6 June 2019
Basic Writing Skills (Sophomore English) Lecture
1.1.
Phrases and
Clauses
1.1.1.
Phrases
A phrase can be defined as a group of words without both a
subject and a verb. Another definition can be a group of words acting as a
single part of speech. It is also a part of a sentence that does not express a
complete thought.
Types of Phrases:
A. Noun
Phrase: It goes with a noun.
Eg. The
hard-working woman
B. Verb
Phrase: It has a verb in it.
Eg. has
been acting
C. Prepositional
Phrase: It has a preposition.
Eg. in the
garden
D. Gerund
Phrase: It ends in ‘-ing’ and is used like a noun.
Eg. Writing
helps learners to improve their academic skills.
E. Participial
Phrase: Consists of a participle form of a verb.
Eg. Having
attended the rally, he reported to the media.
Assessing
the situation, he decided about his future.
Mark
returned the damaged package.
Alex fell
on the broken staircase.
F. Infinitive
Phrase: It consists of an infinitive.
I’m too
tired to go out for a walk.
G. Appositive
Phrase: It renames the other noun, not technically modifying it.
Eg. Bob, my
best friend, works here.
H. Adverbial
Phrase: It consists of a group of relate words which play the role of an
adverb.
Eg. Tony
decided to move to New York in June last year.
She left quite
suddenly.
I.
Adjective Phrase: It is a group of words that does the
work of an adjective.
Eg. The
workers belonged to a tribe dwelling in the hills.
J.
Absolute Phrase: It is in form a noun phrase – a noun
headword with a post noun modifier; it adds a focusing detail to the whole
sentence.
Eg.
Nervous, Jane stood by the window, her eyes darting around the room.
1.1.2.
Clauses:
A clause is a sentence or part of a sentence which has a
finite form of a verb. (The form shows the tense and the subject of a verb).
Another definition can be a clause is a collection of words that has a subject
actively doing a verb.
Types of Clauses:
A. Noun
Clause: It functions as a noun.
Eg. That he
will come is certain.
B. Adjective
Clause (relative clause): It modifies a noun that is near the clause. Due to
this it is sometimes called restrictive /non-restrictive clause.
Eg. That is
not the car that I saw last week.
C. Adverbial
Clause: It functions as an adverb.
i.
Time
After the fruit is harvested
ii.
Place
Wherever there are computers
iii.
Purpose clause: Answers why
She took the computer course, so that she could get a better
job.
iv.
Result clause: Show the result of certain actions
She ran so fast that she was out of breath.
v.
Conditional clause
If you met her, she would tell you.
vi.
Concession clause
Although Jay has a Master’s degree, he works as a store
clerk.
vii.
Comparison clause
She is as clever as her sister.
N.B. Most adverb phrases are introduced by a particular word
or phrase (such as ‘when’ and ‘so that’). These words and phrases are called
subordinating conjunctions and there are many of them including these: after,
before, until, while, because, since, as, in order that, if, unless, whether,
though, and where.
Exercise:
Identify the dependent and independent clauses
1. “Why did
you do that?” “Because Carlos told me to.”
2. No one can
deny that Chief Nanga was the most approachable politician in the country.
3. The whole
country was behind the leader.
4. Although Dr
Makinde read his speech, which was clearly prepared, the record later carried a
wrong vision which made no sense at all.
1.2.Parts of a
Sentence
A sentence is a larger unit of grammar, usually containing a
subject, a verb, an object, etc and expressing a statement, question or command
and starting with a capital letter when written. A sentence should have at
least a subject and a verb and should make a complete sense. A sentence should
have two parts: a subject and a predicate.
Exercise: Identify the subject and predicate in the following
sentences.
I despise individuals of low character.
The lab assistant knows my name.
1.3.Types of
Sentences
Experienced writers use a variety of sentences to make their
writing interesting and lively. Too many simple sentences, for example, will
sound choppy and immature, while too many long sentences will be difficult to
read and hard to understand.
1.3.1. Structural
Division
I.
Simple Sentence
It is also
called independent clause. It contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a
complete thought.
Examples:
1. Some people
attended the meeting
2. Boys like
to follow their fathers’ footsteps.
3. Chala and
Habtamu play golf every afternoon.
4. Alemnesh
regularly goes to the library and studies.
II: Compound
Sentence
It consists
of two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The coordinators are as
follows: for, and, nor, but, yet, so. Except for very short sentences,
coordinators are always preceded by a comma.
Examples:
1. I tried to
speak Spanish, and my friend used Portuguese.
2. Berihun
played football, so his sister did the task alone.
3. Mohammed
listened eagerly, for he wanted news of his family.
III: Complex
Sentence
It has an
independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence
always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although or when or a
relative pronoun such as that, who or which.
Examples:
1. When he
handed his homework, he forgot to give the teacher the last page.
2. The teacher
returned the homework after she noticed the error.
3. The
students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.
4. After they
finished studying, the girls went to the movies.
5. The book
that she bought is on the shelf. (Sentences that consist of an adjective or
relative clause is also categorized under complex.)
IV: Compound
– Complex Sentences
A compound
complex sentence is made up of two independent clauses and one or more
dependent clauses.
Examples:
1. Because the
students work hard, they will pass, and they will be happier.
2. The class
was difficult; however, the students will pass because they have background
knowledge.
1.3.2. Functional
Division
I.
Declarative Sentence
This type of sentence forms a statement.
Examples:
1. I told her
to wear the blue skirt.
2. YouTube is
a great source of teaching aid.
II. Interrogative
Sentence
This type of sentence forms questions.
Examples:
1. What did
the teacher say to you?
2. How many
departments are there in the Faculty of Agriculture?
Activity: There are five different ways of asking questions
in English. Find out and form sentences in each way.
III. Imperative
Sentence
This type of sentence makes a command or request. It can also
be used to give advice or instruction.
Examples:
1. Get me some
water, please.
2. Get out of
my way.
3. Avail
yourselves there are 5:00 LT.
IV. Exclamatory
Sentence
This type of sentence is employed for powerful feelings or
emotions. By the end of such sentence, there is an exclamation point.
Examples:
1. I’m
leaving!
2. I cannot
wait to graduate!
1.4. Sentence
Combination
For various reasons sentences can be combined. There are two
major ways of combining sentences in English. They are coordination and
subordination.
1.4.1. Coordination
Coordination is a way of adding sentences together. Two or
more sentences that are combined this way are equal partners. Coordinating
conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, yet, so) are employed to connect sentences
that are combined using coordination.
Examples:
1. Judy
doesn’t work. She doesn’t want a job.
Combined: Judy doesn’t work, nor she want a job.
2. My mother
doesn’t earn much. She spends money like a millionaire.
Combined: My mother doesn’t earn much, yet she spends money
like a millionaire.
1.4.2. Subordination:
It is a way of combining sentences that make one sentence more important than
the other. One sentence is subordinated (sub means under) to the other.
Subordinating conjunctions like when, although and if are used to link the
sentences.
Examples:
1. I am
senior. I have two more courses to take.
Combined: Although I am senior, I have two more courses to
take.
2. I will try
to finish my homework. I go to the movies.
Combined: I will try to finish my homework before I go to the
movies.
1.5. Recognizing
and Correcting Sentence Errors/Faults
Sentence errors should be avoided by any possible means
because they hamper understanding and convey unintended meaning. You should
revise your writing for these errors before submission. There are a number of
such errors and we study them under this section.
A. Sentence
Fragment
A fragment is an incomplete sentence lacking a verb and a
sentence or a complement but punctuated like a sentence.
Examples:
1. Until I
hear from you. (Dependent-word fragment)
Correction: I won’t leave the house until I hear from you.
2. Trying to
find her dog. (ing fragment)
Correction: Ellen walked over the neighborhood trying to find
her dog.
3. Such as
bread and Spaghetti. (Added-detail fragment)
Corrected: I eat starchy foods such as bread and Spaghetti.
4. But hated
thank-you letters. (Missing-subject fragment)
Corrected: Alicia loved getting wedding presents, but hated
writing thank-you letters.
B. Run-ons
A run on is two complete thoughts that are run together with
no adequate sign to mark the break between them. Some run-ons have no
punctuation at all to mark the break between the thoughts. Such run-ons are
known as fused sentences.
Example:
1. There are
three public libraries in Debre Birhan one of them is Ras Abebe Aregay Library.
Corrected: There are three public libraries in Debre Birhan.
One of them is Ras Abebe Aregay Library.
In other run-ons, known as comma splices, a comma is used to
connect or “splice” together, two complete thoughts.
Example:
1. Asia was
home for several civilizations of the ancient world, many of these earliest
civilizations were based on city states.
2. Corrected:
Asia was home for several civilizations of the ancient world, and many of these
earliest civilizations were based on city states.
C. Ambiguous
pronoun reference
Every pronoun you write should refer clearly and unmistakably
to one particular noun. We call this noun the antecedent.
After buying some dishes, she put them in the drawer.
Unfortunately, it is very easy to create a sentence that uses
a pronoun without a clear, unmistakable noun antecedent.
After putting the dishes in the drawer, she sold it.
The pronoun ‘it’ does not have a clear noun antecedent.
Therefore, the reader cannot know for sure whether she sold the dish or the
drawer. The pronoun reference is faulty here because the pronoun ‘it’ has two
antecedents. Such errors, called faulty or ambiguous pronoun reference, can
confuse readers and obscure the intended meaning.
Correction: After putting the dishes in the drawer, she sold
the drawer.
Another example:
Take the radio out of the car and fix it.
Correction: Take
the radio out of the car and fix the car.
D. Misplaced
modifier
A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase or clause that is
improperly separated from the word it modifies or describes.
Example:
1. On her way
home, she found a gold man’s watch.
Correction: On her way home, she found a man’s gold watch.
2. The torn
student’s book lay on the desk.
Correction: The student’s torn book lay on the desk.
E. Dangling
modifier
A dangling modifier is a clause that is not clearly and
logically related to the word or words it modifies. Unlike misplaced modifiers
it cannot be corrected by simply moving it to a different place in the
sentence.
Examples:
1. Looking
towards the west, a funnel shaped cloud stirred up dust.
Correction: Looking towards the west, I saw a funnel shaped
cloud stir up dust.
2. When nine
years old, my mother enrolled in medical school.
Corrected: When I was nine years old, my mother enrolled in
medical school.
F. Faulty
parallelism
This error occurs when there are non-parallel constructions
in a sentence.
Example:
1. Martha
likes walking, mountaineering, swimming and she likes reading. (non-parallel)
Corrected: Martha likes walking, mountaineering, swimming and
reading.
G. Faulty
Agreement
Agreement is the relationship between a verb and a subject, a
pronoun and its antecedent, and number of a subject and a verb. The fault
occurs when this agreement is not well maintained.
Examples
1. The teacher
and his students knows about the program.
Corrected: The teacher and his students know about the
program.
2. Pick the
book off the table and put them in the drawer.
Correction: Pick the books off the table and put them in the
drawer.
H. Shift in
Point of View
When a sentence is not consistent in subject, person, number,
tense, mood, and voice this error occurs.
Examples:
1. She scored
a good result, but her brother was suspended from school.
Correction: She scored a good result, but the school
suspended her brother.
2. We got our
names registered and pay the bill.
Corrected: We got our names registered and paid the bill.
UNIT TWO: WRITING PARAGRAPHS
2.1. Parts of a Paragraph
A paragraph consists of one or
more sentences about a single thought, but it usually has more than one
sentence. A paragraph never has more than one idea i.e. the sentences may be
related to the main idea. A well-organized
paragraph develops a single theme or main idea. The theme of the paragraph is
commonly stated in the topic sentence which has several different functions. It
substitutes or supports an essays thesis statement when a paragraph comes
within an essay. It unifies the content of the paragraph and directs the order
of the sentences, and it advises the reader of the subject to be discussed and
how the paragraph will discuss it. Readers generally look to the first few
sentences in a paragraph to determine the subject and perspective of the paragraph.
That is why it is often best to put the topic sentence at the very beginning of
the paragraph. In some cases, however, it is more effective to place another
sentence before the topic sentence – for example, a sentence linking the
current paragraph to the previous one, or providing background information.
After giving a clearly stated idea in the introduction of your paragraph, you
should give a good support or plenty of specific evidence to support your
point. Each sentence could be followed by sub-details. The number of details
and sub-details in a paragraph depends on how the writer wants to explain his
idea, the nature of the message the writer wants to convey to the reader and
the kind of audience (reader) he has in his mind when he writes. What comes finally is your concluding
sentence. This sentence restates the topic sentence and often leaves the reader
with something to think about.
2.2. Characteristics of an
Effective Paragraph
An effective paragraph has the following five
characteristics. You should apply these to write a successful paragraph.
Unity
If you develop a single point and
stick to that point, your paragraph will have unity. In other words all
sentences in a paragraph should be related to the main point. It is when this
happens that we say the paragraph is unified.
Coherence/Organization
If you organize and connect the
specific evidence, your paragraph will have coherence. The organization of your
paragraph shows how logically you develop your ideas in a paragraph. You may
organize it in accordance with the occurrence of the events, size, importance,
and category/class of notes to be developed in the paragraph.
Support
If you support the points with
specific evidence, your paper will have support.
Variety
Your paragraph should contain
various types of sentences. If you use, for example, only simple sentences,
your paragraph will sound monotonous and you may not achieve the success you
aspire. As the saying has it, “variety is the spice of life.”
Adequecy
Your paragraph should satisfy the
purpose it is intended to. A paragraph written to persuade should persuade and
one written to describe should effectively describe.
2.3 Types of Paragraphs
Expository
Expository paragraphs give you
the steps, explain a subject or show you how to do something.
Argumentative/Persuasive
It proves your beliefs about
something.
Descriptive
It tells what the subject looks,
sounds, smells, feels and tastes like.
Narrative
Narrative paragraphs tell you
about something that happened. It could be stories or any personal experience.
Exercise 1
Example
Paragraph
Yellow-spotted
lizards are a deadly threat to all humans at Camp Green Lake. They invaded the
area after the life-giving lake dried up. Their bite is always fatal. It was a
yellow-spotted lizard that killed Kate Barlow. The yellow-spotted lizards
threatened Stanley and Zero while they were digging for Stanley's
great-grandfather's suitcase. The reason Stanley and Zero survived is because
they had eaten so many onions that the lizards, who do not like onion blood,
did not wish to bite them. With this one exception, meeting a yellow-spotted
lizard at Camp
Green Lake meant certain death.
Questions
1. What is the
main idea of this paragraph?
2. What is the
concluding sentence?
3. What do you
notice about the first line of the paragraph?
4. Do all the
sentences in the paragraph support the main idea?
5. What is the
first main point? second main point? third main point?
Exercise
2
Decide which
group of sentences would make good paragraphs. Write yes or no before each
paragraph to show your answer.
1._______________
Stanley Yelnats
and his family have a history of bad luck. The first Stanley's great
grandfather made a fortune on the stock market. The family's bad luck struck
him when
he moved from
New York to California and was robbed by Kissin' Kate Barlow. Stanley's
father is an
inventor. He works very hard and is smart, however, none of his inventions
ever work.
Stanley is accused of a crime he didn't commit and is sent to Camp Green
Lake as
punishment. It seems none of the Yelnats can escape the family curse.
2._______________
Camp Green Lake
dried up and the people who lived near it moved away over a hundred years ago.
Now the lake is desert-like with temperatures around ninety-five degrees. Deserts
cover one-fifth of the Earth's surface. The only place to find shade is between
two trees in the Warden's yard. Rattlesnakes and scorpions hide under rocks and
in the holes the campers dig. Deserts do not have many large animals because their
is not enough water for them to survive.
UNIT THREE:
WRITING ESSAYS
The introduction is a very important part of your essay and it
leaves a lasting impression on the reader. To impress the reader, it should
include the following:
A Hook: The hook in an essay is used to catch the
attention of your audience. To accomplish this, begin your essay with an
interesting, thought- provoking idea about the topic you have been assigned.
General
Statements Regarding The Assigned Topic: Your introduction should only introduce the main ideas of your essay and
not specific details.
Thesis: the thesis is the most significant statement in
your essay. It consists of one sentence only and is usually the last sentence
in the introduction. A thesis must be a complete sentence (unlike the title).
It should also be narrow enough for you to be able to discuss it within the
short time frame allowed within a two to three paragraph body. Yet it must also
be general enough for you to be able to write two to three sub points on this
topic.
The body of the essay gives support to
your thesis (usually the last sentence of your introduction). To give
sufficient support, you need to provide a minimum of two to three paragraphs in
the body part. However, an essay can have several body paragraphs. All the body
paragraphs begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence states the main idea
of the body paragraph, a main sub-point of your thesis. Immediately following
the topic sentence, you should provide clear, specific details to strengthen
the argument of your paper. Use transitions to introduce your examples.
Generally speaking the body paragraphs are longer than the introduction and the
conclusion. While you will want to use transitions within your body paragraphs,
you also need to use them to connect one body paragraph to another. This is
necessary to make your paper smooth and coherent.
The conclusion of the essay should begin
with the paraphrase of your thesis.
Next to that
there should be general statements summarizing the previously mentioned main
points.
Transitions
In a
paragraph, you move from one thought to another by using transitional words or
phrases that direct your reader. In an essay, you use transitional words or
phrases at the beginning of each paragraph to connect it to the rest of the
essay. Sometimes, you may even write a transitional paragraph.
Types
of Essays
There
are four basic types of essays just like paragraphs. Each has a specific focus.
Descriptive: The
purpose of a descriptive essay is to describe something. The object of
definition can be a person, a place, a thing, or an idea.
Expository: The
purpose of this type of essay is to explain something. It may have description,
narration, and persuasion in it, but the main purpose of the essay is to
explain.
Narrative: The
purpose of a narrative essay is to tell a story. It will have a beginning,
middle, and an end. It may have description and exposition (explanation), but
basically, it will tell a story.
Persuasive: The
purpose of a persuasive essay is to convince the reader to agree with the
writer.
Many
teachers insist that all writing is, to some extent, persuasive. This may be
true, but in any writing designated "persuasive," the focus will be
on making the reader see something the same way that the writer sees it, to
share a point of view or conviction.
TRANSITIONAL WORDS
Authors
sometimes provide readers with clues that help them follow the thought process
in a reading selection. Words that show the relation of one sentence to another
within a paragraph are called transitional expressions.
Transitional
words can be organized into these nine categories:
Further Information, Directional Change, Sequence
and Order, Explanation, Emphasis
Location and Setting, Compare and Contrast, Summary
and Conclusion, Time,
Further Information
These words signal that additional information will
be provided to the reader.
additionally
in
addition
and
again
first
of all
last
of all
another
besides
moreover
other
too
also
for
example
for
instance
next
likewise
further
furthermore
finally
as
well
along
with
secondly
more
one
reason
equally
Directional Change
These words signal the reader to move back to an
earlier idea or concept.
on the
other hand
otherwise
nevertheless
in
spite of
however
despite
although
in
contrast
conversely
even
though
still
though
rather
but
while
in the
meantime
Sequence and Order
These words are used to organize the information
being given to the reader.
next
after
before
last
lastly
always
earlier
first
second
third
prior
to
till
then
for
one thing
now
later
in the
first place
while
until
afterward
finally
immediately
Explanation or Clarification
These words provide further information for the
reader.
in
other words
specifically
similar
to
that
is
in the
same way as
for
instance
such
as
for
example
to
illustrate
Emphasis
These words are used to point out a particular event
or character in a story or play.
between
on
above
among
around
beneath
beside
under
to the
left/right
in
front of
outside
inside
opposite
alongside
next
to
near
on top
of
over
in
back of
behind
away
from
close
to
middle
west
east
north
south
across
toward
adjacent
along
against
here
there
Compare and Contrast
These words show comparisons and contrasts in the
story or play. (Remember: comparing
shows similarities; contrasting shows differences.)
similar
similarly
also
like
likewise
in the
same way
as
and
or
more
than
different
than
different
from
opposite
though
less
than
most
best
better
rather
in the
same way
yet
on the
other hand
nevertheless
nonetheless
conversely
in
contrast
Summary and Conclusion
These words are used to bring together information
in a story. A summary or conclusion
can be used to end a story or play or even conclude
events in chapters or scenes.
consequently
finally
in
summary
therefore
hence
thus
in
conclusion
in
short
to sum
up
as a
result
due to
accordingly
last
of all
in
summation
in
brief
Time
These words are used to set a story with regard to a
particular time period and to relate the
sequence of events in a story.
tomorrow
today
yesterday
next
week, month, year
last
week, month, year
finally
soon
later
about
after
before
during
while
afterwards
first
second
third
then
meanwhile
subsequently
immediately
eventually
I.
Phrases
Direction:
Put the following phrases in their proper places in the blank spaces below.
Your sentences should make sense.
with the suitcase her grand father
a famous geologist to sit in a dark room
alone
- ___________________________________ is a very advanced user of English.
- I like the man ____________________________________________________________
- My mother,______________________, will compete for the presidency.
- It is fearsome ___________________________________________________
II.
Clauses
Direction:
Decide what type of clauses the underlined ones below are.
- Dire Dawa, which is a found in eastern Ethiopia, attracts Djbouti toursts.
_______________________________________________________________________
- Please wear your uniforms before you enter the school compound.
_______________________________________________________________________
- What she is trying to do is a humanitarian work.
_______________________________________________________________________
- If you go to Mehal Meda, you will visit the Guassa Park.
_______________________________________________________________________
Direction:
Underline the dependent clauses of the sentences below.
- As soon as the university students had joined the government, they were encouraged to own land and to build themselves houses.
- We will come as soon as we can.
III.
Parts
of a sentence
Direction
IV: Write the predicate of the following sentence. (1 point)
- Ethiopians of my generation were respectful of old people.
_______________________________________________________________________
- Most of the professors here are Ethiopians.
_______________________________________________________________________
Direction:
Write the subjects of the following sentences. (1 point)
- The reference book is found in the new bookstore.
_____________________________________________________________________
- All first year students in our university take English courses.
______________________________________________________________________
- The mathematics professor is from Nekempte.
IV:
Sentence Types
Direction
VI: Write what type the following sentences structurally and functionally are.
(2 points each)
- Megertu and Hussen are members of the Ethiopian Army.
Structurally
__________________________
Functionally
_________________________
- Go to the office and tell the Mathematics teacher to come after the meeting is over.
Structurally
__________________________
Functionally
_________________________
- Inform the students that we have a tutorial class after the other teacher finishes teaching.
Structurally
__________________________
Functionally
_________________________
V:
Sentence Errors
Direction:
For the following questions identify the type of errors and correct them.
19. They informed me
about the factory and will they give me a proposal?
20. You showed them the
hotels and its surroundings.
21. Walking into the
room, the aroma was interesting.
22. You gave broken me
the stool last night.
23. Such as attending
lectures and working hard at the library.
24. You and your
brother informs the police about me.
25. He took the
national exam, his sister sat for TOEFL.
VI:
Paragraph
Direction:
Identify the unrelated sentence from the following expository paragraph.
Going
to college can be expensive. First, college tuition and room and board can cost
anywhere from $2,000 to more than $10,000 per semester. Other expenses make
going to college even more expensive. For example, books typically cost between
$100 and $500 each term. Second, materials are also very expensive. Paper,
notebooks, writing utensils, and other supplies required often cost more at the
college bookstore than at any local discount department store. For instance, a
package of notepaper costing $2 at a discount store might cost $5 at a college
bookstore. In college, the majority of your learning time is
spent outside of the classroom, and you - not your teachers - are primarily
responsible for what you learn. Finally, there are all kinds of special
fees added onto the bill at registration time. A college student might have to
pay a $50 insurance fee, a $20 activity fee, a $15 fee to the student
government association and anywhere from $500 to $100 for parking. There is
another fee if a student decides to add or drop classes after registration. The
fees required to attend college never seem to end.
Direction:
Reorder the following jumbled sentences and make a coherent paragraph.
At the last place I worked, all the waitresses had to wear an
ugly brown striped jumper.
Sometimes someone I knew would come in and I'd feel
embarrassed by my outfit.
For me, the worst thing about waiting tables was the uniform.
Now I have a job in an office, where I can wear my own
clothes.
Underneath it we had to wear an even uglier polyester shirt.
Essay: Reorder the
following jumbled paragraphs to make a coherent essay.
Although
I am no longer working for the traveling company, I have still managed to
travel on my limited budget; I am currently planning a trip to Vancouver, BC
next month. I love to travel so much that I subscribe to both magazine and
online sources to feed my addiction. Every time I take a trip, it makes me want
to see more of the world and enjoy all it has to offer.
Since
I am addicted to traveling, I make sure to stay on top of the latest deals. I
receive many emails a day from different traveling web sites. Sherman’s
Travel and Travel Zoo are two of my favorites. When I open my
email, the first thing I see is “Sale. $500 all inclusive 5 nights in Hawaii.”
In my mind, I am already there. I am imagining myself lying on the beach, far
away from my daily responsibilities.
As
if receiving constant emails about deals wasn’t enough, I recently
paid to receive a monthly magazine called Budget Travel. I knew that this
would help feed my addiction while I am saving for my next trip. This is one of
the best traveling magazines I have ever found. It gives random tips about
traveling like, “keep a $100 bill folded up inside my luggage tag for
emergencies” (14). This is something that I have never thought of, but I
know that even if I don’t use it, I will definitely start checking luggage tags
at the airport! Not only do I appreciate the traveling tips, but the pictures
entice me even further. My current issue showed the views of Sicily, and now I
must travel there.
Traveling is my life. I work
every day to fund my next trip. When I was 22, I went on my first trip by
myself. I went to the Netherlands, Scotland, and Ireland. After that trip, I knew
that I would spend the rest of my life traveling. I am so addicted to traveling
that if I am not traveling, I am planning my next trip.
Although looking at magazines
and web sites is exciting, it doesn’t compare to actually traveling, so I
decided to get a job that paid me to travel because I just couldn’t afford my
habit. I worked for a company called Offroad where I lead bicycle trips. It was
a really hard job, but I got to spend two months living and working in France’s
wine country. I also went to the south and stood on the red carpet where they
hold the Cannes Film Festival. Riding bikes all summer was great, and traveling
around France was incredible, but the job was too much work and not enough
play, so although it fed my traveling addiction, I knew that job wasn’t for me.
