Writing-Using Similes

Have you heard of the term "simile" before? Wikipedia describes it as literary device that uses the words "like" or "as" to compare two unlike objects or ideas. I bet you've seen writing, especially poetry, that used a simile or two! Let's look at a few examples.

North Dakota is like an ice box in the winter. It is freezing cold there!
(That simile is comparing the state of North Dakota to an ice box.)

My cat, Spanky, is like a tiger stalking his prey when he plays with his toys.
(That simile is comparing my cat, Spanky, to a tiger.)

Florida summers are as hot as the sun's surface.
(That simile is comparing summers in Florida to the sun's surface. Both are very hot!)

Take a look at the list below (from http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/spoon/similes.php) of some common similes. Pick two and try using them in a couple of sentences!

As agile as a monkey
As alike as two peas in a pod
As bald as a baby's backside
As big as a bus
As big as an elephant
As black as coal
As blind as a bat
As blind as a mole
As bold as brass
As brave as a lion
As bright as day
As bright as the sun
As busy as a beaver
As busy as a bee

One of my favorite similes shown above is the "as blind as a bat." I've often said that my sister, without her glasses, is as blind as a bat!

Writing- Personification

Many times in descriptive writing, you'll come across personification, especially if you're reading or writing poetry. Personification is giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas).

For example, consider this sentence: The rain kissed my cheeks as it fell. It's impossible for rain to do an action such as "kiss" someone on the cheek. However, that paints and picture in the reader's mind!

Think of a non-living object and some human trait that you could use with it. Below are some examples of sentences that use personification.

The palm tree danced in the wind.
Her yellow polka dots screamed with their brightness.
The huge pumpkin sat in the middle of the field.

Visit this link (http://www.imschools.org/cms/Units/Poetry/student2.htm) and look at the 10 examples given. Then, come back here & post your favorite one!

Writing-Using Hyphens Correctly (Part 1)

The next few blog posts will focus on when hyphens should be used in writing. As you know, the English language has lots of rules and even more exceptions to those rules. But learning when to use a hyphen and, just as important, when not to use it will make your writing even better! (These rules can be found at the Online Writing Lab (OWL) by Purdue University.)

Rule 1: Use a hyphen to avoid confusion or an awkward combination of letters.

Example: You can re-sign a petition. (Meaning to sign again)
Note: No hyphen is needed in the word "resign" as in resigning from a job. (Meaning to officially quit or leave your job.)
Reason: The hyphen helps with correct pronunciation of "re-sign."

Example: A teenager may be semi-independent. (The hyphen is used because without it, you'd have the letters "ii" right next to each other and that may make it hard to know what term it is.
Note: No hyphen is needed in the word "semiconscious."
Reason: Use a hyphen when you have two of the same letters next to each other with each word part.
Additional examples: The word "shell-like" needs the hyphen, but the word "childlike" does not.

What do you think about this rule? Is it something you'll be able to apply in your writing? Did you already know this rule before today's blog entry? Answer the two questions and write a sentence with a hyphen.

Writing-Using Hyphens Correctly (Part 2)

Let's continue our discussion and exploration of hyphen usage in writing. This next rule may be the simplest one of all!

Rule 2: Use a hyphen with compound numbers.

Examples: forty-six, sixty-three, twenty-nine

Note: When writing numbers like those, you have two options: use the numbers (46, for example) or spell it out and use the hyphen.

I'd like you to write two sentences and show both of the ways to correctly use numbers. I'll give you an example below.

1.) My sister is twenty-eight years old.
2.) My sister is 28 years old.

Now you try it!

Writing-Using Hyphens Correctly (Part 3)

Here's a bit more about using hyphens correctly in your writing.

Rule: Use a hyphen with the prefixes "ex-" (meaning former), "self-", and "all-."

Examples: ex-husband, self-assured, all-inclusive

Can you think of any terms using those prefixes that would require the use of a hyphen? If so, post them. If not, that's ok, just take one or two of these terms and use them in a correctly written sentence.

Writing as a Memory Tool

Have you ever considered that writing can be a tool that helps you remember things better? That's not really a surprise to many of us, especially since so much emphasis is placed on taking notes or writing other important things down! Here's an interesting fact that I came across today!

Few people realize how fast memory fades. Studies on memory have shown that, without review, 47% of what a person has just learned is forgotten in the first twenty minutes and 62% is forgotten after the first day. (University of Texas at Austin).

Isn't that amazing, but also kind of scary?!

Our next set of blog topics will focus on how to be a better note-taker! So, let's do a little opening activity right now! How, why, or when do you take notes? Once you take them, what do you do with them? Share your opinions with us!

Vocabulary- Resume Terms

Have you ever wondered if there's specific vocabulary that you'd use on a resume? Well, the answer is "yes." Take a look at this neat site that I found that does just that!

http://esl.about.com/od/businessspeakingskills/a/j_vocabulary.htm

The first part of that site lists verbs that will help you express just exactly what you did with impressive vocabulary. These verbs are used to express responsibilities and tasks performed. Please look at the list below & identify 2-3 words that you'd like to look up so you can understand the meaning a bit better. Then, visit an online dictionary (like http://www.merriam-webster.com/), look up the word, and come back here to post each word with its definition!

accomplished
acted
adapted
administered
advanced
advised
allocated
analyzed
applied
approved
arbitrated
arranged
assisted
attained
blended
brought
built
carried out
catalogued
changed
classified
collaborated
compared
completed
computed
conceived
conducted
constructed
consulted
contracted
controlled

Writing -Less May Be More!

Have you ever heard the term "less is more" used? Well, it's used when having more of something isn't necessarily a good thing. Graduation speeches are a perfect example of this! Sometimes, people may think that they have to do things a certain way or a certain length (for writing or speaking). However, having more is not always better! Less is often a more attractive alternative.

Let me present you with this situation. A person is giving a speech or presentation. Instead of covering the main points in 5 or 7 minutes, the person takes 15 or more minutes, leaving everyone wondering when it was going to end. In this case, less would have been more! Had this person covered what they wanted to do in less time, they would've received a more favorable response from the audience.

This is true with your writing. Never "fluff" it up. Cover your main points. Be concise. If you do that, it won't matter how short or long it was, as you did what you needed to do!

Have you ever heard, seen, or read something that was too long and you felt could have been presented in a much shorter way? If so, what was it?

Paraphrasing

Many times, a boss or supervisor may want you to write a short summary to paraphrase what was said or what happened at an event (like a meeting). Paraphrasing or summarizing means that you're not giving a word-for-word account of what transpired, but that you're giving the most important points or an overview of things.

Let's look at an example.

Perhaps you're at a restaurant and your friend says this to the waiter: "I have some questions about the breakfast specials. Are they all prepared with butter? I'm not sure that I want butter. What about the pancakes? Are they made with butter too? Oh, forget it. I'll just order the waffles and not worry about it."

You might paraphrase that by telling someone that your friend asked some questions about the food, including if it was made with butter, and he decided to order the waffles. (Do you see how that is a much shorter way to give someone the main idea?

I'd like you to give it a try! Visit one of the web sites below and pick a story to read. Then, come back here & paraphrase what you read in 2-4 sentences.

Travel Channel
CNN Entertainment
USA Today

Always awesome alliteration!

Have you heard the term "alliteration" used before? Even if you haven't, I bet you're familiar with it or could recognize it. Take a look at the sentences & phrases below. Each is an example of alliteration.

Candace creates candy canes.
Stephanie sang so soulfully.
Trent's terrific trees
Always awesome alliteration

Wikipedia defines alliteration as a literary or rhetorical stylistic device that consists in repeating the same consonant sound at the beginning of several words in close succession. An example is the Mother Goose tongue-twister, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers …".

Do you want to see some examples of poetry that use alliteration? Visit this link: http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112392/alliterationclassics.html.

Next, come back here & try writing a 2 to 3 word phrase that is an example of alliteration. (If you get stuck, you can "borrow one" from the poems that you see.)