6.1.2 Advice on organising your writing

• Look at paragraphs carefully when you read texts and notice how the writer has organised them. They should start with a sentence that ‘signposts’ the main topic, with all other sentences leading on from this.

• Experienced writers use linking words and phrases to organise their argument.

• Note them in texts you read and practise using them in your writing to help it ‘hang together’.

• Find the linking words used in the above exercise – and others you can think of in a thesaurus (a book listing synonyms – words of similar meaning) and make your own list of useful linking words.

Now go to Step 7 Self-assessment exercises: using appropriate grammar, punctuation and spelling [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .