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Writing with Confidence: Writing Effective Sentences and Paragraphs, 9/E
Alan Meyers

ISBN-10: 0205617808
ISBN-13: 9780205617807

Publisher: Longman
Copyright: 2009
Format: Paper; 496 pp
Estimated Availability: 07/10/2008

Suggested retail price: $43.20
This item is not yet available for purchase. See estimated availability date above.

Writing with Confidence, a sentence-and-paragraph level worktext, incorporates high-interest themes in its exercises and discourse while fully developing the writing process and fundamental writing skills.

 

The text's five units include chapters on the writing process, paragraph organization and development, the shape of the essay, all the rhetorical modes, and all the sentence skills.  The writing chapters are fully process-oriented, showing the development of a paragraph in six steps, from planning and outlining through drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading.   For all students, but especially for visual learners, the popular “Blueprints for Writing” in the rhetorical chapters offer models and concrete guidance, as do “Templates,” which, new this edition, help students structure sentences and transitions.  This focus on writing is balanced with equal attention to sentence skills, not only for native speakers of English who need help, but for non-English-dominant speakers as well.

 

This edition of Writing with Confidence is available as a Vangobook. The Vangobook edition includes the author's revisions for the ninth edition without the extraneous information or boxes. Created with the philosophy of quality over quantity, Writing with Confidence VangoBook can be read in less time than a traditional text. At approximately half the cost of a traditional book, this Vangobook edition will not break a student's budget.

 

    • A value-priced option that delivers high-quality instruction at an affordable price.
    • The reading-writing connection is strong throughout the book, with paragraph samples from professional and student writers in the rhetorical mode chapters and sixteen additional readings, including several written by students, at the back of the book.
    • Extended coverage on the most common sentence-level errors, including fragments, run-ons, and comma splices, supports student learning.
    • Students are encouraged to check their learning and their editing skills in Editing for Mastery exercises.
    • Two chapters address the needs of ESL (English as a Second Language) students, as do boxes throughout the text highlighting concerns and insights for this growing segment of the population.
    • One chapter (4), previews essay writing together with suggested writing assignments throughout the book for those students ready for essay-level work.
    • Optional collaborative activities in every chapter structure in-class group work and peer review.
    • "Tips" boxes in every chapter give simple, easy-to-follow instructions and guidelines for writers.
    • Each unit concludes with a two-page visual summary of key points and topics for easy reference. "Blueprints" also show easy-to-read visual models of each paragraph mode, giving students a visual point of reference for shaping their paragraphs.
    • A new appendix on using portfolios structures a way for students to reflect on and revise their work.
    • Revision Guidelines and Checklists as well as chapter-ending summary boxes help students identify, remember, and put into practice the best writing and editing practices.
    • Key terms are highlighted in the text and defined in a glossary at the back of the book.
    • Optional collaborative activities are provided in the margins of each chapter.
    • ESL boxes provide help for students whose first language is not English, as do the two final chapters of the book, which address troublesome matters such as verb phrases, word order, articles, and prepositions.

 

    • A new chapter on exemplification teaches students how to support and illustrate their claims.
    • Newly added “Templates,” interactive writing “skeletons,” guide students in making claims, supporting them with examples and explanations, and effective transitions.
    • “Revision Guidelines” and interactive “Revision Checklists” assist students in responding specifically to their work and the work of their classmates as they move from the early to the final drafts of their writing.
    • Five new high-interest readings that offer rhetorical models and topics for analysis, discussion, and writing.
    • New suggestions for writing have been added to each reading selection.
    • An appendix on using portfolios that enables students to reflect on and revise their work.
    • Expanded treatment of pronouns incorporated in Chapter 8 and a new appendix section listing types of pronouns with examples of each.
    • New exercises with fresh thematic content have been added and/or replace less popular exercises.

 

Rhetorical Contents

 

The Writing Process

 

Hints and Help for Writers

 

UNIT I. BUILDING YOUR WRITING SKILLS

 

1. Why Write?

Speaking and Writing

Writing with Confidence

Finding the Right Way to Write

Writing for Every Reason

        Writing to Work

        Writing to Learn

        Writing to Communicate

        Writing for Yourself

Getting a Head Start

 

2. The Writing Process: Laying the Foundation

Writing with Confidence in Six Steps

Step 1: Exploring Ideas

        Your Subject

        Your Purpose

        Your Audience

Step 2: Prewriting

        Brainstorming

        Clustering

        Freewriting

Step 3: Organizing

        Selecting

        Outlining

Step 4: Writing a First Draft

Step 5: Revising the Draft

        Reviewing

        Reading Aloud

        Predicting

        Making a Clean Copy

Step 6: Producing the Final Copy

        Editing

        Proofreading

 

3. Writing a Powerful Paragraph: Building the Foundation

What Is a Paragraph?

Exploring and Planning

Writing the Topic Sentence

        General and Specific Statements

        Making a Claim

        Expressing an Attitude or Opinion

Writing the Body and Conclusion

        Generating Ideas

        Selecting and Organizing Ideas

        Developing Ideas

        Looking at Paragraph Development

        Writing a First Draft

        Writing a Conclusion

Revising the Paragraph

        Unity

        Coherence

        Refining the Topic Sentence and Conclusion

        Using Peer Review

Revision Guidelines: Writing a Powerful Paragraph

 

4. Writing an Effective Essay: Building a Larger Structure

What Is an Essay?

Composing an Essay

        Getting Started

        Developing the Thesis Statement

        Writing the First Draft

        Revising

Revision Guidelines: Writing an Effective Essay

        Editing and Proofreading

 

Unit I Blueprint for Success

 

UNIT II. BUILDING AND REPAIRING SENTENCES

 

5. Recognizing Sentences and Fixing Fragments

What Is a Sentence?

        Identifying Subjects

        Identifying Verbs

What Is a Fragment?

Fixing Simple Fragments

        Missing Subjects

        Missing or Incomplete Verbs

        Infinitives and -ing Words

        Hanging Details or Examples

Fixing Complex Fragments

        Although and Because Types

        Who, That, and Which Types

Editing for Mastery

 

6. Joining Sentences through Coordination

Connecting Words

        The Coordinating Conjunctions

Joining Sentences with Coordination

Punctuating Compound Sentences

Joining Sentences with Semicolons

        The Semicolon

        Transitional Words after the Semicolon

Editing for Mastery

 

7. Joining Sentences through Subordination

What Is Subordination?

Subordinating with Clauses

        Common Subordinating Conjunctions

        Punctuating Dependent Clauses

Subordinating with Phrases

Editing for Mastery

 

8. Joining Sentences with Pronouns

Relative Clauses

        Placement of Relative Clauses

        Commas with Relative Clauses

        Relative Pronouns as Subjects

        Relative Pronouns as Objects

        Relative Clauses with Whose   

Noun Clauses

Phrases

Editing for Mastery

 

9. Repairing Run-ons and Correcting Comma Splices

Run-on Sentences

Comma-Spliced Sentences

Editing for Mastery

 

Unit II Blueprint for Success

 

III. REVISING WITH CARE: BUILDING ON THE FRAMEWORK

 

10. Making Subjects and Verbs Agree

What Is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Subjects

        Nouns as Subjects (and Objects)

        Irregular Plurals

        Pronouns as Subjects

        Subjects Joined by and

Special Present Tense Verbs

        To Be

        To Do

        To Have

Special Problems with Subject-Verb Agreement

        Questions

        Sentences That Begin with There

        Collective Nouns

        Indefinite Pronouns

        Phrases Between the Subject and Verb

        Relative Clauses

Editing for Mastery

 

11. Using the Past Tense and the Past Participle

The Past Tense in Its Usual Forms

        Regular Verbs

        To Be

        Could and Would

The Present-Perfect Tense

        Forming the Present-Perfect Tense

        Using the Present-Perfect Tense

The Past-Perfect Tense

        Forming the Past-Perfect Tense

        Using the Past-Perfect Tense

Irregular Verbs

        Category 1: -d to –y

        Category 2: -d and Possible Vowel Change

        Category 3: -t and Possible Vowel Change

        Category 4: Single Vowel Change

        Category 5: Double Vowel Change

        Category 6: No Change

        Category 7 –n or –en and Possible Vowel Change

Other Uses of the Past Participle

        In Three-Word Verb Phrases

        In the Passive Voice

        As an Adjective

Editing for Mastery

 

12. Using Pronouns

Selecting the Right Pronoun

        Personal Pronouns as Subjects and Objects

        Personal Pronouns in Comparisons

Avoiding Pronoun Confusion and Bias

        Agreement in Number

        Pronouns without Antecedents

        Pronouns Referring to Pronouns

        Pronouns Referring to Collective Nouns

Special Pronouns

        Reflexive Pronouns

        Demonstrative Pronouns

        Relative Pronouns

Editing for Mastery

 

13. Using Modifiers

What Are Modifiers?

Placing Modifiers Correctly

        Misplaced Modifiers

        Dangling Modifiers

Editing for Mastery

 

14. Making Comparisons

Comparing with Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjective Forms

        The Simple Form

        The Comparative Forms

        The Superlative Forms

Adverb Forms

Irregular Adjectives and Adverbs

        Adjectives and Adverbs That Are the Same

        Good and Well, Bad and Badly

Lively Comparisons

Editing for Mastery

 

15. Being Consistent

Keeping Pronouns Straight

Keeping Tense Consistent

Keeping Structures Parallel

Editing for Mastery

 

16. Writing Concretely and Concisely

Choosing Words That Work

        Strong Verbs

        Vivid Adjectives and Details

Discarding Words That Don’t Contribute

        Empty Sentence Starters

        Vague Expressions

        Repetition

        Wordiness

        Tired Expressions

Editing for Mastery

 

Unit III Blueprint for Success

 

IV. WRITING TYPES OF PARAGRAPHS: SHAPING THE STRUCTURE

 

17.   Describing a Scene

A Model Paragraph: Describing a Scene

Writing Assignment for Describing a Scene

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Paragraph

Templates for Description

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for Description

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Student Model Paragraph

Final Writing Assignment

 

18. Developing Through Exemplification

Models of Exemplification

            The Short Example

            The Sentence Example

            The Long–or Extended–Example

Writing Assignment for Developing Through Exemplification

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Paragraph

Templates for Exemplification

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for Exemplification

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Longer Model of Exemplification

Final Writing Assignment

 

19. Writing Narration

A Model of Narration

Writing Assignment for Narration

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Paragraph or Essay

Templates for Narration

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for Narration

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Student Model Essay

Final Writing Assignment

 

20. Writing a Report

A Model Paragraph: A Report

Writing Assignment for a Report

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Report

Templates for a Report

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for a Report

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Student Model Report

Final Writing Assignment

 

21. Describing a Process

A Model Paragraph: Process Analysis

Writing Assignment for Describing a Process

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Paragraph

Templates for Process Analysis

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for Process Analysis

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Student Model Essay

Final Writing Assignment

 

22. Writing about Causes and Effects

A Model Paragraph: Causal Analysis

Writing Assignment for Causal Analysis

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Paragraph

Templates for Causes and Effects

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for Causes and Effects

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Student Model Paragraph

Final Writing Assignment

 

23. Classifying Information

A Model Paragraph: Classification

Writing Assignment for Classification

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Paragraph

Templates for Classification

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for Classification

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Student Model Essay

Final Writing Assignment

 

24. Writing Comparisons and Contrasts

A Model Paragraph: Comparison-Contrast

Writing Assignment for Comparison-Contrast

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Paragraph

Templates for Comparisons and Contrasts

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for Comparisons and Contrasts

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Student Model Essay

Final Writing Assignment

 

25. Defining Terms

A Model of Definition

Writing Assignment for a Definition

       Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

       Composing the Paragraph

Templates for Definitions

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for Definitions

        Further Revising and Editing

Additional Writing Assignment

A Student Model Essay

Final Writing Assignment

 

26. Summarizing and Responding

A Student Model: A Summary

Writing Assignment for a Summary

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Summary

Templates for a Summary

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for a Summary

        Further Revising and Editing

Writing Assignment for a Response, with a Student Model

        Gathering, Generating, and Arranging the Materials

        Composing the Response

Templates for a Response

        Revising Your First Draft

Revision Checklist for a Response

        Further Revising and Editing

Final Writing Assignment

 

Unit IV Blueprint for Success

 

V. EDITING FOR GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS: FINISHING THE JOB

 

27. Punctuating Sentences

The Comma [,]

        Items in a Series

        Independent Clauses

        Interrupters

        Introductory or Concluding Expressions

        Two or More Adjectives

        Dates, Places, and Addresses

The Period [.]

        Statements

        Abbreviations

The Question Mark [?]

The Exclamation Point [!]

The Semicolon [;]

        Independent Clauses

        Items in a Series

The Colon [:]

The Dash [—]

Parentheses [()]

Quotation Marks [“”]

        Titles

        Definitions

        Words Used in a Special Way

        Speech

Editing for Mastery

 

28. Checking Spelling, Apostrophes, Hyphens, and Capitals

Spelling

        The Long and Short Vowel Sounds

        Plurals of Nouns and Singulars of Verbs

        Suffixes

        Prefixes

The Apostrophe [’]

        Possessives

        Contractions

        Plurals of Letters

Hyphens [-]

        Hyphens to Join Words

        Syllables

Capitalization

Editing for Mastery

 

29. Writing the Right Word

The Most Common Sound-Alikes and Look-Alikes

        Contractions

        Too/Two/To

        The of Error

        Three Words Ending in –d

Commonly Confused Words

        Accept/Except

        Advice/Advise

        Affect/Effect

        An/And

        Breath/Breathe

        Buy/By

        Clothes/Cloths

        Conscience/Conscious

        -ence/-ent; -ance/-ant

        Fine/Find

        Know/No Knew/New

        Led/Lead

        Lie/Lay

        Lose/Loose

        Mine/Mind

        Passed/Past

        Quiet/Quite/Quit

        Rise/Raise

        Sit/Set

        Then/Than

        There is/It is

        Whether/Weather

Editing for Mastery

 

30. Keeping Verbs in Order

The Continuous Tenses

        In the Present

        In the Past

More Verb Phrases

        Two-Word Verb Phrases

        Three-Word Verb Phrases

        Four-Word Verb Phrases

Indirect Questions

Objects after Verbs

        Objects with Phrasal Verbs

        Common Phrasal Verbs

        Direct and Indirect Objects

Adverbs

        Single Adverbs

        Placing Two or More Adverbs

Past Participles and Present Participles

Double Negatives

Editing for Mastery

 

31. Mastering the Little Words: Articles and Prepositions

Articles

        A/An

        Singular Countable Nouns: A/An versus The

        The

        Plural Countable Nouns and Uncountable Nouns: Using The or Nothing

        Additional Advice about A/An and The

Prepositions

        To Indicate Time

        To Indicate Place

        For Vehicles and Chairs

        Other Prepositions

        To Repeat the Meaning of Prefixes

Editing for Mastery

 

Unit V Blueprint for Success

 

Reading Selections

Malcolm X with Alex Haley, “My Prison Studies”

Kurt Vonnegut, “How to Write with Style”

Dawn Turner Trice, “Doing Laundry Comes with a Load of Rules”

Elizabeth Wong, “The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl”

Mark Schlitt, “My Fifteen Minutes of Fame” [Student Essay]

Ehsan Ghoreishi, “Tough Pitches” [Student Essay]

Mark Twain, “Two Views of the Mississippi”

Ellen Goodman, “Divining the Strange Eating Habits of Kids”

Rita Pyrillis, “Sorry for Not Being a Stereotype”

“The Writing on the Wall,” adapted from The People’s Almanac

Robert Hughes, “Running with Walker”

Sam Lubell, “Block That Ringtone!”

Anna Quindlen, “Homeless”

Jeffrey D. Sachs, “The Power of One: the $10 Solution”

Gary Soto, “This Man”

Sonia Nazario, “The Boy Left Behind”

 

Appendix A   Preparing Portfolios

The Rationale for the Portfolio

            Section 1: The Self-Assessment Essay

            Section 2: The Revised Papers

Final Essay Progress Log

The Portfolio as a Semester-long Project

 

Appendix B   Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

Possessive Pronouns

Demonstrative Pronouns

Interrogative Pronouns

Relative Pronouns

Indefinite Pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns

 

Appendix C   Common Irregular Verbs

 

Appendix D   Commonly Misspelled Words

 

Appendix E    Common Expressions Using Prepositions

 

Answers to Chapter Exercises

 

Glossary

 

Credits

 

Index

 

    Writing with Confidence, a value-priced developmental writing work text, provides essential instruction and practice in basic writing skills at the sentence and paragraph level.

     

    The first developmental text to incorporate high-interest, connected discourse subject matter in its exercises, Writing with Confidence retains and expands on this feature. Most chapters pursue a theme throughout the exercises–the dreams and premonitions surrounding the death of Abraham Lincoln; animal facts and oddities; the gustatory achievements of Diamond Jim Brady, the world's greatest eater; the voyage of the Kon-Tiki; and so on.

     

    The text's six-unit structure includes 3 short chapters on the writing process, paragraph organization and development, the shape of the essay, all the rhetorical modes, and all the sentence skills.

     

    The writing chapters are fully process-oriented, showing the development of a paragraph in six steps, from planning and outlining through drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. Optional collaborative activities are provided in the margins of each chapter. This focus on writing is balanced with equal attention to sentence skills, not only for native speakers of English who need help, but for non-English-dominant speakers as well. ESL boxes provide help for students whose first language is not English, as do the two final chapters of the book, which address troublesome matters such as verb phrases, word order, articles, and prepositions.

     

    The reading-writing connection throughout the book has been expanded, with sixteen additional readings in the last unit of the book, including several written by students. And the popular "Blueprints for Writing" found in the rhetorical chapters have been carried into unit-ending "Blueprints for Success," in which the most important concepts and practices are summarized in graphs and charts.
  • 0321273478Writing with Confidence, 8/E
    Meyers
    © 2006 | Longman | Paper; 496 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0321273478 | ISBN-13: 9780321273475
    Brief Description

    • Writing with Confidence , a value-priced developmental writing worktext, provides essential instruction and practice in basic writing skills at the sentence and paragraph level.

    The first developmental text to incorporate high-interest, connected discourse subject matter in its exercises, Writing with Confidence retains and expands on this feature. Most chapters pursue a theme throughout the exercises—the dreams and premonitions surrounding the death of Abraham Lincoln; animal facts and oddities; the gustatory achievements of Diamond Jim Brady, the world's greatest eater; the voyage of the Kon-Tiki; and so on.

    The text's six-unit structure includes 30 short chapters on the writing process, paragraph organization and development, the shape of the essay, all the rhetorical modes, and all the sentence skills.

    The writing chapters are fully process-oriented, showing the development of a paragraph in six steps, from planning and outlining through drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. Optional collaborative activities are provided in the margins of each chapter. This focus on writing is balanced with equal attention to sentence skills, not only for native speakers of English who need help, but for non-English-dominant speakers as well. ESL boxes provide help for students whose first language is not English, as do the two final chapters of the book, which address troublesome matters such as verb phrases, word order, articles, and prepositions.

    The reading-writing connection throughout the book has been expanded, with sixteen additional readings in the last unit of the book, including several written by students. And the popular "Blueprints for Writing" found in the rhetorical chapters have been carried into unit-ending "Blueprints for Success," in which the most important concepts and practices are summarized in graphs and charts.

  • 0321089154Writing with Confidence: Writing Effective Sentences and Paragraphs, 7/E
    Meyers
    © 2003 | Longman | Paper; 480 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0321089154 | ISBN-13: 9780321089151
    Brief Description

For Developmental Writing - Sentence & Paragraph


  • Eighty Practices
    Hairston
    © 1991 | Longman | Cloth | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0673534227 | ISBN-13: 9780673534224


Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, contact your Pearson Higher Education representative for pricing and ordering information.

This title is a member of the Meyers Developmental Writing, which also contains the titles below . You can also visit the Meyers Developmental Writing page.

    Writing with Confidence, a sentence-and-paragraph level worktext, incorporates high-interest themes in its exercises and discourse while fully developing the writing process and fundamental writing skills.

     

    The text's five units include chapters on the writing process, paragraph organization and development, the shape of the essay, all the rhetorical modes, and all the sentence skills.  The writing chapters are fully process-oriented, showing the development of a paragraph in six steps, from planning and outlining through drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading.   For all students, but especially for visual learners, the popular “Blueprints for Writing” in the rhetorical chapters offer models and concrete guidance, as do “Templates,” which, new this edition, help students structure sentences and transitions.  This focus on writing is balanced with equal attention to sentence skills, not only for native speakers of English who need help, but for non-English-dominant speakers as well.

     

    This edition of Writing with Confidence is available as a Vangobook. The Vangobook edition includes the author's revisions for the ninth edition without the extraneous information or boxes. Created with the philosophy of quality over quantity, Writing with Confidence VangoBook can be read in less time than a traditional text. At approximately half the cost of a traditional book, this Vangobook edition will not break a student's budget.

     

  • 0205617808Writing with Confidence: Writing Effective Sentences and Paragraphs, 9/E
    Meyers
    © 2009 | Longman | Paper; 496 pages | Estimated Availability: 07/10/2008
    ISBN-10: 0205617808 | ISBN-13: 9780205617807
    Brief Description

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, browse our available packages below, or contact your Pearson Higher Education representative to create your own package.



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