Book excerpt: Real Skills with Readings offers practical, accessible coverage of basic sentence skills and step-by-step guidance on writing paragraphs. Like the other books in the Anker series, Real Skills motivates students with its message that writing is an essential and achievable skill. Real Skills connects engaging grammar and writing instruction with an emphasis on critical thinking and reading skills — the keys to successful writing. Real-world examples, assignments, and readings show students the relevance of writing to all aspects of their lives. Real Skills with Readings is now integrated with LearningCurve — online, adaptive quizzing activities that reinforce what students learn in the book.