Writing: Understanding the Author’s Craft Debra Myhill 1

THE NOUN AND NOUN PHRASE IN NARRATIVE FICTION Grammar for Writers 2

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Noun Phrases for Description Change the noun to a Proper Noun: Joe Capaldi Change the noun to another common noun : figure Add one adjective to the common noun: silent figure Decide whether you want a definite or indefinite article: a silent figure Add a relative clause: a silent figure, who was wearing a bowler hat, Remove the relative clause and add a non-finite clause: a silent figure, wearing a bowler hat, Remove the non-finite clause and add a prepositional phrase: a silent figure, with a black umbrella, Remove the prepositional phrase and add two adjectives joined by ‘and’ : a silent figure, alert and watchful Remove the adjectival pair and add an adjective modified by an adverb : a silent figure, clearly angry Experiment with variations on the above 4

Building Noun Phrases DeterminerAdjective(s)NOUN silentfigure asilentfigure thesilentfigure somesilent, shadowyfigures manysilent and translucentfigures 5 Building detail before the noun (pre-modification):

Building Noun Phrases NOUNAdjectives (inc with adverb) Prepositional phrase Non-finite clause Relative clause figure,clearly angry figure,alert and watchful figure,with a black umbrella figure,wearing a bowler hat figure,who was wearing a bowler hat 6 Building detail after the noun (post-modification):

EXPLORING MODALITY IN ARGUMENT Grammar for Writers 7

Modal verbs 8 Modal verbs express modality: likelihood, ability, permission, and obligation Express a range of meaning from possibility to certainty can could will would shall should might may must ought to

Modal adverbs There are a huge range of adverbs in English which express modality (possibility-certainty) perhaps surely certainly possibly probably clearly obviously definitely maybe indisputably putatively plausibly undoubtedly undeniably assuredly conceivably inevitably 9

Exploring Modality Imagine that you are Roy Hodgson talking to the England team before the penalty shoot-out in the Euro 2012 match against Spain. Write your team ‘pep talk,’ arguing that it’s still possible to win, using modality to persuade them of this possibility. can could shall should might may must will would ought to perhaps surely certainly possibly probably clearly obviously definitely maybe indisputably putatively plausibly undoubtedly undeniably assuredly conceivably inevitably 10

Why are we doing this? Otherwise, calm down and go home – please. I lost my son. Blacks, Asians, Whites – we all live in the same community. Step forward if you want to lose your sons. Why do we have to kill one another? 11 Write two versions of the closing paragraph of a persuasive speech using these 6 sentences.

I lost my son. Blacks, Asians, Whites – we all live in the same community. Why do we have to kill one another? Why are we doing this? Step forward if you want to lose your sons. Otherwise, calm down and go home – please. 12