English Writing 2

Week One

Instructor ：赵宏明； Email ： hmzhao2023@163.com

Self-introduction

• Hi, I’m Zhao Hongming, the instructor of this course.

• I was an English major at Shenzhen University (2011-2015). I completed

my Ph.D. in applied linguistics at Guangdong University of Foreign
Studies (2015-2021). After graduating, I worked as a post-doctoral fellow
at Zhejiang University for one year. Now I return to work at SZU.

• I enjoy reading, jogging, and swimming in my spare time. These hobbies

help me to stay physically and mentally active, and reduce stress as well.

• E-email: hmzhao2023@163.com.
 1 About the course
Contents
2
A quick review of
English writing 1
 About this
course

• Do you enjoy writing in English?/What does writing mean to you?

• English writing is challenging. Why so?

• How do we define English writing competence?

• A comprehensive/complex skill

• The ability to effectively communicate thoughts and ideas in written form/English.

• How to become a good English writer?

• Read widely;

• Think critically; The rationale of this course

• Practice regularly;

• Be open to feedback
 About this
course

• Sample reading materials + Analysis

• In-class writing exercises

• Group works/Peer review

• Assignments
• The syllabus (.doc)
 1 About the course
Contents
2
A quick review of
English Writing 1
A review of English Writing
1
• Some key terms

• Cohesion
• Coherence
• Sentence types
• Periodic, loose, and balanced sentence

• Narrative writing
• Descriptive writing
A review of English Writing
1

 Cohesion is commonly defined as the grammatical and lexical

connections that tie a text together, contributing to its meaning.

 Coherence refers to the quality of forming a unified consistent

whole. We can describe a text as being coherent if it is
semantically meaningful, that is if the ideas flow logically to
produce an understandable entity.
A review of English Writing
1

 Cohesion: The connectivity in a text

 Coherence: The text makes sense

A review of English Writing
1

 Lexical cohesion
 “Birds are beautiful. I like birds.” (Repetition)

 Paul saw a snake under the mattress. The serpent was probably hiding there for a long time.
(Synonym)

 “Old movies are boring, the new ones are much better.” (Antonymy)

 I saw a cat. The animal was very hungry and looked ill.” (Hyponymy)

 More workers are needed. We need more hands to finish the work. (Meronymy)
A review of English Writing
1

 Grammatical Cohesion
 Jane was brilliant. She got the best score.

 Here he comes our hero. Please, welcome John.

 Liz had some chocolate bars, and Nancy an ice cream.

 A: Which T-shirt would you like?

 B: I would like the pink one.

 I was brought up to be responsible. Similarly, I will try to teach my kids how to take responsibility
for their actions.
A review of English Writing
1

Example paragraph that lacks cohesion

Healthy eating is important. Fruits and vegetables are good. Processed food is
bad. You should be aware of portion size. Too much sugar is bad. Eating right is the
key.

After revision:

Healthy eating is one important way to stay healthy. Specifically, Eating a

balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and proteins is important for
maintaining good health. Additionally, paying attention to portion size, avoiding
sugary snacks, and limiting processed foods can have a positive impact on overall
health. Balanced nutrition and a mindful approach to eating are key to maintaining
good health.
A review of English Writing
1

 Cohesive But Not Coherent Texts

 “The player threw the ball toward the goalkeeper. Balls are used in many sports. Most
balls are spheres, but American football is an ellipsoid. Fortunately, the goalkeeper
jumped to catch the ball. The crossbar in the soccer game is made of iron. The
goalkeeper was standing there.“

 All sentences in the paragraph should have a single focus.

 The topic sentence guides the development of sentences in the paragraph
 The sentences in the paragraph should be relevant to and support the topic

sentence .
A review of English Writing
1
A review of English Writing
1
• Some key terms

• Cohesion
• Coherence
• Sentence types
• Periodic, loose, and balanced sentence
A review of English Writing
1

 A periodic sentence
 A periodic sentence is a sentence that has been deliberately structured to
place the main point at the end. Therefore, a periodic sentence will have its
main clause or predicate at the last part.

 Examples
 Despite the blinding snow, the freezing temperatures, and the heightened
threat of attack from polar bears, the team continued.

 When I was shopping in the town yesterday, I saw Mike!

A review of English Writing
1

 A loose sentence
 A loose sentence, also called a cumulative sentence, begins with a main
clause that is followed by phrases and/or clauses that modify the main
clause. These phrases or clauses add information to the main or
independent clause.
 Examples
 “I did not receive a very high score, although the course was not
difficult. ”
 “I felt very tired when I woke up this morning."
A review of English Writing
1

Periodic or Loose?
A review of English Writing
1

 Periodic sentences have the effect of making readers pause

and think, as the main idea is presented at the end. This
can create a sense of suspense and can help emphasize the
importance of the main idea.
 Loose sentences can create a faster pace in a text, as the
main idea is presented at the beginning. This can be used
to create a sense of flow in a text.
A review of English Writing
1
A review of English Writing
1

 Balanced sentences have a rhetorical effect of drawing

readers’ attention to the ideas communicated.
 By creating an equal emphasis on each part of the
sentence, the reader is more likely to pick up the key point
that is being expressed.
 Furthermore, balanced sentences often provide a smoother
read as they create a sense of rhythm which can hold the
readers’ attention.
A review of English Writing
1
• Some key terms

• Cohesion
• Coherence
• Sentence types
• Periodic, loose, and balanced sentence

• Narrative writing
• Descriptive writing
A review of English Writing
1

Narrative writing
Narrative writing is a form of writing that uses a story
structure as its primary structure, composed of a
series of narratives leading to a conclusion and
intended to have a meaningful connection between a
set of related events. The most common types include
novels, poems, essays, and plays, all of which attempt
to express a story in an engaging way.
A review of English Writing
1

Descriptive Writing
Descriptive writing is a form of writing that uses vivid language to
describe a person, place, or thing in such detail that the reader can
visualize and understand it. It typically focuses on a single object,
experience, or event in great detail, providing an accurate
representation of what it looks, smells, tastes, feels, and sounds
like. Different literary devices such as imagery, similes, and
metaphors are often used in order to bring the description to life
and create an immersive experience for the reader.
Next week

Basics of Essay Writing1