MECHANICS OF WRITING

DEFINITION
The application of standard rules of grammar, spelling, punctuation and usage to the act of writing, as
distinct from skills of expression.
WHAT ARE THE MECHANICS OF WRITING?
Higher, Lower Order Concerns
This handout discusses the common Higher Order Concerns (HOCs) and Lower Order Concerns (LOCs) in writing.
Sentence Clarity
If you're having sentence clarity problems in your papers, this handout might be just what you need.
Parts of Speech Overview
This handout defines the basic parts of speech and provides examples of their uses in sentences. Links to more handouts and
exercises on particular parts of speech are also provided. If you are learning English as a Second Language (ESL), you may also
want to browse through a complete listing of our ESL resources.
Sentence Clarity Presentation
This presentation is designed to teach your students about common sentence clarity problems, including misplaced modifiers,
dangling modifiers, and passive voice, as well as strategies for combining sentences together. The twenty-nine slides presented
here are designed to aid the facilitator in an interactive presentation of methods for improving sentence structure. This presentation
is ideal within a composition course or within any course as a refresher to common sentence problems.
Sentence Fragments
This handout provides an overview and examples of sentence fragments.
Transitions and Transitional Devices
A discussion of transition strategies and specific transitional devices.
Dangling Modifiers
This resource explains what a dangling modifier is and how to correct the problem.
Parallel Structure
This handout describes and provides examples of parallel structure (similar patterns of words).
Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (idioms)
Provides an overview and lists of phrasal/two part verbs.
Capital Letters
This resource details standard capitalization rules.
Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives
This handout provides a detailed overview (including descriptions and examples) of gerunds, participles, and infinitives.
Parts of Speech
Knowing the parts of speech, using them correctly, and understanding how they relate to one another is an important early step in creating strong
Subject-Verb Agreement
The question of subject-verb agreement highlights a writers need to make sentences clear and understandable. Having plural subjects with singular
verbs, or the reverse, results in nobody being quite sure who is doing what. This becomes particularly important when long phrases separate the
subject from the verb. Learning about and understanding subject-verb agreement helps writers create clear sentences that the reader will understand.
... Read More
Capitalization
In a world of lowercase texting, learning proper capitalization takes on a whole new meaning. From learning to distinguish between capitonyms (a
turkey in Turkey, a march in March) to learning the basic rules of capitalization, students have much to gain from mastering this area of writing
mechanics. ...
Punctuation
Punctuation marks are signposts used by writers to give directions to their readers about which way a sentence is going. Using punctuation properly is
one of the most crucial elements in making the meaning of the sentence absolutely clear. Take our favorite example: Lets eat Grandma! becomes
considerably less worrisome when a single comma is added Lets eat, Grandma! ...
Homophones, Homonyms, Homographs
Some of the most interesting words in English are homophones, homonyms, and homographs. However, intrigue can quickly give way to confusion
when dealing with sound-alikes and look-alikes! Learning the distinction between identical spellings with two different pronunciations or two different
spellings with identical pronunciation is not just confusing, but potentially frustrating. Still, with the proper approach, students can be brought to
appreciate homophones, homonyms, and homographs. ..