| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Main idea | the most important point in a piece of writing |
| Implied main idea | supporting details from the composition, that when combined, help you see the most important point in a piece of writing |
| author's purpose | the reason he/she writes an article or essay |
| purposes for writing | to imform (informative); to influence (persuade); to express (creative); to entertain (entertaining) |
| persuasive writing | clue words in this type of writing are should, must, worst, best, etc. |
| expressive writing | frequently uses the words "I" and/or emotional words |
| entertaining writing | uses vivid descriptions, dialogue, rhymes, drama, or humor |
| informative writing | clues to this type writing are the use of illustrations, diagrams, maps, charts, headings, and bulleted or numbered items |
| context clues | clues from the words and sentences that surround the unfamiliar word/words |
| chronological order | most often used in narrative writing; timelines are often used to plan this type order |
| narrative writing | usually written in first person point-of-view; includes vivid details of people,places, events, and things; tells the events in the order in which they happened; includes the writer's thoughts and feelings. |
| audience | could be someone close to you, or someone you have never met; largely determined by your content on your composition |
| details | the heart of an interesting story |
| "5W-how?" | who? what? when? where? why? and how? |
| relevant details | helps the reader focus on the maid idea |
| irrelvant details | distract the reader from the main idea |
| vivid details | are precise, strong, fresh |
| hook | attention grabbing opener |
| details to elaboration | includes sensory details, details about people involved, and dialogue. |
| conclusion | lets the reader know the meaning of the expericence to you--how you were changed or what it taught you. |
| dialogue | a reflection of the way people really talk |
| planning | 1st step in the writing process |
| rough draft | 1st writing of a compostion |
| revision | rereading a draft to check for contents, mechanics, and usage; a recurring step in the writing process |
| editing | final step in the writing process prior to drafting the final draft |
| publishing | sharing a piece of writing with an audience |
| rubric | assessment tool used in all the stages of the writing process to ensure that the writer remains focused on the final product; the tool by which the final draft is graded |
| final draft | compostion that has been checked numerous times for errors in contenct, mechanics, and usage; usually done in blue/black ink or typed |
| stringy sentence | a sentence with too many ideas strung together with the words "and, but, or so" |
| quotation marks | used to punctuate dialogue |
Combine with other sets
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