Daily log blog - 1/26/18

Friday in class we started by setting up our marking period 3 blog schedule.  To make the scheduling easier all 3 classes will share one document rather than each class having their own.  Since we all share one document you should put your period number after your name when you sign up for your day(Example Erich S(5)).

After we set up the blogs we split into groups and discussed the various sentences nominated for the Golden Globes and then discussed why each sentence is a great sentence.  For example we reviewed the best verb candidates and discussed how a verb can shape the sentence around it.  Some verbs excel at this while others just fall flat.  For instance in the sentence  “For example we reviewed the best verb candidates and discussed how a verb can shape the sentence around it.”  “around” really helps to show the reader that the sentence revolves around the verb.  I could have just as easily said “how a verb can shape the sentence it is in.” but the verb “is” fails to convey the same message.  “Is” sounds much more neutral and make the sentence trivialize the importance of the verb.  By avoiding neutral verbs like “is” we can enhance our writing and make it sound much better(knotice how in this blog I purposefully avoided using “to be” verbs to enhance this blog).

Most news articles utilize this practice, not using neutral verbs, to enhance their writing and make it more exciting.  Of the 5 articles I checked online all but one of them only use the verb “is” during quotes from people.  And the one that used “is”, only used it 5 times.  It just goes to show you that by simply replacing dull words with more colorful words you can vastly improve your writing.