Five Elements of Good Writing

1. Five Elements of Good
Writing

2. What are the five elements?
1. Purpose
2. Audience
3. Clarity
4. Unity
5. Coherence

3. Element 1: Purpose
• When we say purpose, we mean the
reasons that writer is writing.
• The purpose is what the writer is trying
to accomplish.
• The purpose is the goal the writer is
trying to achieve.

4. Element 1: Purpose
• The three most common goals of writing
are:
• To inform
• To persuade
• To entertain

5. Purpose Statement
• A short sentence written before writing
that clearly defines the purpose of
writing.
• Helps to stay on topic and maintain
focus.
• Simple and to the point.

6. Element 2: Audience
• Audience refers to the readers who the
writer expects to read their work.

7. Relating to Your Audience
• Two main elements
• Viewpoint or person
• Formal or informal writing

8. Person
• The first person refers to the person
speaking.
• Often used when writing about personal
experiences.
• Example: I want my teacher to give me
more homework.

9. Person
• Second person refers to the person being
spoken to.
• Often used for informal writing.
• Example: "You must be the change you
wish to see in the world." - Mahatma
Gandhi.

10. Person
• Third person refers to the person or
thing that is being spoke about.
• Most academic writing uses the third
person.
• Example: Bill ran screaming that he did
not want Sally to kiss him.

11. Choosing person in Formal and
Informal Writing
• Certain topics work better using a
particular person. If you are unsure
about the formality level of an
assignment, ask your teacher.

12. Element 3: Clarity
• Clarity refers to how easy it is for the
reader to understand your writing.
• Good writers explain points clearly.
• Good writers use concrete and specific
language.

13. Two ways to improve clarity
1. Use descriptive or precise words.
2. Use clear pronoun references.

14. Element 4: Unity
• Unity means that all the sentences are
related to the topic sentence and its
controlling idea.
• In an essay, it means that all of the
paragraphs support the thesis
statement

15. Element 5: Coherence
• Coherence means all of the parts are
organized and flow smoothly and
logically.

16. Three Important Features of
Coherence
• Logical Order
• Repetition of key words
• Use of transitional words and
phrases

17. Proofreading
• Good writers know that it takes more
than just one session of writing to
create a good paragraph or essay.
• Try proofreading your essay twice
before turning it into your teacher.

18. Proofreading Strategies
• Take a break from the work.
• Read your writing aloud.
• Read your paper backwards.
• Cover your work. Only look at one line at
a time.
• Pretend you are someone else.

19. Questions?