Writing Process Vocabulary
Know and use the vocabulary of the writing process — compose, plan, draft, revise, edit, proofread, genre, audience, purpose, narrative, recount, instruction, paragraph, sequence, and detail — and understand that these words describe distinct steps and decisions that all writers make, not just tasks to tick off
What a learner can do afterwards
- Use 'compose', 'revise', and 'edit' correctly when describing the stages of writing
- Explain who the 'audience' is for a piece of writing and how that changes what they write
- Describe the purpose of a piece of writing (to persuade, inform, entertain, or instruct) and match their language to it
The lesson
Writing is not just one step. It has many steps. When you compose writing, you turn ideas into words. First you plan what to say. Then you draft it quickly. Next you revise it to make it better. Then you edit small mistakes. Last you proofread to check spelling and punctuation.
Ben wants to write a narrative about his dog. A narrative is a story with characters and events. He plans his ideas, then drafts a paragraph about the park. He puts his sentences in the right sequence, from start to end. He adds details, like the color of the ball. Then he revises, edits, and proofreads his paragraph.
Every writer thinks about their audience. The audience is who reads it. Writers also think about their purpose, or why they write. You might write to persuade, inform, entertain, or instruct. A recount tells what really happened, like a trip you took. An instruction tells someone the steps to do something. Narratives, recounts, and instructions are different genres, or types of writing.
Before you write, think about your audience and your purpose. That helps you pick the right words and the right genre. Good writing takes many steps, not just one try.
Writers plan, draft, revise, edit, and proofread for their reader and purpose.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
Nothing; this is a starting point.
This opens up
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.