ENGL 1301

Effective Paragraphs, Diction, Tone, Style

Characteristics of Effective Paragraphs

Unity Topic Sentence Adequate Development Organization Coherence

Transitional Devices

Connecting Words and Phrases Repeating Key Words or Mixing Nouns and their Pronouns

Parallelism

What Is Parallelism?

Repetition of grammatical form to express a series of equivalent ideas. It adds

rhythm and balance.

Introductions

Engage Audience Announce Topic and

Briefly Acquaint Reader with It

May Directly State Thesis Can Map Out the Way the

Writing Will Progress Usually Single Paragraph

for Short Essay, may be more for a longer essay

First Sentence of Introduction

Engage the reader! Set the tone

What Is Tone?Tone is author’s attitude towards the

topic. Tone of voice is conveyed through word choice, syntax,

punctuation, rhythm, sentence length.

Some Good Ways to Start

Anecdote or Brief Personal Experience

Arresting StatementDefinition Interesting Details/DescriptionQuestionQuotation

Some Bad Ways to Start

Stating What You Are DoingStating a ClichéMaking a Sweeping Generalization

Transitional Paragraphs

Summarize Previous IdeasRepeat the ThesisPoint to Ideas to Follow

Conclusions Summary Question Ironic Twist or Surprising Observation Clever or Light-Hearted Ending Personal Challenge Hope or Recommendation Book End Technique

Cautions for Conclusions

Don’t Introduce New MaterialsDon’t Tack on an Ending Don’t Apologize Don’t Moralize

Avoid Wordiness Vary Sentence Length and Complexity

◦Simple sentences◦Coordination (and)◦Subordination (because, although—shows

relationship)◦Relative clauses (who and that—modify)◦Prepositional phrases (around) ◦Participle (ing) and infinitive (to) phrases◦Intentional fragment

Effective Sentences

• Independent clause—subject + verb• Inverted order (questions)•Expletive constructions (there and it begin sentence)

Word Order

•Position of moveable modifiers (beware of misplaced or dangling modifiers) modifiers after main statement modifiers before main statement modifiers within main statement

More on Word Order

Parallelism—same grammatical construction

Balance—parallel constructions divided by pivot point (word or punctuation)

Sentence Rhythm

Active voice (subject active)Passive voice (subject has something done to it)

Verb Voice

Word meanings Concrete versus Abstract

Words Specific and General Terms Use Dictionary Level of Diction—depends on

writer’s purpose and audience Formal Informal Technical writing Colloquial or slang

Diction

Denotation Connotation Objective tone

Tone

Figurative language—use of concrete words in a non-literal way to create images that catch and hold

reader’s attention ◦Simile and Metaphor◦Personification◦Overstatement/hyperbole◦Understatement

Special Stylistic Techniques

Verbal Irony