Question 5: Descriptive or Narrative Writing Flashcards
All 39 cards in this deck
What does show, don't tell mean?
Letting details create a mood rather than naming it: 'Two mugs on the draining board; one hadn't been used' rather than 'The kitchen felt lonely'.
What is in medias res?
Starting in the middle of the action, without introduction, which hooks the reader and raises questions.
What are temporal and spatial shifts?
Temporal: moves in time (a flashback or jump forward). Spatial: moves in place (a street to inside a room).
What is a cliché?
A phrase so overused the reader no longer pictures anything, e.g. 'as cold as ice'.
How do you spell definitely?
definitely: it contains finite (defin-ite-ly). Not definately.
How do you spell separate?
separate: there's a rat in sep-a-rat-e. Not seperate.
What's the difference between there, their and they're?
there: a place, or there is/are. their: belonging to them. they're: they are. They're leaving their bags over there.
What's the difference between your and you're?
your: belonging to you (your coat). you're: you are. Test: if you can say you are in its place, it's you're.
When do you use affect and when effect?
affect is usually the verb, effect usually the noun. The noise affected my sleep; it had a bad effect.
What is a comma splice?
Two complete sentences joined with only a comma: The bell rang, everyone ran outside.
What are the three ways to fix a comma splice?
A full stop, a semicolon or a conjunction: The bell rang; everyone ran outside.
Can however join two sentences with just a comma?
No. However isn't a conjunction: write It was late; however, we carried on. (or start a new sentence).
What does a colon do?
It introduces something that explains, expands on or lists what came before. The part before it must be a complete sentence.
What does a semicolon do?
It joins two closely related complete sentences: Some people love mornings; others can't face them.
What are the two jobs of an apostrophe?
Omission (don't, it's) and possession (Sam's phone). Never for plain plurals.
How do you show possession for a plural noun ending in s?
Add just an apostrophe after the s: the girls' changing room (several girls), the teachers' car park.
How do you show possession for a plural that doesn't end in s?
Add 's, as you would for a singular noun: children's, women's, people's, mice's. Childrens' is always wrong.
When do you write its and when it's?
it's = it is or it has. its = belonging to it, with no apostrophe (the dog wagged its tail). Test: if it is fits, use it's.
Do plain plurals take an apostrophe?
No. Apples for sale, not apple's. The same goes for decades and abbreviations: the 1990s, two MPs.
What are the basic rules for punctuating direct speech?
Speech marks go round the words spoken; the speech starts with a capital; its closing punctuation goes inside the speech marks.
How do you punctuate speech when the reporting clause comes after it?
End the speech with a comma inside the speech marks, then start the reporting clause in lower case: "I'm leaving," she said.
What is the rule about new speakers in dialogue?
Start a new line (new paragraph) every time the speaker changes.
What is the difference between coordinating and subordinating conjunctions?
Coordinating (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) join equal clauses. Subordinating (because, although, when, if) introduce a dependent clause.
What is subject–verb agreement?
The verb must match its subject in number: The dog barks. / The dogs bark.
What is tense consistency?
Staying in the same tense unless time genuinely changes. Not I walked in and I see…
What is Standard English?
The form of English whose grammar and vocabulary are accepted as correct in formal writing. It isn't an accent.
What is wrong with we was and you was?
Was goes with singular subjects (I, he, she, it). With we, you and they, Standard English uses were: we were, you were, they were.
What should you write instead of should of?
should have (also could have, would have). Should of is should've written as it sounds.
What is a double negative?
Two negatives in one clause: I didn't do nothing. Standard English: I didn't do anything or I did nothing.
What is the difference between a description and a story?
A description captures a place, person or moment in detail and needs no plot. A story follows events with a plot.
What is a protagonist?
The main character of a story, whose problem or goal drives the plot.
What is an antagonist?
The character or force that opposes the protagonist and creates conflict, such as a rival, a storm or the protagonist's own fear.
What is characterisation?
How a writer creates and reveals a character, through appearance, speech, actions, thoughts and how others react to them.
What are the five stages of a narrative arc?
Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. A story opening only needs to begin the arc.
What can dialogue do in a narrative?
It reveals character and relationships through how people speak, and can move the plot on or build tension without the narrator explaining.
When do you use then and when than?
then is about time or order (We ate, then left). than compares (taller than me).
What is the difference between to, too and two?
to: direction or part of a verb (go to school, to run). too: also, or excessively (too cold). two: the number 2.
When should you start a new paragraph? (TiPToP)
At a change of Time, Place, Topic or Person (speaker).
When do you need a capital letter?
At the start of a sentence, for proper nouns (names of people, places, days, months) and for the pronoun I.