Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
UFC _ Laghouat
Department of English
Level: Licence _ S2
Dr. M Gasmi
Writing
LESSON ONE (01)
Capitalization
The Learning Objectives: at the end of the lesson, Students will be able to
• Be acquainted with the conventions of English Capitalization
• Apply its rules
Introduction:
Capitalization is the practice of writing certain letters in a word. Its proper conventions can
vary somewhat by language, writing style and context. However, following standard rules
help ensure writing is clear, consistent and easy for readers to comprehend. Mastering
capitalization is an essential skill for effective written communication. On this basis, the
current lesson deals with its focal rules.
Prerequisites:
Prior Knowledge:
As students start to deal with the module of Written Expression, they have to be aware
of the features of the English language such as capitalization and punctuation. They have to
be able to master the rules
-They should have prior knowledge about how to capitalize a sentence, a paragraph and a text.
-They should have prior knowledge about the process of learning how to be a good reader for
the sake of writing correctly.
Pretest:
Use your previous knowledge to identify where capital letters should be used in the
following sentences.
1. last Saturday I went shopping in london.
2. Have you read “billionaire boy” by david williams?
3. anna and sandra play basketball on Tuesdays.
4. may is in spring. september is in fall.
5. my dad speaks english and hebrew.
6. on sunday, i will see the movie star wars and eat at taco bell.
7. In 1610, german astronomer johannes kepler observed that two moons orbit
the planet mars.
8. In the spring of 2012, I graduated from hollywood high school in los angeles,
california.
9. people that live in the arctic are called inuit.
Content:
o What is capitalization?
Capitalization is the writing of a word with its first letter in uppercase and the remaining
letters in lowercase.
Capitalization is a good place to start when you study writing.
1. Capitalize the names of people
Ben Johnson Tom Clinton Ahmed
2. Capitalize the first word of every sentence.
A sentence can be a statement, command, question or an exclamation.
• Statement: My brother is at home.
• Command: Close the door.
• Question: Are you a student?
• Exclamation: Look out!
3. Capitalize the names of cities, countries, and continents
Moscow London Algiers
Algeria England Ireland
Europe Asia Africa
4. Capitalize the days of the week
Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
5. Capitalize the months of the year, but not the seasons
July February summer spring
6. Capitalize the names of streets, lanes, roads, avenues and highways
Emir Abdelkader Street Third Avenue
7. Capitalize brand names, but don’t capitalize the names of the product.
A Samsung television A Lotte hamburger
8. Always capitalize the subject pronoun « I »
Ali and I went to the stadium.
9. Capitalize place names such as hospitals, hotels, buildings, companies, and schools
Elbadr Bank Mercure Hotel Seoul National University
10. Capitalize Acronyms
Acronyms use capital letters from the first letters of a name to make an abbreviation. We
write and say the short form. These acronyms are spoken as letters:
• the UN the United Nations
• the USA the United States of America
• the UK the United Kingdom
• the UAE the United Arab Emirates
• the WTO World Trade Organization
• OPEC the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks in the sentences below with the correct form of be. Then write the sentences
with correct capitalization and punctuation on the lines below.
1. seoul national university ________ near subway stop number 238
2. the silla hotel ___________ near the Hilton hotel
3. kaist ___________in daejon
4. you can buy tortillas at the supermarket in the hanam building
o Importance of the use of capital letters:
It is important to use capital letters in writing because it helps us understand what we are
writing and help readers understand our writing.
o Purposes of the use of capital letters:
Capital letters are useful signals for a reader. They have three main purposes:
➢ To let the reader know a sentence is beginning
➢ To show important words in a title
➢ To signal proper names and official titles.
Exit Activities:
A. Choose the word that should be capitalized in each sentence.
1. My friend arthur was in big trouble.
a. friend c. trouble
b. arthur d. big
2. The evening of october 11 passed.
a. evening c. october
b. passed d. of
3. His fleet navigated the waters around the bahamas.
a. bahamas c. waters
b. fleet d. navigated
4. The muppets have been a big success in America.
a. success c. muppets
b. have been d. big
5. The lovable puppets have made a movie in london .
a. london c. movie
b. puppets d. have made
6. My dog rascal just loves ice cream on a hot day.
a. dog c. day
b. loves d, rascal
7. On monument avenue are statues of great heroes.
a. great heroes b. statues
b. monument avenue d. monument
8. The famous ship titanic rammed an iceberg in 1912.
a. ship c. titanic
b. ship titanic d. iceberg
9. pigeons have served as messengers throughout history.
a. pigeons c. history
b. messengers d, have served
10. Balboa’s triumph was to reach the pacific ocean.
a. pacific ocean c. triumph
b. pacific d. to reach
11. Warm boots and parkas protect eskimos
a. boots c. eskimos
b. parkas d. protect
12. Our train leaves Warsaw on thursday.
a. train c. leaves
b. thursday d. on
B. Choose the sentence that is capitalized correctly.
1) a. The mail man went to diego’s house.
b. The mail man went to Diego’s house.
c. the mail man went to Diego’s house.
d. The Mail Man went to Diego’s house.
2) a. Joseph and I went to the store.
b. Joseph and i went to the store.
c. Joseph and I went to the Store.
d. joseph and i went to the store.
3) a. I love the movie Napoleon dynamite.
b. I love the movie napoleon Dynamite.
c. I love the Movie Napoleon Dynamite.
d. I love the movie Napoleon Dynamite.
4) a. “But,” said the child, “it’s only saturday!”
b. “But,” said the child, “It’s only Saturday!”
c. “But,” said the child, “it’s only Saturday!”
d. “but,” said the child, “it’s only Saturday!”
5) a. Last Spring, I visited Paris.
b. Last spring, I visited Paris.
c. Last spring, I visited paris.
d. last spring, I visited paris.
6) a. Every thursday I watch the series The Walking Dead.
b. Every Thursday I watch the series the Walking dead.
c. Every Thursday I watch the series The Walking Dead.
d. Every thursday i watch the series The Walking Dead.
7) a. Have you ever been to Yellowstone National Park?
b. have You ever been to Yellowstone National Park?
c. Have you ever been to yellowstone national park?
d. Have you ever been to Yellowstone national park?
8) a. you can see the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
b. You can see the eiffel tower in Paris.
c. You can see the Eiffel Tower in paris.
d. You can see the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
9) a. There are lots of shops on Oxford Street in London.
b. There are lots of shops on oxford street in London.
c. there are lots of shops on Oxford Street in London.
d. There are lots of Shops on Oxford Street in London.
10) a. During the civil war, Abraham Lincoln was the president of the united states.
b. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was the president of the United States.
c. During the Civil War, abraham lincoln was the president of the United States.
d. During the civil war, abraham lincoln was the President of the united states.
11) a. I want to read the book Fools rush in.
b. i want to read the book Fools Rush In.
c. I want to read the book fools Rush in.
d. I want to read the book Fools Rush In
Conclusion:
Capitalization is an important aspect of written language that helps to convey meaning and
structure. Proper capitalization makes writing clearer and more readable. It aids in
comprehension by signaling the start of new sentences, identifying key words and names, and
highlighting important information. While there are some exceptions and stylistic variations,
following standard capitalization conventions is an essential part of effective written
communication.
References:
https://irsc.libguides.com/APA/Title
Capitalization and Punctuation. Capitalization and Punctuation. Saddleback: Educational
Publishing, 2011.
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
UFC _ Laghouat
Department of English
Level: Licence _ S2
Dr. M Gasmi
Writing
LESSON TWO (02)
Punctuation
The Learning Objectives: at the end of the lesson, Students will be able to
➢ Recognize and identify Punctuation Marks
➢ Understand the Functions of Punctuation
➢ Apply punctuation correctly in sentences
➢ Expand vocabulary and language skills
Introduction:
Punctuation is very important. It helps in reading and knowing when and where one thought
starts and another ends. It lets the reader know whether a sentence is a statement or a question.
It lets the reader know how thoughts are organized. It helps to know the force or emotion
expressed in the sentence.
Prerequisites:
Prior Knowledge:
As students start to deal with the module of Written Expression, they have to be aware
of the features of the English language such as capitalization and punctuation. They have to
be able to master the rules
-They should have prior knowledge about how to punctuate a sentence, a paragraph and a
text.
-They should have prior knowledge about the process of learning how to be a good reader for
the sake of writing correctly.
Pretest:
1. Which type of punctuation is used to indicate a pause or break in a sentence?
2. When should a period be used?
3. What is the function of a question mark?
Content:
Punctuation refers to the system of marks used in written language to separate sentences,
indicate pauses, and clarify meaning. Proper use of punctuation is important for clear and
unambiguous communication in writing. Punctuation helps the reader to understand the
structure and flow of a sentence or a passage. The lesson provides different punctuation marks
that serve different purposes.
Look at the use of the most common punctuations used in writing
Period (or full stop)
Put a period at the end of every statement and command.
Statement: Jenny is a student.
Command: Have a seat.
Question Mark
Put a question mark (?) at the end of every question.
Is Jenny a student?
Exclamation Mark
Put an exclamation mark (!) at the end of every exclamation.
Look out!
Commas
A comma is used to separate three or more adjectives or items in a list.
• Modern airplanes are fast, comfortable and safe.
• Modern airplanes are fast and comfortable.
• Daegu apples are round, sweet and delicious.
• Daegu apples are round and sweet.
Also place a comma between a city and a country or a city and a state (or province).
Algiers, Algeria Seoul, Korea
You should put a comma between the day and year in dates.
December 3, 2022
Contractions and Apostrophes
Contractions need an apostrophe. The apostrophe should be placed where the missing letter(s)
would be and also placed higher than the lower case letters.
• doesn’t = does not
• she’s = she is
• Bob’s coming to school today = Bob is coming to school today.
Learning Activities:
Exercise 1
Rewrite these paragraphs on a separate piece of paper using proper capitalization and
punctuation.
1. six sentences
suhuyn has a roommate the name of her roommate is jenny kim jenny is from pusan she
works for samsung in seoul but she also studies English at night after work jenny and suhyun
enjoy going to movies on the weekends they also go singing with other friends
2. seven sentences
tom and jerry are good friends they are teachers at a school in shangahi tom is from australia
and jerry is from new zealand they are english teachers they enjoy hiking and camping on the
weekends they also have fun looking for foods from their own countries the foods are hard to
find in china they have fun traveling to different large cities searching for them
Conclusion:
Mastering the proper use of punctuation takes practice, but it is an essential skill for effective
written communication. The specific punctuation needed can vary depending on the writing
style, context and purpose. The key to master it is actively engage with punctuation rules and
apply them in your own writing. With practice and feedback, you can develop a stronger
command of punctuation to improve the clarity and effectiveness of your written
communication.
Exit Activity: punctuate the following paragraph
What is a paragraph
Is a group of sentences about one main idea or topic It is often six to eight sentences
long. Indent the first line of a paragraph A good paragraph contains many elements Here are
just a few of them Unity and coherence-the ideas in a paragraph should logically fit together
Furthermore they should flow from one idea to the next A paragraph should be organized in a
way that it builds appropriately This could be by sequence of ideas or events Transitions
should be used from one sentence to the next that connect the ideas and concepts Adequate
Development- In order for a paragraph to be considered “adequate” or “sufficient” the
paragraph should be well-developed The reader should not be left wanting more information.
Similarly the paragraph should include enough evidence to support its topic sentence
Transitions- Good paragraphs have transitions between preceding and proceeding paragraphs
These transitions are logical and verbal One paragraph should logically flow to the next The
ideas in a body of work should be organized so each paragraph transitions well to the next It
should not be choppy Additionally verbal transitions within and between paragraphs should
help the reader move seamlessly through the piece of writing
References
Oshima, Alice and Hogue, Ann. Writing Academic English. Pearson: Longman, 2006.
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
UFC _ Laghouat
Department of English
Level: Licence _ S2
Dr. M Gasmi
Writing
LESSON THREE (03)
Paragraph Writing
The Learning Objectives: at the end of the lesson, Students will be able to
➢ Recognize and identify what is a paragraph?
➢ Understand the Functions of it
➢ Recognize its types
Introduction:
The paragraph is the fundamental building block of written communication. It serves several
important functions. To write a good paragraph, the student has to take into consideration the
following aspects: unity, development, organization, transition and length. This lesson
provides students with a wide range of ideas about writing a well-structured paragraph.
Prerequisites:
Prior Knowledge:
As students start to deal with the module of Written Expression, they have to be aware
of the features of the English language such as capitalization and punctuation. They have to
be able to master the rules
-They should have prior knowledge about how to write a sentence, a paragraph and a text.
-They should have prior knowledge about the process of learning how to be a good reader for
the sake of writing correctly.
Pretest:
Edit the following paragraphs for errors in parallel structure and other sentence problems.
Identify the problem sentences and correct them. Rewrite the paragraphs on a separate
sheet of paper. (Note: Not every sentence has a problem.)
The United States: Melting Pot or Salad Bowl?
The United States counts its population every 10 years, and each census reveals that
the racial and ethnic mix is changing dramatically, so by the year 2050, the “average”
person in the United States will not to be descended from Europeans, but the majority of
U.S. residents will trace their ancestry to Africa, Asia, the Hispanic world, the Pacific
Islands, or the Middle East. Once the States is a microcosm of European nationalities,
today the United States is a microcosm of the world. The United States is no longer
considered a “melting pot” society by many of its residents. Instead, many people prefer
the term “Salad Bowl.” They use this term to describe U.S society. U.S society will soon
be predominantly nonwhite. Melting Pot implies that the different ethnic groups blend
together into one homogeneous mixture, “salad bowl implies that nationalities, like the
ingredients in a mixed green salad, retain their cultural identities.
Earlier generations of immigrants believed that they had to learn English quickly not
only to survive but also for success. Now, many immigrant groups do not feel the same
need. Because there are many places in the United States where you can work, shop, get
medical care, marry, divorce, and die without knowing English. For example, Chinatown
in San Francisco and New York. Also, Los Angeles has many Vietnamese immigrants
and immigrants from Mexico. In addition, many immigrant groups want their children to
know their own culture. Many Hispanics, for instance, want their children to learn both
English and study the Spanish language in school. They are fighting for the right to
bilingual education in many countries. In many communities they are in the majority.
Content:
Here are the components of a paragraph:
1. The Topic Sentence
A paragraph is a number of sentences written about the same topic. The main idea of
the paragraph is usually given in the first sentence—which is called the topic sentence. The
latter introduces what the paragraph is talking about and limits the information that can be
given in the other sentences. The other sentences add information to the topic and are called
supporting sentences. According to Alice Oshima and Ann Hogue, the paragraph is defined
as: “a group of related sentences that discuss one (and usually only one) main idea. A
paragraph can be as short as one sentence or as long as ten sentences. The number of
sentences is unimportant; however, the paragraph should be long enough to develop the main
idea clearly” (2).
A topic sentence should talk about the topic, not about what you intend or are planning
to write. Students often mistakenly begin a paragraph with sentences such as:
I want to tell you about . . . or I’m going to write about . . .or This paragraph is about
. . . or Let me tell you about . . .. These are not proper topic sentences as they do not really
introduce the topic. They introduce your intent or your writing plan, but not your topic.
Begin a paragraph with a topic sentence like this:
My day was wonderful / a giant mess/a big problem/a lot of fun
Today was easier than usual / terrific! / a lot of hard work
Exercise 1
Choose the best topic sentence for each of the following paragraphs and put an “x” on the line
next to it.
1. _____ a. Korea has a great variety of plant life.
_____ b. Korea is great!
_____ c. Korea is a nice place to visit.
There's more to Korean plant life than just rice, apple trees, and pine trees.
Because of the diversity of Korean soil and environments, it has a wide variety of
plants. A drive around the countryside will show you what an interesting
assortment of plants there are.
2. _____ a. Flying in bad weather is difficult.
_____ b. Pilots do a lot of pre-flight preparation.
_____ c. Pilots make a lot of money and fly all over the world.
They check their plane to make sure that it is working properly. They also make
sure that baggage or cargo has been loaded correctly. They check the weather
forecast to see if they will run into any bad weather on their trip. Pilots then
decide what route they should take, and how high and fast they should fly.
2. The Supporting Sentences
The sentences that follow the topic sentence are the supporting sentences. All the
supporting sentences should be about the topic only. If the sentences talk only about
something other than the topic sentence, it is irrelevant and should be deleted. The supporting
sentences provide more detail about the topic by using examples and facts. Supporting
sentences they may begin with a general statement and be followed by more specific
information. Transition words are used to introduce the more specific information. Transition
words help guide the reader through the passage; they let the read know in what direction the
flow of ideas is going.
Common transition words include for example, such as, and like.
2.1 General information:
There are several ancient palaces that are major tourist attractions, which
draw thousands of people annually.
2.2 Specific information:
One example is Kyongbok Palace, which was founded by the Yi Dynasty in 1392.
2.3 Example of irrelevant / relevant supporting sentences:
Topic Sentence: Seoul is a great town to visit on vacation.
1. There are many museums and art galleries to see. (Relevant)
2. The city is well-known for its many fine restaurants. (Relevant)
3. The traffic jams in the city are terrible. (Irrelevant)
4. It is an easy city to fly into from outside the country. (Relevant)
Sentence number 3 is irrelevant because it is not talking about something “great” about
Seoul.
2.4 Using So and Because in supporting sentences
Because and so help us write cause and effect sentences. Because is used to give a cause or
reason.
So is used to give a result. Both because and so can join two sentences.
Using because:
I have a big test tomorrow. I want to study.
Because I have a big test tomorrow, I want to study.
I want to study because I have a big test tomorrow.
Notice that if the reason (because) comes first, you must use a comma after it.
Using so:
I have a big test tomorrow. I want to study.
I have a big test tomorrow, so I want to study.
Notice that you must use a comma before so.
2.5 Using And and But in supporting sentences
As your writing skills improve you will want to use more complex sentences to keep your
writing interesting. And or but can connect two sentences. When using and or but to connect
two sentences, use a comma before and or but.
That car is beautiful. It is fast.
That car is beautiful, and it is fast.
Dr. Park’s class is very interesting. Dr. Park’s class is difficult to pass.
Dr. Park’s class is very interesting, but it is difficult to pass.
When you use and, it adds information to the first sentence. When you use but, it adds
surprising or unexpected information to the first sentence.
She is a very rich woman, and she has a large savings account.
She is a very rich woman, but she never has any money with her.
Her house is expensive, but it is very dirty inside.
Note: Don’t use a comma when you use two adjectives and join them with and or but.
The puppy is cute and playful.
He is smart but lazy.
2.6 Combining Supporting Sentences
Reading sentences that are always very short is uninspiring and can be very uninteresting to
read. The reader will soon give up and look for something more challenging to do. Short
sentences, which have the same subject, can be joined together to make longer, more
interesting ones. Look at the example below.
A. There are many cows in the pasture.
B. They are grazing on the grass.
These two sentences can be joined together to form:
There are many cows in the pasture grazing on the grass. or
In the pasture, grazing on the grass, are many cows.
3. The Concluding Sentence
The concluding sentence is the last sentence of the paragraph. The function of the
concluding sentence is to signal the end of the paragraph. Concluding sentences can either be
a restatement of the topic sentence, a summary of the supporting sentences, or contain a final
comment about the topic. The concluding sentence in a paragraph should be a general
statement that relates to the idea expressed in the topic sentence, and not another fact or detail
of support. If restating the topic sentence, it should be expressed in different words, not an
exact copy of the topic sentence.
Many words or phrases can be used to signal the end of the paragraph in the concluding
sentence. Here are just a few (These require a comma followed them):
finally in conclusion in summary
therefore thus as a result
indeed in brief in short,
Other phrases (which do not require commas) include:
we can see that . . .
it is clear that. . .
these examples show that. . .
there can be no doubt that. . .
the evidence suggest that. . .
Exercise 2
The following sentences are about the weather and how to dress while touring Beijing, China.
There is too much information here for one paragraph. Some of the sentences are specifically
about the weather. Put the number of those sentences in the box below marked Weather.
Other sentences are about how to dress while touring Beijing. Put the number of those
sentences in the box below marked Dress. Each set of sentences has one that is general
enough to be a topic sentence. Circle those two sentences.
Once you have identified the above sentences as to whether they are talking about
weather or dress and found the topic sentences, arrange the sentences in a logical order and
write (on a separate sheet of paper) a paragraph about each topic.
1. Winter is freezing cold.
2. Autumn is best as the temperature is mild and the sun is out a lot.
3. Beijing's four seasons are distinctly recognizable.
4. In the warmer months, T-shirts and light pants or shorts are the best bet.
5. It is easy to dress for touring Beijing.
6. In the autumn, jeans and a sweater are usually fine.
7. For touring during the day, wear casual clothes.
8. Bring nice clothes for going out at night.
9. The temperature in spring is nice, too, but it is very dry and windy.
10. Summer can be unbearably hot.
11. In the colder months, it is wise to dress in layers; long underwear and jeans, shirt,
sweater and a down jacket.
Exercise 3
Read the paragraph below and
1. Underline the topic sentence.
2. Circle the transition words (see supporting sentences).
3. Write a concluding sentence for the paragraph.
Seoul, the capital of Korea, is a very fascinating place. It is a very old city, but very
modern. There are several ancient palaces that are major tourist attractions, which draw
thousands of people annually. One example is Kyongbok Palace, which was founded by the
Yi Dynasty in 1392. It is easy to tell that Seoul is also a very modern city. The most obvious
clue is the skyline, everywhere you look one can see countless high-rise office buildings and
apartments. Another indication is its transportation system; the subway, buses, and taxis are
second to none. Seoul, being the cultural and financial center of the country, is also the most
populated city in the country. The city’s thriving and energetic 10 million plus population is
eager to make any tourists stay an event to remember.
Conclusion:
As a distinct section of writing, the paragraph helps student to develop a single,
focused point within the larger written work, whether that is an essay, report, article, or book
chapter. Well-constructed paragraphs help or organize the writer’s thoughts and guide the
reader through the text in a clear and cohesive manner.
Exit Activity:
Read the following paragraph, and then answer the following questions.
Poaching an egg is the best way to cook a delecious egg. Some people believe that brown
eggs taste better than eggs which are white. The first and probably the easiest way to cook an
egg are to boil it. Just drop the egg into a pot of water and boil it for five minutes. Another
easy way is to scramble an egg. All you need is a fork to beat the egg mixture before you put
it into the hot frying pan. A third way is to fry an egg “over easy.” This involves breaking the
egg into the pan without breaking the yolk. The yolk is the yellow part of an egg. After a few
moments turn the egg over to cook it on the other side. Finaly, poaching an egg involving
cooking the egg in a small dish that is sitting in boiling water. Break the egg into a small
metal cap that is sitting in a pan of very hot, shallow water. Paoching an egg takes only four to
five
minutes............................................................…………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
to scramble: to mix, blend / a yolk: the yellow part of an egg /to poach: to cook in hot water
or other liquid/ shallow: not deep
1. Revise and edit the paragraph
a. Revising:
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b. Editing :
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2. After revising and editing the paragraph, write a concluding sentence on the lines
provided and suggest a title for the paragraph.
