LESSON 5:

PROPERTIES OF A WELL-WRITTE
N TEXT
1 A. Organization

2 B. Coherence & Cohesion

3 C. Language use

4 D. Mechanics
ORGANIZATION
 A good composition has organization.
There should be a beginning, a middle, and an
end. The beginning introduces the topic. It
attracts the attention of the reader. The midlle is
the discussion of the topic. It expounds the main
idea. The end clinches or summarizes the topic.
This is an example of an introductory paragraph. It is an excerpt from Fr. Armand D. Robleza, SBD’
s (2012) Christmas story, “Glowie: The Christmas Star”. Makati City: Don Bosco Press. Used with p
ermission:

“A long time ago, stars were free to roam the sky. They
could stay at any place they wanted to. Some would stay
close to earth and apppear bigger and brigther. Others
chose to wander farther away and would appear smaller
and dimmer. And from earth, you could see the stars move
about their amazing trails of light. Every nigt, the sky
would light up differently. They were indeed a beautiful
sight to behold!”
 An excellent example of concluding paragraph is an excerpt from Fr. Armand D.
Robleza, SBD’s (2011), “Zerah, The Goat of Christmas Night”, Makati City: Don Bosco
Press. Used with permission:

There was only one little friend who stayed:

the ugly, dirty, smelly, little goat. He had no
other place to stay but near the baby.
An example of the middle part of a composition is an excerpt from Diana R. Agbayani’s “Bamboo in
the Wind, Gold in the Fire” from “Voices, Voyages, and Visions: Works in Creative Non-Fiction. Willi
am J. Professorial Chair 2000

The word “crisis” in Mandarin has two characters – one character stands for
danger. Another character stands for opportunity. Thus, we must look upon our
basic obstacles or problems as opportunities to trust God to grow in our faith.
As Christians, we go through a purifying process. From what we were before,
we go through a process of becoming conformed to the character of our Lord
Savior Jesus Christ. But between “what we were” and “what we will become” is
“what we are” right now. And God uses trials to bring “what we are” to “what we
will become.”
 Three things illustrate the process we go through bamboo in the wind, gold in
the fire, and clay in the potter’s hand.

The bamboo bends with the wind. It does not resist the raging wind, strong rains, and turbulent
storms. As it bends, it is not destroyed but grows and thrives instead. Like the bamboo, we ought
not to resist God’s workings in our lives but bend with his plan for us. Then, like the bamboo, we
can become resilient individuals, growing stronger in the face of turbulent tests.

God is purified by fire. As the gold is burned by red embers and scorched by fierce heat, the dross
is consume and only pure gold remains. Like gold in the fire, God sends us fiery trials to sweep
through our whole beings, purifying us from old habits and desires, consuming our hearts so that
we may come out with a purer faith.

The clay in potter’s hand never asks the potter what vessel it wants to be made into. Rather it rests
on the potter’s hand and allows the master potter to fashion as he wishes. Like the clay in the
potter’s hand, we must allow him to fashion us into His vessels fit for His use.
Coherence and
Cohesion
 The parts of the discourse or essay should
stick together or cohere. There should be logical
and clear transitions. Make use of logical and
clear transitions in writing. Transitional and
connecting words show relationships.
 The following are the sample transitional expressions:

Introductory – in particular, for example

Time – first, after, before, finally, next
Space – behind, below, here, in front of
Comparison – however, on the other hand, on the contrary
Cause and effect – therefore, because, since
Degree – first, most important, mainly

Edit your work for clarity, unity, and coherence.

 Notice the differences in the original and the revised paragraph.

Orginal Paragraph

People made different sorts of clothing in colonial America. There was also a variety of furniture.
Women planted flax, harvested the crop, and wove the flax into linen. Women are also wore woolen
cloth from sheep. They colored the fabrics with dyes made from barks, berries, roots, or wallnut
hulls. The colonies often made shoes or leggings from leather made from deerskin or cows.

Revised Paragraph

Making clothing was a normal and necessary process in colonial households. For instance, women
planted fla, harvested the crop, and wove it into linen cloth. They also wove woolen cloth from yarn
spun from the fleece of sheep. For the coloring fabrics, they used dyes made form barks, berries,
roots, or walnut hulls. Colonial men tanned cowhide and deerskin for leather for shoes and
leggings.
Language Use
 The English language can be classified into
formal English and informal English. Both formal
and informal English should be grammatically
correct. However, they differ in vocabulary, tone,
mechanics, and organization.
The tone of formal English is academic. Words, sentences, and paragraphs are no
longer and more complex. Sometimes unfamiliar words are used. It does not use
contractions. Formal English is used in business correspondence, documents, formal
speeches, memoranda, and researches.

The tone of informal English is friendly, more personal, and conversational. Words,
sentences, and paragraphs are shorter and simpler. Contractions can be used.
Informal English is used in daily conversations, personal letters, newspapers, and
magazines.
Text 1: Uses of Language

By Natasha J. Servo (University of the Philippines Manila student)

As edited by Diana R. Agbayani

Language is the human ability to acquire and use complex systems of

communication. In analyzing the uses of language in Philosophy, there are five
categories: the informative, evocative, expressive, and the performative.

When a sentence expresses something that is either true or false, it is

an informative use of language.

Evocatively used language serves to bring about a response.

Examples are commands and questions, like, “Close the door”, “Would you
mind closing
the door?”
 The expressive use of language is best characterized by its lack of other
directedness. It can be used to express one’s joy, sadness, or pain.

The evaluative use of language is to express ethical, aesthetic, or

technical judgments. Ethical language is right or wrong, duties and obligations,
rights and responsibilities.

Aesthetic language is about beauty and ugliness, the pleasing and the
displeasing.

Technical language is about what is useful and uselss, efficient and efficient,
and functional and dysfunctional.
 A performative expression is one used to accomplish some social act, not
to evaluate or react on it. An example is saying “I do” when asked “Do you take...’ in a
wedding ceremony.
Text 2: Example of Informal English

Excerpt from Diana R. Agbayani’s “Goodnight, Rene”

I read about my brother’s co passengers on Flight 387: the lawyer of the Sumilao
farmers, award-winning cyclists, be medalled pilots, newly weds who honeymooned
in Camiguin, a Jesuit priest, Muslim from Mecca, breadwinners, children and a woman
pregnant with her first child... Their lives and dreams were crushed and scattered,
strewn on the ground. The be-madalled pilots were unable to do anything to keep the
DC-9 from slamming into the 6 82-0 foot Mt.Sumagaya.
Mechanics
 Mechanics refer to conventions regarding
capitalization, abbreviation, use of italics, and the
writing of numbers. Mechanics add to the clarity
of writing.
 1. CAPITALS

a. Capitalize the first word of every sentence and of every

quoted sentence.

Jesus wept.
The professor said, “Sit down.”

b. Capitalize the first word of every line poetry.

 A Journey in Punctuation
By Diana R. Agbayani
Yesterday, life was full of question marks
Smashed hopes, uncharted courses
Reversals in life.
Today, is a comma
A moment of waiting
For the unfolding of life’s purposes.
Today, too are elipses
Hidden from view
Those slow, painful steps
Of becoming, of growing
Tomorrow will be a period
When becoming becomes being
A final work, God’s very own
Masterpiece.
 1. CAPITALS
c. Capitalize the first word of the salutation and the
complimentary close of a letter:

Dear Dr. Lee:

Dear President Aquino:
Very truly yours,
Respectfully yours

d. Capitalize titles prefixed to names of persons.

Professor Benjamin A. Gonzales

 1. CAPITALS
e. Capitalize the pronoun I and the exclamation O but not “oh”
f. Capitalize important word in the title of a book, journal, magazine,
literary work, and songs.

Novel – Animal Farm

Play – The Merchant of Venice
Short Story – The Necklace
Textbook – A First Look at Communication

g. Capitalize all proper nouns.

The word God, all its synonyms and the pronouns referring to God:
Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit Heavenly Father
 1. CAPITALS
h. Names of persons and titles for specific persons: William
Shakespeare, Secretary Leila De Lima, Chief Justice
Sereno, Manny Pacquiao.

i. Names of countries, state, regions, and other geographic

areas: Israel, South Carolina, Pangasinan

j. Names of street: Matahimik Street, Mindanao Avenue,

Osmeña Highway

k. Names of religions and religious groups: Evangelicals,

Catholics
 1. CAPITALS

l. Names used to refer to the Bible and other sacred writings:

Bible, the Scriptures

m. Names of days of the week, moths, festivals: Tuesday,

June, Christmal

n. Names of schools, colleges, and universities: Cubao

Elementary School, University of the Philippines

o. Names of races, organizations, and members of each:

 1. CAPITALS

p. Names of historical events, eras, and holidays: EDSA

Revolution, the Renaissance, Good Friday

q. Trade names: KFC, Dove

 2. ABBREVIATIONS

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words and phrases. Avoid

using abbreviations unless necessary.

a. In formal writing, use only acceptable abbreviations:

1. Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr., Prof., Rev. when used before proper
names
2. Abbreviations of degrees and honorary titles (A.B., M.A.,
Ph.D., LL.B.) when they appear after proper names.
3. The abbreviations Php for peso, $ for dollars; no. for
number, A.D. for Anno Domini, and B.C for Before Christ
when they are used with numerals.
 2. ABBREVIATIONS
b. Put a period after abbreviations:

Examples:
Addresses: Apt., St.,
Calendar divisions: Jan., Feb., Mon., Tues.,
Geographic Names: N. Z.
Money: Php, $
Names and Titles: Amb.
School subjects: Orcom, Philarts
 3. NUMBERS
a. Use figures to represent numbers in writing debates, time,
hours, room numbers, telephone numbers, volume, chapter,
page nu,bers, street numbers

Examples:
She lives at 16 Imperial Street.
Classes this semester will end on October 24, 1016.
Our class meets at Room 304
Call her at 523-1628.
My plane is due at 1:00 p.m.
The reference to the Battle of Manila Bay is in Zafra’s
History of the Philippines, Vol. I, Chap. 5, pp. 300-320.
 3. NUMBERS
b. Use words for numbers from one to ninety-nine:
Examples:
There were twelve apostles.
My grandmother lived up to 104 years.
c. Use figures to represent numbers in writing measurements,
time, percentages, money, chapter, and page numbers.
Examples:
Print your essays using 8 ½-by-11 inch bondpaper.
Submit it by 4:00 p.m. tomorrow at the Deparment of
English. This will be 20% of your grade for English 11.
Read John chapter 3 on page 1161.
The grant is Php 100 000.00
 3. NUMBERS

d. Use words to represent a nu,ber when it begins a sentence.

Example:
Seven out of 12 members were presnt at the meeting.

e. Use words to represent fractions standing alone.

Example:
Roxanne has to walk one-half kilometer to church.
 3. NUMBERS
f. Use figure and letter combinations when you are expressing
ordinal numbers, numbering items in a list, or expressing
numbered streets from 10th and up.
Examples:
The delegates arrived on July 31st this semester.
Beth lives at 7 10th Street.
Your May 28 order has been delivered.

g. Use Roman numerals for volume and chapter numbers for

the main divisions of outlines.
Volume I
Chapter II
Introduction
 4. ITALICS

a. Use italics to indicate titles of books, long poems, plays, motion

pictures, works of art, magazines, and newspapers.
Examples:
Make a book review of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.”
I love Shakespeare’s play, “Merchant of Venice.”
Let’s watch the movie, “Lucy.”
Discuss your interpretation of the paiting, “Mona Lisa.”
The library subscribe to “The Star.”
 4. ITALICS
b. Use italics to indicate foreign words and phrases that are not yet in
the English language.
Example:
I write best after strum und drang season.

c. Use italics to write scientific names.

Example:
Cocos nucifera (coconut)

d. Use italics of indicated letters, numbers, and words spoken of as

such.
Example:
Cross your t’s and dot your i’s.
 4. ITALICS

Use italics to indicate emphasis on a word.

Now is the day of salvation!

Use italics to indicate names of ships, trains, and

airplanes.
I visited M. V Doulos

Use italics in writing the names of legal cases.

People vs. Luci Fer Tan
Thank you