ACADEMIC COMMUNICATION PRELIM REVIEWER
SVA - Subject-Verb Agreement refers to the grammatical rule that the subject and verb in
a sentence must agree in number.
FORMS OF NOUNS & VERBS
NOUNS
• Singular Noun- refer to one person, place, thing, or idea.
• Plural Noun- refer to more than one person, place, thing,
or idea
VERBS
• Singular Verb- used with a singular subject
• Plural Verb-used with plural subject
CODE
• Singular subject=singular verb
• Plural subject =plural verb
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
1. Singular subjects require singular verbs
2. Plural subjects require plural verbs
3. Compound subjects joined by ‘and’ take a plural verb
4. When subjects are joined by ‘or,’ ‘nor,’ ‘either/or,’ or
‘neither/nor,’ the verb agrees with the nearest subject:
5. Indefinite pronouns like anyone, everyone, someone, nobody,
something etc. take singular verbs.
• Indefinite pronouns that are considered plural: some, many, all
etc.
6. Titles of books, movies, or organizations take singular verbs
even if the title appears plural.
7. A pair is a singular noun and takes a singular verb.
8. Gerunds often function as singular nouns, and they
take singular verbs.
9. The phrase “one of the [plural noun] who/that”
requires a singular verb.
ESSAY WRITING
ESSAY
• A structured form of writing that explores a topic or
presents an argument in a detailed, organized manner.
PARTS OF AN ESSAY
Title: captures the main idea
Introduction: provides background information
Body Paragraphs: support the main idea
Conclusion: summarizes the main points
FEATURES OF A GOOD ESSAY
• Clear Title and Thesis Statement
• Well-organized Structure
• Strong Supporting Evidence
• Free from Grammar Errors
• Engaging Writing Style
TYPES OF ESSAY
1. Informative Essay – to inform or educate readers
2. Narrative Essay – it tells personal experiences
3. Descriptive Essay- detailed description
4. Expository Essay- communicate factual information
5. Persuasive Essay- try to convince the riders to their point of view
6. Argumentative Essay- is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a
topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a
concise manner.
PRE WRITING ACTIVITIES
1. Generating Topic
• Identify Interests: Start by considering your interests,
experiences, and areas of knowledge. What topics resonate
with you or provoke your curiosity?
• Research Prompts: Look for prompts or questions related to
your field of study or subject matter. This can help in identifying relevant and engaging
topics.
• Narrow Down: Once you have a list of potential topics,
narrow it down to a specific idea that is manageable and
focused enough for your writing purpose.
2. Brainstorming
• Brainstorming is a pre-writing technique designed to bring subconscious ideas into
consciousness. It's a good technique to use when you know a general subject you're
interested in writing about but don't exactly know what aspect of the subject you want to
pursue.
2.1 Mind-Mapping Method
• A Mind Map is a diagram for representing tasks, words, concepts, or items linked to and
arranged around a central concept or subject using a non-linear graphical layout that
allows the user to build an intuitive framework around a central concept.
2.2 Free Writing Method
• It emphasizes quick thinking and organized note- taking, making particularly useful in
educational settings, meetings, and creative sessions.
2.3 Tree Diagram
A tree diagram allows users to visualize possible outcomes and probabilities for a given
situation. Tree diagrams, also called decision trees, are particularly useful in charting the
outcomes of dependent events, where if one element changes, it impacts the entire
outcome.
3. Outlining
A method of organizing information hierarchically, typically used to structure ideas before
writing essays, reports, or presentations.
• It presents a clear, logical flow of main points and sub-points, allowing for easy
expansion of ideas.
Sample Outline
I. Introduction
• Background Information
• Thesis Statement
II. Body Paragraphs
• Topic Sentence 1
-Supporting Evidence/Examples
• Topic Sentence 2
-Supporting Evidence/Example
• Topic Sentence 3
-Supporting Evidence/Examples
III. Conclusion
• Summary of Main Points
• Restatement of Thesis
3.1 Researching
• The process of systematically gathering, analyzing, and
interpreting information to answer questions, solve
problems, or gain a deeper understanding of a specific
topic. This often involves using various sources, such as
books, articles, websites, and databases, to collect relevant and credible evidence.
REMINDERS:
1. Academic Honesty - Avoiding Plagiarism:
2. Using AI Tools:
3. Citing References:
American Psychological Association (APA) Style
Book with One Author:
Reference List: Brader, T. (2006). Campaigning for hearts and
minds: How emotional appeals in political ads work. University
of Chicago Press.
Book with Two Authors:
Reference List: Miller, T. E., & Schuh, J. H. (2005). Promoting
reasonable expectations: Aligning student and institutional views
of the college experience. Jossey-Bass.
Basic Format for an Ebook/Pdf:
Reference List:
Brock, J., & Arciuli, J. (2014). Communication in autism [eBook
edition]. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4806-2
