Writing for Life Paragraphs and Essays

D.J. Henry wroteWriting for Lifefrom the ground up for todayrs"s college student. The ground-breaking approach of combining instruction and visual tools makes writing, reading and thinking processes visible, and shows the processes rather than just telling students about them. Highly graphic layouts and unique visual pedagogy empower students to transfer the learning strategies they already use in interpreting the visual world to the task of writing.

D. J. Henry is a veteran teacher with over 25 years of community college classroom experience and an acclaimed textbook author. During the course of her teaching career, D.J. Henry has served on several federally funded grants designed to infuse teaching and learning with sound pedagogies and technological supports. D.J. Henry has extensive experience in the standardized testing of literacy competencies. She worked with the State of Florida from 1982 to 2002 as an item writer, rubric writer, and reader for the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) and the State Developmental Reading and Writing Exit Exam. D.J. Henry also served as a reader for the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) for over 15 years.

 

D.J. Henry has several esteemed publications, including a three-book college reading series with Longman Publishers (The Skilled Reader, The Effective Reader, and The Master Reader). Adopted at over 1,100 institutions nation wide, the series had an immediate and profound impact on the teaching of college reading, and is the most successful launch of a first edition reading series in over two decades.  Another highly regarded publication is D.J. Henry’s Thinking Through the Test (Longman Publishers), a study guide for the State Developmental Reading and Writing Exit Exam in Florida. Additionally, she has also published innovations in authentic assessments that utilize student portfolio pedagogies.

 

A passionate educator and dedicate colleague, D.J. Henry continues to share her expertise in reading, writing, and authentic assessment through numerous presentations and workshops at national, regional, and local conferences and individual colleges.

Brief Table of Contents

PART 1.GETTING  READY TO WRITE

1.  Preparing to Learn About Writing

2.  Thinking through the Writing Process

PART 2. USING PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS

3.  Understanding the Paragraph

4.  The Descriptive Paragraph

5.  The Narrative Paragraph

6.  The Process Paragraph

7. The Example Paragraph

8. The Classification Paragraph

9.  The Comparison Contrast Paragraph

10.  The Definition Paragraph

11.  Cause and Effect Paragraph

12.  The Persuasion Paragraph

PART 3. HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY

13.  Understanding the Essay

14.   Effective Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions

15.  Using Patterns of Organization to Develop Essays

PART 4. THE BASIC SENTENCE

16.  Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences

17.  Compound and Complex Sentences

PART 5.  WRITING CLEAR SENTENCES

18.  Sentence Variety

19.  Sentence Clarity

20.  Parallelism

PART 6.  RECOGNIZING AND AVOIDING ERRORS

21.  Comma Splices and Run-ons

22.  Fragments

23.  Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

24.  Subject-Verb Agreement

25.  The Past Tense of Verbs

26.  The Past Participle

27.  Nouns and Pronouns

28.  Adjectives and Adverbs

PART 7.  PUNCTUATION AND MECHANICS

29.  The Comma

30. The Apostrophe

31.  Quotation Marks

32.  End Punctuation: Period, Question Mark, Exclamation Point

33.  Capitalization

34.  Revising for Effective Expression

35.  Improving Your Spelling

PART 8.  READING SELECTIONS

Nineteen Reading Selections

 

Detailed Table of Contents

PART I             GETTING  READY TO WRITE

1.  Preparing to Learn About Writing

What’s the Point of Preparing to Learn about Writing?

Making a Point about Preparing to Learn about Writing: One Student Writer’s Response

Preparing Yourself to Learn about Writing

The Attitude of Learning

Create a Study Plan

Learning Outcomes for Student Writers

Make the Connection between Writing and Reading

Use the Reading Process to Strengthen Your Writing

Create a Portfolio of Your Work

Academic Learning Log

2.  Thinking through the Writing Process

What’s the Point of the Writing Process?

Making a Point about the Writing Process: One Student Writer’s Response

Understanding the Point: Assessing the Writing Situation

The Topic: What You Write

The Purpose: Why You Write

The Audience: Who Reads Your Writing

Understanding the Point: Using the Writing Process

Prewriting

Drafting

Revising

Proofreading

Academic Learning Log

PART 2.            USING PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION TO DEVELOP PARAGRAPHS

3.  Understanding the Paragraph

What’s the Point of a Paragraph?

Three Levels of Information in a Paragraph

Three Parts of a Paragraph

Developing Your Point Using a Paragraph

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant and Adequate Details

Effective Expression

Workshop

Analyzing the Effectiveness of a Paragraph

Scoring Guide for a Paragraph

Academic Learning Log 

4.  The Descriptive Paragraph

What’s the Point of Description?

Making a Point Using Description: One Student Writer’s Response

Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Description

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Concrete Word Choice

Using Description in Your Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing a Description

Paragraph Step by Step

Prewrite Your Paragraph

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

5.  The Narrative Paragraph

What’s the Point of Narration?

Making a Point Using Narration: One Student Writer’s Response

Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Narration

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Vivid Verbs

Using Narration in Your Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing a Narration Paragraph Step by Step

Prewriting for Your Paragraph

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

6.  The Process Paragraph

What’s the Point of Process?

Making a Point Using Process: One Student Writer’s Response

The Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Process

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Vivid Images

Using Process in Your Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing a Process Paragraph Step by Step

Prewrite Your Paragraph

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Writer’s Journal

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

7. The Example Paragraph

What’s the Point of Examples?

Making a Point Using Examples: One Student Writer’s Response

The Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Examples

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Parallel Language

Using Examples in Your Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing an Example Paragraph Step by Step

Prewrite Your Paragraph

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

8. The Classification Paragraph

What’s the Point of Classification?

Making a Point Using Classification: One Student Writer’s Response

The Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Classification

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order 

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Controlled Sentence Structure

Using Classification in Your Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing a Classification Paragraph Step by Step

Prewrite Your Paragraph

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

9.  The Comparison Contrast Paragraph

What’s the Point of Comparison and Contrast?

Making a Point Using Comparison and Contrast: One Student Writer’s Response

The Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Comparison and Contrast

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Use of Coordination and Subordination

Using Comparison and Contrast in Your Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing a Comparison and Contrast Paragraph Step by Step

Choose Your Topic

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

10.  The Definition Paragraph

What’s the Point of a Definition?

Making a Point Using Definition: One Student Writer’s Response

The Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Definition

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Sound Structure and Vivid Images

Using Definition in Your Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing a Definition

Paragraph Step by Step

Choose Your Topic

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

11.  Cause and Effect Paragraph

What’s the Point of Cause and Effect?

Making a Point Using Cause and Effect: One Student Writer’s Response

The Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Cause and Effect

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Correct Use of Words

Using Cause and Effect in Your

Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing a Cause and Effect

Paragraph Step by Step

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

12.  The Persuasion Paragraph

What’s the Point of Persuasion?

Making a Point Using Persuasion: One Student Writer’s Response

The Writer’s Journal

Developing Your Point Using Persuasion

The Point: The Main Idea

Logical Order

Relevant Details

Effective Expression: Use of Subjective Words to Persuade

Using Persuasion in Your Academic Courses

Workshop: Writing a Persuasive Paragraph Step by Step

Choose Your Topic

Write a Draft of Your Paragraph

Revise Your Draft

Proofread Your Draft

Review

Writing Assignments

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

PART 3. HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY

13.  Understanding the Essay

What’s the Point of an Essay?

The Five Parts of an Essay

Making a Point Using an Essay: One Writer’s Response

Developing Your Point: Writing an Essay

The Four Levels of Information in an Essay

The Traits of an Effective Essay

The Point: Main Idea or Thesis Statement

Relevant Details

Logical Order

Effective Expression: Using a Thesaurus

Workshop: Writing an Essay

Step by Step

Prewriting

Write a Draft of Your Essay

Revise Your Essay Draft

Proofreading Your Essay

14.   Effective Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions

What’s the Point of Effective Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions?

Making a Point Using Effective Titles, Introductions, and Conclusions: One

Student Writer’s Response

Developing Your Point Using Effective

Introductions, Conclusions, and Titles     

Effective Titles

Effective Introductions

Effective Conclusions

15.  Using Patterns of Organization to Develop Essays

What’s the Point of Using Patterns of Organization to Develop Essays?

Making a Point Using Patterns of Organization: One Student Writer’s Response

Developing Your Point in a Descriptive Essay

A Descriptive Essay: One Student Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a

Descriptive Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Descriptive Topics

Developing Your Point in a Narrative Essay

A Narrative Essay: One Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a Narrative Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Narrative Topics

Developing Your Point in a Process Essay

A Process Essay: One Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a Process Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Process Topics

Developing Your Point in an Illustration Essay

An Illustration Essay: One Student Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for an Illustration Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Illustration Topics

Developing Your Point in a Classification Essay

A Classification Essay: One Student Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a Classification Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Classification Topics

Developing Your Point in a Comparison and Contrast Essay

A Comparison and Contrast Essay: One Student Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a Comparison and Contrast Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Comparison and Contrast Topics

Developing Your Point in a Definition Essay

A Definition Essay: One Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a Definition Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Definition Topics

Developing Your Point in a Cause and Effect Essay

A Cause and Effect Essay: One Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a Cause and Effect Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Cause and Effect Topics

Developing Your Point in a Persuasive Essay

A Persuasion Essay: One Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a Persuasive Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Persuasive Topics

Developing Your Point in a Layered-Plan Essay

A Layered-Plan Essay: One Student Writer’s Response

Writing Assignments for a Layered-Plan Essay

Considering Audience and Purpose

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Additional Layered-Plan Topics

PART 4. THE BASIC SENTENCE

16.  Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences

What’s the Point of Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences?

Understanding the Point of Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Subjects, Verbs, and Simple Sentences

Subjects

Verbs

The Simple Sentence

Locating Subjects and Verbs to Identify Complete Thoughts

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

17.  Compound and Complex Sentences

What’s the Point of Compound and Complex Sentences?

Understanding the Point of Compound and Complex Sentences: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Compound and Complex Sentences

A Compound Sentence

A Complex Sentence

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

PART 5.  WRITING CLEAR SENTENCES

18.  Sentence Variety

What’s the Point of Sentence Variety?

Understanding the Point of Sentence Variety: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Sentence Variety

Vary Sentence Purpose

Vary Sentence Types

Vary Sentence Openings

Vary Sentence Length

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

19.  Sentence Clarity

What’s the Point of Sentence Clarity?

Understanding the Point of Sentence Clarity: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Sentence Clarity

Use Consistent Person and Point of View

Use Consistent Number

Use Consistent Tense

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

20.  Parallelism

What’s the Point of Parallelism?

Understanding the Point of Parallelism: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Parallelism

Parallel Words

Punctuation for Parallelism

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

PART 6.  RECOGNIZING AND AVOIDING ERRORS

21.  Comma Splices and Run-ons

What’s the Point of Correcting Comma Splices and Run-ons?

Understanding the Point of Correcting Comma Splices and Run-ons: One Student

Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Correcting Comma Splices and Run-ons

Comma Splice

Run-on

Five Ways to Correct Comma Splices and Run-ons         

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Business Life

Academic Learning Log

22.  Fragments

What’s the Point of Correcting Fragments?

Understanding the Point of Correcting Fragments: One Student

Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Correcting Fragments

Types of Fragments

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

23.  Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

What’s the Point of Correcting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers?

Understanding the Point of Correcting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers: One

Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Correcting Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Misplaced Modifiers

Dangling Modifiers

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

24.  Subject-Verb Agreement

What’s the Point of Subject-Verb Agreement?

Understanding the Point of Subject-Verb Agreement: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Subject-Verb Agreement

Key Verbs in the Present Tense: To Have, To Do, To Be

Subjects Separated from Verbs

Singular or Plural Subjects

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

25.  The Past Tense of Verbs

What’s the Point of the Past Tense of Verbs?

Understanding the Point of the Past Tense of Verbs: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: The Past Tense of Verbs

Regular Verbs in the Past Tense

Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense

Key Verbs in the Past Tense: To Have, To Do, To Be

Could and Would          

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

26.  The Past Participle

What’s the Point of the Past Participle?

Understanding the Point of the Past Participle: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: The Past Participle

Past Participles of Regular Verbs

Past Participles of Irregular Verbs

Using the Present Perfect Tense

Using the Past Perfect Tense

Using the Passive Voice

(To Be and the Past Participle)

Using the Past Participle as an Adjective

 Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

27.  Nouns and Pronouns

What’s the Point of Learning About Nouns and Pronouns?

Understanding the Point of Learning About Nouns and Pronouns: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Nouns

Count and Noncount Nouns

Articles and Nouns

Applying the Point: Pronouns

How to Make Clear Pronoun References

How to Correct Faulty Pronoun References

How to Make Pronouns and Antecedents Agree

How to Correct Faulty Pronoun Agreement

How to Use Correct Pronoun Case

How to correct faulty use of pronoun case

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

28.  Adjectives and Adverbs

What’s the Point of Learning About Adjectives and Adverbs?

Understanding the Point of Learning About Adjectives and Adverbs: One Student

Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Adjectives and Adverbs

Participles as Adjectives

Other Adjectives Formed from Verbs and from Nouns

Placement and Order of Adjectives

Adverbs

How to Use Comparative and Superlative Forms

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

PART 7.  PUNCTUATION AND MECHANICS

29.  The Comma

What’s the Point of Commas?

Understanding the Point of Commas: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Commas

Commas with Items in a Series

Comma Misuses to Avoid with Items in a Series

Commas with Introductory Elements

Commas to Join Independent Clauses

Correct Use of a Comma to Join Independent Clauses

Commas with Parenthetical Ideas

Commas with Nonessential and Essential Clauses

Commas with Appositives

Commas with Dates and Addresses

Other Uses of the Comma

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

30. The Apostrophe

What’s the Point of the Apostrophe?

Understanding the Point of the Apostrophe: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: The Apostrophe

The Apostrophe for Ownership

The Apostrophe for Contractions

Common Misuses of the Apostrophe

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

31.  Quotation Marks

What’s the Point of Quotation Marks?

Understanding the Point of Quotation Marks: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Quotation Marks

Formatting and Punctuating Direct Quotations

Formatting and Punctuating Dialogue

Direct and Indirect Quotations

Titles

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

32.  End Punctuation: Period, Question Mark, Exclamation Point

What’s the Point of End Punctuation?     

Understanding the Point of End Punctuation: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: End Punctuation

The Period

The Question Mark

The Exclamation Point

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

33.  Capitalization

What’s the Point of Capitalization?

Understanding the Point of Capitalization: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Capitalization

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

34.  Revising for Effective Expression

What’s the Point of Effective Expression?

Understanding the Point of Effective Expression: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Effective Expression

Use Concise Language

Use Active and Positive Language

Use Concrete Language

Use Creative Expressions: Similes and Metaphors

Use Fresh Language

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

35.  Improving Your Spelling

What’s the Point of Improving Your Spelling?

Understanding the Point of Improving Your Spelling: One Student Writer’s Response

Applying the Point: Improving Your Spelling

Five Steps to Improve Your Spelling

Rules for Improving Your Spelling

Commonly Misspelled Words

Writing Assignments

Writing for Everyday Life

Writing for College Life

Writing for Working Life

Academic Learning Log

PART 8.  READING SELECTIONS

What’s the Point of Reading to Write? 

Applying the Point: Effective Strategies for Responding to Reading Selections

How to Annotate a Text

How to Write a Summary

A Reading Strategy for a Writer

Nineteen Reading Selections

DESCRIPTION

Snow, John Haines

Maya Lin’s Design Submission to the Vietnam Memorial Competition, Maya Lin

PROCESS

How to Write a Personal Letter, Garrison Keillor

How to Twitter, Julia Angwin

NARRATION

New Directions, Maya Angelou

Confessions, Amy Tan

ILLUSTRATION

Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale, Judith Ortiz Cofer

“Italy: Say It Like You Eat It; or 36 Tales about the Pursuit of Pleasure” (Excerpt from Eat, Pray, Love), Elizabeth Gilbert

CLASSIFICATION

Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey

The Truth about Lying, Judith Viorst

COMPARISON-CONTRAST

The Talk of the Sandbox: How Johnny and Suzy’s Playground Chatter Prepares Them for Life at the Office, Deborah Tannen

A Fable for Tomorrow, Rachel Carson

DEFINITION

What Is Poverty?, Jo Goodwin-Parker

Don’t Call Me Middle Class: I’m a Professional, Mark Penn

CAUSE-EFFECT

Through Young Eyes, Michael S. Malone

Why We Crave Horror Movies, Stephen King

PERSUASION

Let’s Tell the Story of All America’s Cultures, Yuh Ji-Yeon

“I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Remarks by the President at the Holocaust Days Remembrance Ceremony, Barack Obama