Coming of Age Week 5 Lesson 1 - Language

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Coming of Age
Language and Writing Style

Week 5 Lesson 1

How is your essay coming along?

What is your thesis statement?

How many paragraphs does your essay need to be?

Essay Writing Test

- Graded on: English, Structure, and Content

- Today: Language and Writing Style 

Don't:

- Don't use abbreviations (etc. = etcetera, vs. = versus)

- Don't use contractions (don't = do not, won't = will not, 
   I'm = I am, can't = cannot, it's = it is, we'd = we had / we would)

- Don't switch between tenses too often. Try to stick mostly to 
   either the present or the past tense.

Do:

- Do: add as many linking words as possibe
   (moreover, however, in addition, furthermore, firstly, secondly)

- Do: use linking words such as "However" and "Moreover" at 
   the beginning of your sentences, and "but" / "and" in the 
   middle of them. 

Most importantly...

- Reread your essay! 
- Check your grammar!

- Check your spelling!
- Add some linking words / nicer vocabulary!

I often see too many mistakes that you could have seen yourself, because people want to quickly hand it in and leave. 

Peer Feedback

In small groups; read out your essay and give each other feedback on it.

Does it "flow" right?

Is is argumentative?

Even if you have not read the novel yourself, is it clear what the essay is about and does it make sense?

Vocabulary

- Think about words with similar meanings, even for simple
    words: "he says" > claims, argues, believes, states

- Think of alternatives in Dutch and translate those to English
   (so use your dictionary):
   boos > woedend, kwaad, gefrustreerd, vol haat, ...
   angry > furious, pissed off, frustrated, resentful, ...

For more examples, 
check the vocabulary 
wheel in your reader
(under Essay Writing 3)

Linking Words

- Shows how your arguments / paragraphs are connected
- "Moreover, On the contrary, Nevertheless, Additionally"
- Check the list in your reader, also for other useful phrases

- Personal opinion: "In my view, To my mind, I believe that, ..."
- Concluding: "Finally, All in all, On the whole, In conclusion, ..."
- Etc. 

Homework

Finish your essay for feedback.

Hand it in in Magister.Me Week 5