Welcome to Writing about You!

In this chapter, we are going to learn how to write about "familiar matters." This simply means writing about the things you know best—yourself, your hobbies, your school life, and your interests. Writing accurately is like building a bridge; the stronger the pieces, the easier it is for people to understand your message! By the end of these notes, you will feel more confident in putting your thoughts onto paper (or a screen) clearly and correctly.

1. Starting with the Basics: You and Your Interests

When we write about familiar things, we usually start with basic facts. In English, we use specific "sentence patterns" to keep our writing organized. Don't worry if this seems tricky at first; most English sentences follow a very predictable order!

Key Sentence Patterns to Use:

  • S + V + C (Subject + Verb + Complement): Use this to describe how things are.
    Example: "I am a student." or "This apple tastes sweet."
  • S + V + O (Subject + Verb + Object): Use this for actions.
    Example: "I like music." or "I want a new bike."
  • S + V + IO + DO (Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object): Use this when giving or telling something.
    Example: "My friend gave me a present."

Quick Tip: Always make sure your Subject and Verb match! If the subject is "He" or "She," remember that the verb often needs an -s in the present tense (e.g., "He likes soccer").

2. Adding Detail to Your Writing

To make your writing more interesting, you can add more information using to-infinitives or gerunds. These help you talk about activities and goals.

Ways to Expand Your Sentences:

  • Using "to + verb": I want to play the guitar. / I went to the park to run.
  • Using "-ing" (Gerunds): I enjoy cooking dinner. / Swimming is fun.
  • Using Conjunctions: Connect your ideas with words like and, but, so, or because.
    Example: "I like dogs because they are friendly."

Did you know? In Junior High School, you will learn around 1,600 to 1,800 new words! You don't need to use all of them at once. Focus on the ones that best describe your own life first.

3. Writing with Accuracy: Tenses and Rules

To write "accurately," we need to pick the right tense. This tells the reader if you are talking about the past, the present, or the future.

Which Tense Should I Use?

  • Present Tense: For things that are always true or happen regularly. ("I live in Japan.")
  • Past Tense: For things that already happened. ("I watched a movie yesterday.")
  • Future (will / be going to): For your plans. ("I am going to study tonight.")
  • Present Perfect: For things that started in the past and still matter now. ("I have lived here for three years.")

Common Mistake to Avoid: When using can, will, or must (auxiliary verbs), the verb that follows must be in its base form.
Wrong: I can swimming.
Right: I can swim.

4. Using Symbols and Punctuation

Punctuation marks are like traffic signs for your reader. They tell the reader when to stop, slow down, or get excited!

  • Exclamation Mark (!): Use this for strong feelings or "What / How" sentences.
    Example: "What a beautiful day!" or "I'm so happy!"
  • Quotation Marks (" "): Use these when you are writing exactly what someone said.
    Example: He said, "I like this song."
  • Capital Letters: Always start your sentences with a capital letter and use them for names (I, Tanaka, London).

5. Step-by-Step: Writing Your Own Paragraph

If you are asked to write a short text about a familiar topic, try this simple process:

  1. Step 1 (The Topic): Decide what you are writing about (e.g., My Hobby).
  2. Step 2 (The Fact): Write a simple sentence. ("My hobby is playing games.")
  3. Step 3 (The Detail): Add more info using a conjunction. ("I play games with my friends because it is exciting.")
  4. Step 4 (The Future/Feeling): Add a closing thought. ("I will play a new game this weekend.")

Note: For learning how to write letters or emails, please see the chapter "Letters and e-mail".

Summary Checklist

Before you finish your writing, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Is my grammar correct? Check your subjects, verbs, and tenses (Present, Past, Future).
2. Did I use punctuation? Check for periods (.), commas (,), and exclamation marks (!).
3. Is it about me? Make sure you have included your own facts, thoughts, or feelings.

Key Takeaway: Writing accurately doesn't mean using the most difficult words. It means using the words you know correctly to share your world with others!