Writing a Formal Essay

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Writing a Formal Essay

• Robert Castellow

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Handwriting

• White paper
• Lined paper
• Regular sized pape
• Blue or Black ink only
• Write only on front of each page

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• Center a title on the top line
• Capitalize
• Do not put a period after the title

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• Double space your essay
• Indent the first line of each paragraph

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• Keep left margin inside of the red line
• In the upper right corner number the pages

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• No Roman numerals
• No number sign
• Do not circle the numerals
• The title is the first page

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• Do not use unnecessary abbreviations
• Spell out contractions

Contractions are shortened forms of a word or
words. They are formed by eliminating certain
letters and also using the apostrophe to replace
one or more of the letters eliminated
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• Spell out numbers less than one hundred
• Hyphenate spelled out compound numbers from
  twenty one through ninety nine

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• Do not use you unless quoting another person
• Try to end a sentence with a preposition

A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases
to other words in a sentence
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• Do not split an infinitive
• to verb infinitive
• Because an infinitive is not a verb, you cannot
  add s, es, ed, or ing to the end

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• Personal pronouns must never use apostrophes to
  show possession
• Make sure all words are spelled and hyphenated
  correctly

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• Capitalize words of family relationships

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• Do not use this, that, these or those
• Do not start sentences with there is and there
  are

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• Use active verbs to add interest

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• Linking verbs should be avoided
• Passive verbs are boring

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• Use appropriate transitional devices for clarity
• Smoothness of movement is key

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• Write legibly and neatly

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• Proofread your essay
• Turn in your essay with relief after following
  these key steps

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CONGRATULATIONS

• You now have the skills to write an amazing
  Formal Essay