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In argumentative writing, you are asked to take a position on an issue or topic and explain and support your position with research from reliable and credible sources.

Claim: What do I think?

Reason: Why do I think it?

Evidence: How do I know (proof)?

Counterclaim: What is the other side?

Rebuttal: My response to the other side?

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Context clues are important tools for readers to use when seeing unfamiliar words or phrases in a text. By using these clues, readers can better understand the meaning and context of what they are reading.

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The main idea is the central, or most important, idea in a paragraph or passage. It states the purpose of the paragraph or passage.

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Mood is the atmosphere surrounding a story and the emotions that the story evokes in the reader.

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Name: Anne Kirstie Marcelin
Date: 05/17
Period: 5th

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1. Literary Elements
2. Informational Elements
3. Vocabulary
4. Writing Elements

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Definition of Mood

As a literary device, mood refers to the emotional response that the writer wishes to evoke in the reader through a story. This response can range anywhere from feelings of calm, fear, anger, or joy depending on the literary work. In general, short stories and poems feature a consistent mood due to their length. Novels can feature more than one mood, although readers will typically identify an overall emotional response to the work as a whole. Mood allows a writer to create a memorable and meaningful story with which the reader can connect. In addition, writers reveal their artistic use of language and creative skills when establishing the mood of a literary work.

For example, in her novel about the relationships between mothers and daughters, Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club utilizes mood as a literary device to evoke emotions in the reader as a parallel for the way the mother characters attempt to emotionally connect with their daughters.

It's not that we had no heart or eyes for pain. We were all afraid. We all had our miseries. But to despair was to wish for something already lost. Or to prolong what was already unbearable...What was worse, to sit and wait for our own deaths with proper somber faces? Or to choose our own happiness?

In this passage, though the subject matter centers around pain, despair, and loss, the mood of the narrative is hopeful. Tan intentionally establishes this mood to evoke hope in readers in the same way that the mothers in the novel wish to inspire and evoke hope in their daughters.

Common Examples of Adjectives to Describe Mood

As a literary device, mood represents the emotional quality of a story that is created through the writer's use of language. Mood can be evoked through description of events in a story, its setting, reactions among characters, and even through the story's outcome or resolution of the conflict.

Here are some common examples of adjectives to describe mood:

Examples of How Writers Establish Mood

Mood is an essential literary device to bring cohesion to a story and create an emotional response in readers. This response allows readers to experience emotion and connection within a story, making the literary work more meaningful and memorable. When writers establish mood, it should be consistent with the literary work so that the mood is not disjointed from the story yet remains emotionally accessible and resonant for readers. Though it may seem difficult to achieve mood in a story without being too overt or too subtle for readers, writers can rely on four techniques to craft this literary device.

Here are some examples of how writers establish mood:

Setting

A story's setting refers to its "physical" location and time frame in which it takes place. Setting can have a distinct impact on the mood of a story. For example, if a story is set in an idyllic pasture on a sunny day, readers will be inclined to expect a happy mood. In turn, if a story is set in a futuristic dystopia, readers may expect a mood of tension or hopelessness.

Tone

Though tone and mood appear similar, they are distinct. Mood indicates the emotions evoked in the reader by the story. Tone refers to the narrator's attitude toward the events taking place in the story, which can also evoke emotion in a reader. The tone of a narrator can contribute to a story's mood by enhancing the reader's emotional response.

Choice of Words

Word choice in a story is key to establishing its mood. This includes the way words "sound" to a reader, perhaps harsh or loving, and the use of connotative meanings of words. For example, if a writer states that a family returned to their house, the implied meaning is that the family has come back to the structure in which they live. If, instead, a writer states that a family has returned to their home, the implied meaning is that the family has come back to a place of comfort and belonging. A writer's choice of words is significant in establishing a story's mood by evoking emotional responses in readers.

Subject Matter

The subject matter of a story can also help establish its mood. For example, a story about war is likely to feature a sad mood, whereas a story about romantic love is likely to feature a happy mood.

Difference Between Mood and Atmosphere

Though mood and atmosphere can seem interchangeable as literary devices, they are distinguishable. Essentially, mood is a literary device that is created directly by the writer to evoke an emotion in the reader. Atmosphere is a general feeling or sensation generated by the environment of a scene in a literary work. Atmosphere is a feeling imposed on the reader rather than an emotion evoked in a reader. For example, the atmosphere of a very dramatic scene in literature may be described as restrictive. However, "restrictive" is not applicable in describing the mood and emotion of the reader in response to the scene. Instead, restrictive applies to the atmospheric feeling of the environment created in the scene, not the mood.

Examples of Mood in Literature

Establishing mood in a story, poem, novel, or other fictional work is an essential literary device. Mood engages the reader with the narrative and helps them understand many aspects of a story on an emotional level. This allows the reader to make further connections with the literary work as the writer is able to express deeper meaning.

Here are some examples of mood in well-known literature:

Example 1: Eurydice (H.D.)

So you have swept me back,
I who could have walked with the live souls
above the earth,
I who could have slept among the live flowers
at last;

so for your arrogance
and your ruthlessness
I am swept back
where dead lichens drip
dead cinders upon moss of ash;

so for your arrogance
I am broken at last,
I who had lived unconscious,
who was almost forgot;

In her poem, H.D. gives Eurydice (a nymph in Greek mythology, daughter of Apollo, and wife of Orpheus) a voice to express her anger and resentment at her fate. Orpheus has the chance to rescue Eurydice from the Underworld and bring her back to life on Earth, under the condition that he not look back at her until both of them are touched by daylight. Unfortunately, Orpheus looks back at Eurydice as soon as he reaches the surface, not waiting for her to do the same, and she is banished once again to the Underworld forever.

The mood of the poem that H.D. establishes for the reader on the part of Eurydice is anger and resentment at Orpheus for his actions in determining her fate. This is clear through her choice of words such as "arrogance," "ruthlessness," and "broken." However, there is an overarching mood of anguish in the poem as well that evokes the same feeling for readers. This anguish is a result of the "promise" of being brought back to life on Earth and all its beauty for Eurydice. She is in as much pain for the reawakening of hope in her at the thought of being among the living, and the anguished mood of the poem evokes these emotions in the reader as well.

Example 2: And Then There Were None (Agatha Christie)

The others went upstairs, a slow unwilling procession. If this had been an old house, with creaking wood, and dark shadows, and heavily panelled walls, there might have been an eerie feeling. But this house was the essence of modernity. There were no dark corners - no possible sliding panels - it was flooded with electric light - everything was new and bright and shining. There was nothing hidden in this house, nothing concealed. It had no atmosphere about it. Somehow, that was the most frightening thing of all. They exchanged good- nights on the upper landing. Each of them went into his or her own room, and each of them automatically, almost without conscious thought, locked the door....

In her well-known novel, Christie makes an interesting and clear delineation between mood and atmosphere in a narrative. The atmosphere of the house where the group is staying is modern, new, and open, and therefore emanates what should be a non-threatening feeling to the characters and readers as well. However, in describing the behavior of the characters in this "non-threatening" setting, the mood of the story becomes ominous and foreboding. Therefore, Christie utilizes mood as a literary device to evoke feelings in the reader of nervousness and fear even though the atmosphere of the setting does not appear frightening. This makes for an engaging and memorable reading experience.

Example 3: The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)

He looked across the sea and knew how alone he was now. But he could see the prisms in the deep dark water and the line stretching ahead and the strange undulation of the calm. The clouds were building up now for the trade wind and he looked ahead and saw a flight of wild ducks etching themselves against the sky over the water, then blurring, then etching again and he knew no man was ever alone on the sea.

In his well-known novel, Hemingway portrays a character (the old man) who lives much of his life in isolation and often suffers from loneliness. However, as demonstrated in this passage, the overall mood of the story reflects the comforting presence of nature, which eases the man's feelings of loneliness and those of the reader as well. Hemingway establishes this mood through the peaceful and comforting tone of the narrator towards the old man and the setting, which influences the reader's emotions.

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Mood - Examples and Definition of Mood as a Literary Device

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As a literary device, mood refers to the emotional response that the writer wishes to evoke in the reader through a story. This response can range anywhere from feelings of calm, fear, anger, or joy depending on the literary work. In general, short stories and poems feature a consistent mood due to their length.

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Tone is the attitude a writer expresses toward the subject of their text.

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TONE: What is Tone? Examples of Tone in Writing | Grammarly

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There are many elements needed to write well. In addition to learning technical skills, like correct spelling and grammar, conveying your intended tone in your writing is equally valuable.

Learning how to master tone-whether you're writing a business correspondence or writing short fiction-helps you convey your true attitude about a topic to your reader. Here's what you need to know about tone, including what it is and how to discover what tone to use .

Table of contents

Examples of tone in writing

How to use the right tone

How word choice supports tone

How Grammarly's tone detector can help

What is tone?

Tone reveals the author's attitude about a subject or topic to their reader. It can be delivered in different ways, like through word choice , punctuation, and sentence structure .

It's similar to when you're engaging with someone in person. Your facial expression, vocal pitch, and body language might convey a certain tone that informs the language you use in conversation.

By using the right tone in your writing, your readers can better understand your emotions regarding a topic. It's a signal to your reader about how your writing should make them feel. Your tone might be delightful or sarcastic, lighthearted or aggressive, among other types of tones, all through your writing.

Examples of tone in writing

The following excerpt from "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night", a poem by Dylan Thomas, conveys a tone of urgency and desperation:

"Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rage at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Professional writing , however, might suggest a cordial-but urgent-tone, like in this example:

"Thanks for agreeing to help me with this project! I'd really appreciate your PowerPoint slides ASAP so we have enough time to practice before our 8 a.m. presentation tomorrow."

When writing a note to a friend that shares an urgent message (but in a playful tone), it might look like this:

"Hey, Jocelyn! Thanks for dog-sitting Cooper for me tonight. I forgot to give him his medicine so can you PLEAAASE help me out and give him one pill ASAP? Have I ever told you that you're the BEST?! :)"

How to use the right tone

Choosing the right tone might feel like a monumental task. To help you bring out your intended tone from your writing, answer a few questions:

1 Who are you writing this for?

Your audience can help you narrow down an appropriate tone as you're writing. A letter to a business client might take a formal tone while a holiday card for your hairstylist might use a playful and casual tone.

Determine the reason for your writing. Your purpose, like gaining a prospective client's business versus sending a close friend a holiday greeting will result in different tones.

3 What do you want the reader to take away?

Your writing communicates an idea, topic, or other information. Think about what you'd like your recipient to learn, feel, or act on after reading your writing.

After considering these questions, you'll have a clearer sense of the types of tone that might be appropriate for your writing.

How word choice supports tone

The words you choose in your writing give your reader tremendous clarity about its tone. Although you can decide between a handful of words with a similar meaning, deliberate word choice gives your writing added connotation that informs tone.

For instance, "listless" denotes a lack of energy or spirit, while "tired" can also suggest a similar meaning. But choosing "listless" has a deeper meaning of indifference and apathy. Thus, the connotations of your word choices affect the tone and meaning of your writing.

How Grammarly's tone detector can help

As you become more aware of how you write tone, the attitude you're sharing with your reader will be more consistent throughout your writing. Another way to check in on this skill is by using Grammarly's tone detector .

Landing an effective tone can be hard to get right on the first try, but tools like Grammarly ease this learning curve by helping you become a better writer.

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Tone: The Complete Guide to Writing with Tone

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Tone is the writer's expression in writing created by conveying certain emotions and attitudes within the text. Learn more about tone and how to use it.

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Diction is the choice of words writers use to communicate their ideas.

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Diction - Definition and Examples | LitCharts

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A concise definition of Diction along with usage tips, an expanded explanation, and lots of examples.

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Figurative language is the use of descriptive words, phrases and sentences to give a message that means something without directly saying it.
Idiom: phrase that is common in a language or culture that means something different from how it literally sounds.
Simile:  figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by like or as.

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Idiom Definition

What is an idiom? Here's a quick and simple definition:

An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase. For example, saying that something is "beyond the pale" is an idiomatic way of saying that it is improper or "over the line," but you would only know that if someone had explained it to you, or if you had been able to infer its meaning based on context.

Some additional key details about idioms:

Idioms are usually specific to a particular region, culture, language, or dialect, and they are often difficult to translate from one language or culture to another.

Although many idioms are widely understood by people within the region, culture, or language where they are used, some idioms are less commonly used than others, and therefore would not make sense to someone who hadn't heard the idiom used frequently, or who hadn't has the meaning explained to them.

Idioms become popularized through everyday spoken language, but they are widely used in writing and literature, too. Writers often use idioms in dialogue in order to create realistic voices for their characters, and using idioms can also more generally make writing seem down-to-earth and accessible.

How to Pronounce Idiom

Here's how to pronounce idiom: ih-dee-um

Understanding Idioms

Idioms are groups of words that only make sense when they are interpreted figuratively rather than literally. For example, if you were waiting in line at the DMV to renew your driver's license and suddenly realized you'd forgotten to bring all the right documents, you might complain about all the "red tape" preventing people from renewing your license. But if the person standing in line next to you had never heard this idiom and interpreted your words literally, they would probably be confused, because they wouldn't see any red tape anywhere. However, someone who knows the idiom would understand that by "red tape" you simply mean "unnecessary bureaucratic regulations." Similarly, if someone were to say, "I can't believe I have to jump through all of these hoops to get my license," they wouldn't literally mean that the DMV requires them to jump through hoops-they're simply complaining that they need to fulfill so many different requirements in order to get their license.

Where Idioms Come From

The majority of idioms originated as phrases with literal meanings, and only later came to have a figurative and more widely-known meaning. "Red tape" is one such idiom: in England, the government used to use red ribbon to bind packets of legal documents together, so red tape came to be associated with bureaucracy and legal regulations. But the phrase continued to be used long after legal documents ceased to be tied with red ribbon, and today "red tape" is an idiom that is used exclusively as a figurative expression.

Idioms Are Set Phrases

Idioms are said to be "set phrases," meaning that they only make sense if you use them exactly. For instance, if instead of using the term "red tape" when complaining about all the bureaucracy at the DMV you instead complained about all of the "crimson ribbon," no one would have any idea what you're talking about. Idioms are almost set phrases, in that they only make sense when they aren't modified.

Idioms, Colloquialisms, and Euphemisms

Idioms are related to and sometimes confused with two other literary terms: colloquialisms and euphemisms.

Colloquialisms vs. Idioms

Colloquialisms are informal words or phrases in writing or speech that only make sense to people of a particular community. Such communities are usually defined in geographical terms, meaning that colloquialisms are often delineated by their use within a dialect, a regionally-defined variant of a larger language. Colloquialisms differ from idioms in two ways:

Figurative vs non-figurative: Colloquialisms can be either figurative or literal, while idioms must be figurative.

Length: A colloquialism can be one or more words, while an idiom is always a set phrase of two or more words.

Idioms are a subset of colloquialisms: all idioms are colloquialisms, but not all colloquialisms are idioms. Colloquialisms can be idioms, but they can also be aphorisms, terminology, or even profanity. For instance, the terms "pop," "coke," and "soda," are all different colloquialisms used in different parts of the United States to mean "bubbly sugar water." These colloquialisms are not idioms, though, because they aren't figurative and they're single words.

Euphemisms vs. Idioms

Euphemisms are mild, indirect, or gentle words or phrases substituted for other words or phrases that are considered to be too embarrassing, unpleasant, offensive, or harsh to use in formal settings or in polite conversation. When we say that someone "passed away" instead of saying that they died, we are using a phrase that is both an idiom and a euphemism: the phrase is a figurative way of saying in an unoffensive way that someone died.

However, not all idioms are euphemisms, because not all idioms are designed to avoid having to state something uncomfortable directly. Similarly, not all euphemisms are idioms, because not all euphemisms are "set phrases," as an idiom must be. For example, when it was discovered in 2013 that former director of national intelligence, James Clapper, had lied to the US Senate, Clapper explained that he had responded in "the least untruthful manner" possible. Because it is not a widely used set phrase with a figurative meaning, "the least untruthful manner" is not an idiom, but it is a euphemism because it is meant to soften the uncomfortable reality of Clapper's lie.

Idiom Examples

Examples of Idioms in Everyday Speech

Idioms are such a central part of ordinary speech that people often use them without thinking about the fact that they're employing a form of figurative language.

Idioms and Death

If you want to inoffensively state that a person has died, you might say that they passed away. This idiom is also a euphemism.

You could also say that someone bit the dust or kicked the bucket-but these idioms are considered crude and insensitive, and therefore are not euphemisms.

The idiom bucket list is related to the idiom kicked the bucket-it's not a list of buckets, but a list of things you want to do before you "kick the bucket."

Again, if you're not worried about being polite, you might say that a person who is dead and buried is pushing up daisies.

And if you say that someone is sleeping with the fishes, it means they've been killed and disposed of in some body of water. (This particular idiom originated in the film The Godfather.)

Idioms and Sleep

If you're about to go to bed, you might announce that you're planning to or hit the sack.

If you want to get some sleep, you could say you want to catch some shut-eye.

And if a person sleeps so soundly that it is difficult to wake them, you could say they sleep like a log.

A cat nap is a particularly short nap, usually in the middle of the day.

Idioms and Body Parts

A person who is very busy might say, "I have my hands full."

Someone who is prepared to listen attentively might tell you, "I'm all ears!"

If someone guesses what you are thinking, you could tell them, "You read my mind!"

To wish an actor luck, people often tell them, "Break a leg!"

If you plan to watch someone closely, you might say, "I'm going to keep an eye on them."

Examples of Idioms in Literature

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

In Much Ado About Nothinthe character Antonio says of his brother Leonato:

If he could right himself with quarreling,
some of us would lie low.

In this scene, Antonio muses that, if his brother could fight, his enemies would do well to hide from him-implying that they'd surely be defeated. The idiom "to lie low," which means to hide oneself or to remain hidden in order to avoid notice, was already in common usage when Shakespeare wrote Much Ado About Nothing (though Shakespeare is known not only for using many idioms, but for coining (or inventing) original figurative expressions that over time have become widely used idioms.)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

In the opening chapter The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom, the novel's protagonist and title character, plays a trick on his Aunt Polly. Uncertain if she should laugh or reprimand him, she says:

Can't learn an old dog new tricks, as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days, and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down again and I can't hit him a lick.

This passage is full of idioms. To "get one's dander up" is an idiom meaning to arouse one's anger; and "to put someone off" is to delay, discourage, or dissuade them. Aunt Polly uses these two idioms together to express that Tom always teases her just enough to momentarily anger her before making her laugh and persuading her to forgive him. Twain is known for using idioms and colloquial language in his writing, and this passage is an excellent example of how writers can use idioms in dialogue to give their characters distinct, lifelike voices.

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

In As I Lay Dying, Addie Bundren's husband, Anse, announces that after Addie dies, the family will have to take her body to be buried in Jefferson. Even though the trip will be a difficult one, he says they must go because:

Her mind is set on it.

The idiom "to have one's mind set on something" means to be determined to do something, or to be determined that something will happen. As I Lay Dying is narrated by 15 different characters, and Faulkner gives each of them their own distinctive voice. One of the ways he does this is by having characters speak using idioms and colloquial language.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

In this passage in Everything I Never Told You, the character Marilyn thinks about her mother, Doris Walker, who is a home economics teacher:

Newcomers to the school district assumed Mrs. Walker was a widow. Her mother herself never mentioned it. She still powdered her nose after cooking and before eating she still put on lipstick before coming downstairs to make breakfast. So they called it keeping house for a reason, Marilyn thought. Sometimes it did run away.

Here, Marilyn contemplates the idiom "keeping house," which means to take care of a household by cooking, cleaning, and so on. Marilyn's observation that "sometimes [houses] did run away" rests on her literal interpretation of the word "keep," which implies that one could lose a house if they don't "keep" it.

Examples of Idioms in Pop Music

Idiom in "We Are Never Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift

In the song "We Are Never Getting Back Together," Taylor Swift uses two idioms to describe her decision to end a romantic relationship:

Ooh, we called it off again last night
But ooh, this time I'm telling you, I'm telling you
We are never ever ever getting back together

When Swift sings that she and her partner "called it off," she employs an idiom that means to cancel something-and in this case, the thing that they are canceling is their relationship. When she says, "We are never getting back together," she is using another idiom: to get together can either mean to begin dating, or alternatively it can be a euphemistic idiom for being physically intimate with someone.

Why Do Writers Use Idioms?

Writers use idioms for many of the same reasons people use idioms in everyday speech: these pithy, "set phrases" of figurative language convey ideas in a neat and easily recognizable way. Often, people use idioms without thinking much about it (for many, it's just as natural to say that they'll "give it a shot" as it is to say they'll try something, and simpler to say that they're "getting in the holiday spirit" than it is to say that they're in the mood to participate in seasonal festivities). Here are some of the other reasons a writer might choose to use an idiom rather than saying something without the use of figurative language:

Writers often use idioms to create a distinctive voice for their narrators or other characters.

It's particularly common to see idioms in dialogue because writers want their characters to sound like real people, and real people use idioms all the time. Writers can use idioms to convey a character's tone and emotions, too.
When, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Aunt Polly says that Tom knows how to get her dander up, readers can infer that Tom is annoying or angering her, but the silly-sounding idiom creates a more lighthearted and humorous tone than if she were to say that Tom knows how to torment and infuriate her.

Writers may choose different idioms to express the same thing depending on the context, since different idioms carry different connotations.
For instance, it creates a very different impression for a character to say that a deceased person "passed away" than if they were to say that the person "kicked the bucket."

Writers, of course, have linguistic habits just like everyone else, and they sometimes use an idiom simply because it feels like the best or most natural way to communicate an idea.

Other Helpful Idiom Resources

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What is an idiom? Here's a quick and simple definition: An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase.

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Questions about the "main idea" of a passage are popular on reading comprehension tests, but sometimes, those questions are pretty difficult to answer, especially for students who are not completely sure they understand what the main idea really is. Finding the main idea of a paragraph or longer passage of text is one of the most important reading skills to master, along with concepts like making an inference, finding the author's purpose, or understanding vocabulary words in context.

Here are a few techniques to help understand what, exactly, is a "main idea" and how to identify it accurately in a passage.

How to Define the Main Idea

The main idea of a paragraph is the primary point or concept that the author wants to communicate to the readers about the topic. Hence, in a paragraph, when the main idea is stated directly, it is expressed in what is called the topic sentence. It gives the overarching idea of what the paragraph is about and is supported by the details in subsequent sentences in the paragraph. In a multi-paragraph article, the main idea is expressed in the thesis statement, which is then supported by individual smaller points.

Think of the main idea as a brief but all-encompassing summary. It covers everything the paragraph talks about in a general way, but does not include the specifics. Those details will come in later sentences or paragraphs and add nuance and context; the main idea will need those details to support its argument.

For example, imagine a paper discussing the causes of World War I. One paragraph might be dedicated to the role that imperialism played in the conflict. The main idea of this paragraph might be something like: "Constant competition for massive empires led to increasing tensions in Europe that eventually erupted into World War I." The rest of the paragraph might explore what those specific tensions were, who was involved, and why the countries were seeking empires, but the main idea just introduces the overarching argument of the section.

When an author does not state the main idea directly, it should still be implied, and is called an implied main idea. This requires that the reader look closely at the content-at specific words, sentences, images that are used and repeated-to deduce what the author is communicating.

How to Find the Main Idea

Finding the main idea is critical to understanding what you are reading. It helps the details make sense and have relevance, and provides a framework for remembering the content. Try these specific tips to pinpoint the main idea of a passage.

1) Identify the Topic

Read the passage through completely, then try to identify the topic. Who or what is the paragraph about? This part is just figuring out a topic like "cause of World War I" or "new hearing devices;" don't worry yet about deciding what argument the passage is making about this topic.

2) Summarize the Passage

After reading the passage thoroughly, summarize it in your own words in one sentence. Pretend you have just ten to twelve words to tell someone what the passage is about-what would you say?

3) Look at the First and Last Sentences of the Passage

Authors often put the main idea in or near either the first or last sentence of the paragraph or article, so isolate those sentences to see if they make sense as the overarching theme of the passage. Be careful: sometimes the author will use words like but, however, in contrast, nevertheless, etc. that indicate that the second sentence is actually the main idea. If you see one of these words that negate or qualify the first sentence, that is a clue that the second sentence is the main idea.

4) Look for Repetition of Ideas

If you read through a paragraph and you have no idea how to summarize it because there is so much information, start looking for repeated words, phrases, or related ideas. Read this example paragraph:

A new hearing device uses a magnet to hold the detachable sound-processing portion in place. Like other aids, it converts sound into vibrations, but it is unique in that it can transmit the vibrations directly to the magnet and then to the inner ear. This produces a clearer sound. The new device will not help all hearing-impaired people-only those with a hearing loss caused by infection or some other problem in the middle ear. It will probably help no more than 20 percent of all people with hearing problems. Those people who have persistent ear infections, however, should find relief and restored hearing with the new device.

What does this paragraph consistently talk about? A new hearing device. What is it trying to convey? A new hearing device is now available for some, but not all, hearing-impaired people. That's the main idea!

Avoid Main Idea Mistakes

Choosing a main idea from a set of answer choices is different than composing a main idea on your own. Writers of multiple choice tests are often tricky and will give you distractor questions that sound much like the real answer. By reading the passage thoroughly, using your skills, and identifying the main idea on your own, though, you can avoid making these 3 common mistakes: selecting an answer that is too narrow in scope; selecting an answer that is too broad; or selecting an answer that is complex but contrary to the main idea.

Resources and Further Reading

Updated by Amanda Prahl

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How to Find the Main Idea of a Reading Passage

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Here are some tips to help you locate or compose the main idea of any reading passage, and boost your score on reading and verbal standardized tests.

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A rhetorical appeal is the formal way of talking about how you use different methods to persuade someone.

Ethos: Appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them.

Pathos: Appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry, for example.

Kairos: Refers to the right or appropriate time to say or do the right or appropriate thing

Logos: Appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments.

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What is Ethos? Definition, Examples, and Techniques - TCK Publishing

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Learn how to use ethos in your writing and rhetoric by establishing your credibility as a source that your audiences can trust.

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Of the three modes of persuasion, pathos is often seen as the least impactful when compared with its counterparts, ethos and logos.

Yet we shouldn't be too quick to discard pathos, the persuasive tool that appeals to our emotions. It's done wonders for advertisers, writers, and certainly politicians.

When something pulls at our feelings and emotions, we can be quick to react. Whether that reaction is buying a car, watching a film, or simply changing ideas, we shouldn't underestimate the power of pathos to influence our actions.

Pathos Definition

Pathos is a tool of persuasion that is used to appeal to readers' emotions by arousing positive or negative feelings.

It can be used in rhetoric, literature, film, and other forms of expression. While pathos is used to draw an emotional response, the other rhetorical appeals-ethos and logos-appeal to credibility and logic, respectively. All three were coined by Aristotle in 350 B.C.

By learning to use pathos in your writing, you can develop stronger persuasive arguments and even create richer narratives.

How to Use Pathos in Writing

The following are tools that you can use to incorporate pathos in your writing. They can be effective in both narratives and nonfiction.

Sensory Details

Incorporating sensory details-also known as " showing, not telling "-is an effective way to create strong images and draw emotions from your readers.

In advertisements for products like food or cars, companies don't just tell us what their product looks like-they show us. They also show people's emotions while they use their products.

While you likely can't show actual images in your writing, you can create them in your reader's mind by using sensory details.

For example, if you're trying to persuade readers that stricter environmental laws are important, you might open with sensory details describing a recent oil spill and the devastating damage it caused.

By getting a strong visual of the disaster, your reader will feel like they've actually seen the mess and they're more likely to feel compelled to take action.

Strategic Word Choice

Word choice is very important to successfully using pathos. This is because the words we read and hear trigger certain feelings.

Positive words can evoke feelings of excitement, possibility, and happiness. Negative words can just as effectively evoke fear or worry, bringing audiences to change their behaviors in order to avoid whatever bad outcome has been described.

If you're trying to evoke an emotional response from readers, don't rely on weak, ordinary language to get the job done.

If you want to describe a situation as "bad," use words like "horrific" or "appalling" instead. Similarly, if you want to convey a positive experience, you might try describing it as "breathtaking" or "unforgettable."

Anecdotes

Anecdotes are another effective way of evoking emotion.

An anecdote is a short story within an essay or work of literature. Since it takes a narrative form, it can be a great way to draw readers into your argument or main story before backing it up with facts and research.

In your persuasive writing, you might use a personal anecdote (a story of something you've experienced) to appeal to your readers' emotions. Because you experienced the event firsthand, you'll also add a sense of credibility to your work.

Examples of Pathos

If you turn on your television or open a book today, you probably won't have to search long before coming across an example of pathos.

The rhetorical appeal is used frequently in literature, politics, and advertisements.

Pathos in Literature
"He had meant the best in the world, and had been treated like a dog-like a very dog. She would be sorry someday-maybe when it was too late. Ah, if he could only die TEMPORARILY!"
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

This excerpt draws pity from readers as the narrator explains how Tom was treated like a "dog" by the girl he loved with honest intentions. Tom is so overcome that he wishes he could die briefly just so she might feel sorry for him.

Because love, rejection, and pain are universal concepts that most of us have experienced, this application of pathos is an effective appeal because we can all understand how Tom is hurting.

Pathos in Politics
"It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker's son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too."
-Barack Obama, keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention

This speech, delivered by then-Senator Barack Obama, speaks to the experiences of everyday Americans. It sparks feelings of patriotic pride-that we can come from anywhere and from any circumstances and still have hope for a better life.

It also echoed the hopes of many Americans that things could get better following the invasion of Iraq and the first term of the Bush administration.

The speech was intended to appeal to voters who might still be on the fence between presidential candidates John Kerry and George W. Bush.

Of course, pathos is also used in political rhetoric to invoke fear and worry.

In the media, many situations are quickly labeled as "crises," such as an "economic crisis" or "immigration crisis." The goal, however, is always the same: to get voters to take action.

Pathos in Advertising

In Cheerios' "Good Goes Around" campaign, smiles, sunshine, and bright colors echo with positivity as consumers are encouraged to associate the cereal with these good vibes.

This is a very common strategy used throughout advertising. Marketers appeal to our emotions in order to get us to start diets, donate money, or buy tickets to see a film.

While ethos and logos can be equally important in advertising, we're most likely to take action when we feel personally invested in something-which is why pathos is an indispensable tool for advertisers.

Use Pathos to Improve Your Writing

Whether you're writing to persuade or entertain, pathos can enrich your writing and help you to forge emotional connections with your readers.

Start practicing today to see if you can apply the three modes of persuasion for more effective prose.
Which techniques have helped you improve your writing? Feel free to share in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

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What is Pathos? Definition, Examples, and Techniques for More Persuasive Writing - TCK Publishing

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Of the three modes of persuasion, pathos is often seen as the least impactful when compared with its counterparts, ethos and logos. Yet we shouldn't be too quick to discard pathos, the persuasive tool that appeals to our emotions. It's done wonders for advertisers, writers, and certainly politicians.

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There are three modes of persuasion-ethos, pathos, and logos-that are frequently used to appeal to audiences when making an argument.

Ethos makes an appeal to credibility, while pathos works at our emotions to get us to think, feel, or act in a certain way.

Logos, however, works its magic by appealing to logic and reason, making it an excellent asset for both written and spoken discourse.

Logos Definition

Derived from the Greek for "logic," logos is a rhetorical device that uses reason and logic to persuade an audience. It can be implemented using facts, figures, or logical statements.

Logos can be divided into two categories: inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning.

Inductive reasoning starts with specific cases to draw a more general conclusion.

For example:

I always leave for work at 7:15 a.m. I am always on time.

If I leave for work at 7:15 today, I will be on time.

Deductive reasoning, on the other hand, moves from general principles to a more specific conclusion.

For example:

All numbers ending in 0 are divisible by 10.

40 ends in 0, therefore it must be divisible by 10.

In some arguments, both deductive and inductive reasoning are used to persuade audiences.

How to Use Logos in Writing

Logos can be used to support arguments in persuasive writing, in rhetoric, and even in advertisements.

To appeal to logos, you can try the following strategies:

While logical reasoning is perhaps most useful in nonfiction, it can also be used effectively in literature.

Examples of Logos

If you look closely, you can find examples of logos in everyday life, from TV ads to political speeches.

Logos in Literature

In William Shakespeare's Othello, the antagonist, Iago, uses logos to plant seeds of doubt in Othello's mind that his wife might be having an affair with Cassio:

"Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy!

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on ...

Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger,

But oh, what damnèd minutes tells he o'er

Who dotes, yet doubts-suspects, yet soundly loves ...

She did deceive her father, marrying you ...

She loved them most ...

I humbly do beseech you of your pardon

For too much loving you ..."

By reminding Othello that Desdemona betrayed her father to marry him, Iago is using an argument that he knows will seem logical in Othello's mind.

Logos in Politics

Politicians often use all three appeals-logos, ethos, and pathos-in order to appeal to their constituents.

Former President Barack Obama's 2016 State of the Union Address is an example that uses all three, but the excerpt below highlights his use of logos in particular:

"We're in the middle of the longest streak of private sector job creation in history. More than 14 million new jobs, the strongest two years of job growth since the '90s, an unemployment rate cut in half. Our auto industry just had its best year ever. That's just part of a manufacturing surge that's created nearly 900,000 new jobs in the past six years. And we've done all this while cutting our deficits by almost three-quarters."

By pointing to hard facts and statistics (like "14 million new jobs" and "unemployment rate cut in half"), audiences will be able to conclude for themselves that the state of the economy is strong.

Logos in Advertising/Marketing

While many ads rely more heavily on ethos and pathos (appeals to credibility and emotion), logos is often used to illustrate that buying or investing in a product is logical and in the best interest of the customer.

For example, many car advertisements highlight a car's gas mileage as a logical way to save money in the long-term.

Use Logos to Improve Your Writing

Whether you're writing to persuade or entertain, pathos can enrich your writing and help you gain the trust of your readers.

Start practicing with writing prompts today to see if you can apply the three modes of persuasion for more effective prose.
Which techniques have helped you improve your persuasive writing? Feel free to share in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

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What is Logos? Definition, Examples, and Techniques - TCK Publishing

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There are three modes of persuasion-ethos, pathos, and logos-that are frequently used to appeal to audiences when making an argument. Ethos makes an appeal to credibility, while pathos works at our emotions to get us to think, feel, or act in a certain way.

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" This is the right time, and this is the right thing."
- Sir Thomas Moore

"Kairos" is an ancient rhetorical concept that has gained importance in different disciplines over the centuries. So what is it? Kairos is knowing what is most appropriate in a given situation; for our purposes, let's think of it as saying (or writing) the right thing at the right time.

Appeals to kairos in written form try to make use of the particular moment-attempting to capture in words what will be immediately applicable, appropriate, and engaging for a particular audience. Kairos is timeliness, appropriateness, decorum, symmetry, balance-awareness of the rhetorical situation or "the circumstances that open moments of opportunity" (Kinneavy; Sipiora; Vatz; Bitzer; Hill 217). Kairos is crafting serendipity, like when the sun comes out at the end of a romantic comedy after all the conflicts have been resolved.

In Greek, both kairos and chronos literally mean "time," but kairos does not mean "time" in the same sense as used in contemporary English. In Greek, kairos represents a kind of "qualitative" time, as in "the right time"; chronos represents a different kind of "quantitative" time, as in, "What time is it?" and "Will we have enough time?" (Kinneavy; Stephenson). Kairos means taking advantage of or even creating a perfect moment to deliver a particular message.

Consider, for example, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech. The speech was rhetorically powerful: it changed minds, persuaded people to support the civil rights movement, and served as a powerful rallying cry for a generation of reformers. But the speech was so powerful in part because of its kairotic moment: the timing and atmosphere of the speech lent themselves to powerful oratory. Together, the "where" (the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.), the "why" (the culmination of a march on Washington by thousands of members of the civil rights movement), and the "when" (during the centennial celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation, at a time of day when broadcast networks could carry the speech live, and during a march which had drawn more than 250,000 people to the capital) created the perfect moment for King's message to reach the largest number of receptive listeners.

Although kairos has long been a key word for many disciplines, within the study of writing, kairos has been the topic of much debate in the last few decades. James Kinneavy is largely credited with reintroducing the importance of kairos into the discipline of Rhetoric and Composition and, thus, the composition classroom. According to Kinneavy, kairos is "the appropriateness of the discourse to the particular circumstances of the time, place, speaker, and audience involved" (84). Other scholars suggest that " kairos refers to a struggle, at the point of rhetorical intervention, between situational factors" (Sheridan, Michel, and Ridolfo). Both definitions get at the elusive, jaguar-in-the-jungle nature of kairos. Kairos is so hard to pin down because, as Phillip Sipiora suggests, it is "a dynamic principle rather than a static, codified rhetorical technique" (10). So, the rhetor must be "accomodative," waiting for the right time, matching her text to the precise moment in order to be most successful (Sipiora). It's sort of the Goldilocks rule of writing: you don't want your message to be too big, too small, too soft, or too hard; it should be just right.

So far, kairos seems pretty slippery, a sort of "I'll know it when I see it" kind of principle. In some ways, kairos represents the ephemeral, "fleeting" nature of "the right time." In terms of writing, we try to capture the moment of balance, the kairotic moment, and thus move the audience by appealing to that specific context.

Because kairos is so tied to the particular moment, or rhetorical situation, it is hard to provide concrete examples out of context. But a good way to think about kairos is to consider how rhetors try to persuade audiences based on unique timing and current events. For instance, consider the way restaurants, bookstores, and various campus entities appeal to incoming freshman students. Vendors have signs declaring "New to USF? Join this club to meet new people and learn about the campus!" and "First-year students, this week only: $100 off your first month at this apartment building!" They reference the particular moment, first stepping onto a new campus, to persuade you to do everything from opening a new bank account and buying logo bumper stickers to ordering a dozen pizzas. Effective uses of kairos take advantage of the particular time and place to make texts unique and give them a sense of immediacy.

Kairos is undoubtedly a pretty heady term, something with which ancient philosophers, modern rhetoricians, and contemporary composition students have wrestled. But it's worth wrestling with. For your own writing, you can skillfully employ kairos by doing the following:

Examine the rhetorical situation, the factors that create that particular moment.

Consider the order and timing of your text.

Be accomodative; appeal to each specific context.

By using kairos as a guiding principle for your own texts, you can bring interest and timeliness to your writing projects. So when you begin to write, think of the moment that your writing will enter into-the audience that will read it, the conversation that it joins, the history surrounding the topic, and the words you use to craft your argument. Awareness and use of this knowledge create beautiful writing that, like turning the key in your door at the end of a long day, seems perfectly timed, effortless, and just right.

By now, you should know what kairos is: an attempt to persuade through appeals to timeliness. Here are a few possible examples of kairos:

The call to "Act Now!" An appeal to some particular fast-approaching moment is often a rhetor's attempt to create a perfect kairotic moment for his or her message by creating a sense of urgency. You've likely seen a commercial or infomercial that pleads with the viewer to "Call now!" to receive some important prize or to avoid missing some sort of opportunity; this type of commercial or informercial employs kairos.

The use of deadlines or goals. Such appeals to kairos are often seen as part of fundraising literature: by connecting a reader's or listener's response to a particular deadline or goal, the writer creates urgency and excitement.

References to "current crises" or impending doom. Such references are prevalent in political and social campaigns. Consider, for example, the large number of financial bills, laws, and investigations undertaken by legislative bodies throughout the country after the most recent economic recession. Lawmakers were responding to and taking advantage of the kairotic moment created by the crisis in order to persuade their fellow lawmakers and constituents to support a particular fiscal policy.

Works Cited

Hill, Carolyn Erikson. "Changing Times in Composition Classes: Kairos, Resonance, and the Pythagorean Connection." Sipiora and Baumlin 211-25.

Kinneavy, James L. " Kairos: A Neglected Concept in Classical Rhetoric." Rhetoric and Praxis: The Contribution of Classical Rhetoric to Practical Reasoning. Ed. Jean Dietz Moss. Washington, DC: Catholic U of America P, 1986. 79-105. Print.

Kinneavy, James L., and Catherine R. Eskin. " Kairos in Aristotle's Rhetoric." Written Communication 11.1 (1994): 131-42. Print.

Peeples, Timothy, Paula Rosinski, and Michael Strickland. " Chronos and Kairos, Strategies and Tactics: The Case of Constructing Elon University's Professional Writing and Rhetoric Concentration." Composition Studies 35.1 (2007): 57-76. Print.

Sheridan, David, Tony Michel, and Jim Ridolfo. " Kairos and New Media: Toward a Theory and Practice of Visual Activism." Enculturation: A Journal of Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture 6.2 (2009): n. pag. Web. 8 July 2010.

Sipiora, Phillip. Introduction. Sipiora and Baumlin 1-22.

Sipiora, Phillip, and James S. Baumlin, eds. Rhetoric and Kairos: Essays in History, Theory, and Praxis. Albany: State U of New York P, 2002. Print.

Stephenson, Hunter. "(Re)Claiming the Ground: Image Events, Kairos, and Discourse." Enculturation: A Journal of Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture 6.2 (2009): n. pag. Web. 8 July 2010.

See also:
Fallacious Kairos

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" This is the right time, and this is the right thing." - Sir Thomas Moore "Kairos" is an ancient rhetorical concept that has gained importance in different disciplines over the centuries. So what is it?

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Rhetorical devices are techniques in writing and speech that try to persuade the audience.

Antithesis: contrasting ideas are expressed by using parallel arrangements of words.
Rhetorical Question: a statement made in the form of a question with no expectation of an answer

Allusion: referencing something else in your work

Anaphora; repetition of words at the beginning of a phrase or sentence
Analogy: a comparison between two unlike things (lengthy and argumentative)

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Antithesis - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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An antithesis is the complete opposite of something. Though the counterculture was strong in America in 1968, voters elected Richard Nixon, the antithesis of a hippie.

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What are rhetorical questions? 🤔 | Types of questions | Learn with examples

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What is Allusion? With Definitions and Examples | Grammarly

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Have you ever stumbled across an online mystery, perhaps through social media or a forum, and found yourself spending the next several hours…

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Often used in political speeches and occasionally in prose and poetry, anaphora is the repetition of a word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines to…

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Text structure refers to the way in which a written work is organized and presented to the reader.

Chronological structure presents information in the order in which it occurred.
Cause-and-effect explains how one event led to another.
Compare and contrast highlights similarities and differences between two or more subjects.
Problem and solution identifies a problem and proposes a solution.
Descriptive text shows how a thing is done.

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The 5 Types of Text Structure | Educational Rap for Language Arts Students

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When you come across an unfamiliar word while reading, how do you try to understand its meaning? Chances areyou use context clues -even if you've never heard of that term.

Faced with a sea of unfamiliar words, beginning readers learn many techniques for decoding words and expanding their vocabularies. Teachers use the term decoding to refer to the ability to see a written word and read it aloud.

Looking for context clues is one technique that is helpful for readers of all ages and experience levels. But how can you identify a context clue?

What are context clues?

The term context clues is used as a way of referring to the bits of information within a text that can serve as hints to help a reader understand the meaning of an unfamiliar or unusual word or passage. In effect, context clues can be anything that helps you to figure out or guess the meaning of a word or passage when you're unsure of its meaning. Context clues can be part of the same sentence or they may be part of the text that comes before or follows. Because most of our vocabulary is gained through reading, it is important that we are able to recognize and take advantage of context clues.

What does a context clue look like?

There are at least four kinds of context clues that are quite common:

1. Synonym (or repeat context clue): An author will use more than one word that means the same thing. For example, there may be a complex word followed by a restatement using a simpler word in the same or following sentence: Felipe is a miser. He's always been a cheapskate.

2. Antonym (or contrast context clue): The text may include a word or words that have the opposite meaning, which can reveal the meaning of an unknown term: Stella has always dressed flamboyantly. I've never seen her wear a dull color.

3. Explanation (or a definition context clue): An unknown word is explained within the sentence or in the sentence immediately after: On Friday, we visited the arboretum, a garden dedicated to the exhibition of trees and plants.

4. Specific example (or an example context clue): The text provides one or more examples used to define the term: The children were able to observe several crustaceans, including crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.

There may also be word-part context clues in which a common prefix, suffix, or root will suggest at least part of the meaning of a word.

A general sense context clue lets the reader puzzle out a word meaning from whatever information is available-and this is the most common kind of context clue. The relationships between words are not directly obvious and instead implied.

Others describe context clues in three ways:

1. semantic or meaning clues: For example, when reading a story about cats, the reader will have the expectation that it will contain words associated with cats.

2. syntactic or word order clues: The order of the words in a sentence can indicate what part of speech a missing word must be (for example, a verb).

3. picture clues: From an early age, beginning readers are taught to look at illustrations to help with the identification of a word.

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When you come across an unfamiliar word while reading, how do you try to understand its meaning? Chances areyou use context clues -even if you've never heard of that term. Faced with a sea of unfamiliar words, beginning readers learn many techniques for decoding words and expanding their vocabularies.

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Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.

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Definition of Etymology

Etymology means to find the roots of a word. It is mostly used as a noun, etymology, with its adjective, etymological. As such as it is not a regular literary device; rather, it is a linguistic term and is mostly concerned with the roots, history, evolution, and usage of the words with their semantic implications used during different periods of history.

As a linguistic term or device, it means the investigation of a word and its meanings through history. The reason is that every word has a unique origin, root, history, evolutionary meanings, and above all its topical usage. Therefore, etymology provides full details about the history of the word and its possible usage to provide a guideline for its future usage. In this respect, etymology is not a literary device.

Examples of Etymology in Literature

Example # 1
Word Origin and How We Know Them by Anatoly Liberman

The etymology of breakfast is slightly less trivial than that of Sunday and holiday. (Holiday and breakfast, from brekefast, were trisyllabic words, and in such words the first vowel was shortened; this explains their modern pronunciation.)

This passage occurs in the popular book of Anatoly Liberman. It presents the word etymology and states how it works. Although the passage just traces the origin of breakfast, it demonstrates the effectiveness of this term in explaining the meanings of a word.

Example #2
The Oxford Guide to Etymology by Philip Durkin

Etymology forms part of the wider field of historical linguistic research, that is to say of attempts to explain how and why languages have changed and developed in the ways that they have. However, it does not concern itself exclusively with a particular linguistic level, as does for instance historical phonology (the study of speech sounds and of their deployment in ways which convey distinct meaning), historical morphology (the study of word forms as used to convey grammatical relationships), historical semantics (the study of the meaning of words), or historical syntax (the study of the meaning relations between words within a sentence).

This passage explains the full detail of etymology. It tells that this term is mostly used in historical linguistics and that it explains how language changes over time. The passage also presents different aspects of this study and explains how meanings of a word are unearthed through different investigations. In other words, this passage proves that etymology is not just a term, but a full study.

Example #3

In different times and at different places, etymology has meant slightly for entirely different things to the few or many people who, under varying sets of circumstances, have used that word, applying it to their own spheres of interests. Basically, etymology always meant something approximating to the paraphrase 'original meaning, or use, of a given lexical unit or proper name.' But the cultural implications of this lame descriptive statement can be entirely different. The core meaning of a word can be imagined as something wholly independent of the passage of time and endowed with magic messages or mystic overtones.

Yakov Malkiel has beautifully shed light on the use of etymology and how it shows its transformations. He is of the view that different people have used etymology for different purposes that suit their interests., and adds that it originally means to do "approximating paraphrasing" that is close to the original meanings. He also sheds light on its core adding that it helps in formulating magic or mystic overtones.

Example #4
Dictionary of English Etymology, Volume 1 by Hensleigh Wedgwood (M.A.)

Etymology is still at the stage where an arbitrary theory is accepted as the basis of scientific explanation. It is supposed that all language is developed from roots or skeletons of articulate sound, endowed with distinct and often very abstract meaning, but incapable of being actually used in speech, until properly clothed in grammatical forms.

Hensleigh Wedgwood has beautifully shed light on the word etymology, placing it in the theoretical perspective. He is of the view that it means that language evolves by giving good meanings to merely skeletons that have nothing but become overloaded with meanings with used judiciously.

Example #5
Forgotten Paths: Etymology and the Allegorical Mindset by Davide Del Bello

Contours are not quite so sharp if one looks at the role etymology is granted today. To be sure, the number of current books involving "word origin" - collections, dictionaries, lexicons - would seem to indicate that etymology thrives. And such lasting popular interest in etymology reflects an ongoing interest on the part of lecturers, critics, writers, lawyers, historians, and politicians, who consistently refer to etymology to further their claims. Etymologizing is bound to feature prominently whenever definitions are at stake; not only, but also, and more vehemently - in scientific, legal, and political arenas.

Davide De Bello beautifully presents the case of etymology, stating that several books are involved in dilating upon etymology and that it has aroused the interest of academics. In fact, it is because it has rather become a full epistemic driving for the people after which learning about it has widened. In other words, it has become a field but its use as a rhetorical device has become limited.

Functions of Etymology

Despite its limited function in literary texts, etymology helps the readers a great deal in understanding the true meanings of different words. Readers apply different etymological strategies to reach the message that authors convey in their literary pieces. Interestingly, no writer consciously employs etymology as its constant application not only mars the very purpose of writing but also makes it boring and tedious. A reader needs flow and suspense that is hard to come by with the excessive use of etymology. Therefore, it is only used when the context is suitable.

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Etymology - Examples and Definition of Etymology as a Literary Device

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Etymology means to find the roots of a word. It is mostly used as a noun, etymology, with its adjective, etymological. As such as it is not a regular literary device; rather, it is a linguistic term and is mostly concerned with the roots, history, evolution, and usage of the words with their semantic implications used during different periods of history.

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A connotation is the feeling a word gives. But a denotation is what the word literally says.

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Confused about the difference between connotation and denotation? Not sure how it's possible for one word to have many connotations? Connotation and denotation both refer to word meanings, but they're very different concepts. Read this guide to learn the denotation definition, connotation definition, how you can remember which is which, and what connotation and denotation examples look like.

Denotation Definition

Denotation is the literal meaning of a word. I t's the definition you would find in the dictionary. For example, if you were to look up the word "proud" in the dictionary, a typical entry would read, "having or showing self-respect or self-esteem" That's the denotation of the word.

Connotation Definition

What does connotation mean? Connotation refers to the emotions or ideas that you think of when you read or hear a word. Let's look at the word "proud" again. While it has a clear-cut denotation, the word can have different connotations for different people. If you hear the word proud, you might associate it with negative meanings, such as egotistical, show-off, etc. It could also have positive connotations, such as self-confidence, talent, etc. Writers will often use words with strong connotations in order to evoke certain moods in their readers.

Sometimes words can develop such strong negative connotations that they are considered offensive and are no longer widely used. For example, people with physical impairments used to be known as cripples in the past, but this word became so associated with the idea of someone being damaged/incapable/less than other people that the word is no longer considered polite to use and has been almost entirely replaced by "handicapped" and other synonyms.

What Is the Difference Between Connotation and Denotation?

How do connotation and denotation differ? Denotation is the literal definition of the word, one that basically everyone agrees on. It's the blurb you read in the dictionary. There isn't a lot of debate or nuance to it.

Connotation, on the other hand, is much more subjective, as it refers to the emotions a word evokes. While the dictionary definition of a word like "cheap" is set, you could have a positive connotation of the word and associate it with frugality and good value, while someone else could have a negative connotation of the word and associate it with stinginess and poor quality.

One easy way to remember which word means what is that "denotation" and "dictionary" both begin with the letter "d," and denotation is the dictionary definition of a word.

Examples of Connotation and Denotation

Want to see more examples of connotation vs denotation? Below are four groups of words. Each group has a similar denotation, but many of the words have very different connotations. As you read through them, think about if your connotations of the words match what we've written. Because connotation is subjective, you might have a different feeling associated with a word.

Word Group 1: Slender, Scrawny, Bony, Gaunt

Word Group 2: Serene, Laid-Back, Lackadaisical, Dreamy

Word Group 3: Home, House, Shelter

Word Group 4: Grin, Beam, Sneer, Simper

Summary: Connotation Definition and Denotation Definition

Denotation is the dictionary definition of a word, while connotation is the feelings associated with a word. While the denotation of a word is pretty cut and dry, one word can have many connotations for different people, and those connotations could be neutral, positive, or negative. One easy way to keep these two concepts straight is that "denotation" and "dictionary" both begin with the letter "d," and denotation is the dictionary definition of a word.

What's Next?

Compound sentences are an importance sentence type to know. Read our guide on compound sentences for everything you need to know about compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.

Writing an essay for class? Learn about the 3 key essay formats and when you should be using each.

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Connotation and Denotation: What's the Difference?

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Confused about the difference between connotation and denotation? Not sure how it's possible for one word to have many connotations? Connotation and denotation both refer to word meanings, but they're very different concepts. Read this guide to learn the denotation definition, connotation definition, how you can remember which is which, and what connotation and denotation examples look like.

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Informative writing is actually exactly what it sounds like! It is when you share FACTS and INFORMATION. This type of writing should be supported with sources, giving credit to where you find the information needed to support your text.

Hook: an opening statement (which is usually the first sentence) in an essay that attempts to grab the reader's attention.
Background information:  any information that would be necessary for the reader to understand the topic of the essay.
thesis statement:  a sentence that states the topic and purpose of your paper.
Topic sentence:  identifies the main idea of the paragraph.
Evidence: the facts, examples, or sources used to support a claim.
reframed thesis: a version of the original statement that usually appears in the conclusion.
elaboration: provide a specific example that shows your idea in practice.

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What is informative writing? Here's a hand run-down on informative writing plus a few resources and examples of informative text to help you learn and teach

Download FREE teacher-made resources covering 'Informative Writing'

What is Informative Writing?

Simply put, informative writing is writing with the purpose to inform. It might be in the form of an instruction manual, an academic journal, an encyclopedia, or even just the back of a box of cereal. Anything that is written with the aim to explain a topic to the reader is informative writing - the reader will often come away having learned something new and interesting. You might see informative writing go by other names, such as explanatory writing, expository writing, or exposition. They all aim to impart information to the reader, and are therefore all informative writing.

Informative writing is one of the main ways that we can communicate through the written word. Informative writing is found everywhere in daily life and it is important to be able to recognise and evaluate what it is saying, where it comes from, and understand the features of informative writing.

Informative writing is one of the most trustworthy forms of writing. It is similar to persuasive writing, as it deals in facts and statistics, but is fundamentally different to persuasive writing as it is impartial. Persuasive writing tends to skew facts or only show one half of the story, in order to get the reader to come round to a particular viewpoint. Purely informative writing on the other hand provides the reader with a rounded overview of all aspects of a topic, from where a person can come up with their own conclusions.

Common Examples

Informative writing is something that you'll come across without even recognising it. It can be quickly categorised into a piece of writing that contains useful, relevant, or informative information. In short, anything that tells you something you wouldn't already know. The closest example to hand is this very page. The text being written here is attempting to provide the reader (that's you!) with information on the features of informative writing. This is because you have searched for the page, and in a way asked a question.

Other examples of informative writing don't always rely on the reader participating in a question. Things like signs and notices are small pieces of informative writing that act to no specific audience but to a specific purpose.

If you are participating in education then every resource, activity, lecture, essay, and more that you share with students are informative writing. The ability to create clear and understandable material that gives knowledge can be tricky, but there are several pillars to informative texts that you can hit to make it better.

Facts about informative writing

Informative writing needs to be factual. When you create something that purpose is to give knowledge the knowledge itself needs to be correct. Academic texts, for instance, are often researched and referenced before being given out. This shows that the author has checked through the work for accuracy. As a feature of informative writing it is the most important. People who write factual information are often seen as having a sense of authority over the topic, and trustworthy expertise. This is why you will often see cookbooks written by chefs, or workout plans made by personal trainers - you wouldn't accept advice on how to make ice cream from a politician. To write good informative texts the information needs to be factual.

Specificity

Once the information has been verified as accurate it next needs to be specific. Broad information is not always useful, for instance; a road sign that informs drivers a certain street will be closed, but does not say a time or date when this will happen. Yes, the text is informative, and yes it is factual, however the lack of specific information means it isn't helpful.

A great way to ensure that your informative writing is specific is to ask the questions who, what, why, where, when, and how. It seems like a lot to do but often it's the best way to narrow down the words into something that's definite. Bare in mind that some information can be left to the readers ability to assume. If a piece of writing has no clear who, then the reader can assume it means them.

Popular forms of informative writing include things such as recipes or instructions. These provide step-by-step actions for the completion of a task and need a lot of clarity. When you are providing information that requires action it's always best to be as clear as possible. Writers won't know exactly who reads every piece they create and so you have to assume there may be some people who are new to the information. In a recipe, this may mean being extra clear about the differences in measurements, or why using one ingredient over the other is preferable. The clearer you are, the more knowledge gets passed on from the writing.

Using this clear instructional tone is known as imperative language, and isn't just found in recipes.

To go back to the road closed sign, sometimes there will be a section that reads 'no access' or 'pedestrians cross here'. These are examples of clear imperative language where the reader is being told to do something.

Twinkl has put together a writing to inform resource pack that covers all of the major features of informative writing, as well as giving you loads of great resources and activities to use as you teach the topic.

The pack contains a writing to inform PowerPoint that is useful for whole class learning, a word mat and activity, as well as teacher guidance notes to help you get the best out of the resource.

If you want to diversify your teaching materials then Twinkl has loads of other resources at hand - like this template, and mindmap.

Producing informative writing can help children become great communicators, setting them up really well for life - as well as being a great chance to practise the core literacy skills of spelling, punctuation, and grammar!

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What Is Informative Writing? | Teacher Made Resource | Twinkl

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What is informative writing? Here's a hand run-down on informative writing plus a few resources and examples of informative text to help you learn and teach Download FREE teacher-made resources covering 'Informative Writing' Simply put, informative writing is writing with the purpose to inform.

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Simile Definition

A simile is a figure of speech in which two essentially dissimilar objects or concepts are expressly compared with one another through the use of "like" or "as." Simile is used as a literary device to assert similarity with the help of like or as, which are language constructs that establish equivalency. A proper simile creates an explicit comparison between two things that are different enough from each other such that their comparability appears unlikely.

For example, the statement "this poem is like a punch in the gut" features a simile. The poem is being explicitly compared to a "punch in the gut" with the word "like." This is an effective simile in that a poem is not at all similar to a punch in literal terms. However, figuratively, the simile's comparison and association between these two things establishes that the impact of the poem on the speaker has the force of and feels similar to a punch in the gut.

Common Examples of Simile

There are many common examples of simile used in everyday conversation and writing. Here are some well-known phrases that utilize this figure of speech:

Nutty as a fruitcake

Slept like a log

Sly as a fox

Fits like a glove

Cool as a cucumber

Blind as a bat

Light as a feather

Like watching paint dry

Works like a charm

Old as the hills

Pretty as a picture

Hurts like the devil

Strong as an ox

Fight like cats and dogs

Sparkle like diamonds

Cheeks like roses

Flat as a pancake

Eyes like glass

Sweet as sugar

Dull as a doorknob

Bright as the sun

Tough as nails

Smart as a whip

Mad as a hatter

Happy as a clam

Examples of Similes for Love

One of the most common concepts to feature simile as a literary device is love. Here are some memorable lines and quotes that showcase simile as an effective comparison for describing love:

Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop. (H.L. Mencken)

Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit. (Khalil Gibran)

Love is like a friendship caught on fire. (Bruce Lee)

Love is like a faucet; it turns off and on. (Billie Holiday)

And she said losing love is like a window in your heart; everybody sees you're blown apart; everybody sees the wind blow (Paul Simon)

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. (Oscar Wilde)

Love is like the wild rose-briar (Emily Bronte)

Falling out of love is like losing weight. It's a lot easier putting it on than taking it off. (Aretha Franklin)

Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same. (Helen Keller)

Love is like the measles. The older you get it, the worse the attack. (Rainer Maria Rilke)

Famous Examples of Simile

Simile is also found in many famous examples of poetry, prose, drama, lyrics, and even clever quotations. Here are some famous examples of simile:

Easy Like Sunday Morning (Lionel Richie)

All those moments will be lost in time, like... tears in rain. (Blade Runner)

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. (Albert Einstein)

That's always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they're pretty. It's like picking your breakfast cereal based on color instead of taste. (John Green)

Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die. (Anne Lamott)

Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. (E.L. Doctorow)

Parents are like God because you wanna know they're out there, and you want them to think well of you, but you really only call when you need something. (Chuck Palahniuk)

Time was passing like a hand waving from a train I wanted to be on. (Jonathan Safran Foer)

Being with her I feel a pain, like a frozen knife stuck in my chest. (Haruki Murakami)

Her hair, like golden threads, play'd with her breath. (William Shakespeare)

Life swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom. (Arthur Schopenhauer)

You, just like heaven. (The Cure)

Life is like writing with a pen. You can cross out your past but you can't erase it. (E.B. White)

The pain is like an axe that chops my heart. (Yann Martel)

We are like roses that have never bothered to bloom when we should have bloomed and it is as if the sun has become disgusted with waiting. (Charles Bukowski)

Difference Between Simile and Metaphor

Some may find it difficult to differentiate between simile and metaphor as literary devices since both are figures of speech designed to create meaning through comparisons. Simile is actually a subset of metaphor and is distinguished by the presence of one of two words: "like" and "as." Metaphors create direct comparisons without using either of these words, whereas similes feature either like or as in making a comparison.

The following lyrics from a song featured in Walt Disney's "Bambi" is an example that illustrates the difference between simile and metaphor:

Love is a song that never ends
One simple theme repeating
Like the voice of a heavenly choir
Love's sweet music flows on

The first two lines feature a metaphor. Love is directly compared to a "song that never ends." Though love and a song are seemingly unlike entities, the metaphor connects them such that the comparison makes sense to the audience. By linking love to a song that never ends, the metaphor enhances the meaning and audience understanding of love as a concept.

The last two lines of these lyrics feature a simile. The way "love's sweet music" flows is compared to the "voice of a heavenly choir." The previous metaphor has established love as a song. Therefore, the simile advances this meaning by comparing love's music to a choir voice. Rather than stating that love's music is a choir voice and creating another metaphor, the simile indicates that love's music is like a choir voice. The simile enhances the imagery and audience understanding of love, established by the metaphor, with further use of figurative language.

Writing Simile

Overall, as a literary device, simile functions as a means of creating an equivalent comparison or establishing similarity between two seemingly different things. This is an effective figure of speech for readers in that simile can create an association between two dissimilar entities or ideas that illuminate each other and enhance the meaning of both. Simile is an essential literary device for writers of both poetry and prose.

It's important that writers construct proper similes so that the comparative meaning is not lost for the reader. In fact, like metaphors, similes are dependent on the understandable combination of a principal term and a secondary term. The principal term conveys the literal entity to be described, and the secondary term is used figuratively to add meaning. For example, in the simile "the cat's fur felt smooth as silk," the principal term is "cat's fur" and the secondary term is "silk." By comparing the smooth feel of the cat's fur to the feel of silk, the reader's understanding of the texture of both things is enhanced through figurative language.

Here are some ways that writers benefit from incorporating simile into their work:

Create Imagery

Similes allow writers to create imagery for readers through figurative language that might otherwise be limited by just descriptive language. In other words, an effective simile eliminates the need for excessive explanation or description on the part of the writer. Instead, by creating similarity through comparing two different things, an image is created for the reader to allow for greater meaning and understanding. This imagery is a powerful result of using simile as a literary device.

Generate Thought and Emotion

When writers utilize simile as a literary device, it generates thought on the part of the reader regarding the "logic" or truth in such a comparison. These thoughts, in turn, can evoke emotion in the reader through the realization that the comparison is valid and reflects a level of truth they may not have understood before. Similes are especially effective in poetry as a means of portraying truths in a lyrical yet concise manner.

Examples of Simile in Literature

Simile is a very effective and widely used literary device. Here are some examples of simile and how it adds to the significance of literary works:

Example 1: Horseradish (Lemony Snicket)

A library is like an island in the middle of a vast sea of ignorance, particularly if the library is very tall and the surrounding area has been flooded.

Lemony Snicket is well-known for his brilliant use of simile as a means of describing concepts, especially for children. In this line, he demonstrates not only the power of simile as a comparison between a library and an island with figurative language, but he also invokes a literal image of a library as an island. This reinforces the significance of a library as a refuge and protective haven against ignorance and other potentially destructive forces.

Example 2: A Red, Red Rose (Robert Burns)

O my Luve's like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June;
O my Luve's like the melodie
That's sweetly play'd in tune.

In this stanza, the poet compares the person he loves both to a rose and melody. In poetry, the concept of love is often compared to a rose and/or a song. However, in this poem, Burns enhances those similes by comparing his "Luve," an actual person rather than an abstract concept, to a rose and a song. This allows the reader to understand that the poet views the person he loves as a symbol of love itself.

Example 3: Spring is like a perhaps hand (e.e. cummings)

Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere)arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here)and

changing everything carefully

Spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there)and

without breaking anything.

In this poem, Cummings creates an unusual simile in that the literary device compares dissimilar things in a tentative way. Most poets utilize simile as a means of asserting similarities through comparisons. However, by comparing Spring to a "perhaps" hand, the poet leaves a sense of the indefinite, and creates less of an absolute assertion of the association between Spring and a hand.

However, rather than being weak or ineffective, this "approximate" simile reinforces the meaning and imagery of the poem itself. The poem's theme is that the changes brought about by Spring are so gentle and subtle that they are nearly unnoticeable as they are happening. Therefore, the comparison to a "perhaps" hand invokes the association between Spring and something that is all but unseen, and therefore elusive or ephemeral.

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Simile - Examples and Definition of Simile

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Definition, Usage and a list of Simile Examples in common speech and literature. A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things.