2019-09-10 Writing: adverbs, topic sentences

Greg Malivuk
gmalivuk@staffordhouse.com
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - Notes from all classes
---
Vocabulary: Descriptive Adverbs = Adverbs of Manner
- Adverbs that tell us how a verb is done: He ate quickly/hungrily/slowly/messily/noisily/etc.
	She smiled sadly/happily/shyly.
	Profits increased sharply/slightly.
- Most of these adverbs are formed with adjective+ly
	(Exceptions: hard, fast, early, late, likely; good/well)
	“Working hard or hardly working?” (“hardly” = “almost not”)

p. 75-76 practice 2A - Underline the adverbs of manner and circle the verbs they modify.
- Usually adverbs of manner go after the verb.
- Some adverbs can go before the verb if the verb has an object.
	They will attract people’s attention easily. / They will easily attract people’s attention.
(The opposite could be, “They won’t attract people’s attention easily” or “It will be difficult to attract people’s attention.” We don’t use “difficultly”.)
---
Topic sentences for how-to paragraphs often refer to the steps or instructions.

“In order to have a successful yard sale, you need to prepare well by following these simple steps.”
(In order to succeed with your yard sale,... / In order to have success with your yard sale,... / In order for your yard sale to be a success,...)

Follow these instructions to have a successful yard sale.
If you follow these instructions, you will succeed with your yard sale.
If you want to succeed with your yard sale, you should follow these instructions. (“should” because it’s possible to have a good yard sale with different steps)

To get a Massachusetts driver’s license, you must follow these steps. (In this case, if you don’t follow exactly the right steps, you won’t get a license.)
---
Concluding sentences often include the same information, but might talk about the steps in the past:

If you have done everything on this list, your yard sale is sure to be great.
To sum up, successful yard sales are simple if you prepare well.
---
It’s simple to prepare a delicious pizza if you have all the ingredients and follow these steps.
Anyone can learn to ride a bicycle if he or she follows these instructions.
---
Homework: p. 78 “Topic Suggestions” - Decide (for every topic) if a paragraph should use list-order or time-order. Then write topic sentences for three of these topics.
“It’s easy to change a flat tire if you follow these steps.”

(For more information about list-order and time-order, read p. 78-79 and check the notes from yesterday’s class.)