Progressions helps students learn the characteristics of effective sentences, paragraphs, and essays; procedures for producing this writing; and applications of this learning beyond the writing classroom. Geared toward improving basic writers' competence and confidence, Progressions provides abundant support for the student by showing specifically what to do in every step of the writing process. Numerous exercises and activities (including collaborative activities), writing assignments, and suggested editing and revising strategies appear throughout the text. The book also offers instruction in reading and writing in response to reading.

Table of Contents:
Preface. I. THE WRITING PROCESS. 1. The Writing Process: Planning—Writing—Rewriting. Planning Your Writing: Generating Ideas. Planning Your Writing: Establishing Audience and Purpose. Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Planning Your Writing: Ordering Ideas. Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Using Transitions. Writing Your First Draft. Rewriting: Revising Your First Draft. Rewriting: Editing Your Draft. Rewriting: Proofreading Your Final Copy. Writing with a Computer. Observing a Student Writer at Work Planning: Generating Ideas. Planning: Establishing Audience and Purpose. Planning: Ordering Ideas. Writing the First Draft. Rewriting: Revising the First Draft. Rewriting: Revising and Editing the Draft. Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment. II. THE PARAGRAPH. 2. Paragraph Basics. A Sample Paragraph. The Topic Sentence. Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College The Supporting Details. Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College The Closing. A Paragraph Checklist. Writing Assignment. 3. Narration. A Sample Narrative Paragraph The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Transitions That Signal Chronological Order Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment 4. Description. A Sample Descriptive Paragraph The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Transitions That Signal Spatial Order Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment 5. Illustration. A Sample Illustration Paragraph The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Transitions That Signal Illustration, Addition, and Emphatic Order Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment 6. Process Analysis. A Sample Process Analysis The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Transitions That Signal Chronological Order Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment 7. Definition. A Sample Definition Paragraph The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment 8. Comparison and Contrast. Sample Comparison and Contrast Paragraphs The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Transitions That Signal Comparison and Contrast Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment 9. Cause-and-Effect Analysis. Sample Cause and Effect Analysis The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Transitions That Signal Effect Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment 10. Classification. A Sample Classification Paragraph The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment 11. Persuasion. A Sample Persuasive Paragraph The Topic Sentence Supporting Details Thinking, Learning, and Writing in College Writing Assignment III. THE ESSAY. 12. Writing an Essay. The Parts of an Essay. Planning the Essay with an Outline Map. Student Essays to Study. Checklist for an Essay. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College Writing Assignment. IV. EFFECTIVE SENTENCES. 13. Identifying Subjects and Verbs. Subjects and Verbs. Identifying Verbs. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College Identifying Subjects. 14. Writing Effective Sentences. Identifying Clauses. Coordination: Method I. Coordination: Method II. Subordination: Method I. Subordination: Method II. Sentence Variety. Parallelism: Words in Series and Pairs. Parallelism: Pairs of Conjunctions. Using Transitions. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College 15. Avoiding Sentence Fragments. Fragments That Result from Missing Subjects. Fragments That Result from Incomplete Verbs. Fragments That Result from Missing Subjects and Verbs. Fragments That Result from Lack of Completeness. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College. 16. Avoiding Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices. Correcting Run-Ons and Comma Splices with a Period and a Capital Letter. Correcting Run-Ons and Comma Splices with a Semicolon. Correcting Run-Ons and Comma Splices with a Comma and Coordinating Conjunction. Warning Words. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College. 17. Choosing Words Carefully. Specific Word Choice. Simple Word Choice. Vocabulary Building. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College Frequently Confused Words. Slang. Clichés. Wordiness. Double Negatives. Spelling. V. GRAMMAR AND USAGE. 18. Using Verbs Correctly. Verb Forms. Subject-Verb Agreement. Tense Shifts. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College. 19. Using Pronouns Correctly. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College Pronoun Reference. Subject, Object, and Possessive Pronouns. Using Who and Whom Correctly Person Shift. 20. Modifiers. Adjectives and Adverbs. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College 21. Capitalization and Punctuation. Capitalization. Punctuation. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College. 22. Sentence Skills Workshop. VI. FROM READING TO WRITING. 23. Writing in Response to Reading. Active Reading. How to Be an Active Reader. Writing a Summary. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College Writing Essay Examination Answers. Thinking, Learning, and Writing In College Appendixes. Appendix I. A Problem Solving Guide. Appendix II. Ten Tips for ESL Students. Appendix III. Answers to Pretests. Index.