Consistency in VERBS!

Verbs stink.  They just do.  They have to accomplish so much in our sentences that it almost seems like they are multitasking too much. 

Verbs: tell time, show action, link subjects to descriptions, and help readers reflect on the subject. 

1.  Tell time:

• There are several verb tenses (past, present, future) as well as types (simple, perfect)
• Carla ate a pound of cherries.  Now she is sick. 

2.  Show action:

• This is the most exciting way to get action across in a sentence.  SHOW what's happening. 
• Marc flew across the room!

3.  Link to a description

• Many times, we use linking verbs to connect the subject to a description of itself.  This still completes an idea perfectly.  However, it doesn't show much.  Instead, it just informs or tells.
• The rain is falling (note that rain is described as falling)

4.  Helps the readers understand the subject

• This is called subject/verb agreement.  It means that if you have a singualr subject, you must have a verb that is also singular and vice versa. 
• One way to "test" this is to see how many "s" you have.  Singular nouns generally do not end in "s," but singular verbs generally do
• The meat stays fresh for one week. 
• Plural nouns generally do end in "s," but plural verbs generally do not
• The meats stay fresh for one week. 

In our writing, it is important to keep a sense of consistency with verbs.  The most common areas of consistency for verbs are in tense and consistency in showing subject/verb agreement. 

    

     It was 1850.  A poor German-born peddler named Levi Strauss came to San Fransico, trying to sell canvas cloth to tent makers.  By chance he met a miner who complaines that sturdy workpants is hard to find.  Stauss had an idea, measures the man, and makes him a pair of canvas pants.  The miner loved his new breeches, and Levi Strauss goes into business. 

Consistency

Consistency means taht, in your writing, each sentence and paragraph moves along smoothly without confusing shifts in tense, number, and person.  One way to acheive consistency is through parrallel structure, which creates a sense of balance with similar words, phrases and clauses.

1.  Verb tense consistency is VITAL, however, most writers forget that just as important as time are the concepts of person and number, especially in dealing with pronouns.

• Consistency in number means that there is no confusing shift from singluar to plural or plural to singular. 
• In other words the pronoun must match the antecedent (or the word replacing must match what it is replacing) in number. 

Consider the following:

• The wise runner always chooses their running shoes carefully. 

Note that the noun (runner) is singular, however, the pronoun (their) is plural!  This can mislead the reader into believing he or she has missed an extra person you are writing about.  This inconsistency will distract your reader from your point. 

The sentence may be corrected in either of the following ways:

1. The wise runner always chooses his/her running shoes carefully.
2. Wise runners always choose their running shoes carefully

*PS--did you see the verb change?  We're going to get to that soon!

Try this practice:  Correct each sentence by using a consistent pronoun that matches each antecedent. 

1. An individual's self-esteem can affect their performance.
2. Jorge started drinking diet sodas last week, and already he hates the taste of it.
3. The headlines encourgaed us, be we feared it wasn't accurate.
4. The defendant has decided that he will represent oneself.
5. Dreams facinate me; it is like another world.
6. If a person doesn't know how to write well, they will face many challenges.
7. Oxford University boasts of the great number of manuscripts they own.
8. Always buy corn and tomates when it is in season.
9. The average American takes their freedom for granted.
10. Women have more opportunites than ever before.  She is freer to go to school, get a job, and choose the kind of life she wants. 

Barney Stinson

Not the best video editing, but check out all the awesome photos Barney pulls off...

Now check out how he manages to take the perfect photo

For class?

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/5-mistakes-everyone-should-make-2391721/

5 ways to kill a man

a disturbing process analysis poem

Troy Sterling!

http://blogs.setonhill.edu/DennisJerz/ActivePassive.swf

For class...9/9

"Not Your Homeland"

Use the image below to help you with your first Writers on Writing assignment:  Edwidge Danticat says that her writing (in English) is both an act of personal tranlation as well as an act of creative collaboration with her new place.  Considering a "new place" of your own, use that personal background to write this boy's story (or narrative).  In other words, tell this kid's story, but don't limit yourself with the basic facts of his situation (Haitian, refugee, etc...) (25 points)

day #3

The Writing Process


Okay, so the headline above and the fun new font I'm trying out here should hopefully suggest that this is sort of a big deal.  

1. Prewriting--time to generate your ideas.  You can do a lot of different things...
1. brainstorm
2. freewrite
3. cluster
4. research
5. outline
6. list
2. Drafting --actually start writing it all out and putting ideas together as a way to make sense of all the connections and ideas you want to communicate
3. Revision--this is actually a really big piece of drafting.  Revision's primary focus is on BIG changes (things that are hard and difficult to complete sometimes

**PS-so drafting and revising can go on forever if you let it.  There is no magic number in how many drafts you should write.

4.  Final draft--this is when you think your paper is perfect
5.  Editing--for small changes
6.  Publishing--turning in your essay


Our first attempt at putting all these steps to work is the NARRATIVE.  (check the link)


Check MyMC for the file with the essay assignment and schedule.  

from day two...

Lots of stuff dealing with process today:

Reading Process (also known as annotation)

• before reading--note the author, the title and type of text 
• use these pieces of information to answer the question "What am I getting into?"
• during reading--note vocab and confusing points, write out connections and questions
• have a conversation with the author via your notes
• after reading--write out the answers to your questions and vocab definitions
• try to answer your questions from the previous step and summarize

We also discussed the Writing Process, but check day #3 for the full story on the writing process.