Reading and Writing

• Properties of a Well-Written Text
• Lesson Objectives

  • Identify properties of a well-written text
  • Evaluate written text based on the identified properties
  • Write a well-written text
• Properties of a well-written text

  • Organization
  • Cohesion and Coherence
  • Language Use
  • Mechanics
• Organization


  The structural framework for writing, referring to the logical progression and completeness of ideas in a text
• Techniques to achieve organization

  1. Text structure

  2. Signal words

  3. Physical format
• Text structure

  The framework of a text's beginning, middle, and end
• Parts of a text

  • Beginning (lead or hook)
  • Middle (sequence, description, cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and solution)
  • End/Conclusion (restatement of thesis and major points, implications)
• Example of text structure

  • The great body parts of a snow leopard help it survive in the mountains. For example, a snow leopard's paws are like sandpaper and that helps them not slipping on the deadly rocks of the mountains. Amazingly, the ears help it hear an animal's footsteps from miles away from where the snow leopard is located. Did you know that a snow leopard's tail helps keep it from falling? The long tail helps it to balance. Finally, the fur on a snow leopard's body helps it stay warm in this frigid habitat. So, all those body parts of a snow leopard help it survive in the mountains.
• Signal words


  Textual cues that readers use to follow a text, signaling the transition from one point to another or the writer's chosen text type
• Example of signal words


  • First, second, third, thus, for example, in contrast, however, finally
• Physical format


  How the text physically appears, like headings, subheadings, bullet points, or font emphasis
• Example of physical format

  • Marxist ideology has three main theories. Historical materialism purports that all the features of society can be historically traced back to economic activity. Social class in capitalist societies is what produces unjust structures of power that exist today. Socialism would be the next rational step for the development of human society.
• Coherence


  The overall sense of unity in a text
• Cohesion


  The connection of ideas both at the sentence level and at the paragraph level, through grammatical and lexical relationships
• Techniques to achieve coherence and cohesion

  Using signal devices like transitions, repetitions, synonyms, pronouns, and parallel structures
• Example of coherence and cohesion


  • I am a Teacher. A Teacher works in the school. A school is a place where students go. The students are the learners who want to learn. Learn is a verb.
• Categories of transition words

  • Causation
  • Time sequence
  • Contrast
  • Comparison
  • Example
  • Location
  • Importance
  • Intensification
  • Concession
  • Purpose
  • Summary
  • Conclusion
• Transitions


  Words that connect one idea to another, making the writer's ideas flow smoothly
• Repetitions


  Repeating a word, phrase, or full sentence to highlight its importance in the text
• Examples of repetitions

  • The president said, "Work, work, and work," are the keys to success.

  If you think you can make it, you can make it.
• Transition Words


  • primarily
  • of less importance
  • foundationally
  • critically
  • chiefly
  • most importantly
  • in fact
  • without doubt
  • undoubtedly
  • surely
  • to repeat
  • of course
  • indeed
  • no
  • yes
• Transition Word Categories

  • concession
  • purpose
  • summary
  • conclusion
• Concession Transition Words

  • granted, it is true
  • naturally
  • to be sure
  • of course
• Purpose Transition Words

  • to this end
  • so that
  • in order that
  • for this purpose
• Summary Transition Words

  • to sum up
  • to summarize
  • in summary
  • in short
  • in sum
  • in brief
• Conclusion Transition Words

  • to conclude
  • in the end
  • in conclusion
  • lastly
  • finally
  • thus
  • therefore
• Repetitions


  Include a word, a phrase, or a full sentence repeated to highlight its importance in the entire text. The repetition of the main ideas keeps continuity and helps the readers remain focused and headed in the right direction.
• Repetitions Examples


  • The president said, "Work, work, and work," are the keys to success.
  • If you think you can make it, you can make it.
  • Most students are intimated by the works of William Shakespeare. They believe Shakespeare's sonnets and plays are far too complicated to read and understand.
• Synonyms


  Words similar in meaning to important words or phrases. This technique is used if direct repetition is too obvious. The readers remain focused and headed in the right direction.
• Synonyms Example


  • Ooh nice new phone- was it expensive? It is quite pricey but not as dear as my last phone.
• Pronouns


  Used to connect sentences by referring to preceding nouns and pronouns. They can also help create paragraphs readable by removing wordiness and unnecessary repetition.
• Pronouns Examples

  • Rodrigo R. Duterte is the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines. Moreover, he also served as Davao City's Mayor for a long period of time. He is also known by many as a strong leader.
  • Mrs. Gomez approved to have a meeting with the workers' union before she signed the contract. She was willing to hear their concerns about the newly proposed amendments in the company.
• Parallel Structure


  The use of matching words, phrases, clauses, or sentence structures to express similar ideas. It allows the reader to understand the connections between ideas and to flow smoothly from one idea, sentence, or paragraph to the next.
• Parallel Structure Examples

  • In the conference hall, the students attended a lecture where the speaker demonstrated how to properly wear a PPE. They also attended a lecture where their school nurse explained how to keep one's health protected from COVID-19.
  • Kyle likes taking pictures, playing tennis, and to eat cakes. Kyle likes taking pictures, playing tennis, and eating cakes.
• Language Use


  The appropriateness of word/vocabulary usage. Proper language use enables you, the writer, to capture the message that you want to give to your readers. Language use is one of the strongest indicators of a well-written text because it leads writers to effectively communicate ideas without confusing the reader.
• Characteristics of Effective Language

  • Concrete and specific, not vague and abstract
  • Concise, not verbose
  • Familiar, not obscure
  • Precise, not ambiguous
  • Constructive, not destructive
  • Appropriately formal
• Concrete and Specific Language Examples

  • Abstract: To excel in college, you'll have to work hard.

  General: The student enjoyed the class.

  Concrete: To excel in college, you'll need to attend every class; do all your reading before you go; write several drafts of each paper; and review your notes for each class weekly.

  Specific: Rhea enjoyed Mr. Gallardo's 8:00 a.m. EAPP class.
• Concise Language Examples

  • Verbose/Wordy: Leah believed but could not verify that James had feelings of affection for her. My professor demonstrated some of the ways and methods for cutting words from my essay that I had written for the class. Ludwig's castles are an astounding marriage of beauty and madness. By his death, he had commissioned three castles.

  Concise: Leah assumed that James adored her. My professor demonstrated methods for cutting words from my essay. Ludwig's three castles are an astounding marriage of beauty and madness.
• Familiar Language Examples

  • Unfamiliar: After our perusal of pertinent data, the conclusion is that a lucrative market exists for the subject property.

  Familiar: The data we studied show that your property is profitable and in high demand.
• Precise Language Examples

  • Imprecise: Entrepreneurs use professional writing skills to communicate with others. Research is taught early in the academic world.

  Precise: Entrepreneurs use professional writing skills to communicate effectively with clients and business partners. Research is taught to first-year university students.