本书是专门为大专层次的读者提供英语写作的指导书，所以，本书的编者有意地控制了内容的广度和难度，以满足他们的需要；本书按照人们学习文章写作的自然过程，从词语运用到全篇写作，循序渐进地提供完整的写作指南。同时，本书简明、通俗地讲解基本的理论并配备丰富的例子，提供适量的练习，使读者能够轻松理解相关的理论知识，扎实提高学习、训练的效果。另外，考虑到读者参加英语考试的需要，本书把应试作文部分作为一章列出，就考试中常见的问题和应试技巧作了较为详细的说明。

本书是学习英语写作的初级指南，以大专层次的读者为主要使用对象，旨在为读者提供英语写作指导，为提高英语写作水平提供切实的帮助。针对读者的英语水平，在通俗、简明阐释英语写作理论的同时，配备丰富的典型例子，使他们能够轻松理解相关的理论知识。

全书分为9章，涉及英语写作的词、句、段、篇、应用文、论文、考试作文、修辞、格式与标点等9个方面，比较系统而具体地阐述了英语写作中的基本理论知识、写作要求和写作技巧。

Chapter 1 Applying Words Properly

 1.1 Types of words

1.1.1 Common words, technical words and nonstandard words

1.1.2 Formal words and colloquial words

1.1.3 Abstract words and concrete words

1.1.4 General words and specific words

 1.2 Meanings of words

1.2.1 Polysemy

1.2.2 Denotation and connotation

1.2.3 Context and meaning

 1.3 Synonyms

 1.4 The use of words

1.4.1 Collocation

1.4.2 The usage of a word

1.4.3 Variety in using words

 1.5 Idiom

 1.6 Diction

 1.7 Exercises

Chapter 2 Writing Correct and Effective Sentences

 2.1 Types of sentences

2.1.1 Classified according to the elements

2.1.2 Classified according to function

2.1.3 Classified according to structure

2.1.4 Classified according to length

2.1.5 Classified according to rhetoric

2.1.6 Exercises

 2.2 Effective sentences

2.2.1 Unity

2.2.2 Conciseness

2.2.3 Clarity

2.2.5 Variety

2.2.6 Emphasis within sentences

2.2.7 Emphatic sentences

2.2.8 Exercises

 2.3 Sentence skills

2.3.1 Complete sentences, minor sentences and sentence fragments

2.3.2 Coherence and incoherence

2.3.3 Fused sentences or run-on sentences

2.3.4 Comma splices and comma faults

 2.4 Effective sentence patterns for English writing

 2.5 Exercises

Chapter 3 Paragraph

 3.1 Isolated paragraph

3.1.1 Controlling idea

3.1.2 Support of the controlling idea

 3.2 Five-paragraph writing

3.2.1 Introductory paragraph

3.2.2 Topic sentence

3.2.3 Central paragraph

3.2.4 Concluding paragraph

3.2.5 Transitional words and phrases

3.2.6 Developing paragraph

3.2.7 Exercises

Chapter 4 Writing a Whole Essay

 4.1 Steps in writing a whole essay

4.1.1 Planning

4.1.2 Drafting

4.1.3 Revision

4.1.4 Finalizing

 4.2 Main parts of an essay

4.2.1 The opening part

4.2.2 The developing part

4.2.3 The closing part

 4.3 Types of writing

4.3.1 Description

4.3.2 Narration

4.3.3 Argumentation

4.3.4 Exposition

 4.4 Exercises

Chapter 5 Practical Writing

 5.1 Letters

5.1.1 Introduction

5.1.2 Format of letters

5.1.3 Letters of introduction

5.1.4 Job application letters

5.1.5 Application for admittance

5.1.6 Exercises

 5.2 Resume

5.2.1 Brief introduction

5.2.2 Content and organization

5.2.3 Sample writing

5.2.4 Exercises

 5.3 Brief messages

5.3.1 Notes

5.3.2 Greeting cards

5.3.3 Notices

5.3.4 Fax messages

5.3.5 E-mails

5.3.6 Exercises

Chapter 6 CETWriting

 6.1 Introduction of CET writing

6.1.1 Requirements

6.1.2 Principles of scoring

6.1.3 Standards of scoring

 6.2 Analysis on types of writing

6.2.1 Topic sentence composition

6.2.2 Key words composition

6.2.3 Outline composition...

6.2.4 Composition based on tables, graphs, charts, etc

Chapter 7 Writing a Research Paper

 7.1 Steps in writing a research paper

7.1.1 Choosing a suitable topic

7.1.2 Collecting useful data for your paper

7.1.3 Analyzing materials and forming the outline

7.1.4 Drafting the paper .

7.1.5 Revision and finalizing

 7.2 The format of a research paper

7.2.1 The structure of a paper

7.2.2 Using quotations

7.2.3 The format for adding notes and the final bibliography

 7.3 Exercises

Chapter 8 Using Rhetoric Appropriately

 8.1 Lexical stylistic devices

8.1.1 Simile

8.1.2 Metaphor

8.1.3 Metonymy

8.1.4 Synecdoche

8.1.5 Personification

8.1.6 Hyperbole

8.1.7 Understatement

8.1.8 Transferred epithet

8.1.9 Euphemism

8.1.10 Pun

8.1.11 Irony

8.1.12 Paradox

8.1.13 Oxymoron

8.1.14 Allusion

 8.2 Syntactical stylistic devices

8.2.1 Repetition

8.2.2 Climax

8.2.3 Anticlimax

8.2.4 Antithesis

8.2.5 Parallelism

8.2.6 Rhetorical question

8.2.7 Inversion

 8.3 Phonetic stylistic devices

8.3.1 Alliteration

8.3.2 Assonance

8.3.3 Consonance

 8.4 Exercises

Chapter 9 Punctuation and Manuscript Form

 9.1 The functions of ordinary punctuation marks

9.1.1 Comma(,)

9.1.2 Period(.)

9.1.3 Question mark(？)

9.1.4 Exclamation mark(！)

9.1.5 Colon(:)

9.1.6 Semicolon(；)

9.1.7 Quotation marks(“”)

9.1.8 Parentheses(())

9.1.9 Dash(——)

9.1.10 Ellipsis points(...)

 9.2 Manuscript form

9.2.1 Pages

9.2.2 Title

9.2.3 Indention

9.2.4 Italics

9.2.5 Capitalization

 9.3 Exercises

Appendix

Answers to exercises

References