Ideas Idioms

a bee in one's bonnet	A person who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea which
	constantly occupies their thoughts.
	"She's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York!"
A figment of one's imagination	To refer to something as a figment of one's imagination
	means that an appearance, event or incident is not
	considered to be real but is only imaginary.
	"Other people saw the car, so it's not a figment of Tom's
	imagination!"
A flight of fancy	To refer to an idea or plan as a flight of fancy means that it is
	very imaginative but not at all practical or sensible.
	"He often comes up with good ideas but his latest proposal is just
	a flight of fancy!"
Light bulb moment	A light bulb moment is when you have a sudden moment of
	inspiration, comprehension or realization.
	"Harry had a light-bulb moment when he finally realized what was
	blocking the mechanism."
All in your head	If something is all in your head, it is not real. It is in your imagination.
	"Don't be silly.  Nobody is trying to harm you.  It's all in hour head!"
A mind of your own	If you have a mind of your own, you are capable of forming an
	opinion and making decisions without being influenced by others.
	"That boy doesn't need any advice; he's got a mind of his own."
Never mind	When you say "never mind" to someone, you are telling them not
	to worry, that it is not important.
	"When the child broke the cup Susan said : "never mind - it was
	an old cup."
One-track mind	If you have a one-track mind, you have a tendency to think
	about only one subject.
	"That boy has got a one-track mind; all he thinks about is
	football!"
Take your mind off (something)	If an activity takes your mind off something that you are worrying
	about, it helps you to stop thinking about it for a while.
	"Sarah was worried about the result of the test so Tom took her to
	the cinema to take her mind off it."
Take the words out of	If you say exactly what someone else was going to say,
somebody's mouth	you take the words out of their mouth.
	" I think so too. You took the words out of my mouth."
Think again	If you tell someone to think again, you advise them to
	reconsider the situation and perhaps change their decision.
	"Your apartment is so well located;  you should think again
	before selling it. '
Think outside the box/	People who think outside the box try to find innovative ideas
think out of the box	or solutions.
	"Our competitors are more creative than us - they really think
	outside the  box.
A penny for your  thoughts	This phrase is used to ask someone what they are thinking
	about.
	"You look pensive.  A penny for your thoughts."
Perish the thought	This expression is used when the speaker really hopes that
	something will not happen.
	"If I lost my job, perish the thought, I don't know how we'd
	survive."
Train of thought	A sequence of connected ideas is called a train of thought.
	"I was considering the different options when the noise outside
	broke my train of thought."
Shot in the dark	To refer to a question or statement as a shot in the dark
	means that it is a complete guess, but at the same time it
	might be close to the truth.
	"He didn't know which players had been selected, so mentioning
	Carter's name was just a shot in the dark."
Voice in the wilderness	If you are the only person expressing a warning or an opinion on a matter
	which is ignored by most others, you are a voice in the wilderness.
	"For many years she was a voice in the wilderness protesting against
	child labour."

from http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/thoughts-ideas.htm

Ideas Idioms

a bee in one's bonnet	A person who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea which
	constantly occupies their thoughts.
	"She's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York!"
A figment of one's imagination	To refer to something as a figment of one's imagination
	means that an appearance, event or incident is not
	considered to be real but is only imaginary.
	"Other people saw the car, so it's not a figment of Tom's
	imagination!"
A flight of fancy	To refer to an idea or plan as a flight of fancy means that it is
	very imaginative but not at all practical or sensible.
	"He often comes up with good ideas but his latest proposal is just
	a flight of fancy!"
Light bulb moment	A light bulb moment is when you have a sudden moment of
	inspiration, comprehension or realization.
	"Harry had a light-bulb moment when he finally realized what was
	blocking the mechanism."
All in your head	If something is all in your head, it is not real. It is in your imagination.
	"Don't be silly.  Nobody is trying to harm you.  It's all in hour head!"
A mind of your own	If you have a mind of your own, you are capable of forming an
	opinion and making decisions without being influenced by others.
	"That boy doesn't need any advice; he's got a mind of his own."
Never mind	When you say "never mind" to someone, you are telling them not
	to worry, that it is not important.
	"When the child broke the cup Susan said : "never mind - it was
	an old cup."
One-track mind	If you have a one-track mind, you have a tendency to think
	about only one subject.
	"That boy has got a one-track mind; all he thinks about is
	football!"
Take your mind off (something)	If an activity takes your mind off something that you are worrying
	about, it helps you to stop thinking about it for a while.
	"Sarah was worried about the result of the test so Tom took her to
	the cinema to take her mind off it."
Take the words out of	If you say exactly what someone else was going to say,
somebody's mouth	you take the words out of their mouth.
	" I think so too. You took the words out of my mouth."
Think again	If you tell someone to think again, you advise them to
	reconsider the situation and perhaps change their decision.
	"Your apartment is so well located;  you should think again
	before selling it. '
Think outside the box/	People who think outside the box try to find innovative ideas
think out of the box	or solutions.
	"Our competitors are more creative than us - they really think
	outside the  box.
A penny for your  thoughts	This phrase is used to ask someone what they are thinking
	about.
	"You look pensive.  A penny for your thoughts."
Perish the thought	This expression is used when the speaker really hopes that
	something will not happen.
	"If I lost my job, perish the thought, I don't know how we'd
	survive."
Train of thought	A sequence of connected ideas is called a train of thought.
	"I was considering the different options when the noise outside
	broke my train of thought."
Shot in the dark	To refer to a question or statement as a shot in the dark
	means that it is a complete guess, but at the same time it
	might be close to the truth.
	"He didn't know which players had been selected, so mentioning
	Carter's name was just a shot in the dark."
Voice in the wilderness	If you are the only person expressing a warning or an opinion on a matter
	which is ignored by most others, you are a voice in the wilderness.
	"For many years she was a voice in the wilderness protesting against
	child labour."

from http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/thoughts-ideas.htm

Writing Process -- Basic Steps

from About.com Grammar and Composition

Four basic steps that most successful writers follow in one way or another:

1. Discovering (also known as Invention): finding a topic and coming up with something to say about it. A few of the discovery strategies that can help us to get started arefreewriting, probing, and brainstorming.
2. Drafting: putting ideas down in some rough form. A first draft is generally messy and repetitive and full of mistakes--and that's just fine. The purpose of a rough draft is to capture ideas and supporting details, not compose a perfect paragraph or essay on the first attempt.
3. Revising: changing and rewriting a draft to make it better. In this step, we respond to the needs of our readers by rearranging ideas and reshaping sentences to make clearer connections.
4. Editing and Proofreading: carefully examining a paper to see that it contains no errors of grammar, spelling, or punctuation.

The four stages overlap, and at times we may have to back up and repeat a stage, but that doesn't mean we have to focus on all four stages at the same time. In fact, trying to do too much at one time is likely to create frustration, not make the writing go faster or easier.

Writing Suggestion: Describe Your Writing Process
In a paragraph or two, describe your own writing process--the steps that you ordinarily follow when composing a paper. How do you get started? Do you write several drafts or just one? If you revise, what sort of things do you look for and what sort of changes do you tend to make? How do you edit and proofread, and what types of errors do you most often find? Save this description when you're done, and then look at it again in a month or so to see what changes you have made in the way you write.

Narration, Description, and Reflection

Narration, Description, and Reflection

Personal Reminiscences


First

My first fight.
My first encounter with the law.
My first encounter with racial discrimination.
My first job.
My first spanking. (On being punished for the first time.)
My first dollar.
My first ten years were the hardest.

Most

My most important decision and why I made it.
My most embarrassing moment.
The most stupid thing I ever did.
My most serious accident.
My narrowest escape.
The longest minute I ever spent.
The wisest thing I ever did.

Special
Prize memory of the year. (Regrets of the year.)
A Christmas thrill. (Christmas this year.)
Thoughts on New Year's Eve.
An unforgettable experience.
The fun of being sick.
Moving into a strange town.
Learning to like vegetables (or other foods).
One of life's comedies (or tragedies) in which I played a star part.
Things I have lost.
An inexpensive good time.
An experiment I once tried.
My big moment.
Happy ending
A mistake I vow never to repeat. (I'll never do that again.)
The dog (or other pet) in my life.
I sold papers. (A job I have held.) (My summer job.)
Musical memories. (Songs my mother taught me.)

Family
Memories of home.
What I learned from Dad.
A tradition in our family (neighborhood, section, state or country.)
How my family celebrates Easter (or some other holiday).
The origin of my family name.
My ancestors. (Page from my family history.)
Meet the family.
What I have inherited.

Personal Reactions
It's easy to blame others.
A clear conscience is better (worse) than popularity.
Is pride a primitive trait?
What I would do if I knew I would lose my sight tomorrow?
Is maturity a relative thing?
The mental blindness of the human race.
What is more beautiful-the simple or the ornate?
The continuity of human experience.
The real me.
Worry.
How am I doing?
Why I dislike my name.
Why... is my favorite sport.
Why I go to chute.
Why I shall go to college.
Why... is my favorite picture.
Why I do (not) play cards.
Why I like poetry.
Why I like music.
Why I believe in immortality.
Why I do not believe in divorce.
Why I want to be a....
Why I like to read novels.
Why I don't like comic strips.
My idea of hard work.
My idea of good dinner.
My idea of hard work.
My idea of a good course.
My idea of gentleman (or a lady).
My idea of a dull evening.
My idea of a perfect school.
How colors affect me.
How I feel in a dentist's chair.
How I feel when I have not prepared a lesson (or for an exam).
How I judge character.
How I read a newspaper.
How can I find time to study?
How new clothes affect me.
How much am I influenced by advertising?
How I treat nosy people.
What animal I should like to be for a day.
What I like in music or art.
What I get out of music.
What religion means to me.
What's wrong with my hometown.
What I want from life.
What I think about athletics.
What I really enjoy doing.
If I were president.
Where am I going?
If I had but three days to live.
If I were mayor of my hometown.
My future as I see it.
My favorite breed of dog.
My favorite hero in fiction.
My hobby and why I like it.
My book (play, movie) of the year.
My favorite subject.
The finest movie I have ever seen.

My World
What "bugs" me most.
What do you think are the enemies of mankind?
Should we go to the moon (or any other planet)?
What is your opinion of dissenters?.
The importance of independence.
Poverty and happiness.
Are movies and TV stereotyping us today.
Is dictatorship ever justified?
A catalog of likes and dislikes.
I would like to change and why...
If I could, I would like to...
I dislike...
I think... is wrong (or right).
If only...
Happiness is...
...and I just don't agree.
If I received a thousand dollars...
I remember...

Reminiscences And Reactions
Adolescence-a preparation for love.
After a long interval (revisiting a scene that holds special meaning
A belief I had when I was very young.
An action and my reaction.
The best team.
Dates-dating.
The day I received my driver's license.
An effective way to envision history is to read fiction.
A fear I overcame.
The generation gap.
I cut my hair.
I had to decide.
I saw it happen: why did it?
In the presence of my peers.
The joys of being a car owner.
The less brilliant moments in my life.
The moon-what next?
My biggest gripe.
My encounters with racial discrimination.
My experiences as a babysitter.
My first semester in high school.
My idea of a perfect day.
My opinion of poetry.
One of my favorite movies.
One of my favorite television shows.
On learning.....
An open letter to my parents.
A person to whom I am grateful.
The relevancy of school.
Rewards of nature.
Those were the good old days.
Three cars I would never own.
Three things worse than death.
A typical day in my life.
What I like best about summer.
What I have learned about people over... vacation.
What I dislike most about Christmas (or some other holiday).
What would have happened if....
When I feel most independent.
Why I'd change a rule in my school.
Why I like rock music.
The world in which I live.
How the English program at ... University should be changed.
Black is beautiful.
If I were suddenly blind.
When a car cuts me off on the freeway...
My .... was stolen.
I catch a thief.
When I failed the ....exam.
Where I can find some peace and quiet.

Familiar Essay Topics

Pet peeves.
Life begins at 10 p.m.
An adventure in friendship.
The virtues of idleness.
Pages from my family history.
I'd like to write a book.
Being contented.
Bargain shopping.
Crushes and hero-worship.
The most valuable thing I have learned.
An important decision.
Local crudities (or curiosities).
Fire!
A curious dream.
While the jukebox blares.
The art of conversation.
I should have known.
On favorite colors.
Let me cry on your shoulder.
Lest we forget.
Plot for murder.
Worrying is good for you.
Going around in circles.
Unnatural character in literature.
A contribution to better living.
If an ancient Greek came to Chicago (or any other place).
Shoe personality.
New brooms raise a great dust.
Nurses are angels.
On a rainy day.
Pride before a fall.
The tribulations of a junior high school student.
Soap operas.
Why all the excitement?
... night on the radio.
Sidewalk hogs.
Tied to the apron strings.
Table manners.
Mental cruelty.
What a home ought to be.
Many brave hearts.
Library notes.
Radios commercials.
Why people have hobbies.
Borrowing and lending.
The life of a biggy bank.
The kinds of friends who wear well.
Local weather.
Maturity has its drawbacks.
On a shoestring.
A real champion.
Going, going, gone.
The blue ribbon.
The world in which I live.
Cats are a nuisance (blessing).
The advantages of being a hermit.
"Look for the silver lining."
Borrowing.
Today's slang.
The value of pessimism.
Choosing a hat.
Different ways of washing dishes.
Telling fortunes.
On a dog.
The art of being friendly.
If I had twenty-four hours to live.
What it means to be poor.
Saturday night.
Things are tough all over.
Twins.
Skeleton in the closet.
Cosmetics: theoretical and applied.
Reading for pleasure.
Quizzes
What is tact?
Amateur dramatics.
Mother picks a school for Mortimer.
Brotherly love.
Fishing.
My idol.
What is a dog's life?
How intelligent is a horse?
Baby-tending, a harrowing job.
If anyone told the truth.
It's fun to observe people.
If we could read each other's minds
They did it again
Facing facts in daily life.
A good spectator.
Amusement crazy.
Horror movies.
The early worm passes more examinations.
A recipe for a satisfactory life.
Christmas (holiday) gifts are a necessary evil.
A tale told by . . . (some relative).
The last call.
Once upon a time.
Dangerous living.
Chivalry is still alive.
"The best laid schemes. . . ."
Books which have become movies.
Is it important to know one's weaknesses?
Clothes do not make the man.
Bad habits and how to enjoy them.
The picture of life one gets from movies.
Counting chickens before they are hatched.
Useful pets.
Good taste.
Liars should have good memories.
It's a wonderful life.
A fly in the ointment.
Mice.
The jolly company.
Green pastures.
Practical people.
Midnight.
Reputation.
The tables turned.
Old age.
Ghosts.
Things old and new.
The key.
A pipe and slippers.
Come and get it.
The unknown.
The circus comes to town.
Better late than never.
Radio jingles.
A pair of gloves.
Moustaches.
Life on the farm.
Life in the city.
On hearing an alarm clock.
My correspondence.
The value of pets.
Superstitious practices.
Who is my neighbor?
Misleading labels.
What is success in life?
What is sportsmanship?
Things old and new.
The key.
A pipe and slippers.
Come and get it.
The unknown.
The circus comes to town.
Better late than never.
Radio jingles.
A pair of gloves.
Moustaches.
Life on the farm.
Life in the city.
On hearing an alarm clock.
My correspondence.
The value of pets.
Superstitious practices.
Who is my neighbor?
Misleading labels.
What is success in life?
What is sportsmanship?
My definition of tolerance.
What is humor?
What liberty means to me.
The life and times of ...
My favorite computer game.
Computers are for the birds!
Food glorious food.
Freedom and me.
Pets resemble their owners or visa versa?

Character Sketch Topics

Daydreamer.
Jukebox addict.
Taxi driver.
The practical joker.
The proud parent.
The "successful" man or woman.
Master of ceremonies.
The American woman.
Radio personality.
The drunkard.
The student.
Baby-sitter.
Preacher's son (or daughter).
Student waiter.
Camp counselor.
The movie detective.
Do-gooder.
The local policeman.
Teachers who bore me.
Little old lady.
A personal appearance.
Meet Joe Doe (the average American).
My most interesting friend.
The person I admire most.
Grandfather.
The man who never had a chance.
The most abused public servant.
A historical character.
An interesting public personality.
A character from fiction I should like to meet.
My favorite hero/heroine.
Brothers under the skin.
Eyes of blue.
From the other side of the tracks.
A person I have almost forgotten.
My friend,... (someone of a different race or nationality).
A person I can't bear.
My favorite teacher (relative, commentator).
The most wonderful person I know.
A first-rate teacher.
My distinguished ancestor.
My best friend.
A person who has influenced my life.
What I learned from Dad. (In defense of Dad.) (My Dad.)
The most prominent citizen in my hometown.
A person I will never forget.
A brief sketch of myself (any age, any mood).
Meet the Doc.



Fantasy
Fantasies of childhood.
How I'd change a book if I had written it.
The house of tomorrow.
I wish I had built......
I wish I had known.....
I wish I had lived in the time of....
If I were a inanimate object.
I wish I had witnessed...
A letter I would like to write ( but never send).
My dream vacation.
My trip to the moon.
My medieval romance.
Land of no sleep.
Then the computer said to me...
A dream inside a dream.
All the money in the world.

Description Topics


The most beautiful place I know.
A tropical sunset.
Spring in the country.
Scenic beauty nearby.
A storm. (A snow storm.)
Across the United States by commuter train.
A scene for a photographer.
January.
What my study table looks like.
The main street of my home town (describing stores, people, etc.)
Classroom impression.
Getting a meal in a crowded restaurant.
An old shop.
A plan for a recreation room.
The state (county) fair.
Interesting people or unusual customs in . . . .
Sounds at night.
In a strange land (real or imaginary).
With pen and brush.
Interior of a business house (barber shop, music store, etc.).
Setting of a novel or a play.
A lonesome road.
Colors in everyday life.
Snowfall.
An impressive sight.
Rural England (France, Belgium, etc.) as I saw it.
Winter in . . . .
A local building (interior or exterior).
Full moon.
School sounds.
The most horrible sight I ever saw.
A meal at a quick-lunch counter.
A typical railway station.
Home of a famous person.
My favorite haunt.
An efficient kitchen.
A favorite restaurant.
Saturday night in . . . .
Farm sale.
A great engineering (or other) project.
A street scene.
Strolling down Michigan Boulevard (Fifth Avenue, Main Street, etc.).
The hometown drugstore.
A trip on a 747.
Sunday dinner. (Family dinner.)
The auto of the future.
Our home.
A mysterious sound.
Bargain day.
The art of seeing things.
The well-dressed man or woman.
The most disreputable building I ever saw.
An interesting holiday in . . . .
Scene after victory.
Cheering section.
The look and feel of dusk.
Clouds.
Footsteps.
A train whistle.
Is there such a thing as silence?
Inventions I haven't yet perfected.
Write a letter in the role of a character from a book recently read.
Hunting a unicorn.
Inside Mrs. Murphy's purse.
The window.
The American of the seventies.
A college campus.
Customs in our school.
My room.
The ideal home, room.
Current costumes.
My mathematics class.
Seven o'clock Saturday night.
Dancers.
Description of a foreign city.
The music . . . festival.
The ideal Illinois farm.
Thanksgiving kitchen (or table).
An athlete's view of the opposing team.
Your garden in the fall (or any other season).
A drop of water.
A classroom bell.
An airplane overhead.
A bus going uphill.
An incident through the eyes of an inanimate object.
How to bathe a dragon.
How to eat a grapefruit.
The king on the mountain.
Automobile horns.
Comparison of two photographers of the same subject.
A dance.
Description of Christmas card.
Faces.
A game.
Hypocrisy.
The inner city.
A list of choices, such as, wall, coat, etc. to write an impression of.
My sense of smell- I would know it with my eyes closed.
Nights of the streets of . . .
This picture makes me think or feel like . . .
Profiles in courage.
View from a window (various windows and neighborhoods).
What color is love?
What is a man?
Who is they?
The year 2222.
Today's heroes.
Description of a dream (nightmare) - real or fictional.
I love San Francisco (any city).
Kinds of doors.
This music reflects . . . .
My car.
My favorite building.
My world would include . . .
Sounds.
Walls and fences.
What does happiness taste like?

Persuasive Writing Units and Chapters

Persuasive Writing	Strategies for Argumentation and Persuasion	17
Persuasive Writing	Taking a Position	18
Persuasive Writing	Persuading Readers to Act	19
Persuasive Writing	Proposing a Solution	20

Characteristics of a Critical Thinker; Review; Evaluation

Characteristics of a Critical Thinker 2, Review, Evaluation