BACHELOR OF EDUCATION

(TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE)

WITH HONOUR

JANUARY/2022

HBET2303

WRITING IN ESL

MATRICULATION NO : 970901126039001
IDENTITY CARD NO. : 970901126039
TELEPHONE NO. : 0148501575
E-MAIL : [email protected]
LEARNING CENTRE : Kota Marudu Learning Centre
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS PAGES
PART 1 1–3
TASK 1: I AM A SUCCESSFUL WRITER
REFERENCES 4
TASK 2: EXPLANATION OF THE TECHNIQUES USED 5 – 12
REFERENCES 13
PART 2: ONLINE CLASS PARTICIPATION 14 – 15
 PART 1

TASK 1: I AM A SUCCESSFUL WRITER.

Writers are often considered intelligent and unique human beings because they are able to
describe an aspect of life, thing, event or anything easily but effectively. A career as a writer
is said to be a glamorous career, especially if the results of his or her writing are able to sell a
lot. The attitude of the mass media that often shows the success of a writer also makes the
writer's life a target for the mass media, especially newspapers that care about sensational
news. I am one of the successful writer. Being a successful writer has been my dream since
childhood. I have published about 200 books with different genres such as fiction story
books, non-fiction story books, novel, horror story books, and poetry books. There are many
challenges I face in becoming a successful writer such as not being creative enough to
develop the content and description of a story, being often isolated by others, and lack of self-
confidence. Even so, the challenges did not break me from continuing to work in writing.
Some ways or tips to write story books, essays, or composition have been discovered and
these tips/ways I have applied in my career as a successful writer. Among the tips/ways that
can be applied are using an online dictionary and Thesaurus, join and separate sentences
method, and use the online application.
First and foremost, use online dictionaries and thesauruses. I have learned a large number
of bombastic words while revising for the admission test. However, before I start using them
in a story book or academic essays, make sure first that I know the true meaning of these
words and whether they fit the context of my writing. It was during this time that having a
dictionary could help me. Thesaurus is a valuable tool when writing. The Thesaurus can tell
me what synonyms are, or even words that have the same meaning as the word I want to look
up. It is important because I can add a little ‘volume’ to my writing and increase the impact
of the writing with a more meaningful choice of words. For example, if I am writing about
cooking, words like "stir" and "add" might be used excessively. This repetition will most
likely bore the reader. So instead of repeating the phrases, "add the tomatoes" and "add the
eggs," using thesaurus, it would train me to use expressions like "whisk in the eggs" or
"gently fold in the tomatoes." It sounds better and adds more encouragement to engage the
reader. Visual Thesaurus is a reference that works the same as a regular thesaurus, but it will
also show the relationships between words. For example, if I type the word ‘stir’, I will be
directly shown other groups of words related to “stir”. Starting from there, I can find and
learn new words quickly, and most importantly, it is fun.

1
 Once a story or composition is finish to be written, go back to the writing to find any
sentences that seem too long or full of words. Next, break it all down into two or more
sentences. For example, “If I want to write in another language, I need to practice writing in a
creative way, such as writing on a blog, writing a fun poem or sending a message to a friend
who speaks the language I learn every day”. The sentence seems too long, causing the actual
meaning to be blurred. Instead, I could write it back into two different sentences with a
clearer meaning, (and less repetition of the word “writing”). “If I want to write in another
language, I need to practice in a creative way every day. For example, I will start a blog,
create a fun poem or send a message to a friend”. This sentence is easier to understand. Do
the same with sentences that seem too short. Also, look for sentences that sound as if they are
the same as the others. If there are sentences that have the same idea, I will combine them all
with overlapping commas (;). As an illustration, the following sentences are very similar in
terms of meaning: "Learning to write in another language can be really difficult, especially
when I am first getting started. That is why it helps to practice every day". To make
everything easier, I will write like this: "Learning to write in another language can be really
difficult, especially when I am first getting started; daily practice is helpful".
Last but not least, there are several reference sources available online to help improve the
quality of my writing. For example, the ‘Hemingway Editor’ can review documents that I
find confusing or even too dense with words. I will be able to rewrite the document to make it
easier to understand. I also use ‘Essay Punch’ to find reference sources, tools and even
support to help improve my English skills. 'Grammar Book' is a site that not only suitable to
practice spelling, but also to use of correct grammar. Apart from the advice contained in this
writing which is mostly to improve my writing with the passage of time, I also use
‘Scribendi’, in case I want more professional advice, perhaps for a really important writing.
‘Scribendi’ is a website that helps edit any essay or composition related to academic
admission application. Learning a new language is definitely a very challenging thing and can
be something that requires a high level of dedication. There are too many details to learn, and
this process requires a lot of time and precise commitment. However, with practice and
review, we will definitely be able to master it one day.
In conclusion, successful writers are writers who are diligent, love to read and reflect on
life more critically. The writer’s sensitive attitude towards something makes themselves so
unique. Yet, many still consider writing work easy and do not take a long time to master it.
To be a successful writer, one needs a long time to master it. The tips/ways that I have shared
and applied above, namely using an online dictionary and Thesaurus, join and separate

2
sentences method, and use the online application are tips/ways that are very effective in
writing and make me a successful writer to this day. Despite that, I am always improving my
training as it takes more effort to be a great writer, especially in a newly learned language,
however, the above tips need to be followed to help me get started.

3
 REFERENCES

How to vary sentence beginnings. (n.d.). https://classroom.synonym.com/vary-sentence-

beginnings-4155.html

I am a great writer. (n.d.). Homework Help and Textbook Solutions | bartleby.

https://www.bartleby.com/essay/I-Am-A-Great-Writer-F3JSACY4JPLLX

Loose sentence examples. (n.d.). Example Articles & Resources | Your Dictionary.

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/loose-sentence-examples.html

Nor, M. M., & Ibrahim, A. H. (2004). HBET2303 WRITING IN ESL. Centre for Instructional

Design and Technology. Open University Malaysia.

Parallel structure examples. (n.d.). Example Articles & Resources | Your Dictionary.

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/parallel-structure-examples.html

Periodic sentence examples. (n.d.). Example Articles & Resources | Your Dictionary.

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/periodic-sentence-examples.html

Sentence purpose: Declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. (2018, July 3).

The Parenting Patch: Where Parents Grow. https://parentingpatch.com/sentence-

purpose-declarative-interrogative-imperative-exclamatory/

Varying sentence beginnings - 7th grade website for English language arts. (n.d.). Google

Sites. https://sites.google.com/a/students.halldale.org/ms-raymond-s-website-for-

2012-2013/varying-sentence-beginnings

Varying sentence beginnings. (2019, May 24). Beacon Point - Writing Services.

https://beaconpointservices.org/varying-sentence-beginnings/

What are the different types of clauses? | Lexico.com. (2019, March 26). Lexico Dictionaries

| English. https://www.lexico.com/grammar/clauses

4
TASK 2: EXPLANATION OF THE TECHNIQUES USED.

Introduction paragraph: Use varying types of purpose sentences, vary sentence length, Use
sentence with different clause construction.

In the introduction part, there are five techniques that have been used. ‘Use varying
types of purpose sentences’ has been applied to the first sentence as declarative sentence
because it is conveying information and making statement. Declarative sentence requires a
subject and a predicate. For example, “Writers are often considered intelligent and unique
human beings because they are able to describe an aspect of life, thing, event or anything
easily but effectively”. Actually, this sentence can be breaking up into two sentences, which
is “writers are often considered intelligent and unique human beings” and “they are able to
describe an aspect of life, thing, event or anything easily but effectively”. The predicate
provides a statement or information that the subject "writers" are “intelligent and unique
human beings’. Likewise, the second sentence also has a pronoun and a predicate, which
conveying information.

The second technique is varying sentence length. In this paragraph, there are varying
sentence lengths. Good writing consists of a combination of short and long sentences. Short
sentences have a punch and are a great way to emphasize important things. Longer sentences
add rhythm to our writing. By using both short and long sentences, we add interest and drama
to our writing that keeps our readers ’attention. For instance, “The attitude of the mass media
that often shows the success of a writer also makes the writer's life a target for the mass
media, especially newspapers that care about sensational news. I am one of the successful
writer. Being a successful writer has been my dream since childhood. I have published about
200 books with different genres such as fiction story books, non-fiction story books, novel,
horror story books, and poetry books.” Varying sentence length is also important because
boring language and repetition can be boring. Great writers begin their sentences in a variety
of ways to avoid monotony. Using too many sentences that start in the same way not only
leads to an irregular writing style, but even gives a reason to a bored reader to stop reading.

Thirdly, use sentence with different clause constructions. A part of sentence fluency is
varying our sentence with different clause constructions. If we start with the subject all the
time, our sentences start to sound monotonous, reducing fluidity. By varying sentence
constructions to slow down the subject and/or verb of the main clause, we create tension and
draw attention to certain aspects of the sentence. As a result, we can manipulate the emphasis

5
and rhythm of sentences. We can also create cohesion when we vary sentence beginnings.
For example, “Being a successful writer has been my dream since childhood. I have
published about 200 books with different genres such as fiction story books, non-fiction story
books, novel, horror story books, and poetry books. There are many challenges I face in
becoming a successful writer such as not being creative enough to develop the content and
description of a story, being often isolated by others, and lack of self-confidence. Even so, the
challenges did not break me from continuing to work in writing.”

6
The first paragraph of content: Use both periodic and loose sentences, vary sentence
beginning, vary sentence length.

In each paragraph, varying sentence beginnings are very important to prevent the
essay from boring the readers. In this paragraph, I also vary sentence beginnings to attract the
readers’ attention to keep reading the essay content. I did not always write the sentence with
subject and then predicate because it will make the essay dull and monotonous. One
technique that I use so as to avoid beginning a sentence with the subject is to use discourse
markers. For instance, “However, before I start using them in a story book or academic
essay, make sure first that I know the true meaning of these words and whether they fit the
context of my writing”. The word that I have highlighted with bold is a discourse marker. It is
used to link with the sentence before. In fact, when we do not have adequate vocabulary, we
will tend to use the same sentence beginnings in every sentence and paragraph.

In the essay, both periodic and loose sentences have been applied. Periodic and loose
sentences are the two most common forms of sentence structure in English. In this paragraph,
periodic sentence is as follows, “So instead of repeating the phrases, "add the tomatoes" and
"add the eggs," using thesaurus, it would train me to use expressions like "whisk in the eggs"
or "gently fold in the tomatoes." Periodic sentences have a main clause or predicate at the
end. This is used for emphasis and can be convincing by putting a reason for something at the
beginning before the last thing is done. It can also create tension or interest in the reader.
Meanwhile, loose sentence is as follows, “However, before I start using them in a story book
or academic essays, make sure first that I know the true meaning of these words and whether
they fit the context of my writing.” Loose sentences, also called cumulative sentences, begin
with a main clause followed by a phrase and/or a clause that modifies the main clause. This
phrase or clause adds information to the main or independent clause.

Next, the technique of varying sentence length is also still applied in this paragraph.
As what has been mentioned before, good writing consists of a mixture of short and long
sentences. Short sentences have punch and are a great way to emphasize important points.
Longer sentences add rhythm to writing. In explaining the contents of the essay, short
sentences are very necessary to provide enough understanding for the readers so that they do
not lose direction or misunderstand while reading our writing. Shorter sentences increase
understanding. The longer the sentence, the less readers comprehend. For example, “It was
during this time that having a dictionary could help me. Thesaurus is a valuable tool when

7
writing. The Thesaurus can tell me what synonyms are, or even words that have the same
meaning as the word I want to look up. It is important because I can add a little ‘volume’ to
my writing and increase the impact of the writing with a more meaningful choice of words.”

8
The second paragraph of content: vary sentence beginnings, use parallel structure, vary
sentence length.

In each paragraph, the beginning of each sentence should be different. The following
is an example of a sentence with vary sentence beginnings, " Once a story or composition is
finish to be written, go back to the writing to find any sentences that seem too long or full of
words. Next, break it all down into two or more sentences. For example, “If you want to write
in another language, you need to practice writing in a creative way, such as writing on a blog,
writing a fun poem or sending a message to a friend who speaks the language you learn every
day…”. The first sentence in this paragraph begins with a dependent clause and phrase,
“Once a story or composition is finish to be written, go back to the writing to find any
sentences that seem too long or full of words.” Often, the easiest way to achieve diversity is
to start a sentence with a subordinate or bound clause, producing a complex sentence. Lean
clauses may begin with words such as “once,” "since," "because," "after," or "temporarily";
this introductory subordinate conjunction is followed by both the subject and the verb. Or,
start with a dependent phrase using "given," "because," "caused" and so forth. followed by a
noun phrase.

Parallel structure, or parallelism, means using the same word pattern to show that two
or more words or ideas are equally important (source from YOURDICTIONARY). Words and
phrases in sentences not only match in structure, but also in tenses. Writers use parallel
structures to add clarity to their writing, making it easier to understand and showing that their
writing is correct in terms of structure and grammar. The use of parallel structures I have
applied in the description section of the example. “For example, if I want to write in another
language, I need to practice writing in a creative way, such as writing on a blog, writing a fun
poem or sending a message to a friend who speaks the language I learn every day”. The terms
that indicate parallel structure are marked in bold and is called parallel structure with
infinitive. The infinitive includes the basic (unconjugated) form of the verb, but it does not
work in the same way. The most basic form of a verb is the basic form.

In this paragraph, the vary sentence length technique is also still applied. For example,
in this sentence, “This sentence is easier to understand. Do the same with sentences that seem
too short. Also, look for sentences that sound as if they are the same as the others. If there are
sentences that have the same idea, I will combine them all with overlapping commas (;).”
There are short sentences and long sentences. Using a variety of sentence lengths helps make

9
text interesting and varying our sentence beginnings helps keep texts from being too
monotonous. In addition, using a mix of sentence structures makes text more inviting and
engaging. Meanwhile, short sentences are used to create emphasis.

10
The third paragraph of content: use parallel structure, vary sentence length.

In this paragraph, I have also applied or used a parallel structure. The parallel
structure adds influence and clarity to our writing. When we use a parallel structure, we
improve the readability of our writing by creating word patterns that readers can easily
follow. When we connect two clauses or phrases with a correlative conjunction (not only…
but also, either…or, neither…nor, if…then, etc.), use parallel structure. For example,
'Grammar Book' is a site that not only suitable to practice spelling, but also to use of correct
grammar. Parallelism is considered a great persuasive tool. Its repetitive quality makes the
sentence or sentences symmetrical and therefore highly remembered by the reader.
Parallelism makes ideas easier for readers to process because they feel the pattern and know
what to expect.

Secondly, vary sentence length. Short sentences, when not used excessively, can be
used to emphasize ideas and grab the reader’s attention. Notice how the ideas expressed
through the following short sentences grab our attention more than the same idea when
pinned in a longer sentence. For example, “Last but not least, there are several reference
sources available online to help improve the quality of my writing. For example, the
‘Hemingway Editor’ can review documents that I find confusing or even too dense with
words. I will be able to rewrite the document to make it easier to understand. I also use
‘Essay Punch’ to find reference sources, tools and even support to help improve my English
skills. 'Grammar Book' is a site that not only suitable to practice spelling, but also to use of
correct grammar.” But we need to be careful to choose our short sentences strategically so
that it gives emphasis without making our writing look unsophisticated. The third option
might use one longer sentence and break the other into two shorter sentences.

11
Conclusion paragraph: vary sentence beginnings.

In the conclusion paragraph, I have applied vary sentence beginnings to further

diversify the beginning of each sentence. For instance, “In conclusion, successful writers are
writers who are diligent, love to read and reflect on life more critically. The writer’s sensitive
attitude towards something makes themselves so unique. Yet, many still consider writing
work easy and do not take a long time to master it. To be a successful writer, one needs a
long time to master it…”. The conclusion part is the shortest part in the essay because we will
only conclude our essay, however we should not just conclude our essay without looking at
the sentence structure. The first sentence began with subject and then predicate. But the third
sentence is different because the form is not same as the first sentence. It is called Appositive
before noun. An appositive is a word or group of words that describes or renames a noun or
pronoun. Incorporating appositives into your writing is a useful way to combine sentences
that are too short and wavy.

12
 REFERENCES

How to vary sentence beginnings. (n.d.). https://classroom.synonym.com/vary-sentence-

beginnings-4155.html

I am a great writer. (n.d.). Homework Help and Textbook Solutions | bartleby.

https://www.bartleby.com/essay/I-Am-A-Great-Writer-F3JSACY4JPLLX

Loose sentence examples. (n.d.). Example Articles & Resources | Your Dictionary.

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/loose-sentence-examples.html

Nor, M. M., & Ibrahim, A. H. (2004). HBET2303 WRITING IN ESL. Centre for Instructional

Design and Technology. Open University Malaysia.

Parallel structure examples. (n.d.). Example Articles & Resources | Your Dictionary.

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/parallel-structure-examples.html

Periodic sentence examples. (n.d.). Example Articles & Resources | Your Dictionary.

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/periodic-sentence-examples.html

Sentence purpose: Declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. (2018, July 3).

The Parenting Patch: Where Parents Grow. https://parentingpatch.com/sentence-

purpose-declarative-interrogative-imperative-exclamatory/

Varying sentence beginnings - 7th grade website for English language arts. (n.d.). Google

Sites. https://sites.google.com/a/students.halldale.org/ms-raymond-s-website-for-

2012-2013/varying-sentence-beginnings

Varying sentence beginnings. (2019, May 24). Beacon Point - Writing Services.

https://beaconpointservices.org/varying-sentence-beginnings/

What are the different types of clauses? | Lexico.com. (2019, March 26). Lexico Dictionaries

| English. https://www.lexico.com/grammar/clauses

13
PART 2: ONLINE CLASS PARTICIPATION

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