Writing: Understanding the Author’s Craft

Debra Myhill

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THE NOUN AND NOUN PHRASE IN NARRATIVE

FICTION

Grammar for Writers

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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

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Building Noun Phrases

Determiner Adjective(s) NOUN

silent figure

a silent figure

the silent figure

some silent, shadowy figures

many silent and translucent figures

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Building detail before the noun (pre-modification):

Building Noun Phrases

NOUN Adjectives(inc with adverb)

Prepositional phrase

Non-finite clause

Relative clause

figure, clearly angryfigure, alert and

watchfulfigure, with a black

umbrellafigure, wearing a

bowler hatfigure, who was wearing

a bowler hat

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Building detail after the noun (post-modification):

EXPLORING MODALITY IN ARGUMENT

Grammar for Writers

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Modal verbs

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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

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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

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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?

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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.

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