Essay Essentials
What punctuation mark must be used to separate multiple items in a list, such as nouns or consecutive adjectives?
a comma
What are the five senses?
Sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch
To appeal to this specific sense, the guide instructs writers to describe "colors, shapes, and motion" instead of just naming an object.
Sight (or Visuals)
Give a positive connotative adjective for the neutral word "old"
Vintage, Antique, or Wise
What is a literary device that compares two different things using the specific words "like" or "as"?
A simile
What is the primary goal of a descriptive essay?
To create a dominant impression
Complete the sentence:
"Show, ............."
"Show, Don't Tell
What sense is it?
The high-pitched whistle of the teakettle competed with the rhythmic sizzle of bacon in the pan.
Hearing
Give a negative connotative adjective for the neutral word "talkative".
Chatty, Rambling, or Long-winded.
What is a strong, direct comparison that says one thing is something else, rather than just saying it is like something else?
A metaphor
What part of the introduction uses a surprising sensory detail to grab the reader's attention?
The hook
What order is it?
Rather than a simple list of areas, this method treats a location as a navigational journey. You guide your reader through a physical environment by moving from the perimeter to the heart of the scene.
Spatial order
What sense is it?
The cat’s velvety fur was warm from the sun, but its sandpaper-like tongue felt scratchy against my hand.
Touch
Upgrade the sentence using an action verb.
The sun was behind the clouds.
The sun peeked through the clouds.
What is the device that gives human qualities, such as emotions or actions, to non-human things like objects or nature?
Personification
Which organizational method guides the reader through a physical environment by moving from the perimeter to the heart of the scene?
Spatial Order
What is the neutral, factual, "dictionary" definition of a word called?
Denotation
Improve the following statement so that we can visualize it vividly.
"The university cafeteria was loud."
The constant clatter of metal forks against porcelain plates was almost drowned out by the roar of overlapping conversations and the harsh, sudden hiss of the espresso machine.
Instead of using a "to be" verb in the sentence "The student was in the chair," what active verb can be used to show the student is tired or bored?
Slumped
The new student was as quiet as a mouse during the entire lecture.
Which organizational pattern should you use if you want to move from the most prominent detail (like a bright flower) to the least prominent detail?
Order of Importance
What type of language refers to the "vibe" or the emotional and cultural associations that a word carries?
Connotative language
Improve the following statement so that we can visualize it better.
"The tea was good."
The dark liquid was intensely bitter at first sip, followed quickly by a wave of syrupy sweetness from the sugar dissolving at the bottom of the curved glass.
Instead of using the vague adjective "angry" (as in, "He looked angry"), what concrete, color-based adjective could you use to "show" his face?
Beet-red
"The wind whispered through the pines"
Personification