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ENGLISH 11

Class 2: July 6, 2016

PART 1: WRITING
Description Writing

Parts of Speech
Part

Description

Example

Verb

Actions/states of being

He ran to the store.

Noun

Person, place, thing, abstract


idea

Sally ate the cake.

Pronoun

Replaces noun or pronoun.

She ate it.

Adjective

Modifies a noun or pronoun.

The vanilla cake was delicious.

Adverb

Modifies verb or adverb


How? When? How much?

She ate quickly and quietly, not


stopping for a moment.

Determiner

References the type of noun

A girl ate the cake.

Preposition

Linking words

She left her plates on the


counter for her mother to wash.

Conjunction Linking words (FANBOYS)

Her mother and father were not


happy.

Interjection

Oh no, Sally said, I forgot the


cake was for your party.

Conveys emotion

Phrases
Name

Description

Example

Noun Phrase
(NP)

Noun + modifiers

He is wearing a nice red


shirt.

Verb Phrase
(VP)

Verb + helping verbs

He is wearing a nice red


shirt.

Prepositional
Phrase (PP)

Preposition + object + modifiers He is dancing on the


rooftop.

Adjective
Phrase (AP)

Group of words that function as


adjective.

He is wearing a nice red


shirt.

Adverb Phrase
(AdvP)

Group of words that function as


adjective

He is dancing wildly on the


rooftop.

Putting it together tree diagrams


1. He just got a Jaguar.
2. One of those little English jobs that can do around two

hundred miles an hour.


3. It cost him damn near four thousand bucks.
4. Hes got a lot of dough, now.
5. He didnt use to.

Solving Sentence Fragment Problems


Fragment: something that looks like a sentence, but is

missing a subject or complete verb.


Missing Piece Fragment
Found it under the pile of clothes on the floor.

Dependent Clause Fragment


Because I am a poor speller.

Practice!
1. I have never eaten curry, but I decided I liked it. The first
2.

3.
4.
5.

time I tasted it.


Our family thinks my sister is too young to get married.
Since she and her boyfriend want to go to Disneyland
for their honeymoon.
I decided to take swimming lessons for two reasons:
first, fitness. Second, safety.
Learning a new language can be difficult. Because of
changes to the brain. When you are an adult.
Canadians have invented processed foods. For
example, frozen peas.

Descriptive Writing
Many applications in academic and professional contexts
Architecture
Design
Biology
Anthropology
Engineering
Health Sciences
Verbal picture of object, scene, person, event

Tips
1. Engage all senses if possible: sight, sound, smell,

touch, taste.
2. Be precise create an image. Dont use beautiful,
wonderful, terrible unless you explain further.
3. Select words with care. Never use general words

Example: Anyway, it was December


Red Book p. 6
White Book p. 4

Questions
1. Identify the senses that Salinger appeals to in the
2.
3.
4.
5.

section.
How effective is the authors use of description?
Explain.
Can you think of any reasons why the author chose to
write the section in this way? Discuss
What details in the section tell us about the protagonist,
Holden?
What details reinforce that this section is written from a
teenagers point of view?

Activity 1
With a partner, brainstorm at least ten characteristics for

any of the characters listed below.


Holden
Ackley
Stradlater

Write a paragraph about the character using your list of

characteristics (work independently).


Switch papers with your partner and discuss your
responses.
What senses did you evoke?
Was your description effective?
What could you do to make your writing even more descriptive?

Activity 2: Pre-Writing
For your digital autobiography project, you will be creating

a story related to the best/worst day of your life. This will


require (at least) two different descriptive elements:
Description of characters
Description of setting

Today, we are thinking about descriptive language related

to your characters and setting.


Create a word web for both the characters and settings in
your story. Aim for at least 20 descriptive words for each
element.

PART 2: READING
Focus: Characterization

Reading Recap
How did you experience the book?
Did you get into it?
How did you feel reading it?
Discuss the plot.
Is it engaging is the story interesting?
Is the pacing ok?
Is it predictable?
Talk about the books structure.
Is it a continuous story or interlocking stories?
Is the timeline chronological?
Are there shifts in time?
Is there a single viewpoint, or shifting viewpoints?
Why do you think the author chose to structure the book in this way?
What passage really stood out for you? Explain.

Holdens Character
Observations Holden
makes about himself

Observations that
others make about
Holden

Observations you
make about Holden

Use specific examples and


cite page numbers.

Key Concepts: Building Characters


Point of view
Diction
What is Holden rebelling against?

Homework
Read at least to Chapter 7!
Continue taking Cornell notes for the chapters
Think about/observe the elements of fiction as you read.
Plot
Setting
Character
Conflict
Symbolism
Point of View
Keep track of any questions/problems you may have.
Come up with an idea for your digital autobiography

project.

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