method such as after every chapter, after every day or every essay.

Is it like a regular job? Well yes, if you’re lucky. There are few who make a living being a writer. Still, think about that story inside you. A sharpened pencil and a series of spins on the office chair could send your words flying off the page, their sentences tumbling forth into a novel or a poem. And then it will hit you: there’s wonder in being a writer. There’s also pleasure in the act of writing, the ultimate act of self validation.

PROBLEMS WITH PRONOUNS

Pronouns substitute for nouns. For example, in the sentence, “After Mary finished dinner, she sat and watched TV for an hour,” she is a substitute for the name Mary. The word a pronoun refers to is called its antecedent. Grammar checks do not flag faulty antecedents. So here are a few reminders about antecedents or references.

AMBIGUOUS REFERENCE
This occurs when the pronoun could refer to two possible antecedents.

Example
1. When John set the pitcher on the glass-topped table, it broke.
(What broke, the table or the pitcher?)
2. Tom told Jason that he had won the lottery.
(Who won, Tom or Jason?)

Better
1. When John set it on the glass-topped table, the pitcher broke.
2. Tom told Jason, “You have won the lottery.”

IMPLIED REFERENCE
The antecedent must be specific, not referring to a word that is only implied. Modifiers such as possessives may strongly imply a noun reference but cannot serve as antecedents.

Example
1. After braiding Amy’s hair, Mary decorated them with ribbons.
(The braids were decorated but the word itself does not appear in the sentence.)
2. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, he describes Willie Horton as a man bent on suicide.
(The pronoun, he, cannot refer logically to the possessive noun, Miller.)

Better
1. After braiding Amy’s hair, Mary decorated the braids with ribbons.
2. In Death of a Salesman, Miller describes Willy Horton as a man bent on suicide.

BROAD REFERENCE OF THIS, THAT, WHICH AND IT
When a pronoun is needlessly broad, it should be replaced with a noun or an antecedent to which the pronoun clearly refers.

Example
1. More and more, we are victims of serious crimes. We learn to accept this with few complaints.
2. Romeo and Juliet were both too young to have much wisdom, which accounts for their actions.

Better
1. More and more we are victims of serious crimes. We learn to accept our fate with few complaints.
2. Romeo and Juliet were both too young to have much wisdom, a fact which accounts for their actions.

INDEFINITE REFERENCE OF THEY, IT OR YOU.
Do not use they to refer indefinitely to persons who have not been specifically mentioned. It should not be use indefinitely in constructions such as “it says that…” Except in very informal context, the indefinite you (meaning anyone in general) is inappropriate.

Example
1. A way to save energy is sometimes included in the gas bill. For example, they say to set a moderate temperature overnight.
2. In the encyclopedia it states that male moths can smell females
3. In Africa, you don’t need much property to be considered well off.

Better
1. A way to save energy is often included in the gas bill. For example, the gas company says to set a moderate temperature overnight.
2. The encyclopedia states that male moths can smell females.
3. In Africa, one doesn’t need much property to be considered well off.

But Your Meaning Excapes Me...

bethstaas — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 18:35:00 +0000

Most of us consider language as intending to inform, persuade or denote meaning. But scholars are beginning to recognize that hidden emotions and feelings are an important part of the mix. Decision-making in business, politics and science includes pre-conceived ideas and biases, which can have a profound effect on outcome. Inner thoughts blend our perceptions unconsciously. Sometimes these biases don’t represent careful thinking, for once ideas have been categorized, their expressions become automatic, stereotyped or inappropriate. The reverse is also true, for certain words can have a profound effect in framing new thought. Ask any adman on Madison Avenue or a politician engaged in civil strife.

One way language effects our lives is with variety. Psychologists tell us that newborns have a pretty limited pallet of emotions: comfort, discomfort and fear. But as the baby learns to walk or talk, it also gives evidence of anger, frustration and delight, feelings that are soon put into words. This continues throughout life, influenced by time, circumstance, education, geography, importance and culture, all reflected in language. The more important something is, the more terms to describe it. Eskimos had many words to describe snow, for texture or quantity determined what activities were possible. Margaret Mead was amazed at the hundreds of variants of the word sweet potato in her anthropological study, a crop vital to the Samoan economy.

Shrinking the lexicon can have the opposite effect. George Orwell in his book 1984 creates an imaginary dictatorship that creates the concept of Newspeak, suggesting that mind control is possible through language limitation. Without words like freedom or individuality, the concepts cannot exist. By limiting words that express emotion, the feelings will also dissipate. Since the word good presupposes its opposite, there is no need for bad, hence the use of ungood. To enhance good, one need only add a prefix: plusgood. When done across the entire language, subtlety disappears.

Modern advertising has a further effect. In technologically sophisticated Western society, the list of words describing love, affection and friendship continues to grow as does reflected behavior. Honey, Darling and Dearest are used with abandon, with hugs and air-kisses are replacing the formal handshake. In our capitalist society, greeting cards, florists and restaurants add much to the Gross National Product. Commercials touting their wares have expanded the lexicon of human interaction as well as concepts of correct behavior. One need only compare today with the 19th Century and Life with Father or I Remember Mamma, a time before billboard, radio and TV advertising to see its effect.

Individual words can also take on a variety of meanings. The term cool has had many definitions over the years ranging from unfriendly (She treated me with cool indifference) to describing attractive manners (He is not only handsome, but really cool). During America’s Civil Rights movement, there was a plethora of new expressions for both sides, underscoring the rising intensity of feeling. The term lunch-counter liberal had two meanings, depending which side you were on. The same was true of women’s march for voting rights in the 20’s and Women’s Lib forty-five years later. Some women burned their bras in defiance of perceived stereotype. But bra-burner quickly became a pejorative for those on the other side.

Then as the Women’s movement found greater acceptance, its influence expanded to include what we now refer to as gender inclusive, naming hurricanes for both men and women and substituting the word man with human or person as in humankind or mailperson instead of mankind or mailman. Grammar also had to adapt since the generic he or his was no longer acceptable, as in The student should bring his books to class every day. Instead, writers compensated by using the awkward his/her, or worse, the totally incorrect their, an error in subject-verb agreement. Again, the changes have become embedded in American lexicon.

In his book, Don’t Think of an Elephant! George Lakoff discuses framing debate linguistically. Does it matter whether we call someone an insurgent or a freedom fighter? Does equal mean the same as fair? How about assassinate versus murder? If terminology is not first agreed upon, communication can falter. More important, it does not convey the truth.

The pen is mightier than the sword. Whether used for good or ill, language is power and worthy of our attention.

WRITING A WELL-DESIGNED DOCUMENT

There will be times when you will want to correspond in writing either as a cover letter for a job inquiry, a business report or an informal note of thanks. In each instance, you want to leave a good impression: that you are well organized, knowledgeable, neat. The following are a few principles of documentation.

MARGINS AND SPACING

Documents are printed on 8 ½ x 11” paper. Leave a margin of one to one and a half inches on all sides.

Manuscripts are double-spaced. Although a word processing program gives the choice of margins as flush left either justified or unjustified (the margins on either side being equal), most choose to leave it rag right (unjustified) to avoid the bothersome “rivers” of space.

Letters are single-spaced with the preferred block style leaving an extra space between each paragraph. The body of the letter is sometimes justified but it’s a good idea to visually check the copy before printing it out. Too much white space between letters can be very distracting.

Computers enabled business letters look quite professional. The return address and date is often incorporated into a display at the top of the page like that of personal or business stationery. If not, it should be on the upper right. The inside address should be on the upper left followed by a space and then salutation. The close should be on the lower right.

FONTS

Although your computer has a variety of shapes and sizes, you should stick with the tried and true: Times New Roman or Ariel font. Anything else will slow your reader down even though some fonts look almost hand written. Save the fancy stuff for your next art project. And never write entirely in capital letters which also slows the reader down.

HEADINGS

Headings can be useful in a long document but can seem choppy in a letter. If you do choose to use headings, be sure they follow parallel construction with each heading consistent: each a phrase, question or sentence.

There are a number of websites and books in the library that give specific information about documentation and other forms of writing: email, memos and resumes. Important to remember is that a signature implies ownership and a first impression is lasting.

...As Long as You're Funny

bethstaas — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 18:43:00 +0000

Coming home at the end of a hard day, you say Hi to the family, eat dinner and then flop down in front of the TV. News? Too depressing. Documentary? Too challenging. Movie channel? Not unless it’s funny.

Humor has a long and respected history of soothing wounded feelings, rescuing relationships and even healing illness when all else failed. As things get intense, we want to lighten up, hoping a respite will put things back into perspective. A joke around the water cooler might salvage a job or reinstate a tottering contract. On a more professional level, the skilled humorist can display real artistry within various forms.

Political satire is a humorous expression of criticism intended to bring about improvement. It understands the weakness of institutions and uses laughter to inspire a change, not intending to harm but instead reveal certain foolishness in order to modify what exists. Many TV shows use satire, especially through animation such as The Simpsons and South Park, portraying public figures in a way that would be difficult to do when using live actors. Another source of satire on TV comes from the popular shows like the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Jay Leno and the Colbert Report, poking fun at politics or national events. The same type of satire is seen on the Internet with The Onion and The Swift Report. As for sheer entertainment, think of Seinfeld and Saturday Night Live, looking at the humdrum existence within the ordinary.

Parody, sometimes called mockery, burlesque or spoof, is another form of humor that copies an author’s style or format. A recent example of parody is the book, The Wind Done Gone, a parody of Gone With the Wind. In it, the author tells the same story but from the point of view of the slaves. The song by Janice Joplin, “Oh Lord, Won’t you Buy Me a Mercedes Benz” (color TV, night on the town…), is a gentle parody of some Christian hymns. Folk tunes such as, “This Land is Your Land,” and the old hit-parade song, “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” have the kind of rhythm and simple message that lends itself to parody.

Both understatement and exaggeration are also used to convey humor. O. Henry, a writer known for surprise twists and unexpected endings, uses these in “The Ransom of Red Chief,” a story that tells of a kidnapped red-haired boy who turns out to be a surprising handful for the con men who kidnapped him. Red Chief’s father responds to the ransom note by offering to take his son back, but only if the kidnappers pay him $250. The father also warns the kidnappers that they would be wise to bring the boy back at night because the neighbors might not take kindly to his return. Mark Twain is another writer who uses exaggeration and understatement as a tool for humor in his novel, Huckleberry Finn and numerous short stories. In “Letters from the Earth,” he tells of Satan writing a letter to Michael and Gabriel in which Satan states that “every person is playing on a harp—millions and millions—whereas not more than twenty in the thousand of them could play an instrument in the earth, or ever wanted to. Consider the deafening hurricane of sound… Consider further, it is a praise service; a service of compliment…”

Perhaps the most familiar form of humor is the epigram or the one-liner. Woody Allen has consistently used it in the movies, as did Oscar Wilde on stage. “I can resist anything but temptation,” cries a character in Wilde’s play. At the time of the cold war, Russians summarized the Soviet economy by saying, “I pretend to work. They pretend to pay me.” An American might say, “I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.”

Once you joke about something, you appropriate it and in so doing, attain a certain amount of control. Minorities have long laughed about their misery. It was often the only way they could survive. In a patter song from a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, The Yeoman of the Guard, the court jester describes his personal woes seen as trivial, “as long as you’re funny.” It is a skill that when developed can both entertain and heal.

SPECIAL USES OF VERB FORM

When teaching developmental English, I always began with verbs, for once mastered, everything else would fall into place. Here are some conventions regarding verb forms that have special use.

1. General truths or scientific principles should appear in present tense unless disproved.

Example: Galileo said the earth revolves around the sun.

2. When writing about literature or referring to written reports, the convention is to describe the events in the present tense.

Example: In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain tells the story of a boy going up the Mississippi river or a raft.

3. Use past perfect (had plus past participle -ed) for past being completed before the past event.

Example: Everyone had dined by the time we got there.

4. Use the present infinitive (verb preceded by “to”) for action at the same time as or later than the main verb of the sentence.

Example: The people had hoped to raise a thousand dollars for the high school band by July.

5. Use the perfect form of the infinitive (to have plus the past participle -ed) to show action at the same time as or later than the action of the verb (note: this is different than #3 above which refers to action having been completed)

Example: He would have joined the army but he did not pass the physical.

6. Use the past participle (-ed) or present perfect (-ing plus past participle
–ed) for action occurring before that of the following verb.

Example: Discovered hiding in the bushes, the thief gave up to the police.

Example: Having worked through college, she graduated debt free.

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

bethstaas — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 18:06:00 +0000

It was a week after Christmas, time to take down the tree, store the decorations and write thank you letters to Aunt Martha and Grandma Grace. After numerous threats and prodding, the living room was back to its original state and the letters neatly stamped and mailed. That was a time when the niceties of correspondence was hand written and could even rise to the level of literature. Technology has made communication almost instantaneous, but despite its welcome speed, there has been a real loss in the sharp turn of a phrase or the crisp retort.

Consider the following. Samuel Johnson, the British compiler of an 18th Century dictionary, labored some seven years without income or patronage despite promises of assistance from many wealthy friends. One in particular, a certain Lord Chesterfield, kept Johnson dangling on many occasions, ignoring his pleas for help. Then when the book was successfully published, Lord Chesterfield miraculously stepped forward, suggesting that Johnson dedicate the dictionary to him. In a delicious satirical reply, Johnson demurred. “The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labors, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it.” Not exactly the kind of message sent through email.

Letters need not always be biting or sarcastic. In wartime, when events require quick action, a letter might seem ponderous and unwieldy. Yet the advice from George Washington to the captains of the Virginia regiment was direct and crisp. “Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” This kind of parallel structure is almost poetic and memorable, with just the right tone to relay to the troops.

On a more somber note, a Civil War tragedy so touched Abraham Lincoln that he was moved to send a letter to a Mrs. Bixby, a grieving mother whose sons died in battle. “Dear Madam, I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming….I pray that our heavenly father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.” Even instant messaging with the president of the United States (were that possible in the 1800’s) could compare to the soft tenderness found in this message.

Although Freud’s contribution to the world of psychology was life changing for many, there were many letter writers whose considered wisdom anticipated his breakthroughs. Who isn’t aware of the epistles of St. Paul such as in his letter to the Corinthians where he writes “…and though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” As to human interaction, most people recognize the importance of a first impression, but St. Jerome’s phrasing, “When once wool has been dyed purple, who can restore it to its previous whiteness,” makes it memorable. And the ancient Greek, Pliny the Younger, reminds us that “An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit.” Like the previous examples, these sentences took careful thought and contemplation, something that is lacking in electronic messages.

Then there are the love letters, sometimes sentimental yet conveying a sweet sadness brought about by lengthy separation. Napoleon Bonaparte sent numerous letters to his Josephine describing his longing for her as he trampled over foreign lands. “I draw from your lips, from your heart a love which consumes me with fire. Ah! it was last night that I fully realized how false an image of you your portrait gives!” In the same period, Ludwig van Beethoven sent letters to his “immortal beloved,” expressing how he will return and “fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits.” And who doesn’t know about the love affair between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, both poets, both able to express themselves beautifully as in when Robert writes that “if I could get myself remade, as if turned to gold, I would not even then desire to become more than the mere setting to that diamond you must always wear.” Cast these words into more contemporary English and the courtship is won.

This is not to say that electronic communication is not wonderful. I love my computer and can’t remember how I survived before email. But there are moments when quiet reflection brings forth deep insights that need to be held close. For that, nothing can replace the old-fashioned letter writing and journaling that gets in touch with the essential you.

CUTTING WORDINESS

A sentence is wordy if its meaning can be communicated in fewer words. Most grammar checks will flag common redundancies such as true fact or rising up. They are less alert in finding repetition within longer sentences although long sentences are not always wordy any more than short sentences are concise.

Example: Immigrants were portrayed or stereotyped as lazy even though they were an important labor force in the cities.
Better: Immigrants were stereotyped as lazy even though they were an important labor force in the cities.

Example: Sarah is now employed at a private rehabilitation center working as a physical therapist.
Better: Sarah works at a private rehabilitation center as a physical therapist.

Example: The best teachers help each student to become a better student both academically and emotionally.
Better: The best teachers help each student to grow both academically and emotionally.

Example: Mary was determined in her mind to lose weight.
Better: Mary was determined to lose weight.

Although each of the above sentences are shortened by only a few words, the result in a five paragraph essay could amount to a ten or fifteen percent reduction. More important, the effect is to transfer greater power to the nouns and verbs, which is where the power belongs.

Dealing with the Editorial Hobgoblin

bethstaas — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:28:00 +0000

The word editor can strike terror in the minds of many a cub reporter or aspiring novelist. In old time movies, the editor would sit behind a battered desk in a windowless office, tie askew, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, his scowl attached to the top half of his balding forehead. This was the man with the power. He could alter the elegant phrase, the charming wit and the clearest description into something ordinary and mundane, or worse, delete it entirely. The writer would be forced to bow and comply, knowing there was still much to learn at the feet of the master.

In today’s media, the editor still wields enormous power. Be it the upscale magazine, national newspaper or major publishing house, the editor’s blue pencil becomes a chilling challenge on the way to the printed page. But no matter how critical, there’s another editor that is even more important. Yourself.

Granted, the act of writing is creativity personified. The words, phrases and paragraphs have been nurtured deep inside the writer like an embryo, grown to viability and wrenched forth after prolonged labor after taking on a life of its own. Any change would amount to a distortion. Any cut would make it bleed. And that’s the way it should be. Good writers care passionately about the results, otherwise their work will only amount to being like a schoolroom exercise. That is why the writer must wear two hats: that of the creator and the editor, each role indispensable to the other, each respected in its discrete incarnation.

The creative mind is playful. It embraces the world with childlike wonder, amazed by the sounds and clamor of ideas, willing to turn them upside down for a fresh look. It challenges facts and says, How come? It looks at problems and says, Let’s try something else. Its images can dance to the surface at the most unexpected moments, then turn and run away without explanation. It rarely looks for organization, but glories in the scattering of ideas that might, perhaps, maybe, somehow come together into a monumental piece that will make the most dour curmudgeon cavort in delight.

The editor’s mind is the somber adult ready to pass judgment. It will tell you that you are wordy or that your paragraphs need topic sentences to improve the flow. It has the nagging voice that says, This piece needs work, prompting a writer to dissolve into tears or throw the piece into the shredder and start over. It is also the voice that says, Now you’re getting it. Keep going.

A writer must be both child and parent in his writing, with each aspect carefully nourished. If the writer is not playful by nature, s/he should choose the creative part of writing when most awake, most satisfied and most free of stress. That could be early in the morning before work or before the family begins to stir. It could be late at night when the house has quieted and the chores put to rest. For some, it could even be amid the sounds of a Sunday afternoon football game. The point is to know one’s self and adapt to use energy in the most productive way.

The resistant editor inside the writer should follow the same process. Whatever time is conducive to judging, analyzing and editing should be when that takes place if at all possible. If too harried at the end of the day to care much about anything, the writer might try going for a walk and clear the head so as to be more even-handed. When overwhelmed by news headlines, it might be a good time to read a romantic story making it less likely to go toward the slash and burn.

As always, the key is moderation. Because the creative process is fragile, it must be tended and nourished with both love and restraint. Then, like in a well-weeded garden, the loveliness can flower.

CHECKLIST FOR REVISION

Purpose
Does the draft do what it has set out to do – inform, persuade, entertain or call to action?

Appropriateness
Will the audience have enough knowledge, level of interest and appropriate attitude toward the subject to make it want to read the piece to the very end? Does the reading level match its intended audience?

Focal Point
With non-fiction, is the introduction and conclusion consistent with the body of the piece? Is there a thesis and is it clear? Are some ideas unrelated or off-point? Is there enough balance in the use of examples or do some examples try to take over the piece? With fiction, does the opening grab the reader, bringing him into the story by the end of the first page or, better, by the end of the first paragraph? Are there enough characters or are there so many that the story seems cluttered? Is the plot easy to follow or is it all over the place? Is description a real part of the story or might this piece have been better as a poem?

Organization
In non-fiction, are there enough clues such as topic sentences or conjunctions to implement the flow of ideas? Are the ideas ordered in some kind of logical progression? Are paragraphs or sentences too long or too short? With fiction, does it continue the way it started with tense and point of view or does it shift, confusing the reader? Is the order of events consistent or does it move from chronological order to flashback leaving the reader confused?

Content
Throughout the piece, are examples persuasive and well developed? Are there enough and are they well balanced with major ideas receiving the right emphasis? And most important, would the piece be improved with certain parts deleted?

I Hear You But What Are You Saying?

bethstaas — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 20:55:00 +0000

Although speech is intended to communicate, it is rarely direct. When you find someone new at a social gathering to be very attractive, your first approach is gradual, beginning with small talk about the weather or preferences in food. Then, depending upon the response, you might persist to the point of exchanging phone numbers or even making a date, with each word, phrase and sentence calculated to elicit a positive response. The same is true when wheedling a lower price from a vendor or talking to your son’s Little League coach. The wider the vocabulary, the more tools you have to achieve your objective.

Word use can also be direct or indirect, depending on the intent. Looking words up in the dictionary is only the beginning, for through usage, we have added emotional layers to meanings, loading them up with feelings so they imply something far beyond the ordinary. It’s like the saying, Happiness is a warm puppy. Everyone knows that the emotion we call happiness is not really a four-footed animal. Instead, we understand that the reference refers to what it FEELS like.

This time of year is loaded with holidays having words loaded with emotion. We know that the word mother refers to one’s female parent. But the connotation can also convey a sense of warmth, comfort or the smell of cookies fresh out of the oven. Easter takes us beyond the religious holiday to the anticipation of jellybeans, chocolate bunnies or new spring clothes. Father’s Day can be one that creates a sense of honor for a strong and accessible man or elicit delight, remembering summer days at play.

Words describing relationship with others can also contain multiple meanings. My best friend describes a person but it also gives me a feeling of comfort and acceptance whereas the word enemy generates a sense of anger or fear. Certain meanings can change over the years as in girl, describing a female child but also an office assistant who willingly brings hot coffee on demand, a reference that is no longer appreciated. The same is true of the word boy, which now has racial overtones although both terms were once used as fond reference to a willing helper.

Politics and government are another source of words with strong connotation. The word liberal was once a badge proudly worn by the most open minded implying broad acceptance and non-discrimination. Today, it implies a scattered lack of control. Acts of vengeance are seen as perpetrated by a freedom fighter or a terrorist, depending on one’s point of view.

The world of sports is replete with colorful language. The word aggressive could refer to a fierce competitor who is applauded or be seen as a violation of good sportsmanship, which is booed. The word courage is often contrasted with foolhardy depending on one’s point of view.

The richness of language provides a challenge that can bring forth some wonderful surprises. In conversation or pursuit of the written word, there is always a freshness that echoes the spirit of spring.

ARE YOU AGREEABLE?

The subject of a sentence should agree with its verb. This is pretty easy to see in a short sentence.

Correct: I like going to school.
Incorrect: I likes going to school.
Correct: Mary sings in the choir.
Incorrect: Mary sing in the choir.

The problem comes about when the sentences are long, with intervening words that might confuse the location of noun or verb. So here are some conventions that are part of standard English and pretty easy to learn.

I. The verb agrees with its subject, not with the words that come between, even when the subject follows the verb.

Correct: The foods in the cafeteria need to be covered.
(the subject is foods, the verb need, NOT needs)
Correct: The governor, as well as his secretary, was shot.
(the subject is only governor, NOT governor as well as secretary, so the verb is was, NOT were)
Correct: There are surprisingly few children on our block.
(the subject is children, NOT block, so the verb is are)
Correct: A tent and a sleeping bag are the required equipment.
(the subject is tent and sleeping bag, NOT equipment, so the verb is are, NOT is)

II. Ideas joined with and (called compound) are always plural.

Correct: John and Mary have a dinner date.
(the subject is John and Mary, the verb, have, NOT has)
Correct: Jose and Juan often jog together.
(the subject is Jose and Juan, the verb, jog, NOT jogs)

exception: There are some compounds that form a single unit, such as bacon and eggs, rock and roll, macaroni and cheese. Since it refers to a combination of known things, it is treated as singular. The same is true of collective nouns which are a single unit, or words ending in “s”.

Correct: Strawberries and cream was added to the menu.
(the subject is strawberries and cream, a SINGLE unit, so the verb is was, NOT were).
Correct: the class respects the teacher.
(the subject is class, treated as a unit of one, NOT as individual students. So the verb is respects, NOT respect)
Correct: Physics is my favorite subject in school.
(the subject is physics, a learning discipline, the verb should be is, NOT are).

III. Most indefinite pronouns are singular

The indefinite pronouns are the following: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, none, no one, somebody, someone, and something.

Correct: Everyone on the team supports the coach.
(the subject is everyone, the verb supports, NOT support)
Correct: Three rooms are available; none has a private bath.
(the subject is none, the verb is has, NOT had)

IV. Titles of works, company names are singular

Correct: Delmonico Brothers specializes in health foods.
(the subject is Delmonico Brothers, the verb specializes, NOT specialize)
Correct: “The Inner Cities” describes how a young person can deal with growing up.
(the subject is The Inner Cities, a single title, so the verb is describes NOT describe)

These conventions of subject-verb agreement have been boiled down to four. With a little effort, they can be memorized and put to use in written and spoken form. Very simply, this is standard English.

TV or not TV: That is the Question

bethstaas — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 15:20:00 +0000

The room was dark and crowded, the air thick with smoke, an undercurrent of conversation broken from time to time by the clink of glassware and occasional outbursts of laughter or guffaws. The year was 1946. World War II was just over and the bars were crowded with people watching a new invention, something called television. How this little black box and its related electronic devices have changed our society has been nothing short of phenomenal.

At first, television was a center that revealed accepted manners and inter-personal relationships. Shows like Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best and I Love Lucy showed family life as we thought it should be – solid, warm and loving. Later, All in the Family and The Jeffersons underscored the changing racial attitudes of the Sixties. Today’s Desperate Housewives and Sex in the City continue that phenomenon by showing how women’s lives have changed over the years.

Television also had an effect on education, shifting the focus from reading to that of listening. Tests show that the most effective learning tool is that of film, either movies or TV. Retention, comprehension and attention span, when presented in this form, far exceed any other method, with the process becoming more holistic. Through film, people absorb information through pictures that appear in clumps or sections, one after another. The sequence can be in any direction such as from top to bottom, or side to side, shifting from one to another as needed. This is in contrast to reading which is always from left to right, top to bottom. As a learning method, whichever dominates is ultimately imprinted on the brain. In the case of a child, it has a lifelong effect on the process itself, such as learning to read through phonics or through the look/say method. Since shifting from one to the other is neither quick nor comfortable, it’s easy to guess which will win.

Television learning is also easier than reading, in that it is literally delivered to the viewer (input) instead of having to be deciphered on the page (output). Furthermore, the exposure is omnipresent, with every household having more TVs than there are people. And even though many TVs are left on as mere background noise, with somewhere around forty hours per week exposure, a certain amount is bound to filter through.

Another effect of television is that children have a much wider vocabulary than those of previous generations. Initially, TV was geared toward adults. But with the TV on as the stay-at-home moms were going about their daily chores and the baby boomers right there, absorbing the sounds around them, it became a learning tool, for they were at the age when a child’s brain is ready to acquire language.

When children’s television was finally introduced, the TV became an overt teaching tool. Miss Francis’ Ding-Dong School, Captain Kangaroo and the wildly successful successor, Sesame Street, have changed early education permanently. As one pre-school teacher bemoaned, “How can I compete with Big Bird?” Yet by focusing on early education, a phenomenon not seen since kindergartens were introduced, it brought attention to the valuable early years and spawned Head Start.

Today the computer and other electronic equipment is taking off from where TV left off. Thank heavens for spell check, for the added knowledge and vocabulary offered by TV are mitigated by our children’s inability to spell. And although their speech approaches Standard English, their writing ability is abysmal.

So it might be that we are on the threshold of another new era where the written word is a specialization, another career path. Colleges would graduate scribes who write programs for TV or computers, reading them aloud for actors to memorize and then implement. Imagine–a degree in writing! Heck, the new discipline might generate as much income as was once earned by teachers.

PUNCTUATION AND OTHER MARKINGS

There are general conventions regarding punctuation and other markings. The following are generally accepted as Standard English. Note that they also advise when NOT to use them.

QUOTATIONS MARKS

Do NOT us quotation marks to draw attention to familiar phrases, clichés or attempted humor.
Example: In the summer, many wives become “golf widows.”

Do NOT put quotation marks around titles of your own writing.

EXCLAMATION POINT

An exclamation point is used when expressing an exceptional feeling or where it deserves a great emphasis.

Example: She rounded the corner and suddenly I heard her yell, “Help!”

Be careful not to overuse the exclamation point.

Example: My sister has grown as big as a tree over the summer! (The information is emphatic enough without adding the exclamation point.)

Example: She lobbed the tennis ball way over my head! It ended the game with her the winner! (Choose one if you must but not two in a row.)

THE DASH

At the keyboard, use two hyphens to form a dash, with no space before or after. Dashes are sometimes used as a substitute for a more formal punctuation. You could live to a ripe old age and never use the dash.

You may use the dash to set off parenthetical material you want to emphasize.

Example: She was gorgeous—from head to toe—so you couldn’t blame me for letting out a soft whistle.

Use the dash to set off lists that contain commas.

Example: The food bank needed everything—dry foods, canned vegetables, bread and dairy products—but no one came forward to help.

A dash is sometimes effective in making a dramatic shift in tone.

Example: The little old lady stepped off the scale and smiled proudly, finding she’d gained—and now weighed a hundred pounds.

Since these markings are out of the ordinary, they can be dismissed forever.

Non-Verbal Communication

bethstaas — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 02:17:00 +0000

From infancy, we are exposed to wordless messages such as voice, gestures and stance. We send signals through our choice of clothing, food and work. We also read signals and clues from others, making evaluations and judgments as to a person’s class, education and status long before a word is spoken. Sometimes the readings are accurate, sometimes not. In the musical, “My Fair Lady,” Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl, is passed off as a duchess on the strength of new manners and acquired speech. The story is not totally far fetched.

Non-verbal communication was probably generated long before speech, with the caveman pointing at a mastodon, gesturing toward a failing fire or grunting to soothe the baby. Rather than being replaced later by the specifics of language, it has blossomed and become increasingly complex accounting for more than half of human interaction.

An early study of non-verbal communication concluded that many of our emotional responses are instinctive and generated internally. As parts of the brain evolved, particular areas were designated for certain tasks. The forebrain delivers an emotional response. A second mass of brain tissue governs aversion cues such as dry mouth, sweaty palms. Another part of our body centers our “gut reaction” to events. Located in the nerve cells and circuits of the bowel area, it can express the full tummy feeling of contentment or sense of queasiness at the sight of something disgusting. It goes beyond a general spontaneity and is a rapid response to events before things are worked through intellectually. Today, economists recognize that many decisions are made in just this way.

Where innate factors affect how humans communicate and experience feelings through body language, cultural elements can show variance from on group to another. The use of space, or circle of aggression, can be of enormous importance in non-verbal language such as how close one stands to a partner during conversation. Different cultures establish their own norms. Social distance for one can be perceived as a violation of personal distance by the other.

In spatial orientation, distance is not the only telling sign of relationships. The noncommittal shrug is fairly universal as is the nod for saying Yes and head shaking for saying No. Studies show that alignment of our upper body automatically aims toward those we like and angles away from those we don’t. During business conferences, members mostly address those beside them when there is a strong leader but address those across from them when the leadership is diverse.

Our eyes also reveal considerable emotion. For that reason, direct eye contact rarely lasts more than a few seconds. In Japan, children are taught to focus on a speaker’s neck in order to avoid eye contact whereas in the United States, listeners are encouraged to gaze into the speaker’s eyes.

On a more menacing note, scientist have found disturbances in non-verbal communication to be more severe and prolonged than distortions of verbal communication. This could well explain the complications of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Where language is concerned, actions can speak louder than words. How we are perceived, whether false or true, can bear influence for years to come. As the successful salesman might say, we rarely have a second chance to make a good first impression.

What Do These Words Mean Anyhow?

Here are some terms that may have left you puzzled. Some relate to grammar and others to the act of writing itself.

Analogy: comparing items that seem to have little in common like showing how a bee can be like a busy housewife.

Annotation: the process of commenting or summarizing a piece of writing either formally as part of the text or through marginal notation.

Argument: a point of view that the writer is pursuing and trying to prove.

Ambiguous: having multiple or contradictory meanings.

Bias: being unfair or even inaccurate in the use of supporting evidence.

Circular reasoning: to restate the point instead of supplying new evidence.
Cliché: a worn-out term that might be clever but is much overused.

Conciseness: writing that does not overuse flowery terminology or language extremes.

Criteria: basis for developing an idea.

Determiner: a word that can identify or quantify a noun.

Documentation: identifying the source of information that goes into a piece of research.

Ellipsis: the three dots in a quote indicating there are missing words.

Etymology: a word’s origin either by country or culture

Euphemism: a word nicety to avoid saying something unpleasant.

Expletive: a verbal outburst.

Fallacy: a logical error that can be either intentional or an honest mistake.

Infinitive: a verb with the word “to” in front of it which then changes its function from verb to noun form.

Irregular verbs: verbs that do not form past tense with the -ed ending but instead have their own distinctive variants that have to be memorized individually.

Jargon: a specialized set of terms distinctive to a particular discipline such as Law or Medicine.

Manuscript: a piece of writing yet unpublished.

Modal: helping verbs that do not change form to indicate tense.

Plagiarism: illegally taking credit for writing from another’s work

Redundancy: unnecessary repetition.

Paraphrase: to restate using other words

Transition: a verbal bridge.

Poet? You Know It!

bethstaas — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 22:07:00 +0000

Poetry is probably the oldest kind of literature, emerging before the novel, essay or even the short story. It is usually short, making it easy to compose or absorb in a brief period of time. It can convey strong feelings like grief, despair or delight, emotions that cry out for expression. Or it can describe an experience in a unique way, encouraging the reader to see things differently. And as a simple form that doesn’t demand adherence to rules of grammar or punctuation, it can be produced by almost anyone. Yet to write a poem that is lasting takes a great deal of effort and thought.

My music teacher used to say that children sing before they speak, citing as example the way a baby coos in its crib. One might find the same is true with poetry, for a child memorizes nursery rhymes even before knowing the meaning of words. Both come about spontaneously, almost instinctively, like learning to walk. Later, music and poetry combine into songs, another form that is easily memorized. But if the impact is to last, the writer needs to know the various devices to let it happen.

Most of the mnemonic or memory devices are learned in school. By sixth grade a student is able to identify rhythm, rhyme, metaphor, simile and so forth, so that when a teenager’s feelings demand a voice, the response might be to write a poem. The following list a few characteristics that are measures of excellence.

Poetry consists of multiple meanings. Spring might refer to beginnings such as the stirring of the warmed earth, the awareness of young love, or of new spiritual insights. A tolling bell can refer to death, marriage, a call to war or even make reference to them all at the same time.

Poetry is also tight with every word carefully chosen. Nouns and verbs predominate with little use of articles (a, an, the), modifiers (nice, very, awful), or pronouns (that, which, it, she) to diminish their power. The poet chooses fresh words with emotional impact such as clattered (not sounded), hoedown (not dance), or squishy (not soft). Verbs are especially important so the passive forms (is, was, did, has) are kept to a minimum or not used at all. He hurled the money like a missile, not, the money was hurled by him.

Sensory imagery always elicits an emotional response so poetry utilizes as much as possible, drawing on all of the five senses. References to garden loam (touch), growl (sound), salty tears (taste), russet brown (sight) or cinnamon rolls (smell) pulls the reader into the poem for a vicarious experience.

A good poem strives to show rather than tell. It is in a sense holding up a mirror to the reader to communicate a new and fresh perception. But it should never, never preach. Young love? Pain and ecstasy combine into remembered distraction for anyone having been there. Intimacy? Let me show you the whole picture including the not so pretty. Natural disasters? I can show you what can happen behind the scenes. Look. See it afresh. I will take you there.

If really successful, the poet conveys insights or feelings so that it results in a catch in the throat, a sense of Wow or Aha!

Of course, to know conventions is only the beginning. As with all writing, the next step is to practice, practice, practice. But the reward is wide, for even before the final product, there is satisfaction at every step.

ARE YOU AGREEABLE?

We all know that the subject of a sentence should agree with its verb, something pretty easy to see in a short sentence. The problem comes about when the sentences are long, with intervening words that might confuse the location of noun or verb. So here are some conventions that are part of standard English and pretty easy to learn.

I. The verb agrees with its subject, not with the words that come between, even when the subject follows the verb.

Correct: The foods in the cafeteria need to be covered.
(the subject is foods, the verb need, NOT needs)
Correct: The governor, as well as his secretary, was shot.
(the subject is only governor, NOT governor as well as secretary, so the verb is was, NOT were)
Correct: There are surprisingly few children on our block.
(the subject is children, NOT block, so the verb is are)
Correct: A tent and a sleeping bag are the required equipment.
(the subject is tent and sleeping bag, NOT equipment, so the verb is are, NOT is)

II. Ideas joined with and are always plural.

Correct: John and Mary have a dinner date.
(the subject is John and Mary, so the verb is have, NOT has)
Correct: Jose and Juan often jog together.
(the subject is Jose and Juan, the verb, jog, NOT jogs)

exception: There are some compounds that form a single unit, such as bacon and eggs, rock and roll, macaroni and cheese. Since it refers to a combination of known things, it is treated as singular. The same is true of collective nouns (jury, class, committee), which are a single unit.

Correct: Strawberries and cream was added to the menu.
(the subject is strawberries and cream, a SINGLE unit, so the verb is was, NOT were).
Correct: the class respects the teacher.
(the subject is class, treated as a unit of one, NOT as individual students. So the verb is respects, NOT respect)
Correct: Physics is my favorite subject in school.
(the subject is physics, a learning discipline, the verb should be is, NOT are).

III. Most indefinite pronouns are singular

The indefinite pronouns are the following: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, none, no one, somebody, someone, and something.

Correct: Everyone on the team supports the coach.
(the subject is everyone, the verb supports, NOT support)
Correct: Three rooms are available; none has a private bath.
(the subject is none, the verb is has, NOT had)

IV. Titles of works, company names are singular

Correct: Delmonico Brothers specializes in health foods.
(the subject is Delmonico Brothers, the verb specializes, NOT specialize)
Correct: “The Inner Cities” describes how a young person can deal with growing up.
(the subject is The Inner Cities, a single title, so the verb is describes NOT describe)

These conventions of subject-verb agreement have been boiled down to four. With a little effort, they can be memorized and put to use in written and spoken form. Very simply, this is standard English.

What Spell Check Doesn't Tell You

bethstaas — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 22:00:00 +0000

In addition to words like to (a direction), too (also), and two (a number), there are other commonly confused words that a spell check might not catch since they sound somewhat alike yet have a slightly different meaning. As usual, the best advice (a noun) would be to advise (a verb) you to use a dictionary. You would then learn to accept (or receive) the authoritative definition without exception (meaning to exclude).

Having to use the dictionary might create an adverse (unfavorable) reaction since the spell check is right there at your fingertips. The convenience of the computer could even make you averse (reluctant) to following such suggestions since you’d already (previously) looked up the word that morning. The piece might have been all ready (completely prepared) to go with a pressing deadline. Still, your writing should affect (influence) your reader in a positive way and misusing a word can have a negative effect (result) even though it’s spelled correctly. So it might be a good idea to cite (use as example) the dictionary and forego the Web site (location) this time around.

Sometime (now and then) in the future, you might want to invest some time (a part of the day) in practicing careful choice of diction and vocabulary. Hence the best course (direction) for you to follow is not to be coarse (crude) nor elicit (bring forth) anything that implies illicit (unlawful) behavior. But beyond that, you should want your writing to have grace and style. Let’s face it. Some words are better than (a comparison) others. So when choosing how to say something, you might first work to explain what you mean, then (an adverb relating to time) edit to make it sound even better. That would complement (finish off) your basic writing in an attractive way and gain a rush of compliments (flattering remarks) from your audience.

I might go ever further (more so) and say that leading you astray couldn’t be farther (a distance) from my mind since I no longer teach English. But I still love the language and like to believe that everyone (an indefinite pronoun) feels as I do so that every one (each) of you will make a daily effort to polish and improve your writing skills. Even though your skills may be (a verb phrase) currently a bit unsure, they will improve so that some day you could be hired for your writing, maybe (possibly) even as a journalist. If that happens, you will have passed (past tense of pass) the test with all the pain and effort firmly in the past (a former time). All this because you were willing to adopt (to take on as one’s own) a new method of checking your words and adapt (adjust) your writing style to a better way.

TROUBLE SPOTS WITH ARTICLES

Articles are noun markers. A, an and the signal that a noun is about to appear. Other markers, called determiners identify nouns such as my, your, this, that, all, every, and so on. Usually, an article is not used with another noun marker. Here are a few conventions.

Use a or an with singular count nouns whose identity is not known to the reader.
Example: Mary arrived in a limousine.
Example: We are looking for an apartment.

Do not use a or an with a non-count noun. Instead, you can use quantifiers or determiners such as more, many, some or less. But remember that non-count nouns do not have plural forms so a determiner should not imply plurality such as many, few or a couple of.
Example: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Example: I see plenty of work that still needs to be done.
But not: A couple of ice cream or many milk.

Use the with nouns that have an identity known to the reader.
Example: I got up early enough to see the sun rise. (The reader knows there is only one sun)
Example: Please close the window when you leave. (The speaker and listener know which window is open.)

Do not use the with plural or non-count nouns that mean “all.” Do not use the with someone’s name.
Example: Cigarettes are not good for you. (Cigarettes is plural.)
Example: I prefer coffee to tea in the morning. (Coffee and tea are both non-count nouns.)