Lesson Introduction

Introduction

Just as a mason uses bricks to build sturdy homes, writers use words to build successful documents. Consider the construction of a building. Builders need to use tough, reliable materials to build a solid and structurally sound skyscraper. From the foundation to the roof and every floor in between, every part is necessary. Writers need to use strong, meaningful words from the first sentence to the last and in every sentence in between.

You already know many words that you use everyday as part of your writing and speaking vocabulary. You probably also know that certain words fit better in certain situations. Letters, e-mails, and even quickly jotted grocery lists require the proper selection of vocabulary. Imagine you are writing a grocery list to purchase the ingredients for a recipe but accidentally write down cilantro when the recipe calls for parsley. Even though cilantro and parsley look remarkably alike, each produces a very different effect in food. This seemingly small error could radically alter the flavor of your dish!

Having a solid everyday vocabulary and spelling skills will help you while writing, but learning new words and avoiding common word errors will make a real impression on your readers. Experienced writers know that deliberate, careful word selection and usage can lead to more polished, more meaningful work. This lesson covers word choice and spelling strategies that will improve your writing.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Learn the basic rules of capitalization.

2. Identify common capitalization errors.

3. Identify common spelling rules.

4. Identify commonly misused homonyms.

5. Identify commonly misspelled words.

6. Identify commonly confused words.

7. Use strategies to avoid commonly confused words.

Lesson Sections

This lesson about about stand-alone paragraphs is divided-up into three sections, which are listed below. You may access these sections in the menu on the left (or the top-left by clicking the three lines if viewing on a mobile devices).

1. Capitalization

2. Spelling

3. Commonly Confused Words

Please, work-through each of these informational sections to learn the concepts of this lesson before checking your understanding of the material through the "comprehension quiz" provided in our class's Canvas shell.

While progressing through the sections above, if you find yourself confused or need additional clarity, please feel free to reach-out through any communication option available to our class (listed in the Home and Syllabus tabs in our class's Canvas shell) that best suits your needs and comfort.