Kata Kerja Transitif

a. Bagi kata kerja transitif, iaitu makan dan minum yang menerima unsur objek berupa bentuk singkat -Nya,
awalan meN- perlulah digunakan;


“Kami sekeluarga suka makannya.” beritahuku kepada Pak Man (X)
“Kami sekeluarga suka memakannya.” beritahuku kepada Pak Man (/)




b. Imbuhan seperti meN-, mempeR-, meN-…-I tidak boleh digugurkan dalam penggunaan ayat aktif;


Pelajar-pelajar yang langgar disiplin sekolah itu didenda oleh pengetua (X)
Pelajar-pelajar yang melanggar disiplin sekolah itu didenda oleh pengetua (/)




c. Kata kerja transitif mesti diikuti oleh frasa nama atau kata nama sebagai objek. Oleh itu, kata selain daripada
kata nama tidak boleh hadir selepas kata kerja tersebut;


Pak Sudin berhasrat untuk membesarkan lagi rumah pusaka itu (X)
Pak Sudin berhasrat untuk membesarkan rumah pusaka itu (/)




d. Hanya kata hubung bahawa yang boleh hadir selepas kata kerja transitif dalam binaan ayat majmuk aktif;


Dia mengatakan dia tidak dapat menghadiri mesyuarat di Pulau Langkawi (X)
Dia mengatakan bahawa dia tidak dapat menghadiri mesyuarat di Pulau Langkawi (/)




e. Hanya kata kerja transitif mencuba dan membantu boleh hadir sebelum kata kerja transitif yang lain dalam
binaan ayat aktif;


Manisah ingin sekali cuba memakai baju baru yang ditempahnya minggu 
lalu (X)
Manisah ingin sekali mencuba memakai baju baru yang ditempahnya minggu lalu (/)




f. Perbezaan antara apitan meN-…-kan dengan meN-…-I merujuk kepada satu objek.


- Apabila objek yang mengalami tindak balas hasil sesuatu perbuatan maka apitan meN-…-kan digunakan.
- Apabila subjek yang bertindak balas ke atas sesuatu apitan meN-…-kan digunakan.


Dalam acara itu Ahmad telah mendahulukan peserta-peserta lain (X)
Dalam acara itu Ahmad telah mendahului peserta-peserta lain (/)




g. Kata kerja berapitan meN-…-kan menunjukkan maksud bahawa objek mengalami tindak balas akibat perbuatan
iaitu mengalami perpindahan;


- Kata kerja berapitan meN-…-kan hanya boleh menerima satu objek sahaja selepasnya.


Mak Temah membungkusi Roslinda nasi lemak (X)
Mak Temah membungkuskan nasi lemak untuk Roslinda (/)




h. Kata kerja apitan meN-…I menunjukkan bahawa objek yang dikenai perbuatan tidak mengalami tindakbalas,
iaitu berada pada satu tempat sahaja (subjek);


- Kata kerja berapitan meN-…I boleh menerima dua objek berturutan.


Mak Temah membungkuskan nasi lemak untuk Roslinda (X)
Mak Temah membungkusi Roslinda nasi lemak (/)




i. Perbezaan antara apitan meN-…-kan dengan meN-…-I merujuk kepada dua objek;


- Apitan meN-…-I menerima objek tepat yang bernyawa selepasnya.
- Apitan meN-…-kan akan menerima objek tepat yang tidak bernyawa selepasnya.


Tuan hakim menjatuhi hukuman mandatori keatas pengedar dadah itu (X)
Tuan hakim menjatuhkan hukuman mandatori ke atas pengedar dadah itu (/)




j. Perbezaan antara meN- dengan meN-…-kan merujuk kepada dua objek;


- Perbuatan yang dilakukan menyatakan fikiran atau perasaan dengan tulisan, kata kerja transitif
berawalan meN- hanya menerima satu objek selepasnya.
- Perbuatan menulis untuk seseorang, kata kerja transitif berapitan meN-…-kan boleh menerima dua
objek berturutan, iaitu objek tepat diikuti oleh objek sipi.


Suhaili melukiskan pemandangan pada waktu senja di tepi pantai (X)
Suhaili melukis pemandangan pada waktu senja di tepi pantai (/)




Latihan

Gariskan kata kerja yang terdapat dalam ayat-ayat di bawah. Kemudian, nyatakan sama ada kata kerja itu kata kerja transitif atau kata kerja tak transitif.

1) Encik Shaari mengasah parang-parang itu sehingga tajam.

2) Rohaimi selalu mandi di sungai itu dengan kawan-kawannya.

3) Puan Maria menyiram pokok-pokok bunga orkidnya pada waktu petang.

4) Azila sedang menidur adiknya di dalam buaian.

5) Zulkarnain mengisi borang permohonan untuk memasuki maktab itu dengan teliti.        

6) Penyanyi baru itu menyanyi dengan penuh semangat.

7) Murid-murid Tahun Enam Anggerik sedang berlatih di dewan sekolah.

8) Abang Azhar pergi ke bandar dengan menunggung motosikal.

9) Rosli terjatuh ke dalam longkang di hadapan rumahnya petang semalam.

10) Monyet itu memanjat pokok kelapa untuk mengambil buah kelapa muda.

jawapan

TRY IT ! answer...

PLANT

Plants help us in many ways Plants release oxygen into the air Plants take away carbon dioxide When plants use chlorophyll to make food They give out oxygen Plants give us many types of food The rice we eat comes from seeds Durians, rambutans are the fruits Vegetables are the leaves Potatoes, tapioca, carrots are the roots Sugar from the stems of sugarcane Honey and nectar from flowers Wood from trees to build houses Cupboards, tables, papers Are made from the trunks of trees Shirts, blouse, gowns come from cotton plants Mats, baskets are made from leaves Plants are very useful I know, you know, we know, they know Everybody knows So love the plants......

TRY IT !

Plants

Plants________  us in many ways.
Plants________ oxygen into the air.
Plants____________  carbon dioxide.
When plants__________  chlorophyll to_______ food.
They__________  oxygen.

Plants give us many types of food.
The rice we eat________  from seeds.
Durians, rambutans are the_________.
Vegetables are the_________.
Potatoes, tapioca, carrots are the_______.
Sugar from the ________  of sugarcane.
Honey and nectar from__________.

Wood from_________  to build houses.
Cupboards, tables, papers.
Are made from__________ the of trees.
Shirts, blouse, gowns come from_________  plants.
Mats, baskets are made from___________.

Plants are very___________.
I know, you know, we know, they know.
Everybody knows.
So love the _________ ......

Contoh Karangan Surat Rasmi

Hello. Entry kali ini kami ingin berkongsi contoh karangan surat rasmi untuk pelajar UPSR. Oleh kerana ramai dikalangan pelajar masih lagi tidak dapat menguasai cara untuk menulis karangan jenis surat rasmi kerana tidak mengetahui atau terlupa format untuk membuat karangan jenis surat rasmi, jadi kami mengambil peluang untuk berkongsi di blog UPSR cafe ini. Diharap entry ini sedikit sebanyak membantu anda.




Persatuan Tunas Kadet Remaja,
Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Pantai Sepang Putra,
43950 Sungai Pelik, Sepang,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

__________________________________________________________

Tuan Guru Besar,
Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Pantai Sepang Putra,
43950 Sungai Pelik, Sepang,
Selangor Darul Ehsan. 05 MAC 2010

Tuan,

Memohon Mengadakan Perkhemahan Tahunan

Sukacita dimaklumkan perkara di atas adalah dirujuki.

2. Ahli Jawatankuasa Persatuan Kadet Remaja sekolah akan mengadakan aktiviti perkhemahan tahunan. Perhemahan ini akan diadakan pada cuti pertengahan penggal yang akan datang selama tiga hari, dua malam iaitu pada 28 Mei hingga 30 Mei 2010 

3. Kami bercadang untuk mengadakan perkhemahan ini di Hutan Reakriasi Ulu Bendul, Negeri Sembilan. Tempat ini dipilih kerana mempunyai persekitaran yang mencabar kepada para ahli . 

4. Tujuan perkhemahan ini diadakan adalah sebagai aktiviti tahunan pertubuhan ini. Selain itu, perkhemahan ini diadakan untuk memberikan pengalaman di samping dapat memupuk nilai-nilai murni di kalangan murid seperti berdisiplin, bekerjasama dan sebagainya.

5. Sebanyak 30 orang ahli akan menyertai perkhemahan ini. Mereka terdiri daripada murid tahun empat hingga tahun enam. Selain itu, empat orang guru penasihat akan turut serta dalam perkhemahan ini.

Besarlah harapan kami agar permohonan ini dapat dipertimbangkan. Kerjasama daripada pihak tuan didahului dengan ucapan ribuan terima kasih.

Sekian. 

Yang menjalankan tugas,

Darsan Aliman
…………………………………
(DARSAN BIN ALIMAN)
Setiausaha Persatuan Tunas Kadet Remaja 
Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Pantai Sepang Putra,
43950 Sungai Pelik, Sepang,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

ME AND TIM OR TIM AND I ?

I often hear five English grammar mistakes from people who grew up speaking English. It's a difficult language to master. In many rural areas, English grammar becomes relaxed and just plain wrong. How's your grammar? Here are five quick English grammar tips.  Brush up before you go back to school. You might save a little embarrassment.

And while you're at it, pick up a grammar book and listen carefully to the people around you who you know have proper grammar. Listen.

Without using a lot of confusing grammatical language, I'll explain as easily as I can why the following examples are mistakes.

1. Me and Tim, Tim and I

Wrong: Me and Tim are going to a movie tonight.

Right: Tim and I are going to a movie tonight.

Why?

If you take Tim out of the sentence, "you" are the subject. You are going to a movie. When you're going to a movie, what do you say?

"I am going to a movie."

You wouldn't say, "Me am going to a movie."

When you add Tim, the sentence construction remains the same. You're simply adding Tim, and it's correct to say the other person's name first.

"Tim and I are going to a movie."

Your test is always to take the other person out of the sentence, decide on "I" or "me," and then put the other person back in.

Sistem Suria

Pengenalan

Sistem suria kita dikenali sebagai BIMA SAKTI(Milky Way). Selain daripada bima sakti, dipercayai terdapat banyak lagi galaksi-galaksi lain diluar sistem suria kita. Pusat kepada bima sakti adalah matahari.Jisim pusat sistem suria kita, matahari adalah lebih kurang 10exp30 kilogram. Matahari terbentuk hasil gabungan awan, gas dan debu diangkasa. Ia terbentuk 5 bilion tahun dahulu. Dan ia dikelilingi oleh 9 planet-planet yang mengikut susunan seperti berikut.

• Utarid
• Zuhrah
• Bumi
• Marikh
• Musytari
• Zuhal
• Uranus
• Neptun
• Pluto

Semua planet-planet ini mempunyai ciri-ciri tertentu. Musytari ialah 317 kali lebih besar dari bumi. Marikh pula mempunyai gurun maut dan terdapat atmosfera asid sulfurik di planet zuhrah. Bagi setiap planet mempunyai kehidupan, mestilah mempunyai keadaan suhu, tekanan dan ketumpatan yang sesuai.
Selain daripada planet-planet, terdapat juga bintang-bintang didalam sistem suria kita. Bintang berasal dari planet-planet yang tidak jadi membentuk. Ada bintang yang mati dan ada yang hidup. Sebelum sesuatu bintang itu mati, akan berlaku satu letupan besar yang dipanggil supernova berlaku. Ia akan menghemburkan segala nya(besi, kuprum dll). Sesuatu bintang hanya boleh dikatakan berjisim besar jika jisimnya 8 kali lebih besar dari matahari. Bintang yang jisimnya lebih kecil dari 8 kali jisim matahari akan menghasilkan letupan nova jika meletup. Bintang yang meletup sebagai supernova kebarangkalian besar menjadi 'Lohong Hitam'(Black Hole). Bima sakti mempunyai lebih 100 bilion bintang termasuklah matahari. 

Umur Sistem Suria

Mengikut Teori Nebula, umur sistem suria kita mestilah sama dengan umur matahari. Dijangka umur sistem suria adalah 4.6bilion tahun. Cara mengukur atau mengira umur jasad semawi adalah dengan mengambil unsur-unsur dari planet dan menganalisa unsur radioaktifnya.
Batu yang tertua yang terdapat dibumi berumur 3.9 bilion tahun dahulu. Manakala batu yang dibawa balik dari bulan oleh Apollo berumur 4.48 bilion tahun. Metiorit yang berasal dari marikh yang jatuh kebumi pula berumur 4.5 bilion tahun. Oleh itu, dari penemuan-penemuan ini, dapat dirumuskan yang umur sistem suria kita adalah lebih kurang 4.6 bilion tahun. 

Ciri-Ciri Sistem Suria

Terdapat 5 ciri penting untuk sistem suria kita.

• Berbentuk cakera - Ianya berbentuk cakera dan mengorbit didalam satah yang sama. Arah peredaran dan putaran juga sama.
• Dua jenis planet - Terdapat 2 jenis planet iaitu Terrestrial planet dan Jovian planet.
• Sistem planet bergelang - Planet musytari, zuhal, uranus dan neptun mempunyai gelang.
• Hamparan ruang - Terdapat asteroid, komet dan meteor.
• Berumur lebih kurang 4.6 bilion tahun.

Examination Question: Mathematics

Hello everyone! It seems like we do not have time to update our blog.. but, it's ok. Today, we would like to share ''Kertas Soalan Matematik UPSR Kertas I''. In this Question Paper, we have 40 questions. Its good for revision. Download at the link below:

Mathematics Examination Paper I

Hope that this entry will help you for your revision.

Penulisan UPSR

PANDUAN MENGARANG / MENULIS

Sebelum membuat sesuatu karangan , kita hendaklah memilih dan memahami tajuk atau kehendak soalan karangan itu. Selepas itu kita fikirkanlah pula tentang :

a) Pengenalan

b) Isi-isi dan

c) Penutup

A. Pengenalan

Setiap karangan mestilah mempunyai pembukaan atau pengenalan. Dalam pengenalan kita hendaklah memperkenalkan sesuatu perkara atau tajuk yang mungkin pembaca tidak tahu atau faham. Kita hendaklah menarik perhatiannya supaya ingin membaca karangan itu. Pengenalan ini dibuat secara ringkas dan am sahaja, memadai tiga atau empat ayat. Pembukaan karangan yang menarik akan meninggalkan kesan yang positif dan mendalam pada pemeriksa. Oleh itu pastikanlah terlebih dahulu pembukaan karangan hendaklah bersih daripada kesalahan tatabahasa atau ejaan.

B. Isi

Isi hendaklah mengikut kehendak tajuk karangan itu. Karangan perlu mempunyai empat isi. Isi yang lebih tidak mengapa tetapi mungkin menyebabkan kekurangan masa. Isi hendaklah disusun dengan teratur dan berkait di antara satu dengan lain. Isi-isi itu dipecahkan dalam perenggan-perenggan. Isi yang utama didahulukan. Sebaik-baiknya satu isi, satu perenggan kecuali jika isi pendek-pendek dan berkait rapat. Tiap-tiap perenggan tidak semesti sama panjangnya. Mungkin sesuatu perenggan itu lebih panjang daripada perenggan yang lain. Ini kerana sesuatu isi utama yang ingin ditekankan oleh murid-murid biasanya lebih panjang daripada perenggan yang lain. Jaga isinya supaya tidak terkeluar dari tajuk yang dikehendaki. Elakkan menyertakan isi yang bercanggah dengan tajuk. Isi karangan hendaklah asli tidak ditiru bulat-bulat dari karangan lain. Untuk mendapat isi yang baik dan banyak, kita hendaklah banyak membaca surat khabar, majalah-majalah, makalah-makalah, rencana-rencana, buku-buku cerita, mendengar sesuatu, menyaksikan sendiri dan dari pengalaman sendiri. Jangan campur adukkan isi. Elakkan daripada menulis sesuatu isi dalam perenggan yang sama. Catatkan setiap isi sebelum menulis.

Tip

Antara kaedah mencari isi

Kaedah I ( pertanyaan ) Kaedah II ( peta minda )

Apa ?

Siapa ?

Bila ?

Mengapa ?

Di mana ?

Bagaimana ?

C. Penutup

Kalau pengenalan dapat mempengaruhi atau menarik minat pembaca untuk mengikuti karangan tersebut maka penutupnya juga hendaklah memberi suatu kepuasan kepada pembaca. Penutuplah yang menjadi kesimpulan / rumusan atau akhiran sesuatu karangan. Dalam penutup digambarkan juga pendapat kita dengan ringkas tentang sesuatu perbincangan atau tajuk. Elakkan menamatkan karangan secara mengejut atau tergantung. Oleh itu penutup juga adalah penting dalam tiap-tiap karangan.

Mathematics Recipe for Success in UPSR

Paper 1.

• Consists 40 objective questions.
• Pupils must answer all questions in 1 hour.
• Each question followed by four (4) possible answers, marked A,B,C
and D. Only one answer is correct. Choose the correct answer.
• If you wish to change your answer, erase the shading then shade
another space for your new answer.
• Read question carefully. Underline or circle the important
information to help you while you are solving the problem or checking
your answer.

Example:
The average of 5 kg, 3.5 kg and 800 g in g is
A 3.1
B 2 800
C 3 100
D 4 200
• Check your answer sheet to make sure that only one answer is
marked for each question.
• Pupils are encouraged to answer all questions before the examination
ends.

Paper 2

• Consists of 20 questions.
• Pupils are required to answer all 20 questions in 40 minutes.
• Answer must be written in the spaces provided in the question paper.
• Marks are given based on the working and the accuracy answer. It is
important for the pupils to show all the working in order to get
marks.

Positive, Comparative, and Superlative

Adjectives have three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative and superlative.

- The positive form is used when no comparison is made.
- The comparative form is used to compare two nouns. You need to add -er to the adjectives of comparison and the word than after that. Examples:

1. I am older than my sister.
2. He is taller than the teacher.

- The superlative form is used to compare three or more nouns. You need to add -est to the adjectives and the in front of it. Examples:

1. Reza is the smartest boy in class.
2. Kasturi is the prettiest among her sisters.
Other examples:

The words more and most are used for adjectives of three or more syllables. They are also used with some adjectives with two syllables. Examples:

1. Her house is more beautiful than mine but his house is the most beautiful.
2. She was more cheerful yesterday than on Monday but today she is the most cheerful.

Some adjectives are compared irregularly. Examples :

How To Develop Your Reading Habit

Steps

1) Pick up a book. If you are nowhere near any books, how are you supposed to read? So, just find something to read. That can be anything, including newspapers, magazines, novels and etcetera. The important thing is that the book you choose must be at your level or similar. Don’t choose the book too high for your level because it will just waste your time.

2) Practice your reading habit. Now that you have found what you like to read, you can set your time by 15 minutes a day in order to read. During this time, you’re not supposed to care about anything except your reading. After 15 minutes, you can close your reading material and do something else. Practice this every day, make it your habit. After you have gotten used to this habit, you can increase the time you need to read in a day to 20 or 30 minutes.

3) Don’t give up. If you find that you cannot complete the task in the first place, chin up! Remember, winners never quit! You just have to try again and again until you achieve it.

4) Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. No kidding, if you find yourself stressful while reading the book, don’t continue reading under pressure like that. Reading is for pleasure, so don’t push yourself too hard that you can quit reading forever, or even if you can read, the outcome won’t be so good either.

Exam Anxiety?

Almost everyone feels nervous before an exam. Butterflies in the stomach and worrying thoughts - 'Will I be able to answer the questions?' 'Have I done enough revision?' - are indications of exam nerves that are probably familiar to all students. In fact, a certain amount of nervous tension probably helps us perform to the best of our ability, producing a rush of adrenaline that helps us to feel alert and focused. But too much anxiety can BLOCK thoughts, create a negative frame of mind, and lead to panic and potentially poor exam performance.


There are a number of things you can do to help manage exam anxiety and turn uncomfortable, panicky thoughts into more creative tension.


Before the exam


It's hard to panic if you are feeling relaxed. Try to establish a pattern of revision that gives you time to relax, especially last thing at night. Experiment until you find the best way of relaxing to suit you - a long bath, exercise, listening to music, a relaxation tape (available from the Medical Centre)
Relaxation and positive stress management techniques can be learned and acquired with practice (see Stress Management: A Guide for Students). Knowing how to relax is invaluable in the lead-up to exams, and on the day itself. If you think you are under-performing in exams due to exam anxiety or panic, do think ahead and seek help.
It helps to feel as well-prepared as possible. As well as thinking about the subjects you are revising, it can be useful to pay attention to practical aspects of the exam. Find out where it is scheduled to take place and how long it will take you to get there. It's a good idea to go and look at the room/building so that it feels more familiar. Make sure you know the rules and regulations about what you can take into the exam room etc.
Put yourself into a positive frame of mind by imagining how you would LIKE things to go. Imagine yourself turning up for the exam feeling confident and relaxed - try to picture it in as much detail as possible. Rather like rehearsing for a part in a play, this can replace negative, anxious thoughts with more positive ones.
Don't work to the last minute on the night or morning before the exam. Last-minute revision may leave you feeling muddled and anxious.




In the exam


Here are some tried and tested remedies to the 'I can't answer anything' feeling and other worrying thoughts about exams.


When you get into the exam room and sit down, the following approach can help settle your nerves:


Take a deep breath in and a long breath out
Breathe in again and straighten your back - as if someone were pulling a lever between your shoulder blades
Look straight ahead at something inanimate (the wall, a picture, the clock...) and focus your mind on the positive thought 'I CAN DO this exam' as you breathe out.
Take another deep breath in and a long breath out. Then breathe normally.
You have 15 minutes to read the paper, so do so thoroughly. If you begin to feel panicky again, repeat the focusing exercise. Panicking will stop you reading carefully, so it is important to keep yourself focused and positive. Read the whole paper once, then read it again and mark the questions you think you can answer. Then read those questions carefully - make sure you understand what is required - and select the ones you are going to answer.
Decide on the order in which you'll answer the questions. It is usually best to begin with the one you feel most confident about. Think about how you will plan your time, and stick to your plan.
Plan out your answer for each question as you go. If you find that thoughts or ideas about other questions come into your head, jot them down on a separate piece of paper - don't spend time thinking about them now.
If your concentration wanders or you begin to feel panicky, you could try the focusing exercise again, or use one of the following techniques to help you overcome anxious thoughts. If you are worried that you haven't got time to spare on this, remember that taking 5 or 10 minutes NOW may save you spending the rest of the exam in a state of panic.




Anxiety management techniques


Thought-stopping technique
When we become anxious we begin to have negative thoughts ('I can't answer anything', 'I'm going to panic' etc). If this is happening, halt the spiralling thoughts by mentally shouting 'STOP!'. Or picture a road STOP sign, or traffic lights on red. Once you have literally stopped the thoughts, you can continue planning, or practise a relaxation technique.
Creating mild pain
Pain effectively overrides all other thoughts and impulses. Even very mild pain - such as lightly pressing your fingernails into your palm - can block feelings of anxiety. Some people find it helpful to place an elastic band around one wrist, and lightly twang it when they are becoming anxious.
Use a mantra
Derived from meditation, a mantra is a word or phrase which you repeat to yourself. Saying something like 'calm' or 'relax' under your breath or in your head, over and over again, can help defuse anxiety.
Focusing
Looking out of the window, noticing the number of people with red hair, counting the number of desks in each row... all help to distract your attention from anxious thoughts and keep your mind busy. Mental games such as making words out of another word or title, using alphabetical lists etc are all good forms of distraction.
Bridging objects
It can help to carry or wear something with positive associations with another person or place. Touching this bridging object can be comforting in its own right, then allow yourself a few minutes to think about the person or situation which makes you feel good. This can have a really calming effect.
Self-talk
In exam anxiety or panic we often give ourselves negative messages, 'I can't do this' 'I'm going to fail' 'I'm useless'. Try to consciously replace these with positive, encouraging thoughts: 'This is just anxiety, it can't harm me', 'Relax, concentrate, it's going to be OK', 'I'm getting there, nearly over'.
Whichever of the distraction techniques has worked for you, finish by going through the refocusing exercise (it only takes 30 seconds or so, but may have a profound effect on your ability to believe in yourself and the task in hand).


Different techniques work for different people, so it's worth experimenting to find the ones that are right for you. Developing techniques for managing panic can take time, so it pays to keep practising.

How To Answering Essay Questions?

One of the most difficult type of questions to answer is the essay question. Typically essay questions have a high point value on tests and sometimes they are the only kind of questions on the test. Sometimes essay questions are given on worksheets and homework assignments. College applications also use essay questions to screen students. Here are ten tips to improve your answer and hopefully your grade.


1. Essay topics are not just topics you can simply find the answer in the book. The teacher is usually looking for you to use the information in the books or notes as a basis to support the conclusions you make in your essay. You need to have a good understanding of the topic to be able to apply it to a problem i.e. the essay question.


2. Make sure you answer the essay question. Often students will write what they know about the topic in general but never actually answer the stated question


3. Make sure you stay on topic - Sometimes students in an effort to gain some credit will find a related topic they are familiar with and write about that. Their hope is that they will gain some points but usually teachers are wise to this technique.


4. Follow the five w's - Who, what, when, where and why are all going to part of your answer. In constructing a response to an essay consider each of these aspects of the question.




5. If you are asked how two concepts are related or how they are different don't respond with a simple yes or no answer i.e yes they are related or no they are not. Explain how the relationship came to exist or how it works. Give examples if you can.


6. If you are asked to compare and contrast make sure you do both. Write about how and why these topics or subjects are related and how and why they are different.


7. Sometimes you are asked to make a recommendation. Don't get wishy-washy make your answer sound assertive. The teacher has asked for your opinion and actually in this case wants to hear it (see it). Make sure you support your decision with evidence. What do you know about the topic that will support your decision and help convince the reader of your essay that your recommendation is the right one.


8. If you copy text word for word from another source, cite that source. Otherwise you will be guilty of plagiarism.


9. If your teacher specifies a length for the essay, keep your essay close to that length. Writing more is not going to get you any more points and the teacher make take off for not following instructions.


10. Follow the instructions - My father's favorite quote was "If all else fails, follow the instructions." So let's say here "Don't fail at all, read the instructions."