Poetic devices + Grammar Flashcards
Independent Clause
Expresses a complete thought. Ex. Jim walked to the store.
Dependent clause
Doesn’t express a complete thought. Always begins with a subordinating conjunction. Ex. When jim walked to the store.
Comma Splices
Two independent clauses joined by a comma. Ex. Jim walked to the store, he bought milk. To fix: separate the sentences.
A fused sentence
No punctuation between two clauses. Ex. Jim walked to the store he bought milk. To fix: Add punctuation
Coordinating Conjunctions Examples
FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
What are Coordinating Conjunctions?
Connecting words for two independent clauses. Ex. Jim walked to the store, but it was closed when he got there. (but is the coordinating conjunction).
Subordinating Conjunction
Joins an independent and dependant clause. Ex. Jim walked to the store because he needed milk. Because is the word that makes the dependant clause depend on the independent.
Subject
Who or what performs an action (verb). Ex. Mary snorted cocaine. Mary is the subject.
Verb
The action being performed. Ex. Mary snorted cocaine. Snorted is the verb.
Object
The thing receiving the verb. (can also be pronouns) ex. Ex. Mary snorted cocaine. Cocaine is the object.
What is a modifier?
A word that adds detail or changes the meaning of its target (the word it is modifying).
Misplaced modifier
When the modifier is placed too far away from the target. Ex. Jim took his wallet to the store, which was empty. What is empty his wallet or the store? Rearrange to fix.
Dangling modifier
When a writer uses a modifier but forgets the target all together. Ex. Walking to the store my wallet fell in the mud. What was walking to the store the wallet of the mud. Add a target to fix.
Pronoun reference
When you are referring to a noun in which you are replacing with a pronoun but that noun is not clear. Ex. John set down his sandwich next to a bug, he smashed it with his palm. What did he smash? The bug or sandwich. Fix by replacing one of the two with the noun.
Parallel Structure
Repetition of grammatical form in a sentence, ex. all past tense verbs, all plural, etc. Ex. Jim not only bought butter, but also got milk.
Gerunds
A verb that is used in a sentence as a noun rather than to describe an action that someone is doing. Ex. Jim enjoys walking. ‘Walking’ the noun, the verb is ‘enjoys’.
Action Verb
Something you can do Ex. Jim is walking.
Auxiliary verb
Helping verb, ex. ‘am’, ‘has’, ‘do’. Ex. I am leaving. Leaving is the main verb, ‘am’ is the auxiliary verb.
Linking verb
Connect the subject to more info. ‘Am’, ‘Is’ and ‘Are’ are the core of linking verbs. If you can replace a verb with one of these and the sentence is still logical the verb is linking.
Compound verb
When a subject is doing two or more verbs.
Alliteration
Repetition of consonant. Ex. Wicked which of the West went on her way
Assonance
Repetition of sounds through vowels. Ex. A long song
Allusion
When the author refers to something in passing reference to draw on something from the readers mind. Ex. Greed was his Achilles’ heel.
Metaphor
Making a direct comparison between two things. Ex. Henry is a lion on the battlefield.
Simile
Making a comparison using words like; like and as. Ex. Henry is like a lion on the battlefield.
Personification
Attaching human traits or characteristics to inanimate objects/animals. Ex. The wise owl.
Fragmentation
Jumping from one idea to another, breaking up lines and sentences.
Compression
The art of saying a lot with very little. Ex. Not proud of my address, in a torn up town, no post code envy.
Onomatopoeia
Words that sound like their sounds. Hum, grunt, click.
Rhetorical Question
Asking a question to make a point rather than get an answer.
Foreshadowing
Giving subtle hints of what is going to happen without giving away the plot.
Metonymy
Referring to something by a physical or personality trait that that it holds. Ex. The blond, the students, guapa, etc.
Anaphora
A form of repetition in which the same word or phrase I repeated at the beginning of each sentence. Ex. I can smile, I can laugh, I can be happy
Enjambment
Continuing a sentence over a line break. Ex. What had summer had / to do with….
