Characteristics of Good Writing

Sentence Level
 Correct sentence boundaries (no sentence fragments or comma splices)
 Correct grammar (no errors in subject-verb agreement, verb tense, pronoun
reference, noun number, etc.)
 Correct syntax (correct sentence structures, correct use of coordination and
subordination, correct placement of modifying phrases and clauses)
 Appropriate word choice
 Clarity of expression

Paragraph/ Essay Level

 Interesting content
 Organization around a main idea or thesis
 Adequate support for the main idea or thesis
(sufficient reasons, examples, and details)
 Relevance of evidence (supporting sentences/ paragraphs have a clear
relationship to the main idea or thesis)
 Logical development
 Coherence within and between paragraphs (smooth transitions from one point to
the next)
 Sentence variety (variation of simple, compound, and complex sentences)
 Style and tone appropriate for the audience and the purpose of the writing
 Concise wording (no redundant or unnecessarily “flowery” language); directness
(for instance, avoidance of passive constructions where possible)
 Clarity of expression
 Rhetorical effect (makes a desired impression on the reader)

Note that clarity of expression (writing clearly) is a characteristic of good writing at

any level. Many students, both in the U.S. and Taiwan, try to sound as complicated as
possible and use many big words and long sentences to impress the reader. Some
teachers and testers do reward this kind of pretentious writing—and governments
around the world produce it in huge quantities—but it is poor writing.

Government-ese: The final person to vacate the premises of a compartmentalized

area within a given facility has the responsibility of extinguishing
all illumination sources.
Standard English: The last person to leave a room should turn off the lights.

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Good Grammar Does Not Equal Good Writing!

If sentences in a composition are poorly written and full of grammar errors, the
writing will be poor… BUT correct grammar does not equal good writing. Every
sentence in a paragraph or an essay may be error-free… but the composition may still
be very poorly written!

Example:
The following paragraph by a college junior has only one grammatical error (the last
sentence is a fragment). If you were a teacher, what grade would you assign to this piece of
writing? What grade-level do you think it represents (Junior High Year 1, 2, or 3? Senior
High Year 1, 2, or 3? College Year 1, 2, 3, or 4?) Give a reason for your answer.
Paragraph 1
GRADE: _____

Some Interesting Facts… About Me

I have a younger sister. She is eighteen years old and I am twenty years old. We
studied at the same college. One day, we took the same school bus. I sat behind my
sister. My classmate also took this bus. She looked at my sister first. Then she
looked at me. She was very surprised. She saw two Kellies, the same person. I
introduced my sister to her. We are not twins. She is my younger sister. My
classmate could not believe we were not twins. Because we look like the same
person.

Rewrite: Here is the same paragraph, rewritten. What are some of the improvements that
have been made? Now what grade level would you assign to the writing?
Paragraph 1, Improved

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 A Striking Resemblance

I am not a twin, but I have been mistaken for one. My “look-alike” is my sister,
who is two years younger than I am. She and I formerly studied at the same college,
and we sometimes rode on the same bus. One day, as one of my classmates boarded
the bus, she first noticed my sister. Then she spotted me in the next seat back and
was startled by the double image. I quickly introduced my sister to her, explaining
that we were sisters and not twins. However, my sister and I have a resemblance
that is unusually strong for siblings, and my classmate was not easily convinced of
the truth. The two of us truly can pass for twins!
Let’s list some of the improvements that were made in Paragraph 1:

 We added a topic sentence to the paragraph. This paragraph is basically

narrative in nature (it tells a story), and narrative paragraphs do not always need
a topic sentence. However, the first sentence in the original paragraph (“I have a
sister”) was a weak beginning.

 We combined short sentences into longer ones. The original paragraph was
“choppy” (it consisted of mostly simple sentences) and gave the impression of
grade-school writing. (In fact, the author was a junior in college.)
Now the paragraph has a variety of sentence structures:

Simple sentence: The two of us truly can pass for twins!

Compound sentence: I am not a twin, but I have been mistaken for one.
Complex sentence: One day, as one of my classmates boarded the bus, she
first noticed my sister.
Adjective clause: My “look-alike” is my sister, who is two years younger
than I am.
Participle phrase: I quickly introduced my sister to her, explaining that we
were sisters and not twins.

 We added a conclusion that repeats the idea in the topic sentence (“The two of
us truly can pass for twins!”) Note that concluding with a short, dramatic
sentence that enforces the main point is often an effective way to end a
composition.

 We upgraded the vocabulary. For instance,

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 “got on the bus” “boarded the bus”
“saw me” “spotted me”
“surprised” “startled”
Notice, too, the we used both repetition of the key word twin and variations
on it (“look-alike,” “double image,” “strong resemblance”).

 We improved the title. Although “Some Interesting Facts… About Me” was
the topic assigned by the teacher, it does not have to be the final title. Now that
we read the finished paragraph, we see it only contains one interesting fact about
the writer: she has a sister who looks almost exactly like her.