The writing process (5 stages)
You don't have to do every stage every time, but skipping plan or revise is what makes writing weak. Edit is the LAST step, not the only step.
1. Plan
Brainstorm. Pick a topic. List the points you want to make. Sketch the structure (intro, body, conclusion).
2. Draft
Get it on paper. Don't worry about spelling or polish. The first draft is supposed to be rough.
3. Revise
Big changes. Reorder paragraphs. Add a missing point. Cut anything that doesn't fit. This is where the writing gets better.
4. Edit
Small changes. Spelling, grammar, punctuation. Run through it line by line. Read it OUT LOUD; you'll catch what your eyes skip.
5. Publish
Type it cleanly. Hand it in or share it. Save the final version.
Paragraph structures
Persuasive paragraph (PEEL)
- Point: Schools should start later in the morning.
- Evidence: Studies show that teenagers' brains naturally sleep until 9am.
- Explain: Forcing them awake at 7am means they're learning while their brains are still half asleep.
- Link: A later start would improve both grades and mental health.
Narrative paragraph (5W + How)
- Who: My little brother, Sam.
- What: He hid my homework as a prank.
- When: Last Tuesday morning, right before school.
- Where: In our shared bedroom.
- Why: To get back at me for eating his cookies.
- How: He wedged it behind the dresser.
Explanation paragraph (cause / effect)
- Effect: Every fall, leaves change colour.
- Cause 1: Days get shorter, so trees produce less chlorophyll.
- Cause 2: Without chlorophyll, the green hides the yellow and orange pigments underneath.
- Closing: That's why the same maple tree looks completely different in October than in June.
Transition word bank
Use these to connect ideas. Don't overuse any one transition; vary them.
To add
- also
- furthermore
- in addition
- moreover
- besides
- likewise
To contrast
- however
- on the other hand
- nevertheless
- yet
- still
- although
To show cause
- because
- since
- due to
- as a result
- therefore
- consequently
To sequence
- first
- next
- then
- meanwhile
- afterwards
- finally
To give an example
- for example
- for instance
- such as
- specifically
- in particular
- namely
To conclude
- in conclusion
- in summary
- overall
- finally
- to sum up
- thus
Sentence fluency tips
Strong writing varies sentence length and structure. If every sentence starts the same way, the reader notices.
- Mix short and long. A short sentence after several long ones LANDS.
- Vary sentence openings. Don't start every sentence with the subject. Try a transition, a phrase, or a clause.
- Combine choppy sentences. "She walked. It was cold. She had no jacket." → "She walked through the cold without a jacket."
- Split run-ons. If your sentence has 3+ clauses connected by "and" or no punctuation, split it.
- Read it out loud. If you run out of breath, the sentence is too long. If it sounds robotic, the rhythm is off.