More Notes on Representative Narrative Composition

Here are some more specific notes on things to consider as you revise your pieces.
Period 5 (Level 2) - Revision due Tuesday, March 6
Period 3 (Level 3) - Revision due Wednesday, March 7

Exposition/ Explanation (How do you know?)

• Unnecessary
• Doesn’t create images
• Set-up is not action: focus on action
• Show not tell: focus on visible

Sentence Structure

• Varied lengths (short, medium, long)
• Be attentive to rhythmic changes (cumulative sentences)
• Use phrases and clauses as modifiers
• Mix up the levels and layers
• Sentences are like puzzle pieces, they come in all different kinds of shapes and sizes, some with soft edges, some with sharper ones

Vocabulary

• Using words well is more important than using “big” words
• Diction = word choice
• Factors of diction are denotation (specific meaning of a word) and connotation (associated
• meaning implied or suggested; emotional connections)

Attend to nouns and verbs

• Watch use of pronouns – be clear
• Use appropriate verb forms
• Maintain tense consistency