本书是在《大学英语写作》一书的基础上所编写的。全书由十章组成，旨在系统而简明地阐述从句子到段落和文章以及各类特殊用途写作，包括各类书信、便条、图表信息转换、概要等的写作理论和技巧。各章提供了帮助说明写作理论和技巧的丰富的例句、例段和各类范文，并分别配有形式多样的练习。书末有包括练习参考答案在内的五个附录。该书兼有教材与手册的功用。可作为大学英语专业本科生、研究生的英语写作教材，也可作为中学和大学英语教师及各行各业从事英语书面交际的工作者的参考用书。

全书由10章组成，旨在系统而简明地阐述从句子到段落和文章(writing for general purpose)以及各类特殊用途写作，包括各类书信、便条、图表信息转换、概要等(writing for special purpose)的写作理论与技巧。各章提供了帮助说明写作理论和技巧的丰富的例句、例段和体裁多样的各类范文，并配有形式多样的练习。书末有包括练习参考答案在内的5个实用附录。

①本书基于作者多年从事英语写作教学的心得和体会，在借鉴英语国家写作教学经验的基础上编撰而成，富有权威性和创新性；②全书比较全面系统地阐述了从选词锻句到组段谋篇的各类英语写作的基本理论和技巧，富有科学性和知识性；③书中配有丰富的例句、例段和体裁多样的各类范文，内容生动有趣，语言灵活地道，富有可读性和示范性；④书中各章均配有形式多样的练习，书末有包括练习参考答案在内的5个附录，富有实用性和可操作性。

本书兼有教材和手册的功用，可用作英语专业本科生、研究生等层次的学生的英语写作教材，也可用作中学和大学英语教师及各类从事英语书面交际工作的人员的参考书籍。

Chapter One Mechanics

 1.1 General Remarks

 1.2 Margins,Paragraphing,and Handwriting

1.2.1 Margins

1.2.2 Paragraphing

1.2.3 Handwriting

 1.3 Syllabification/Syllable Structure

 1.4 Abbreviation and Numerals

1.4.1 Abbreviations

1.4.2 Numerals

 1.5 Capitalization

 Exercises

Chapter Two Punctuation Marks

 2.1 General Remarks

 2.2 Line-beginning Punctuation Marks

 2.3 Sentence-ending Punctuation Marks

2.3.1 The Period / The Full Stop

2.3.2 The Question Mark

2.3.3 The Exclamation Point

 2.4 Internal Punctuation Marks

2.4.1 The Comma

2.4.2 The Semicolon

2.4.3 The Colon

2.4.4 Quotation Marks

2.4.5 The Dash

2.4.6 Parentheses

2.4.7 Brackets

2.4.8 The Apostrophe

2.4.9 The Hyphen

2.4.10 The Virgule / Slant

2.4.11 Italics / Underlining

 2.5 Some Points about the Use of Punctuation Marks

 Exercises

Chapter Three Diction

 3.1 General Remarks

 3.2 Appropriateness and Sense of Style

3.2.1 Sense of Style

3.2.2 Degree of Word Formality

 3.3 Exactness and Use of Synonymous Words and Expressions

 3.4 Specificity, Concreteness, and Conciseness

 3.5 Imagery / Figures of Speech

3.5.1 Metaphor and Simile

3.5.2 Personification

3.5.3 Hyperbole

3.5.4 Euphemism

Exercises

Chapter Four Sentence Writing

 4.1 General Remarks

4.1.1 Sentence Sense

4.1.2 The Requirements of an Effective Sentence

4.1.3 Sentence Elements

4.1.4 Sentence Patterns

 4.2 Parts of Speech and Their Respective Functions and Positions in a Sentence

4.2.1 Nouns

4.2.2 Pronouns

4.2.3 Adjectives

4.2.4 Adverbs

4.2.5 Prepositions

4.2.6 Conjunctions

 4.3 Phrases, Clauses, and Sentence Fragments

4.3.1 Phrases

4.3.2 Clauses

4.3.3 Recognizing and Avoiding Sentence Fragments

 4.4 Classification of Sentences

4.4.1 Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, and Exclamatory Sentences

4.4.2 Simple, Complex, Compound, and Compound-complex Sentences

4.4.3 Loose, Periodic, Mixed, and Balanced Sentences

4.4.4 Long and Short Sentences

4.4.5 Recognizing and Avoiding Comma splices and Fused Sentences

 4.5 Ways of Achieving Sentence Variety

4.5.1 Achieving Sentence Variety via Combination

4.5.2 Achieving Sentence Variety via Coordination

4.5.3 Achieving Sentence variety by Using Parallel Structure

4.5.4 Achieving Sentence Variety via Subordination

4.5.5 Achieving Sentence Variety by Using Modifying Phrases

4.5.6 Achieving Sentence Variety by Using Appositives

4.5.7 Achieving Sentence Variety by Applying Inversion

4.5.8 Achieving Sentence Variety by Employing Emphatic Sentence Structures

4.5.9 Achieving Sentence Variety by Using Inanimate Subjects

 Exercises

Chapter Five Paragraph Writing

 5.1 General Remarks

 5.2 Types of Paragraphs

5.2.1 The Topical Paragraph

5.2.2 The Introductory Paragraph

5.2.3 The Transitional Paragraph

5.2.4 The Conclusion Paragraph

 5.3 The Basic Structure and Qualities of a Topical Paragraph

5.3.1 The Unity of a Topical Paragraph

5.3.2 The Topic Sentence(TS) of a Topical Paragraph

5.3.3 The Supporting Sentences(SS) in a Topical Paragraph

5.3.4 The Concluding Sentence(CS) in a Topical Paragraph

5.3.5 The Coherence of a Topical Paragraph

5.3.6 The Order of a Topical Paragraph

5.3.7 The Continuity of a Topical Paragraph

5.3.8 The Completeness of a Topical Paragraph

 5.4 Steps Usually Taken in Writing a Topical Paragraph

 5.5 Evaluation of a Topical Paragraph

 Exercises

Chapter Six Essay Writing

 6.1 General Remarks

 6.2 The Basic Structure of an Essay

6.2.1 The Introduction of an Essay

6.2.2 The Body of an Essay

6.2.3 The Conclusion of an Essay

 6.3 Types of Essays

6.3.1 Narrative Essays

6.3.2 Descriptive Essays

6.3.3 Expositive Essays

6.3.4 Argumentative Essays

 6.4 The Process of Writing an Essay and Evaluation of an Essay

6.4.1 The Process of Writing an Essay

6.4.2 Evaluation of an Essay

 6.5 Sample Essays and Discussions

 Exercises

Chapter Seven Letter Writing

 7.1 General Remarks

 7.2 Addressing an Envelope

 7.3 The Format/Lay-out of a Letter

7.3.1 The Heading

7.3.2 The Date

7.3.3 The Salutation

7.3.4 The Body

7.3.5 The Complimentary Close

7.3.6 The Signature

 7.4 Personal Letter Writing

7.4.1 Family Letter Writing

7.4.2 Friendly Letter Writing

 7.5 Social Letter Writing

 Exercises

Chapter Eight Note Writing

 8.1 General Remarks

 8.2 The Content of a Note

 8.3 The Language of a Note

 8.4 The Format of a Note

 8.5 Guidelines for Writing Effective Notes

 Exercises

Chapter Nine Business Writing

 9.1 General Remarks

 9.2 The Format of a Business Letter

9.2.1 The Heading and the Date

9.2.2 The Inside Address

9.2.3 The Salutation

9.2.4 The Body

9.2.5 The Complimentary Close

9.2.6 The Signature

 9.3 Application Letter and Resume Writing

9.3.1 A Request Letter for an Application Form

9.3.2 A Sample Letter of Application

9.3.3 General Remarks about Resume Writing

9.3.4 Sample Resume

 9.4 Sample Business Letters for Various Purposes

 9.5 Evaluation of a Business Letter

 Exercises

Chapter Ten Miscellaneous Practical Writing

 10.1 General Remarks about Diagrammatic Information Transferring

 10.2 The Content and Some Useful Expressions Used in Diagrammatic Description

 10.3 Steps Usually Taken in Diagrammatic Description and Sample Articles

10.3.1 Steps Usually Taken in Diagrammatic Description

10.3.2 Sample Articles of Diagrammatic Description

 10.4 Summary Writing

10.4.1 General Remarks about Summary Writing

10.4.2 Summary Writing Process

 101 5 E-mail Writing

 Exercises

Appendix Ⅰ Correction Symbols

Appendix Ⅱ The Fifty States of U.S.A.and Their Abbreviations

Appendix Ⅲ Writing Terms

Appendix Ⅳ Useful Expressions and Idioms and Proverbs

Appendix Ⅴ Key to Exercises

Bibliography