Session 1.5
Writing definitions
In-sessional Academic Writing (EPS)
University Language Centre
1
In this session:
Identifying useful phrases / grammatical
structures for:
- defining
- classifying
- giving examples
Review the use of relative clauses (‘which’
clauses)
Practising writing definitions
2
Ex. 1 Definition of a mineral
A naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a
definite chemical composition and an
ordered internal structure.
Source:
http://geology.com/minerals/what-is-a-mineral.shtml [accessed 2/11/15]
3
Ex. 2
Trace Minerals
Def: make up less than
0.01% of total body weight
Essential trace
minerals
eg zinc, copper
Toxic trace minerals
eg arsenic,
cadmium
Present in body,
but not essential
& non-toxic
4
Ex. 3
Scientists first started to analyse the chemicals in
the body at the beginning of the twentieth century.
However, their equipment was not sensitive
enough to accurately measure all the chemicals
they found. Therefore, when scientists detected a
particular mineral in the body, but could not find
enough to measure, they called it a ‘trace mineral’.
Thus, the official definition of a trace mineral is one
that makes up less than 0.01% (1/10,000th part) of
the total body weight.
5
Ex. 3
The trace minerals group comprises over
fifty chemical elements. It is divided into
three categories, on the basis of how useful
the minerals are to the body. The first
category is ‘essential’ trace minerals, which
are necessary in a person’s diet for that
person to be fully healthy. These minerals
include zinc, copper, selenium, chromium,
manganese, molybdenum, iodine, fluoride
and cobalt.
6
Ex. 3
The second category of trace minerals is ‘toxic’
trace minerals. These are minerals that cause
toxicity problems when there is too much of any of
them in the body because, for example, there is
too much in the environment. This category
includes three from the first category of essential
elements: arsenic, cadmium and lead. Small
quantities of these are necessary for the health of
the body, but they become toxic when they are
present in the body above certain levels. Other
toxic minerals are mercury and tin.
7
Ex. 3
The third class of trace minerals is
comprised of all trace minerals not found in
the first two groups, i.e. those which are
present in the body, but are neither essential
to the body, nor cause any toxicity.
8
Ex. 5
(i) A trace mineral may be defined as one that
makes up less than 0.01% of the total body
weight.
(ii) The trace minerals group is composed of over
fifty chemical elements.
(iii) Trace minerals can be classified into three
categories, according to how useful the
minerals are to the body.
(iv) The first category includes trace minerals such
as zinc, copper and selenium, which are
necessary in a person’s diet for that person to
be fully healthy.
9
Ex. 6
(i) The term trace mineral is used to describe a
mineral that makes up less than 0.01% of the
total body weight.
(ii) The trace minerals group is made up of over
fifty chemical elements.
(iii) Trace minerals can be categorised into three
groups, depending on how useful the minerals
are to the body.
(iv) The first category includes trace minerals
which are necessary in a person’s diet for that
person to be fully healthy, and comprises
minerals such as zinc, copper and selenium.
10
Ex 7: Relative clauses
(i) The official definition of a trace mineral is one
that makes up less than 0.01% (1/10,000th part)
of the total body weight.
(ii) These are minerals that cause toxicity
problems when there is too much of any of
them in the body because, for example, there is
too much in the environment.
(iii) The first category is ‘essential’ trace minerals,
which are necessary in a person’s diet for that
person to be fully healthy.
(iv) Their equipment was not sensitive enough to
accurately measure all the chemicals they found.11
7a) Defining relative clauses
(i) The official definition of a trace mineral is
one that/which makes up less than 0.01%
(1/10,000th part) of the total body weight.
(ii) These are minerals that/which cause
toxicity problems when there is too much of
any of them in the body because, for
example, there is too much in the
environment.
12
7b) Non-defining relative clause
(iii) The first category is ‘essential’ trace
minerals, which are necessary in a person’s
diet for that person to be fully healthy.
• Provides extra information
• 7c) – note comma
13
7d) Relative clauses with no pronoun
(defining)
(iv) Their equipment was not sensitive
enough to accurately measure all the
chemicals (that/which) they found.
• ‘they’ = subject of verb ‘found’
• ‘chemicals/that/which’= object of verb
‘found’
• If ‘that/which’ = object AND relative clause
is defining, ‘that/which’ can be omitted.
7e) No
14
7(f)
• In non-defining relative clauses, use
‘which’ (but not ‘that’)
• In defining relative clauses, use ‘which’ or
‘that’
15
Ex 8.
i. Systems that/which give detailed prompts
appear to be very helpful to the inexperienced
user.
ii. Arsenic, which is an extremely toxic substance,
is sometimes used as an insecticide.
iii. The waves are transverse, which means that
the direction of oscillation has to be
perpendicular to the direction of the motion of
the wave.
iv. A load-bearing wall is a wall that/which
supports a vertical load as well as its own
weight.
16
(v) The mine, which has extracted diamonds
since the 19th century, will be closed in two
years.
(vi) The folding bicycle which/that/ they
designed at their workshop in York is selling
very well.
(vii) This involved an apparatus in which
pairs of protons are produced.
(viii) Farmers were slow to see management
as an area where/in which training could
help.
17