Smiley-Face Tricks

Specific Details for Effect

Sensory Images --details

Instead of general, vague descriptions, specific sensory details help the reader “see, hear, smell,

taste, feel” the person, place, thing, or idea.

My boyfriend sits in the second row from the left, third seat, in front of Claudia and behind Mark.

Writers engage readers by…

Senses feel/touch, smell, sight,

hear, taste As I slide on the water, I feel the splashes

of water hitting my knee. When I slow down, the fresh saltwater fumes up into my nose. As I continue to slide through the sand, I see the sand crabs frantically dodging my board and hear complaining kids saying to their moms, “I don’t want to put suntan lotion on…” I smile at my mom, who is happily enjoying her book. I yell, “Hey, Mom!” and forget that I’m on the board and wipe out!

(Alex, sixth grader – feel, smell, sight, hear)

Specific Details - Strong Words

Strong WordsChameleons that were sunbathing under

chairs scatter around my feet.

Writers engage readers by…

Figurative Language

Non-literal comparisons – such as similes, idioms, metaphors, and personification –

adding “spice” to writing and helping paint a more vivid picture for the reader.

Figurative Language

The old car coughed down the busy highway, leaving the driver in despair.

I could hear the metal edges of the snowboards and skis slice through the snow like a hot knife

through butter.(Gregg, sixth grader)

Her smile was the sun, beaming down on me.

It was raining cats and dogs.

Writers engage readers by…

Full Circle

Sometimes writers need a special ending, one that effectively “wraps up” the piece. One “trick” is to repeat a phrase from the

beginning of the piece at the end.

Full Circle

• Do I seem mad to you? I’m not mad! I’m furious! Blah, blah, blah, blah. But do I seem mad? I’m not mad! I’m furious!

Writers engage readers by…

Magic 3

Three examples in a series can create a poetic rhythm or at least add support for a point, especially when the three items have their own modifiers. (compound predicates)

Magic 3

Freddie wanted to make a wish too! After his owner threw in a penny, he let Freddie throw in one too. Freddie tightly closed his blue eyes, gently tossed in the shiny

coin, and quietly made a wish for his freedom..

Hyphenated Adjective

Sometimes a new way of saying something can make all the difference; hyphenated adjectives often cause the reader to “sit- up-and-take-notice.” They are located

immediately in front of the

noun.

Writers engage readers by…

Hyphenated Adjective

Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn’t have a sister because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was

possible to be. (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, pg. 2)

Harry and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a well-you-did-break-the-school-rules sort of expression. (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, pg. 119)

More examples – I’m-better-than-you-and-I-know-it; not-so-good; Mr.-Know-It-All; all-that-and-more; yet-to-be-

discoveredCan you think of any?

Writers engage readers by…

Expanding the MomentInstead of “speeding” past the moment, writers often

emphasize it by “expanding” the actions.

I sat down, crossed my legs, flipped my hair away from my face, and began to write.

Writers engage readers by…

Repetition

Writers often repeat specially chosen words or phrases to make a point, to stress certain

ideas for the reader.

Repetition

The river’s edge is my only shelter away from the sister in bed asleep, away from the brother that plays in the tree house in the field, and away from my chores that

await me!

Writers engage readers by…

Humor

Professional writers know the value of laughter; even subtle humor can help turn a

“boring” paper into one that can raise someone’s spirits.

Humor

• A story about Freddie, who wished to be an ant…My time’s almost up, thought Freddie to himself.

This isn’t fair. Cinderella got until midnight! (Brenna, sixth grader)

• I heard thump, thump, thump. As I woke up in the middle of Christmas night,I crept down the stairs and saw…Santa Claus crouched down

putting presents under the tree. Rip. Oh, no. His pants ripped, and I saw it all!

(Chase, sixth grader)