What a Character!

Language Features

·	Action verbs: Action verbs provide interest to the writing and lift it from the mundane. Students need to avoid over use of verbs such as come, go, went get, said, look, shouted, laughed, etc. For example, instead of The old woman was in his way   try The old woman barred his path. Instead of She laughed try She cackled. 

·	Specific nouns: Strong nouns have more specific meanings, eg. oak as opposed to tree. These specific nouns give more information, eg. instead of saying fruit, say what sort of fruit.  A bowl of grapes and bananas sat on the table. Concrete nouns are stronger than abstract nouns, eg. sunset versus beauty. 

·	Activate nouns: Make nouns actually do something, eg. It was raining could become Rain splashed down or There was a large cabinet in the lounge could become A large cabinet seemed to fill the lounge. 

·	Judicious use of adjectives and adverbs: There is no doubt that writing needs adjectives and adverbs to bring it alive, qualify the action and provide description and information for the reader. However, it is important that students don't clutter their writing with too many adjectives or adverbs or the narrative will be overwhelmed and the effect lost. Remember: all things in moderation - so make sure your students resist packing in descriptions and keep their writing straightforward. Avoid cliches. 

·	Use the senses: Where appropriate, the senses can be used to describe and develop the experiences, setting and character:
·	What does it smell like?
·	What can be heard?
·	What can be seen - details?
·	What does it taste like?
·	What does it feel like?

Avoid over using these in teacher modeling as students often make excessive use of reference to the senses. It is important to remind them that judicious use is required. Excessive use will ruin the effect.

·	Imagery and Figures of Speech: Figures of speech (figurative language) and imagery are writing devices where words are used to create pictures in the reader's mind. These are not taken at face value, they are interpreted - therefore we say they are figurative not literal. There is a large range of figurative language for students to learn about and practice. As with adjectives and adverbs students need to realise that judicious use of imagery and figurative language will enrich their writing. Excessive use will detract from the impact of the writing and turn the reader off. 

·	Simile: A direct comparison, using like or as or as though, eg. The sea looked as rumpled as a blue quilted dressing gown. Or The wind wrapped me up like a cloak. 

·	Metaphor: An indirect or hidden comparison, eg. She has a heart of stone or He is a stubborn mule or The man barked out the instructions.

·	Onomatopoeia: A suggestion of sound through words, eg. crackle, splat, ooze, squish, boom, eg. The tyres whir on the road. The pitter-patter of soft rain. The mud oozed and squished through my toes.

·	Pun: A play on words. A word or phrase may have two meanings.

·	Alliteration: The repetition of the first letter of words in a line, eg. Crazy Charlie crunched chocolate crackles.

·	Rhetorical Questions: a question is asked but an answer is not expected or required, eg. You wouldn't hurt your own baby, would you?

·	Personification: Giving nonliving things (inanimate) living characteristics, eg. The steel beam clenched its muscles. Clouds limped across the sky. The pebbles on the path were grey with grief. 

·	The Opening Sentence of the Writing: The first sentence is so important. If it is well crafted the audience's attention can immediately be captured. There are various techniques that can be used for this first sentence:

·	A statement: The audience is given some information, their appetite is whetted and hopefully they will want to read on to discover more, eg. "One morning the people of Rin woke to find that the stream that flowed down the mountain had slowed to a trickle." (Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda), "Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone" by J.K. Rowling.)

·	Rhetorical Questions: Often the author asks the audience questions, knowing of course there will be no direct answer. This is a way of involving the reader in the story at the outset, eg. Have you ever built a tree hut?

Many of the ideas listed under "Beginning Sentences "are also useful as openers. 

·	Beginning Sentences: Variety in sentence beginnings makes the writing less pedantic. There are a several ways to do this. 
·	Participles: "Jumping with joy I ran home to tell mum my good news."
·	Adverbs: "Silently the cat crept toward the bird"
·	Adjectives: "Brilliant sunlight shone through the window"
·	Nouns:        "Thunder claps filled the air"
·	Phrases:  "Along the street walked the girl as if she had not a care in the world."
·	Conversations: these may be used as an opener. This may be done through a series of short or one-word sentences or as one long complex sentence.  

·	Sentence Structures: Vary the length of sentence structures for variety and interest. Try a combination of simple, short sentences with one idea followed by a compound or complex sentence, eg. It was freezing cold. It had snowed all night. Thinking that it was still early, Mary snuggled back down under the quilt and tried to go back to sleep. It was no use. Sleep refused to come so she threw back the bed covers and put on her dressing gown. 

·	Personal Voice (see http://www.efuse.com/Design/wa-voice.html): A definitive definition of personal voice is difficult. It may be described as writing which is honest and convincing. The author is able to 'put the reader there'. The writer invests something of him/her self in the writing. The writing makes an impact on the reader. It reaches out and touches the reader. A connection is made. 

© Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (First published 1998)