Adjectives out of Order o Adjectives that come after the noun they modify o Set off by punctuation (commas or dashes) o Puts more emphasis on the adjectives & makes the reader show down
Examples: The boy, tall and thin, plays on the basketball team. The dog—small, loud, and intimidating—barked at the children as they walked by.
Adjectives out of Order o Adjectives that come after the noun they modify o Set off by punctuation (commas or dashes) o Puts more emphasis on the adjectives & makes the reader show down
Examples: The boy, tall and thin, plays on the basketball team. The dog—small, loud, and intimidating—barked at the children as they walked by.
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Appositive o Noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it o Set off by punctuation (commas, brackets, or dashes) o Provides more information about the noun before it
Examples: My car, a worthless hunk of metal, broke down. Amanda, my best friend, lives in Missouri. My fish—a small, red-tailed guppy—needs to be fed.
Appositive o Noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it o Set off by punctuation (commas, brackets, or dashes) o Provides more information about the noun before it
Examples: My car, a worthless hunk of metal, broke down. Amanda, my best friend, lives in Missouri. My fish—a small, red-tailed guppy—needs to be fed.
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Participial Phrase o Participle (ed- or –ing verb) with (optional) modifiers o Set off by punctuation (commas) o Always used as an adjective (tells more about a noun)
Examples: o Shocked by the information, the police had a new suspect to question. o Stirring in cream and sugar, he held his cup of coffee.
Participial Phrase o Participle (ed- or –ing verb) with (optional) modifiers o Set off by punctuation (commas) o Always used as an adjective (tells more about a noun)
Examples: o Shocked by the information, the police had a new suspect to question. o Stirring in cream and sugar, he held his cup of coffee.
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Absolute Phrase o Noun and a participle (-ing or –ed verb) with (optional) modifiers o Set off by punctuation (commas) o Describes the entire clause
Examples: noun participle Hands shaking, he reached out into the darkness. noun participle Head slumped down, she slept for hours on the sofa. noun participle The eagles, their wings stretched wide, flew above us.
Absolute Phrase o Noun and a participle (-ing or –ed verb) with (optional) modifiers o Set off by punctuation (commas) o Describes the entire clause
Examples: noun participle Hands shaking, he reached out into the darkness. noun participle Head slumped down, she slept for hours on the sofa. noun participle The eagles, their wings stretched wide, flew above us.
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Vivid Action Verbs o o o o
Avoid common verbs, including forms of: to be, to do, to get, and to have Avoid linking verbs (to be)—show, don’t tell! Use “colorful” descriptive verbs to paint a more vivid picture of the action Onomatopoeia used as a verb adds sensory details (crashed, banged, roared, etc.)
Examples: “The wind howled about the bus, and the wipers sloshed heavily back and forth across the windshield, smearing the city into a red and yellow neon wetness.” -Neil Gaiman, American Gods
Vivid Action Verbs o o o o
Avoid common verbs, including forms of: to be, to do, to get, and to have Avoid linking verbs (to be)—show, don’t tell! Use “colorful” descriptive verbs to paint a more vivid picture of the action Onomatopoeia used as a verb adds sensory details (crashed, banged, roared, etc.)
Examples: “The wind howled about the bus, and the wipers sloshed heavily back and forth across the windshield, smearing the city into a red and yellow neon wetness.” -Neil Gaiman, American Gods
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