All writing assignments must be typed and double spaced. Be sure to include your name, the date and the title of the topic you have been assigned.

Writing Assignment #1

Directions: Read the following paragraph. After reading the paragraph re-write the paragraph making it more specific. Turn the "general" description into "specific" description. Make sure the reader knows the following things: Time of year, what the weather was like, what the group did on the bus, what the group did at the lake, what the group wanted to do next year.

Paragraph: It was a nice day. Everyone was happy because the weather turned out to be good. Since we made the time pass by doing some interesting things, even the ride was a lot of fun. We got there at lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon having a terrific time. Although everyone was tired at the end of the day, we agreed we'd like to do the same thing again next year.

Writing assignment #2

Rewrite the paragraph below. Leave out any unnecessary words. Rearrange or add new words if you need to.

Paragraph: A pair of two brothers who were from Michigan decided to walk around the world. It seems that the trip took them four years. They walked a distance of fifteen thousand miles and used up twenty pairs of shoes. Because of the fact the Chinses government wouldn't allow them to walk across China, they walked across Australia instead. At the end of the trip, which ended in 1973, they went from California back to their starting point.

Writing assignment #3

Process essay: Explain how something works or how to do or make something. Your challenge is to write clearly and completely so that readers can easily follow your explanation. For furthr explanation, please see page 200 in your Writers' Inc. text books.

Writing assignment #4

Essay of Comparison

Directions: Examine the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. Your subjects can come from any number of categories, including people, books, movies, events, experiments, feelings and produts. Just make sure that they come from the same category and that they will be interesting to compare. For further help, please see page 202 in your Writers' Inc. text book.

Writing assignment #5

Cause Effect Essay

In a cause/effect essay, you present a thoughtful analysis of a timely subject. When you develop this type of essay, your first task is to identify the most important points related to your subject. Your second task is to make clear cause/effect connections between these points. What should your subject be? Consider recent experiences, conversations, and headlines for possible ideas. A cause/effect essay could focus on an improved situation at your school or community. It could focus on a rescent development in medicine, on an exciting discovery, or on a milestone in history. Also consider personal events that have changed your life: gaining or losing a friend, learning about your family tree, and so on. Please see page 205 in your Writers' Inc. text books for more ideas.

Writing assignment #6

Essay of Definition

In this type of essay, you explain a commonly used term or concept that is not easy to define. It may be that the term is complicated (inflation, cancer, or democracy) or that it means differenc things to different people (love, courage, or fairness). Consider including the following elements in your essay: dictionary definitions, personal definitions, negative definitions (telling what it is not), comparisons, quotations, and anecdotes (stories). Please see page 208 in your Writers' Inc. text books for correct format.