VOCABULARY FOR WRITING COMPOSITION

1. VOCABULARY FOR WRITING COMPOSITION Reference Guide

2. A word that denotes a person, place, or thing. In a sentence they answer the question of “who” and “what”. • noun (n.) underline once

3. A noun that denotes something that is intangible such as envy or joy.Examples: love, friendship, loyalty, hatred, justice. • Abstract

4. A noun that is used to denote a particular person, place, or thing, and is always capitalized.Examples: Abraham Lincoln, Titanic, Empire State Building • Proper noun

5. A word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence.Examples: I, his, them, their, you, and it. • Pronoun

6. The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to.Example: Mrs. Orr is sometimes crazy. She scares me. • Antecedent

7. A word that denotes action or state of being in a sentence.Types: Action, linking, or helping • Verb or predicate (v.) underline twice

8. A word that modifies, or describes, a noun or pronoun. They may precede nouns, or they may appear after a form of the reflexive verb to be (am, are, is, was, etc.)Examples: colors, numbers, size, shape, characteristics. • Adjectives (Adj.)

9. A, an, the. They precede a noun or noun phrase in a sentence. • Article

10. Modifies, or further describes: verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.*Many, though not all, end in –ly* not and very • Adverb (adv.)

11. Describes a word or makes it meaning more specific. * In English there are two parts of speech that fall under this classification: adj. & adv.* Adj. = nouns and pronouns* Adv. = verbs, adj. & adv. • Modify or modifier

12. Work in combination with a noun or pronoun to create phrases that modify verbs, nouns/pronouns, or adj.* Phrases convey a spatial, temporal, or directional meaning • Preposition

13. A word added to a sentence to convey emotion. It is not grammatically related to any other part of the sentence.Example: Stop! Your pants are on fire. • Interjection (intj.)

14. A word joins two independent clauses, or sentences together.And, but, or, either or, neither nor • Conjunction (conj.)

15. A small group of words that adds meaning to a word. It is not a sentence because it is not a complete idea with a subject and a predicate. • Phrase

16. A group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. It can not be a sentence. • Dependent Clause (DC)

17. A group of words that contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. * A simple sentence. • Independent Clause (IC)

18. Incomplete sentences.*Pieces of sentences that have become disconnected from the main clause. *One of the easiest ways to correct them is to remove the period between the fragment and the main clause.*Other kinds of punctuation may be needed for the newly combined sentence. • Fragment (frag.)

19. Persuasive speech or writing* Communicates its point persuasively. • Rhetoric

20. Provides examples or cases in point.* Provides facts, statistics, personal experiences, or interview quotations that help to achieve the purpose of the essay • Exemplification

21. Detail sensory perceptions of a person, place, or thing. • Description

22. A writing that recounts an event;* Recount of an anecdote, an experience, or an event. • Narration

23. Explains how to do something or how something happens. *The evaluation of any process. • Process Analysis

24. Discusses similarities and differences of a topic. • Comparison / Contrast

25. Divides a whole into parts or sorts related items into categories. • Division and classification

26. Provides the meaning of terms that are used.* Take note of who your audience is and ask, “Does your essay focus on any abstract, specialized, or new terms that need further explanation so the reader understands the main point?”* “Do any important words in the essay have many meanings and needs to be clarified?” • Definition

27. Analysis of something that happens and describes the consequences of a string of events; examining past events of their outcomes.* Is the purpose to inform, speculate, or argue about why an identifiable fact happens the way it does? • Cause and effect analysis

28. Convinces others through reasoning ; explanation of aspects of a particular subject, or advocating a specific opinion on a subject or issue. • Argumentation

29. The appeal to the conscience, ethics, morals standards, values, principles. • Ethos

30. The appeal to the head using logic, numbers, explanations, and facts.* Aims at a person’s intellect* The idea is that if you are logical, you will understand. • Logos

31. The appeal to the heart, emotions, sympathy, passions, or sentimentality. • Pathos

32. A reference to something real or fictional, to someone, some event, or something in the Bible, history, literature, or any phase of culture. • Allusion

33. An expression, often humorous, or sarcastic, that exposes perversity or absurdity. • Irony

34. A contradiction in terms, such as faithless devotion, searing cold, deafening silence, jumbo shrimp, act naturally, peacekeeper missile, or larger half. • Oxymoron

35. Reveals a kind of truth which at first seems contradictory.Example: Red wine is both good and bad for us. • Paradox

36. Using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning.Example: The bird of night (owl is a symbol of death) • Symbolism

37. A humorous exaggerated imitation, or travesty.Examples: The film, Airplane! Is a parody of the 1970’s era disaster films; Austin Powers films parody James Bond–type spy films. • Parody

38. * A cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound. * A form of wit that is marked by the use of sarcastic language and is intended to make its victim the butt of contempt or ridicule. • Sarcasm

39. Literary tone used to ridicule or make fun of human vice or weakness, often with the intent of correcting, or changing the subject of the satiric attack. • Satire

40. Linking devices that hold a text together structurally, e.g. the battle between good and evil: the general idea or insight about life a writer wishes to express.* All of the elements of literary terms contribute to theme.* A simple theme can often be stated in a single sentence. • Themes

41. Contrasting ideas such as black/white, darkness/light, good/bad. • Counterpoints

42. Language that evokes one or all of the five senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching. • Imagery

43. Non-literal, imaginative substitutions in which, for instance, a tree becomes a metaphor for family, or springtime symbolizes rebirth. • Metaphor / Symbolism

44. The method used by a writer to develop a character. The method includes: 1. showing the character’s appearance2. displaying the character’s actions3. revealing the character’s thoughts4. letting the character speak 5. getting the reactions of others • Characterization

45. Framing strategies • Introduction/conclusion

46. Usually first or third person that “tells” the story or events. • Narrator

47. * Gut reactions are useful here.* What is it that makes you respond as you do?* Are you the author’s intended audience?* If not, who is?The attitude a writer takes toward a subject or character: serious, humorous, sarcastic, ironic, satirical, tongue-in-cheek, solemn, objective. • Style/tone/voice

48. The comparison of two pairs that have the same relationship. * The key is to ascertain the relationship between the first so you can choose the correct second pair. • Analogy

49. Action that interrupts to show an event that happened at an earlier time which is necessary to better understanding. • Flashback

50. The use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in literature. • Foreshadowing