Argumentative essay...23/02/2012

Hello guys! Okay, we learned about argumentative essay..Erm , maybe I had listened about this before but I'm not sure. Let me explain a little bit about argumentative essay. 

Definition: In this kind of essay, we not only give information but also present an argument with the PROS (supporting ideas) and CONS (opposing ideas) of an argumentative issue. We should clearly take our stand and write as if we are trying to persuade an opposing audience to adopt new beliefs or behavior. The primary objective is to persuade people to change beliefs that many of them do not want to change

BEFORE WRITING

-Brainstorm ideas on the subject.

-Identify the main topics.

-Use these topics as headings for organising your notes. 

-Decide which side you are on i.e. which arguments are most convincing. Make sure you choose the side that you can fully support.

-Plan and write an outline for your essay noting down the information you will include in each paragraph.

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

Your introduction should:

* Introduce the topic with a general statement

* State why it is important

* State there is a difference of opinion about this topic

* Thesis statement must state what YOUR claim is and can include the  “parts” of the argument you are going      to state

REFUTATION PARAGRAPH

-This is also used to support your claim. 

-Use the counter arguments to show that your idea is the stronger one. 

-Do not focus only on the opposing ideas

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

Your conclusion should:

*Restate the main claim

*Present one or two general sentences which accurately summarise your arguments which support the main premise

*Provide a general warning of the consequences of not following the premise that you put forward and/or a general statement of how the community will benefit from following that premise

After that Miss Zu gave an example of essay and of course we have to write an argumentative essay. 

 The question is Women nowadays are bolder and more aggressive than men. Do you agree with this statement? State your opinion in not less than 350 - 400 words. Of course I agree with this.. Now, I have to write my essay. daaaaa..

Let's see more here : http://www.buowl.boun.edu.tr/students/types%20of%20essays/ARGUMENTATIVE%20ESSAY.htm

How to make conclusion...22/02/2012

Erm, conclusion..Everyone knows that at the end of our essay, we must write a conclusion. So, what is the best way on how to write it?? Let's check it out.. 

Drawing conclusions is an important skill to help you get the most out of your reading, an to understand the writer’s point of view. When you draw a conclusion, you use all the facts that you can find in the passage to help you deduce or figure out what you do not know.

Follow these steps to draw a conclusion 

-Read  the paragraph and identify the topic sentence and main idea. 
-Look for supporting details as evidence that you can use to reach a conclusion (E.g of evidences are: facts,  statistics, reasons, definitions and descriptions.
-Combine your prior knowledge with the supporting details to draw conclusions.
-Ask these questions:                                        
       - What is the writer trying                                          
          to prove?                                                            
       - What is the consequences      
         of these events?
       - What is going to happen
         because of these actions?
       - What can I conclude from
         the paragraph?

But sometimes conclusions are pointed out in the paragraph itself

                                                                 

Here are some expressions that point to a conclusion

•Thus 
•Prove that

•It is believed that

•In fact / Because of this  

•It follows that

•It concludes that

•As a result

•therefore

•We can deduce that

•Points to the fact that

After that, we divided into 5 groups. My group are Farah, Hazwani, Hanis, Ella and Syazwan. Miss Zu played the video and we have to make conclusion based on the video. The videos are Spongebob Squarepants in The Endless Summer, Gollum and Daniel Powter - Bad Day. Unfortunately our group lose. Congratz to the winner.

 Let's see more here : http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/309.HTM 

Inferences And Prediction..21/02/2012

Inference is just a big word that means a conclusion or judgement. 

 If you infer that something has happened, you do not see, hear, feel, smell, or taste the actual event.

 But from what you know, it makes sense to think that it has happened. 

You make inferences everyday.

 Most of the time you do so without thinking about it. 

Suppose you are sitting in your car stopped at a red signal light. You hear screeching tires, then a loud crash and breaking glass. You see nothing, but you infer that there has been a car accident. We all know the sounds of screeching tires and a crash. We know that these sounds almost always mean a car accident. But there could be some other reason, and therefore another explanation, for the sounds. Perhaps it was not an accident involving two moving vehicles. Maybe an angry driver rammed a parked car. Or maybe someone played the sound of a car crash from a recording. Making inferences means choosing the most likely explanation from the facts at hand. 

 

see more : http://www.teachervision.fen.com/skill-builder/reading/48711.html

to declare or indicate in advance; especially : foretell on the basis of observation, experience, or scientific reason. Then, Miss Zu makes some activities, She played the video and we must predict what will happen next. It such an interesting activity.

 

Our Presentation..16/02/2012

Today, we present about Simple Past Tense. When we can use simple past tense???
*We use Simple Past Tense to described an action or an event which occurred at a specific time in the past

How do we use the Simple Past Tense?

We use the simple past tense to talk about an action or a situation - an event - in the past. The event can be short or long.

Here are some short events with the simple past tense:

The car exploded at 9.30am yesterday. She went to the door. We did not hear the telephone. Did you see that car?
past	present	future
The action is in the past.

Here are some long events with the simple past tense:

I lived in Bangkok for 10 years. The Jurassic period lasted about 62 million years. We did not sing at the concert. Did you watch TV last night?
past	present	future
The action is in the past.

Notice that it does not matter how long ago the event is: it can be a few minutes or seconds in the past, or millions of years in the past. Also it does not matter how long the event is. It can be a few milliseconds (car explosion) or millions of years (Jurassic period). We use the simple past tense when:

• the event is in the past
• the event is completely finished
• we say (or understand) the time and/or place of the event

 see more : http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplepast.html
                  

Past Continuous Tense 

For actions that were in progress at some time in the past

 Were you cooking curry last evening?

Last week, Sheila was trying on her wedding gown

For an action that was going on when a second one took place.

They were watching TV when the lights went out.

I was bathing when someone rang the door bell.

To show two actions happening simultaneously in the past.

Mrs Branson was baking a cake while her daughter was chatting on the phone.

While the band was playing, the audience was swaying to the beat of the music

Without a time expression to indicate gradual development.

It was getting darker      

A storm was brewing

As a past equivalent of the present continuous tense.

Candice said, “I am working in China”
(Direct speech)

Candice said that she was working in China.
(Indirect speech)

After that we played musical chairs. The person that lose must answer the question about what we present.

Simple Present Tense & Present Tense Continuous ...15/02/2012

Today, Elya's group and Megat's group present about their topic. Elya and her group present about Simple Present Tense while Megat and his group present about Present Tense Continuous.

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE ..                                                 

Used to :

•   Show habitual or regular action.                                           
•   State a general truths, facts and scientific laws.          
•   To indicate future action.
•   Show permanent situations.
•   To give instructions or orders. 

HABIT               

and          Used to describe actions that happen frequently or often. Like habits, routines and tendencies.

ROUTINES  Ex :Nabila rarely stays quiet

Future Action

 * Use the Present Simple Tense when an event is certain to happen in the future or when we talk about travel plans and timetables.

  *Verbs of movement or travel like ‘go’, ‘leave’, ‘stay’ and ‘arrive’ are used.

•The plane leaves in 5 minutes.

•Nolek arrives in Hawaii at 6 p.m. 

•In sentences after when, before, till, after, as soon as. ("Before you leave, please take the keys")

Examples:

“I’ll pay you back, as soon as I get my PTPTN.”

“Before you slap me, please let me explain my  self.”

Negative Form

                                 +ve                                                                  -ve

They like to hop around in the morning.          They do not like to hop around in the 

                                                                      morning.

 Mak Joyah chats every minute of everyday.   Mak Joyah does not chat every minute of

                                                                     everyday.

PRESENT TENSE CONTINUOUS

        We use the Present Continuous Tense to talk about activities happening now.

1.     Examples
      The kids are watching TV.
      I am sitting down, because I am tired.
      I am not learning German, because this is an English class.
      Who are you writing to?
   
2.    We can also use the Present Continuous Tense to talk about activities happening around now, and not necessarily this very moment.
   Examples
      Sally is studying really hard for her exams this week.
      I am reading a really interesting book now.
      How are you brushing up on your English for the trip?
      We aren't working hard these days.
   
3.     The Present Continuous Tense is also used to talk about activities happening in the near future, especially for planned future events.
   Examples
      I am seeing my dentist on Wednesday.
      Polly is coming for dinner tomorrow.
      Are you doing anything tonight?
      We aren't going on holiday next week

                                                                 

Let see more : http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentcontinuous.html

Writing :introduction paragraph ...14/02/2012

THE PURPOSE TO WRITE INTRODUCTION..

•        Get the reader’s attention                                                                   
•        Set tone for the rest of the essay
•        Make a contract with the reader - what will be covered in this piece? 
• 
  

 THE PART FOR INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH

•        The Hook - Designed to grab attention immediately and give some indication about the essay’s topic
•        The Transition - Moves the reader from the hook to the driving force of the essay….
•        The Thesis - Makes the contract with the reader about what will be discussed without a blatant announcement.

TYPE OF HOOK!!! 

1. Personal examples

2. Quotations

3. Facts or statistics

4. Rhetorical questions

5. Current events

6. Contrast to the thesis statement

7. Definition