they have not been taught to think in terms of which structures are most appropriate for a given rhetorical situation. They've been drilled in a few specific introduction or conclusion strategies, such as beginning with a question or ending with a summary, but they've not been taught the more general principles behind introductions and conclusions and when opening with a question might be less effective than beginning with a specific case. They've been drilled in grammar and usage, but they've not been given the deeper thinking behind different levels of diction and the social contexts of idioms or even the uses of slang. Chapters in Pretexts for Writing challenge students to deepen their thinking about the rhetorical nature of writing and what is appropriate for different kinds of writing, rather than to think about rules to follow. Drawing on a rhetorical approach that includes some expressivist practices, Pretexts for Writing encourages students to engage in the art of writing for readers.

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