The purpose of this paper is to present a detailed analysis of the style of exemplary first-year writing in order to establish and understand those features of written discourse that first-year writing teachers most value and reward. Having established the stylistic features of exemplary first-year writing, the paper goes on to provide first-year composition teachers with some suggestions that can help their students cultivate an excellent writing style. Applying Corbett's matrix to three examples of excellent first-year writing reveals much about the writing style that experienced first-year writing teachers (and textbook authors) value in the work of their students.