What Is This Module About?

Have you ever experienced looking at a blank piece of paper for a long time when you were
asked to write on a certain topic? You know that you have lots of ideas in your mind but you
don’t know how to organize them. You have many things to say but you don’t know where to
start and how you will sequence your ideas on paper.
In this second module on outlining, you will learn how to organize and present the ideas you
have gathered in outline form.
This module is made up of three lessons:
Lesson 1 – Sequencing Ideas Correctly
Lesson 2 – Making Summary Statements
Lesson 3 – Choosing a Type of Outline and Observing a Consistent Format

What Will You Learn From This Module?

This module will help you organize the ideas you have gathered and classified in an outline.
In planning what you intend to write, you have to learn to sequence or organize your ideas
correctly according to your chosen basis. Some bases of sequencing may be time and
importance of details. You will also learn how to make summary statements before you begin
writing an outline.
At the end of the module, you will be asked to write an outline using the format of your
choice.
Are you ready?

Let’s See What You Already Know

Before you start studying this module, take this simple test first to find out how much you
already know about the topics in this module.
A. Match the definitions in Column A with the words they are referring to in Column B. Write
the letters of the correct answers only.
Column A Column B
_____1. Balance and coordinated structure a. topic outline
of words, phrases or sentences
b. thesis statement
_____2. A type of outline that uses words
c. parallelism
or phrases only
_____3. It is the controlling idea of the
whole composition

1
B. The following are jumbled sentences in a paragraph. Arrange them to make meaningful
paragraphs. Assign a number to each sentence to show how you want to sequence
them to form meaningful paragraphs.
Example:
a. Although not harmful to our body, they pose danger to the ships at sea.
b. They are very common at sea.
c. Fogs are low-lying clouds.
d. Accidents can happen as they block the view of the sea captains.

Answer: The correct order of the sentences is c-b-a-d.

1. a. Vegetables and root crops are important sources of food.

b. Everybody should eat vegetables and root crops to avoid diseases.
c. They are excellent “sweepers” of toxins in our bodies.
d. They give us vitamins and minerals to make our bodies strong and healthy.

2. a. Lately, the price of sugar in the world market has gone down.
b. This lessening of sugar quota affected the Negros provinces, the main producers
of sugar in the country.
c. The United States sugar quota was also lessened.
d. Sugarcane used to be the premier export of the Philippines.

3. a. They provide us with proteins.

b. Cashew nuts, pili nuts and peanuts are popular kinds of nuts.
c. One good source of nutritional food value is fruits and nuts.
d. Because of their contents, nuts can be taken as substitutes for pork.

2
C. Arrange the following words to form a simple outline.
high school brothers and sisters
personal information address
ambition job
education skills and talents
parents to become a teacher
elementary teacher
college playing guitar
birth date watching movies
hobbies birthplace

Well, how was it? Do you think you fared well? Compare your answers with those in the
Answer Key on page 24 to find out.
If all your answers are correct, very good! This shows that you already know much about
the topics in this module. You may still study the module to review what you already know. Who
knows, you might learn a few more new things as well.
If you got a low score, don’t feel bad. This means that this module is for you. It will help you
understand some important concepts that you can apply in your daily life. If you study this module
carefully you will learn the answers to all the items in the test and a lot more! Are you ready?
You may go now to the next page to begin Lesson 1.

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 LESSON 1

Sequencing Ideas Correctly

Hello, friend! I am glad you are back! Are you ready for more activities?
In this lesson, I will give you some activities to help you sequence sentences correctly and
logically in an outline.

Let’s Try This

Activity 1
Read the statement below. Under it are some related ideas or topics. Suppose you are
going to discuss this statement in your paper. How are you going to do it? You can start by
arranging the related ideas or topics in a list.
Statement: Pregnant women who smoke must give up their smoking habit at least during
pregnancy because smoking is dangerous to the health of the baby.
Related Ideas or Topics
— effects of smoking on people
— effects of smoking on pregnant women
— effects of smoking on the unborn baby
— marital separations brought about by the smoking of pregnant mothers
— reasons of pregnant women for smoking
— risks pregnant women take
— stages of pregnancy

For a start, let me help you arrange the ideas.

First, let us examine the ideas or topics. Which of them seem to belong together? Let us
group those that belong together. Refer to the box on page 5 to see how ideas or topics are
grouped.

4
 Effects of smoking on people
Effects of smoking on pregnant women
Effects of smoking on the unborn baby

Risks pregnant Stages of pregnancy

women take

Marital separations
Reasons of pregnant brought about by the
women for smoking smoking of pregnant
mothers

Now, which of these ideas or topics should be written first?

The topic Risks pregnant women take comes first.
In this topic, you can discuss the risks that a pregnant woman faces because of the
biological and physical changes that occur within her.
Should we include the different Stages of pregnancy? Will it be important in our discussion
later on? I think this can be taken up in the discussion of the risks pregnant women take. So, this
is just a subtopic of the topic Risks pregnant women take.
What about the topic Marital separations brought about by the smoking of pregnant
mothers?
Is this one of the possible effects of smoking?
If your answer is yes, then it should be included in the topic Effects of smoking.
Do we need to include Reasons of pregnant women for smoking? If you think this is not
very important, we can drop this topic.
Now, our third topic will focus on the Effects of smoking on people. We have several
related ideas under this. They are: Effects of smoking on pregnant mothers and Effects of
smoking on the unborn baby. Another is the topic Marital separations brought about by the
smoking of pregnant mothers which can be discussed as an effect of smoking on pregnant
mothers.

5
 Arranging the topics or ideas in the order we have decided on will result in a format similar
to the one below.
Statement: Pregnant women who smoke must give up their smoking at least during
pregnancy because smoking is dangerous to the health of the unborn baby.
Outline
1. Risks pregnant women take
2. Effects of smoking on people
2.1. Effects of smoking on pregnant mothers
2.1.1. Marital separations brought about by the smoking of pregnant
mothers
2.2 Effects of smoking on the unborn baby

You might not have been aware of it but the way the statements are listed above constitute a
simple outline.
Do you notice how I numbered the ideas? The way ideas are numbered depends on how
you sequence the topics or ideas for discussion.
In Topic 2 – Effects of smoking on people, we have two subtopics: Effects of smoking
on pregnant mothers and Effects of smoking on the unborn baby. Under the subtopic Effects
of smoking on pregnant mothers, another subtopic Marital separations brought about by the
smoking of pregnant mothers.

Activity 2
Below are experiences grouped according to when they happened. Suppose you are to
write to a friend about these experiences, how are you going to do so? What possible headings
for each group of topics can you think of? Opposite the given group of experiences, write the
number 1 on the space provided if you think it should be the first topic. Beside it, write its
possible heading. Do the same for the remaining groups of topics.

— stayed in the hospital when sister ___________ ___________

gave birth last March
sequence possible
— baby is a boy number heading

— visited Grandma last May ___________ ___________

— Grandma celebrated her 65th birthday sequence possible
— Grandma wished you were here too number heading

6
 — went to Aunt Liza’s when they moved to ___________ ___________
a new house in April
sequence possible
— helped Aunt Liza fix their new house number heading

— enrolled in Mass Communications at ___________ ___________

PUP sequence possible
— enrolled in third year last June number heading

___________ ___________
— greeting
sequence possible
number heading

___________ ___________
— closing
sequence possible
— miss them so much number heading

Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 25. Did you get a perfect
score? If you did, that’s very good! If you didn’t, don’t worry. Just review the parts of the lesson
you did not understand very well before going to the next part.

Activity 3
You were asked to write on several topics. Below are the facts and ideas you have
gathered. Arrange them properly by writing the numbers 1, 2, 3 and so on in the blanks before
the items.
(Notice that our attempt here is to sequence ideas for longer compositions and not just a
one-paragraph composition. Each set of statements below correspond to a possible major
topic.)
Set 1 — On air pollution
____ effects of air pollution
____ definition of air pollution
____ sources of air pollution
____ introduction
____ conclusion

7
 Set 2 — A biography of your favorite teacher/person
____ ambition in life
____ educational background
____ philosophy in life
____ personal information, e.g., name, parents, birth date
____ general description

Set 3 — On cooking puto

____ preparing the ingredients and utensils needed for cooking
____ measuring the ingredients correctly
____ mixing the ingredients
____ putting the mixture in the cooking pans
____ steaming the mixture

Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 26. How well did you do?
What did you notice about the way you arranged the ideas? Did you use just one way of
doing it? Did you use a single format for all the sets?
In the first activity, you arranged the ideas based on a general statement given to you, that is,
on the smoking of pregnant women.
In Activity 2, you used time as your basis for sequencing the ideas in a letter. Remember
that your purpose was to tell your friend about your past experiences.
In Activity 3, you used different bases as well.
The first set dealt with air pollution.
The second set dealt with a person’s life.
Finally, the third set dealt with the steps one should take in cooking puto.
Do we have similar answers? If we do, that’s very good.

Let’s Learn

When we write, we do not follow a single way of arranging or organizing our thoughts.
However, we can consider these as a guide:
♦ the topic we want to discuss
♦ our purpose for writing about that topic (whether we want to narrate a story, describe
a person, object or process or convince people to take a stand)
♦ the type of people (children, adults, professionals, etc.) who will be reading what we
wrote

8
 Every day, when we talk about many things: food, environment, people, places, events and
many other topics, we talk about them in different ways.
♦ We tell stories according to how they happened; we look at the series of events and
actions according to when and in what order they took place.
♦ When we are asked to describe people and objects, we develop our thoughts from
general statements, then we give simple explanations or specifics.
♦ Sometimes, we also express our thoughts from specific to general.
♦ It is different when we describe how things are done. We discuss each step of the
process in their proper order. Then we explain how one step leads to another.

Let’s Remember

♦ When you organize your thoughts, do not limit yourself by following a model outline.
♦ Do not follow form, instead follow meaning. Think of ideas first then decide how to
arrange them.
♦ Determine what you want to say according to your subject, purpose and readers.
♦ Determine the correct sequence of your ideas and organize them in an outline.
♦ In preparing an outline, we follow these guidelines:
1. Group together facts and ideas that are related.
2. Think of key ideas/keywords/headings to describe the ideas or facts and group
them into several categories.
3. Use their similarities as bases for grouping them.
4. State key ideas or sentences.
5. Cite supporting details or sentences to show, illustrate, describe or explain your
key ideas.
6. Sequence your ideas according to your topic, purpose and readers.

9
 LESSON 2

Making Summary Statements

In Lesson 1, you learned how to sequence ideas correctly and logically in an outline.
This lesson features some activities to help you make summary statements before writing
your actual outline.

Let’s Try This

Activity 1
Suppose you were asked to write about something that interests you. (For example, music.
I like music. Do you like music too?) Answer the following questions. Use my example as a
model.
1. Decide what your topic will be.
Example: Music
2. Write your viewpoint about it. Your viewpoint tells what you think about your topic.
Example: I like to listen to soft music.

3. Limit your topic by saying exactly what you want to write about it.
Example: The music that I listen to regularly has an effect on my mood.
Your topic can still be limited by indicating a specific type of music. So, your sentence can
still be narrowed down to:
Mellow or soft music has an inspiring effect on my mood.
By indicating a situation or time, you can further narrow down or limit your topic to:
Listening to soft music every time I work has an inspiring effect on my mood.
Adding more details will limit your topic even more. The more you limit your topic, the
easier it is to discuss.
Example:
Listening to the soft music of Jake Concepcion every time I work has an
inspiring effect on my mood.

10
 Once you have limited your topic, you can become more specific about your thinking and
therefore come up with your summary statement. See the example below.
Listening to the soft music of Jake Concepcion every time I work helps me
become more inspired and productive throughout the day.

Now, you have a more limited subject to discuss. Together, they give you a workable thesis
statement.

Activity 2
Practice writing summary statements based on what are given below.
1. Topic: Pets
Specific Topic: __________________________________________________
Viewpoint (What do you think about the subject?): _______________________
______________________________________________________________
Restricted or Limited Viewpoint: _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Thesis Statement: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. Topic: Watching Movies

Specific Topic: __________________________________________________
Viewpoint (What do you think about the subject?): _______________________
______________________________________________________________
Restricted or Limited Viewpoint: _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Thesis Statement: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. Topic: Computers
Specific Topic: __________________________________________________
Viewpoint (What do you think about the subject?): _______________________
______________________________________________________________
Restricted or Limited Viewpoint: _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Thesis Statement: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

11
 4. Topic: Friendship
Specific Topic: __________________________________________________
Viewpoint (What do you think about the subject?): ________________________
______________________________________________________________
Restricted or Limited Viewpoint: _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Thesis Statement: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

See some possible answers in the Answer Key on pages 26 and 27. They are just samples of
what you may write on the given topics. You may show your answers to your Instructional Manager
or Facilitator for further discussion.

Activity 3
Read the following paragraphs and state in one sentence what each is all about.
Paragraph 1
Migraine is no joke! It is not just a name for an unusually painful headache. It is not a
psychological or a self-generated affliction or a curse of womanhood as many people suspect. The
truth is that the pain is real.
—Advertisement of Dolfenal 250 Mefenamic Acid.
Paragraph 2
Many common chemicals can be classified as either acids or bases. Weak acids taste sour while
weak bases taste bitter. Sour milk, lemon juice and vinegar all taste sour because they contain weak
acids.
—“Acids and Bases,” The Golden Book Encyclopedia, 1988.
Paragraph 3
Acupuncture is a treatment used to help reduce pain. It has been used in China for more than
2000 years to treat pain from arthritis, headaches and many other illnesses. Chinese surgeons often
use acupuncture during operations instead of giving patients anesthetic drugs. Today, some doctors in
the United States use acupuncture too.
—“Acupuncture,” The Golden Book Encyclopedia, 1988.
Paragraph 4
Millions of years ago, strange kinds of animals lived on earth. Dinosaurs were some of
the biggest but there were many kinds of animals too. Many of these animals disappeared before
there were people to see them. They are called prehistoric animals because they lived before the
history of human beings began.
—“Dinosaurs,” The Golden Book Encyclopedia, 1988.

12
Paragraph 5
An ant is easy to recognize. It has six legs and three main body parts. The second and third
parts are separated by a narrow “waist.” On its head is a pair of long feelers called antennae.
The ant uses its antennae to touch, taste and smell the things around it. Ants communicate partly
by stroking other ants with their antennae.
—“Ants,” The Golden Book Encyclopedia, 1988.

How did you find this activity? Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on
page 27.

Activity 4
Write a summary statement about each picture below.

Banawe Rice Terraces—Bontoc Boracay—The Paradise Island

Corruption

Corruption

Source: The Philippine Star, September 8, 2000.

How did you find this activity? Do you think the pictures will make it easier or more difficult
for you to organize your thoughts?
Isn’t it easier to arrange ideas when the thesis statement is clear?
Compare your answers with the sample answers in the Answer Key on page 28. How well
did you do?

13
 Let’s Remember

Some people find it easier to organize their ideas once they have already gathered them.
Look at the steps they follow:
♦ They gather and study their ideas first.
♦ They write their thesis statements based on these ideas.
♦ Then they outline everything they want to say in writing.
Others, on the other hand, do it this way:
♦ They write their summary statements first.
♦ They gather their ideas based on this.
♦ Then they make an outline.

♦ The thesis statement serves as guide when outlining ideas.

♦ Little by little, with practice, you will discover your own style.
Here are some guidelines on writing good summary statements.
♦ Be sure that you are interested in the topic you will write about.
♦ Don’t think of your assignment as work that you are forced to do. It is not worth your
time or energy to write, revise and edit a paper unless you are really interested in what
you are writing about.
♦ Decide what you want to say about the subject. Express your point of view about the
topic. This will help you in limiting your topic.
♦ Focus! You cannot write a clear, well-organized composition on a topic that is too
large or unfocused.
♦ Be sure that all your other ideas will support the thesis statement you made.

14
 LESSON 3

Choosing a Type of Outline and Observing a

Consistent Format

In this lesson, you will apply what you have learned from the previous lessons. You will now
come up with your own outline and observe consistency in format.

Let’s Read

Read the passage below and answer the following questions.

Human beings belong to the animal kingdom. They belong to the big group of
animals called phylum chordata because they have backbones that support their
bodies. Human beings, however, have many functional abilities that make them the
greatest among all animals.
They have the ability to construct and use their own tools to survive. They then
use these complex tools to make their lives more comfortable. They can also invent
equipment to help them work faster. The computer is probably one of the greatest
inventions of humankind.
Secondly, humans use language to communicate with others. They can produce
meaningful sounds to express their thoughts and feelings orally. They can even use
language in their studies.
The ability to form abstract concepts is another characteristic of humans that
makes them the greatest among all the other animals. They can think and talk about
abstract things such as honesty, justice, love, peace and many more. They can even
apply these in their daily lives.
What other abilities of humans can you cite to prove that they are indeed
extraordinary animals?

1. According to the passage above, what makes human beings greater than all the other
animals? State your answer in a complete sentence in the space provided below.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. What abilities make human beings superior to all the other animals? Write your answer
in the space provided below.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

15
 Notice that your answers can be used in a simple outline.
There are two kinds of outlines—topic and sentence outlines. Compare your answers to the
previous activity with the ones below.

Functional abilities of human beings

1. ability to construct and use their own tools
2. ability to communicate through language

3. ability to form and apply abstract concepts in their daily lives

The outline above is a topic outline. It uses phrases in stating its contents.

Human beings have functional abilities that make them the greatest among all
the other animals.
1. Human beings have the ability to construct and use their own tools to
survive.
2. They have the ability to communicate with others.
3. They also have the ability to form and apply abstract concepts in their
daily lives.

The outline above is a sentence outline. It uses complete sentences to state its contests.
Notice that a topic outline is easier to prepare than a sentence outline. But a sentence outline
presents a more detailed picture of your work.
Still, the choice is yours. Find the type that is easier for you to use.
Observe how your outlines are written. Do you know what levels in an outline are? How
many levels do you see in them? There are two levels in each outline.
The level of a heading in an outline indicates its significance.
The ideas in an outline are usually arranged from general to specific. The more general an
idea is, the higher its level or rank in the outline.
A one-level outline contains a list of only main divisions or major headings.

Traditional Coding Decimal Coding

I. First main idea 1. First main idea

II. Second main idea 2. Second main idea

III. Third main idea 3. Third main idea

16
 A two-level outline enumerates the main/major divisions together with the subtopics that
compose each major division.

Traditional Coding Decimal Coding

I. First main idea 1. First main idea

A. First subtopic 1.1. First subtopic

B. Second subtopic 1.2. Second subtopic
II. Second main idea 2. Second main idea

A. First subtopic 2.1. First subtopic

B. Second subtopic 2.2. Second subtopic

III. Third main idea 3. Third main idea

A. First subtopic 3.1. First subtopic
B. Second subtopic 3.2. Second subtopic

A three-level outline shows the major divisions and their subtopics together with the
supporting details of these subtopics.

Traditional Coding

I. First main idea

A. First subtopic

1. First supporting detail

2. Second supporting detail

B. Second subtopic
1. First supporting detail
2. Second supporting detail

II. Second main idea

A. First subtopic
1. First supporting detail
2. Second supporting detail

B. Second subtopic

1. First supporting detail

2. Second supporting detail

17
 Decimal Coding

1. First main idea

1.1. First subtopic

1.1.1. First supporting detail
1.1.2. Second supporting detail

1.2. Second subtopic

1.2.1. First supporting detail

1.2.2. Second supporting detail
2. Second main idea

2.1. First subtopic

2.1.1. First supporting detail

2.1.2. Second supporting detail
2.2. Second subtopic

A four-level outline further breaks down the supporting details into smaller parts.

Traditional Coding

I. First main idea

A. First subtopic

1. First supporting detail

a. First subdetail
b. Second subdetail
2. Second supporting detail

a. First subdetail
b. Second subdetail

B. Second subtopic
1. First supporting detail

a. First subdetail
b. Second subdetail

2. Second supporting detail

a. First subdetail
b. Second subdetail

18
 Decimal Coding
1. First main idea

1.1. First subtopic

1.1.1. First supporting detail

1.1.1.1. First subdetail

1.1.1.2. Second subdetail

1.1.2. Second supporting detail

1.1.2.1 First subdetail

1.1.2.2 Second subdetail

1.2. Second subtopic

1.2.1. First supporting detail

1.2.1.1. First subdetail

1.2.1.2. Second subdetail

2. Second main idea

2.1. First subtopic

2.1.1. First supporting detail

2.1.2. Second supporting detail

An outline is useful in many ways. It enables you to:

♦ see the entire composition in simpler form;
♦ imagine the direction you should follow in writing a composition; and
♦ see a clear picture of what you want to discuss before you start working.

If you want to express clearly your ideas in writing, remember to use an outline. Consider
the following guidelines in making an outline.
♦ Gather facts about the subject.
♦ Think of key ideas/headings to use.
♦ State the key ideas clearly. State the most general down to the most specific. Decide
how many major topics you will include in your outline based on the ideas you have
gathered and classified.
♦ Cite supporting details or sentences that show, illustrate, describe or explain your key
ideas.
♦ State your thesis statement and see to it that the major headings and their supporting
details all support the main ideas you want to discuss.

19
 ♦ Determine the sequence of the ideas according to topic, purpose and readers.
♦ Decide whether to use a topic outline or a sentence outline. Do not mix the two types.
If you decide to use the topic outline, use words, phrases or clauses only. If you use a
sentence outline, use complete sentences.
♦ Be consistent in your choice of outline form. Decide whether to use the decimal outline
form or the traditional number-letter outline form.

Let’s Try This

Below is an illustration taken from a newspaper. Study it carefully then follow the given
instructions on the next page.

Source: The Philippine Star, August 22, 2000.

20
 1. List down as many ideas as you can think of as you look at the picture; do not screen
them, just let your ideas flow freely.

2. Look at your list and classify the ideas that belong together and write headings for each
of them. You may also underline some key words or key ideas.

3. Determine what you want to write about, what your purpose is and write your thesis
statement based on the ideas you were able to come up with. Consider who your
readers are too. You can use the following questions to guide you.
— Will you tell a story?
— Will you write a letter to a friend/relative about the subject?
— Will you describe your feelings toward the subject?
— Will you use the subject for a report?

4. Once again, study the picture, your ideas and your thesis statement. Try to limit your
topic by deciding on the major ideas you want to include in your discussion.

5. Add supporting details to each of the major ideas.

6. Based on your purpose, decide how you will sequence your ideas.

7. Decide what kind of outline you will use—a topic or a sentence outline.

8. Prepare an outline observing consistency of format—traditional coding or decimal

coding.

Were you able to follow the instructions properly?

Let’s Remember

♦ There are two general kinds of outlines—topic and sentence outlines. A topic outline
uses phrases in stating its contents. A sentence outline uses complete sentences in
stating its contents.
♦ The level of a heading in an outline indicates its significance in the outline. A one-level
outline contains a list of only the main divisions or major headings. A two-level
outline enumerates the main/major divisions together with the subtopics that compose
each major subdivision. A three-level outline shows the major divisions and their
subtopics together with the supporting details of these subtopics.
♦ Outlines can use either the traditional coding or decimal coding.
Well, this is the end of the module! Congratulations for finishing it. Did you like it? Did you
learn anything useful from it? A summary of its main points is given on the next page to help you
remember them better.

21
 Let’s Sum Up

This module tells us that:

Some people find it easier to recognize their ideas once they have already gathered them.
Look at the steps they follow:
♦ They gather and study their ideas first.
♦ They write their thesis statements based on these ideas.
♦ Then they outline everything they want to say in writing.

Others, on the other hand, do it this way:

♦ They write their summary statements first.
♦ They gather their ideas based on this.
♦ Then they make an outline.

♦ The thesis statement serves as a guide when outlining ideas.

♦ Little by little, with practice, you will discover your own style.

Here are some guidelines on writing good summary statements.

♦ Be sure that you are interested in the topic you will write about.
♦ Don’t think of your assignment as work that you are forced to do. It is not worth your
time or energy to write, revise and edit a paper unless you are really interested in what
you are writing about.
♦ Decide what you want to say about the subject. Express your point of view about the
topic. This will help you in limiting your topic.
♦ Focus! You cannot write a clear, well-organized composition on a topic that is too
large or unfocused.
♦ Be sure that all your other ideas will support the thesis statement you made.

♦ There are two general kinds of outlines—topic and sentence outlines. A topic outline uses
phrases in stating its contents. A sentence outline uses complete sentences in stating its
contents.
♦ The level of a heading in an outline indicates its significance in the outline. A one-level
outline contains a list of only the main divisions or major headings. A two-level outline
enumerates the main/major divisions together with the subtopics that compose each major
subdivision. A three-level outline shows the major divisions and their subtopics together
with the supporting details of these subtopics.
♦ Outlines can use either the traditional coding or decimal coding.

22
 What Have You Learned?

A. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the two types of outlines?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

2. What is an outline?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

B. Write a sample sentence outline for the topic “My City.”

Title: My City
Thesis Statement:_____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Introduction: ________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Body
A. _______________________________________________________________
B. _______________________________________________________________
C. _______________________________________________________________

Conclusion: _________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 28. How well did you do?

23
 Answer Key

A. Let’s See What You Already Know (pages 1–3)

A. 1. (c)
2. (a)
3. (b)

B. 1. a-c-d-b
2. d-a-b-c
3. c-b-a-d

C. Sample outline
Personal information
1. Address
2. Birth date
3. Birthplace
4. Parents
5. Brothers and sisters
6. Job: Teacher
7. Education
a. Elementary
b. High school
c. College
8. Skills and talents
a. Playing the guitar
9. Hobbies
a. Watching movies

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 B. Lesson 1
Activity 2 (pages 6–7)

— stayed in the hospital when sister 2

___________ What I did last March
___________________
gave birth last March
sequence possible heading
— baby is a boy number

— visited Grandma last May 4

___________ What I did last May
___________________
— Grandma celebrated her 65th birthday sequence possible heading
— Grandma wished you were here too number

— went to Aunt Liza’s when they moved to 3

___________ What I did last April
___________________
a new house in April
sequence possible heading
— helped Aunt Liza fix their new house number

5
___________ What I did last June
___________________
— enrolled in Mass Communications at
PUP sequence possible heading
— enrolled in third year last June number

1
___________ Greeting
___________________
— greeting sequence possible heading
number

6
___________ Closing
___________________
— closing
sequence possible heading
— miss them so much number

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 Activity 3 (pages 7–8)
Set 1 — On air pollution
____
4 effects of air pollution
____
2 definition of air pollution
____
3 sources of air pollution
____
1 introduction
____
5 conclusion

Set 2 — A biography of your favorite teacher/person

5
____ ambition in life
3
____ educational background
4
____ philosophy in life
2
____ personal information, e.g., name, parents, birth date
1
____ general description

Set 3 — On cooking puto

1
____ preparing the ingredients and utensils needed for cooking
2
____ measuring the ingredients correctly
3
____ mixing the ingredients
4
____ putting the mixture in the cooking pans
5
____ steaming the mixture

C. Lesson 2
Activity 2 (pages 11–12)
1. Topic: Pets
Specific Topic: Pets as man’s best friends
Viewpoint: A dogs is a man’s best friend.
Restricted or Limited Viewpoint: Dogs, from the ancient time up to the
present, are considered man’s best friends.
Thesis Statement: Dogs of any type are considered man’s best friends from the
ancient times up to the present.

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2. Topic: Watching Movies
Specific Topic: Watching movies as a form of relaxation
Viewpoint : Watching movies is an informative and enjoyable form of relaxation.
Restricted or Limited Viewpoint: Watching wholesome movies is an informative
and enjoyable form of relaxation.
Thesis Statement: Watching wholesome movies together with the members of
one’s family on Sundays is an informative and enjoyable form of relaxation.

3. Topic: Computers
Specific Topic: Computers as time-saving devices
Viewpoint: Using a computer at work saves time and effort.
Restricted or Limited Viewpoint: Using a computer at work saves a lot of time
and effort.
Thesis Statement: Using a computer in preparing documents saves a lot of time
and effort.

4. Topic: Friendship
Specific Topic: Finding true friends
Viewpoint: Finding a true friend is not easy.
Restricted or Limited Viewpoint: Finding a true friend in the workplace is not
easy.
Thesis Statement: Finding a true friend in the workplace at present is not easy.

Note: These are not the only possible answers. They are just examples.

Activity 3 (pages 12–13)

1. Migraine is not an ordinary headache because it is really painful.
2. Many common chemicals can be classified as either acids or bases.
3. Acupuncture has been used for treating pain for 2000 years.
4. Strange kinds of animals lived on earth long before human beings did.
5. An ant is easily recognizable through its body parts.

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 Activity 4 (page 13)
Possible answers
Banawe Rice Terraces—The Banawe Rice Terraces reminds us not only of the
beauty of our country but also of our hardworking Ifugao brothers.

Boracay—Boracay Island is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in our

country.

Corruption—Corruption in the government is like a monster that plays with the

people who want to fight it.

D. What Have You Learned? (page 23)

A. 1. Topic and sentence outlines
2. An outline is a list of ideas arranged systematically to show the relationship
of one idea to another in a composition.

B. Sample outline
Title: Cavite City
Thesis Statement: Cavite City as one of the historical places in our country
Body
A. Geographic location
B. Early beginning
C. Local customs and traditions
D. Role in the Philippine Revolution (other subtopics may be added)
Conclusion: Being proud of one’s birthplace

References

Avenilla, Tessie, et al. Guide to Effective Writing. Philippines: Centro Escolar University,
1995.
Axelrod, Rise B. and Charles R. Cooper. The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing. U.S.A.: St.
Martin’s Press, Inc., 1988.
Brown, Kristine and Susan Hood. Writing Matters: Writing Skills and Strategies for
Students of English. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
Cortez, Lilia R. How to Write English Compositions in the Classroom. Philippines: Rex
Printing Company, Inc., 1987.

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Dean, Michael. Write It: Writing Skills for Immediate Learners of English. Great Britain:
Cambridge University Press, 1988.
Guzman, Maybelle K., et al. Guided Expository Writing. Philippines: Katha Publishing
House Co., Inc., 1985.
Hamp-Lyons, Liz and Ben Heasley. Study Writing. Great Britain: Cambridge University
Press, 1987.
Navarro, Hortencia E., et al. An Integrated Approach to Writing. Philippines: Katha
Publishing House Co., Inc., 1985.
Nolasco, Rob. Writing: Upper Intermediate. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.
Ramos, Maximo D. and Florentino B. Valeros. Reading and Writing the Essay.
Philippines: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc., 1980.
Sebastian, Evelyn L. An Integrated Approach to Reading and Writing. Philippines:
Evelyn Sebastian, 1995.
Tiempo, Edilberto K. and Edith L. Tiempo. College Writing and Reading. Philippines:
Rex Printing Company, Inc., 1980.
Vicente, Corazon C., et al. Technical Writing. Philippines Technology Supply, Inc., 1997.

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