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Showing vs. Telling

Showing vs. Telling Powerful narrative writers use vivid imagery to bring their writing to life. They use precise language that appeals to the five senses. Readers can actually see, smell, hear, taste and feel a scene and the action.

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Showing vs. Telling

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  1. Showing vs. Telling Powerful narrative writers use vivid imagery to bring their writing to life. They use precise language that appeals to the five senses. Readers can actually see, smell, hear, taste and feel a scene and the action. Writers also employ active verbs in their writing to provide specific action to a scene. Avoid the use of dead verbs in your writing because they do not give a clear sense of action. “TO BE VERBS” - be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been OTHER DEAD VERBS - get, feel, become/grow, seem/appear/look , show/demonstrate/prove, display, has, do ACTIVE VERBS – collided, exploded, gazed, neglected, etc…

  2. You will need to have a piece of lined paper and a pen or pencil in order to complete this assignment. Are you ready?

  3. Refer to this image for the following slide

  4. “showing” vs. “telling” “telling” - Shelooked into the mirror. (minimal description and weak verb) “showing” – On the eve of her first dance, a young woman, dressed in old blue jeans and her father’s plaid shirt, admired a frilly gift that just didn’t seem to fit. (notice the difference?)

  5. ASSIGNMENT PART 1 COMPLETE ON A SEPARATE DOCUMENTMake these sentences more vivid using sensory images and strong verbs. • It was a very hot day. • The boy ate an apple. • She was in a hurry. • The dog ate his breakfast. • The band was loud.

  6. Example Descriptive Paragraph (based on previous slide) A sailor, neatly dressed in a government issued uniform, leans against the cold granite facade of the diner’s club on the corner of 5th Ave. and W. 54th St. He is crowding a young woman who is wearing a tight-fitting pink dress with a black belt and matching high heels. She stands properly before him; feet together, shoulders square, with her hands clasping a small handbag. The two seem to be in their own little world; unaware of the screeching brakes and bleating horns that envelop this bustling city street. A few steps away, a woman in a flower hat tries to avoid the stench of an onlooker’s pipe. Still others rush passed clenching leather cases close to their chests. Finally, a few well-dressed, yet desperate old men looking out the window just above the flirting couple tap on the glass indignantly and wave them to “move along” while ignoring the waiter trying to serve them.

  7. ASSIGNMENT – part 2 • Your assignment is to write a vivid “showing” paragraph (150 – 200 words) for the previous slide. Remember to appeal to the five senses AND use strong verbs. • Don’t forget to write your 5 vivid sentences from part 1.

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