1 General Introduction to Writing
1.1 The Importance of Writing 002
1.2 Writing as a Skill 002
1.3 Definitions of Writing 003
1.4 Point and Support 003
1.5 Reading and Writing 003
1.6 Revising and Editing 004
1.7 The Writing Process and Prewriting 004
1.8 Dictionaries 005
1.9 Wisely Using the Internet 006
2 Mechanics and Punctuation
2.1 Mechanics 008
2.2 Punctuation 015
3 Diction Skills
3.1 Spelling Improvement 026
3.2 Effective Word Choice 036
3.3 Figures of Speech 040
4 Sentence Skills
4.1 Elements of a Sentence 046
4.2 Types of Sentences 048
4.3 Criteria of an Effective Sentence 051
4.4 Grammar 057
5 Paragraph Skills
5.1 Elements of a Paragraph 082
5.2 Steps in Writing a Paragraph 084
5.3 Criteria of an Effective Paragraph 085
5.4 Patterns of Paragraph Development 091
6 Essay Skills
6.1 Elements of an Essay 114
6.2 Steps in Writing an Essay 118
6.3 Criteria of an Effective Essay 124
6.4 Types of Essays 126
7 Practical Writing
7.1 Letters 158
7.2 Resume 167
Keys for Reference 172
Appendix: Commonly Confused Words 192
Bibliography 229