ARMS Review

Multiple Choice

What does the acronym ARMS stand for?

• Add, Rewrite, Mark, Subtract

• Add, Remove, Move, Substitute

• Answer, Replace, Match, Substitute

• Ask, Rewrite, Move, Spell

​Revising with ARMS

Remember, ARMS stands for Add, Remove, Move, and Substitute.

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We use ARMS help us revise sentences to make them stronger and easier to understand. ​

English I and II | EOC Intervention​

Arms Revision Review​

Revising with ARMS: Add

​Add: What can we add to improve the sentence/paragraph?

Certain questions will ask you to add a phrase or sentence ​to a text to help the reader connect ideas.

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You may need to add transition words: words that help connect or link ideas, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs.

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In other cases, you'll need to add descriptive words: words that are used to give details and more information.​

Some text here about the topic of discussion

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Read the question above. Notice that this question is asking us to add a sentence to a paragraph. To decide where we should place it, we must figure out what type of sentence this is.

Multiple Choice

What type of sentence do you think this is?

• Transition Sentence

• Descriptive Sentence

Open Ended

Did you choose transition sentence or descriptive sentence? Explain why.

​Think about the sentence we want to add: "Students from around the world are also part of musical marching groups."

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Read the paragraph below and ask yourself: Does this sentence connect/link ideas in the text OR does it provide more information?

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​Transition or Descriptive?

In the paragraph, the writer discusses marching bands in Texas and marching bands in Japan. ​When jumping to discussing marching bands in Japan, the writer needs to provide a sentence that prepares the reader to shift to learning about marching bands in another country. The sentence we want to add can help the writer transition to talking about Japan. This is a transition sentence.

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

Now, let's answer the question.

J.T. would like to add the following sentence to the first paragraph (sentences 1–6).

"Students from around the world are also part of musical marching groups."

Where is the most effective place to insert this sentence? Go back to slide seven to re-read the paragraph.

• After sentence 1

• After sentence 2

• After sentence 4

• After sentence 5

Open Ended

Which answer did you choose? Explain why.

​If you chose C "After sentence 4," you are correct. Here's why:

​A transition, which is a word, phrase, or sentence that connects topics or ideas, is created with this sentence. In sentence 4, the author informs the reader “marching bands aren’t found in just this state or even just this country,” and then in sentence 5, the author begins to focus in on “one country” that has a unique marching band. Adding the sentence after sentence 4 creates an appropriate transition.

Revising with ARMS: Remove

​Add: What can we remove to improve the sentence/paragraph?

​When you read over the sentence or paragraph that you must revise, look for the following things to remove:

1. unnecessary words

2. sentences that don’t make sense

3. sentences that don’t relate to the paragraph’s topic

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​Let's Practice: Read the paragraph below.

 (19) Many of the students at NSSU will go on to become coaches, physical

education teachers, and trainers. (20) The university also offers master’s and

doctoral degree programs. (21) Keiko Suzuki, captain of the 2014 walking team,

says that by participating in precision walking, she and her classmates will be better

prepared for their careers. (22) “We all mastered this highly disciplined training and

made it our habit to stick to strict rules,” said Suzuki. (23) “I believe this experience

will be an asset as we enter into the job market.”​

Multiple Choice

J.T. has included an extraneous sentence in his paper. Which of these sentences should be deleted from this paper?

• Sentence 23

• Sentence 22

• Sentence 19

• Sentence 20

​If you answered D "Sentence 20," you are correct. Here's why.

The focus of sentences 19 through 23 is the benefit students at NSSU obtain from participating in precision walking. J.T. can remove the extraneous information about master’s and doctoral degree programs, since there is no connection between this sentence and the rest of the information in the paragraph.

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Revising with ARMS: Move and Substitute

​Move: What sentences or phrases can we move to make the sentence or paragraph make more sense.

Substitute: What word or phrase can we replace to make the sentence or paragraph stronger .

​As you read, consider what sentences can be moved around or what words/phrases can be changed to make the paragraph better.

​Let's Practice: Read the paragraph below. Pay close attention to sentence 11.

(7) NSSU students have perfected the nearly 50-year-old tradition of shuudan koudou, which means “collective action.” (8) The collective action is a carefully choreographed display of synchronized walking. (9) Identically dressed students walk forward and backward to form lines and shapes, even crossing between one another at times. (10) There are no musical cues for the students to use as they march in the changing formations. (11) Furthermore, they walk in perfect step by following the direction of an announcer. (12) Directors bellow loud, sharp commands, such as “Front row, turn left!” and “Cross walk,” over a loudspeaker. (13) And with each command, the students fall into perfect alignment. (14) Even the swing of their arms is synchronized. (15) A misstep by just one student creates a flaw in the perfectly coordinated display that is visible.

Multiple Choice

J.T. wants to use a more appropriate transition in sentence 11. Which of the following can best replace Furthermore in this sentence?

Look up all of these words/phrases before choosing.

• For example

• In conclusion

• Overall

• Instead

​Let's Review

​Some text here about the topic of discussion.

​If you answered D, "Instead," you are correct. Here's why:

"Replacing “Furthermore” with “Instead” in sentence 11 creates an appropriate transition, which is a word, phrase, or sentence that connects topics or ideas. Using “Instead” establishes a contrast between the musical cues used by traditional marching bands and the direction of an announcer utilized by NSSU students practicing shuudan koudou.​"

Multiple Choice

What does the M in ARMS stand for?

• Move

• Mark

• Mention

• Mobilize

Multiple Choice

What does the S in ARMS stand for?

• Substitute

• Solve

• Stop

• Sentence

Fill in the Blank

What does the A in ARMS stand for?

Fill in the Blank

What are transition words?