Funny Blog!

This is a link to a very funny blog. Do have an open mind on it. What I want you to do is read it, have fun, have a good laugh and watch out for the language. He's good at describing his thoughts and feelings over the topic. Read away!

http://www.kennysia.com/archives/2006/05/zhng_my_penis.php

Exercise: Identifying Nouns

Exercise: Look out for nouns (common, general, concrete and abstract) in the article below

Commanding respect

By MICHAEL CHEANG

HOW do you make a movie about a guy flying around in a blue spandex suit, a red cape, and a pair of red underwear (on the outside), and not make it look like a tacky B-grade flick?

It can’t be an easy problem to solve, considering that it’s been almost 20 years since the last Superman movie was released. In fact, after a number of failed attempts to get the project going, it is only now, after Bryan Singer was recruited as director, that the most iconic superhero ever created finally makes his return to the silver screen.

With Singer at the helm, the Man of Steel is in safe hands. After all, this is the director who succeeded in appeasing both casual moviegoers and fervent comic fan boys with the first two movies based on Marvel’s mutant X-Men.

However, there is no doubt as to which superhero franchise is his favourite, as he was bluntly unhesitant with his answer when asked why he left the X-Men franchise to do Superman.
“I’m a bigger fan of Superman than the X-Men,” said Singer during an international media junket held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles in early June.

“For me, the original Superman movie starring Christopher Reeve was the ultimate superhero movie,” he said. “It is because of my love and that I’m a fan of Superman that I did X-Men in the first place.”

“I love the X-Men and it broke my heart not to be able to do the last one, but I just couldn’t past this up.

Superman Returns opens with the Man of Steel (played by newcomer Brandon Routh) returning to Earth after a five-year search in space for his home planet Krypton, and finding that his adopted planet has adapted to life without him. Most devastating of all (to him, at least), his lover Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has also moved on with her life, having gotten engaged to Richard White (James Marsden), and is also a mother to a five-year-old son. In the meantime, his arch-nemesis Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has also been released from prison and is plotting to destroy the world, as usual.

All-new Man of Steel

The movie is a new take on the legend of Superman, and because of the vast popularity of the character throughout the world, Singer insisted on casting the complete unknown actor Brandon Routh in the blue tights.
Singer had chanced upon the audition tape Routh had done for one of the previous Superman directors, and decided to meet him in a café. “Within minutes of talking to him, I knew he was the one. I remember we were sitting inside, and decided to head outside instead. Brandon just took his coffee, and then stood up, and up, and up, and up ...,” he said, referring to Routh’s height.

“Then later, as we ran into each other as we were going through the door, and I thought to myself, ‘What a Clark!’

”The fact that Brandon looks a bit like Christopher Reeve was part of it as well, but not an essential part.”

According to the movie’s screenwriters Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty, Routh had been Singer’s first choice ever since he met him. “Brandon was always Bryan’s favourite, but before casting him officially, we had to sit through all the other auditions as well,” said Dougherty.

“We even saw Brendan Fraser wearing the Superman suit, and Ashton Kutcher as well!” he added with a shudder.

So, how did Singer go about making a movie about a guy in blue tights and still not manage to make it look like a B-grade movie?

“That’s the fun of Superman, he always looks like he is on the way to a costume party! But you’d forgive him for his wardrobe as long as he saves your life. He forces you to respect, because he is just so powerful.” However, Singer emphasized that Superman is not just about the blue tights.

“Superman is never in disguise – unlike other superheroes, he doesn’t wear a mask. Clark Kent is his disguise, and it’s part of the whole character – the suit, the curl in the hair, the blue eyes and so on.

“It’s all part of a collective consciousness we have of Superman – the product of 70 years of accumulated images from movies, comics and television. Go to any part of the world, and almost everyone would know who Superman is,” he added.

Of course, it helped that screenwriters Harris and Dougherty are equally big fans of Superman as well, and had the added experience of having written the second X-Men movie with Singer as well.

According to Singer, when they worked on the script, they wanted to touch on the more emotional aspects of the character.

“We wanted to show that even the most virtuous and idealistic people could be destroyed by human emotions. That was the key to our story,” he said. “Superman is not always perfect, but there is just something about him that appeals to everyone, to the point where almost anyone in any country in the world would know him.”

Harris added later: “There are only so many ways to use kryptonite! Superman himself was said to be too two-dimensional a character, and lacked angst. So we had to give the sense that something could hurt him.

“So here we have a love triangle between him, Lois and this new guy, and a family that he cannot break up, not like Lex Luthor, whom he can just flick aside.

“We also had to give him a threat that was big and physical enough for him to handle, and at the same time balance that with a story about him and his home world as well.”

So while working on the movie, did they ever live in the fear of screwing up the whole thing?
“We thought about it every day! It was intimidating, but not terrifying. We knew we had to be on our best, because we were working on this 70 year mural in a way, and we had to live up to everyone’s expectations,” said Harris.

In the end, the two, along with Singer, managed to come up with a screenplay that drew upon influences from a broad range of mythology, including Greek, Christianity and so on.

“Superheroes are the mythology of today, and the story of Superman is not so different from all the classic myths and legends that came before,” said Harris.

“All we did is to turn those classic big old stories into a new one, and then whittle it all down to a guy in blue tights!”

Verb Tense Exercises

Present Continuous / Simple Past Present Perfect Continuous / Past Perfect Continuous

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate verb tense.

My English is really getting better. I (try) _______ to learn the language since 1985, but only recently have I been able to make some real progress. By the time I started high school in 1988, I (study) _______the language for almost three years; however, I was only able to introduce myself and utter a few memorized sentences. For a couple more years, I (struggle) ________through grammar and vocabulary lessons, which made absolutely no difference. Nothing worked, so I decided to study abroad. I found an exchange program in England that sounded like the perfect answer. I (stay) ________with a host family for one month. It was a huge disappointment! I (sit) _________there the whole time staring at the host mother and father hoping that there would be some breakthrough. Nothing. When I returned, I mentioned to a friend that I (have) ________problems with the language for years. He recommended that I spend a year in an English speaking country. I decided to go abroad again. I (research) ________exchange programs for a couple of weeks and finally decided on a school in the United States. Well, it worked. I (live) ________and (study) _______in the U.S. for more than two years. I (stay) ________here for at least another year before I return home. By then, I should be completely fluent.

Adjective or Adverb Exercises
Choose the correct item from the choices in the parentheses:

1. He (correct, correctly) defined the terms. The answer sounded (correctly, correct).

2. She (quickly, quick) adjusted the fees. She adapted (quick, quickly) to any situation.

3. He measured the floor (exact, exactly). They proved to be (perfectly, perfect) (exact, exactly)measurements.

4. The stillness of the tomb was (awfully, awful). The tomb was (awfully, awful) still.

5. It was a (dangerously, dangerous) lake to swim in. The man was (dangerous, dangerously) drunk. The gas smelled (dangerously,dangerous).

6. She performed (magnificent, magnificently). It was a (magnificent, magnificently) beautiful performance.

7. Her voice sounds (beautifully, beautiful). She sang the song (exact, exactly) as it was written. We heard it (perfectly, perfect).

8. He was a very (sensibly, sensible) person. He acted very (sensible, sensibly).

9. Mike wrote too (slow, slowly) on the exam. He always writes (slow, slowly).

10. Talk (softly, soft) or don't talk at all. The music played (softly, soft).

11. Andrea knows the material very (good, well). She always treats us (good, well).

12. You must send payments (regular, regularly). We deal on a (strictly, strict) cash basis.

13. The mechanic's tools were (well, good). The foreman said that his work was (good, well) done.

14. She worked (careful, carefully) with the sick child. She was a very (careful, carefully) worker.

15. He did not pass the course as (easy, easily) as he thought he would.

16. I find this novel very (interesting, interestingly). It was (interesting, interestingly) written.

In the following sentences, cross out the incorrect words and write in the correct form in the blanks. If the sentence is correct as it is, write "correct" in the blank.
1. Terrence plays quarterback as well as Brian.

2. The game hadn't hardly begun before it started to rain.

3. This was sure a mild winter.

4. When you are a parent, you will think different about children.

5. I felt badly about not having done good on my final exams.

6. Whether you win is not near as important as how you play.

7. Asian music often sounds oddly to Western listeners.

8. Does your car run well enough to enter the race?

9. I felt safely enough to go out at night on my own.

10. You can see the distant mountains clear with these binoculars.

Conjunctions (Exercise)

A. Basic Coordinating Conjunctions
Fill in a suitable coordinating conjunctions in each blank.

1. Jaewon was cold, _____he put on a coat.
2. Maria tried to read a novel in French, ______it was too difficult.
3. To get from Vancouver to Victoria, you can fly, ______you can ride the ferry.
4. I bought a bottle of wine, ______we drank it together.
5. The waiter was not very nice, _____the food was delicious.
6. I went to buy a Rolling Stones CD, _____the shop didn't have it.
7. Anna needed some money, _____she took a part-time job.
8. There's so much rain lately! Maybe it's because of El Nino, _____maybe it's just coincidence.
9. Julie has a guitar, _____she plays it really well.
10. The concert was cancelled, ______we went to a nightclub instead.


B. Basic Subordinating Conjunctions
Choose the appropriate answer for the following.

1. ________ it was raining, I didn't get wet.

A. Although
B. Because

2. Jun couldn't buy any Christmas presents, ________ he didn't have any money.

A. even though
B. because


3. ________ my wife likes to travel abroad, I prefer to stay at home for my vacations.

A. Whereas
B. Since


4. Jerry passed the exam first time, ________ I had to retake it three times.

A. as
B. while


5. I will be late today, ________ my car has broken down.

A. because
B. though

6. ________ Mei Li doesn't speak English, she can't go to university in Canada.

A. Whereas
B. Since


7. Paula got the job, ________ she had no experience.

A. as
B. even though


8. I don't drink coffee, ________ it makes me nervous.

A. as
B. although

Identifying Parts of Speech (exercises)

1. The BOY is eating.(What part of speech is the word "BOY" in this sentence?)

A. verb
B. adjective
C. noun
D. adverb

2. The girl ate some delicious FRUIT.

A. adjective
B. noun
C. verb
D. adverb

3. Mary WILL TAKE a course in quantam physics this fall.

A. adjective
B. noun
C. pronoun
D. verb

4. The students ARE WRITING a long essay for class.


A. noun
B. adverb
C. verb
D. adjective

5. Everyone THINKS the cafeteria food is terrible.

A. verb
B. noun
C. pronoun
D. adjective

6. The child kicked the BLUE ball yesterday.

A. noun
B. adjective
C. adverb
D. verb

7. I am SAD.

A. pronoun
B. verb
C. adjective
D. noun

8. These birds all FLY together.

A. noun
B. verb
C. adverb
D. adjective

9. The black FLY is swimming in my soup.

A. noun
B. verb
C. adjective
D. pronoun

10. It is dark in here. We need to turn on the LIGHT.

A. verb
B. pronoun
C. adjective
D. noun

11. It is dark in here. We should LIGHT a candle.

A. verb
B. pronoun
C. adverb
D. noun

12. A truck is very heavy. A feather, on the other hand, is very LIGHT.

A. verb
B. adjective
C. adverb
D. noun

13. The ice is very thin. Be careful! You must walk LIGHTLY on the ice!

A. noun
B. verb
C. adverb
D. adjective

Nouns (exercises)

A. Write each noun and label it concrete or abstract and common or proper.

1. We went the Graywood Park and got an idea when we saw the birds in the pond.
2. Using a piece of wood, we saw that Robert could actually lift the men sitting on the benches next to us.
3. Because we live at Hawaii, all we see is water, sand, and waves
4. Communication is a very important process to all people.
5. Mary is filled with happiness today because justice has been served by the judge.
6. My folder fell out of my briefcase and landed somewhere on Green Drive.
7. During the storm, the Raymonds lost our power, but nevertheless, they were still happy.
8. The Statue of Liberty displays love to everyone.
9. The ability to talk is a very powerful advantage.
10. The muffins sat in the oven as the fire crackled.

Interjections

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition

- words that express strong feelings or grab attention.
Ah, Eh, Hallo, Horror, Alack, Good, heavens, Humph, Alas, Good grief, Hey, Indeed

- thrown between sentences or words to grab attention, create interest or highlight the speaker’s strong emotions.

- an independent element because it lacks a grammatical relation to any other part of the sentence; it is a complete thought unto itself.

- Unless quoted – have larger meaning in grammar
e.g “Never” was the last thing anyone heard him say.
Note: Here, “never” serves as the subject of the sentence.


Punctuation of Interjections
- If the interjection is mild; use a comma:
e.g Well, did you find the hotel?

- Stronger interjections, use an exclamation mark:
e.g Heavens! You’re covered with blood.

other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/interjct.html

Conjunctions

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition
- The connections between words and groups of words
e.g although, because, if, nor ,and, before, only, as, for, neither, or, that

- Sometimes, two or three words can be used together as a single conjunction:
e.g I took this class so that I could learn more about genetics.


2. Types of conjunction
- Coordinate
- Subordinate
- Correlative

Coordinate Conjunctions
- connect elements of equal importance
e.g My cats and dogs are great friends.

- the example above shows that both subject connected by ‘and’ does not depend on the other to support the meaning.

Subordinate Conjunctions
- connects elements of differing importance.

- one element is the main clause while the other is a subordinate clause

- main clause has a subject and predicate – can stand on it’s own.

- subordinate clause is to modify the main clause in some way, rather than to express a primary idea.

- subordinate clause also has a subject and predicate, but it can't stand alone and make sense, it depends on the main clause.

- The relationship that the subordinate conjunction creates between main and subordinate clauses may carry one of several meanings:

· Place – where and wherever can imply a sense of place.
Where there is smoke, there is fire.

· Time – after, before, since, until, when, whenever and while can imply a sense of time.
It has been years since I saw you last.

· Manner – as and as if can imply a sense of manner.
You look at me as if I were from another planet.

· Reason – as, because, in order that, since, so that, and that can provide reason.

I came because I want to see you.

· Possibility or Conditionality – although, if, even if, provided, though, and unless can state possibility or conditionality.
If you go, I will go too.

· Comparison – as and than can make a comparison.
She does not want to do anything else than to play pinball.

o Correlative Conjunctions

- when two conjunctions are used at the same time.
- sometimes, it functions as a subordinate conjunction or a coordinate conjunction.

e.g
Both Jack and Jill went up the hill. (functions as a coordinate conjunction)

Not only am I a fisherman, but also I am a fabulous chef.
(functions as a subordinate conjunction)

Other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/conjunct.html

Prepositions

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition
· Words that show the relationship between two words or phrases in a sentence.

· Relationship words – relate some word or phrase to another word or phrase, most often in terms of location, direction or time.
e.g A loathsome troll lurks under the bridge. (location)
The train to Penang always runs late on Fridays. (direction)
Barnes was imprisoned twice during his lifetime. (time)

· Complex prepositions
o Across from
o Along side of
o Along with
o Because of
o By way of

e.g The sounds are coming from under the front porch.

Other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/preposit.html

Adjectives

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition
- Words that modify nouns or pronouns
- Falls into a class called modifiers ( a word that acts to describe or qualify another word in such a way that it changes the other word’s meaning).
e.g I watched the greatest action movie of all time, Star Wars, on my new, digitally-enhanced television.

2. Flavors of adjective

Descriptive
· Describes the nouns and pronouns it modify.
· Point out shape, colour, texture, scent etc.
e.g The hot pan burnt my fingers.
The adjective hot describes the noun, pan.

· Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns.
e.g America had no idea what one day would be American.

Limiting
· Restrict the definitions of the nouns and pronouns they modify.
e.g This dog is mine.
This limits the meaning of the noun dog by identifying it with a single animal.

· Most standard limiting adjectives describe quantity, numbers (one, two, three) and assorted quantity (half, double, daily)
e.g I found five dollars in my pocket.
I read the daily paper.


Other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/adjectve.html

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/esladjadv.html

Adverbs

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition
- Are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
e.g (verbs)
They’ll arrive soon. (when)
Note: Here, the adverb soon, modifies the verb arrive. It tells when the arrival will occur.

Put the flowers here. (where)
Note: Here, the adverb here, modifies the verb put. It tells where the flowers should be placed.

She dances awkwardly. (how)
Note: Here, the adverb awkwardly, modifies the verb dances. It tells how she dances.

Cynthia travels frequently. (how often)
Note: Here, the adverb frequently, modifies the verb travel. It tells how often Cynthia travels.

e.g (adjectives)

Kareem Abdul Jafar is extremely tall.
Note: Here, the abverb extremely, modifies the adjective tall. It tells us how tall Kareem is.

e.g (adverb)

Anthony sings quite exquisitely.
Note: Here, the adverb quite, modifies the adverb exquisitely. It indicates how exquisite Anthony’s singing is.

2. Creating Adverbs
· Add –ly to an adjective to make an adverb.
· Change the ‘y’ of adjectives that end with ‘y’ to ‘i’ before adding
-ly.

Adjective + ly = adverb
e.g angry – angrily

3. Adjective ending with -ly
· They remain as adjectives – homely, lonely, lovely, manly, womanly

4. Categories of Adverbs

Time: Again, early, never, now often, soon, then, today, tomorrow
Location or direction: Above, away, below, down, here, in, inside, out, there, up
Manner: Cheerfully, cunningly, fast, quickly, right, slowly, well
Degree: Almost, entirely, little, much, rather, too, very
Reason: So, why
Number: First, once, second, twice, third, thrice


5. Adjective or adverb?

Is early an adjective?

Answer: It is both an adjective and adverb.
e.g We stopped at Bob’s Pancake House for an early lunch. (adjective)
We rose early. (adverb)

Other words that can be either adjective or adverb: cowardly, deep, early, friendly, hard, kindly, lively, leisurely, long, loud, only and timely.


6. Positioning the Adverb

- Depends on what type of word it modifies and on how the speaker wishes to communicate his
or her idea.

- When an adverb modifies and adjective or another adverb, the modifying adverb will precede the word modified.
e.g We are quite happy with the new apartment.
Note: Here, the adverb quite, modifies the adjective happy.

Other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/adverbs.html

Verbs

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition
- Words which express action, existence or condition.

- Two general categories: action and linking

Action – expresses action
e.g She ran home from school.

Linking – joins the subject of the sentence to some word(s) in the predicate.
e.g I am happy. (be)

- A few verbs can be either linking or action:
e.g Action We taste the fine wines.
Linking The wine tastes fine.

Action I feel some pain from the injury.
Linking The comforter feels soft.



2. Verb Phrases
- Are composed of more than one verb
e.g The mayor has remained in the office for three consecutive terms.

Remained is the principal/main verb – can express complete action, existence or condition – always positioned at the end of the verb phrase.

Has is the auxiliary/helping verbs that precedes the principal/main verb – it specify the characteristics of the principal verb but can’t stand alone as complete verbs. (others: be, have, do , can, may, will, shall and must).
e.g I was shopping for a new pair of shoes. (past tense)
John is boarding the plane as we speak. (present)
I will arrive shortly. (future tense)

other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/verbs.html

Pronouns

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition
Take the places of nouns in sentences.

2. Types of Pronouns
- Personal
- Possessive
- Reciprocal
- Reflexive
- Demonstrative
- Interrogative


Personal
- Indicates a person speaking, spoken to or spoken of.
- Each personal pronoun refers to specific individual or group
e.g I am too tired to drive.
You saw the meteor shower last weekend.
She taught the kids to speak Japanese.

Nominative Case
Singular Plural
First Person I we
Second Person You you
Third Person He, she, it they

Objective Case
Singular Plural
First Person me us
Second Person You you
Third Person him, her, it them

* Did you know?
Only the third person makes a distinction according to gender.

Which is correct?
Give it to us, you and I.
Give it to us, you and me.


Possessive
- to show possession.

Singular Plural
First Person my, mine our, ours
Second Person your, yours your, yours
Third Person his, hers, hers, its their, theirs

Please note that possessive pronouns are never written with apostrophes.

Reciprocal
There’s only two:
1. Each other – when the groups consists of just two people
e.g The two friends helped each other through tough times.

2. One another – when the group consists of more then two people, animals or things
e.g The four of us will help one another out of our current predicament.

Reflexive
- Reflects or refers back to the subject
e.g I gave myself the day off. (the pronouns are turning the action of the verb back to the subject of the sentence).

Singular Plural
First Person myself ourselves
Second Person yourself yourselves
Third Person himself, herself, itself themselves

Demonstrative
- Points to the nouns that they are replacing
- This and that (singular); these and those (plural).
- Use of this and these to refer to objects that are nearby in space.
e.g This is my ruler in my hand.
These are my crayons on my desk.

- Use of that and those of objects that are farther away in space and time.
e.g That is my ruler across the room.
Those are my crayons on the other desk.


Interrogative

- Are words of interrogation
- They ask questions
- They are who; which and what
- Their form stays constant across person, gender and number but who does change form with case:

Nominative who
Objective whom
Possessive whose

Who – refers strictly to people; general in terms of reference, referring to one or a few out of all possible people.
e.g Who stole my car?

Which – refer to people, animals or things, but is selective in its questioning.
e.g Which of you broke my window?

What – may apply to animals, people or things.
- for people, what asks for description
e.g What are they?

other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/pronouns.html

Nouns

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition

• Are naming words
• Give titles to people, places, things and ideas

2. Litmus Test

• Use the articles a, an and the
• Place an appropriate article in front of a word to see whether it’s a noun or not
  E.g Joy – the joy
  Pride – the pride
  Exultation – an exultation

3. Types of Nouns

Common Nouns
· Are general nouns – e.g magnet, car, house, subway.
· Do not start with a capital unless they start sentences.

Proper Nouns
· Refer to specific people, places or things – e.g Dmitri, Susan, Venice, Penang.
· Always begins with capital letters.

Concrete Nouns
· Nouns that can be touched or held
· E.g house, car, computer, shoe

Abstract Nouns
· Nouns that cannot be touched or held
· E.g love, fear, honesty, intrigue, regrets

4. Properties of Nouns

Gender
Refers to the classification of nouns according to sex.
- Masculine gender: male, boy
- Feminine gender: female, girl
- Common gender: animal, child
- Neuter gender: toy, apple

Number
- The number of a noun indicates how many people or objects it refers to.
- If nouns ends with a sound that melds smoothly with ‘s’, then simply add ‘s’. e.g cake – cakes
- If not, add ‘es’ – e.g wish – wishes
If the word ends with ‘y’ preceded with a consonant, change the ‘y’ into ‘i’ and add ‘-es’. e.g lady – ladies
- If the word ends with ‘y’ preceded with a vowel, add ‘s’. e.g boy – boys
- General rule, words ending in ‘f’ or ‘fe’, change the ‘f’ or ‘fe’ to ‘v’ and add ‘-es’. e.g half – halves
- General rule, words ending in an ‘o’ preceded by a consonant, add ‘-es’. e.g echo – echoes
- Exception: musical instruments that ends with ‘y’, just add ‘s’. e.g piccolo – piccolos
- Exception: zero – zeros; halo – halos; albino – albinos
- Exception: for these others with the consonant plus ‘o’ ending, add ‘s’ or ‘es’. e.g cargo – cargos, cargoes; tornado – tornados, tornadoes; hero – heros, heroes; volcano – volcanos, volcanoes.

Did you know?
Singular female graduate – alumna
Plural female graduate – alumnae
Singular male graduate – alumnus
Plural male graduate – alumni
Singular noun basis becomes bases in its plural form.

Other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/nouns.html

The Process Essay

What is a process essay?

• A process is a series of actions leading to an expected or planned outcome.
• There are two types of process essays: those that instruct and those that explain or analyze.
• Directional process essays: might explain how to find an apartment. The purpose of this type of essay is to clarify the steps in the procedure so that the reader can re-create the steps and the results.
• An informational process essay: explains or analyzes a process--tells how something works, how something happened, or how something is or was done. For example, you could explain how World War II began or how hurricanes form. The informational process essay, has a purpose different from that of a directional process essay. Its main purpose is to inform, explain, or analyze. The reader is gaining an understanding of the process; he or she does not necessarily expect to be able to recreate the process.

What format does the body of the essay take?

To develop the thesis or unifying idea, each paragraph in the body of the essay treats on major stage of the procedure. Each stage may group several steps, depending on the nature and complexity of the process. These steps are presented in chronological order, and are only interrupted for the writer to give definitions and advice. Every step must be included and must appear in its proper place. Throughout the body of a process essay, transitional words and phrases are necessary so that each step, each stage, and each paragraph lead logically to the next. Transitions like after this, next, then, etc are used to establish sequential and chronological relationships that help the reader follow the process. Particular words should not be repeated so often, that they become boring.


Here is a sample outline:

I. Introduction

II. Body
A. Stage I
1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3

B. Stage II
1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3

C. Stage III
1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3

III. Conclusion

PEN0015 Mid Term Paper Format

Below is the format of the mid term paper for PEN0015. Please take note of the details. Feel free to ask questions through the comments link and i will get back to you ASAP.

Reading
Section A: Reading Comprehension (time allocation: 30mins)

Question 1: Reading Passage

• Comprehension questions (7 marks)

Question 2: Grammar

• Task a: Parts of Speech (4 marks)
• Task b: Contextual Clues (4 marks)

Grammar

Section B: Grammar (time allocation: 15 mins)

• Error analysis: To identify 10 errors in Subject-verb Agreement (10 marks)

Writing

Section C: Writing (Time allocation: 30 mins)

• To analyze a non-linear representation given and to provide 2 possible factors that contribute to the trend. (15 marks)

PEN0015 Final Exam Paper Format

Below are details for the PEN0015 Final Exam Paper Format. Take note of the details.

Reading (15%) (15 marks) (time allocation: 40 mins)
Section A: Reading Comprehension
Question 1: Comprehension Questions (7 marks)
Question 2: True/False questions (4 marks)
Question 3: Contextual Clues (4 marks) - provide a word or phrase that best expresses the meaning of the words taken from the passage.

Grammar (15%) (15 marks) (time allocation: 30 mins)
Section B: Grammar (15 marks)
Question 1: Error analysis (10 errors on simple tenses) (10marks)
Question 2: Fill in the blanks (5 blanks to be filled with Continuous, Perfect or Perfect Continunous Tenses) (5 marks)

Writing (30%) (30 marks) (Time allocation: 50 mins)

• Choose and write either a process or exemplification essay of 350 words based on the topics given.
• Writing should be based on the standardized format taught. Sentences must be in acceptable level of understanding without major errors in sentence structures. Appropriate cohesive devices have to be used in writing.

PEN0015 Coursework Format

For PEN0015, you are required to pass a speaking test, partake in a speaking project and a listening test.

Speaking Test (10%) (30 marks)
Part 1

• To give information
• To display effective presentation skills
• 1 min to read question
• 2 mins to prepare responses
• 2 mins to present

Part 2

• To ask and give information
• To display effective presentation skills
• To express agreement/disagreement, making suggestions and recommendations
• To observe social conventions in interactions: managing a discussion
• 2 mins to prepare
• 10 mins to discuss

Speaking Project (5%) (5 marks)

• To give information.
• To display effective presentation skills.
• students will be given 10 broad topics related to the speaking test.
• 10 mins to present (per group)

Listening Test (10%) (15 marks)

• To identify main ideas
• To listen to explicitly stated or implicitly suggested informtion: Drawing justifiable and accurate inferences.

Part 1: 5 news items (Multiple choice questions - 5 marks)

Part 2: Briefing, talk, lecture, dialogue, interview etc. (Multiple choice questions - 5 marks)

Part 3: Briefing, talk, lecture, dialogue, interview etc. (Multiple choice questions - 5 marks)

Speaking Project and Speaking Test Guidelines

SPEAKING PROJECT


Part I SPEAKING PROJECT PRESENTATION (5%)

This activity allows you to:
· Display effective presentation skills
· Demonstrate awareness of current and global issues
· Express agreement/disagreement, make suggestions and recommendations
· Observe social conventions in interactions; managing a discussion (in Q&A session)

General Guidelines

Week 1: Speaking project presentation (5%)
Students work in groups of 4.
Topics issued.
Students are to read up on related issues and discuss as a group.

Week 3-12: One group is to present each week.
Students are given 10 minutes to present in class.
Students are allowed 5 minutes of question and answer session
Students must distribute a maximum of 2-page handouts in class

Week 13: Speaking Test (10%)

List of Topics (tentative)

1. The advantages and disadvantages of movie censorship
2. The advantages and disadvantages of animal experimentation
3. The advantages and disadvantages of television commercial
4. The advantages and disadvantages of co-education school
5. The advantages and disadvantages of peer group
6. The advantages and disadvantages of corporal punishment
7. The advantages and disadvantages of eco-tourism
8. The advantages and disadvantages of public examination system
9. The advantages and disadvantages of total freedom of mass media
10. The advantages and disadvantages of unlimited Internet access
11. The advantages and disadvantages of cloning.
12. The advantages and disadvantages of euthanasia (mercy killings)
13. The advantages and disadvantages of using nuclear energy
14. The advantages and disadvantages of using a credit card
15. The advantages and disadvantages of online education
16. The advantages and disadvantages of cosmetic surgery

Format of Presentation
· Introduction
· List & explain 3 advantages
· List & explain 3 disadvantages
· Conclusion

Assessment – 5%
Content (8 marks)
Voice (4 marks)
Body Language (4 marks)
Language (4 marks)
Total: 20 marks / 4

Part II SPEAKING TEST (10%)

Instructions

Task 1: Individual Presentation
· Study the stimulus or topic given.
· You are given two minutes to prepare your responses.
· You are given two minutes to present.
· Listen to the others while they are making their presentations and take down notes for the group discussion in Task 2.

Task 2: Group Discussion
· You are given two minutes to prepare points to support or oppose the other candidates’ views.
· After you have listened to everyone, try to come to a decision as to which of the four suggestions is the best.
· Your group is given ten minutes for the discussion.


Candidate A

Situation
You are a member of your school or college Counselling Club. This week you are discussing the important influences on teenagers today. As a member of the club you would like to express your views.

Task 1
In your opinion, the family has an important influence on teenagers. State your
opinion and give examples and specific reasons to support your stand.

Task 2
In your group, discuss which one of the following factors has the most influence on teenagers today. The factors are: family, friends, the mass media, well-known personalities.


Candidate B

Situation
You are a member of your school or college Counselling Club. This week you are discussing the important influences on teenagers today. As a member of the club you would like to express your views.

Task 1
In your opinion, friends have an important influence on teenagers. State your opinion and give examples and specific reasons to support your stand.

Task 2
In your group, discuss which one of the following factors has the most influence on teenagers today. The factors are: family, friends, the mass media, well-known personalities.


Candidate C

Situation
You are a member of your school or college Counselling Club. This week you are discussing the important influences on teenagers today. As a member of the club you would like to express your views.

Task 1
In your opinion, the mass media has an important influence on teenagers. State your opinion and give examples and specific reasons to support your stand.

Task 2
In your group, discuss which one of the following factors has the most influence on teenagers today. The factors are: family, friends, the mass media, well-known personalities.


Candidate D

Situation
You are a member of your school or college Counselling Club. This week you are discussing the important influences on teenagers today. As a member of the club you would like to express your views.

Task 1
In your opinion, well-known personalities have an important influence on teenagers. State your opinion and give examples and specific reasons to support your stand.

Task 2
In your group, discuss which one of the following factors has the most influence on teenagers today. The factors are: family, friends, the mass media, well-known personalities.

note: Check out this link and see how a good response would be for a advantage and disadvantage essay. However, this response is too short for your speaking project though, but nevertheless, it's very well structured.
http://www.montclair.edu/pages/ANA/Web-Pages/essaysamp.html

The Process of Writing

Developing Stage

• Discover your subject.
• Gathering information on that subject.
• Focusing on a central theme (developing your thesis)
• Organizing materials to help you write your essay (write an outline)
• Defining your purpose: What is your chief reason for writing? Is it to entertain readers? Is it to express your feelings or ideas? Is it to explain something to readers (exposition)? Is it to persuade readers to accept or act on your opinion (argument)? or Is it to explain a process of how something works or happens?
• Considering your audience: Who are your readers? Why are readers going to read your writing? What will they expect? What do I want readers to know or do after reading my work, and how should I make that clear to them?

Drafting Stage

• Free write an essay by following the drafted outline in the developing stage.
• Express and connect ideas together.
• This is your first draft.

Revising Stage

• Check for unity and coherence.
• Check for grammatical and spelling errors.

Other links for your referral:

http://web.mit.edu/writing/Writing_Process/writingprocess.html

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/writproc.PPT

http://www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/

http://www.teenlit.com/teachers/process.htm

http://pratt.edu/~wtc/understanding.html

http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/process.htm

Process: Exemplification Essay

Ideas for Exemplification Essays

Which part of the process are you working on?

• Pre-writing (getting started)
• While-writing
• Post-writing

PRE-WRITING (GETTING STARTED)
Journal Ideas (from Moves Writers Make by James C. Raymond.)

1. Regardless of your race or gender, you are a member of a minority: you might be left-handed, or blonde, or an athlete, or a musician, or a member of a particular religious denomination, or gifted in some way, or challenged. Whatever minority you are a part of is almost certain to be stereotyped by people who do not know it well.
Choose one of the many minority groups to which you belong and explain how it feels when people treat you in a certain way because of your minority status. Use examples—instances or anecdotes—to illustrate your ideas. (195)

2. Try your hand at a "what-if" essay—an essay that speculates about what would happen if we were invaded by space aliens, or if a woman were elected president, or if medical science made it possible for us to live forever. Paint a picture of this speculative future by telling one or more likely stories, either true or fictitious. (203)

3. Something unusual happens where you live, and it happens often. Something unusual happens where everyone lives. What is it in your case? What sort of behavior or event makes you think, "Only here—only in this residence—does this sort of thing happen with such frequency"? (207)

4. What is your favorite spectator activity? Make a list of memorable instances and examples that will persuade other people that this activity is worth watching. Think of your audience as people who, for specific reasons, do not enjoy watching this activity, and try to frame your essay in a way that will address their concerns. (212)

Other Ideas (from The Macmillan Reader by Judith Nadell et al.)

• Many of today's drivers have dangerous habits.
• One rule of restaurant dining is, "Management often seems oblivious to problems that are perfectly obvious to customers."
• Children today are not encouraged to use their imaginations.
• The worst kind of hypocrite is a religious hypocrite.
• he best things in life are definitely not free.
• _______ (name someone you know well) is a _______ (use a quality: open-minded, dishonest, compulsive, reliable, gentle, and so on) person.
• TV commercials stereotype the elderly (or some other group).
• Pettiness, jealousy, and selfishness abound in our daily interactions with each other.
• You can tell a lot about people by observing what they wear and eat.
• Too may Americans are overly concerned with being physically fit.
• Some teachers seem to enjoy turning tests into ordeals.
• What is life like in a small town (or big city)?
• It's a wonder that college students survive with all the stresses that they have to put up with.
• What are the three best consumer products of the past twenty-five years? (268-69)

WHILE-WRITING (DRAFTING)
A Recipe for Writing Exemplification (from Moves Writers Make by James C. Raymond)

1. Exemplification is the use of stories or analogies to explain or to prove a point. For example, it is often used politics.

2. People arguing for or against any proposed law or policy are bound to give examples or precedents to indicate how the rule makes sense (or fails to make sense) because of the way it affects individuals or groups whose cases are represented by the examples.
Here is a recipe for writing an exemplification essay:

• Pick an issue of current interest about which you have a firm opinion based on personal experience.
• Tell one extended story or several brief stories illustrating why you feel the way you do about the issue at hand.
• Do not hesitate to add fictional stories, but make sure not to present these stories as if they were true.
• Arrange your stories in the sequence that will best maintain the interest of your reader.
  After you've written the body of the paper, add an introduction and an ending. (Holt Handbook, Chapter 6f).
• Show a draft to fellow students in a formal or informal workshop, and see if your strategies are having the effects you want them to have. Use the checklist [below] to focus your discussion. (217)

POST-WRITING (REVISING)
So What and the Seven Common Moves (from Moves Writers Make by James C. Raymond)

1. The So-What Factor.

• What does the writer want you to know, understand, feel, or believe after reading the essay? Does the writer's interpretation of the subject earn your interest?
• Beginning. What moves does the writer make to create interest at the beginning?
• Ending. What moves does the writer make to give the essay a sense of an ending?
• Detail. Look for examples of the writer's eye and the writer's ear at work. Look for examples of showing and telling. Look for generalizations that are not supported by specific evidence. Would the essay be improved by adding details, stories, examples, or explanations at those points?
• Organization/Plot. Are the various parts of the essay arranged in a sequence that makes sense? Does the writer sustain a sense of unfinished business until the end?
  Style. Name or describe the writer's best moves.
• Voice/Attitude. How would you characterize the writer's attitude (angry, serious, detached, playful)?What sort of person do you imagine the writer to be? Is the voice too formal or not formal enough for the purposes of this particular essay?
• Economy. Test for economy by looking for words, phrases, or details that could be omitted without being missed.
  

Phrases and Clauses

1. Question: What is the difference between phrases and clauses?

The difference between phrases and clauses can be confusing.

a. Phrase
A phrase is a group of words that has either no subject or no predicate or both.

• opening the gate (no subject)
• the man at the counter (no predicate)
• across the river (a modifier: neither a subject nor a predicate)

b. Clause

A clause is a group of words containing both a subject and a predicate.
Dependent Clauses cannot stand alone as sentences.

• although the man held his daughter
• because Jerry was laughing at the joke

Independent Clauses can stand alone as a sentence.

• Alfred did not want to marry
• My sister, Mariana, was talking about our mother

Question: How do we know if a clause can stand alone as a sentence?
To test, determine if the clause has a complete verb, (subject) and a predicate.
Try the “Yes/No Question” Test.

Example 1:

Word Group: walked to the store

yes/no question: Did walked to the store?

phrase/independent clause/dependent clause: phrase

Example 2:

Word group: Harry walked to the store.

yes/no question: Did Harry walk to the store

phrase/independent clause/dependent clause: independent clause

Example 3:

Word group: where Harry walked

yes/no question: Did where Harry walked?

phrase/independent clause/dependent clause: dependent clause

Subject and Predicate

The Subject and the Predicate: The Basic Sentence Parts

1. Question: What is a subject?
The subject is the person, place, or thing that acts, is acted on, or is described in the sentence. Three types of subjects exist:

• Simple subject: a noun or a pronoun
  he
  she
  dog
  house

• Complete subject: a noun or a pronoun plus any modifiers
  the black dog
  the trees across the bay
  his dog house

• Compound subject: two or more subjects joined by a conjunction
  Mitch or Amy
  the dog and the house
  he and I

2. Question: What is a predicate?
The predicate is the action or description that occurs in the sentence. As with subjects, three types of predicates exist:

• Simple predicate: a complete verb (a verb and any helping verbs)
  sit
  was singing
  could have danced

• Complete predicate: a simple predicate plus all modifiers
  sit on the couch
  was singing quietly
  could have danced across the room

• Compound predicate: two or more predicates with the same subject
  was singing quietly and smiling to himself
  could have danced across the room and stayed awake all night
  sit on the couch or sit on the floor

3. Question: Do all sentences need both a subject and a predicate?
Yes, most complete sentences need both.

Simple Complete Compound

Subject James My friend James James and I

Predicate Jumped jumped on the bed jumped on the bed and fell on the floor

Subject + Predicate =

• James jumped.
• James and I jumped.
• My friend James jumped on the bed.
• James jumped on the bed and fell on the floor.
• James and I jumped on the bed.

Exception: A command is the only type of sentence that has no subject. The subject (“you”) is implied:

a. Stop.
Implied subject: you
Predicate: stop

b. Read the book.
Implied subject: you
Predicate: read the book

c. Walk the dogs and get the mail.
Implied subject: you
Predicate: walk the dogs and get the mail