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Image Grammar. Using Grammatical Structures to Teach Writing. Based on the book Image Grammar by Harry Noden. The 5 Basic Brush Strokes. Participles Absolutes Appositives Action Verbs Adjectives Shifted Out of Order.
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Image Grammar Using Grammatical Structures to Teach Writing Based on the book Image Grammar by Harry Noden
The 5 Basic Brush Strokes • Participles • Absolutes • Appositives • Action Verbs • Adjectives Shifted Out of Order http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2296341/2/istockphoto_2296341_artist_s_palette.jpg
Participles • Definition: • “-ing” words or phrases tagged on the beginning or the end of a sentence • Example: “-ing” = present participle; “-ed”= past participle • What they can do: • Add description to an otherwise bland sentence or string of sentences. Specifically, they give motion to a sentence.
Participle “Makeover” www.floridasportsman.com/.../cobia/9904-56.jpg
Absolutes • Definition: • Simply put, they are nouns + an “-ing” participle. • What they can do: • Add description to a noun, a subject, or a phrase acting as a noun.
Absolute “Makeover” www.freesoloist.com/page14.html
Now YOU Try ItAdd an ABSOLUTE(noun + -ing word). I ran to catch the bus.
Appositives • Definition: • A noun phrase that adds a second description, image, or idea to a previous noun. • Simply, it means that you ‘re-name’ a noun with a word or a phrase. • What they can do: • Add more description to the subject (person, place, thing, idea) of sentences.
Appositive “Makeover” www.aquafind.com/wholesalefish.php www.aquafind.com/wholesalefish.php
Now YOU Try ItAdd an APPOSITIVE(rename the bus or I) I ran to catch the bus.
Action Verbs • Definition: • Avoid “passive” voice: It was raining. I had been reading. The cookies were taken. (Watch out for “be” verbs.) • Use a verb that does something! • What they can do: • Give a sentence ACTION and movement.
Action Verb “Makeover” http://thinkinginvain.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html
Now YOU Try ItAdd an ACTION VERB(think of another word for ‘run’ to show more OR less urgency). I ran to catch the bus.
Adjectives Shifted Out of Order • Definition: • Adjectives are descriptive words that help color and enhance pictures in reader’s minds. • What they can do: • Give a “safe” and “ordinary” sentence more sophistication.
Adjectives “Makeover” Shifted Out of Order http://photo.kstaken.com/pictures/gymnast1.jpg http://photo.kstaken.com/pictures/gymnast1.jpg
Now YOU Try ItAdd some ADJECTIVES(out of order). I ran to catch the bus.
Put It All Together Look back over your practice sentences. Pick and choose parts (brush strokes) that you thought were particularly effective, and see what you can come up with for a final sentence. Just like in art, the basic brush strokes are meant to be combined and to work together.