英语写作教材共分三册：《基础英语写作》、《中级英语写作》、《高级英语写作》，本书是第一册。 高等学校英语专业的学生在基础阶段必须狠抓写作基本功，为将来高级阶段各个专业方向的学术写作打下坚实的基础。《基础英语写作》就是为帮助学生打好坚实的写作基础而编写的。写作不仅仅是把词语写在纸上，而是通过使用词语进行交际的过程。在《基础英语写作》中，学生会一步一步经过整个过程，以自己的最终成果完成写作任务。整个教材也提供了大量练习和掌握写作技巧的机会。最为重要的是，所有写作都基于学生自己的知识、经历以及读后感。

《基础英语写作》（Basic Enlgish Writing）以段落为主，每一章由四大部分构成：（1）写前阶段的段落阅读和分析；（2）写作中在范文基础上进行结构、语言的详细讲解；（3）学生习作的评价；（4）写作练习。同其他教材相比，这本教材的主要特点是在阅读分析的基础上，让学生先建立起一定的认识，然后再教授具体的写作技巧和方法。另外，学生范文的评价和分析也有助于发现和认识写作中存在的问题和不足之处。课后练习的形式尽量多样化。教材内容以一学期的教学进行编排。

Chapter 1 Parasraph Unity
Pre-writing
Paragraph Unity
How to Write a Unified Paragraph?
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 2 Paragraph Coherence
Pre-writing
Paragraph Coherence
How to achieve coherence?
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 3 Paragraph Structure
Pre-writing
Paragraph Structure
Differentiate Topic, Main Idea, and Supporting Details
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 4 Parasraph Development
Pre-writing
What is Paragraph Development?
How to develop a paragraph fully?
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 5 Development in Time Order
Pre-writing
Developing A Narrative Paragraph
How to Write a Narrative Paragraph?
Cohesion: Connecting Words for Narration
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 5 Development in Spatial Order
Pre-Writing
Chapter 6 Developing a Descriptive Paragraph in Spatial Order
How to write a descriptive paragraph in spatial order?
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 7 Development by Illustration
Pre-writing
Developing a Paragraph of Illustration
How to Write an Illustrative Paragraph?
Cohesion: Connecting Words for Illustration
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 8 Development by Process Analysis
Pre-writing
Developing A Paragraph of Process Analysis
How to Write a Process Paragraph?
Cohesion: Connecting Words for Process Analysis
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 9 Development by Comparison and Contrast
Pre-writing
Developing A Paragraph of Comparison and Contrast:
How to Write a Paragraph of Comparison and Contrast
Cohesion: Connecting Words for Comparison and Contrast
A Special Kind of Comparison: Analogy
Evaluation of Student Samples:
Assignments
Chapter 10 Development by Cause and Effect
Pre-writing
What is a cause-and-effect analysis?
How to write a cause-effect paragraph?
Transitions in Cause-and-Effect Writing
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 11 Development by Definition
Pre-Writing
Development by Definition
How to develop your paragraph by definition?
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 12 Development by Classification
Pre-Writing
Development by Classification
How to develop your paragraph by classification?
Evaluation of Student Samples
Assignments
Chapter 13 Note-writing (1)
Pre-writing
What is a Note
Format of a note
How to Write Personal Notes
Types of notes
1. Leaving messages
2. Making and cancelling appointments
3. Making apologies
Assignments
Chapter 14 Note-writins (2)
Pre-writing
Extending invitations
Accepting or declining invitations
Expressing thanks
Congratulations
Asking for leave
Assignments
Chapter 15 Sentence Combination Skills (1)
Sentence Patterns
Sentence Fragments
Assignments
Run-ons (Fused Sentences and Comma Splices)
Assignments
Chapter 16 Sentence Combination Skills (2)
Modifiers
Misplaced Modifiers
Dangling Modifiers
Assignments
Chapter 17 Sentence Combination Skills (3)
Subject-Verb Agreement
Lack of subject-verb agreement
Assignments
Pronoun Agreement & Reference
Assignments
Chapter 18 Sentence Combination Skills (1)
Parallelism
Shift
Shift in Pronoun
Shift in Verb Tense
Assignments