Six Traits of Writing

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Six Traits of Writing

• Ideas

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Ideas

• Paints a creative picture for the reader
• Makes the piece of writing clearer and more
  interesting

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A paper with good ideas

• The piece has a clear thesis, center, story, or
  main message.
• The topic is narrowed and focused.
• Readers questions are anticipated and answered
  thoroughly.
• Specific, intriguing details make the writing
  interesting and informative.
• The writer uses experience and/or research to
  expand the main idea.

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Example of Using Ideas Effectively

• Before

• After

• The houses in Brooklyn were in a straight line in
  July. They had tall stoops with fences around
  them.

• In the somnolent July afternoon the unbroken
  line of brown stone houses down the long Brooklyn
  street resembled an army massed at attention.
  They were all one uniform red-brown stone. All
  with high massive stone stoops and black
  iron-grille fences staving off the sun. Paule
  Marshall

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Practice

• When using ideas effectively, a good sentence
  answers the questions
• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• I went for a walk.
• Yesterday morning, I went for a peaceful walk
  down Meadow Avenue to clear my mind.

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More Practice

• My dinner was good.
• He has a pet.