By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Have you ever read a poem, made it to the last line, only to realize that you have absolutely no idea what it’s about? Cool. Keep reading. Students begin to analyze poetry in elementary school, and often have to do so …
What’s the difference between a colon and a semicolon
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. One of the most common questions I get when I’m tutoring students for the SAT or ACT is what’s the difference between a colon and a semicolon? It’s a good question, and fortunately the answer is not that complicated. With that …
How to start an essay: 3 hacks for getting started
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. This is not a blog post about the proper structure of an essay. It is also not a post about how to write a thesis statement. (Want that? Here you go.) Instead, I am giving you three tips for how to …
How to edit your own essay: 6 tips for editing your own paper
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Knowing how to edit your own essay is a super power. Sure, so is knowing how to write an essay – obviously – but knowing how to edit your own papers is what takes your writing to the next level. As …
How to improve your handwriting: 6 tips for better penmanship
Despite the fact that computers are taking over the world (sort of) and most students use a word processor to type up essays and notes, there’s still a need for good old pen and paper. But with so much time spent typing, many of my …
How to write a thesis statement 101: Everything you wish you knew
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. You can’t write an essay if you don’t know how to write a thesis statement. Persuasive and analytical essays. The only writing assignments that don’t require thesis statements are poems, diary entries and summaries. What is a thesis statement? A thesis …