Writing - Using Hyphens Correctly (Part 3)

Here's a bit more about using hyphens correctly in your writing.

Rule: Use a hyphen with the prefixes "ex-" (meaning former), "self-", and "all-."

Examples: ex-husband, self-assured, all-inclusive

Can you think of any terms using those prefixes that would require the use of a hyphen? If so, post them. If not, that's ok, just take one or two of these terms and use them in a correctly written sentence.

Writing - Using Hyphens Correctly (Part 2)

Let's continue our discussion and exploration of hyphen usage in writing. This next rule may be the simplest one of all!

Rule 2: Use a hyphen with compound numbers.

Examples: forty-six, sixty-three, twenty-nine

Note: When writing numbers like those, you have two options: use the numbers (46, for example) or spell it out and use the hyphen. (For more information about handling numbers in your writing, visit the June 29th blog entry.)

I'd like you to write two sentences and show both of the ways to correctly use numbers. I'll give you an example below.

1.) My sister is twenty-eight years old.
2.) My sister is 28 years old.

Now you try it!

Writing - Using Hyphens Correctly (Part 1)

The next few blog posts will focus on when hyphens should be used in writing. As you know, the English language has lots of rules and even more exceptions to those rules. But learning when to use a hyphen and, just as important, when not to use it will make your writing even better! (These rules can be found at the Online Writing Lab (OWL) by Purdue University.)

Rule 1: Use a hyphen to avoid confusion or an awkward combination of letters.

Example: You can re-sign a petition. (Meaning to sign again)
Note: No hyphen is needed in the word "resign" as in resigning from a job. (Meaning to officially quit or leave your job.)
Reason: The hyphen helps with correct pronunciation of "re-sign."

Example: A teenager may be semi-independent. (The hyphen is used because without it, you'd have the letters "ii" right next to each other and that may make it hard to know what term it is.
Note: No hyphen is needed in the word "semiconscious."
Reason: Use a hyphen when you have two of the same letters next to each other with each word part.
Additional examples: The word "shell-like" needs the hyphen, but the word "childlike" does not.

What do you think about this rule? Is it something you'll be able to apply in your writing? Did you already know this rule before today's blog entry?

Vocabulary - Use It Or Lose It (Part 13)

It's time to work those brains and expand those vocabularies! Take a look at the word list below, pick a word, and then visit a dictionary to define it. Please post the word's definition and also its part of speech (verb, noun, adjective, etc.). If you don't have a traditional dictionary, you can use an online one, such as this one: http://www.merriam-webster.com).

Acquiesce
Bombast
Curtail
Epicure
Heed
Lampoon
Oblivious
Podium
Resonant
Tenuous

Writing - Using Hyperboles

A hyperbole (pronounced hye-PER-buh-lee) is a figure of speech where statements are overly exaggerated. Using a hyperbole can help to emphasize a certain point, but it's never meant to be taken literally. In fact, you have probably used or heard of a hyperbole in the last week or two! Here are a few examples.

Albert worked all weekend long.
(That hyperbole is used exaggerate how much work was done, but Albert truly did not work every minute of the entire weekend.)

She spent every last penny on new school clothes.
(That hyperbole shows that a lot of money was spent on clothes. It's doubtful, however, that all of the money was used for that.)

I ate 10 pounds of turkey last Thanksgiving.
(While I may have eaten a lot of turkey, it was not nearly 10 pounds.)

Can you think of an example of a hyperbole that you have said, written, or heard lately? Share that with the blog readers!

Writing - Using Similes

Have you heard of the term "simile" before? Wikipedia describes it as literary device that uses the words "like" or "as" to compare two unlike objects or ideas. I bet you've seen writing, especially poetry, that used a simile or two! Let's look at a few examples.

North Dakota is like an ice box in the winter. It is freezing cold there!
(That simile is comparing the state of North Dakota to an ice box.)

My cat, Spanky, is like a tiger stalking his prey when he plays with his toys.
(That simile is comparing my cat, Spanky, to a tiger.)

Florida summers are as hot as the sun's surface.
(That simile is comparing summers in Florida to the sun's surface. Both are very hot!)

Take a look at the list below (from http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/spoon/similes.php) of some common similes. Pick the one you like the best and try using that in a sentence!

As agile as a monkey
As alike as two peas in a pod
As bald as a baby's backside
As big as a bus
As big as an elephant
As black as coal
As blind as a bat
As blind as a mole
As bold as brass
As brave as a lion
As bright as day
As bright as the sun
As busy as a beaver
As busy as a bee

One of my favorite similes shown above is the "as blind as a bat." I've often said that my sister, without her glasses, is as blind as a bat!

Vocabulary - Use It Or Lose It (Part 12)

Back on August 5th, the blog topic dealt with SAT level vocabulary. These are all good terms to know, regardless of if you're actually planning on taking the SAT or not. Without strong vocabulary skills, a person will struggle with writing.

Let's work together and expand our minds. Take a look at the word list below, pick a word, and then visit a dictionary to define it. Please post the word's definition and also its part of speech (verb, noun, adjective, etc.). If you don't have a traditional dictionary, you can use an online one, such as this one: http://www.merriam-webster.com).

Acrid
Boorish
Cynical
Epistle
Heresy
Lance
Obscure
Poignant
Respite
Terse

Relationship: Good Writing and Good Reading (Part 3)

Back in July, there were two blog posts (July 8th and July 26th) that focused on the relationship between good writing and good reading. (To read those blogs and the responses, click on the links above.) Everyone can improve their reading skills and should read for at least 30 minutes daily.

So let's use this as an opportunity to read something and then write about it! You can read anything you'd like (a book, magazine, website, etc.). Here are a few suggestions in case you're looking for something different!

Olympic Coverage - http://www.nbcolympics.com/

Florida History - http://www.flheritage.com/facts/history/summary/

Exercise & Fitness - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200013

Hurricane Preparation - http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_253_,00.html

After you've read something, post your response and tell us what you read! Remember to write those sentences correctly! :-)

Usage - Who versus That

The July 30th blog post discussed when to use the word "who" versus when to use "whom." (For more information on this or to participate in that entry, click the underlined link above.) There's also an important distinction between when to use the word "who" and when to use "that." Let's look at two examples first and then discuss why each one is written as it is.

Example 1: She is the girl who won the gold medal.

Example 2: Here is the house that is for sale.

It's probably pretty easy to see why the word "that" is used in example 2. Because there's no person mentioned, it wouldn't make sense to use the word "who" instead of "that."

But why is it that the word "who" is used in example 1? Well, look at the phrase "won the gold medal." That is talking about the girl and she's a person! So that means we need to use the word "who." Anytime you're talking about something relating to a person, always use the word "who" (never the word "that" since it's grammatically incorrect).

Let's look at a few more examples of when to use "who" versus "that."

The principal who gave the speech at the ceremony also won an award.
The pool that the kids use is over there.
Tim's teacher who often stays late at school is always available for extra help.
His computer that caught fire damaged the whole kitchen area.

Are those rules something that you already knew? Are they things that you currently do in your writing? If not, do you think you could start to do that with your writing? Let me know!

Persuasive Writing - The Introduction

How many times do you read something that is trying to persuade you to do something or think a certain way? It could be an article about the importance of exercise, a story about why people should vote in an election, or an editorial about "going green."

You may even do (or have done) some persuasive writing of your own. Perhaps you had to write a letter to a company explaining why they should reimburse you for a product or service that did not meet your satisfaction, or maybe you wrote to your boss explaining why you deserved a raise or promotion.

Persuasive writing, especially essays, has the "typical" essay format that you have seen before: an introduction, body paragraphs (where you develop your argument or reasons), and a conclusion. Today's blog post will focus on the introduction.

The introduction for any type of writing should "hook" the reader in and make him or her want to read more! There are a few ways you can do this. The following ideas are ways you can grab your reader right away and capture his or her attention! (This comes from http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/persuasive_writing.htm.)

1. Open with an unusual detail: (Manitoba, because of its cold climate, is not thought of as a great place to be a reptile. Actually, it has the largest seasonal congregation of garter snakes in the world!)

2. Open with a strong statement: (Cigarettes are the number one cause of lighter sales in Canada!)

3. Open with a quotation: (Elbert Hubbard once said, "Truth is stronger than fiction.")

4. Open with an anecdote (short story): An anecdote can provide an amusing and attention-getting opening if it is short and to the point.

5. Open with a statistic or fact: Sometimes a statistic or fact will add emphasis or interest to your topic. It may be wise to include the item's authoritative source.

6. Open with a question. (Have you ever considered how many books we'd read if it were not for television?)

7. Open with an exaggeration or outrageous statement. (The whole world watched as the comet flew overhead.)

Which option, out of those shown above, do you like best? Obviously it may depend on your topic, but which one would you be most likely to try?

Commonly Misused Words: Knew and New

Three different blog posts, prior to today's post, focused on some commonly misused words. (You can visit the July 9th post, the July 15th post, or the July 22nd post if you'd like to see those topics and participate in the activities.) Today, we'll focus on the words "knew" and "new."

The word "knew" is the past tense of the verb "know." It means having knowledge or understanding of something in the past. For example, I knew that the Olympics would begin on August 8th.

The word "new" is an adjective. This word has many meanings, but a commonality is in the fact that it's used to describe something that's recent, fresh, or unused. For example, I may need to buy a new home computer soon and get some new paper for my printer.

Let's look at the sentence below.
Carol knew that her brother needed some new shoes for school.

Those words ("knew" and "new") could not be switched correctly. Carol had knowledge (in the past) that her brother needed some fresh, unused shoes.

Now that you've had a chance to explore the meanings of those words, try using them correctly! You can either write two separate sentences that illustrate the word's meaning or you can write one sentence (like I did above) that uses both words correctly.

:-)

Vocabulary - Use It Or Lose It (Part 11)

Monday generally means "vocabulary time" for the eLearning blog. Take a look below at the next installment of words from the Academic Word List. Below you'll see a selection of words from the end of sublist 2.

Your goal is to pick one word, post the definition, and then use that word in an original sentence. You may use an online dictionary (such as this one: http://www.merriam-webster.com).

restricted
security
sought
select
site
strategies
survey
text
traditional
transfer

Since this is the 11th installment of the "Vocabulary - Use It Or Lose It" topic, you should look back to some of the previous ones to view lots of other important words! :-)

Capitalization - Proper Nouns

Would you believe that something as small as a capitalization mistake can really jump out at a reader? In fact, too many capitalization errors can start to overshadow your ideas. So for today's blog topic, let's focus on proper nouns.

A noun is a person, place or thing. These are usually general terms. Here are some examples of nouns: child, restaurant, and car.

A proper noun, however, is different. It's the specific name of a person, place or thing. A proper noun must always be capitalized, no matter where it occurs in the sentence. Let's look at some examples.

Instead of just saying "child," I could give the child's name, Robert.
Instead of saying that I went to a "store," I could tell you that I went to Publix.
Instead of saying that I drove my car, I could state that it was a Honda Accord.

Below is a great chart (from http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/propernoun.htm) that shows the difference between a noun and a proper noun.



I'd like you to think of a term (or two) that is a regular, common noun. Then, give an example of a proper noun that is more specific. Don't forget to always capitalize your proper noun!

I'll start.
Noun: cake mix
Proper noun: Duncan Hines

Now you try!

Writing - Personification

Many times in descriptive writing, you'll come across personification, especially if you're reading or writing poetry. Personification is giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas).

For example, consider this sentence: The rain kissed my cheeks as it fell. It's impossible for rain to do an action such as "kiss" someone on the cheek. However, that paints and picture in the reader's mind!

Think of a non-living object and some human trait that you could use with it. Below are some examples of sentences that use personification.

The palm tree danced in the wind.
Her yellow polka dots screamed with their brightness.
The huge pumpkin sat in the middle of the field.

Visit this link (http://www.imschools.org/cms/Units/Poetry/student2.htm) and look at the 10 examples given. Then, come back here & post your favorite one!

The Importance of Pre-Writing

Did you know that the planning or pre-writing you do for your essay can have big, big benefits? People who do some type of planning are more likely to stay on the given topic and to make sure that they include all of their important ideas. Doing both of these things can lead to a high GED essay score.

The type of planning or pre-writing that you do is your choice! You could make a list, an outline, or use "clustering." (For more about the "clustering" method of pre-writing, visit this previously-held online workshop.) Your planning should not take any more than 3-5 minutes and can consist of just words or phrases. This is where you'll make your essay's "map" so you know the route your writing should take! (To see a past blog topic about essays, click this link.)

Let's practice making a short outline. Suppose the essay topic is asking you to identify a person you admire and to talk about why you look up to that person. Take a look at my outline below and then show me your outline!


Topic: A person I admire - my husband
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Paragraph 2: Reason #1 - very caring/supportive
Paragraph 3: Reason #2 - successful career change
Paragraph 4: Conclusion


That wasn't too hard to do, was it? It was quick, but got me to pick out some key ideas and formulate the components of my essay. From here, I could easily build my essay. Yipppeeee!

Tell me a new story!

Some of the most fun blog topics we've had in the past were the "Tell me a story" topics. To see those blogs, read the responses, and add your comments, visit these links: May 21st blog, June 3rd blog, and July 2nd blog.

So let's have a little more fun with this! I'll start you off with a portion of a sentence. From there, you can take the story in any direction. Remember to be creative and correctly write your sentences. Everyone should start with the part you see below.

---

As Mrs. Andrews sat at her 95th birthday party, she started to...

Emphasize Those Ideas!

No matter how long or short your writing is, you want to emphasize your ideas. One way to do that is through the use of signal words. Those words can fall into a few categories: chronological sequence, comparison/contrast, description, generalization/principle, and process/cause and effect. For more information about signal words, visit this site: http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/reading/signalwords.html.

I'd like you to pick one item or event and describe why you feel the way you do. Remember to use those signal words. Give three to four sentences about your feelings.

I'll start!

I really enjoy watching the Olympics. First, it's a chance to watch some of my favorite sports. Secondly, you get to see elite athletes from all over the world. Last, but not least, there are always some huge surprises and upsets.

Notice that those signal words ("first," "secondly," and "last, but not least") help the reader to follow the order of my ideas. Also, they show that I've thought about the general "flow" of the sentences!

Now you try it!

Vocabulary - Use It Or Lose It (Part 10)

For this installment of the "Vocabulary - Use It Or Lose It" blog topic, we'll be using words from an SAT Prep word list. No matter if you're doing the GED, SAT, or other standardized test, having a good, broad, varied vocabulary is important!

Please pick one word and post the definition. You may use an online dictionary (such as this one: http://www.merriam-webster.com).

Abhor
Bigot
Counterfeit
Enfranchise
Hamper
Kindle
Noxious
Placid
Remuneration
Talisman