Writing Expository composition

2. Writing Expository composition

Is a report that shares your knowledge or ideas about a topic with a reader. Expository composition must have several paragraphs. Some expository compositions describe a situation, while others explain a sequence of events. A good expository composition is clearly written and easy to understand. One way to show how your ideas connect to each other is to use transitional words. These words are especially useful when starting a new paragraph.  For examples:

        i.            To add another example or to add emphasis: also, besides, furthermore, in addition, moreover, again, etc.

2. To show how one event is related to another: accordingly, as a result, consequently, hence, otherwise, so then, therefore, thus, thereupon.
3. To summarize: after all, all in all, all things considered, briefly, by and large, in any case, in any events, in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the final analysis, in the long run, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, finally.
4.  To compare and contrast. Conversely, instead, likewise, on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, rather, similarly, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast, by the same token.
5.  To show a sequence of events: at first, first of all, to begin with, in the first place, at the same time, for now, for the time being, the next step, in time, in turn, later on, meanwhile, next, then, soon, the meantime, later, while, earlier, simultaneously, afterward, in conclusion.

1.   Before you write an expository composition

a)    Find the topic you want to write about. What events do you think are important? Spend a few minutes “free writing” about the sequence of event.  Do not worry about spelling, neatness or punctuation.

How do you “free write”? Just take a pen and a notebook and write whatever comes to your mind about your topic. Keep writing for five minutes without stopping. The aim of writing is to get your ideas flowing.

b) Now read what you have written. You might want to circle the sentences or phrases that you think are most important. Organize your ideas into an outline.

c) Using a two – column graphic organizer, write down your main ideas, supporting details, and your concluding thought. Remember to include a transitional word in each paragraph.

2.   Writing

Once you have made an outline for your expository composition, it’s time to write a first draft. Use your outline to write one paragraph at a time. Each paragraph should contain a main idea, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.

Think about how your paragraphs link together. Use transitional words to show the connections between your paragraphs. Do not worry about any spelling or grammar mistakes.

3.   editing

Read the first draft of your expository composition. You might even read aloud to a friend or teacher. While reading conceder:

a)    Does your 1^st paragraph introduce your reader to the main idea? Is your main idea clear?

b)      Do the next paragraphs show a sequence of event? Do they help the reader understand your main idea more fully than if they just read the first paragraph?

c)    Does your last paragraph summarize the main idea and supporting details? Do they leave the reader with clear idea of your message?

d)    Have you used transitional words in your composition? Do they help to make your composition flow?

e)    Give your composition a title. Your title should tell the reader what the composition is mainly about.

f)     Re writes your composition so that it fulfills all of these goals.

4.   Final draft

Now copy a final version of your expository composition in your best handwriting or print it from a computer. Read your final draft twice. The 1^st time check your composition reads the way you want it to and the 2^nd time, check that there are no spelling or punctuation errors.

Expository composition

I was driving on a two-lane road winding through the Chester Country, Pennsylvania, countryside with houses on either side or an unbroken yellow line in the middle of the road. That yellow line meant to me, “Do not pass.” I was behind a red Dodge pickup truck that was moving at exactly the speed limit of 25 miles an hour. I thought the driver could have driven a little faster. After all, the police do not pick you up unless you are going more than 10 miles over the speed limit, and the road, as far as I could see, was straight and clear.

However, the driver ahead of me steadfastly maintained his speed at 25 miles an hour. I relaxed and decided to follow at a safe distance.

            “Oh, oh,” I said to myself as I looked in the rear view mirror. Another pickup truck was barreling up the road behind me and slowed only when he was inches from my bumper. Impatiently, the driver of the truck behind me kept moving his vehicle out into middle of the road, looking beyond my car. What could I do? The truck in front of me continued to drive at exactly the speed limit 25 miles per hour. I could feel the frustration and anger of the driver behind me

Suddenly, ignoring the yellow line, the driver of the truck behind me pulled out and began to pass. At exactly that moment, the driver of the truck in front of me put on his left – turn signal and started to turn into a driveway of the house on the left. You guessed it! The truck from behind me plowed broadside into the truck ahead of me as he pulled into the driveway. Luckily, nobody was hurt, but this incident illustrates the types of driving habits that cause accidents.

4. Argumentative composition

Is a type of writing aimed at convincing, motivating, arguing, or persuading readers to accept, changing, or take action on something. Example, an essay can be written to persuade, to join a certain political party, or to vote for a certain candidate.

Things to conceder when writing a persuasive composition

1. Varied opinions about the topic. You must argue for a point and try to convince readers to support your opinion. Example, “It would be pointless to argue that the sun rises in the west and set in the east, because almost everyone wouldn’t agree with you. However, you might argue on…

     ii.            Audience receptiveness. Take into consideration your audience and their opinions, as well as their age, level of education, sex, problem the accounted when choosing a topic. Example, one can write about HIV/AIDs, importance of education, the problem of pregnancy in primary school.

    iii.            Sufficiency evidence. Provide sufficient evidence to support your arguments. Use inductive and deductive reasoning.

a)       Inductive reasoning. It is reasoning from specific aspects to general aspects. Example, Nadhra is a form four students, she is thief. Khanat is a form four student, she is thief. Kiboko is a form four student, he is thief. Therefore, form four students are thieves.

b) Deductive reasoning. Is reasoning from general facts to specific facts. Form four students are thieves. Aisha is a form four student. Therefore, Aisha is a thief.

4. Organize your arguments.

Organize your argument by; Introducing the issue, State the opinion clearly and directly, Support the position with evidence, Draw conclusion by summarizing the main ideas and Structure of argumentative essay.

a)  introduction.

In introduction give background or an illustrative example to show the significance of the subject.

b. Refutation (refusing)

State the refutation of the opposing views to make your readers aware that you have conceded, but rejected it (them) with good reasons.

c. Presentation of your arguments.

Throughout the body of your essay you should build your case one point at a time, perhaps developing one paragraph to the defense of each of your premises.

d. conclusion

After all your evidence has been presented, put your whole argument together in the last paragraph by showing how the evidence you have presented provides sufficient ground for accepting your conclusion.

Example of argumentative essay:

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATING GIRLS

Unlike a decade ago, people`s altitude towards girls` education has changed nowadays. While people used to view girls` education as something that could spoil their behaviour, nowadays many parents and guardians are struggling to educate their child – girls. This is because they now the benefits of educating girls.

Awareness towards the importance of girls` education differs from rural to urban areas. In the urban areas, people are more aware than in rural areas. Also the urban areas are more aware…

CREATIVE writing

Observe the following pictures, what do you see? What comes in your mind? Study the pictures above and write a short story on one of the animals by answering the questions given:

Start: Once upon a time …

v  How did giraffe get its long neck?

v  How did the elephant get its trunk?

v  The exercise you have been doing is called “CREATIVE WRITING”

What is creative writing?

Creative writing is a type a writing which expresses the writer's thoughts and feelings in an imaginative, often unique and sometimes in a poetic way.

Writing short stories

One of the things in creative writing which you will often do is writing short stories.

   

 What is a short story?

A short story is a very brief creative fiction, with the following characteristics:

v  It starts fast.

v  Generally has a limited number (very few) of characters and scenes.

v  The conclusion is made as quickly as possible.

v  Frequently deals with only one problem.

v  Usually covers just a short time period.

v  Usually has one theme.

Tips  which will help you write a good short story:

1. Get started:

a)       Make lists. Sketch out the characters, plot, emotional tone, events, and so forth.

b)      Try clustering. Choose a word that is your main subject; write it in the middle of the circle.

            Then draw arrows which have associations with your main idea in the circle.

c)       Keep a notebook. A place to begin conversation, expressive phrases, images, ideas, and interpretations on the world around you.

d)      Write on a regular, daily basis. Sit down and compose sentences for a couple of hours every day — even if you don’t feel like it.

1.      Write a attractive/ Catchy First Paragraph.

The first sentence of your story should catch your reader’s attention with the unusual, the unexpected, an action, or a conflict. For example;

v  I heard my neigbour through the well (wrong)

v  The neibour behind us shouts in his room almost every day. (correct)

The second sentence catches the reader`s attention. Who is this guy who shouts everyday? Why does he do that? What, exactly happens there.

3. Developing Characters

Consider more about character`s details for example name, age, job, appearance, residence, friends, etc.

The most important things;

1. Appearance. Give your readers a visual understanding of the character.
2. Action. Show your readers what kind of person your character is, by describing actions rather than simply listening adjectives.
3. Speech. Develop the character as a person.
4. Thought. Bring the readers  into your character`s mind

4. Choose a Point of View

Point of view is the narration of the story from the perspective of first, second, or third person. As a writer, you need to determine who is going to tell the story and how much information is available for the narrator to reveal in the short story. The narrator can be directly involved in the action subjectively, or the narrator might only report the action objectively.

a)    First Person

The story is told from the view of “I.” The narrator is either the protagonist (main character) and directly affected by events.

Or the narrator is a secondary character telling the story revolving around the protagonist. This is a good choice for beginning writers because it is the easiest to write. Example;

 I saw a tear roll down his cheek. I had never seen my father cry before.

b)   Second Person

The story is told directly to “you”, with the reader as a participant in the action. Example;

 You laughed loudly at the meeting. You clapped your hands with joy.

c)       Third Person.

The story tells what “he”, “she,” or “it” does. Example;

He ran to the big yellow loader sitting on the other side of the gravel pit shack.

5. Write Meaningful Dialogue

Make your readers hear the pauses between the sentences. Let them see characters lean forward, move around, open their eyes, cross their legs etc. Dialogue is what your characters say to each other (or to themselves).

Plot. A plot means the arrangement of actions, conflicts, and crises in a story. 

6. Create Conflict and Tension

Conflict is the fundamental element in creative writing, because It produces tension that makes the story begin. Tension is created by opposition between the character or characters and internal or external forces or conditions. 

Possible Conflicts Include:

a)       The protagonist against another individual

b)      The protagonist against nature (or technology)

c)       The protagonist against society

d)      The protagonist against God

e)       The protagonist against himself or herself.

7. Build to a Crisis or Climax

This is the turning point of the story. If the crisis occurs too early, readers will expect still another turning point. The crisis “must always be presented as a scene. It is “the moment” the reader has been waiting for.  A good story needs a crisis, a random event such as a car crash or a sudden illness. Conflict makes the reader care about the characters 

8. Find a Resolution

In creative writing, it is difficult to provide a complete resolution and you often need to just show that characters are beginning to change in some way or starting to see things differently.

The following are some suggestions on how to end up a short story.

        i.            Bakari`s eyes looked away from the priest and up to the mountains her mouth a gap.

      ii.            While John watched in despair, Helen loaded up the car with her belong s and drive away.

    iii.            The classes were empty now and the sun was shining once more.

    iv.            Looking up at the sky, I saw a cloud cross the golden sky above us as we stood in the morning heat of Mwanza city.

Example of creative writing

Life is empty without  my phone

            I looked around for a rope to hung myself. I eventually found it and I walked desperately towards a nearby tree which was behind our house!

            Life was no longer meaningful without my phone, my NOKIA phone! I still remembered clearly what happened that morning. My father has just bought me an expensive phone which will make me feel so proud and pompous before my friends at school.

            Despite the happiness, there was one rule that my father gave me; that I should never ever take the phone to school. He further said that if ever the phone got lost…that same morning I ignored my father`s commandment and carried with me the phone to school. “This father is now old and outdated” I said to myself. As I walked to school, I made sure that the phone was well kept in my trouser pocket.

            As I approaching the market place on my way to school, something terrible happened. Just from nowhere, two thugs attacked me. They searched all my pockets and in a minute the Nokia was gone, gone for ever! I pulled myself painfully from the ground where I was lying.

Than on lookers sympathized with me but cared a little. When I reached school, I was agonizing! I called my close friends and told them about the saga. They said that I was very stupid and careless. I left school immediately and went home feeling frustration and idiotic.

            My heart was beating fast as I climbed the tree with the rope in my shaky hand. I tied it around one of the branches and the other end, around my neck. I shut my eyes and I was now determined to commit suicide! No life without my NOKIA!

            I threw myself off the branch and hung!