Foundations First with Readings Sentences and Paragraphs

by Kirszner, Laurie G.; Mandell, Stephen R.

• ISBN13: 9780312603168
• ISBN10: 0312603169
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-08-04
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

Summary

Foundations Firstguides students through the process of writing sentences and paragraphs with simple explanations, appealing visuals, and student-friendly examples. Kirszner and Mandell's compelling approach lets students practice grammar in the context of their own writing and helps prepare them for success in college composition and beyond. Treating students with respect -- a hallmark of the Kirszner and Mandell approach -- the book also addresses study skills, ESL concerns, vocabulary development, and critical reading, providing beginning writers with all the support they need to master the essentials of good writing. The fourth edition gives students even more help transitioning into college, with new coverage on communicating in college and new tips for college success.

Author Biography

During their more than 25-year collaboration, LAURIE KIRSZNER and STEPHEN MANDELL have produced a number of best-selling college texts for Bedford/St. Martin's, including Focus on Writing (2011), Writing First: Practice in Context (2009), Patterns for College Writing (2010) and Practical Argument (2011). Laurie Kirszner teaches composition, literature, and creative writing at the University of the Sciences. Stephen Mandell is the founder and former director of the basic writing program at Drexel University, where he teaches composition, literature, and technical and business writing.

 

Table of Contents

Brief Contents

Preface for Instructors
A Student's Guide to Using Foundations First
Self-Assessment Checklists for Revising and Editing Your Writing

 

Unit One: Learning Strategies for College Success  

Chapter 1 Practical Strategies
A. Orientation Strategies 
B. First-Week Strategies 
C. Day-to-Day Strategies 
D. Note-Taking Strategies 
E. Homework Strategies 
F. Exam-Taking Strategies 
G. Time-Management Strategies 
H. College Communication Skills
I. Internet Strategies  
 
Chapter 2 Reading Strategies 
A. Becoming an Active Reader 
B. Reading Written Texts
C. Reading in College, in the Community, and in the Workplace  

 

Unit Two: Writing Effective Paragraphs 

 

Chapter 3 Writing a Paragraph  
A. Understanding Paragraph Structure  
B. Focusing on Your Assignment, Purpose, and Audience 
C. Finding Ideas to Write About 
D. Identifying Your Main Idea and Writing a Topic Sentence 
E. Choosing Supporting Points 
F. Arranging Your Supporting Points 
G. Drafting Your Paragraph  
H. Revising Your Paragraph  

 

Chapter 4 Fine-Tuning Your Paragraph 
A. Writing Unified Paragraphs  
B. Writing Well-Developed Paragraphs 
C. Writing Coherent Paragraphs 
 
Chapter 5 Exemplification  
A. What is Exemplification? 
B. Writing an Exemplification Paragraph 

 

Chapter 6 Narration 
A. What is Narration?  
B. Writing a Narrative Paragraph 

 

Chapter 7 Description 
A. What is Description? 
B. Writing a Descriptive Paragraph 

 

Chapter 8 Process 
A. What is Process? 
B. Writing a Process Paragraph 

 

Chapter 9 Cause and Effect 
A. What is Cause and Effect?  
B. Writing a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 

 

Chapter 10  Comparison and Contrast 
A. What is Comparison and Contrast?  
B. Writing a Comparison-and-Contrast Paragraph 

 

Chapter 11 Classification  
A. What is Classification? 
B. Writing a Classification Paragraph  

 

Chapter 12 Definition 
A. What is Definition? 
B. Writing a Definition Paragraph 

 

Chapter 13 Argument 
A. What is Argument? 
B. Writing an Argument Paragraph 

 

Chapter 14 Moving from Paragraph to Essay  
A. Understanding Essay Structure 
B. Focusing on Your Assignment, Purpose, and Audience 
C. Finding Ideas to Write About 
D. Identifying Your Main Idea and Stating Your Thesis 
E. Choosing Your Supporting Points 
F. Drafting Your Essay 
G. Revising and Editing Your Essay 

 

Unit Three: Writing Effective Sentences

 

Chapter 15 Writing Simple Sentences 
A. Identifying Subjects  
B. Recognizing Singular and Plural Subjects 
C. Identifying Prepositional Phrases 
D. Identifying Action Verbs 
E. Identifying Linking Verbs 
F. Identifying Helping Verbs 

 

Chapter 16 Writing Compound Sentences 
A. Using Coordinating Conjunctions 
B. Using Semicolons 
C. Using Transitional Words and Phrases 

 

Chapter 17 Writing Complex Sentences  
A. Using Subordinating Conjunctions 
B. Punctuating with Subordinating Conjunctions 
C. Using Relative Pronouns 
 
Chapter 18 Fine-Tuning Your Sentences 
A. Varying Sentence Openings  
B. Combining Sentences
C. Choosing Exact Words 
D. Using Concise Language 
E. Avoiding Clichés  

 

Chapter 19 Using Parallelism 
A. Recognizing Parallel Structure 
B. Using Parallel Structure 

 

Unit Four: Solving Common Sentence Problems 

 

Chapter 20 Run-Ons 
A. Recognizing Run-Ons  
B. Correcting Run-Ons  

 

Chapter 21 Sentence Fragments  
A. Recognizing Sentence Fragments 
B. Phrase Fragments 
C. Incomplete-Verb Fragments 
D. Dependent Clause Fragments 

 

Chapter 22 Subject-Verb Agreement 
A. Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement 
B. Be, Have, and Do 
C. Compound Subjects 
D. Phrases between Subject and Verb 
E. Indefinite Pronoun Subjects 
F. Verbs before Subjects 
G. Avoiding Agreement Problems with the Relative Pronouns Who, Which, and That 

 

Chapter 23 Illogical Shifts 
A. Shifts in Tense 
B. Shifts in Person 
C. Shifts in Voice 

 

Chapter 24 Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers  
A. Identifying -ing Modifiers 
B. Identifying -ed Modifiers 
C. Correcting Dangling Modifiers 
D. Correcting Misplaced Modifiers 

 

Unit Five: Understanding Basic Grammar 

 

Chapter 25 Verbs: Past Tense 
A. Regular Verbs  
B. Irregular Verbs  
C. Problem Verbs: Be 
D. Problem Verbs: Can/Could and Will/Would  

 

Chapter 26 Verbs: Past Participles 
A. Regular Past Participles 
B. Irregular Past Participles 
C. The Present Perfect Tense 
D. The Past Perfect Tense 
E. Past Participles as Adjectives 

 

Chapter 27 Nouns  
A. Nouns 
B. Recognizing Singular and Plural Nouns 
C. Forming Plural Nouns 

 

Chapter 28 Pronouns 
A. Identifying Pronouns  
B. Special Problems with Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement 
C. Vague and Unnecessary Pronouns
D. Pronoun Case 
E. Special Problems with Pronoun Case 
F. Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns 
 
Chapter 29 Adjectives and Adverbs 
A. Identifying Adjectives and Adverbs  
B. Comparatives and Superlatives 
C. Demonstrative Adjectives 

 

Chapter 30 Grammar and Usage Issues for ESL Writers 
A. Subjects in Sentences 
B. Special Problems with Subjects 
C. Plural Nouns 
D. Count and Noncount Nouns 
E. Determiners with Count and Noncount Nouns 
F. Articles 
G. Negative Statements and Questions 
H. Verb Tense  
I. Stative Verbs 
J. Modal Auxiliaries 
K. Gerunds 
L. Placing Modifiers in Order 
M. Choosing Prepositions 
N. Prepositions in Familiar Expressions 
O. Using Prepositions in Phrasal Verbs  
 

Unit Six: Understanding Punctuation, Mechanics, and Spelling 

 

Chapter 31  Using Commas 
A. Commas in a Series  
B. Commas with Introductory Phrases and Transitional Words and Phrases 
C. Commas with Appositives  
D. Commas with Nonrestrictive Clauses 
E. Commas in Compound and Complex Sentences 
F. Commas in Dates and Addresses 

 

Chapter 32 Using Apostrophes  
A. Apostrophes in Contractions 
B. Apostrophes in Possessives  
C. Incorrect Use of Apostrophes 

 

Chapter 33 Using Other Punctuation Marks 
A.  Semicolons 
B.  Colons 
C.  Dashes and Parentheses 

 

Chapter 34 Understanding Mechanics 
A. Capitalizing Proper Nouns 
B. Punctuating Quotations 
C. Setting Off Titles 
D. Hyphens 

 

Chapter 35 Understanding Spelling 
A. Becoming a Better Speller 
B. Ie and ei 
C. Prefixes 
D. Suffixes 
 
Chapter 36 Learning Commonly Confused Words 

 

Unit Seven: Learning College Reading Skills  

 

Chapter 37 Readings for Writers  

     *Sulaiman Addonia, How My Father Looked
     Bobbi Buchanan, Don't Hang Up, That's My Mom Calling 
     *David Brooks, Pain, Agony, Despair: Flying with Children
     Jose Antonio Burciaga, Tortillas 
     *Ruel Espejo (student), Learning Tagalog
     *Henry Louis Gates, Jr., A Giant Step 
     John Hartmire, At the Heart of a Historic Movement  
     *Tony Hawk, Do What You Love
     Macarena Hernández, America, Stand up for Justice and Decency 
     *Maxine Hong, Kingston, Photographs of My Parents
     Arthur Miller, Before Air Conditioning 
     Sara Price (student), The Little Pretzel Lady  
     *Kent A. Sepkowitz, No Need For Speed
     *Marion Winik, What Are Friends For? 

     Marc Williams (student), The Online Alternative 
     William Zinsser, The Transaction 

 

Appendix A Building Word Power 
1. Using a Dictionary  
2. Word Power List 
3. Your Personal Vocabulary List 

 

Appendix B Strategies for Workplace Success 
1. Defining Your Goals 
2. Learning about Job Openings 
3. Marketing Yourself  
4. Sample Job-Application Materials 

 

Answers to Odd-Numbered Exercises
Index
Index of Rhetorical Patterns
Correction Symbols

Parts of Speech Chart

 

*new to this edition.