COPS
What does C stand for?
Capitalization
Correct:
last friday we visited toronto
Last Friday, we visited Toronto.
What is a sentence fragment?
An incomplete sentence that does not express a complete thought.
What is the job of a topic sentence?
Introduce the paragraph's main idea.
Add specific details, examples, or explanations.
What does O stand for?
Organization.
What punctuation ends a direct question?
?
Two or more complete thoughts joined incorrectly or without suitable punctuation.
What belongs in the body of a paragraph?
Relevant supporting details, examples, and explanations.
Add details:
The room was so scary.
The room was so scary. Shadows stretched across the walls, and a floorboard creaked behind me.
What does P stand for?
Punctuation
Correct:
my brother likes soccer he plays daily.
My brother likes soccer. He plays daily.
Fragment or complete and why?
Because I built a deck.
What should a concluding sentence do?
Wrap up the paragraph's main idea.
What is a transition? Give an example.
A word or phrase connecting ideas, eg. however, meanwhile, finally.
What does S stand for?
Sentence Structure
Name two things that need capitals.
The first word of a sentence and proper nouns.
Fix:
I was tired I went to bed.
I was tired, so I went to bed.
I was tired. I went to bed.
When should you begin a new paragraph?
When the focus, time, speaker, place, or main idea changes.
Name one way to improve sentence flow.
Vary sentence beginnings or lengths; combine related ideas; use transitions.
Name three things you check for when editing.
*different possible answers*
Add suitable punctuation:
Watch out
Watch out!
Fix:
yesterday i went to the park it was fun i saw my friend we played basketball because the weather was nice.
Yesterday, I went to the park. It was fun. I saw my friend and we played basketball because the weather was nice.
Put in order: conclusion, details, topic sentence
Topic sentence > supporting details > concluding sentence
Why include examples and explanations?
They clarify, support, and develop the main idea for the reader.