Skip to Main Content
  • High School Catalog
  • High School Community
  • USUnited States Store
ML Logo
  • Sign in// Register
  • search
  • minicart.altText
    0

Find what you need to succeed.

search icon
  • AP® Updates

    AP® Updates

    back
    • AP® Updates
  • Digital

    Digital

    back
    • Digital Offerings
    • E-books
    • LaunchPad
    • SaplingPlus
  • Our Story

    Our Story

    back
    • Our Mission
    • News & Media
    • Accessibility
    • Sustainability
    • Careers
    • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Solutions

    Solutions

    back
    • Administrators
    • AP® Summer Institutes
    • Home Schooler
    • International Customers
    • LMS Integration
    • Program Resources
  • Subjects

    Subjects

    back
    • Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Studies
  • Support

    Support

    back
    • Support
    • Booksellers
    • Find Your Rep
    • Find Your Account Manager
    • BFW Online Store
    • Permissions
    • Report Piracy
    • Training and Demos
  1. Home
  2. Language Arts
  3. Foundations First with Readings
  • About
  • Program
  • Preview
  • Contents
  • Authors
Foundations First with Readings by Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell - Fifth Edition, 2015 from Macmillan Student Store
Find Your Rep

Foundations First with Readings

Sentences and ParagraphsFifth Edition| ©2015 Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell

Foundations First combines engaging readings, concise yet thorough instruction, student-friendly examples, and practical exercises to get your students writing sentences and paragraphs immediately. While recognizing and respecting students’ abilities, best-selling authors and veteran colle...

Foundations First combines engaging readings, concise yet thorough instruction, student-friendly examples, and practical exercises to get your students writing sentences and paragraphs immediately. While recognizing and respecting students’ abilities, best-selling authors and veteran college writing instructors Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell break down the steps necessary to excel in college writing, tackling ESL concerns, vocabulary development, critical thinking and reading skills, and the essentials of grammar.

The authors believe that students learn to write best when they use their own writing as a starting point. Each chapter starts with a visual writing prompt that students respond to right away. As students move through the book, their skills are reinforced by samples of exemplary writing, recursive writing process instruction, and practice exercises. Students are also encouraged to return to their own writing throughout the process as they learn the value of editing and revising. This new edition incorporates user feedback with the inclusion of TEST, the Kirszner-Mandell model emphasizing the significance of the topic sentence, evidence, summary statement, and transitions in student writing. Foundations First has been redesigned with a clean, bright, and clear layout.

This edition can be packaged with LaunchPad Solo for Foundations First, which includes LearningCurve, the adaptive online quizzing program with immediate feedback that 95% of students surveyed recommended to their peers. Additional online multiple-choice grammar exercises offer even more practice on the grammar concepts students find most challenging.

Read more

Institutional Prices


  • Format
Loose-Leaf C$61.97

ISBN:9781457684968

Save money with our loose, 3-hole punched pages.


C$61.97

Paperback from C$108.29

ISBN:9781457633454

Read and study old-school with our bound texts.


C$108.29

Home Features New to This Edition Reviews
Foundations First with Readings by Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell - Fifth Edition, 2015 from Macmillan Student Store

Help students build a foundation for writing success

Foundations First combines engaging readings, concise yet thorough instruction, student-friendly examples, and practical exercises to get your students writing sentences and paragraphs immediately. While recognizing and respecting students’ abilities, best-selling authors and veteran college writing instructors Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell break down the steps necessary to excel in college writing, tackling ESL concerns, vocabulary development, critical thinking and reading skills, and the essentials of grammar.

The authors believe that students learn to write best when they use their own writing as a starting point. Each chapter starts with a visual writing prompt that students respond to right away. As students move through the book, their skills are reinforced by samples of exemplary writing, recursive writing process instruction, and practice exercises. Students are also encouraged to return to their own writing throughout the process as they learn the value of editing and revising. This new edition incorporates user feedback with the inclusion of TEST, the Kirszner-Mandell model emphasizing the significance of the topic sentence, evidence, summary statement, and transitions in student writing. Foundations First has been redesigned with a clean, bright, and clear layout.

This edition can be packaged with LaunchPad Solo for Foundations First, which includes LearningCurve, the adaptive online quizzing program with immediate feedback that 95% of students surveyed recommended to their peers. Additional online multiple-choice grammar exercises offer even more practice on the grammar concepts students find most challenging.

Features

A unique approach focuses students on improving their own writing. In each chapter, a unique exercise strand gets students writing and then guides them in applying the lessons of that chapter, giving them the opportunity to learn from their own writing. Students' competence and confidence grows and are further supported by "FYI" boxes highlighting key points, self-assessments, and review checklists.

Guides students through the essentials of writing, including the writing process, critical reading, and vocabulary acquisition. An introduction to college writing offers a primer on the writing process while Chapter 1 provides valuable tools for critical reading. "Word Power" boxes throughout the text help students build a college-level vocabulary.

Emphasizes the connection between reading and writing. Foundations First presents reading as an integral part of the writing process, offering numerous student and professional examples throughout the text. Eleven chapters give detailed coverage of paragraph development, structure, and patterns of organization, with a bonus chapter on writing essays. To supplement the writing coverage, there are 17 professional readings in Chapter 36, Readings for Writers.

Provides abundant opportunities for grammar practice and review. Hundreds of practice exercises--on current and interesting topics--help students master the fundamentals of writing and grammar. Chapter Reviews—featuring Editing Practices, Self-Assessment, and Review Checklists--and Unit Reviews help students to think critically about their writing as they work on improving it. 
 
Includes robust ESL coverage. Chapter 29 addresses concerns of nonnative writers, and ESL tips throughout the Instructor's Annotated Edition provide helpful hints to novice and experienced teachers alike.

New to This Edition

TEST, a proven self-assessment and peer review tool pioneered by Kirszner and Mandell is now integrated in each writing chapter. Thanks to user feedback, students can now use this tool to empower and guide their writing. TEST stands for Topic sentence, Evidence, Summary statement, and Transitions. This simple, easy-to-remember method helps student revise their writing and offers constructive revision feedback to their classmates.

Online grammar practice with LaunchPad Solo. Foundations First can be packaged with LaunchPad Solo, which includes access to LearningCurve, adaptive online grammar quizzing. LaunchPad Solo also features additional multiple-choice grammar exercises on nearly every grammatical concept in the book.

Streamlined grammar and writing process coverage that helps students focus. This edition of Foundations First focuses on only the most essential aspects of the writing process, allowing students to narrow in on the most challenging concepts and the most fundamental steps in writing.

User-friendly and stimulating design that makes the book easier to read. Fully redesigned, the new edition of Foundations First offers a clean, bright, and clear layout, helping students see concepts in action.

 

“I have found Foundations First to be a great package deal. I get the punctuation, grammar, and story starters. The examples given are repeated throughout each chapter with meaningful practice exercises. I can’t think of any shortcomings of this text.” –Dr. Sharon Tippins, Martin University

“I use the textbook nearly every day in class, which is a testament to its usability.” –Karen Henderson, University of Montana, Helena College of Technology

“I love the book. It has everything I need.”—Julie Warner, Armstrong Atlantic State University

“It has made my job easy by presenting clear cut and helpful challenges for my students.”—David Cassick, Los Angeles Trade Technical College

Foundations First with Readings by Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell - Fifth Edition, 2015 from Macmillan Student Store

Foundations First with Readings

Fifth Edition| ©2015

Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell

Digital Options

Foundations First with Readings by Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell - Fifth Edition, 2015 from Macmillan Student Store

Foundations First with Readings

Fifth Edition| 2015

Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell

Table of Contents

Unit One
Strategies for College Success 

An Introduction to College Writing 
1  Reading for Academic Success 
  A Becoming an Active Reader 
  B Reading Written Texts 
  C Reading in College, in the Community, and in the Workplace 
Review Checklist: Reading for Academic Success 

UNIT TWO
Writing Effective Paragraphs 

 2 Writing a Paragraph 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Understanding Paragraph Structure 
  B Focusing on Your Assignment, Purpose, and Audience 
  C Finding Ideas to Write About 
  D Identifying Your Main Idea and Writing a Topic Sentence xx 
  E Choosing Supporting Points 
  F Arranging Your Supporting Points 
  G Drafting Your Paragraph 
  H TESTing Your Paragraph 
  I Revising Your Paragraph 
Self-Assessment Checklist: Revising Your Paragraph 
Review Checklist: Writing a Paragraph 

3 TESTing Your Paragraph 
  A TESTing for a Topic Sentence 
  B TESTing for Evidence 
  C TESTing for a Summary Statement 
  D TESTing for Transitions 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: TESTing Your Paragraphs 

4 Exemplification 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Exemplification? 
  B Reading an Exemplification Paragraph 
  C Writing an Exemplification Paragraph 
TESTing an Exemplification Paragraph
Chapter Review
 

 5 Narration  
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Narration?
  B Reading a Narrative Paragraph 
  C Writing a Narrative Paragraph 
TESTing a Narrative Paragraph 
Chapter Review 

6 Description 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Description? 
  B Reading a Descriptive Paragraph 
  C Writing a Descriptive Paragraph
TESTing a Descriptive Paragraph 
Chapter Review 

7 Process 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Process? 
  B Reading a Process Paragraph 
  C Writing a Process Paragraph
TESTing a Process Paragraph 
Chapter Review 

8 Cause and Effect 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Cause and Effect? 
  B Reading a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 
TESTing a Cause-and-Effect Paragraph 
Chapter Review 

9 Comparison and Contrast 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Comparison and Contrast? 
  B Reading a Comparison-and-Contrast Paragraph 
  C Writing a Comparison-and-Contrast Paragraph 
TESTing a Comparison-and-Contrast Paragraph 
Chapter Review 

10 Classification 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Classification?
  B Reading a Classification Paragraph 
  C Writing a Classification Paragraph 
TESTing a Classification Paragraph 
Chapter Review
 

11 Definition 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Definition? 
  B Reading a Definition Paragraph 
  C Writing a Definition Paragraph 
TESTing a Definition Paragraph 
Chapter Review 

12 Argument 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A What Is Argument? 
  B Reading an Argument Paragraph 
  C Writing an Argument Paragraph 
TESTing an Argument Paragraph 
Chapter Review 

13 Writing an Essay 
  A Understanding Essay Structure 
  B Focusing on Your Assignment, Purpose, and Audience 
  C Finding Ideas to Write About 
  D Identifying Your Main Idea and Stating Your Thesis 
  E Choosing and Arranging Your Supporting Points 
  F Drafting Your Essay 
  G TESTing Your Essay
  H Revising and Editing Your Essay 
Self-Assessment Checklist: Editing Your Essay 
Self-Assessment Checklist: Revising Your Essay 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Writing an Essay 

Unit Three
Writing Effective Sentences
 

14 Writing Simple Sentences 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Identifying Subjects 
  B Recognizing Singular and Plural Subjects 
  C Identifying Prepositional Phrases  
  D Identifying Action Verbs  
  E Identifying Linking Verbs  
  F Identifying Helping Verbs 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Writing Simple Sentences 

15 Writing Compound Sentences 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Using Coordinating Conjunctions  
  B Using Semicolons 
  C Using Transitional Words and Phrases  
  Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Writing Compound Sentences 

16 Writing Complex Sentences 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Using Subordinating Conjunctions 
  B Punctuating with Subordinating Conjunctions  
  C Using Relative Pronouns 
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Writing Complex Sentences 

17 Fine-Tuning Your Sentences 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Varying Sentence Openings 
  B Combining Sentences 
  C Choosing Exact Words 
  D Using Concise Language  
  E Avoiding Clichés  
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Fine-Tuning Your Sentences 

18 Using Parallelism 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Recognizing Parallel Structure 
  B Using Parallel Structure  
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Using Parallelism 
UNIT REVIEW 
UNIT FOUR
Solving Common Sentence Problems 

19 Run-Ons 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Recognizing Run-Ons 
  B Correcting Run-Ons 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Run-Ons

20  Fragments 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Recognizing Fragments  
  B Missing-Subject Fragments 
  C Phrase Fragments 
  D Incomplete-Verb Fragments 
  E Infinitive Fragments 
  F Dependent Clause Fragments 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Fragments 

21 Subject-Verb Agreement
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement  
  B Be, Have, and Do  
  C Compound Subjects  
  D Phrases between Subject and Verb 
  E Indefinite Pronoun Subjects  
  F Verbs before Subjects 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Subject-Verb Agreement 

22 Illogical Shifts 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Shifts in Tense  
  B Shifts in Person  
  C Shifts in Voice  
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Illogical Shifts 

23 Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Correcting Dangling Modifiers 
  B Correcting Misplaced Modifiers 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers 
UNIT REVIEW 

UNIT FIVE
Understanding Basic Grammar
 

24 Verbs: Past Tense
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Regular Verbs 
  B Irregular Verbs 
  C Problem Verbs: Be 
  D Problem Verbs: Can/Could and Will/Would 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Verbs: Past Tense
 

25 Verbs: Past Participles 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Regular Past Participles 
  B Irregular Past Participles 
  C The Present Perfect Tense 
  D The Past Perfect Tense 
  E Past Participles as Adjectives 
Chapter Review
Review Checklist: Verbs: Past Participles 

26 Nouns 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Nouns 
  B Recognizing Singular and Plural Nouns 
  C Forming Plural Nouns  
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Nouns 

27 Pronouns 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Identifying Pronouns 
  B Special Problems with Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement 
  C Vague and Unnecessary Pronouns 
  D Pronoun Case  
  E Special Problems with Pronoun Case 
  F Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns  
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Pronouns 

28 Adjectives and Adverbs 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Identifying Adjectives and Adverbs
  B Comparatives and Superlatives 
  C Demonstrative Adjectives 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Adjectives and Adverbs 

29 Grammar and Usage Issues for ESL Writers 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Subjects in Sentences 
  B Count and Noncount Nouns 
  C Determiners with Count and Noncount Nouns  
  D Articles  
  E Negative Statements and Questions 
  F Verb Tense 
  G Stative Verbs  
  H Gerunds  
  I Choosing Prepositions 
  J Prepositions in Phrasal Verbs  
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Grammar and Usage Issues for ESL Writers 
UNIT REVIEW 

UNIT SIX
Understanding Punctuation, Mechanics, and Spelling

30 Using Commas
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Commas in a Series 
  B Commas with Introductory and Transitional Elements 
  C Commas with Appositives 
  D Commas with Nonrestrictive Clauses  
  E Commas in Compound and Complex Sentences 
  F Commas in Dates and Addresses 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Using Commas 

31 Using Apostrophes 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Apostrophes in Contractions 
  B Apostrophes in Possessives 
  C Incorrect Use of Apostrophes  
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Using Apostrophes 

32 Using Other Punctuation Marks 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Semicolons 
  B Colons 
  C Dashes and Parentheses 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Using Other Punctuation Marks 

33 Understanding Mechanics 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Capitalizing Proper Nouns  
  B Punctuating Quotations 
  C Setting Off Titles 
Chapter Review 
Review Checklist: Understanding Mechanics
 

34 Understanding Spelling 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter
  A Becoming a Better Speller 
  B ie and ei  
  C Prefixes 
  D Suffixes

35 Learning Commonly Confused Words 
Note: LaunchPad Solo activities available for this chapter

UNIT SEVEN
Learning College Reading Skills
 

36 Readings for Writers 
Rebeckah Bell,
It’s Possible to Graduate Debt-Free.  Here’s How 
Bobbi Buchanan, Don’t Hang Up, That’s My Mom Calling 
José Antonio Burciaga, Tortillas 
Ruel Espejo (student), Learning Tagalog 
Henry Louis Gates Jr., A Giant Step 
Roxane Gay, The Importance of Feeling Seen: Why Interracial Families on Commercials Matter  
John Hartimire, At the Heart of a Historic Moment
Karen L Hudson, Getting a Tattoo  
Tony Hawk, Do What You Love 
Suki Kim,  Forced from Home, Yet Never Free of It  
Jeremy MacClancy, Eating Chilli Peppers  
Sara Price (student), The Little Pretzel Lady 
Mario Suarez, El Hoyo 
Marc Williams (student), The Online Alternative 
Marion Winik, What Are Friends For? 
William Zinsser, The Transaction 

Appendix: Building Word Power 
Index 
Index of Rhetorical Patterns 
Parts of Speech 
Constructing a Formal Outline
Foundations First with Readings by Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell - Fifth Edition, 2015 from Macmillan Student Store

Foundations First with Readings

Fifth Edition| 2015

Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell

Find Your Rep

Authors

Laurie G. Kirszner

During their long collaboration, Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell have written a number of best-selling college texts for Bedford/St. Martin's, including Patterns for College Writing, Foundations First, Writing First, Focus on Writing, and, most recently, Practical Argument. Laurie Kirszner is a Professor of English, Emerita at St. Joseph University, where she has taught composition, literature, creative writing, and scientific writing, and served as coordinator of the first-year writing program. Stephen Mandell is a Professor of English, Emeritus at Drexel University, where he founded and directed the basic writing program and has taught composition, literature, speech, and technical and business writing.


Stephen R. Mandell

During their long collaboration, Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell have written a number of best-selling college texts for Bedford/St. Martin's, including Patterns for College Writing, Foundations First, Writing First, Focus on Writing, and, most recently, Practical Argument. Laurie Kirszner is a Professor of English, Emerita at St. Joseph University, where she has taught composition, literature, creative writing, and scientific writing, and served as coordinator of the first-year writing program. Stephen Mandell is a Professor of English, Emeritus at Drexel University, where he founded and directed the basic writing program and has taught composition, literature, speech, and technical and business writing.

Foundations First with Readings by Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell - Fifth Edition, 2015 from Macmillan Student Store

Foundations First with Readings

Fifth Edition| 2015

Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell

Find Your Rep

Program Resources

See a preview of this program’s resources

1. Sign in to unlock your preview.   |   2. Select your desired resources  |   3. Submit a request.  |   4. Download.

Unlock Your Preview.

Program Resources

request locked icon

Diagnostic and Mastery Tests for Foundations First

Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Kirszner | Fifth Edition | ©2015 | ISBN:9781457689796
request locked icon

Instructor's Resource Manual for Foundations First

Confirm Request
We're sorry! The server encountered an internal error and cannot complete your request. Please try again later.

You've selected:

Click the E-mail Download Link button and we'll send you an e-mail at with links to download your instructor resources. Please note there may be a delay in delivering your e-mail depending on the size of the files.

Warning! These materials are owned by Macmillan Learning or its licensors and are protected by copyright laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. Such materials may include a digital watermark that is linked to your name and email address in your Macmillan Learning account to identify the source of any materials used in an unauthorised way and prevent online piracy. These materials are being provided solely for instructional use by instructors who have adopted Macmillan Learning’s accompanying textbooks or online products for use by students in their courses. These materials may not be copied, distributed, sold, shared, posted online, or used, in print or electronic format, except in the limited circumstances set forth in the Macmillan Learning Terms of Use and any other reproduction or distribution is illegal. These materials may not be made publicly available under any circumstances. All other rights reserved. For more information about the use of your personal data including for the purposes of anti-piracy enforcement, please refer to Macmillan Learning's.Privacy Notice

Request Status

Thank you!

Your download request has been received and your download link will be sent to .

Please note you could wait up to 30 to 60 minutes to receive your download e-mail depending on the number and size of the files. We appreciate your patience while we process your request.

Check your inbox, trash, and spam folders for an e-mail from InstructorResources@macmillan.com.

If you do not receive your e-mail, please visit highschool.bfwpub.com/support.

We're sorry! The server encountered an internal error and cannot complete your request. Please try again later.
Foundations First with Readings by Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell - Fifth Edition, 2015 from Macmillan Student Store

Foundations First with Readings

Fifth Edition| 2015

Laurie G. Kirszner; Stephen R. Mandell

Related Titles

Available Demos

Select a demo to view:

  • US
  • //
  • Privacy Notice
  • //
  • Ads & Cookies
  • //
  • Terms of Use
  • //
  • Piracy
  • //
  • Accessibility
  • //
  • Code of Conduct
  • //
  • Site Map

AP® and Pre-AP® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, these products.

  • BFW publishers facebook
  • BFW publishers twitter
  • BFW publishers linkedin
  • BFW publishers linkedin
ML Logo
We are processing your request. Please wait...