Apostrophes have two main functions. They are used to show a relationship where one thing belongs to another. They are also used in contractions when two words are pushed together and a letter or two are left out. Apostrophes and Possessives Do you ever wonder why some non-native speakers have such a colorful way of expressing themselves? English speakers are a lazy lot. If there is a way to shorten something, we’ll do it. Instead of saying, The book that belongs to Mary is on the table, English speakers say, Mary’s book is on the table. The apostrophe s is shorthand for belongs to. Let’s try another one. After school…
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Subject Verb Agreement
What is subject verb agreement? It’s when you use the correct form of the verb. Simply put, singular nouns take a singular verb. Plural nouns take a plural verb. Most of us unconsciously choose the correct verb form. For instance we say, Mary needs a ride. But if we are talking about more than one person we would say, Alex and Jordan need a ride. See the difference? Things get tricky when using indefinite pronouns and collective nouns. Indefinite Pronouns and subject verb agreement Subject verb agreement with indefinite pronouns can be a challenge. An indefinite pronoun is one that does not refer to a particular person, amount, or thing.…
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Show Don’t Tell Part 2
Show Don’t Tell invites your reader into the pages of your story. Normally in show don’t tell the writer uses descriptive language to evoke the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. You can show taste in terms of intensity, the five basic tastes, physiological reaction, and memory activation. Show Taste Taste usually involves food, but not always. More about that later. One way to immerse your reader is to suggest the intensity of a flavor. There is a big difference between the hint of a flavor and a blast. Take peppermint for example. When I add a candy cane to my hot chocolate, I taste a hint of…
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Show Don’t Tell, Part 1
Show don’t tell is great advice for writers. But what does it mean? The difference between showing and telling is the difference between immersion and bullet points. Think about when you are learning a new skill. While some people can learn from reading a manual, most of us do better when we observe the task then try it out ourselves. Take a moment to write the steps for a routine activity such as making a sandwich or washing your face. Now, think about how you can show the same activity. Did your fingers get sticky from the peanut butter? Did your eyes sting from soap? One way to immerse your…
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How To Write a Book Report
Book Reports A book report is a specialized report assigned by a teacher. Students often think of book reports as the teacher’s way to see if they really read the book. But sometimes your teacher will use a book report for other reasons. For instance, book reports can be a vehicle to teach writing skills. Compare and contrast, descriptive writing, cause and effect, even persuasive writing can shape a book report. It’s very important to follow your teacher’s instructions. All book reports will follow the basic report structure. Introduction The introduction is where you will name the title, author, and publication date of the book. You also lay…
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Sentence Basics
Three Kinds of Sentences A complete sentence is writing’s basic building block. Remember when Goldilocks broke into the three bears’ house and ate their porridge? One bowl was too hot. One bowl was too cold. And one bowl was just right. Sentences are like that. Fragments are too short. Run-on sentences are too long. Complete sentences are just right. What is a Complete Sentence? A complete sentence has a subject, a verb, expresses a complete thought, and has proper punctuation. It can be as simple as Alex sings, or as complex as Alex sings loud enough to drown out the fist fight in the next room. In both cases,…
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Welcome !
Thanks for visiting Find your writing nerd. In today’s post I want to tell you who this blog is for and what you can get out of it. I started this blog to encourage student and emerging writers. If you are a student, you have to write in school all the time. You don’t always get to choose what to write about. At Find your writing nerd you can pick your topic, learn about the ‘rules’ for writing, and access writer resources. There’s even an ask me about tab. The how to write section is divided into story and report. Story writing goes by many names. Your teacher might call…
