3/23/2015
Mr. Pettine
George Washington Carver Freshman Campus
This is the author’s use of words. Some
writer’s use a simple, informal version of
this; whereas others use an official, ornate
version of this
Diction
This is the particular way an author uses
language. This is create through diction, use
of figurative language, and sentence
patterns. May be described as plain, ornate,
formal, ironic, conversational.
Style
The author’s attitude toward a subject,
character, or audience.
Tone
These are all the meanings, associations, or
emotions that have come to be attached to
some words. These meanings are in addition
to their literal dictionary definitions.
Husky or overweight
Petite or Short
Connotation
The literal dictionary definition of a word
Denotation
This is a writer’s or speaker’s distinctive use
of language in a text. This is created by a
writer’s tone and choice of words. Skilled
writers can develop such a distinctive version
of this that they can be recognized by it
alone.
Voice
This uses an ornate, flowery, literary
vocabulary – or is straight forward and
matter of fact, disdaining slang. It is
appropriate for school papers and literary
works.
Formal Writing
This is the atmosphere or overall feeling a
story evokes.
Mood
What is this review referring to: “The writer
makes frequent use of similes and
personification. He writes in an ornate way
which recalls Victorian novelists of the 19th
century.”
Diction
What is the tone of this selection: “I
observed that he had not such a thing as a
smile about him, and that he could only
widen his mouth and make two hard creases
down his cheeks, one on each side, to stand
for one.” – Charles Dickens
a.) admiring b.) comic c.) forgiving d.)
disapproving e.) sarcastic
Disapproving
What is the mood of this selection: “During the whole of a dark, dull, soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country; and at a length found myself, as the shades of evening drew on, within view of the melancholy House of Usher.
a.) peaceful b.) mysterious c.) suspenseful d.) bleak / dreary
Bleak / Dreary
Pick the selection which best matches the author’s style: “The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun. Close against the side of the station there was the warm shadow of the building and a curtain,” – Ernest Hemingway.
a.) spare and literal descriptive style b.) ornate and flowery style c.) archaic (old-sounding) and vivid style
Spare and literal descriptive style
“Out of chars and ashes, out of dust and
coals, like golden salamanders, the old
years, the green years, might leap; roses
sweeten the air, white hair turn Irish-black,
wrinkles vanish…” – Ray Bradbury
a.) Descriptive, non-subjective style b.)
stream-of-consciousness style c.) objective,
formal style
Stream of consciousness style