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| Wednesday
Writing |
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Weekly
reading, writing, & thinking lesson
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How
to Grade Your Own Writing
If you do not understand something in this section, ask your teacher to
explain it or send us your question at Ask
the Editor.
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10
Things My Story Should NOT Have
Words
to Define: orange words in the list
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- a
confusing plot
- a
plot line that is the same as or very similar to the plot of a
story that is not your own (plagiarism)
- real
names of people (in fiction)
- personal
information, such as telephone numbers and addresses
- gratuitous
violence or gore
- words
that might offend
people
- incomplete
sentences
- rambling
or run-on sentences
- missing
or incorrect punctuation
- misspelled
words
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Use
Second Pair of Eyes
Everyone's
first draft could use a second pair of eyes to find mistakes. Ask a
classmate, friend, or family member to tell
you if your main idea is clear,
suggest
changes you need to make,
and help
you find mistakes.
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Read
Out Loud
Have
a hard time finding mistakes in your writing? Try reading your work
out loud. You might hear some of your
mistakes.
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Quick
Checklist
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Ask
these questions about your writing:
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Does
it have a main idea?
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Did
I include supporting details?
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Did
I use good transitions?
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Did
I use complete sentences?
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Is
my spelling correct?
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Is
my capitalization correct?
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Is
my punctuation correct?
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Give
Me a Break!
Your
first draft is finished. Now what? It's time for a break.
Sometimes you miss mistakes if you stare at your writing for a
long time. So, put your writing away for a day or two. Come back
to it after the break for a fresh look.
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