Glossary of Writing Terms
alliteration the repetition of initial consonant sounds; used to draw attention to words or ideas or to create music with the language
assonance a repetition of vowel sounds without the repetition of consonant sounds (e.g., dance, clap)
audience the intended readers of a text
authors craft choices an author/poet makes when writing a text (e.g., organizational pattern, style, vocabulary, images, symbols, point of view, audience)
claim thesis or main point, especially in persuasive writing
climax (also turning point or crisis) high point of interest or suspense in a story; point where the rising action reverses and becomes the falling action of the story
cluster a prewriting technique; the writer maps thoughts about a topic showing how the ideas are connected. The map suggests an organizational pattern for main ideas and supporting details.
coherence logically connected sense that holds parts of text together
colloquial conversational, informal language
consonance repetition of consonant sounds particularly at the ends of words (e.g., to kick the black rock)
content writing using writing as a tool for learning or writing within the community or common language of a discipline. (e.g., writing as an historian or scientist might write)
conventions rules of standard English usage, capitalization, punctuation, paragraphing, and spelling
derivative a variation on a word (e.g., imitation is a derivative of imitate)
directionality understanding that most text moves from front to back, left to right, and top to bottom
drafts writes
edit preparing writing for final draft by checking spelling, punctuation, capitalization, usage, paragraph indentation, neatness, and legibility
expository writing that explains an idea and informs the reader
extended metaphor a metaphor that continues throughout an entire text; often used to create unity or for rhetorical effect
eye rhyme letter patterns that look similar but sound different (e.g., good, food)
figurative language language not meant to be taken literally; also known as figures of speech (e.g., metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and simile)
feminine rhyme rhyme that happens in two syllables of a word rather than in one (e.g., yellow, fellow)
flashbacks interrupting the chronological sequence of a narrative to tell about a related event from an earlier time
focused observation an informal assessment where a teacher watches or listens to determine a students level of understanding of a specific skill, process, or idea
foreshadowing giving hints or clues of what might happen at a future time in the story
form organization of specific types of writing within a general category of purpose/mode (e.g., if the form is editorial, then purpose/mode is persuasive or possibly expository; or if the form is a tall tale, then purpose/mode is narrative)
format most often used to refer to layout or visual presentation of text
free writing a prewriting technique; the writer drafts quickly, without stopping, without editing, or self-correcting to discover what he or she knows, thinks, or feels
imagery figurative language used to produce mental pictures and appeal to senses
learning log a journal or notebook in which a student records questions, problems, and thoughts about a particular subject, idea, or concept as it is studied or learned
literary writing writing poetry, short stories, novels, plays, scripts; creating original writing rather than analyzing or synthesizing the writing of others
metaphor a figure of speech indirectly comparing two essentially dissimilar things; used to create new connections for the reader (e.g., My love is a red, red rose.)
mode type of writing determined by the writer's purpose (e.g., If the writer's purpose is to explain, then the mode is expository.); often used interchangeably with purpose
mood atmosphere (e.g., suspenseful, peaceful, mysterious, terrifying) created by the writer's purposeful choice of vocabulary, pacing, and details
motif a repeated idea in literature
narrative presentation of a series of events in a purposeful sequence to tell a story, either fictional or factual
onomatopoeiathe use of words that imitate the sounds of movement, animals, or objects (e.g., buzz, hiss, clickety-clack)
organizer frameworks, maps, outlines, grids, or diagrams used to put thoughts in order
paragraph a unit of meaning signaled by indenting the first word or by inserting a line space between sections of writing
parallel structure the repeating of phrases and sentences that are syntactically similar (e.g., phrases all starting with verbs, same tense)
paraphrase restating the meaning in own words, retaining all of the ideas without making an interpretation or evaluation
parody a piece of writing that mocks a particular literary work or its style; comic effect is intended
patterned poetry poetry based on a prescribed syllable count, parts of speech, or shape (e.g., diamond poem)
patterned sentences a construction used as a base to create new sentences; young writers substitute a word while keeping the rest of the sentence the same (e.g., I like pizza. I like snowflakes. I like whales.)
person point of view; the perspective from which the writer writes (e.g., first person, third person)
persuasive writing that convinces the designated audience to support a point of view, make a decision, or take an action
phoneme the smallest unit of sound
portfolio purposeful collection of student work that exhibits to the student (and/or others) the student's efforts, progress, or achievement in (a) given area(s)
prewriting the thinking and planning the writer does before drafting, which includes considering the topic, audience, and purpose; gathering information; choosing a form; determining the role of the writer; and making a plan
published work a final draft shared with an audience, large or small; displayed publicly; sent to a newspaper, contest, or magazine; or posted on a web site
resolution the ending of a story where conflicts are resolved and loose ends are tied together
revise/revision the process of reworking or re-seeing writing, which includes: considering changes in audience, purpose, focus, organization, style; elaborating, emphasizing, clarifying, or simplifying text (adding, deleting, reordering, or substituting)
rhetorical question a question where an answer is not expected; often used to involve the audience and create interest
simile a figure of speech directly comparing two essentially dissimilar things; the comparison is signaled with like or as; used to make writing more vivid, fresh, or interesting (e.g., as fresh as bread from the oven)
slant rhyme rhyme in which the final sounds of the words are similar but not identical (e.g., cook and lack); also called off rhyme or approximate rhyme
spatial organization choosing an order for descriptive writing based on space (e.g., front to back, left to right)
story frame a graphic organizer used to plan the development of a story or visual/multi-media presentation
summarize condense the main points using as few words as possible and written in own words
syntax the way words, phrases, and clauses are combined to form sentence order (e.g., in English, subject verb object is a common pattern.)
synthesize the pulling together of ideas or information to develop a common framework for understanding or to create a new idea; writers synthesize when they create, imagine, or combine ideas
technical writing type of expository writing (or sometimes persuasive writing) most often used to convey information (or to convince others) for technical or business purposes
tension suspense arising from opposing forces or motivations
tertiary sources third level sources (e.g., research summaries)
transitions words or phrases that help make smooth connections between parts of a text
voice the sense of the person behind the writing (e.g., serious, honest, compassionate, or angry); writing that captures the correct level of distance, formality, or personality for the purpose of the writing and the audience
word weba graphic organizer, created by the writer during prewriting, to gather and connect facts, ideas, concepts, and/or words