GREAT WRITING 1:GREAT SENTENCES FOR GREAT PARAGRAPHS

Unit 1 Sentence Basics

ELEMENTS OF GREAT WRITING

Activity 1, pages 4-5 

Activity 2, page 5

1. Caroline

2. She

3. classes

4. wakes up

5. arrives

6. works

7. takes

8. her job

9. enjoys

10. Amazon Go

Activity 3, page 6

1. S

2. F; My mother makes breakfast every morning.

3. F; It is sunny today.

4. S

5. F; They are my cousins from Miami.

6. F; It is twelve o'clock.

7. S

8. F; Nicole and Jean are best friends.

9. S

10. F; A sentence has a subject and a verb.

Activity 4, page 8

PARAGRAPH 1.2

Activity 5, page 9

1. My name is Angela.

2. I am from Kearney, Nebraska.

3. Kearney is a small city in the middle of the United States.

4. My mother is a professor.

5. My father is a small business owner.

6. I am the oldest child in my family.

7. I am tall.

8. Hiking is my hobby.

9. I am an English teacher.

10. Teaching is exciting and fun.

Activity 6, pages 9-10

Answers will vary

Activity 7, page 11

1. Amal works at the hospital five days a week.

2. Silvia and Ana study grammar at City College twice a week.

3. Janie exercises at the gym every day.

4. We take an important quiz in Mrs. Wang’s class every week.

5. Eric puts his books in his car in the afternoon.

6. Sulaiman eats dinner at a restaurant once a week.

7. Sara bakes a pie in the oven once a month.

8. I am busy at work right now.

9. Paul and Carrie visit their grandmother in Miami every

month.

10. We have coffee at the café every morning.

Activity 8, pages 12-13

PARAGRAPH 1.3

My Colorful Classroom

My classroom is very colorful. 1 There are twenty desks in

the room. Each desk has a dark brown seat and a shiny white

top. 2 There is a world map on the left side of the room. This map

shows the locations of all the countries in the world, and each

continent is a different color. 3 There are two posters on the right

side of the room. 4 There is a list of fifty common verbs on the

first poster. The second poster has some simple pictures of fruits

and vegetables. 5 On the bulletin board, there are some pictures

of famous leaders. These objects make my classroom colorful.

Post-reading questions:

1. 1, 3, 5

2. twenty desks, two posters, some pictures of famous leaders

3. 2, 4

4. a world map, a list of fifty common verbs

5. on the left side of the room

6. on the right side of the room

7. on the bulletin board

Activity 9, page 13

PARAGRAPH 1.4

The English Alphabet

There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. There are five

vowel letters and 21 consonant letters. The five vowels are a, e,

i, o, and u. The letters w and y can be vowels when they follow

other vowels. There are three letters with the a sound in their

names. These letters are a, j, and k. There are nine letters with

the e sound in their names. These are b, c, d, e, g, p, t, v, and z. If

you want to write well in English, you must learn the 26 letters

of the English alphabet.

Activity 10, page 14

1. There are seven colors in a rainbow.

2. There are many types of art at the museum.

3. There are students from different countries in the class.

4. There is a beautiful garden in the park.

5. There are many different animals at the zoo.

6. There is a dirty plate on the table. 

7. There are so many cars in the parking lot.

8. There is a new reading room at the library.

9. There are difficult questions on the test.

10. There is a funny show on TV.

11. There is a passenger on the bus.

12. There are people swimming at the beach.

Activity 11, pages 14-15

PARAGRAPH 1.5

1. a grammar book

2. on top of the textbooks

3. sentences 2, 11, 12

4. sentences 5, 7, 8

Activity 12, page 16

Answers will vary.

Activity 13, page 17

1. Children around the world love to play soccer.

2. Children in some countries do not have money for a ball.

3. These children are very clever.

4. They make their own soccer balls.

5. They start with old shopping bags and paper.

6. They wrap string around the materials.

7. This makes a strong ball to play with.

8. The children are happy to play with these hand-made

soccer balls.

Activity 14, page 18

PARAGRAPH 1.6

An Interesting Job

1 My cousin Albert has an interesting job. 2 He is a taxi driver

in Chicago. 3 Albert owns his own taxi company. 4 It is called

Reliable Taxi Service. 5 Albert drives a taxi every day except

Sunday. 6 May and June are busy months for him. 7 Tourists from

Canada and Europe often use Albert’s company. 8 He drives his

passengers to a variety of locations. 9 Popular places are the

John Hancock Observatory, Millennium Park, and Wrigley Field.

10My cousin practices English with his customers. 11Albert loves

his job.

BUILDING BETTER VOCABULARY

Activity 15, page 19

1. go to something

2. brief stop

3. usual

4. go after

5. important

6. center

7. have

8. liked

9. easy

10. several

Activity 16, pages 19-20

1. communicate clearly

2. a group leader 

3. take a break 

4. attend an English class

5. make a common mistake

6. a tourist attraction

7. a reliable source of information

8. more research is necessary

9. in the middle of a project

10. a central location

Activity 17, page 20

1. Mr. Cox checks the students’ attendance every day.

2. Do you attend any classes in the evenings?

3. I have a cover on my smart phone.

4. Amal covers her head with a scarf every day.

5. Do you have soccer practice today?

6. Eva practices her English at the language club.

7. The scientific magazine publishes all the latest research.

8. Neil deGrasse Tyson is a scientist and a TV host.

9. There are various ways to study vocabulary.

10. This menu has a variety of vegetarian foods.

Activity 18, page 21

Answers will vary

BUILDING BETTER SENTENCES

Activity 19, page 21 

1. Gyeongju National Park is in South Korea.

2. Most schools finish classes in May. (Answers may vary for

the missing verb.)

3. My family swims at the pool.

4. In the winter, it snows a lot in the mountains. 

5. Jane attends classes at Houston Community College.

(Answers may vary for the missing verb.)

6. There is a big dinner on the table.

7. Mr. Smith is the most popular teacher in our school this

semester.

8. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world.

9. The official language of China is Mandarin.

10. You can find many beautiful types of art in a museum.

Activity 20, page 22

1. Incorrect; Mexico is not near Great Britain.

2. Incorrect; The Bahla Fort is in Oman.

3. Incorrect; Sudan is in Africa.

4. Correct

5. Correct

6. Incorrect; Russia and Canada are bigger than the United

States.

7. Incorrect; It rains a lot in Southeast Asia during the rainy

season.

8. Correct

9. Correct

10. Incorrect; Bolivia is not part of Europe.

Activity 21, page 23

Possible answers:

1. Andrew is a reliable teacher at my high school.

2. There are correct answers on the website.

3. Rachel takes Tai Chi classes at a popular park.

WRITING

Activity 22, page 24

Answers will vary.

Activity 23, page 26

PARAGRAPH 1.7

The Beauty of Tuscany

I want to visit Tuscany. Tuscany is a beautiful location

in Italy. The Apennine Mountains are in Tuscany. They have

great places to ski and hike. Tuscany is also famous for its

beautiful ceramics. For example, bowls, vases, and oil jars are 

very popular with tourists. Tuscany has so many interesting

places to see. Pisa and Siena are two beautiful cities there. It is a

wonderful place to visit. 

Possible answers:

1. It answers all of the questions; it has good examples.

2. Using the verb be; capitalizing proper nouns.

Activity 24, page 27

Answers will vary

Unit 2 Paragraph Basics

ELEMENTS OF GREAT WRITING

Activity 1

Paragraph 2.1, pages 30-31

1. My back porch is my favorite place to relax.

2. c.

3. a. She sits in comfortable chairs.

b. She sits and thinks.

c. She reads a great book.

d. She watches the sunset.

4. 9

5. I can relax in many places, but my back porch is the best.

Paragraph 2.2, pages 31-32

1. The Shanghai Tower in China is an amazing building.

2. c.

3. Possible answers:

It is the tallest building in Shanghai’s business district.

It is the second-tallest building in the world.

It has 128 floors, and there are more levels below the

building.

It has 107 fast elevators.

There are gardens on many floors.

It has one of the world’s highest observation decks.

It is good for the environment.

Special machines use the wind to make electricity for the

building.

It uses rainwater to keep it cool inside.

4. 8

5. The Shanghai Tower is amazing inside and out.

Activity 2, page 33

1. It capitalizes all the letters in every word; An Influential

Inventor

2. It capitalizes prepositions; A Handbook for International

Students in Canada

3. It uses a period; Three Types of Transportation

4. It begins with My Paragraph; A New Technology

5. It is too long; How to Become an Engineer at NASA

6. It does not capitalize all the important words; The Ten Best

Movies of All Time

7. It is a complete sentence; The Best Day of My Life

8. It does not capitalize the all the important words; My First

Car

9. It does not capitalize the first word; An Unusual Animal

10. It does not capitalize the first word or the important words;

The First Female Astronaut

Activity 3, page 33

Answers will vary

Activity 4

Paragraph 2.3, page 34

c.

Paragraph 2.4, page 35

a.

Paragraph 2.5, page 35

a.

Activity 5

Paragraph 2.6, page 36

Possible answer: Pasta is my favorite food.

Paragraph 2.7, page 36

Possible answer: I cannot live without my tablet.

Paragraph 2.8, page 37

Possible answer: Good teachers have four characteristics.

Activity 6, pages 38-39

PARAGRAPH 2.9

My Office

My office has everything I need to do my work. On the

left side of the room, there is a large desk. My computer sits on

top of the desk, and the printer sits under it. I keep important

documents in its drawers. On the right side of the room, there

are two beautiful bookcases. They are full of books, magazines,

and computer software. My father makes bookcases and other

wood furniture. A telephone and a fax machine are on a small

table next to my closet. I have trouble remembering my fax

number. All my office supplies are in the closet. I enjoy my office

very much.

PARAGRAPH 2.10

An Energetic Neighbor

My 96-year-old neighbor, Mrs. Wills, lives alone and takes

care of herself. My grandmother lived to be 87. Mrs. Wills

goes to the grocery store by herself, and she does all her own

cooking. She does not like to eat white rice. Mrs. Wills also

cleans her own house. She puts her heavy garbage can by the

street for trash collection every week. She exercises by walking

on the beach. I hope to have that much energy when I am 96 

years old.

PARAGRAPH 2.11

Changing Celsius to Fahrenheit

Changing temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit is not

difficult. First, multiply the Celsius temperature by 9. Then

divide this answer by 5. When you finish, add 32 to your answer.

The result is the temperature in Fahrenheit. Most countries

report temperatures in Celsius, but the United States reports

them in Fahrenheit. For example, if the Celsius temperature is

20, you multiply 20 by 9. Then you divide the answer, 180, by 5.

The result is 36. If you get a different number, check your math

mistake. Next, add 32, and you have the correct Fahrenheit

temperature, 68. Now you can easily change a temperature

from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

Activity 7, page 40

1. Rob owns a red car.

2. I do not like this cold weather.

3. Paris is a beautiful city in France.

4. Ali has a new job.

5. They like to drink very hot coffee.

6. Nina reads funny stories.

7. My mother grows big beautiful roses.

8. Juan works for a large international company.

9. My grandparents live in a small farming town.

10. Sharon rents a tiny white house on Smith Street.

Activity 8, page 41

PARAGRAPH 2.12 

Activity 9, page 42

Answers will vary.

Activity 10, page 43

c, b, e, h, i, a, f, g, d

Activity 11, page 45

1. He

2. She

3. They

4. They

5. They

6. It

7. It

8. They

9. They

10. They

Activity 12, page 46

1. her

2. them

3. it

4. them

5. her

6. us

Activity 12, page 46

1. her

2. them

3. it

4. them

5. her

6. us

Activity 13, page 46

PARAGRAPH 2.15 

Our Big Move

Andy and I have a busy day today. Andy and I We are very

excited because we are moving into a new apartment. Andy

and I We have many big things to move. I have a large flat screen

television. Andy and I We plan to put the television it next to the

window. Andy’s sister and her friends will help Andy and me us 

move today, too. Andy’s sister and her friends They will move

our large couchand chairs and put the couch and chairs them 

in front of the television. Finally, Andy’s sister and her friends 

they will move our beds. Our beds may take a long time to move

because our beds they are so big. However, Andy and I we are

not worried because Andy's sister and her friends will help Andy

and I us quickly finish everything on our long moving list.

Activity 14, page 47

1. Their

2. their

3. Her

4. her

5. Their

6. Their

7. His

8. her

Activity 15, page 48

1. my

2. my

3. Her

4. Her

5. She

6. She

7. She

8. her

9. She

10. Their

11. My

12. His

13. they

14. their

15. I

16. my

Activity 16, page 49

1. Paragraph 2.3

Topic sentence: Snow is beautiful, but it causes many problems.

Concluding sentence: There are more problems with snow than

reasons to like it.

2. Paragraph 2.4

Topic sentence: My favorite city is New York City.

Concluding sentence: I truly love New York City.

3. Paragraph 2.5

Topic sentence: Road cycling can be a dangerous sport.

Concluding sentence: Road cycling may look like a safe sport,

but it can be extremely dangerous.

Activity 17

Paragraph 2.18, page 49

a.

Paragraph 2.19, page 50

c.

Paragraph 2.20, page 50

c.

Activity 18, page 51

Staying Healthy

It is easy to stay healthy if you follow some simple steps.

First, you need to eat healthy food. The best types of food to

eat are fruits and vegetables. You should eat a lot of them every

day. Next, you need to do some exercise. Doctors say that one

hour of exercise each day can keep you in good shape. Exercise

is also good for your mind. Finally, you need to find time to 

relax. This allows your body to rest and become stronger.

Possible answers for the concluding sentence: Following these

steps will help your health; These simple suggestions will help

you stay healthy.

BUILDING BETTER VOCABULARY

Activity 19, page 52

1. very interesting

2. annoy

3. cautious

4. do something special

5. try to win

6. something unsafe

7. at the time

8. really

9. love

10. prepare

Activity 20, pages 52-53

1. be patient while waiting

2. clearly explain the directions

3. relax after a long day

4. my biggest dream 

5. ancient Chinese culture 

6. taste delicious

7. check the dictionary

8. explore new places

9. a serious car accident 

10. heavy traffic

Activity 21, page 53

1. My new dress is extremely comfortable.

2. Parents often comfort crying children.

3. People can connect with each other easily through the

Internet.

4. I study at this library all the time because the WiFi

connection here is very good.

5. High-heeled shoes damage wooden floors.

6. The damaged car does not work.

7. Young children can be very energetic.

8. Riders need a lot of energy to complete a race.

9. There are many ways to organize a closet.

10. My boss is a very organized woman.

Activity 22, page 54

Answers will vary. 

BUILDING BETTER SENTENCES

Activity 23, page 54

PARAGRAPH 2.22

Aspirin

Aspirin is an incredible type of medicine. This small white

pill is not a new drug. We do not know exactly why or how it

works. However, millions of people use aspirin every day. They

take it for many reasons. Aspirin is good for headaches, colds,

and pain. It can help with so many different health problems.

Aspirin is a simple medicine, but it is so important. 

Activity 24, page 55

1. Amal is a student at Seattle Community College.

2. There are 15 floors in this building.

3. Jim’s backpack is difficult to carry.

4. My favorite shirt is not clean.

5. Mysteries are a popular type of book.

6. The sun damages unprotected skin.

7. The Shanghai Tower is a tall building.

8. It is not raining today.

9. There is a lot of information about the project.

10. Everyone loves his beautiful smile.

Activity 25, page 55

Possible answers:

1. There is an important meeting on Linh's calendar. 

2. Carlos rides his bike to work every day.

3. I have new friends in my English class.

WRITING

Activity 26, page 56

Answers will vary.

Activity 27, page 57

Answers will vary.