Download Image Grammar

Image Grammar
Artist’s Brush Strokes
absolutes
• Definition: a noun combined with an -ing
participle.
• Example: Hands shaking, feet
trembling, the mountain climber edged
along the cliff.
You try: absolutes
• Add absolutes--one or two-- to each
sentence below.
• The diver peered once more at the
specimen.
• I glanced at my clock.
• The kitten yawned tiredly.
appositives
• Definition: a noun that adds a second
image to a preceding noun.
• The appositive expands details in the
reader’s imagination.
• Example: The raccoon, a midnight
scavenger who roams lake shorelines in
search of food, enjoys eating turtle
eggs.
You try, Appositives
• Add one appositive to each of the
sentences below:
• The volcano spewed forth lava and ash
across the mountain.
• The old Navajo woman stared blankly.
• The fish felt the alligator sink its teeth
into his scales.
participles
• Definition: a -ing verb tagged on to the
beginning of end of a sentence.
• Example: Hissing, slithering, and
coiling, the diamond scaled snakes
attacked their prey.
You try, participles
• Add one to three participles into each of
the sentences below:
• The clown smiled and did his act with
unusual certainty.
• The rhino looked for freedom.
participle phrases
• Definition: a participle along with any
modifiers that complete the image.
• Example: Flying through the air on the
wings of a dream, the Olympic long
jumper thrust the weight of the whole
body forward.
You try, participle phrases
• Add one participle phrase per sentence
• He washed his hand in the ocean and
held it there for more than a minute.
• The diamond scaled snake attacked the
unsuspecting rabbit.
Adjectives shifted out of
order
• Definition: adjectives modifying nouns,
placed out of traditional order.
• Used most often to amplify the details of
the image.
• Example: The large bull moose, redeyed and angry, charged the intruder.
• Example: The cheetah, tired and
hungry, stared at the gazelle, which
would soon become his dinner.
You try, adjectives out of
order
• Add at least two adjectives out of order
to the following sentences
• The boxer felt no compassion for his
contender.
• The woman stood staring out into
space.
• The child reached for the next monkey
bar.
Action Verbs
• Definition: create energized scenes with
action verbs by eliminating state of
being verbs and the passive voice.
• Example: The gravel road curled around
the left side of the barn.
• Example: Rockwell Lake echoed with
the sounds of Canadian geese.
You try action verbs
• Delete the passive verb, the state of
being verb and add an action verb in its
place
• Near the shore two children were
hidden behind a massive elm tree.
• They hoped to see the first gosling
begin to hatch.
• They were laughing when their mom
found them.