DictionSyntax Style

 Your diction is simply your choice of words. There is no single, correct diction in the English language; instead, you choose different words or phrases for different contexts:  Example: › To a friend › "a screw-up" › To a child › "a mistake" › To the police › "an accident" › To an employer › "an oversight"

 Abstract Language › refers to the intangible › big ideas and concepts › “I want success.”  Concrete Language › objects or events that are available to the physical senses › “I want a gold Rolex and a Mercedes in the driveway.”

 Formal Language › usually does not contain contractions, slang, dialect, or personal pronouns › contains higher level vocabulary  Informal Language › often contains contractions, slang, dialect, personal pronouns, lower level vocabulary

 Connotation – associative meaning of a word › example – connotations of home might include family, love, warmth, etc.  Denotation – dictionary definition for a word › example – the denotation of home is a dwelling where a group of related people live

Sentence Structure is the way phrases and clauses are used to form sentences. Syntactic Fluency is the ability to create a variety of sentence structures in your writing. Syntactic Permutation is using extraordinarily complex and involved sentence structures in your writing. Simple independent clause She went to the store. Compound 2 independent clauses joined by coordinator She went to the store but she didn’t find what she needed. Complex Independent and dependent clause combinations When she got to the checkout counter, she asked to speak to the manager.

Main idea before supplementary information He went into town to buy groceries, to visit his friends, and to go to the bookstore. Loose Sentence Main idea not grammatically complete until end Love, as everyone knows except those who happen to be afflicted with it, is blind. Periodic Sentence

 Elliptical Construction – obvious words are omitted because they are implied by the context › Examples: › You are smarter than I (am). › She doesn’t like him as much as (she likes) me. › He plays much better than I (do). › Fire when (you are) ready. › If he can’t read, how can I (read)?

 Freight–train Construction – thought after thought strung together by coordinating conjunctions › Example: › And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (Matthew, 7:27)

 Inverted Construction – unusual (inverted) word order › Examples: › Only after the earthquake had taken place did the lack of safety measures become obvious. › Rarely have I eaten better food. › Had I seen her yesterday, I would have asked her about it.

 Tricolon Construction – a series of 3 parallel words, phrases, or clauses › Examples: › "Be sincere, be brief, be seated." (Franklin D. Roosevelt's advice to speakers) › "I think we've all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically." (Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean)

 Circumlocution – unnecessarily wordy and indirect language that avoids the point › Example: › It is used to avoid telling something that might otherwise harm you. For example, a man who for ulterior reasons does not want to divulge his relationship status might use circumlocution to talk about his significant other without making concessions as to his relationship. For example, instead of saying "She made dinner for me last night", he might say "Dinner was already made for me last night."

Mood – effect on the reader Tone – author’s attitude toward subject Voice – author’s distinct character Style – diction and syntax choices