Quarter 1

WEEK 4 THE USE OF THE LANGUAGE IN WRITING – QUALITIES OF GOOD

WRITING

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: Read the specific directions carefully before answering the exercises and activities.
Accomplish this module on or before October 16, 2020. For online consultations, please refer to the given
schedule.

ESSENTIAL LEARNING PURPOSES:

At the end of this module, I am expected to:

1. Identify the qualities of good writing; and

What do I
need to 2. Answer the activities in this module that shall attest my understanding.
know?

Before going further in our discovery with the qualities of good writing, let us see if you can do the
following exercise. I know you can do it! This will help you to better understand the topic.

What I
know?
REVIEW

Pre-Writing Activity
Direction: Write a short description of the picture below. As you do, imagine that you will be
reading the description to a blind person. Will they have the same picture in mind as you describe
this picture to them?

(Write your description on the answer sheet provided.)

INTRODUCTION

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 1
MODULE IN 21st CENTURY LITERATURE OF THE WORLD| CORE SUBJECT FOR ABM, HUMSS,
STEM, and TVL
 There are two kinds of people: Those who think they can write, and those who think they cannot.
Very often, both are wrong.
The truth is, most of us fall somewhere in the middle. We are all capable of producing good
writing. Or, at least, better writing.
Before delving into the qualities of a good writing, reflect on this: “Words matter. Your words
(what you say) and style (how you say it) are your most cherished (and undervalued) assets.”

QUALITIES OF A GOOD WRITING

________

1. Imagery

 In a literary text, it occurs when an author uses an object that is not really there, in order to
create a comparison between one that is, usually evoking a more meaningful visual
experience for the reader.
 It is useful as it allows the author to add depth and understanding to his work, like a
sculptor adding layer and layer to his statue, building it up into a beautiful work of art, and
so it should usually have more than one description.

Example:

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

Common Examples of Imagery

We use imagery in everyday speech to convey our meaning. Here are
some examples of imagery from each of the five senses:
 Taste: The familiar tang of his grandmother’s cranberry sauce
reminded him of his youth.
 Sound: The concert was so loud that her ears rang for days
afterward.

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 2
MODULE IN 21st CENTURY LITERATURE OF THE WORLD| CORE SUBJECT FOR ABM, HUMSS,
STEM, and TVL
  Sight: The sunset was the most gorgeous they’d ever seen; the
clouds were edged with pink and gold.
 Smell: After eating the curry, his breath reeked of garlic.
 Touch: The tree bark was rough against her skin.

2. Figures of Speech

 They are words and expression not meant to be taken literally.

 They use words in fresh, new ways so as to suggest and produce pictures or images in a
reader or hearer’s mind, bypassing logic and appealing directly to the imagination in order
to give particular emphasis to an idea or sentiment.
 They include, among many others:
a) Simile - a comparison, usually indicated by “like” or “as”
Example: “We were packed in the room like sardines.”
b) Personification - speaking of an abstract quality or inanimate object as if it were a
person
Example: Money talks.
c) Metonymy - using the name of one thing for another closely related to it
Example: Joe’s new ride was expensive. (Ride is metonymy for car)
d) Hyperbole - deliberate exaggeration for the sake of effect
Example: I have a million things to do.
e) Onomatopoeia - imitation of natural sounds by words
Examples: “crunch,” “gurgle,” “plunk,” and “splash”

3. Repition and Parallelism

 Parallelism is the balance that writers create by pairing two related words, such as “men
and women”, or two related compounds, such as “best of times and worst of times.”
Example:
“ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the
age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the
season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter
of despair.” ― Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
- Dicken’s use of parallelism and repetition of phrases creates memorable phrases.
It is no surprise that the opening paragraph of this particular novel is one of the
most famous passages.

 Repetition: the repetition of entire lines or phrases to emphasize key thematic ideas.
- EXAMPLE: “Every day I'm happy because you love me, I'm more fulfilled
because you love me, I have everything because you love me.”

4. Style

“Every style that is not boring is good.” – Voltaire, a French writer

 Style is a series of choices – words, sentence length and structure, figures of speech, tone,
voice, diction, and over-all structure. Style depends on purpose, audience, and
appropriateness.
 An author’s style is his or her distinctive way of writing, and they need to know how to
vary their style to fit different audiences. In poetry, for example, a writer might use more
imagery than they would use in prose.
 Many elements of writing contribute to an author’s style, but three of the most important
are diction, conciseness, and voice.

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 3
MODULE IN 21st CENTURY LITERATURE OF THE WORLD| CORE SUBJECT FOR ABM, HUMSS,
STEM, and TVL
 5. Diction

 In writing, diction refers to word choice. The words that an author selects make up their
diction.
 Good writers are concise and precise, weeding out unnecessary words and choosing the
exact words to convey meaning. Precise words – active verbs, concrete nouns, specific
adjectives – help the reader visualize the sentence.
 Good writers use adjectives sparingly and adverbs rarely, letting their nouns and verbs do
the work. They also choose words that contribute to the flow of a sentence.
 Writers skilfully choose words to develop a certain tone and atmosphere in their works.
Example:
“And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don’t know why they died, they just
died. Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery
wasn’t the best. We complained about it. So we’ve got thirty kids there, each kid had his
or her own little tree to plant and we’ve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking
at these little brown sticks, it was depressing.” – The School by Donald Barthelme
- The use of the words “died,” “dead,” “brown sticks,” and “depressing” gives a
gloomy tone to the passage.

6. Denotation and Connotation

 Denotation is the literal or
explicit meaning of a word.
You can find the denotation
of a word by looking it up
in a dictionary. For
example, if you search the
word “fat” in the
dictionary, it will say,
“having too much adipose
tissue.”
 Connotation, on the other
hand, is the emotional
undertone of some words. For example, “fat” has a negative connotation in our fitness-
obsessed society.
 Being sensitive to a word’s denotation and connotation is essential for clear and effective
writing. It can also help you use the right word and so avoid being punched or slapped in
the face because you insulted someone.

7. Conciseness

 Conciseness is the extent to which a piece of writing communicates clear information in as

few words as possible. To achieve this in your writing, follow these three easy rules to
create taut, effective sentences:
a) Eliminate unneeded words.
b) Avoid redundant words.
c) Make passive sentences active.

8. Voice

 In a work of literature, the voice refers to the author’s unique attitude to the material.
 Voice is an essential element of style – characteristic tone, word choice, figures of speech,
and rhythms – that reveals the writer’s personality.

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 4
MODULE IN 21st CENTURY LITERATURE OF THE WORLD| CORE SUBJECT FOR ABM, HUMSS,
STEM, and TVL
 For example, video of the topic, please refer to the attached file.

For Online Video Reference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoNl1Ue5ZtQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxASvORGoG4
For Offline Video Reference: Week 4 – Video 1: THE USE OF THE LANGUAGE IN
WRITING – QUALITIES OF GOOD WRITING

You can do it!

Before going further, let us see if you can answer this exercise. I know you can do it! This will
help you to determine your prior knowledge about this topic. Good luck!
Short Quiz
WHAT’S
MORE?

Match the sentences in column A to the respective figures of speech they characterize in column B.
Write your answer on the space provided before each item. Write your answers on the answer sheet
provided. (Graded, Written)

A B

_____1. The student teacher taught us A. Onomatopoeia

basic concepts about journalism. B. Metonymy
_____2. The teacher cried rivers when C. Hyperbole
his students surprised him during the D. Personification
World Teacher’s Day. E. Oxymoron
_____3. The press are expected to join the F. Simile
said hearing.
_____4. Bang! Startled, the baby cried.
_____5. The leaves of the trees sang to the
melody of the wind.

Now, let us check your progress. After reading the discussion, do the tasks below.

WHAT I CAN
DO?

Write your answers on the answer sheet provided. (Graded, Performance)

1-2: Write two sentences with common words in their denotative and connotative meanings.

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 5
MODULE IN 21st CENTURY LITERATURE OF THE WORLD| CORE SUBJECT FOR ABM, HUMSS,
STEM, and TVL
3-4: Write two sentences applying repetition and parallelism.
5-6: Write a sentence applying imagery.
7-8: Choose two figures of speech and use them in a sentence.
9-10: In two sentences, explain “Words matter. Your words (what you say) and style (how you say it) are your
most cherished (and undervalued) assets.”

Explorer! Let us now test what you have learned in our adventure! I know you can answer these
questions! Good luck!
ASSESSMENT

Direction: Identify the quality of good writing being referred to in the following statements. Write your
answers on the answer sheet provided. (Graded, Written)

1) This refers to the emotional undertone of a word.

2) In writing, this means word choice.
3) It is the author’s distinctive way of writing.
4) It is the balance that the author creates in writing by pairing two related words or compounds.
5-7) Easy rules to create taut, effective sentences.
8-10) On what does style depend on?

Explorer! Please take time to watch the following video attached in this section before you
proceed to the next lesson. For now, you may take your break.

ENRICHMENT

Video Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoNl1Ue5ZtQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxASvORGoG4

Next Lesson: The Writing Process and Applying the Basic Conventions of Writing

https://www.britannica.com/art/figure-of-speech
https://literarydevices.net/figure-of-speech/
Solmerano E. et. al. (2017). Creative Writing. Manila, Philippines: Fastbooks Educational
REFERENCES Supply, Inc.

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGE OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY | SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 6
MODULE IN 21st CENTURY LITERATURE OF THE WORLD| CORE SUBJECT FOR ABM, HUMSS,
STEM, and TVL