英语作文写作技巧和方法【20篇】

写作词汇提升是把“阅读词汇”转化为“写作词汇”的过程。举个例子，当我在课堂上问及大家“害怕”这个词英文表达的时候，很多同学不加思维的就告诉我是“afraid”，我再问大家这个词是什么时候学的时候，很多人恍然大悟，原来词汇早在初中甚至是小学的时候就学过了。那么，考研阅卷的老师如何以“afraid”这个词判断你到底是一个合格的大学毕业生还是一个仅仅上过初中的同学呢，现在我们就不难理解为什么考研写作的平均分只有满分的一半了。

当我们翻开大学的英语课本我们会发现，在大学的四年中(甚至只是大一大二的两年中)我们就学过很多表示“害怕”但却比“afraid”要高级的多的词汇，比如：horror，scared，astonished 等等。这当中的任何一个词都会比afraid得的分数要高，这就是所谓的高级词汇取代低级词汇的过程。

现在，我们就要树立一个思想，写作的最小组成单位是词汇，词汇有低级的(baby words)也有高级的(advanced words)，想要得到考研写作高分的第一步就是要有意识的在写作中用高级词汇去取代相对低级的词汇，从而反映出自己的词汇表现能力(lexical resource)。

英语写作技巧二、句型 —— 学会自创简单句

考研写作最基本的句式称之为“自创句”。“自创句”是根据所要表达的含义完全自主创作的英文句子，其基础是语法知识。阅读时不理解某些语法现象仍然能理解文章，而写作要求精确，是和语法联系最为紧密的语言功能。其中，简单句是一切句子的基础，简单句的创作可三步走：

1. 根据句义确定唯一的谓语动词。

2. 根据动词种类(无宾、单宾、双宾、宾补或系动词)补全句子成分，如主语、宾语、宾语补足语和表语等。

3. 注意谓语动词和主语在人称和数上的一致。

英语写作技巧三、构思 —— 学习英文独特的思想表达方式

当我们有了高级的词汇和复杂的句型之后，是不是就一定能写出高分的作文了呢?不一定。写作是一个人思维的理性表达，因此，对于写作来说，思维方式的优劣更是一篇文章好与坏的根本性的指向标。

英文有自己独特的思想表达模式，要学会用英文的表达模式写作。所以建议大家在夯实词汇、句型之后多读多背多写，练习地道的英文写作思维方式。阅读和背诵是积累语言素材的关键，《新概念》序言中甚至提到“只写读过的语言”。在此基础之上，“纸上得来终觉浅，绝知此事要躬行”，阅读背诵素材之后，写作提高需要大量的实战演习

一、写外貌不用“有”

作文如何写外貌？孩子的作文里总会看到类似这样的名子：“XX可漂亮了，她有一头卷卷的黄头发，有一双乌黑的葡萄般的大眼睛，有一个高高的鼻子，还有一张樱桃小嘴。”如果你试着让他们去掉文中的“有”，把文字重新串联一遍，会发现作文顺了很多。写上段文字的同学经蒋老师指导后修改如下：“XX可漂亮啦。一头卷卷的黄头发自然地披在肩上。她的眼睛太吸引人了，乌黑乌黑葡萄一般。高高的鼻子，和樱桃小嘴配合起来，有点混血的味道，同学们可喜欢她啦。”是不是读起来舒服多了？

二、写说不单写“说”

让孩子比较以下三句话。

张三说：“……”；

张三无可奈何地说：“……”；

张三摊了摊手，一副无可奈何的样子：“……”

显然，让人物说话有多种方式，写语言可以不用出现“说”而是在语言前面加上动作和神态，通过一定的训练掌握这样的技巧让孩子的写作水平切实得到提升，让他们学会细节描写，不会仅干巴巴的地写“某某说”。

三、写想不出现“想”

遇到描写心理活动时，这样的句子已经被孩子们写滥：“我脑子里跳出两个小人，一个小人……另一个小人……”不用这个句子又该怎么写？最常用的就是“我心想”。如某学生写：“数学老师出了一道难题要带回家写的。我心想：天哪！这该怎么办呢？”

按照蒋老师“写想不用想”的技巧，去掉：“我心想”三个字如何？“数学老师出了一道难题要带回家写的。天哪！这该怎么办呢？”是不是更简洁精练？别忘了提醒孩子要给心理描写加上适当感叹词。

四、不用成语

作文为什么写不长？都是成语惹的祸！蒋老师此言一出震惊四座。不是说多用成语才显得有文采吗？其实不然，在“就是不用成语”写作技巧中，蒋老师指出：当作文中只会按照套路使用成语时，文章细节就没了，还不如让孩子老老实实把自己看到的感受都写出来。什么天高云淡、风和日丽、桃红柳绿、炯炯有神、心旷神怡……这些被用滥的成语还是少出现为妙。

比如，写春天别用“风和日丽”，而是这样写：“风儿拂过林梢，原本平静的湖面漾起了圈圈涟漪，湖边的柳树轻摇着身姿，我也忍不住张开双臂，任风抚过我的每一寸肌肤，暖暖的，痒痒的。”想办法用具体的句子替换掉别人用滥的成语，解决孩子作文写不长写不细的难题。

五、遇到“很”和“非常”想一想

对于文章写不长的孩子，可以训练的另一个技巧是：遇到“很”和“非常”想一想。看过无数学生习作，蒋老师发现出现频率最高的字眼包括“很，非常”。请老师和家长提醒孩子，遇到要写这几个字时不要轻易下笔，停下来想一想，是不是非要出现这个字眼？

比如写热，别出现“很热”两个字，学会用其他的描写来体现热：骄阳似火，没有一丝风，树叶低垂毫无生气……

六、环境里面有“真”“情”

到了五六年级孩子都要学习环境描写。如有的孩子会写：“早上天气还挺好的，放学回家时，却哗哗下起雨来。雨珠在下，泪珠在滴，老天也好像在为我哭泣。”

孩子能用环境衬托自己的心情首先要表扬。但是很多孩子只要一写环境，肯定就是小花微笑，小草点头、小鸟歌唱、小雨哭泣，成了套路，难道世界上只有小草、小鸟、小花吗？为什么不能写身边更真实的东西呢？云、雾、桌子，哪怕是电线杆都可以写，这个技巧是提醒孩子不仅要让人活在环境里，还要让人活在真实的环境里。

七、要动连着动

文章要一波三折才好看，但现在的孩子生活都很平淡，你不能强求他们写出一波三折的内容，那就让他们学会一波三折地使用动词，就这是要动连着动——学会连续使用动词。

某学生写一场乒乓球球赛：“他发了一个旋转球，让人看得眼花缭乱。”（一句话把文章就给写完了）

学会动词技巧后将修改成：“只见他高高地将球抛起，眼睛死死盯着，球接触球板的一瞬间，他手腕轻轻一抖，脚一跺，球高速旋转着，向这边飞来，让人看得眼花缭乱。”一个动词转瞬变成六七个，文字即刻灵动丰富起来。

八、一秒钟的事写三百字

还是针对作文写不长的一种技巧训练：用三百字来描写1秒钟内发生的事。如关于破校运会跳高纪录瞬间的描写原本只有几十字：只见某某纵身一跳，一下子飞过横杆，新的校运会纪录诞生了！

怎么变成三百字？可以有条理地加上动作解剖：如何助跑、起跳、翻越、落地；加上联想：往届校运会有人挑战失败，平时如何一次次练习等等；还可以加上细节来充实，起跳前如何与同学们进行眼神交流，成功后同学如何向他祝贺……家长可以找一些1秒钟的素材让孩子进行写作练习，学会了这个技巧还怕考试写不出四五百字吗？

九、一段话里至少出现6个标点

很多孩子不会用标点，习作中常只有逗号句号逗号句号，甚至逗号都没有，把老师读到断气为止。针对这个现象，可以让孩子进行“一段话至少出现6种标点”的技巧训练。比如，。？！……：“”这些标点你的作文中都有吗？没有的话请尝试用起来。

经过几次训练后，你会发现孩子的惊人变化：意味深长的句子会写了、人物语言会加进去了，心理活动结合进去了，还会用反问句了，这些句子加进去后，文章当然生动起来。一位作家就曾用这种方法对自己作文写不好的孩子进行训练，收效明显，进步很快。

十、字数三四五

这个技巧说白了就是学习写短句。学了一段时间写作的孩子容易在作文中写长句，而长句写不好就变成病句。事实上很多作家也是以写短句见长的，像沈从文、汪曾祺。家长要提醒孩子注意控制每句话的字数，建议把十几个字几十个字的长句改成只有三四五个字的短句，孩子们会发现这样的作文有语感会舒服很多。如某学生的原文：“高高的绿绿的草散发着诱人的清香。一根一根都看得那么清楚，很挺拔的样子。”

经指导后改成：“草绿了，高了，散发着清香。一根一根，看得清清楚楚，很挺拔的样子。”是不是很有节奏感？

[关于初中语文作文写作技巧分享

英语是一种语言，从语言学角度来看，学生在掌握一定数量的词汇与语法知识后，就要用来表达自己的思想、见解，这些落实到纸面上就是英语写作。为提高大家的英语写作能力和技巧，下面小编为大家带来英语六级写作方法技巧，欢迎大家学习!

英语六级写作方法技巧：

方法一：叙述法

叙述法发展段落主要是按照事物本身的时间或空间的排列顺序，通过对一些特有过渡连接词的使用，有层次分步骤地表达主题句的一种写作手段。用这种方法展开段落，作者能够清楚连贯地交待事物的本末，从而可以使读者可以清晰、完整地理解文章的含义，例如：，

In the flat opposite, a woman heard the noise outside. When she looked out through the window, she discovered that her neighbor was threatened by someone. She immediately called the police station. In answer to the call, a patrol police car arrived at the scene of the crime quickly. Three policemen went inside the flat at once, and others guarded outside the building to prevent anyone from escaping.，

这段是按照事物发展的先后顺序，叙述从发现案情、报警、到警察赶到、包围现场的过程。全文脉络清晰，叙述的层次感强，结构紧凑。

常用于叙述法中的过渡连接词有：first, an the beginning, to start with, after that, later, then, afterwards, in the end, finally等。

方法二：列举法

作者运用列举法，是通过列举一系列的论据对topic sentence中摆出的论点进行广泛、全面地陈述或解释，列举的顺序可以按照所列各点内容的相对重要性、时间、空间等进行。，

Yesterday was one of those awful days for me when everything I did went wrong. First, I didnt hear my alarm clock and arrived late for work. Then, I didnt read my diary properly and forgot to get to an important meeting with my boss. During the coffee break, I dropped my coffee cup and spoilt my new skirt. At lunch time, I left my purse on a bus and lost all the money that was in it. After lunch, my boss was angry because I hadnt gone to the meeting. Then I didnt notice a sign on a door that said "Wet Paint" and so I spoilt my jacket too. When I got home I couldnt get into my flat because I had left my key in my office. So I broke a window to get in and cut my hand.

根据本段主题句中的关键词组everything I did went wrong，作者列举了8点内容，分别由first, then, during the coffee break, after lunch time等连接词语引出，使得该文条理清楚、脉络分明、内容连贯。

常用于列举法的过渡连接词有：for one thing , for another, finally, besides, moreover, one another , still another, first, second, also等。

方法三：重复法

句子的一部分反复出现在段落中，这就是重复法。它往往造成一种步步紧逼的气氛，使文章结构紧凑，有感染力。比如：

Since that time, which is far enough away from now, I have often thought that few people know what secrecy there is in the young, under terror. I was in mortal terror of the young man who wanted my heart and liver; I was in mortal terror of my interlocutor with the iron leg; I was in mortal terror of myself, from whom an awful promise had been extracted; --

该段中反复应用了I was in mortal terror of …我经常处于恐怖之中。

以上， 我们结合具体文章讨论了展开段落的几种方法。在实际写作中，我们往往不必拘泥于一种写作方法，而是将若干方法穿插在一起，使文章有声有色。

方法四：因果分析法

在阐述某一现象的段落中，常采用因果分析法。例如：

The role of women in todays society is changing. One reason is that women have begun to assert themselves as independent people through the womens movement. Also, women are aware of the alternatives to staying at home. Another reason is that increasing numbers of women who enter new fields and interests serve as role models for other women. Moreover, men are becoming more conscious of the abilities of women and have begun to view their independence positively.

本段中，主题句提出了一种社会现象，推展句则对产生这种现象的原因作出各种解释。 常用于因果分析法的连接词有：because, so, as a result等。

方法五：对比法

将同类的事物按照某种特定的规则进行比较分析是一种常用的思维方法。通过对比，更容易阐述所述对象之间的异同和优缺点，例如：

The heart of an electronic computer lies in its vacuum tubes, or transistors. Its electronic circuits work a thousand times faster than the nicer cells in the human brain. A problem that might take a human being a long time to solve can be solved by a computer in one minute.

在这段文字上， 作者为了突出电子计算机运行速度之快，首先将它与人脑进行了比较， "-- a thousand times faster than --" ;而后，又将这一概念具体到了 "a problem"上，通过对比使读者从 "-- a long time -- in one minute"上有更加直观的认识。

常用于对本法或比较法上的过渡连接词有：than, compared with等。

写作是考研英语的第二大重头戏，仅次于阅读。但是这部分又经常被考生忽略，考前不动手，依赖临考模板，很难写出高分作文。那么，如何准备2018考研英语写作呢?一起来看下。

对于考研英语写作，最基本的要求是考前必须动笔写出35篇文章，其中十篇应用文，二十五篇图画作文。注意：动笔写的文章最好是有范文的题目。写作应分为五步：

NO.1 写作

写作写作，第一步首先是写!一定要动手写，你看多少，背多少，都没有动手写来得实在，建议同学们拿考题多加练习。

NO.2 仔细对比

第二个就是仔细对比，写完后对照范文从三个方面去研究：第一个是内容，也就是构思和原文有何区别;第二个是语言，也就是用词、用句和原文有何区别?第三个是结构，就是你的行文思路和原文有什么区别?这是第二个步骤，写作的区别其实就是写作的弱点。

NO.3 背诵

第三步骤就是背诵：也就是可以去背诵一些范文。有的同学说了，范文我背过了，但是写作的时候还是不会写。有两个原因，第一个原因是你背得不熟，背得结结巴巴，还不如不背;第二个原因是没有练过，只是死记硬背。

所以为什么背了还不会用，有两个原因，第一背不熟，第二没有练过。背到什么程度，有12个字“滚瓜烂熟、脱口而出、多多益善。”要背到不需要去想，不需要去动脑子!如果背一篇文章还需要去想，那就证明还背得不熟。大家上考场，如果能想起平时的70%，那已经是相当不错了。所以一定要背熟，这就是第三个步骤。

NO.4 默写

第四个步骤就是默写：背熟后把书合上，把这篇文章默写下来。默写后，做一个工作：仔细对比原文发现写作弱点，你会发现你默写的文章和原文会有一些出入，包括拼写、语法、标点等，这种错误就是你写作的弱点，最好能够把这些错误用红笔标出来。大家为什么写作拿不到高分，根源只有一个——错误太多。很多错误自己都不知道。

NO.5 仿写

第五个步骤就是仿写：什么叫仿写?就是模仿你背过的文章再写出一篇新文章。在背完一篇文章后，要想想这篇文章有什么精彩的词组、词汇和句型可以使用。然后换一个话题，把这篇作文用一下，用里面词汇、词组和句型去构思另一篇文章。

写作的注意点和技巧：写作首要的是，一、不跑题;二、字数达到要求;三、字迹整洁工整;四、少有语病。

这些是很基本的要求，考试的时候就要好好落实。比如，拿到作文题目后要审题。在写的过程中注意字数的限制，不要写太多，会扣分的，字数不够也会扣分。所以实在不行就写完一段话，停下来数一数字数。字迹工整可能短期内提高不了。只要你比平时稍慢一点写字母，就会写得比较整洁。要知道老师的印象分是很重要的。病句的避免技巧就是，凡是你想的过程中感觉别扭的句子，多半就是病句。干脆不要写出来，换一种形式去表达。不要追求好词，要追求准确性。

在考前，小作文的提高是非常快的。方法就是分析小作文的类型。应用文写作部分(小作文)考查内容包括投诉信、咨询信、道歉信、求职信等信函类应用文，而且涵盖报告、通知、海报等告示类应用文。不同类型的作文，要自己总结模版。小作文是完全可以准备模版的，其作用也是常明显。一定要注意：总结出自己的模板。

开门见山式所谓“开门见山”，是一种比喻的说法，指的是写文章时直截了当入题的一种写法。如《谈骨气》一开头就亮出观点：“我们中国人是有骨气的。”《白杨礼赞》一开头就触及题旨：“白杨树实在是不平凡的，我赞美白杨树!”这种方法在各类文章的写作中得到广泛的运用，占有很大的比例。它的表达角度，可以是开头直叙本事，也可以起笔点题;可以开宗明义揭示主旨，也可以单刀直入点明敌论。如此等等。由于这种写法干脆利落，入题快捷，不枝不蔓，所以应为考场作文开头的首选方法。

背景渐入式自然科学告诉我们宇宙是一个大系统，社会科学告诉我们，人类社会又是一个大系统。一棵树是在一座森林的系统之内，一片叶又属于这棵树的系统。一个人属于社会这个系统，一根指头又属于这个人的系统。因此，任何单个事物，任何一种现象都离不开它所属的系统，即它赖以生存的社会背景或自然背景。如《孔己已》开头：“当街一个曲尺形的大柜台……可以随时温酒”。《在烈日和暴雨下》开头：“六月十五那天，天热得发了狂!”这些开头或交待事情发生的时间、地点、节令、气候或阐述论题的背景、环境等。在考场作文时，有些题目乍一看，觉得突兀，不可捉摸，但联系背景一想，便豁然开朗了。如1999年的高考作文题目是《假如记忆可以移植》，联系近几年的科技发展，克隆技术的问世了，基因可以移植了，航天技术更是突飞猛进。近几年来，我国的经济持续发展，经济建设取得了突出成就。联系这些背景，文章的内容可写了，联想与想象也便有了立足点了。

设问置疑式先倒叙事情的结果，设置悬念，或先设问破题，引起说明或议论。如《枣核》的开头：“动身访美之前，……可是却很蹊跷。”又如《万紫千红的花》开头设问：“花为什么会有各种美丽鲜艳的色彩呢?”这种开头方法，其目的是设置悬念，引起读者的关注，激发读者的兴趣，同时增加文章的曲折，显现文章的布局之美。这种开头技法在中考作文中的频率很高。当然，这种开头形式要注意巧妙运用，避免单一、或追求形式上的好奇。(其实，这种开头的形式是很丰富的，如： ①先提出一个悬而未决的问题。 ②先截取一个精彩的事件片断。 ③先交待一个起线索作用的物件。 ④先安排一个引发故事的场景。 ⑤先介绍与故事情节紧密相关的人物。)

名言警句式开头引用警句、名言、诗句或俗语、谚语等，可以达到吸引读者，帮助突出中心的作用。如《回声》开头引用了艾青的一首诗。《怀疑与学问》开头引用了程颐的话：“学者先要会疑”等。这种开头法，也是一般考生容易掌握和便于使用的方法。试想，哪个考生记不得几首古诗，几句格言，几条名言呢?考场作文，因题而异，相机引用，又何乐而不为?名言警句式开头运用得自如，往往能增强开端的气势，使人感到突兀、峥嵘、高远。当然，引用时要尽量准确，避免出现知识性错误。

精辟设喻式开头设喻，以引起读者对要说明的事物或道理的兴趣。如《中国石拱桥》开头：“石拱桥的桥洞成弧形，就像虹。”《马说》开头：“世有伯乐，然后有千里马。”以伯乐与千里马的故事为喻引出中心论点，精辟设喻式多用于议论文的开头，它能使文章发端新颖，增强文章的吸引力和表达效果。既然是“设喻”，就得注意所言之“他物“与本题有一定的相似之处，不能牵强附会。

作文基础知识

作文是字、词、句、段篇的综合训练，它体现出每位同学的认识水平和文字表达能力。那么，怎样才能写好作文呢？一般说来应做到：

一、思想健康，中心明确。

二、内容具体，条理清楚。

三、语句通顺，意思连贯。

四、详略得当，主次分明。

五、善于观察，想象丰富。

六、书写工整，格式正确。

?除了平时留心观察事物，认识和抓住事物特点，自觉积极地积累写作素材外，还必须具备审题、确定中心、选择材料、谋篇布局、编写作文提纲和修改等方面的基础知识。

1

审题。

只有准确地审清题意，透彻理解题目的意思，解决好“写什么”的问题，写起来才能保证不偏题，不致于“下笔千言，离题万里”。这里教给同学们三种审题方法：

（1）分析法：先把题目按词拆开，然后一个词一个词琢磨，理解每个词的意思，弄清它们之间的关系。如《校园新事多》可分解为“校园”、“新”、“事”、“多”四个词，我们就能写发生在校园里的新鲜的事，至少要写出两件或两件以上的事。

（2）比较法：根据所给题目，自已拟几个相似的题目进行比较，弄清它们的写作范围和要求。如写《我和老师》，可自拟《我的老师》、《我爱您，老师》进行比较，找出它们之间的相同点和不同点，从而确定写作重点。

（3）设问法：先提出几个问题，并考虑好其中的重要问题，然后对照题目对假设的问题进行条理清楚，主次分明，详略得当的回答。如《她变了》，可提问：变之前她是怎样的？她变的原因是什么？她变后是怎样的？有哪些人说她变了？另外，对于特殊的题目要仔细推敲，弄清真正的意义。如《温暖》，就不能专写天气温暖，而应体现互相帮助或得到关怀爱护的感受。

2

确定中心。

第一、中心就是的灵魂。教给大家确定中心的方法；第一、要根据题目要求确定中心。如《记一位值得尊敬的人》要明确题目的重点是“尊敬”。值得尊敬的原因，就是的中心，写作时要紧扣这个中心。

第二、要根据自己平常的生活积累，根据自己平常的生活感受来确定中心。如写《我的好朋友王小明》，中心思想可表现王小明的好品质，他的优点。

3

选择材料。

材料的选择、详略，都要为中心服务。常犯的毛病有：

（1）中心不突出，要说明的问题很多，头绪纷繁

（2）详略不当，重点不突出，主次颠倒。

（3）选材平淡，不典型。因此，要注意两点：第一、

要围绕作文中心思想选择材料。第二、要选择自己最熟悉的、真实的、新颖的、典型的事件作为材料。

4

组织材料。

材料的组织包括两项内容：一是对材料的安排。哪些先写，哪些后写，使“言之有序”；二是对材料的处理。哪些详写，哪些略写。要使“言之有序”，就要合理地分段。方法有：

（1）按事情发展的先后顺序安排材料。

（2）按时间的推移安排材料。

（3）按空间顺序安排材料。

（4）按事物几个方面安排材料。

（5）层层加深中心思想，由浅入深地安排材料。

5

编写提纲。

提纲包括：中心思想和段落。一篇分几个层次，几个段落，哪个先写，哪个后写，哪个略写，哪个详写，在提纲里要反映出来。但又不能写得太详细，也不能太简单，要写得简明扼要，切实具体。如：

作文题目：有趣的蜗牛比赛中心：通过对蜗牛比赛的记叙，反映少年儿童课外生活的丰富多彩，表现少年儿童的生活情趣。

材料安排：

（1）我和表弟捉到几只蜗牛，想举行一次比赛。（略）

（2）为参赛蜗牛命名，做好比赛前准备。（略）

（3）比赛中蜗牛各自的表现。（详）

（4）比赛结果。（略）

（5）结尾。（略）

6

过渡与照应。

过渡要做到自然灵活、承上启下、语言连贯、彼此衔接。办法一般有过渡段、过渡句及过渡词三种。

一、遇到“很”和“非常”想一想

对于文章写不长的孩子，可以训练的另一个技巧是：遇到“很”和“非常”想一想。看过无数学生习作，指导老师发现出现频率最高的字眼包括“很，非常”，请家长提醒孩子，遇到要写这几个字时不要轻易下笔，停下来想一想，是不是非要出现这个字眼?

比如写热，别出现“很热”两个字，学会用其他的描写来体现热：骄阳似火，没有一丝风，树叶低垂毫无生气……文章自然就能写长。

二、环境里面有“真”“情”

到了五六年级孩子都要学习环境描写。如有的孩子会写：“早上天气还挺好的，放学回家时，却哗哗下起雨来。雨珠在下，泪珠在滴，老天也好像在为我哭泣。”

孩子能用环境衬托自己的心情首先要表扬。但是很多孩子只要一写环境，肯定就是小花微笑，小草点头、小鸟歌唱、小雨哭泣，成了套路，难道世界上只有小草、小鸟、小花吗?为什么不能写身边更真实的东西呢?云、雾、桌子，哪怕是电线杆都可以写，这个技巧是提醒孩子不仅要让人活在环境里，还要让人活在真实的环境里。

三、不用成语

作文为什么写不长?都是成语惹的祸!指导老师此言一出震惊四座。不是说多用成语才显得有文采吗?其实不然，在“就是不用成语”写作技巧中，阅卷老师指出：当作文中只会按照套路使用成语时，文章细节就没了，还不如让孩子老老实实把自己看到的感受都写出来。什么天高云淡、风和日丽、桃红柳绿、炯炯有神、心旷神怡……这些被用滥的成语还是少出现为妙。

比如，写春天别用“风和日丽”，而是这样写：“风儿拂过林梢，原本平静的湖面漾起了圈圈涟漪，湖边的柳树轻摇着身姿，我也忍不住张开双臂，任风抚过我的每一寸肌肤，暖暖的，痒痒的。”想办法用具体的句子替换掉别人用滥的成语，解决孩子作文写不长写不细的难题。

四、写说不单写“说”

让孩子比较以下三句话。

张三说：“……”;

张三无可奈何地说：“……”;

张三摊了摊手，一副无可奈何的样子：“……”

显然，让人物说话有多种方式，写语言可以不用出现“说”而是在语言前面加上动作和神态，通过一定的训练掌握这样的技巧让孩子的写作水平切实得到提升，让他们学会细节描写，不会仅干巴巴的地写“某某说”。

五、字数三四五

这个技巧说白了就是学习写短句。学了一段时间写作的孩子容易在作文中写长句，而长句写不好就变成病句。事实上很多作家也是以写短句见长的，像沈从文、汪曾祺。家长要提醒孩子注意控制每句话的字数，建议把十几个字几十个字的长句改成只有三四五个字的短句，孩子们会发现这样的作文有语感会舒服很多。

如某学生的原文：“高高的绿绿的草散发着诱人的清香。一根一根都看得那么清楚，很挺拔的样子。”经指导后改成：“草绿了，高了，散发着清香。一根一根，看得清清楚楚，很挺拔的样子。”是不是很有节奏感?

六、一秒钟的事写三百字

还是针对作文写不长的一种技巧训练：用三百字来描写1秒钟内发生的事。如关于破校运会跳高纪录瞬间的描写原本只有几十字：只见某某纵身一跳，一下子飞过横杆，新的校运会纪录诞生了!

怎么变成三百字?可以有条理地加上动作解剖：如何助跑、起跳、翻越、落地;加上联想：往届校运会有人挑战失败，平时如何一次次练习等等;还可以加上细节来充实，起跳前如何与同学们进行眼神交流，成功后同学如何向他祝贺……家长可以找一些1秒钟的素材让孩子进行写作练习，学会了这个技巧还怕考试写不出四五百字吗?

七、写想不出现“想”

遇到描写心理活动时，这样的句子已经被孩子们写滥：“我脑子里跳出两个小人，一个小人……另一个小人……”不用这个句子又该怎么写?最常用的就是“我心想”。如某学生写：“数学老师出了一道难题要带回家写的。我心想：天哪!这该怎么办呢?”

按照指导老师“写想不用想”的技巧，去掉：“我心想”三个字如何?“数学老师出了一道难题要带回家写的。天哪!这该怎么办呢?”是不是更简洁精练?别忘了提醒孩子要给心理描写加上适当感叹词。

八、要动连着动

文章要一波三折才好看，但现在的孩子生活都很平淡，你不能强求他们写出一波三折的内容，那就让他们学会一波三折地使用动词，就这是要动连着动——学会连续使用动词。某学生写一场乒乓球球赛：“他发了一个旋转球，让人看得眼花缭乱。”(一句话把文章就给写完了)

学会动词技巧后将修改成：“只见他高高地将球抛起，眼睛死死盯着，球接触球板的一瞬间，他手腕轻轻一抖，脚一跺，球高速旋转着，向这边飞来，让人看得眼花缭乱。”一个动词转瞬变成六七个，文字即刻灵动丰富起来。

九、一段话里至少出现6个标点

很多孩子不会用标点，习作中常只有逗号句号逗号句号，甚至逗号都没有，把老师读到断气为止。针对这个现象，可以让孩子进行“一段话至少出现6种标点”的技巧训练。比如，。?!……：“”

这些标点你的作文中都有吗?没有的话请尝试用起来。经过几次训练后，你会发现孩子的惊人变化：意味深长的句子会写了、人物语言会加进去了，心理活动结合进去了，还会用反问句了，这些句子加进去后，文章当然生动起来。一位作家就曾用这种方法对自己作文写不好的孩子进行训练，收效明显，进步很快。

十、写外貌不用“有”

作文如何写外貌?孩子的作文里总会看到类似这样的名子：“XX可漂亮了，她有一头卷卷的黄头发，有一双乌黑的葡萄般的大眼睛，有一个高高的鼻子，还有一张樱桃小嘴。”

如果你试着让他们去掉文中的“有”，把文字重新串联一遍，会发现作文顺了很多。写上段文字的同学经指导后修改如下：“XX可漂亮啦。一头卷卷的黄头发自然地披在肩上。她的眼睛太吸引人了，乌黑乌黑葡萄一般。高高的鼻子，和樱桃小嘴配合起来，有点混血的味道，同学们可喜欢她啦。”是不是读起来舒服多了?

抒情，就是对主观感情的抒发和表达。抒情文则是以情感的抒写作为主要写作目的的文章。抒情是一种重要的写作手法，抒情文也是重要的散文形式之一。下面和小编一起来看看抒情和抒情文的写作方法。希望对大家有所帮助。

我们每一个人实际上从一出生就会抒情。小孩子见到妈妈时会兴奋地发出“咿咿呀呀”的简单的音节，饥饿时会“哇哇”地大哭，这都是在抒情。等到长大了，逐渐掌握了更多、更复杂的语言，逐渐学会了书写，将这些语言组织起来，以描述自己的主观感情，并形成书面文字，这就是抒情文。

抒情贵在真实。初写抒情文，一定要抒写自己真实的思想情感，切忌矫揉造作、感情虚假。我国宋代的着名词人辛弃疾有过这么一句词：为赋新词强说愁。它的意思是说，一个人本没有愁，或者说并不真正懂得愁，但是为了写出一首好词，却故意在那里说自己怎么怎么地愁。对于作家、诗人来说，这是写作的需要，但对我们初学写作的人，这就是无病呻吟，是作文中的大忌。我们在写作抒情文章时，一定要想写什么就写什么，心中有什么就写什么，只有这样，文章中表达的情感才会可亲、可信，真实、感人。

从情感的表达方式上讲，抒情有直接抒情和间接抒情之分。“我爱你，中国!我爱你，中国?”这是直接抒情。直接抒情比较直白、热烈，多用带有浓重感情色彩的判断句、陈述句等，同时经常会在句中使用感叹词，如“好美啊”、“真想你呀”。间接抒情则比较含蓄。它往往借助于叙述、描写和议论等手法来抒发感情。如“蓝蓝的天空白云飘，白云下面马儿跑……”用对草原上蓝天、白云、奔腾的骏马来表达心中的喜悦之情。

间接抒情方法很多。有的借助于人或物，通过对人物行为的描写来表达。如一位同学在作文中写到：“妈妈欣慰地笑了。她的眼睛亮晶晶地、盯着我看了很久很久。”通过对妈妈笑了、眼睛亮晶晶地、盯着我看等行为描写，来表现妈妈因“我”的进步而高兴、“我”因自己的行为使妈妈欣慰而自豪的情感。这是“借人抒情”。有的借助于物，在对事物状态的描摩中抒发感情。如：“在这个长满红锈的鱼钩上，闪烁着灿烂的金色的光芒!”(引自《金色的鱼钩》)有的“借事抒情”，将主观感情隐藏在对事件的记叙之中。有的是“借景抒情”，融情于景，通过描写景物来达到抒情的目的。有的是通过议论抒情，把自己真实的思想情感寄托在几句点睛式的议论之中，如“这就是我们新中国的总理。我看见了他一夜的工作。他是多么劳苦，多么简朴!”(引自《一夜的工作》)。

抒情时，应该灵活运用各种表达技巧，如拟人、比喻、对比、象征、衬托、联想、夸张等等。如《美丽的小兴安岭》一文的结尾?;小兴安岭是一座巨大的宝库，也是一座美丽的大花园。“运用比喻手法，将小兴安岭的美丽和作者对它的喜爱之情恰到好处地表达了出来。

直接抒情和间接抒情在抒情文中的运用又是如何呢?一般来说，直接抒情多与写人、记事、写景、状物结合使用，在这些写作的基础上，画龙点睛或是点明题意。直接抒情还经常用于作者感受最深刻、感情最强烈的地方，以精练的语言表达浓郁的感情和强烈的感染力。间接抒情因其表现手法的多样和含蓄，运用和也比直接抒情要广泛。但在大多情况下，两者是结合使用的，在间接抒情的基础上，以直接抒情点题或是升华情感，效果往往不错。

对比观点题型

（1） 要求论述两个对立的观点并给出自己的看法。

1． 有一些人认为......

2． 另一些人认为......

3． 我的看法

The topic of

①-----------------（主题）is becoming more and more popular recently. There are two sides of opinions about it. Some people say A is their favorite. They hold their view for the reason of

②-----------------（支持A的理由一）What is more,

③-------------理由二). Moreover,

④---------------(理由三).

While others think that B is a better choice in the following three reasons. Firstly,-----------------(支持B的理由一). Secondly (besides),

⑥------------------（理由二）. Thirdly (finally),

⑦------------------(理由三).

From my point of view, I think

⑧----------------（我的观点）. The reason is that

⑨--------------------(原因). As a matter of fact, there are some other reasons to explain my choice. For me, the former is surely a wise choice .

（2） 给出一个观点，要求考生反对这一观点

Some people believe that

①----------------（观点一）. For example, they think

②-----------------（举例说明）．And it will bring them

③-----------------(为他们带来的好处).

In my opinion, I never think this reason can be the point. For one thing,

④-------------(我不同意该看法的理由一). For another thing,

⑤-----------------(反对的理由之二)．

Form all what I have said, I agree to the thought that

⑥------------------(我对文章所讨论主题的看法)．

阐述主题题型

要求从一句话或一个主题出发，按照提纲的要求进行论述．

１． 阐述名言或主题所蕴涵的意义．

２． 分析并举例使其更充实．

The good old proverb ----------------（名言或谚语）reminds us that ----------------(释义). Indeed, we can learn many things form it.

First of all,-----------------(理由一). For example, -------------------(举例说明). Secondly,----------------(理由二). Another case is that ---------------(举例说明). Furthermore , ------------------(理由三)．

In my opinion, ----------------(我的观点). In short, whatever you do, please remember the say------A. If you understand it and apply it to your study or work, you”ll necessarily benefit a lot from it.

很多同学对英语书面表达的部分都感到头疼，一是因为突然拿到一个题目，脑中一片空白，写不出几个句子来，二是写好一篇文章，可是总是流于平淡，语言枯燥，不得老师喜爱，分数也一直不高不低，难以突破。建议同学们，第一类问题，是可以通过练习而补救的，第二类问题，则需要我们的积累和智慧了。

每一次考试或练习，我们的语文写作中总是时不时的会出现很多诗词，名言，他们或哲理，或抒情，或励志，或优美，总能让我们的文章读来津津有味，而且让老师觉得有文学感，甚至会因此而觉得有文采。同样是作文，我们为什么不能把这种思路搬到英文中来呢?答案当然是可以的，而且成功的例子也不少。

在英文的写作当中，运用名言警句这样的潜规则也是存在的。根据目前的要求，一篇英文作文篇幅在100词以上，这样的长度相对于语文作文来说自然是很简单了，但是对于高考水平的英语写作来说，是完全有空间在其中运用名言警句的，只要我们用的合适，就会取得意想不到的效果。

那么，我们如何善用这些名言警句呢?

第一，积累是必需的。英语是一门语言，语言是没有速成的，尤其是一些经典的词句，是需要我们一点一滴积累的。在收集名言警句的过程中，我们可以有目的性地收集。所谓目的性，是指在作文中，命题的形式和题材一般是固定的，那么针对这样的内容，我们就要尽量收集能用得上的名言警句，或者说，名言警句要对的上路子，这么做可能有一点功利，但咱们毕竟是应试，退一步说，这样收集的句子也不一定都是没有用的，所以，我们要首先找准方向，少走弯路。

第一类是哲理类的，这一类名言警句可以说是万精油，放之四海而皆准，几乎在每一篇作文中都能用到它们。比如说描写做家务活。我们就可以用上Just as the saying goes： It is never too late to learn!来说明学习做家务活的积极性。再比如以汶川地震为背景描写一个叫Lin Hao的小孩救出同学的事迹，我们就能用As we all know， where there is a life， there is a hope.或者where there is a will， there is a way来赞扬Lin Hao的精神品质等等，诸如此类的命题比比皆是，只要我们用得恰当，就一定能波的阅卷老师的青睐;

第二类是励志类的，这种语句在涉及到个人成长经历内容的文章中，可以发挥很大作用;

第三类是情感类的，表现家庭生活或者个人情感的内容能用到它。

[中考英语作文出色善用“潜规则”的方法

尽可能多的写：每天都写，如果可能话，每天写几次。你写得多了，也就写得好了。学习如何写作和其他的学问道理是一样的，熟能生巧。写写你自己，写写博客，向出版社投稿。只是写，全情投入的写，练得越多，你的写作水平就提升得越快。

随时随地记下你的灵感：随身带一本小笔记本（纳博科夫身上装满了小卡片），当你对你构思的小说，文章，或是小说里的人物有什么灵感的时候，马上记下来。当你听别人谈话时的只言片语而所有顿悟时，或看到一段散文诗或是一句歌词让你很感动时，都可以马上当他们记下来。灵感总是转瞬即逝，你及时的记录下来，便可以成为你写作的素材。我的习惯是，为我的博客要写的文章列一个清单，不断的补充它。

专门的写作时间：每天找一个没有任何打扰的时间段作为专门的写作时间，让这成为习惯。对我而言，清晨的时间是最佳的，午饭，傍晚，或者深夜的那段时间也可以。无论你是做什么工作的，把写作当作每天必须完成的任务去做。每天至少写半个小时，当然有一个小时更好。若你同我一样，是一个全职的作家，那么你需要写更多的小时，请你不要担心，这只会让你写得更好。

随便涂鸦：面对整张的白纸，整版的白屏，无从开始，肯定恐怖。你会想：我还是看看邮件或是小憩一会了吧！先生，千万别这样。马上开始写，马上打字，你写什么没有关系，只是让我听到你敲键盘的声音吧。只要你开始写了，什么都好办了。像我的话，我喜欢先敲上我的名字和文章的标题，这应该不难吧，然后再慢慢的展开情节，全身心地融入进去…关键是：开始可以随便写写，随便涂鸦，但是尽快开始写正文。

集中精神：写作是一件一心一意的事情，在嘈杂的环境或是同时干着别的事情，是不可能写好的。写作需要一个安静的环境，需要一点点柔和的背景音乐。即使是最低要求，你也需要在全屏（没有其他软件得干扰）的条件下，使用WriteRoom， DarkRoom，Writer这些写作软件，不受打扰的写作。关掉邮箱，关点MSN和Gtalk，关掉电话和手机，关掉电视，清理掉书桌上无用的东西。清除与写作无关的一切杂念，现在就是写作的时间，好像把自己放进一个盒子里，在没有任何打扰下进入写作状态。

先计划，再写： 这好像和“随便涂鸦”有些矛盾，实际上不是这样。在坐下来正式写之前，先做个计划或是脑子里先预演一下，这是非常管用的办法。每天跑步的时候想想要写的东西，或是散步的时间来个头脑风暴；然后把想到的记下来，做一个扼要的提纲；等真正准备好开始写了，可以很快的展开，因为思路和想法都有了。这里，有一个构思小说的三部曲，可以参考这个：Snowflake Method.

创新： 你需要模仿名家，这并不意味你要跟他们写得一模一样。你可以试试新的写法，从这里学一点，从那里学一点。渐渐地，你就会有了自己的风格，自己的文体，自己的思路。试试一些不一样的表达，或创造一些与众不同的表达方式，每一方法你都可以尝试，看看它到底怎么样，不好就不用呗。

修改： 你开始构思你的文字，然后试着写，让故事情节展开，最后你需要回过头再看看你都写了什么。这点很重要，很多写手一旦写好就不想修改，已经费时费力地写好了，还要再花时间修改，实在是一件吃力不讨好的活。但如果你想写得更好，你就要学会如何修改。好的作品是经过反复的推敲和修改而成的，这会让你的作品从平庸中脱颖而出。看看你写的东东，不仅仅是那些拼写和语法错误，还有那些无意义的词，混乱的结构，和让人搞不懂的句子。修改的目标是：更清晰，更直接，更鲜活。

简明扼要： 这是你在修改的过程中，最重要的一件事情。一句句，一段段的修改，把无关主题的统统都删掉。一个短句比一段冗长的废话更具说服力，大白话比晦涩的专业术语更受欢迎。记得：简单就是力量。

富于感染力的句子：在短句中使用富有感染力的动词，当然，并没有要求每一句都是这样，你需要变化。但是，多试试能够吸引人的句子。而且，你没有必要等到你要修改的时候再用，你刚开始写的时候就要考虑这个问题。

获取别人的反馈： 闭门造车不会有任何进步，让别人读读你的文章给你回馈，最好有经验的作家和编辑。他们见多识广，会给你很中肯和有见地的建议。认真的听，即使是一些批评，也接受它，忠言逆耳，这样只会让你写得更好。

是骡子还是马，拉出来溜溜：就你而言，你需要让别人读到你的作品。你的作品不是你想谁看谁就看的，让所有的人都读到你的文章。你就要出版自己的书，发表自己的短篇小说和诗歌，给出版社供稿。如果你已经开始写博客了，恭喜你，这是一个好的开始。若现在还没有人浏览过，你就需要把它放到流量更大的博客服务网站上去，让读者给你留言，给你提出建议。所有的人都会看你写东西，也许刚开始时会是件伤脑筋的事情，但这是每一位作家成长的必由之路，马上发表你的文字吧。

采用对话式的文体： 很多人的写作都很正式，但是我发现像我们说话一样写作会使文章更流畅（没有叹生词）。这样一来，读者看起来会更舒服。刚开始这么写并不容易，你需要坚持这么做。也许，会带来另一个问题，为了读起来更口语化，你需要打破一些语法规则（就像我的前一句那样）。因为如果生搬硬套语法，会让你的文章看起来很不自然。若没有其他原因，就不要破坏语法规则。你需要知道你在做什么和为什么这样做。

好开头和结尾： 开头和结尾是文章的重点。特别是开头。如果你不能在故事的开始就吸引读者，那他们就很难有耐心把整篇文章读完。所以投入更多的时间去考虑怎么写好开头，读者一旦对你开头感兴趣，他们会想知道得更多...写好开头后，再弄一个精彩的结尾，这会让读者更加期待你的下一篇佳作。

下面的材料旨在丰富学生在是非问题写作方面的思想和语言，考生在复习时可以先分类阅读这些篇章，然后尝试写相关方面的作文题。

对于素材中用黑体字的部分，特别建议你熟读，背诵，因为它们在语言和观点上都值得吸收。学习语言的人应该明白，表达能力和思想深度都靠日积月累，潜移默化。从某种意义上说，提高英语写作能力无捷径可走，你必须大段背诵英语文章才能逐渐形成语感和用英语进行表达的能力。这一关，没有任何人能代替你过。

因此，建议你下点苦功夫，把背单词的精神拿出来背诵文章。何况，并不是要求你背了之后永远牢记在心：你可以这个星期背，下个星期忘。这没有关系，相信你的大脑具有神奇的能力。背了工具箱里的文章后，你会惊讶的发现：I can think in English now！

1.?????? Proverbs

1. A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that individuality is the key to success.

2. The primary purpose of a liberal education is to make one’s mind a pleasant place in which to spend one’s time.

3. Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.

4. The classroom--not the trench--is the frontier of freedom now and forevermore.

5. Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.

6. It is the purpose of education to help us become autonomous, creative, inquiring people who have the will and intelligence to create our own destiny.

7. You see, real ongoing, lifelong education doesn’t answer questions; it provokes them.

8. People will pay more to be entertained than educated.

9.the most important function of education at any level is to develop the personality of the individual and the significance of his life to himself and to others. This is the basic architecture of a life; the rest is ornamentation and decoration of the structure.

10. The essence of our efforts to see that every child has a chance must be to assure each as equal opportunity, not to become equal, but to become different-to realize whatever unique potential of body, mind, and spirit he or she possesses.

11. A great teacher never strives to explain his vision-he simply invites you to stand beside him and see for yourself.

12. If you can read and don’, you are an illiterate by choice.

2. Damaging Research

A study by National Parent-Teacher Organization revealed that in the average American school, eighteen negatives are identified for every positive that is pointed out. The Wisconsin study revealed that when children enter the first grade, 80 percent of them feel pretty good themselves, but by the time they get to the sixth grade, only 10 percent of them have good self-images.

3. Education and Citizenship

An important aspect of education in the United States is the relationship between education and citizenship. Throughout its history this nation has emphasized public education as a means of transmitting democratic values, creating equality of opportunity, and preparing new generations of citizens to function in society. In addition, the schools have been expected to help shape society itself. During the 1950s, for example, efforts to combat racial segregation focused on the schools. Later, when the Soviet Union launched the first orbiting satellite, American schools and colleges came under intense pressure and were offered many incentives to improve their science and mathematics programs so that the nations would not fall behind the Soviet Union in scientific and technological capabilities.

Education is often viewed as a tool for solving social problems, especially social inequality. The schools, t is thought, can transform young people from vastly different backgrounds into competent, upwardly mobile adults. Yet these goals seem almost impossible to attain. In recent years, in fact, public education has been at the center of numerous controversies arising from the gap between the ideal and the reality. Part of the problem is that different groups in society have different have different expectations. Some feel that children should be taught basic job-related skills; still others believe education should not only prepare children to compete in society but also help them maintain their cultural identity (and, in the case of Hispanic children, their language). On the other hand, policymakers concerned with education emphasize the need to increase the level of student achievement and to improve parents in their children’s education.

Some reformers and critics have called attention to the need to link formal schooling with programs designed to address social problems. Sociologist Charles Moscos, for example, is a leader in the movement to expand programs like the Peace Corps, Vista, and Outward Bound into a system of voluntary national service. National service, as Moscos defines it, would entail “the full-time undertaking of public duties by young people whether as citizen soldiers or civilian servers-who are paid subsistence wages” and serve for at least one year. In return for this period of service, the volunteers would receive assistance in paying for college or other educational expenses.

Advocates of national service and school-to-work programs believe that education does not have to be confined to formal schooling. In devising strategies to provide opportunities for young people to serve their society, they emphasize the educational value of citizenship experiences gained outside the classroom. At this writing there is little indication that national service will become a new educational institution in the United States, although the concept is steadily gaining support among educators and social critics.

4. The Teacher’s Role

Given the undeniable importance of classroom experience, sociologists have done a considerable amount of research on what goes on in the classroom. Often they start from the premise that, along with the influence of peers, students’ experiences in the classroom are of central importance to their later development. One study examined the impact of a single first-grade teacher on her students’ subsequent adult status. The surprising results of this study have important implications. It is evident that good teachers can make a big difference in children’s lives, a fact that gives increased urgency to the need to improve the quality of primary-school teaching. The reforms carried out by educational leaders like James Comer suggest that when good teaching is combined with high levels of parental involvement the results can be even more dramatic.

Because the role of the teacher is to change the learner in some way, the teacher-student relationship is an important part of education. Sociologists have pointed out that this relationship is asymmetrical or unbalanced, with the teacher being in a position of authority and the student having little choice but to passively absorb the information provided by the teacher. In other words, in conventional classrooms there is little opportunity for the students to become actively involved in the learning process. On the other hand, students often develop strategies for undercutting the teacher’s authority: mentally withdrawing, interrupting, and the like. Hence, much current research assumes that students and teachers influence each other instead of assuming that the influence is always in a single direction.

5. Education Philosophy

For the past fifty years our schools have operated on the theories of John Dewey (1859-1953), an American educator and writer. Dewey believed hat the school’s job was to enhance the natural development of the growing child, rather than to pour information, for which the child had no context, into him or her. In the Dewey system, the child becomes the active agent in his own education, rather than a passive receptacle for facts.

Consequently, American schools are very enthusiastic about teaching “life skills” –logical thinking, analysis, creative problem--solving. The actual content of the lessons is secondary to the process, which is supposed to train the child to be able to handle whatever life may present, including all the unknowns of the future. Students and teachers both regard pure memorization as an uncreative and somewhat vulgar.

In addition to “life skills”, schools are assigned to solve the ever growing stoke of social problems. Racism, teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, drug use, reckless driving, and are just a few of the modern problems that have appeared on the school curriculum.

This all contributes to a high degree of social awareness in American youngsters.

6. Student Life

To the students, the most notable difference between elementary school and the higher levels is that in junior high they start “changing classes”. This means that rather than spending the day in one classroom, they switch classrooms to meet their different teachers. This gives them three or four minutes between classes in the hallways, where a great deal of the important social action of high school traditionally takes place. Students have lockers in these hallways, around which thy congregate.

Society in general does not take the business of studying very seriously. Schoolchildren have a great deal of free time, which they are encouraged to fill with extracurricular activities—sports, clubs, cheerleading, scouts—supposed to inculcate such qualities as leadership, sportsmanship, ability to organize, etc. those who don’t become engaged in such activities or have afterschool jobs have plenty of opportunity to “hang out”, listen to teenager music, and watch television.

Compared to other nations, American students do not have much homework. Studies also show that American parents have lower expectations for their children’s success in school than other nationalities do. (Historically, there has not been much correlation between American school success and success in later life.) “He’s just not a scholar”, the American parents might say, content that their son is on the swim team and doesn’t take drugs. (Some of the young do choose to study hard, for reason of their own, such as determining that the road to riches lies through Harvard Business School.)

What American schools do effectively teach is the competitive method. In innumerable ways children are pitted against each other—whether in classroom discussion, spelling bees, reading groups, or tests. Every classroom is expected to produce a scattering of A’s and F’s (teachers often grade A=excellent; B=good; C=average; D=poor; and F=failed). A teacher who gives all A’s looks too soft—so students are aware that they are competing for the limited number of top marks.

Foreign students sometimes don’t understand that copying from other people’s papers or from books is considered wrong and taken seriously. Here, it is important to show that you have done your own work and are displaying your own knowledge. It is more important than helping your friends to pass, whom we think do not deserve to pass unless they can provide their own answers. Group effort goes against the competitive grain, and American students do not study together as many Asians do. Many Asians in this country consider their group study habits a large contributor to their school success.

7. Adult Education

After complaining about many aspects of American life, a 40-year-old woman from Hong Kong concluded, “But where else could someone my age go back to school and get a degree in social work? Here you can change your whole life, start a new business, do what you really want to do.”

So at least to this person, school requirements weren’t inhibiting. And to millions of others, adult education is the path to a new career, or if not to a new career, to a new outlook. Schools generally encourage the older person who wants to start anew, and besides regular classes, schedule evening classes in special programs. Today there are so many people of retirement age in college that it is no longer remarkable.

8. Moral Relativism in American

Improving American education requires not doing new things but doing (and remembering) some good old things. At the time of our nation’s founding, Thomas Jefferson listed the requirements for a sound education in the Report of the Commissioners for the University of Virginia. In this landmark statement on American education, Jefferson wrote of the importance of education and writing, and of reading history, and geography. But he also emphasized the need “to instruct the mass of our citizens in these, their rights, interests, and duties, as men and citizens.” Jefferson believed education should aim at the improvement of both one’s “morals” and “faculties”. That has been the dominant view of the aims of American education for over two centuries. But a number of changes, most of them unsound, have diverted schools from these great pursuits. And the story of the loss of the school’s original moral mission explains a great deal.

Starting in the early seventies, “values clarification” programs started turning up in schools all over America. According to this philosophy, the schools were not to take part in their time-honored task of transmitting sound moral values; rather, they were to allow the child to “clarify” his own values (which adults, including parents, had no “rights” to criticize). The “values clarification” movement didn’t clarify values; it clarified wants and desires. This form of moral relativism said, in effect, that no set of values was right or wrong; everybody had an equal right to his own values; and all values were subjective, relative, and personal. This destructive view took hold with a vengeance.

In 1985 The York Times published an article quoting New York area educators, in slavish devotion to this new view, proclaiming, “They deliberately avoid trying to tell students what is ethically right and wrong.” The article told of one counseling session involving fifteen high school juniors and seniors. In the course of that session a student concluded that a fellow student had been foolish to return one thousand dollars she found in a purse at school. According to the article, when the youngsters asked the counselor’s opinion, “He told them he believed the girl had done the right thing, but that, of course, he would not try to force his values on them. ‘If I come from the position of what is wrong,’ he explained, ‘then I’m not their counselor.’”

Once upon a time, a counselor offered counselor, and he knew that an adult does not form character in the young by taking a stance of neutrality toward questions of right and wrong or by merely offering “choices” or “options”.

In response to the belief that adults and educators should teach children sound morals, one can expect from some quarters indignant objections (I’ve heard one version of it expressed countless times over the years): “Who are you to say what’s important?” or “Whose standards and judgments do we use?”

The correct response, it seems to me, is, is we ready to do away with standards and judgments? Is anyone going to argue seriously that a life of cheating and swindling is as worthy as a life of honest, hard work? Is anyone (with the exception of some literature professors at our elite universities) going to argue seriously the intellectual corollary, that a Marvel comic book is as good as Macbeth? Unless we are willing to embrace some pretty silly position, we’ve got to admit the need for moral and intellectual standards. The problem is that some people tend to regard anyone who would pronounce a definitive judgment as an unsophisticated Philistine or a closed-minded “elitist” trying to impose his view on everybody else.

The truth of the real world is that without standards and judgments, there can be no progress. Unless we are prepared to say irrational things—that nothing can be proven more valuable than anything else or that everything is equally worthless—we must ask the normative question. It may come, as a surprise to those who fell that to be “progressive” is to be value-neutral. But as Matthew Amold said, “the world is forwarded by having its attention fixed on the best things” and if the world can’t decide what the best things are, at least to some degree, then it follows that progress, and character, is in trouble. We shouldn’t be reluctant to declare that some things, some lives, books, ideas, and values are better than others. It is the responsibility of the schools to teach these better things.

At one time, we weren’t so reluctant to teach them. In the mid-nineteenth century, a diverse, widespread group of crusaders began to work for the public support of what was then called the “common school”, the forerunner of the public school. They were to be charged with the mission of school felt that the nation could fulfill its destiny only if every new generation was taught these values together in a common institution.

The leaders of the common school movement were mainly citizens who were prominent in their communities—businessmen, ministers, local civic and government officials. These people saw the schools as upholders of standards of individual morality and small incubators of civic and personal virtue; the founders of the public schools had faith that public education could teach good moral and civic character from a common ground of American values.

But in the past quarter century or so, some of the so-called experts became experts of value neutrality, and moral education was increasingly left in their hands. The commonsense view of parents and the publicthat schools should reinforce rather than undermine the values of home, family, and country, was increasingly rejected.

There are those today still that claim we are now too diverse a nation, that we consist of too many competing convictions and interests to instill common values. They are wrong. Of course we are a diverse people. We have always been a diverse people. And as Madison wrote in FederalistNo.10, the competing, balancing interests of a diverse people can help ensure the survival of liberty. But there are values that all American citizens share and that we should want all American students to know and to make their own: honesty, fairness, self-discipline, fidelity to task, friends, and family, personal responsibility, love of country, and belief in the principles of liberty, equality, and the freedom to practice one’s faith. The explicit teaching of these values is the legacy of the common schools, and it is a legacy to which we must return.

9. Schools Should Teach Values

People often said, “Yes, we should teach these values, but how do we teach them?” this question deserves a candid response, one that isn’t given often enough. It is by exposing our children to good character and inviting its imitation that we will transmit to them a moral foundation. This happens when teachers and principals, by their words and actions, embody sound convictions. As Oxford’s Mary Warnock has written, “You cannot teach morality without being committed to morality yourself; and you cannot be committed to morality yourself without holding that some things are right and others wrong.” The theologian Martin Buber wrote that the educator is distinguished from all other influences “by his will to take part in the stamping of character and by his consciousness that he represents in the eyes of the growing person a certain selection of what is, the selection of what is ‘right’, of what should be.” It is in this will, Buber says, in this clear standing for something, that the “vocation as an educator finds its fundamental expression.”

There is no escaping the fact that young people need as example principals and teachers who know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, and who themselves exemplify high moral purpose.

As Education Secretary, I visited a class at Waterbury Elementary School in Waterbury, Vermont, and asked the students, “Is this a good school?” They answered, “Yes, this is a good school.” I asked them, “Why?” Among other things, one eight-year-old said, “The principal Mr. Riegel, makes good rules and everybody obeys them.” So I said, “Give me an example.” And another answered, “You can’t climb on the pipes in the bathroom. We don’t climb on the pipes and the principal doesn’t either.”

This example is probably too simple to please a lot of people who want to make the topic of moral education difficult, but there is something profound in the answer of those children, something education should pay more attention to. You can’t expect children to take messages about rules or morality seriously unless they see adults taking those rules seriously in their day-to-day affairs. Certain must be said, certain limits lay down, and certain examples set. There is no other way.

We should also do a better job at curriculum selection. The research shows that most “values education” exercises and separate courses in “moral reasoning” tend not to affect children’s behavior; if anything, they may leave children morally adrift. Where to turn? I believe our literature and our history are a rich quarry of moral literacy. We should mine that quarry. Children should have at their disposal a stock of examples illustrating what we believe to be right and wrong, good and bad—examples illustrating what are morally right and wrong can indeed be known and that there is a difference.

What kind of stories, historical events, and famous lives am I talking about? If we want our children to know about honesty, we should teach them about Abe Lincoln walking three miles to return six cents and conversely, about Aesop’s shepherd boy who cried wolf if we want them to know about courage, we should teach them about Joan of Arc, Horatius at the bridge, and Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. If we want them to know about persistence in the face of adversity, they should know about the voyages of Columbus and the character of Washington during the Civil War. And our youngest should be told about the Little Engine That Could. If we want them to know about respect for the law, they should understand why Socrates told Crito: “No, I must submit to the decree of Athens.” If we want our children to respect the rights of others, they should read the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King, Jr.’ “Letter from Birmingham jail.” From the Bible they should know about Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi, Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers, Jonathan’s friendship with David, the Good Samaritan’s kindness toward a stranger, and David’s cleverness and courage in facing Goliath.

These are only a few of the hundreds of examples we can call on. And we need not get into issues like nuclear war, abortion, creationism, or euthanasia. This may come as a disappointment to some people, but the fact is that the formation of character in young people is educationally a task different from, and prior to, the discussion of the great, difficult controversies of the day. First things come first. We should teach values the same way we teach other things: one step at a time. We should not use the fact that there are many difficult and controversial moral questions as an argument against basic instruction in the subject.

After all, we do not argue against teaching physics because laser physics is difficult, against teaching American history because there are heated disputes about the Founders’ intent. Every field has its complexities and its controversies. And every field has its basics, its fundamentals. So they are too with forming character and achieving moral literacy. As any parent knows, teaching character is a difficult task. But it is a crucial task, because we want our children to be healthy, happy, and successful but decent, strong, and good. None of this happens automatically; there is no genetic transmission of virtue. It takes the conscious, committed efforts of adults. It takes careful attention.

10. College Pressures

Mainly I try to remind that the road ahead is a long one and that it will have more unexpected turns than they think. There will be plenty of time to change jobs, change careers, change whole attitudes and approaches. They don not want to hear such liberating news. They want a map—right now – that they can follow unswervingly to career security, financial security, Social Security and, presumably, a prepaid grave.

What I wish for all students is some release from the clammy grip of the future. I wish them a chance to savor each segment of their education as an experience in itself and not as a grim preparation for the next step. I wish them the right to experiment, to trip and fall, to learn that defeat is as instructive as victory and is not the end of the world.

My wish, of course, is na?ve. One of the national gods venerated in our media—the million-dollar athlete, the wealthy executive—and glorified in our praise of possessions. In the presence of such a potent state religion, the young are growing up old.

I see four kinds of pressure working on college students today: economic pressure, parental pressure, peer pressure, and self-induced pressure. It is easy to look around for villains—to blame the colleges for charging too much money, the professors for assigning too much work, the parents for pushing their children too far, and the students for driving themselves too hard. But there are no villains: only victims.

“In the late 1960s.” one dean told me. “The typical question that I got from students was ‘Why is there so much suffering in the world’ or ‘how I can make a contribution?’ Today it’s ‘Do you think it would look better for getting into law school if I did a double major in history and political science, or just majored in one of them?’” many other deans confirmed this pattern. One said: “They are trying to find an edge—the intangible something that will look better on paper if two students are about equal.”

Note the emphasis on looking better. The transcript has become a sacred document, the passport to security. How one appears on paper is more important than how one appears in person. A is for Admirable and B is for Borderline, even though, in Yale’s official system of grading, A means “excellent” and B means “very good.” Today, looking very good is no longer good enough, especially for students who hope to go on to law school or medical school. They know that entrance into the better schools will be an entrance into the better law firms and better medical practices where they will make a lot of money. They also know that the odds are harsh. Yale Law School, for instance, matriculates 170students from an applicant pool of 3,700; Harvard enrolls 550 from a pool of 7,000.

It’s all very well for those of us who write letters of recommendation for our students to stress the qualities of humanity that will make them good lawyers or doctors. And it’s nice to think that admission officers are ready reading our letters and looking for the extra dimension of commitment or concern. Still, it would be hard for a student not to visualize these officers shuffling so many transcripts studded with As that they regard a B as positively shameful.

The pressure is almost as heavy on students who just want to graduate and get a job. Long gone are the days of the “gentleman’s C.” when students journeyed through college with a certain relaxation, sampling a wide variety of courses-music, art, philosophy, classics, anthropology, poetry, religion—that would send them out as liberally educated men and women. If I were an employer I would rather employ graduates who have this range and curiosity than those who narrowly pursued safe subjects and high grades. I know countless students whose inquiring minds exhilarate me. I like to hear the play of their ideas. I do not know if they are getting As or Cs, and I do not care. I also like them as people. The country needs them, and they will find satisfying jobs. I tell them to relax. They cannot.

Nor can I blame them. They live in a brutal economy. Tuition, room, and board at most private colleges now come to at least $7,000, not counting books and fees. This might seem to suggest that the colleges are getting rich. But they are equally battered by inflation. Tuition covers only 60 percent of what it costs to educate a student, and ordinarily the remainder comes from what college receives in endowments, grants, and gifts. Now, the remainder keeps being swallowed by the cruel costs—higher every year—of just opening the doors. Heating oil is up. Insurance is up. Postage is up. Health-premium costs are up. Everything is up. Deficits are up. We are witnessing in American the creation of a brotherhood of paupers—colleges, parents, and students, joined by the common bond of debt.

Today it is not unusual for a student, even if he works part time at college and full time during the summer, to accrue $5,000 in loans after four years—loans that he must start to repay within one year after graduation. Exhorted at commencement to go forth into the world, he is already behind as he goes forth. How could he not feel under pressure throughout college to prepare for this day of reckoning? I have used “he,” incidentally, only for brevity. Women at Yale are under no less pressure to justify their expensive education to themselves, their parents, and society. In fact, they are probably under more pressure. For although they leave college superbly equipped to bring fresh leadership to traditionally male jobs, society has not yet caught up with this fact.

Along with economic pressure goes parental pressure. Inevitably, the two are deeply intertwined.

I see many students taking pre-medical courses with joyless tenacity. They go off to their labs as if they were going to the dentist. It saddens me because I know tem in other corners of their life as cheerful people.

“Do you want to medical school?” I asked them.

“I guess so,” they say, without conviction, or “Not really.”

“Then why are you going?”

“Well, my parents want me to be a doctor. They are paying all this money and …”

Poor students, poor parents, they are caught in one of the oldest webs of love and duty and guilt. The parents mean will; they are trying to steer their sons and draughts toward a secure future. But the sons and daughter want to major in history or classics or philosophy—subjects with no “practical” value. Where’s the payoff on the humanities? It’s not easy to persuade such loving parents that the humanities do indeed pay off. The intellectual faculties developed by studying subjects like history and classics—an ability to synthesize and relate, to weigh cause and effect, to see events in perspective—are just the faculties that make creative leaders in business or almost any general field. Still, many fathers would rather put their money on courses that point toward specific profession—courses that are pre-law, pre-medical, pre-business, or, as I sometimes heard it put, “pre-rich.”

But the pressure on students is severe. They are truly torn. One part of them feels obliged to fulfill their parents’ expectations; after all, their parents are older and presumably wiser. Another part tells them that the expectations that are right for their parents are not right for them.

I know a student who wants to be an artist. She is very obviously an artist and will be a good one—she has already had several modest local exhibits. Meanwhile she is growing as a well-round person and taking humanistic subjects that will enrich the inner resources out of which her art will grow. But her father is strongly opposed. He thinks that an artist is a “dumb” thing to be. The student vacillates and tries to please everybody. She keeps up with her art somewhat furtively and takes some of the “dumb” courses her father wants her to take—at least they are dumb courses for her. She is a free spirit on a campus of tense students—no small achievement in it—and she deserves to follow her muse.

Peer pressure and self-induced pressure are also intertwined, and they begin almost at the beginning of freshman year.

“I had a freshman student I’ll call Linda,” one dean told me, “who came in and said she was under terrible pressure because her roommate, Barbara, was much brighter and studied all the time. I could not tell her that Barbara had come in two hours earlier to say the same thing about Linda.”

The story is almost funny—except that it is not. It is symptomatic of all the pressure put together. When every student thinks every other student is working harder and doing better, the only solution is to study harder still. I see students going off to the library every night after dinner and coming back when it closes at midnight. I wish they would sometimes forget about their peers and go to a movie. I hear the clacking of typewriters in the hours before dawn. I see the tension in their eyes when exams are approaching and papers are due: “Will I get everything done?”

Probably they won’t. They will get blocked. They will sleep. They will oversleep. They will bug out.

Part of the problem is that they are expected to do. A professor will assign five page papers. Several students will start writing ten page papers to impress him. Then more students will write ten page papers, and a few will raise the ante to fifteen. Pity the poor student who is still just doing the assignment.

“Once you have twenty or thirty percent of the student population deliberately overexerting,” one dean points out, “It’s bad for everybody. When a teacher gets more and more effort from his class, the student who is doing normal work can be perceived as not doing well. The tactic work, psychologically.”

Why cannot the professor just cut back and not accept longer papers? He can, and he probably will. But by then the term will be half over and the damage done. Grade fever is highly contagious and not easily reversed. Besides, the professor’s main concern is with his course. He knows his students only in relation to the course and does not know that they are also overexerting in their other courses. Nor is it really his business. He did not sign up for dealing with the student as a whole person and with all the emotional baggage the student brought along from home. That’s what deans, masters, chaplains, and psychiatrists are for.

To some extent this is nothing new: a certain number of professors have always been self-contained islands of scholarship and shyness, more comfortable with books than with people. But the new pauperism has widened the gap still further, for professors who actually like to spend time with students do not have as much time to spend. They are also overexerting. If they are young, they are busy trying to publish in order not to perish, hanging by their figure nails onto a shrinking profession.

If they are old and tenured, they are buried under the duties of administering departments—as departmental chairmen or members of committees—that have been thinned out by the budgetary axe.

Ultimately it will be the students’ own business to break the circles in which they are trapped. They are too young to be prisoners of their parents’ dreams and their classmates’ fears. They must be jolted into believing into themselves as unique men and women who have the power to shape their own future.

“Violence is being done to the undergraduate experience,” says Carlos Hortas. “College should be open-ended: at the end it should open many, many roads. Instead, students are choosing their goal in advance, and their choices narrow as they go along. It’s almost as if they think that the country has been codified in the type of jobs that exist-that they’ve got to fit into certain slots. Therefore, fit into the best paying slot.”

“They ought to take chances. Not taking chances will lead to life of colorless mediocrity. They’ll be comfortable. But something in the spirit will be missing.”

I have painted too drab a portrait of today’s students, making them seem a solemn lot. That is only half of their story; if they were so dreary I wouldn’t so thoroughly enjoy their company. The other half is that they are easy to like. They are quick to laugh and to offer friendship. They are not introverts. They are usually kind and are more considerate of one another than any student generation I have known.

Nor are they so obsessed with their studies that they avoid sports and extracurricular activities. On the contrary, they juggle their crowded hours to play on a variety of teams, perform with musical and dramatic groups, and write for campus publications. But this in turn is one more cause of anxiety. There are too many choices. Academically, they have 1,300 courses to select from; outside class they have to decide how much spare time they can spare and how to spend it.

This means that they engage in fewer extracurricular pursuits than their predecessors did. If they want to row on the crew and play in the symphony they will eliminate one; in the ‘60s they would have done both. They also tend to choose activities that are self-limiting. Drama, for instance, is flourishing in all twelve of Yale’s residential colleges, as it never has before. Students hurl themselves into these productions—as actors, directors, carpenters, and technicians—with a dedication to create the best possible play, knowing that the day will come when the run will end and they can get back to their studies.

They also cannot afford to be the willing slave of organizations like the Yale Daily News. Last spring at the one-hundredth anniversary banquet of that paper—who’s past chairmen include such once and future kings as Potter Stewart, Kingman Brewster, and William F. Buckley, Jr.—much was made of the fact that the editorial staff used to be small and totally committed and that “newsies” routinely worked fifty hours a week. In effect they belonged to a club; Newsies is how they defined themselves at Yale. Today’s students will one or two articles a week, when he can, and he defines himself as a student. I’ve never heard the word Newsie except at the banquet.

If I have described the modern undergraduate primarily as a driven creature who is largely ignoring the blithe spirit inside who keeps trying to come out and play, it’s because that’s where the crunch is, not only at Yale but throughout American education. It’s why I think we should all be worried about the values that are nurturing a generation so fearful of risk and so goal-obsessed at such an early age.

I tell students that there is no one “right” way to get ahead—that each of them is a different person, starting from a different point and bound for a different destination. I tell neither them that change is a tonic and that all the slots are not codified nor the frontiers closed. One of my ways of telling them is to invite men and women who have achieved success outside the academic world to come and talk informally with my students during the year. They are heads of companies or ad agencies, editors of magazines, politicians, public officials, television magnates, labor leaders, business executives, Broadway products, artists, writers, economists, photographers, scientists, historians—a mixed bag of achievers.

I asked them to say a few words about how they got started. The students assume that they started in their present profession and knew all along that it was what they wanted to do. Luckily for me, most of them got into their field by a circuitous route, to their surprise, after many detours. The students are startled. They can hardly conceive of a career that was not pre-planned. They can hardly imagine allowing the hand of God or chance to nudge them down some unforeseen trail.

11. To Err Is Wrong

In the summer of 1979, Boston Red Sox first baseman Carl Yastrzemski became the fifteenth player in baseball history to reach the three thousand hit plateaus. This event drew a lot of media attention, and for about a week prior to the attainment of this goal, hundreds of reports covered Yaz’s every more. Finally, one reporter asked, “Hey Yaz, aren’t you afraid all of this attention will go to your head?” Yastrzemski replied, “I look at this way: in my career I’ve been up to bat over ten thousand times. That means I’ve been unsuccessful at the plate over seven thousand times. That fact alone keeps me from getting a swollen head.”?

Most people consider success and failure as opposites, but they are actually both products of the same process. As Yaz suggest, an activity that produces a hit may also produce a miss. It is the same with creative thinking; the same energy that generates good creative ideas also produces errors.

Many people, however, are not comfortable with errors. Our educational system, based on “the right answer” belief, cultivates our thinking in another, more conservative way. From an early age, we are taught that right answers are good and incorrect answers are bad. This value is deeply embedded in the incentive system used in most schools:

Right over 90% of the time = “A”

Right over 80% of the time = “B~”

Right over 70% of the time = “C~” Right over 60% of the time = “D~” Less than 60% correct, you fail.

From this we learn to be right as often as possible and to keep our mistakes to a minimum. We learn, in other words, that “to err is wrong.

Playing It Safe

With this kind of attitude, you aren’t going to be taking too many chances. If you learn that failing even a litter penalizes you (e.g., being wrong only 15% of the time garners you only a “B” performance), you learn not to make mistakes. And more important, you learn not to put yourself to situation where you might fall. This leads to conservative thought pattern designed to avoid the stigma our society puts on “failure”.

I have a friend who recently graduated from college with a Master’s degree in Journalism. For the last six month, she has been trying to find a job, but to no avail. I talked with her about situation, and realized that her problem is that she doesn’t know how to fail. She went through eighteen years of schooling to try any approaches where she might fail. She has been conditioned to believe that failure is bad in and of itself, rather than a potential stepping-stone to new ideas.

Look around. How many middle managers, housewives, administrators, teachers, and other people do you see who are to try anything new because of this failure? Most of us have learned not to make mistakes in public. As a result, we remove ourselves from many learning experience except for those occurring in the most private of circumstances.

Different Logic

From a practical point of view, “to err is wrong” makes sense. Our survival in the everyday world requires us to perform thousand of small tasks without failure. Think about it: you wouldn’t last very long if you were to step out in front of traffic or stick your hand a pot of boiling water. In addition, engineers whose bridges collapse, stock brokers who lose money for their clients, and copywriters whose ad campaigns decrease sales won’t keep their jobs very long.

Nevertheless, too great an adherence to the belief “to err is wrong” can greatly undermine your attempts to generate new ideas. If you are more concerned with producing right answers than generating original ideas, you’ll probably make uncritical use of the rules, formulae, and procedures used to obtain these right answers. By doing this, you’ll by-pass the germinal phase of the creative process, and thus spend litter time testing assumptions, challenging the rules, asking what-if questions, or just playing around with the problem. All of these techniques will produce some incorrect answers, but in the germinal phase errors are viewed as a necessary by-product of creative thinking. As Yaz would put it, “if you want the hits, be prepared for the misses.” That’s the way the game of life goes.

Errors as Stepping Stones

Whenever an error pops up, the usual response is “Jeez, another screw up, what went wrong this time?” the creative thinker, on the other hand, will realize the potential value of errors, and perhaps say something like, “Would you look at that! Where can it lead our thinking?” and then he or she will go on to use the error as a stepping stone to a new idea. As a matter of fact, the whole history of discovery is filed with people who used erroneous assumptions and failed ideas as stepping-stones to new ideas. Columbus thought he was finding a shorter route to India. Johannes Kepler stumbled on to the idea of interplanetary gravity because of assumptions that were right for the wrong reasons. And, Thomas Edison knew 1800 ways not to build a light bulb.

The following story about the automotive genius Charles Kettering exemplifies the spirit of working through erroneous assumptions to good ideas. In 1912, when the automobile industry was just beginning to grow, Kettering was interested in improving gasoline engine efficiency. The problem he faced was“knockthe phenomenon in which gasoline takes too long to burn in the cylinder-thereby reducing efficiency.

Kettering began searching for ways to eliminate the “knock.” He thought to him, “How can I get the gasoline to combust in the cylinder at an earlier time?” the key concept here is “early”. Searching for analogous situations, he looked around for models of “things that happen early.” He thought of historical models, physical models, and biological models. Finally, he remembered a particular plant, the trailing arbutus, which “happens early,” i.e., it blooms in the snow (“earlier” than other plants). One of this plant’s chief characteristics is its’ red leaves, which help the plant retain light at certain wavelengths. Kettering figured that it must be the red color, which made the trailing arbutus bloom earlier.

Now came the critical step in Kettering’s chain of thought. He asked himself, “How can I make the gasoline red?” perhaps I’ll put red dye in the gasoline—maybe that’ll make it combust earlier.” He looked around his workshop, and found that he didn’t have any red dye. But he did happen to have some iodine—perhaps that would do. He added the iodine to the gasoline and, lo and behold, the engine didn’t “knock”.

[英语作文写作的需要背诵的部分

在作文的教学中，我们要借助于“图”的这种形式，帮助学生学习捕捉、观察社会生活中出现的现象或存在的问题。看“图”是一种手段，是作文训练的起始点。那么，依据语文课程标准，如何指导学生写好看图作文呢？下面是小编整理的写好看图作文的写作方法，希望对你有帮助！

一、学会观察

看图作文，提供给学生的是一幅或几幅图画。认真观察，弄清画面提供的内容，是学生写好作文的前提。在指导学生观察时，要注意两点：①抓住重点观察。涉及人物活动的图画，一般可先从观察人物活动入手，看画面有几个人，他们在干什么，弄清这些人物的年龄、身份、神态、动作；反映景物特点的图画，要抓住主要景物进行观察，弄清它的方位、特点以及它同其它景物之间的关系。②观察要有顺序。根据图画的特征，可选择由近及远、由上到下、从左到右，先中间后两边等顺序进行观察。观察时有一定顺序，写起文章来就会条理清楚。此外，为了使学生有目的地进行观察，教师可根据图画内容设计一些问题，让学生带着问题观察。这样，可减少学生观察的盲目性。

二、理解图意

通过细致的观察，学生搞清楚了图画反映的人物和景象以后，接着要指导学生理解图画的内容。理解图画，即就是弄懂图画展示了怎样的内容或表现了怎样的主题思想。有题目的图画，教师可以指导学生结合题目来理解图画内容。没有题目的图画，教师要指导学生根据图画的内容，定出恰当的题目。通过深入理解图画的内容，使学生对图画的认识由感性阶段上升到理性阶段，为写作打好基础。

三、放飞想像

如果把看图作文比做一只鸟，想象就是鸟的翅膀。丰富而合理的想象，可以使静止的画面变得形象、生动。因此，如何指导学生想象，是学生写好、写活看图作文的关键。指导学生想象，要注意三点：①充分调动学生思维的积极性，丰富学生的想象。小学生的想象是异常丰富的，他们可以由河水中物体的倒影想到清澈的河水，也可以由摆动的枝条想到微风吹拂。这时，教师要鼓励学生大胆想象，结合生活实际展开想像。教师要因势利导，让学生透过图画的表象，把图画反映的内容有机地联系起来，变成文字的叙述，并使图中的人物（景物）的语言、神态、动作等“声像化”，为进入写作阶段做好准备。②通过提问，激发学生的想象。对于图中反映的有些内容，学生的想象会比较片面，或者理解得不够深刻。这时，教师可以设计一些问题来帮助学生想象、理解。例如：为了使学生深刻理解图画中景物的特点，教师可以提问：图上画的是哪个季节的景象，我们从哪儿可以看出来？学生通过回答，就会加深对图画中景色特征的理解。③注意想象的合理性。在指导学生想象时，要紧扣图画的内容，切不可使学生脱离图画进行不切实际的想象。为了避免学生想象的不合理，教师对学生的想象要多问几个为什么，来指导学生的想象。

四.构思写作

通过上面的观察、理解、想象，学生对画面反映的内容有了丰富而深刻的了解。这时候，就可以指导学生根据自己对图画的理解，拟定写作提纲，进行写作了。写前，教师要指导学生说一说图画内容，在说中指导学生说清楚、说明白。

由此可见，“看图作文”的基本特征是把作者用线条和形状表示的意思，转化成用语言文字来表达。它的实质是在反映的基本意思不变的前提下，只是表达形式的互换。在把“线条和形状”转化成语言文字时，需要适当地运用想像等方法来填补图中比较抽象的部分。“看图作文”是一种训练语言、发展语言的好方法。

作文是语文教学的重点。然而，在语文教学中，对教师而言，最难教的是作文，对学生来讲，最难写的也是作文。小编收集了中考作文写作方法五点指导，欢迎阅读。

一、引导学生写日记入手，认真观察，积累丰富的写作素材。教师应鼓励学生全景式地体验生活，用自己的眼，以自己的心去理解、感受生活，挖掘生活中最熟悉的事例，写真人真事，抒真情实感。例如，写天气，可以四季变化，雪雨雷电，风霜雾露;写同学，可以写下课后的打打闹闹，写某次上课时的调皮捣乱，写做完作业后的无比轻松，写好朋友之间的窃窃私语，写某次课余时的恶作剧;也可以写日常饮食起居、邻里亲情、迎来送往、花鸟虫鱼等。长此以往，不但积累了许多写作素材，而且有效地提高了学生的写作水平。

二、以课文为依托，提倡模仿，培养学生良好的文风。模仿是人类学习，掌握技能的重要方法之一。模仿的特点在于针对性强，有法可循，它既能增加透明度，降低难度，操作性强，又能收到明显的效果。教师要让学生从简单仿句开始，从课内到课外，以骈句到诗句，并辅以中考的大量仿句欣赏阅读，然后讲解仿句的方法要领，再进行尝试模仿，反复训练、修改、提高，直至成功。通过仿句训练，能给学生一个成就感，能激发他们的写作兴趣。通过一段时间的简单仿句训练后，逐渐引到篇上的模仿。

三、以课外为突破口，积累语言，扩大学生的知识视野。杜甫说：“读书破万卷，下笔如有神。”书读得多，语言积累到一定程度，文章就会写得好。在平时的作文教学实践中，很多学生或没有材料可写，或表情达意不够流畅、准确、生动，归根到底是没有丰富的语言积累和语言经验。基于这些实际，教师应重视学生课外阅读，让学生通过大量阅读，开阔视野，丰富知识，增长智慧，从而提高写作能力。为了进一步提高学生课外阅读的效率，要求学生每人准备一个积累本，让学生摘录所阅读文章的好词、好句、好段，写读书笔记，或写阅读感受。通过训练，学生的词汇量增加了，写作素材丰富了，作文水平也普遍得以提高。

四、以作文批改为媒介，鼓励投稿，激发学生写作的热情。心理学研究表明：“赞赏一个人的杰作比赞赏一个人的本身更有效。”在批改学生作文时，教师应尽量肯定他们的优点，用委婉的话指出不足之处。通过教师热情真诚的赏识，使学生及时看到自己作文的成果，从而激励他们“更上一层楼”，不断提高作文能力。

五、以媒体为载体，搭建平台，激起学生展示文学才华的欲望。实践表明，要学好一种东西，兴趣是至关重要的。它是获得知识进行创造性创作的一种自觉动机，是鼓舞和推动学生创作的内在动力，也是提高写作水平的重要途径。因此，在作文教学中，教师要鼓励学生把自己的作品上传到自己已开通的博客上，让众多读者浏览、评价，体验写作的价值。此外，教师也可和学生一道创建班级周刊，让学生做主，编辑文章，设计版面，这样就会激励学生的写作热情，让他们进入一个积极的呈良性循环的写作状态。

总之，在作文教学的实践过程中，经过一段时间的精心训练，别致新颖、匠心独运的文章脱颖而出，作文教学也达到了预想的效果。

小升初是小学当中非常关键的一年，那么我们在小升初的时候怎么去把写作搞好呢，那么我们现在必须要掌握好一些作文技巧，我们在小升初需要掌握那个写作技巧呢？

一、审题

这是写作文首先要做好的事，否则，就会直接导致“文不对题”，“下笔千言，离题万里”。怎样才能审好题呢？根据通常的作文题目的形式来看，一般可分为命题作文和材料作文两大类。对命题作文的审题，就是要审查给定的文章题目确定的具体要求，审清文题意图，明晰题外要求，确定“题眼”。通过审题，明确作文的内容范围、时间范围、数量范围、人称范围、处所范围等。不能超出给定的范围。对材料作文的审题，主要从两个方面去把握：一是与材料的思想内容要“形影不离”，二是与作文形式的要求“丝丝入扣”。

1。命题作文

我们先重点谈一下关于命题作文的审题，要注意做好哪些事情。

确定内容范围

有的题目，对写作内容做出规定。所以，审题时，要确定题目规定的内容范围：记人的，要记什么人；叙事的，要叙什么事；写景的，要写什么景；状物的，要状什么物，等等。

精彩习作-----童年趣事

童年，是一方没有莠草、污秽的净土，是一片无遮无拦明朗的天空。这里流淌的纯真与甜美，总会使人产生难以忘怀的回忆。

记得我4岁那年，迷信的奶奶告诉我：“要是剪掉了胳膊上的毛，会变成疯子。”幼稚而好奇的我听了以后，半信半疑，手痒痒的，老是想试试看，但又怕家人和亲戚为我担心。可是没试，就老是惦记着，越惦记，就越是想试。

于是，我准备马上试。我拿出那可怕的剪刀，用颤抖的右手慢慢地靠近左手胳膊上的一根毫毛。刚要剪，我又停了下来。心想：“我要是真的变成一个疯子，会不会像老鼠过街一样人人喊打？爸爸、妈妈和奶奶会不会不再疼爱这个傻孩子了？”我越想越害怕。我犹豫了许久，才把胳膊上的毛剪掉了。一剪完，我什么都不顾地钻进被窝里，不知不觉就睡着了。醒来时，我发现，我还是原来的我，一个正常的小女孩。于是，我不顾一切，高兴地蹦到奶奶身边，撒娇地说：“奶奶呀，奶奶！我今天剪了胳膊上的一根毫毛，可没变成疯子啊！”奶奶听了以后，笑了笑，摸着我的小脑袋，没说什么。

这件童年趣事已留在我记忆的闸门里。但随着年龄的增长，我懂得了：凡事要相信科学，不能相信迷信。

在任务驱动型作文的背景下，怎样才能把一个论题阐述深透呢?许多同学无从下手，所写的文章老是停留在肤浅的层面，得分不高，在此，介绍巧设反方，探源究底的方法，以供同学学习参考。

巧设反方就是在正面论述的基础之上，提出有可能出现的反方看法或观点，尽力预设，尽力设全，以体现你思维的周密性。

探源究底就是在预设反方的前提下，探究反方观点产生的根源以及错误的本质，甚至对反方观点进行有力的批驳，让它站不住脚，从而使自己的看法有理有力。

例如：

阅读下面的材料，根据要求写一篇不少于800字的文章。(60分)

不久前，某大学在临近期末时发生了这样一事：夜幕下，风雨中，一群大学生在校农场打着手电栽种油菜。校长对媒体说：学生必须亲手碰到泥巴，才能知道什么是奋斗，什么是劳动。农场劳动是该校的必修课，是毕业通行证。这种观点和做法得到了不少网民的支持。

然而也有人持不同意见：为挣学分冒雨挑灯夜战，是否有矫枉过正之嫌?还有人认为，大学生的首要任务是学习专业知识，此举有形式主义之嫌。

对于以上事件及不同观点，你怎么看?请表明你的态度，阐述你的看法。要求综合材料内容及含意，选好角度，确定立意，完成写作任务。

示范例文：

亲历劳动，方知奋斗

某高校开设种田必修课，学生夜里打手电种油菜，新闻一出，立刻引发热议，有支持者，也有反对者，更有抨击者，但无论何种反应都体现了大众对高校教育、对人才培养的一种关注、一种思索。

亲历劳动，方知奋斗。学校的良苦用心是值得大力称赞的。农场劳动，不单是一门必修课程，是毕业的通行证，更是一种观念、一种品质的培养。党的教育方针明确指出：教育必须与生产劳动相结合未来世界的竞争是人才素质的竞争，而劳动素质又是人才素质中极其重要的一个方面。但令人叹息的是，有许多的网民，却反对高校的这种做法，质疑这种做法的真正意图，或许是因为他们觉得大学生的首要任务是学习专业知识，应该把时间更多地放在精进自己的专业水平上，不能也没有必要去做普通农民所做的农活，然而，这个理由不过只是个幌子，是个借口，何况精进专业知识，也不是不问世事，一心只读圣贤书就能达成的，再说，闭门苦读就一定能够学好专业知识吗?更深层的原因，恐怕是大众内心对农的鄙视，是自古以来就有的对读书人的崇敬与膜拜：认为田间劳作是没有文化修养或修养较低的农民干的，文化人，既然已经跳出农门，就不要也不必再碰农活了。他们主观上认为读书人与农民是截然不同的两种身份，而这种认识，又恰恰是长期以来由阶级的差距衍生出的优越感而催生的。

爱劳动，才会生活;学会劳动，才能学会生活。高校开展农场劳动必修课，不仅可行，更有深远意义。学生在学校，不仅要学会一些理论性的东西，还需进行各种各样的实践劳动，只有二者相结合，才能更好地提升学生的综合素质。农场劳动，除了能提高学生们的动手能力、实践能力，让学生更接地气，还能让学生在获得劳动的切身体验中，认识到粒粒皆辛苦，尊重劳动人民和劳动成果，更能让学生在艰苦环境的磨炼中，培养一种吃苦耐劳、艰苦奋斗的精神。事实上，人的很多优秀的品质，都可以在劳动中形成。

发扬光大该校的这一做法，或许我们可以有更好做法，加强宣传教育，提高学生积极主动参加劳动实践的意识，鼓励学生积极参加各种各样的社会实践活动，而不局限于田间劳作，更无需用必修的形式，来强制学生，为完成学分临时抱佛脚而在临近期末时连夜冒雨打手电种油菜。

民生在勤，勤则不匮，无论时代如何变化，我们始终都要热爱劳动、崇尚劳动。

一、什么是自传

自传是叙述自己生平经历的文章。生平经历是指一个人生活的整

个过程。婴儿——幼儿——上学——现在

1、婴儿时期（吃、哭、爬、学说话、学走路……）

听妈妈说那时候的我是怎样的？（高、矮、胖、瘦、乖、闹、聪明……）例文欣赏

示例1：听妈妈说，小时候的我胖乎乎的，很聪明。刚到了九个月就会说话了，把妈妈叫得很开心；10个月就会学走路了，摇摇晃晃，东倒西歪但不让人扶。有一次从床上掉下来，至今胳膊上还留有伤疤；奶奶说我那时候特别乖巧，但也特别淘气。

特点：聪明、淘气

示例2：刚出生的我在医院里又哭又闹，说着平常人不懂的“外星球语”，让爸妈很苦恼，白天我咬着奶瓶呼呼大睡，晚上我就活跃起来，让大人抱着我到处去溜达，如果一松手，那哭声在你耳朵里徘徊，仿佛一栋楼都会震动起来！

特点：爱闹

2、幼儿时期

⑴、脑中充满疑问

“妈妈，天上的星星为什么会眨眼睛？”“妈妈，我的肚子为什么会饿？”“妈妈，为什么天上的月亮有时是圆的，有时是弯弯的？”⑵、探索世界

把家里的小闹钟、把我的玩具拆得七零八落

⑴、⑵表现出我很聪明

⑶、上幼儿园

哭着、喊着不肯上幼儿园这些表现出我又很淘气

例文欣赏

示例1：一眨眼的功夫，时间老人已把婴儿时期带走了，幼儿时期缓缓走来。妈妈和幼儿园的老师都说我好动。为此我觉得自己得了儿童多动症，其实我确实挺爱动的。在幼儿园里，我基本不会规规矩矩的坐上三分钟；就算坐在椅子上，也是东摇西摆。结果一次在课堂上“发挥”多动时，老师误以为我在吃东西，我的脸烧了又烧，简直就像一

只掉进油锅里的虾。

示例2：幼儿时期的我最爱跳舞。记得有一次，妈妈手机里传出了一阵响亮的歌声，在一旁搞东西的我听见了，便情不自禁的跳起来，屁股一扭一扭的，手也摆动起来，不时还走一下猫步，仿佛我已经沉浸在这欢乐地歌声里，无法自拔一样！一旁的妈妈鼓起掌来，笑着说：“看来我们家会有一位舞神了。”奶奶听后，大笑起来，家里充满了快乐的气氛。

3、我上学了

⑴、有了稳定的兴趣。如：①、爱上了学习②、迷上了阅读

⑵、进不了

⑶、交了很多朋友

例文欣赏

示例1：进入小学后，在优美的校园里，我感受到了学习的快乐，从此爱上了学习。现在，我是班里的学习委员、语文课代表。我的作文经常受到老师表扬，不仅在作文比赛上获过奖，还经常在一些刊物上发表呢！

示例2：八岁的我爱书如命。故事书、漫画书、作文书、科幻书、小说等等，不管什么书，我都一股脑儿拿起来就读。不管晚上作业有多少，事情有多忙，我都会挤出一点时间来看书。

我看书很着迷。我会随着书中的趣事哈哈大笑；也会为着书中令人落泪的悲惨故事而伤心痛哭；看到本领高超、助人为乐的人，我会产生敬佩之情；看到那些烧杀抢掠的恶人和那些贪赃枉法的坏人，我心中的愤怒油然而生……每当妈妈看见我忽而大笑、忽而大哭，忽而喜悦，又忽而愤怒时，总会无可奈何地叹息道：“这丫头，真是没办法！”

示例3：我进入了XX小学读书，在这座优美的校园里，我对学习有了比较大的变化，表现比较积极，一年级第一批就加入了少先队，四年级参加了鼓号队，曾经当过体育委员、语文课代表。在学习上能多看课外书籍，经常去剑英图书馆借书或去新华书店看书，同时注意积累好词好句，坚持每个星期写一扁日记，因此语文成绩比较理想，对作文比有兴趣，作文经常被老师表扬；数学成绩还算可以，但是英语一直是我的弱项，总感到压力好大。

示例4：我结交了很多朋友，他们也十分乐意和我交往，使我从交往中得到了许许多多的快乐。我对他人十分的诚实守信，从来不说恶意

的谎言，答应别人的事情绝对做到，因此，他们也很乐意跟我玩，和我谈心。我有时也会跟别人一起哈哈大笑或讲悄悄话，跟同学们打成一片，让我成为他们心目中的好朋友。有了他们我的生活充满了朝气，充满了快乐。我对人十分有礼貌，助人为乐也是我的本份，他人有困难，我一定会竭尽全力去帮助他。

4、现在的我

长大了、懂事了、学会承担了、有理想了。

例文欣赏

示例1：随着年龄的增长，我变得越来越懂事了。想起妈妈以前整天都为我操心，而我却总是惹她生气，我的心里真不是滋味。

星期五放学回到家，妈妈放下我的书包，就径直走进厨房准备做饭。我想：妈妈工作了一整天，已经很累了，又要去接我，回到家还要做饭，这多么不应该！想到这，我马上走进厨房。

“妈妈。”

“有什么事儿吗？”

“妈妈，您去休息吧，我帮您做饭。”

“不用了，你快去做作业吧，饭菜很快就好了。”

“妈妈，就让我为您做一顿饭吧，嗯？”

妈妈只好笑了笑，点了点头。

晚饭后，我又替妈妈把碗碟洗得干干净净，把家里打扫了一遍，最后还为妈妈捶背按摩。妈妈很高兴，对我说：“孩子，你长大了，懂事了，妈妈真高兴！”我听到这句话，心就像被浸在一罐世界上最甜的蜜糖里。

这就是12岁的我，懂事的我。

示例2：现在的我，会承担责任了；十二岁的我会像挤海棉一样挤时间了；十二岁的我，会自己面对困难了；十二岁的我，成熟了许多；十二岁的我已经长大了，一些鸡毛蒜皮的小事，我自己已经会应付了。面对十二岁的人生，我好像还有点混浊，但比起以前已经进步了许多。对于我来说，未来是一条坎坷的岔路，我一定要选择正确地道路，要一直努力认真的向前走。只要努力学习，就会考上重点大学。

二、行文线索

1、不懂事，爱哭、爱闹——有点听话——开始懂事

2、听话的乖孩子——爱学习的好学生——懂事、知道孝敬父母

3、淘气，耍小聪明——明白事理，大智慧

三、详略取舍

1、详写部分的选择：

⑴、记忆最深刻、最难忘的那段岁月

⑵、最能体现你这个人的特点

⑶、转变最大、成长最快的那段时期

2、其它部分可略写

四、开头和结尾

㈠、开头：

1、简要的介绍自己

2、对自己有一个粗略、整体的评价

例文欣赏

示例1：本人名叫陈思婷，属龙，2000年11月18日，伴随着一阵哭声，我从医院诞生了，胖乎乎的显得十分可爱，嫩滑的脸蛋上，有着一对小酒窝。长大后，我的皮肤黝黑，有人叫我“非洲黑珍珠”！我只好不好意思地笑纳！

示例2：2000年7月20日，随着一阵“哇哇”的哭声，一个可爱的婴儿来到了这个五彩缤纷的世界。从此，生活的大舞台上就有了我的小天地。我的小脚丫在小天地里任意的涂鸦，涂鸦成我难忘的昨天。㈡：结尾

1、对自己成长的总结

2、对未来的向往

例文欣赏

示例1：岁月如梭，整整12年过去了，我从不懂事的小孩子，变成了有志气的大姑娘，我希望，以后能改掉坏习惯，开心快乐地成长。示例2：比起小时的我确实是进步了很多，可是人生的道路是曲折而漫长的，学海无涯，我还有许多东西不懂，我想：只要有远大理想，带着顽强拼搏的意志和勇气走下去，就能够迈进成功的殿堂，就能对国家有贡献！

示例3：这就是我，一个有着多样性格的我。看完我的自传，你们喜欢我吗？

习作练习

我的自传

一、议论文写作三要素

议论文主要包括三要素：论点、论据和论证方法。论点必须正确。论据是为说明论点服务的，既要可靠又要充分，事实胜于雄辩，是最好的论据。论据也可以是人们公认的真理，经过实践考验的哲理。论证的方法多种多样，常用的方法有：

1. 归纳法

从分析典型，即分析个别事物入手，找出事物的共同特点，然后得出结论。

2. 推理法

从一般原理出发，对个别事物进行说明、分析，而后得出结论。

3. 对照法

对所有事实、方面进行对照，然后加以分析，得出结论。

4. 驳论法

先列出错误的观点，然后加以逐条批驳，最后阐明自己的观点。

二、议论文的特点

议论文的结构一般有引子、正文和结论句三部分。一般在引子部分提出论点，即文章的主题，在正文部分摆出有利的事实，对论点进行严密的论证，最后根据前面的论证得出结论。

三、议论文的写法

要写好议论文，必须注意以下几点：

1. 确定论点

论点通常在文章的第一段提出。

2. 要有足够的论据，可以列举生活的实例

3. 论证要有严密的逻辑性

所有事实、原因、理由应紧密地同结论连接起来。

4. 层次要清楚

5. 态度诚恳、友好，因为议论文重在说理，以理服人

议论文在写作手法上以议论为主，但有时也要运用说明、叙述、描写等手法。议论中的说明常为议论的开展创造条件，或是议论的补充;议论文中的叙述和描写应是为论点提供依据的因此，叙述应该是概括的，描写应该是简要的。

6. 论据要充分

欲证明自己的观点必须有充分的证据。作者可以列举事实、展示数据、提供事例、借助常识或利用亲身经历。

议论文尽管有多种写法，但中学生的英语作文都有提示，因此，论点、论据一般都是确定的，我们首先应准确找出论点、论据及其间的相互关系，也即是要找出要点;然后考虑如何组织材料，也即是论证的方式，短文的写法;还应考虑文章的时态、语态等。议论文常用一般现在时，但述说过去的事实时，可用过去时态;预测将来时，要用将来时态;也经常使用被动语态;有时假设一种虚拟情况时，还需要用上虚拟语气。在考虑了短文的写法、时态、语态等后，可根据行文的需要，使用恰当的连接词，按适当的顺序将写好的句子组合成短文。

英文日记和汉语日记一样，是用来记叙一天中所发生的有意义的事情或对将来的打算等。以下是小编整理的英语日记写作的格式，欢迎阅读！

日记可分为记事、议论、描写及抒情等。记事型是用英语记述当天自己生活学习中发生的事情。议论型是对生活中的某一事情或情况现象谈自己的看法，发表议论。描写型或抒情型，则是对某人物事物的特征做细致的描述，或针对某事物抒发自己的感情。

1、格式：

一般是在左上角记上当天日期，星期，时间的排列法与书信一致，星期写在日期之后；右上角写上当天的天气情况，表示天气情况的词一般是形容词，如：fine（晴朗的），cold（寒冷的），snowy（下雪），sunny（阳光充足的），rainy（下雨的），cloudy（阴天的）等。日记的小标题写在下一行，也可省略不写。

2、时态：

写日记的时间一般是在下午、晚上，有时也可以在第二天补写，因此，日记中所记述的事情通常发生在过去，常用一般过去时；但当记述天气、描写景色或展望未来时，可以用一般现在时或一般将来时。

写法大致和写汉语日记相同，都是在正文之前有日期、星期几及当天的天气情况。注意内容表达要清楚连贯、准确。

扩展阅读：

日期格式用月日年（美式）或日月年（英式）都可以

1. 年、月、日都写时，通常以月、日、年为顺序，月份可以缩写，日和年用逗号隔开，例如：december 18, xx或者dec. 18, xx。

2. 如果要写星期，星期要紧挨日期，它既可以放在日期前面，也可以放在日期后面，星期也可以省略不写。星期和日期之间不用标点，但要空一格，星期也可缩写，例如：thursday dec. 18, xx或dec.18，xx thursday

3. 天气情况必不可少，天气一般用一个形容词如:sunny, fine, rainy, snowy等表示。天气通常位于日记的右上角。

感谢信是重要的礼仪文书，是向帮助、关心和支持过自己的集体（党政机关、企事业单位、社会团体等）或个人表示感谢的专业书信，有感谢和表扬双重意思。一方受惠于另一方，应及时地表达谢忱，使对方在付出劳动和贡献后得到心理上和精神上的收益，它是一种不可少的公关手段。

感谢信是得到某人或某单位的帮助、支持或关心后答谢别人的书信。感谢信对于弘扬正气、树立良好的社会风尚，促进社会主义精神文明建设有着重要意义。根据寄送对象不同，感谢信可以分为三种：一种是直接寄送给感谢对象，一种是寄送对方所在单位有关部门或在其单位公开张贴，还有一种是寄送给广播电台、电视台、报社、杂志社等媒体公开播发。

【格式写法】

感谢信的结构一般由标题、称谓、正文、结语、署名与日期五部分构成。

1．标题。可只写“感谢信”三字；也可加上感谢对象，如“致张子鸣同学的感谢信”、“致平安物业公司的感谢信”；还可再加上感谢者，如“赵明康全家致××社区居委会的感谢信”；

2．称谓。写感谢对象的单位名称或个人姓名。如“××交警大队”、“刘自立同志”。

3．正文。主要写两层意思，一是写感谢对方的理由，即“为什么感谢？”二是直接表达感谢之意。

（1）感谢理由。首先准确、具体、生动地叙述对方的帮助，交代清楚人物、时间、地点、事迹、过程、结果等基本情况；然后在叙事基础上对对方的帮助作恰贴、诚恳的评价，以揭示其精神实质、肯定对方的行为。在叙述和评价的字里行间要自然渗透感激之情。

（2）表达谢意。在叙事和评论的基础上直接对对方表达感谢之意，根据情况也可在表达谢意之后表示以实际行动向对方学习的态度。

4．结语。一般用“此致敬礼”或“再次表示诚挚的感谢”之类的话，也可自然结束正文，不写结语。

5．署名与日期。写感谢者的单位名称或个人姓名和写信的时间。

【基本要求】

1、感谢的事由概括叙述感谢的理由，表达谢意。

3、写清对方的事迹：具体叙述对方的先进事迹，叙述时务必交待清楚人物、事件、时间、地点、原因和结果，尤其重点叙述关键时刻对方给予的关心和支持。

3、揭示意义：在叙述事实的基础上指出对方的支持和帮助对整个事情成功的重要性以及体现出的可贵精神。同时表示向对方学习的态度和决心。

4、结语：写感谢信收束时表示敬意的话、感谢的话。

5、落款：感谢信的落款署上写信的单位名称或个人姓名，并且署上成文日期。前者在上，后者在下。

【注意事项】

内容要真实

评誉要恰当感谢信的内容必须真实，确有其事，不可夸大溢美。感谢信以感谢为主，兼有表扬，所以表达谢意时要真诚，说到做到。评誉对方时要恰当，不能过于拔高，以免给人一种失真的印象。

用语要适度

叙事要精练感谢信的内容以主要事迹为主，详略得当，篇幅不能太长，所谓话不在多，点到为止。感谢信的用语要求是精炼、简洁，遣词造句要把握好一个度，不可过分雕饰，否则会给人一种不真实、虚伪的感觉。

【感谢信与表扬信的区别】

两者都是对别人的某种行为的肯定与表扬。但侧重点不一样。表扬信是侧重表扬某人，表扬某人做了什么好事，可以不是当事人自己写；而感谢信则是表达对某人帮助的感谢，是当事自己写的。

【感谢信范文】

尊敬的ｘｘｘ领导：

我是ｘｘｘ驾驶员，20ｘｘ年10月24日下午，我在北海路与北宫东街路口附近办事时，不慎将随身携带的手包丢失，里面放有身份证、驾驶证、现金、银行卡以及部分重要资料，过了半小时发现后，再到原处去找，包早就不见了。正在我万分着急，并且对找回包不报什么希望的时候，驻地交警大队给我打来电话，告诉我包被一位女士捡到，并交到了交警部门，交警部门又根据包内信息联系到了我。领回我的包后，经过多方打听，才知道这位拾金不昧的女士是ｘｘｘ，事后，我想单独拿出现金表达谢意，但ｘｘｘｘ坚决不接受，并且一再表示这是自己应该做的。

今天，我怀着万分感激的心情，写这封信，不但是为了表达对ｘｘｘ的感谢，对她拾金不昧高尚行为的敬佩，也是为了表达对贵院领导的感激之情，ｘｘｘ之所以能这么做，正是得益于贵院领导的正确领导和大力倡导，得益于贵院有充满正能量的院风院纪和积极向上的医院文化。在此，向贵院领导和翟女士表示衷心的感谢和崇高的敬意，祝愿贵院的医疗事业蒸蒸日上、蓬勃发展，祝愿各位身体健康，事业顺利！

张X

20ｘｘ年10月27日

要写出一篇好文章，必须具备多方面的因素，以下是小编整理的关于小学作文的写作技巧，欢迎阅读参考。

一、提高认识事物和表达事物的能力。

我国著名教育家叶圣陶先生指出：写任何东西决 定于认识和经验，有什么样的认识和经验，才能写出什么样的东西来。反之，没有表达认识的能力，同样也写不出好作文。

二、把认识结构作为作文的核心。

包括学习知识，观察积累，记忆储存，训练思维，丰富 想象，培养情感，锻炼意志；从说到写，推敲修改，多读勤写。

三、树立大作文观，听、说、读、写有机结合。

一要注重审题；二要明确写作目的，立意要新；三是选材要有根据；四要讲究谋篇技巧，安排好篇章结构；五要注意文章分段，事先列小标题，作文提纲；六要注重文章写法，因文用法；七要妙用语言，用思想调遣语言。

学会五种立意法：以事赞人，直抒胸臆，借物喻理，触景生情，托物言志。

四、作文大目标的逐年级分解。

一年级字词，二年级句子，三年级片断，四年级篇章，五年级综合，六年级提高。

五、实施五项训练。

根据认识是作文的核心这一原则，围绕这个发展学生心理机制的核心，扎扎实实地进行了五项训练：

（一）字词训练。

学习掌握大量字词。掌握运用字词的金钥匙：联系自己熟悉的事物； 联系自己生活实际；联系自己学会的语言及字词知识。

运用十引说的方法，把字词学习与说话训练相结合。十引说是：1、分析字形； 2、利用教具；3、凭图学词；4、组词扩词；5、选词填空；6、词语搭配；7、调整词序； 8、触景用词；9、词语分类；10、联词成句。

丰富了说话训练内容，使自己积累大量会说会用的字词，为写作文打下坚实基础。

（二）句子训练。

只要是一个句子，都包括两个方面：一是说的人、事、物、景， 二是说目的。

可有些教师指导学生说一句话时，没有很好凭借图画和事物，认真教学生观察、认识、分析、表达的方法，只是拿出一张图或一事物让学生说写一句话，学生不知道为什么要说写一句话，怎样说写一句话，说写一句什么句型、什么句式的话， 导致作文中语调单一、呆板、不活泼生动。

可以改让学生凭图、看物、对话、练习说 写一句时间、地点、人物、事件四要素完整的话，四种句型，九种句式的话。学生 才会在作文中运用不同句型、句式，表达不同的思想、感情、态度、目的。

（三）段的训练。

结合八种段式：以事物发展为序段，时间先后为序段，空间变换为序段，总述、分述结构段，因果段、转折段，递进段，并列段。

以此认识客观事物的发生、发展规律。不论哪种段式，都是记叙事物的发展和人们对事物的认识，即段的内容，段的中心。

它和一句话一样，也是对人、事、物、景的叙述，也是表达一 个意思。只不过是把一句话进一步说得更清楚、更深刻。

（四）篇章训练。

篇是由段组成的。通过对审题、立意、选材、谋篇、定法、用 语的知识与方法，通过记叙、描写、抒情、议论四种表达方法，文章开头与结尾、过渡 与呼应方法，各种文章体裁的知识与方法。学会写中心明确，意思完整，详略得当的记 叙文和应用文。

（五）生活现场训练。

采用生活现场训练，更好地体会从内容入手写作文。 通过各种作文教学活动，如确定中心讨论会、选材讨论会、作文会诊会、 小诸葛审题会、妙用词语比赛会，从活动中生动具体地学到作文知识与写作文 的方法。

另外，还可开展各种校内外活动，如跳绳、拔河、踢毽、球类、背书比赛，从而学会如何写比赛作文；开展校内外义务劳动，学会如何写劳动场面；举行诗歌朗诵、 讲演会，学会如何写会议场面及会议上的见闻；通过参观访问，浏览名胜古迹，学会如 何写参观访问记、游记。学习观察方法，留心周围的事物、事件，处处留心皆学问， 人情练达即文章。

通过现场生活作文，进一步认识到：生活是作文的沃土。从而学会 写真事、抒真情，陶冶真、善、美的情操，培养良好的文风。 实行互评互改，培养学生思维独立性和创造性。

学生作文写好后，组织在小组内讲评。先学习别人作文的优点，再用批评的眼光互相指出作文中的缺点，并指出改进意见。在此基础上重新再写，从而使学生每写一篇都有收获。