Two things are required in order to do well on any college entrance test. The first is being fully familiar with the test, what is in it and how it works - before you enter the testing room. The second is to have a clear plan for each part of the test.

The SAT essay is somewhat formulaic in that you must have an introduction, a thesis statement, at least three paragraphs devloping the thesis - with evidence, and then a concluding paragraph. Th…

In teaching your home-schooled teenager how to write well, what are the most important writing skills they need to learn? Different writers would likely produce different lists of skills, but here are five that I consider at least among the most important for effective writing.

1. Change weak verbs to action; omit useless words.

Although maybe not as important as my second on this list, I place…

It is general knowledge that more of Agatha Christie’s books have been sold in more languages than any other writer in history, save the Bible.

Why?

I have held this question in my mind as a strong curiosity for many years. I have no doubt that a thousand years from now millions of people will still be reading and watching Agatha Christie stories. At some point the “experts” will be forced to…