李向武主编的《英语写作基础教程（普通高等院校十三五规划教材）》在对普通本科院校英语专业本科生英语写作需求进行调研的基础上制订编写计划，针对学生英语写作的需求，力图在有限的篇幅内为学生提供最有效的英语写作信息、写作思路及语言运用等训练。
本书反映了英语写作的教学实践和最新研究成果。书中融入了近几年国内外一些新的英语写作教学研究成果，把英语写作的新理论和新方法渗透到写作的教学实践环节，适合新时期普通本科院校英语专业基础阶段写作教学的需要。
本书不仅提供英语写作的基础理论知识和写作技巧，而且提供具有代表性的范例分析以及丰富多样的练习，把理论与实践结合起来，具有明显的实用性。
为适应教学改革需要，本书针对部分教学内容进行整合，尤其适合教学内容的选择，便于教师在教学过程中进行取舍。本书内容精练，文字简明，深入浅出，逻辑清晰，可作为英语专业学生的专业基础课程应用教材，也可以作为其他专业学生掌握英语写作基础知识的参考教材。
本书以《高等学校英语专业英语教学大纲》为依据，在内容上力求做到精、准、全，达到深入浅出、举一反三的目的。在编写体例上力图做到完整统一，既有理论知识的详细阐述，又有实例分析和专项练习，力求理论与实践紧密结合。

PART Ⅰ DICTION
Chapter 1 Levels of Words
1.1 Formal Words
1.2 Common Words
1.3 InformalWords
Chapter 2 The Meaning of Words
Chapter 3 General and Specific Words
Chapter 4 Idioms
Chapter 5 Figures of Speech
5.1 Simile
5.2 Metaphor
5.3 Personification
5.4 Metonymy
5.5 Synecdoche
5.6 Euphemism
5.7 Irony
5.8 Overstatement and Understatement
5.9 Trans ferred Epithet
5.10 Oxymoron
5.11 Alliteration
PART Ⅱ SENTENCE SKILLS
Chapter 6 Sentence Fundamentals
6.1 Recognition of Sentences
6.2 Classification of Sentences
Chapter 7 Effective Sentences
7.1 SentenceUnity
7.2 Sentence Coherence
7.3 Sentence Conciseness
7.4 Sentence Emphasis
7.5 Sentence Parallelism
7.6 SentenceVariety
7.7 SentenceAgreement
7.8 SentenceConsistency
Chapter 8 Faulty Sentences
8.1 SentenceFragments
8.2 Run-on Sentences
8.3 Faulty Modification
Chapter 9 Sentence Combination
9.1 Coordination
9.2 Subordination
PART Ⅲ PARAGRAPH WRITING
Chapter 10 Types of Paragraphs
10.1 IntroductoryParagraphs
10.2 SupportingParagraphs
10.3 Concluding Paragraphs
10.4 Transitional Paragraphs
Chapter 11 Structure of a Paragraph
11.1 The Topic Sentence
11.2 Supporting Sentences
11.3 The Concluding Sentence Chapter 12 Effective Paragraphs
12.1 ParagraphUnity
12.2 Paragraph Coherence
12.3 ParagraphCompleteness
Chapter 13 Planning a Paragraph
13.1 Steps in Writing a Paragraph
13.2 Paragraph Outlining
13.3 Strategies of Developing a Paragraph
Chapter 14 Ways of Developing a Paragraph
14.1 Development by the Chronological Sequence
14.2 Development by Space
14.3 Development by Process
14.4 Development by Exemplification
14.5 Development by Comparison and Contrast
14.6 Development by Cause and Effect
14.7 Development by Classification and Division
14.8 Development by Definition
14.9 Development by Combination of Methods
PART IV ESSAY WRITING
Chapter 15 An Introduction to Essay Writing
15.1 Structure of an Essay
15.2 Main Criteria of an Effective Essay
Chapter 16 Process of Essay Writing
16.1 Pre-writing
16.2 Writing aFirst Draft
16.3 Revising the Draft
16.4 Finalizing the Essay
Chapter 17 Types of Essay Writing
17.1 Narration
17.2 Description
17.3 Exposition
17.4 Argumentation
Bibliography