The presentation of this new method is timely. Across the nation, students are graduating—even from college—without the necessary writing skills. Surveys reveal that students do not know basic grammar rules or how to construct a proper sentence. Better Writing is an answer to these concerns. By means of the Five-Way Method, it presents not only what to know but also how to write in an organized way for easier and more effective writing.
The Five Ways
The Sentence. Knowledge of the sentence provides the necessary background for understanding grammar, punctuation, and the advanced work of style.
Grammar. The grammar section eliminates technical language and unnecessary theory, emphasizing the most common errors to ensure that writers never make these mistakes.
Punctuation. Learning critical rules on how to punctuate the simple, compound, and complex sentence and doing special exercises to form correct habits can help eliminate errors.
Spelling. Better Writing provides easy-to-remember clues for spelling problem words, helping students learn to spell them correctly.
Style. This section gets writers to think about the words they use and the ways in which they construct their sentences, paragraphs, and compositions. It presents the great principles of unity, coherence, and emphasis in teaching students how to write well.
Objectives
Better Writing is intended for an introductory English or composition course. It can be used for both classroom instruction and independent study. After completing the text, students will be able to
- Understand and apply basic rules of grammar and punctuation.
- Write unified, coherent, and emphatic sentences, paragraphs, and compositions.
- Think and write critically, keeping an open mind on questions until all the facts are in.
Better Writing can also serve as a complete reference guide to grammar, punctuation, style, and writing. Even after they have completed the textbook, students should be encouraged to continue to use it at home, at school or college, or at their place of employment.
