Stylistic Technique: Fragments for a Purpose A sentence is a group of word that includes both a subject (who) and a predicate (did what) and expresses a complete thought. I like to skate. (sentence) Stating in the park after school. (fragment) When writing for any academic paper, business correspondence or formal communication, it is always advisable to use standard writing conventions. That means writing in complete sentences. Always proofread your papers by reading each sentence alone. Pause. See if it makes sense by itself. Using complete sentences in formal writing is essential to create a positive impression. However, once you have mastered writing interesting and varied sentences, you may try an alternative stylistic technique in narrative or personal essays. Writers often employ fragments to add rhythm and balance to their narratives. Look at the paragraph from Cathy Queen of Cats (13). As you read the paragraph, notice the underlined fragments in the paragraph. Cathy who is queen of cats has cats and cat and cats. Baby cats, big cats, sick cats. Cats asleep like little donuts. Cats on top of the refrigerator. Cats taking a walk on the dinner table. Her house is like cat heaven. Rewrite the four fragments making them complete sentences. Cathy who is queen of cats has cats and cats and cats. (1) (2) (3) (4) Her house is like cat heaven.
Now read the two versions again and explain why Cisneros chose to use fragments for a purpose What was her purpose? Choose one of the following topics and write a vignette-style piece that uses fragments for a purpose. 1. Write about someone who has lots of animals like Cathy Queen of Cats. 2. Write about your experience learning to skateboard, skate, or ride a twowheeler. 3. Write about a time when you were hurried or rushed and arrived late.
Simile and Metaphor Review I know.this is just review. So let s get er done! The is a figure of speech using or to make a comparison between unlike things. The is a figure of speech that makes a comparison of two unlike things. Place an S on the line before each simile and an M before each metaphor. 1. Kiki has hair like fur. 2. My Papa s hair is like a broom, all up in the air. 3. My hair is lazy, it never obeys. 4. The syllables of my name sound like they are made out of tin. 5. It made swan-necked shadows on the walls. 6. One might have thought the dizzy blue siren was a child s top. 7. The Cadillac s nose was pleated like an alligator s. 8. His bruised face and bloodied lip was his badge of bravery. 9. The collapse of the bridge was a freefalling roller coaster gone mad. 10. She was an angel in denim coming to my rescue.
Onomatopoeia: Add a Sound Track to Your Writing The best readers tend to make mind movies to comprehend what they read. Because writers understand that process, authors will often include a sound track. Sometimes it is in the form of dialogue, but often an author infuses sound by using onomatopoeia. Besides being just a great word, onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like what it represents. Read the following poem and circle any word that represents a sound. Noises The click of the clock, the creak of the stair, The squeak of a mouse and the swoosh of the air. The groan of the house as it settles below, And outside the window, the patter of the snow. The scruff of the dog s paws below where I rest, The rattle of the window that seems to face West. The jingle of bells from a wind chime next door The unearthly sounds of a truly loud snore. The crunching of snow under an animal s feet, The honk of a horn from right down the street. So many noises I just want to weep, Is it too much to ask for some sleep? by Danielle Caryl
Look at the list of words below. Use as many as you can in the next 5 minutes to write a vignette about getting ready for school or driving to school or heading to class. argh bang, banged, banging bash, bashed, bashing bawl, bawled, bawling beep, beeped, beeping belch, belched, belching blab, blabbed, blabbing blare, blared, blaring blurt, blurted, blurting bonk, bonked, bonking bong boohoo boom bowwow bubble bump, bumped, bumping buzz, buzzed, buzzing chatter chirp choochoo drip fizz flick, flicker flip flutter giggle gurgle, gurgled, gurgling haha hack hiss hohoho kerplunk mumble ooze ping, plop pop, popped, popping rattle roar, roared, roaring rustle, rustled, rustling screech, screeched, screeching
clang, clanged, clanging clank, clanked, clanking clap, clapped, clapping clatter, clattered, clattering click crackle cuckoo shuffle sizzle, sizzled, sizzling slash slurp smack zap zip