What is alliteration? Alliteration is the repeating of a syllable or sound at the beginning of …
What is an analogy? An analogy is using one thing or event to explain the qualities of another …
What is anaphora? Anaphora is the repeating of the same words or phrases at the beginning of …
What is assonance? Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in a sentence. It is different from …
What is chiasmus? Chiasmus is a statement (or question) formed by reversing the parts of a …
What is consonance? Consonance is the repeating of consonant sounds through a sentence or phrase …
What is epistrophe? Epistrophe is the repeating of words or phrases at the end of sentences or …
What is euphemism? A euphemism is when certain language is not used, and replaced by other …
*also called conceit Extended and imaginative metaphors As with similes, skilled speakers and …
What is hyperbole? Hyperbole is the deliberate use of exaggeration to create feeling (sympathy, …
What is irony? Over time many people have argued about what constitutes irony. Additionally, some …
What is a koan? A koan is an idea borrowed from Zen Buddhism. It refers to a philosophical question …
What is a metaphor? A metaphor uses the ideas and characteristics of one object to describe another …
What is onomatopoeia? Onomatopoeia is when1. a word sounds like the sound it is trying to …
What is an oxymoron? Oxymorons are descriptions that use two words that are completely the …
What is a paradox? A paradox is a sentence that at first seems to be true, but actually has a major …
What is parallelism? Parallelism is a technique of ‘balancing’ sentences (meaning all …
*also called anthropomorphism What is personification? Personification is the giving of human …
*also called paronomasia What is a pun? A pun is a piece of clever word-play in which different …
What is a rhetorical question? A rhetorical question is a question that doesn’t need or want …
What is rhyme? Rhyme is the repeating of a syllable or sound at the end of words (the words …
What is sarcasm? Sarcasm is a way (usually spoken) to hurt or belittle others by being mean. It is …
Extended and imaginative similes Using your imagination you can make similes that are unique, …
What is a simile? Similes are used to compare two things using ‘as … as…’ …
What is soraismus? Soraismus is mixing different languages, often using foreign words incorrectly …
What is synecdoche? Synecdoche is when a part of something is used to represent the whole thing, or …
*also called meiosis What is understatement? Understatement is using words to deliberately make …
Exercises to show improved vocabulary and style.
Creating more descriptive writing.
How to use parentheses ( ).
The parts that make up sentences.
How to use a colon :
How to use a comma ,
How to use dashes - -
How to use a semi-colon ;
How to use a slash /
Putting a clause inside a sentence to give more information.
Putting a conditional ('if') phrase at the start of a sentence.
It is possible to start a sentence with a list. However, this should only be done occasionally. …
Placing a preposition at the start of a sentence.
Putting a sub-clause in front of the main clause.
Putting spoken words at the start of a sentence.
The simplest sentence pattern in English, and how to vary it.
Using the passive form.
Phrases to state a point is generally true.
How to give examples to prove a point.
What many people believe, which may or may not be true.
If point A happens or is true, then point B must happen or is true.
Moving to a new point within an argument.