Write an illustrative paper. Use either the point-by-point or extended (block) method.

Write a composition of at least 500 words using the illustrative pattern. You may use example, definition, comparison or contrast, details, or any combination of these in your paper. You may use one of these suggested topics or one of your own.

How dogs communicate with humans
How knowing English can help people
How advertisements affect people
How crime can be eliminated
How media affects people's perception of reality. (If you choose this topic, you could also create a commercial that reflects your own perception of reality. This commercial could be in the form of an ad for a magazine, newspaper, Website, or a video, depending on availability of equipment. Share with classmates and ask their opinion of the effectiveness of your medium. Was their response positive or negative?)

Have a goal to make your writing error free. Get in the habit of looking closely at your work and correcting all errors you see. Use this checklist:

Check spelling by focusing on each word separately.
Check for capitalization, proper use of parentheses, question marks, commas, semicolons, colons, and other punctuation marks.
Check for proper use of grammar. Have you written in complete sentences using proper agreements between subjects, nouns, verbs, pronouns, and their antecedents?
Check for correct facts, such as names, dates, titles, statistics and exact wording of quotations.
Credit any sources you use, following a manual of style such as: The American Psychological Association, The Chicago Manual of Style, or The Modern Language Association. Ask your teacher which format is preferable. The difference in these styles is in the order the material is presented in each entry and the punctuation required. Most papers in high schools use The Modern Language Association.
If you hand write your work, be sure that every word is legible. When you correct an error in the final draft, cross out the error and insert new information neatly.