Writer

Chapin-Pinotti Learning Center

Writer's use different ways (or techniques) to make their work interesting. Writing techniques also help to detail stories and reports. Try using some of the techniques below to enhance your work.

Allusion: An allusion is a reference to a famous or well-known person, place, thing or happening that a writer assumes the reader will be familiar with. Make sure that you target your audience when using allusions.

Catherine jumped up and flew to her sister like Superman to save her from falling down the stairs.

Analogy: Comparison of like objects. An analogy implies that since things are alike in some ways they will be alike in all ways.

Puppies are like plants. If you give them care and attention, they will be strong and healthy. If you ignore them they become weak and sick.

Anecdote: A brief story that is used to illustrate or make a point.

George Washington cut down the tree and when asked, by his father, if he had he quickly told him he did.. (This anecdote show's Washington's honesty.

Antithesis: An antithesis is the exact opposite. It is used in writing to show opposite ideas in the same thought or sentence.

We decided to have the shark for lunch before he had us.

Exaggeration: Like a hyperbole or overstatement, an exaggeration is a stretching of the truth to illustrate a point.

If I miss the dance tonight I will just die!

Flashback: A flashback is when a writer interrupts a story to go back and explain an earlier happening.

Foreshadowing: Clues or hints a writer uses to suggest what is going to happen next in the story.

Hyperbole: An exteme exaggeration or overstatement used by a writer to add emphasis.

My mother went ballistic when she saw her broken vase.

Idiom: Words used in a way that is usually different from their actual or literal meaning.

The drive from took longer than a cross-Atlantic flight.

Irony: A technique by which a word or phrase means the exact opposite of its normal meaning.

Samantha never laughed or joked, so we called her smiley.

Juxtaposition: Putting two or more thoughts, ideas, pictures or words together to create a new, mainly ironic, meaning.

Oh the fun of a dentist visit!

Loaded words: Persuasive writing in which words are used to make one feel for or against something. Often used in advertising.

The new and improved dishwashing liquid is milder and cleaner smelling that the other brands.

Metaphor: A figure of speech that compares two things without the use of as or like.

The rain fell in sheets all night long.

Oxymoron: When two words with opposing meanings are put together for effect.

small fortune

Paradox: A true statement even thought it appears to be stating two opposing things.

The less money I have, the more I spend.

Parallelism: Repeating similar grammar and rhythm structures in words, phrases and sentences.

The go-cart raced down the hill, turned the final corner and almost screeched to a halt before it flew over the clif.

Personification: Giving inanimate objects human characteristics.

The water raced down the rocked, tripping as it tangled between them.

Sarcasm: A word or phrase that makes fun of or puts down someone or something; however, used in a way so as to have the exact opposite meaning of what is intended.

"Way to go!" I said as my friend spilled her soda down the front of her pants.

Simile: A figure of speech that uses as or like to compare two things

They floated across the water like clouds floating in the summer sky.

Slang: Informal word usage.

Cool shirt

Symbolism: Use of a real object to represent an idea.