Composition FAQ

Welcome to the English Composition Writing FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). This FAQ addresses difficulties that many new writers have with mechanics, style, content, and structure. While meant for the neophyte writer, even experienced writers may benefit from some of the answers to the following questions.

Comments and questions should be forwarded to the FAQ’s Editor. If you have a question, feel free to send it to me, or link it below and hopefully someone will answer it in due time. Please check back frequently if your questions have not yet been answered. If you have a submission — an answer to a question — please include it below. Anyone wishing to submit content to the FAQ is strongly encouraged to do so. Any questions in red have not been answered; click on one to answer it.

Initial Questions

• How do I get started writing?
• What questions do I need to ask as a writer?

Content Questions

• How does a “topic” differ from a “subject”?
• What is a strong subject for an essay?
• What is meant by “purpose” in an essay?
• What is “audience”?
• What is a “thesis statement”?
• What is “interesting detail” and how do I use it?
• What is “development” or “support”?
• Where do I go for essay subject ideas?
• What is a strong title and how do I write one?
• Are there different types of essays?

Mechanics and Grammar Questions

General

• What is the difference between possessives and plurals?

Sentences

• What is a sentence?
• What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?
• What is an independent clause?
• What is a “run-on” sentence?
• What is a “sentence fragment”?
• What is “subject/verb agreement”?
• What is “pronoun/antecedent agreement”?
• What are “coordinating conjunctions”?
• What are “subordinating conjunctions”?
• What is a dangling participle?
• May you begin a sentence with “and” or “but”?
• What is the difference between a direct object and an indirect object?
• What is an “objective complement”?
• What is parallel structure?

Punctuation

• What is the correct way to use punctuation with quotation marks?
• How do you usually punctuate conjunctive adverbs?
• What is an ellipsis and how do you use one correctly?

Commas

• How do I know when I need to use a comma?
• Does an introductory clause or phrase need a comma after it?
• What is a “comma splice”?
• Is a comma really necessary after the last element in a list of three or more?

Semicolons

• How do you use a semicolon?
• What's the difference between a semicolon and a comma?

Structural Questions

• What is a “thesis statement” and how do I write a strong one?
• What are some guidelines for writing a thesis?
• What is a “topic sentence”?
• How does an “opening sentence” differ from a “topic sentence”?
• How do I write a strong title?
• How do I write a strong introduction?
• What is the “body” of an essay?
• How do I write a strong conclusion?
• What is “unity”?
• What is “point of view”?
• How should an essay be organized?
• How do I get the ideas from my head to the paper?
• What are “transitions”?
• How do I present titles of other works in my essay?

Stylistic Questions

• What is “tone”?
• What is wrong with “it”?
• Why is the pronoun “this” ambiguous?
• What is the “passive voice”?
• What is “word choice”?
• What is an “awkward sentence”?
• What is “redundancy”?
• What is “wordiness”?
• What is “hyperbole”?
• When is something “clichéd” or “trite”?
• How can my writing be more persuasive?

Writing About Literature

• What tense do I use when writing about literature?
• How do I present titles of poems, novels, etc. in my essay?
• In what ways can I write about literature?
• How do I organize a critical essay about literature?
• What are some basic guidelines for approaching literature critically?

Online Writing

• How does online writing differ from traditional writing?
• What types of online writing are there?
• What are the unique components of online writing?
• What is multimedia?
• How and when do I use images?
• How does research and citation differ when writing online?

Blogs

• What is a blog?
• How does a blog differ from a traditional essay?
• How does a blog differ from a wiki?
• How do I write on a blog?

Wikis

• What is a wiki?
• How does a wiki differ from a traditional essay?
• How does a wiki differ from a blog?
• How do I write on a wiki?

Podcasts

• What is a podcast?

Research Questions

• Research? What research!?
• How do I go about doing a research paper?
• What are good sources to cite?
• What is MLA documentation style?

Revision and Editing

• How about some general writing tips?
• Editing? Proofreading? Revision?
• What are some basic editing strategies for new writers?

External Links

• Geroge Mason University’s Writing Center — Some excellent resources for writers and ESL.
• Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab — A great site for tutorials, workshops, study materials, and more.
• University of Ottawa’s Writing Centre — Check out Hypergrammar and their other writing resources.