1. Diction, Syntax, and Tone
Voice and Style
Diction, Syntax, and Tone

2. Elements of Voice Diction or Choice of Words
Syntax or Grammatical Structure
Tone or Attitude (Mood)

3. Diction (Choice of Words)
Describe diction by considering the following words:
Colloquial expressions---nonstandard, often regional, language use for informal or conversational speech and writing
Example: Coca cola, coke, pop, or soda?
Slang
Example: Frenemy, Supersize

4. Diction
Jargon—words and expressions characteristic of a particular trade, profession, or pursuit
Example: Think of one from the Business world:
Dialect—nonstandard subgroup of language with its own vocabulary and grammatical features
Example:

5. Diction
Concrete Diction—specific words that describe physical qualities or conditions
Example:
Abstract Diction—language that denotes ideas, emotions, conditions, or concepts that are intangible.

6. Diction Denotation—exact, literal definition of a word Example:
Connotation—implicit rather than explicit meaning of a word and consists of suggestions, associations, and emotional overtones

7. Diction Words may be: Euphonious (pleasant sounding) Example:
Cacophonous (harsh sounding)

8. Diction Monosyllabic—one syllable Example: earth
Polysyllabic---two or more syllables
Example: planet

9. Syntax (grammatical structure)
Sentence Types and Kinds
Simple (one independent clause)
Example: John loves his math class.
Compound (2 or more IC)
Example: John loves his math class, but Sally adores Accounting I.

10. Syntax (grammatical structure)
Complex (one IC, one or more dependent clauses)
Example: Although John loves his math class, his highest grade is in history.

11. Syntax (grammatical structure)
Compound-Complex
Example: Although John loves his math class, his highest grade is in history; however, all of his grades are above average.

12. Syntax Sentences may be: Declarative ***fact Example :
Interrogative ****questions
Example:
Imperative ****command
Exclamatory

13. Syntax Sentence Length and Emphasis Length
Telegraphic—shorter than five words in length
Medium ---approximately 18 words in length
Long and Involved (30 plus words)

14. Syntax
Emphasis—
Loose or cumulative sentence---makes complete sense if brought to a close before the actual ending
Example: He resigned after denouncing his accusers and asserting his own innocence time and time again.
(notice the first part of the sentence).

15. Syntax
Periodic Sentence---makes sense only when the end of the sentence is reached.
Example: After denouncing his accusers and asserting his own innocence time and time again, the State Department Official resigned.
(The most important part of the sentence is the information at the end).

16. Syntax---Emphasis
Balanced Sentence---phrases or clauses balance each other by likeness of structure, meaning, or length
Example: John loves math class, and Sally prefers Accounting I.

17. Syntax---Emphasis
Natural order of sentence---subject before the predicate
Example:
Inverted order of a sentence---predicate before the subject
Example: Tears were shed by the defeated team.

18. Syntax---Emphasis
Juxtaposition---poetic and rhetorical device placing normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases next to one another.
Example: The spring in his step, like the spring of the year, brought together the two families.

19. Syntax---Emphasis
Parallel structure---grammatical or structural similarity between sentences or parts of sentences
Example:
Repetition---words, sounds, and ideas are used more than once

20. Syntax---Emphasis
Rhetorical question---question that requires no answer
Example:
Rhetorical fragment---fragment used deliberately for persuasive purpose

21. Tone---
Remember that tone is an effect. A sentence stem to use in writing would be:
Establishing a tone of through the use of , , and Or
Establishing a mocking tone through the use of dialogue, monosyllabic words, and repeated phrases, the writer…