Writing

Click to edit Master subtitle style BEL260 Intermediate English

ADI AFZAL AHMAD UiTM (Perlis)

4/14/12

Writing
Allows you to be creative Gives you the chance to express your ideas

and opinions

Can be a way to improve your grammar,

vocabulary and sentence structure techniques

Is not difficult once youve learnt the proper

4/14/12

The writing process

Brainstorming Planning Writing Editing / Reviewing

4/14/12

Extended writing
An essay with more than 250 words Normally, a 5-paragraph essay

4/14/12

Cont.
Introduction
Opening sentences Thesis statement

Body paragraph 1
Topic sentence 1 Supporting details Concluding sentence

Body paragraph 2
Topic sentence 2 Supporting details
4/14/12

Cont.
Body paragraph 3
Topic sentence 3 Supporting details Concluding sentence

Conclusion
Reaffirm thesis statement Summary of main points

4/14/12

Types of essays
Descriptive Narrative Expository Argumentative Problem-solution Cause-effect Compare-contrast

4/14/12

Thesis statement
A statement that shows the controlling idea of

a piece of writing

The focus of the writing Specific and clear Normally comes at the end of the introductory

paragraph

4/14/12

e.g.
Road to divorces When people are in love, their talk would usually be filled with vows like let us live together forever and till death do us part. But it seems that, nowadays, divorces have become a trend for newly wedded couples. Hardly a few years had gone by when the couples decided to separate. Even in Malaysia, the divorce rate among Malays has increased alarmingly. Why does this phenomenon occur? Among the usual reasons are the lack of communication, trust and sex.
4/14/12

e.g.
eBay Online shopping seems to be the rage at the moment. This form of shopping has become so popular that it is giving shopping malls a run for their money. One of the most established and well-known online shopping websites is eBay. Shopping on eBay is popular because there is a wide range of products to choose from, it is convenient, and there are a large number of sellers to do business with. (source: Stride Ahead)
4/14/12

Developing a thesis statement

Must be in a complete sentence. Before you can write an effective thesis

statement, you need to find 3 topic sentences to support your thesis statement.

You can do this by preparing a simple outline.

4/14/12

e.g.
Topic: UiTM You can write many things about UiTM. For example:
How can people apply to study in UiTM Why UiTM is a good place to study What are some of the factors which contribute to

the development of UiTM

When can UiTM become a 1st choice university

among the students in Malaysia

Where can people go to find more information

about UiTM

4/14/12

Cont.
You have chosen to write about why UiTM is a

good place to study.

Some of the points that you have to answer

the question: Why is UiTM a good place to study?

The tuition fee is affordable It has many facilities The lecturers have good academic qualifications

So, your thesis statement could be:

UiTM is a good place to study because the tuition
4/14/12 fee is affordable, it has many facilities and the

Cont.
Other ways to write your thesis statement:
UiTM is a good place to study because its tuition

fee is cheap, it has many facilities, and the academic staff is highly qualified.

It is good to further studies in UiTM because the

tuition fee is affordable, it has many facilities, and the lecturers have good academic qualifications.
UiTM is a good place to study. This is because,

the tuition fee is affordable, UiTM has many facilities, and its lecturers have good academic qualifications.
4/14/12

Practice 1
Look at the topics below. Decide what you want to write about (you can

ask the wh-questions to help you).

Come up with 3 points for each topic. Write the thesis statement for each of the

topic.

1. Malaysian food 2. Malaysian wedding 3. Malaysian music industry 4. Malaysian artists

4/14/12

Format
Topic:

Point #1: Point #2: Point #3:

Thesis statement:

4/14/12

Malaysian food (thesis statements)

Malaysian food is famous because it is very

cheap, it is also easy to prepare, and it has good nutrition.

Malaysian food can be popular in the world by

uploading information about the food on the internet, by having international chefs promoting it, and by exporting it to foreign countries.

4/14/12

Malaysian artists
Malaysian artists are not famous because they

are not serious in their career, they do not have good knowledge of the music industry, and they do not have supports from Malaysian fans.

4/14/12

Malaysian music industry

Malaysian music industry can become famous

in the world when the Malaysian artists have their own unique identity, when the Malaysian producers produce good songs, and when the Malaysian music companies have good relationship with international music companies.

4/14/12

Malaysian wedding
Some of the Malaysian wedding traditions that

fascinate the tourists are the bride and groom wedding attire, the berinai ceremony and how the wedding ceremony is conducted.

4/14/12

Writing at paragraph level

A paragraph is equivalent to a short essay It has:
Topic sentence (TS) / main idea Supporting details (SD) Concluding sentence (CS)

In other words, it has:

What? What about what? So what?
4/14/12

Topic sentence (TS)

It supports the thesis statement. Tells the reader the content / idea to be

discussed in the paragraph.

Is written in a complete sentence. Normally the 1st sentence of the paragraph.

4/14/12

Writing the topic sentence

Thesis statement: Malaysian food is famous

because it is very cheap, it is also easy to prepare, and it has good nutrition. very cheap.

TS #1: Malaysian food is famous because it is TS #2: Malaysian food is famous because it is

easy to prepare.

TS #3: Malaysian food is famous because it

has good nutrition.

4/14/12

Cont. (Better)
Thesis statement: Malaysian food is famous

because it is very cheap, it is also easy to prepare, and it has good nutrition. famous is because it is very cheap.

TS #1: The first reason why Malaysian food is TS #2: The second reason why Malaysian food

is famous is because it is easy to prepare. famous is because it has good nutrition.

4/14/12

TS #3: The third reason why Malaysian food is

Cont. (Ok)
Thesis statement: Malaysian food can be

popular in the world by uploading information about the food on the internet, by having international chefs promoting it, and by exporting it to foreign countries. world by uploading information about the food on the internet. world by having international chefs promoting it.

TS #1: Malaysian food can be popular in the

TS #2: Malaysian food can be popular in the

4/14/12 TS #3: Malaysian food can be popular by

Cont. (Better)
Thesis statement: Malaysian food can be

popular in the world by uploading information about the food on the internet, by having international chefs promoting it, and by exporting it to foreign countries. be popular in the world is by uploading information about the food on the internet. be popular in the world is by having international chefs promoting it.

TS #1: The 1st way how Malaysian food can

TS #2: The 2nd way how Malaysian food can

4/14/12 TS #3: The 3rd way how Malaysian food can

Cont. (Ok)
Thesis: Malaysian artists are not famous

because they are not serious in their career, they do not have good knowledge of the music industry, and they do not have the supports from Malaysian fans. because they are not serious in their career. because they do not have good knowledge of the music industry.

TS #1: Malaysian artists are not famous TS #2: Malaysian artists are not famous

TS #3: Malaysian artists are not famous

4/14/12 because they do not have the supports from

Cont. (Better)
Thesis: Malaysian artists are not famous

because they are not serious in their career, they do not have good knowledge of the music industry, and they do not have the supports of Malaysian fans. are not famous is because they are not serious in their career.

TS #1: The 1st reason why Malaysian artists

TS #2: The next reason why Malaysian artists

are not famous is because they do not have good knowledge of the music industry.

4/14/12 TS #3: The final reason why Malaysian artists

Cont. (Ok)
Thesis: Malaysian music industry can become

famous in the world when the Malaysian artists have their own unique identity, when the Malaysian producers produce good songs, and when the Malaysian music companies have good relationship with international music companies. famous in the world when the Malaysian artists have their own unique identity. famous when the Malaysian producers 4/14/12 produce good songs.

TS #1: Malaysian music industry can become

TS #2: Malaysian music industry can become

Cont. (Better)
Thesis: Malaysian music industry can become

famous in the world when the Malaysian artists have their own unique identity, when the Malaysian producers produce good songs, and when the Malaysian music companies have good relationship with international music companies. become famous in the world when the Malaysian artists have their own unique identity. become famous when the Malaysian

TS #1: 1stly, Malaysian music industry can

TS #2: 2ndly, Malaysian music 4/14/12 industry can

Cont. (Ok)
Thesis: Some of the Malaysian wedding

traditions that fascinate the tourists are the bride and groom wedding attire, the berinai ceremony and how the wedding ceremony is conducted. traditions that fascinates the tourists is the bride and groom wedding attire. traditions that fascinates the tourists is the berinai ceremony.

TS #1: One of the Malaysian wedding

TS #2: Another one of the Malaysian wedding

4/14/12 TS #3: Another one of the Malaysian wedding

Cont. (Better)
Thesis: Some of the Malaysian wedding

traditions that fascinate the tourists are the bride and groom wedding attire, the berinai ceremony and how the wedding ceremony is conducted. that fascinates the tourists is the bride and groom wedding attire. that fascinates the tourists is the berinai ceremony.

TS #1: The 1st Malaysian wedding tradition

TS #2: The 2nd Malaysian wedding tradition

4/14/12 TS #3: The 3rd Malaysian wedding tradition

If you have trouble writing the topic

sentences, perhaps, you should modify the thesis statement.

4/14/12

e.g.
From:

Some of the Malaysian wedding traditions that fascinate the tourists are the bride and groom wedding attire, the berinai ceremony and how the wedding ceremony is conducted.
To:

The three Malaysian wedding traditions that fascinate the tourists are the bride and groom wedding attire, the berinai ceremony and how the wedding ceremony is conducted.
4/14/12

From this: (Ok)

Thesis: Some of the Malaysian wedding

traditions that fascinate the tourists are the bride and groom wedding attire, the berinai ceremony and how the wedding ceremony is conducted. that fascinates the tourists is the bride and groom wedding attire. that fascinates the tourists is the berinai ceremony.

TS #1: The 1st Malaysian wedding tradition

TS #2: The 2nd Malaysian wedding tradition

4/14/12 TS #3: The 3rd Malaysian wedding tradition

To this: (Better)
Thesis: The three Malaysian wedding

traditions that fascinate the tourists are the bride and groom wedding attire, the berinai ceremony and how the wedding ceremony is conducted. that fascinates the tourists is the bride and groom wedding attire. that fascinates the tourists is the berinai ceremony.

TS #1: The 1st Malaysian wedding tradition

TS #2: The 2nd Malaysian wedding tradition

4/14/12 TS #3: The 3rd Malaysian wedding tradition

Examples of bad topic sentence.

Thesis statement: Tourists like visiting

Malaysia because Malaysia is a safe country, has many interesting places, and the people are friendly.

TS #1: Safe. TS #2: Interesting. TS #3: Friendly.

Topic sentence (like a thesis statement) must

be written in a complete sentence (not in one 4/14/12 word).

Cont.
Thesis statement: Tourists like visiting

Malaysia because Malaysia is a safe country, has many interesting places, and the people are friendly.

TS #1: Because it is safe. TS #2: Many interesting places. TS #3: Friendly people.

Topic sentence (like a thesis statement) must

be written in a complete sentence (not in a 4/14/12 phrase).

Cont.
Thesis statement: Tourists like visiting

Malaysia because Malaysia is a safe country, has many interesting places, and the people are friendly.

TS #1: Is it safe? TS #2: Does it have many interesting places? TS #3: Are the people friendly?

Topic sentence (like a thesis statement)

cannot be in question form.

4/14/12

Cont.
Thesis statement: Tourists like visiting

Malaysia because Malaysia is a safe country, has many interesting places, and the people are friendly.

TS #1: Malaysia is a safe country to visit. TS #2: There are many interesting places in

Malaysia.

TS #3: People are friendly.

The topic sentences are not parallel with one

another.

4/14/12

The correct way

Thesis statement: Tourists like visiting

Malaysia because Malaysia is a safe country, has many interesting places, and the people are friendly. visiting Malaysia is because Malaysia is a safe country to visit.

TS #1: The 1st reason why tourists like

TS #2: The 2nd reason why tourists like

visiting Malaysia is because Malaysia has many interesting places to visit.

TS #3: The final reason why tourists like
4/14/12 visiting Malaysia is because Malaysians are

Ok or not?
Thesis: Sportsmen and women are good role

models for teenagers because they have good discipline, are confident and have good leadership quality. women are good role models for teenagers is because they have good discipline.

TS #1: The 1st reason why sportsmen and

TS #2: The 2nd reason why sportsmen and

women are good role models for teenagers is because they are confident.
TS #3: The 3rd reason why sportsmen and
4/14/12 women are good role model for teenagers is

The correct version

Thesis: Sportsmen and women are good role

models for teenagers because they have good discipline, good self confidence and good leadership quality. women are good role models for teenagers is because they have good discipline.

TS #1: The 1st reason why sportsmen and

TS #2: The 2nd reason why sportsmen and

women are good role models for teenagers is because they have good self confidence.
TS #3: The 3rd reason why sportsmen and
4/14/12 women are good role model for teenagers is

Practice 2
Look at the topics below. Come up with 3 points to support each

statement. sentences.

Write a complete thesis statement and topic 1. iPhone is a great invention. 2. P. Ramlee is my favourite celebrity. 3. We should be proud of Dato Siti Nurhaliza. 4. Travelling locally is better than travelling

abroad.

4/14/12

Format
Topic: Thesis statement:

TS #1: TS #2: TS #3:

4/14/12