Anne K.'s Blog at WyzAnt.com

Wyzant Answers Expanded?

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

WyzAnt asks: "Would you be interested in helping us by creating academic content and lessons in your areas of expertise?" And I can answer enthusiastically, "YES!"

This would be a great way to give students or potential students an entry into the important issues and concepts of my subjects. For example, people often think that writing is extremely hard. But I have developed some methods to get started and to keep going. I'd really like to share what I know and spread the word. There is not a magic formula, and certainly not a secret recipe, to learning how to write a decent sentence, paragraph, and paper. The more knowledge is disseminated, the better!

Childrens' Dictionaries

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

Recommended dictionaries -- Prices are from Amazon.com. The best thing would be to use the 'Look Inside the Book' feature to view the pages. But seeing the books in person would be optimal and these ones are commonly available.

Oxford Illustrated Children's Dictionary Flexi 2010 [Paperback] Oxford Dictionaries
ISBN-13: 978-0199119936 $16 Age 8 and up

Merriam-Webster Children's Dictionary [Hardcover]
DK Publishing (Author) $14 Grades 2-5
ISBN-978-0756637583

Children's Illustrated Dictionary [Hardcover]
DK Publishing (Author) $21 Age 6 and up
ISBN-13: 978-0756651961

New Editions of SAT Workbooks and More

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

Barron's SAT Critical Reading Workbook 14th Edition [Paperback]

Sharon Weiner Green $9.99 Aug. '12 ISBN-13: 978-1438000275

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Barron's SAT Writing Workbook, 3rd Edition (Barron's Writing Workbook for the New Sat) [Paperback]
George Ehrenhaft $9.99 Aug. '12 ISBN-13: 978-1438000329

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-- OR --

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Barron's SAT, 26th Edition (Barron's Sat (Book Only))
Ira K. Wolf Ph.D./Sharon Weiner Green $12 Pub. Aug, '12 ISBN-13: 978-1438000190

** Has Both English & Math Sections**

* OPTIONAL, but helpful if you will use them

Barron's SAT Vocabulary Flash Cards [Cards]
Sharon Weiner Green (Author) $9.99 ISBN-13: 978-1438070865

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* While there are also available CD-Roms for both of these workbooks [you buy the workbook with the CD; these have different ISBN numbers], it seems that students rarely use them. And they increase significantly the price of the Workbook. But it's up to you.*

-- Spend the extra money on a good Dictionary! Do not attempt the Big Tests without a good Dictionary -- you will be looking up words for the rather lengthy Vocabulary List (High Frequency Words) in the workbooks. Please see my Blog post about Dictionaries for guidance.

-- A Grammar book - See also my Blog entry.

TEAS - Nursing School Entrance

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

Here is what I discovered from Amazon - McGraw-Hill 5 TEAS Practice Tests, $12.50 - So this might be a better or supplemental workbook for you. McGraw-Hill is a very good publisher, I do like their grammars, workbooks, etc.. There is a 'look inside the book' feature on Amazon; take a look for yourself at the text. But since there are so few workbooks available for TEAS, and 10 positive reviews by the public. I'd take a chance on it. It is supposedly better for English than for math & science, but that is OK.

Essay Writing Tips

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

1. ALWAYS PREPARE – Don’t just start writing! Ways to start -

a) BUBBLE CHART (MIND MAP) – Write anything that comes to your mind about the Essay Topic in Balloons. Anything!

b) LIST of TEN – Write 10 or more Adjectives on a List on the side of your paper. Consult & add to essay as you write.

c) Keep your PEN on the PAPER -- Even if you pause for a moment. Nobody ever wrote an essay on air!

2. Write using Ideas from Bubble Chart –

a) Turn Bubbles into Sentences; One Bubble into one Sentence.

b) Use some or all of the List of Ten Words.

c) Use Examples for your Statements, 1 or 2 per Essay.

3. ALWAYS have 2 Paragraphs per page,minimum!

4. Always Leave at least 5 Minutes to EDIT & CORRECT ESSAY!

a) ADD more Words from LIST of TEN now. Correct Errors of Spelling, Punctuation, but Don’t Change Essay now.

Exciting New Grammar Book

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

A great new grammar book, "The Essentials of English Grammar in 90 Minutes" by Prof. Robert Hollander [Dover, $4.95] bridges the gap between basic grammar books (for both children and adults) and higher-level books such as the recommended "Essential English Grammar" by Philip Gucker, also from Dover Publications. This is in a read-only format -- almost no quizzes or charts, etc. but will give you an over-all picture of not only basic, but higher level grammar. Please see my Amazon Review of this nice little addition to the grammar teacher's and learner's bookshelf.

May or Might?

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

May or Might? That is the question...

-- Those confusing MODAL AUXILIARIES --

Use these to combine with the main verb of a sentence to express:
1) MAY = Permission ‘May I please be excused?’
2) MUST = Necessity ‘You must leave -- the building is on fire!’
3) MIGHT = Probability ‘She might go to the party.’
4) SHOULD = Obligation ‘You should listen to your teacher.’
5) CAN = Ability ‘ Can you drive a car?’
6) COULD = Possibility ‘Could you meet me in St. Louis?’
7) WOULD = Tentative ‘Would you go to the party if I drove you?’

***And of course, for any Future Events, use ‘Will’ & ‘Shall’

WILL ‘The sun will rise at 6:00 am.’ - Simple Future
SHALL ‘Shall we dance?’ - Polite Request
SHALL ‘You shall not pass!’ - Command

Long-time tutor -- More CBEST Students Now

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

I'm a long-time tutor, having tutored in English at all levels from way back before the internet & WyzAnt! I have been helping a number of CBEST candidates prepare for that exam - all successful so far!

Helpful Writing Books with Style

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

"They Say/ I Say" by Gerald Graff & Cathy Birkenstein (W.W.Norton & Co., 2006, 1st edition) 176 pages

-- A terrific little book to improve your essays, highly recommended for high school-college level.

"Writing Without Teachers" by Peter Elbow (O.U.P, 1996) 200 pages

--- Excellent, innovative writing exercises - already a minor classic

" Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences" by Janis Bell (W.W.Norton & Co., 2008, 1st edition) 140 pages $14

--- For intermediate students & business people - all the basics, very well-presented, with some exercises

New Materials for Basic Grammar & Composition

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

Hello, Students -- Here are some new materials for more basic English learners than on my first blog article.

1) "English Fundamentals 1", by Quick Study Guide/Bar Charts --$5 {The 8 Parts of Speech}

2) "English Fundamentals 2", by Quick Study Guide/Bar Charts --$5 {Covers basic rules for sentence construction, including punctuation and capitalization.}

3) "English Fundamentals 3", by Quick Study Guide/Bar Charts --$5 {Basic Composition, Sentence Types, Declarative, Interrogative, Exclamatory, Imperative, Sentence Structure, Simple, Compound, Complex, Compound-Complex, How to Avoid Run-ons and Sentence Fragments}

4) "English Fundamentals 1", by Quick Study Guide/Bar Charts --$5 {Covers the basic writing process in a series of five steps. Pre-writing - Drafting - Editing - Revising - Publishing}

These are all in 8" X 11" laminated folder format.

Welcome to my new blog & Study Tips & Aids

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Anne K.

Welcome new and old students! I am posting some study aids here for you. These have proved to be very valuable for getting across basic concepts in English grammar. They are usually not used in school classes, maybe they are too inexpensive! But you may find them or order from most bookshops or online.

1) "Quick Study Guide to English Grammar & Punctuation" *

2) "Quick Study Guide to English Verbs" *
{*4-page, plastic covered sheets with charts of basic grammar rules, noun & verb charts, etc.- $5}

3) "Checking Your Grammar" by Marvin Terban, Scholastic Books - $9
{A great junior grammar book, available in paperback & hardback}

4) "Essential English Grammar" by Philip Gucker, Dover Publications - $6

ISBN: 978-0486216492

{An outstanding value for a clear, simple, well-organized grammar with over 50 short exercises, answers in back. For Grades 7 through 12 & above}

5) "Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary" by A.S Hornby, Oxford University Press

(Book only, or Book plus CD-Rom with spoken pronunciation of definition words)

6) "Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary" by Cambridge University Press

(Book only, or Book plus CD-Rom with spoken pronunciation of definition words)

Come back again for more!