Cycle 3

Writing Guide
UM AL Emarat
 Contents of This Guide
What you find in this guide :
● ESE Rubric Indicators for Writing Exams and Skills Checks.
● The Parts of Speech needed to create sentences
● Sentences and Sentence Structure
● Paragraph structure
● The Writing Process
● The Different Essay formats
● Punctuation
● Adding range of language to writing.
● Spelling Rules
● Phrases and Clauses
 01
MOE Rubric Indicators for Writing Exams and Skills
Checks
 SMM Resources
Writing Rubrics – Levels 3-8

The writing
rubrics provide
clear
descriptors of
marking
criteria for
each level.
MOE Writing Exams focus heavily on to areas, format and content.

Format is the way a Content is the ideas a

writing is organized writer uses to
.or structured Format and Content
express opinions or
help to structure the explain a specific
MOE writing Exam
indicators. .topic
 Term Exam and Skills Check
Rubic Indicator Review
Remember Content and Format Grammar (F)
Task Completion (F &C) Complete sentences, ideas are clear and easy to
Are all the areas met. Look at your structure understand, word order, using vocabulary in the
here. Put the writing in paragraphs. correct context.
Punctuation
Organization (F&C) Use end marks at the end of sentences. Use capital
Use complete sentences and paragraphs. Content letters at the beginning of sentences. Capitalize the
(ideas) match the topic and make sense. pronoun I always. Don’t confuse Arabic and
English rules.
Range of Language (F&C) Spelling
Use Transitions, Linking Words, Adjectives, Review i.e., spelling rules I before E except after
Alliteration, etc. C. Review spelling of irregular verbs. Watch p, v
and b words
 02
The Parts of Speech

Noun, Adjectives, Adverbs, Interjections,

Verbs, Pronouns, Conjunctions,
Prepositions, Determiners
 Nouns
Nouns are a person, place, thing, or
idea. They can take on different roles in
a sentence, from the subject of it to the
object of an action. They are capitalized
at the beginning of sentences. Countable and Non-Countable
Proper Noun Countable nouns are individual people,
animals, places, things, or ideas which can be
Proper nouns have two distinct features: They counted. Uncountable nouns are not individual
name specific one-of-a-kind items, and they begin objects, so they cannot be counted.
with capital letters, no matter where they occur Example non-countable: Water, Sugar, Flour
within a sentence. 
Example: Shahad, Um AL Emarat, Abu Dhabi Collective Noun
Compound Noun A collective noun is the word used to
represent a group of people, animals, or
A compound noun is a noun that is
things.
made with two or more words.
Example: Class, Band, Army
Example: Software, Basketball,
 Verbs
Verbs are action words that tell what happens Helping Verb
in a sentence. They can also show a sentence
subject's state of being (is, was). Verbs change Helping verbs are used before action or linking
form based on tense (present, past) and count verbs to add information regarding aspects of
distinction (singular or plural). possibility (can, could, etc.) or time (was, did,
has, etc.). The main verb with its
accompanying helping verb.
Action Verbs Example: The trip might (helping verb) be
Action verbs are words that express action (give, (main verb) dangerous.
eat, walk, etc.) or possession (have, own, etc.).
Be Verbs
Linking Verb
A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence Be verbs show a state of being. It has eight
to a noun or adjective that renames or describes different common forms:
the subject. be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been. 
Example: Jason became a business major. The
verb, became, links the subject, Jason, to its
complement, a business major
 Pronouns
Words that take place of a noun Relative Pronouns
A relative pronoun starts a clause (a group of words that
Personal Pronouns refer to a noun). Who, that, and which are all relative
pronouns. They can also serve as other types of pronouns
Personal pronouns take the place of people or things. depending on the sentence. For example, in “I saw the do
They can be either singular or plural, depending that you own,” the relative pronoun that is the beginning
whether they refer to one or multiple nouns. of the clause that you own, which describes the dog.
Examples include I, me, we, and us.
Possessive Pronouns Reflexive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns are personal pronouns that When a subject performs an action on itself, the sentence
also indicate possession of something. They have uses a reflexive pronoun after the verb. Reflexive
singular forms (like my), and plural forms (like pronouns include myself, himself, themselves, and hersel
our). These pronouns often appear before the An example of a reflexive pronoun is the common
possessed item, but not always. For example, both expression “I kicked myself.”
“my car” and “the car is mine” both indicate who
Indefinite Pronouns
owns the car.
Like personal pronouns, indefinite pronouns refer to
Antecedents are the words people or things, but they don’t have a specific person or
pronouns take place of thing to reference. Examples of indefinite pronouns
include some, anyone, and everything
 Adjectives The commonest -ed adjectives are:
Adjectives are words that give more
information about a noun or pronoun and Annoyed, bored, closed, delighted,
can go in different positions in a sentence. disappointed, excited, frightened, tired, worried
Example:
They have a beautiful house.
We saw a very exciting film last night.

Two Adjectives
Some adjectives are made from verbs by
adding -ing or -ed:nalysis We often have two adjectives in front of a noun.
Examples:
Amusing, annoying, boring, disappointing,
a handsome young man
exciting, interesting, frightening, tiring, a big black car
shocking, surprising, worrying that horrible big dog
 Conjunctions
Subordinating
Conjunctions are words that link other words, Conjunctions
phrases, or clauses together. Subordinating conjunctions join independent and
Example: dependent clauses. A subordinating conjunction
I like cooking and eating, but I don’t like can signal a cause-and-effect relationship, a
washing dishes afterward. Sophie is clearly contrast, or some other kind of relationship
exhausted, yet she insists on dancing till dawn. between the clauses.
Common subordinating conjunctions are because
since, as, although, though, while, and whereas.
Coordinating Conjunctions
Sometimes an adverb, such as until, after, or
Coordinating conjunctions allow you to join before can function as a conjunction.
words, phrases, and clauses in a sentence. The Example:
most common coordinating conjunctions are I can stay out until the clock strikes twelve.
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. Correlative Conjunctions
You can remember them by using device
FANBOYS. Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions
that work together. Some examples are either/or,
neither/nor, and not only/but also
 Adverbs Adverbs and Verbs
Adverbs describe the way an action is happening.
An adverb is a word that modifies (describes) a Example:
verb (he sings loudly), an adjective (very tall), Phillip sings loudly in the shower.
another adverb (ended too quickly), or even a My cat waits impatiently for his food.
whole sentence (Fortunately, I had brought an I will seriously consider your suggestion.
umbrella). Adverbs often end in –ly. Adverbs and Adjectives
Examples:
The food tasted badly. Adverbs can also describe adjectives and other
Tom is very tall. adverbs. Often, the purpose of the adverb is to
The race finished too quickly. add a degree of intensity to the adjective.
Fortunately, Lucy recorded Tom’s win. Example:
The woman is quite pretty.
This book is more interesting than the last one.
 Determiners
A determiner is a word placed in front of
a noun to specify quantity ("one dog," A Possessive
"many dogs") or to clarify what the noun
refers to ("my dog," "that dog," "the
dog"). All determiners can be classified
My, Your, His, Her, Its, Our, Their
as one of the following:

An Article
A Quantifier
A/An, The
Many, Much, More, Most, Some
A Demonstrative
This, That, These, Those
 Prepositons
A preposition is a word or group
of words used before a noun,
pronoun, or noun phrase to show
direction, time, place, location,
spatial relationships, or to
introduce an object. Some
examples of prepositions are
words like "in," "at," "on," "of,"
and "to.
 Interjections
An interjection is a word added to a sentence to
convey an emotion or a sentiment such as
surprise, disgust, joy, excitement, or
enthusiasm.
Example:
No, go away.
("No" is the interjection.)
Indeed, I intend to leave as soon as possible.
("Indeed" is the interjection.)
03
Sentences
 What is a sentence?

A sentence is a set of words that contain:

1. A subject (what the sentence is about, the topic of the sentence), and

2. A predicate (what is said about the subject)
Look at this simple example:

sentence

subject predicate

verb  

You speak English.

Sentence Grammar Rules
 Kinds of Sentences
● Declarative sentence-makes a statement or expresses an opinion. In other words, it makes a
declaration. This kind of sentence ends with a period.

● Imperative sentence-  gives a command or makes a request. It usually ends with a period but can,

under certain circumstances, end with  an exclamation point.

● Interrogative sentence- asks a question. This type of sentence often begins with who, what, where,
when, why, how, or do, and it ends with a question mark.

● Exclamatory sentence-is a sentence that expresses great emotion such as excitement, surprise,
happiness and anger, and ends with an exclamation point.
 Sentence Structure
● Sentence structure refers to the physical make-up of a sentence and how the sections of that
sentence are organized.
● Syntax is he arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

● Simple Sentence - A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb. It expresses a single complete
thought that can stand on its own.
Examples:
1. The baby cried for food.
^There is a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought
 Sentence Structure
● Compound Sentences- A compound sentence has two independent clauses. An independent clause is a part of a
sentence that can stand alone because it contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
* Basically, a compound contains two simple sentences. These independent clauses are joined by a conjunction (for,
and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
Examples:
1. They spoke to him in Spanish, but he responded in English.
^This is also a compound sentence that uses a conjunction to separate two individual clauses.

● Complex Sentences - A complex sentence is an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A
dependent clause either lacks a subject or a verb or has both a subject and a verb that does not express a complete
thought.
*A complex sentence always has a subordinator (as, because, since, after, although, when) or relative pronouns (who,
that, which).
Examples:
1. After eating lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, Tim went to the gym to exercise.
^ The independent clause is ‘Tim went to the gym to exercise.” The subordinating clause before it is dependent on
the main, independent clause. If one were to say, “after eating lunch at The Cheesecake Factory,” it would be an
incomplete thought.
Sentence Patterns
Simple Sentences
Compound Sentence
Complex Sentences
 04
Paragraph Structure
Key Parts of a Paragraph
Block Paragraph Style
Parts of a Paragraph
 05
The Writing Process
 The Writing
Process
Steps in Writing an Essay
Revising
and Editing
Pre- Drafting
Writing

Planning Final Draft!

and
Organizing
Steps of the Writing Process Drafting
• Developing Paragraphs
Pre-Writing • Expanding Ideas
• First write
• Brainstorming
• Limiting a topic Revising and Editing
• Focus on specific ideas about
your topic. • Edit work
• Correct errors
Planning and Organizing • Let a friend review it
• Thesis Statement
• Outlining
Turn it in/Publish
• Main Ideas
Turn your final copy
• Simple supporting details
 Pre-Writing
Brainstorming
● Just think about what you want to write about .
● What topic or genre are you choosing.
● What things fit your topic
● Make sure it something that interest you
● If you don’t like it or its not flowing, make some changes before you start drafting.
● Free write the first things that come to mind when you see the topic.
 Pre-Writing

Limiting a topic
● After brainstorming you know the area, genre, or issue you want to write about.
● Be sure your topic is specific enough (limited) or small enough for you to write on.
● If your topic is too big it will be to much information for you to write on and you will
get frustrated, or your paper will become too much for you to handle.
For Example: School Lunch (topic is too big to write on) if you google this a thousand
things are going to pop up.

Better Example: Why Students at Um Al Emarat should be able to order their lunch while
at school.
 Pre-Writing

Focusing on Main Ideas

● What are three main ideas that relate to your topic
● Are they easy for comfortable for you to think about
● Can you or others around you relate to these things
● Why are these the most important ideas about this topic
 Planning and Organizing

Thesis statement
• We are going to take our main three points and put them in one sentence.
• This one sentence is going to guide or control our entire paper.
• It will be in our introduction

Outline
• Once we have our thesis statement with our three main points we are going to think of three
supporting points for each detail.
Simple Details
• Make short points under the
main ideas Chicken is better than pasta because it is easier to make, it is
cheaper, and it is healthier.
 Drafting Expanding Ideas
● Make sure your ideas make sense!
Write a good topic ● Copying and pasting is not your friend.
sentence
● Write from your perspective, trust
● The topic sentence explains what
yourself first.
the paragraph is going to be about

Supporting details
● You have already made your points now turn
the into well organized sentences.

● Use transitions between

● Some transitions inside one paragraph and

other to move to the next main point.
Revising and Editing

● Check Your work and be sure that Arabic and English rules are not
confused.
● Look at capitalization, spelling, punctuation.
● Get a friend to look over it.
● Check it until your tired then when you get really tired… check it one
more time.
● Ask the teacher for suggestions (she/he cannot write it for you.)
 06
Different Essay Formats
5 x 5 Argumentative Essay
5 x 5 Argumentative Essay
A healthy diet is very important. Do you agree or disagree?
1
Paragraph 1 I agree that a healthy diet is essential for three
Thesis Statement reasons. 2To begin with a healthy diet helps the body
3 Topic Sentences to work.3Furthermore a healthy diet helps the body
to sleep. 4 A healthy diet also helps fight disease.5
All in all it is very important to have a healthy diet.
 5 x 5 Argumentative Essay
3
Furthermore a healthy diet helps the body to sleep.
Eating fatty food late at night does not help us sleep
as such foods does not aid digestion.
4
Paragraph 4 A healthy diet also helps fight disease. Without
Topic Sentence energy the body cannot fight infections such as flu
Link and tuberculosis. A weak, undernourished body just
cannot cope with infections.
5
Paragraph 5 All in all it is very important to have a healthy diet.
Conclusion Proper nutrition helps the body to function at an
Link
optimum level, sleep well and regularly and fight
against infections. A healthy diet is therefore
essential.
 Argumentative Writing 4 x 4

It is better to work than continue your studies.

Structure What is your opinion?
Features S
Paragraph 1 1
I believe it is better to continue studying rather than
Thesis work for two reasons. 2To begin many jobs require Opening
Statement advanced qualifications. 3 Secondly you gain valuable sentence
experience and knowledge in school.4 All in all, I am answers
2 Topic question
convinced it is better to stay in school.
Sentences
2
To begin with many jobs require advanced
Paragraph 2 qualifications. Very few highly paid jobs are
available to people without qualifications though they
Topic do exist. The richest man in the world for example,
Sentence Warren Buffet, started work aged eleven delivering
papers. However, Doctors, nurses, teachers and
Examples
engineers require years in sixth form and university.
Doctors for example require seven years of training!

3
Secondly you gain valuable experience and
Linking
Paragraph 3 knowledge in school. Being in full time education
phrases
keeps you near the smartest students and
Topic knowledgeable teachers, tutors and lecturers. have To begin
Sentence never sent a letter in my life. I usually communicate with
with friends You have to keep reading and listening
in school; at work you may never read or write for for
years. example
Paragraph 4
4
All in all, I am convinced it is better to stay in Secondly
Conclusion school. You gain knowledge from the people around
you and your teachers and you gain the qualifications All in all

Answer need to perform in better paid jobs. I am going to stay

Question in school as long as I can!
Types of Essays
Narrative Essay
Expository Essay
Persuasive Essay
Informative Essay
Argumentative Essay
Descriptive Essay
 07
Punctuation Rules

Period, Comma, Exclamation, Question

Mark, Hyphen, Dash, Apostrophes
 Punctuation Rules
Spacing Semicolons
With a computer, use only one space following Semicolons indicate an audible pause—
periods, commas, semicolons, colons, slightly longer than a comma's, but short of a
exclamation points, question marks, and period's full stop.
quotation marks. The space needed after these Incorrect: I have one goal; to find her.
punctuation marks is proportioned Correct: I have one goal: to find her.
automatically.
Rule 1. Use a semicolon before such words
Period/Full Stop and terms as namely, however, therefore, that
Rule 1. Use a period/full stop at the end of a is, i.e., for example, e.g., for instance, etc.,
complete sentence that is a statement. when they introduce a complete sentence. It is
Example: I know him well. also preferable to use a comma after these
words and terms.
Rule 2. If the last item in the sentence is an
abbreviation that ends in a period, do not follow it Example: Bring any two items; however,
with another period. sleeping bags and tents are in short supply.
Correct: This is Alice Smith, M.D.
Correct: Please shop, cook, etc. We will do the
 Punctuation Rules
Comma Rule 3. Sometimes writers run two independent
Commas and periods are the most frequently clauses together by using a comma instead of a
used punctuation marks. Commas customarily period. This results in the dreaded run-on
ndicate a brief pause; they're not as final as sentence or, more technically, a comma splice.
periods. Incorrect: He walked all the way home, he shut
Rule 1. Use commas to separate words and word the door.
groups in a simple series of three or more items. Correct: He walked all the way home. He shut
Example: I will have dinner with husband, son, the door.
daughter-in-law, and nephew. Correct: After he walked all the way home, he
shut the door.
Example: He is a strong, healthy man.
Rule 4. When starting a sentence with a
dependent clause, use a comma after it.

Example: If you are not sure about this, let me

know now.
 Punctuation Rules
Exclamation Points Colons
Rule 1. Use an exclamation point to show Rule 1. Use a colon to introduce an item or a
emotion, emphasis, or surprise. series of items. Do not capitalize the first item
Examples: after the colon (unless it's a proper noun).
I'm truly shocked by your behavior! Examples:
You know what to do: practice.
Question Marks Stop I want the following items: butter, sugar, and
Rule 1. Use a question mark only after a direct flour.
question.
Example: Will you go with me?
Apostrophes
Quotation Marks
Rule 1. Use the apostrophe to show
Rule 1. Use double quotation marks to set off a possession. To show possession with a
direct (word-for-word) quotation. singular noun, add an apostrophe plus the
letter s.
Example: "I hope you will be here," he said. Examples:
a woman's hat
the girl's book
 08
Range of Language

Transitions, Linking Words, Figurative

Language, Adjectives
Linking Words
Transitions
Transitional Devices
 09
Spelling Rules
Spelling Rules
● Every word has at least one vowel (y can act as a vowel).

● Every syllable has one vowel.

● C can say /k/ or /s/. C says /s/ before an e, I, or y (cent, city, cycle). It
says /k/ before everything else (cat, clip).
● G can say /g/ or /j/. G may say /j/ before an e, I, or y (gem, giant,
gym). It says /g/ before everything else (garden, glad).
● Q is always followed by a u (queen).
Spelling Rules
● Double the consonants f, l, and s at the end of a one-syllable word
that has just one vowel (stiff, spell, pass).
● To spell the sound of /k/ at the end of a word, we use ck or k. Use ck
after a short vowel (sick). After everything else, use a k (milk).
● Capitalize names.

● I before E except after C

Spelling Rules
● A, e, o, and u usually say their name at the end of a syllable (a-pron,
me, go, u-nit).
● Words do not end in v or j. We add a silent e at the end of the word
(have).
● Contractions replace letter(s) with an apostrophe to shorten a phrase
(I’ve represents I have).
● I and o may say /ī/ and /ō/ before two consonants (kind, sold). /j/ is
spelled dge after a short vowel (edge).
● Capitalize the names of places (Florida).
Common Spelling Rules
 10
Clauses and Phrases
What is a Clause?
Clauses Dependent Clauses
Clauses are groups of words that Although a dependent clause also has
contain a subject and a verb. a subject and a verb, a dependent
Clauses can also be referred to as clause is not a complete sentence. It’s
noun phrases only part of a sentence; it doesn’t
Independent clauses express a complete thought.

An independent clause can stand on its Example:

own as a sentence. It has a subject and Because she is afraid of the dark.
a verb, and it expresses a complete
thought. An independent clause by Independent Clause: Because she is
itself is called a simple sentence.
afraid of the dark, she sleeps with a
Example: I like ginger snaps. I do not
like dark chocolate. night light.
 What is a Phrase?
Clauses Adverbial Phrase
A phrase is a group of words that stand together An adverbial phrase is a group of words that
as a single grammatical unit, typically as part of functions as an adverb. In these examples, the
a clause or a sentence. adverbial phrases are shaded.
Example:
A phrase does not contain a subject and verb Luckily for us, we arrived just in time.
and, consequently, cannot convey a complete
thought.
Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that
Adjective Phrase
consists of a preposition, its object (which will
An adjective phrase is a group of words headed be a noun or a pronoun), and any words that
by an adjective that modifies a noun. In these modify the object.
examples, the adjective phrases are shaded, and Example:
the head adjective is in bold. I lived near the beach.
Example: How much is that doggy in the window?
Victoria was immensely proud of us.
 What is a Phrase?
Gerund Phrase Infinitive Phrase
A gerund phrase is a phrase that consists of a An infinitive phrase is the infinitive form of a
gerund, its object, and any modifiers. In these verb plus any complements and modifiers. In
examples, the gerund phrases are shaded, and these examples, the infinitive phrases are
the gerunds are in bold. shaded, and the infinitive verbs are in bold.
Moving quickly but stealthily is the key to Example:
survival. She tells you to dance like no one is watching.

Noun Phrase Participle Phrase

A participle phrase is an adjective phrase
A noun phrase consists of a noun and all its headed by a participle. In these examples, the
modifiers. In these examples, the noun phrases participle phrases are shaded and the participles
are shaded, and the head nouns are in bold. are in bold.
Example: Example:
You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by Overcome with disappointment, the professor
his way of eating jellybeans. shook his head and cried.
Phrases Versus Clauses
Phrases Versus Clauses