Stylistic tips Or how to make your

writing more sophisticated

Emphatic tenses• Used to emphasize a point• EX: While the author utilizes irony sparingly, he does employ……..• The present emphatic tense is formed by adding the basic present

form of the verb to the present tense of the verb to do (do or does).• He does use the emphatic tense. Vs. He uses the emphatic tense…• He does utilize irony however…. Vs. He utilizes irony however….

• The past emphatic tense is formed by adding the basic present form of the verb to the past tense of the verb to do (did).

He did come to work today vs. He came to work today.

He did not stay home today vs. He stayed home today.

Subjunctive moodWhere used?• Statement contrary to fact, wish, desire, imaginary condition• In IF clauses (If it were to snow tonight, ) use were rather than was.• Used after: 1. advise (that2. ask (that) 3. command (that) 4. demand (that) 5. desire (that)6. insist (that)7. propose (that)8. recommend (that)9. request (that)10. suggest (that)11. urge (that)

Subjunctive mood

• What does it look like?Use the simple form of the verb. The simple form of the verb "to go" is "go.”EX:" His counselor suggests that he forego the

ACT’s.Is it essential that we be there? Rather than areThe NHS sponsor advised that he join the group.

Present vs. present progressive

• Present tense is used to indicate an action that occurs

• Present progressive indicates action that is ongoing (is taking the test; is grading the essay, is rehearsing for the play)

• Therefore when writing

“You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on the affirmative”

• Put statements in positive form. • Make definite assertions. • Avoid “tame, colorless, hesitating, non-

committal language.” • Use the word not as a means of denial or in

antithesis, never as a means of evasion (Stunk and White).

Examples of positive vs. negative syntax

D o not use: convoluted Instead

The author does not realize the importance

The author is unaware of …

Ownership is not related to sense of self Ownership and sense of self are two distinct entities

Does not have much confidence in doubts

The Taming of the Shrew is rather weak in spots. Shakespeare does not portray Katharine as a very admirable character, nor does Bianca remain long in memory as an important character in Shakespeare's works.

Shakespeare portrays Katherine as shameful, Bianca as insignificant. (Or forgettable or trivial)

When negative is effective

AntithesisEX: “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I

loved Rome more” (Julius Caesar Act III Scene II).

EX: Not charity, but justice.Negative words other than not

Never; neither, nor;

When you use too many words in a sentence to get your point across to the reader … or KISS

• Some animals are already gone—extinct—and will never return to the earth.

• This shows the audience tht the witches, or in the audience of the 50’s case, communists, who admitted to their crime and listed others were lying; thus the audience realizes that the hysteria was fake and the confessed should not be believed.

Use transition (450x)

USE ACTIVE VOICE

Idiosyncrasies of Kennedy

• Amount vs. number• Things: elements, entities, aspects, facets,

phases, features, characteristics, effects• A lot: a great deal, a number of , many, • Big: major, critical, significant, key, foremost,

chief, main• Italicize or underline correctly; use quotes

correctly.