In this lesson, you learned several different ways to improve your writing style. You can improve any draft just by applying each of these strategies as you revise and finalize your essay.
Try adding sentence variety and "flow" to your argumentative essay. Locate the Writing an Argument worksheet you completed for a previous lesson. Copy all parts of your essay from the worksheet, and paste them into a word processing document in the order the parts should appear.
Read the entire essay carefully, looking for sections where you use the same kind of sentence over and over or where the language gets wordy or a little unclear. Then revise your essay to make it flow more smoothly and express your position more precisely. Use the checklist below to make sure you apply all of this lesson's strategies.
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Identify sections that include the same sentence structure over and over. Rewrite some of the sentences in a different form. |
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Find paragraphs that sound "choppy" when you read them out loud. Revise these paragraphs, combining short, choppy sentences to make the words flow more smoothly. |
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Look for places in your essay that seem to jump from one idea to the next--in a way that might leave readers behind. Add transition words and phrases to help readers follow your ideas. |
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Identify your essay's longest three or four sentences. If they seem to go on too long, divide each one into two more more shorter sentences. |
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Look for sections that are difficult to read or understand. Check to see if you use more words to make your point than are needed. Eliminate unnecessary words. |
When you are satisfied with your revised essay, submit it to your teacher. Before you turn in your essay, though, click the Rubric button below to see how your work on this writing assignment will be graded. Review your essay carefully to make sure it meets the criteria in the rubric.
