Bellwork

How can I strengthen my writing with adjectives? List three adjectives in the following passage that seem especially strong and two adjectives that seem overused. How can I strengthen my writing with adjectives? List three adjectives in the following passage that seem especially strong and two adjectives that seem overused.

I listened to the growling thunder in the distance while watching the blue-black clouds. I wondered if we would get a nice rain. The parched ground in the fields was criss-crossed with ugly cracks. The curled leaves were turned bottom- side up, like hands begging for help. I hoped that the bad drought would be over.

Use Effective Adjectives If you avoid overused adjectives (nice, big, pretty, small, good...) and use specific, colorful adjectives instead, your writing will be clear and powerful. A bad storm knocked down a big tree in our yard. A fierce summer storm knocked down a century-old oak tree in our yard With Overused Adjectives With Stronger Adjectives

I listened to the growling thunder in the distance while watching the blue-black clouds. I wondered if we would get a nice rain. The parched ground in the fields was criss-crossed with ugly cracks. The curled leaves were turned bottom- side up, like hands begging for help. I hoped that the bad drought would be over.

Use Adjectives with the Right Feeling Your choice of adjectives can really change the feeling of your writing. What an adjective suggests – its connotation-has a significant effect on you writing. Your choice of adjectives can really change the feeling of your writing. What an adjective suggests – its connotation-has a significant effect on you writing. The blustery wind blew Isaac’s homework against the brick wall.

What does the word blustery suggest to you? What if you changed it to howling wind or brisk wind? These adjectives are similar, yet each one gives the sentence a different feeling. Try it Write a brief paragraph about a windy day. Concentrate on how the wind makes you feel and use adjectives with the right connotation. Write a brief paragraph about a windy day. Concentrate on how the wind makes you feel and use adjectives with the right connotation.

Be Selective While adjectives can make your writing engaging, don’t overuse them. Awkward, over- modified phrases Stronger phrases A sunny, inviting, warm, balmy day A balmy, sunny day The gray, threatening, windy, cloudy sky The gray, threatening sky

Rewrite each of the following over-modified phrases, by cutting back on the number of adjectives. Keep only those adjectives that make the phrase strong. Then use each of the new phrases in an effective sentence.

1. a frigid, dark, raw, dangerous winter night 2.the intense, bright, white, shocking lightning 3.a clam, peaceful, quiet, still evening 4. the fiery, colorful, vibrant, red maple leaves 5.a plodding, struggling, weary, demoralized hiker 1. a frigid, dark, raw, dangerous winter night 2.the intense, bright, white, shocking lightning 3.a clam, peaceful, quiet, still evening 4. the fiery, colorful, vibrant, red maple leaves 5.a plodding, struggling, weary, demoralized hiker

Be General or Specific You can use indefinite adjectives, such as few, many, more, and some, to give the reader approximate (rather than specific) information. Some thunderstorms produce funnel clouds. Most storms don’t cause much harm. You can use indefinite adjectives, such as few, many, more, and some, to give the reader approximate (rather than specific) information. Some thunderstorms produce funnel clouds. Most storms don’t cause much harm.

A demonstrative adjective points to a specific noun. The demonstrative adjectives are this, that, these, and those. Those clouds over there look threatening. This weather is not so bad. Note that both indefinite and demonstrative adjectives must come before the nouns they modify. If they appear alone, they are pronouns. A demonstrative adjective points to a specific noun. The demonstrative adjectives are this, that, these, and those. Those clouds over there look threatening. This weather is not so bad. Note that both indefinite and demonstrative adjectives must come before the nouns they modify. If they appear alone, they are pronouns.

Write about a rainy experience using two sentences with indefinite adjectives and two sentences with demonstrative adjectives. Exchange papers with a classmate and underline each other’s indefinite adjectives and circle the demonstrative adjectives.