Image Grammar “Brushstrokes” “The writer is an artist, painting images of life with specific and identifiable brush strokes, images as realistic as Wyeth and as abstract as Picasso. In the act of creation, the writer, like the artist, relies on fundamental elements.” Harry R. Noden

1. Absolute Brush Stroke Add a Noun + ing verb Function: adds action Core Sentence: The car went into the parking lot. Add a Noun + ing verb Function: adds action Absolute Brush Stroke •Noun + ing verb •Function: adds to the action Core: The car went into the parking lot. Engine smoking, gears grinding, the car went into the parking lot Noun -ing verb Noun -ing verb Engine smoking, gears grinding, the car went into the parking lot.

Add an :Absolute Brushstroke Instead of: The dog swam under water. Write:

2. Appositive Brushstroke Core sentence: The car went into the parking lot Add an additional noun to restate the first noun Function: Adds detail The car, a 1936 Ford, went into the parking lot.

Add an Appositive Brushstoke Instead of: The sports car is sleek. Write:

3. Painting with Participles Core sentence: The car went into the parking lot. Add an-ing or –ed word or phrase before the sentence Function: adds action Sliding on the loose gravel, the car went into the parking lot.

Add a Participle Brushstoke Instead of: The lion roamed the savannah. Write:

4. Painting with Adjectives Out-of-Order Core sentence: The car went into the parking lot Shift two adjectives after the noun Function: Adds detail (Avoid 3 adjectives in a row) The old car, rusty and dented, went into the parking lot.

Add Adjectives Out-of-Order Instead of: The shark jumped out of the ocean. Write:

5. Add Action Verbs Brushstrokes Core sentence: The car went into the parking lot Verbs that do action Function: Adds detail •The car chugged into the parking lot.

Add Action Verbs Brushstrokes Instead of: The boat went across the lake. Write:

Practice Brushstrokes Write a regular, boring base sentence about the photo: Brushstroke Rewrite it with the Brushstroke Absolute Appositive Participle Adjectives-Out-of-Order Action Verb

Practice “Zooming In” Boring base sentence: Rewrite with a Brushstroke

Practice “Zooming In” Boring base sentence: Rewrite with a Brushstroke