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Creative Writing
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Imagery,Diction, Figures of Speech,
and Specific Experiences for
Meaningful Responces
English : Creative Writing- Grade – 12/Humanities and Social Sciences
Quarter 1 – Module 1: Imagery, Diction, Figures of Speech, and Specific Experiences
for Meaningful Responces
First Edition, 2020

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The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Published by the Department of Education

Development Team of the Module

Writers: Glaiza Mae Geralde-Palmero, Pedro A. Arches National High School
Editors:
Reviewers: Ruben F. Asan, PhD
Illustrator:
Layout Artist:
Template Developer: Neil Edward D. Diaz
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E-mail Address: [email protected]

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Quarter 1-Module 1:
Imagery,Diction, Figures of Speech,
and Specific Experiences for
Meaningful Responces
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
Welcome to Creative Writing, a specialized subject in Humanities and Social Sciences
(HUMSS). This module is designed to provide learners with a self-learning tool in exploring the
beauty and nature of creative writing.
As the facilitator, you are tasked to guide the learners in navigating the various activities
crafted in this module in the pursuit of holistic learning. In addition, please be reminded that
the activities of this module shall be answered in a separate sheet.
Let us continuously work together in providing life-long learning to the future of our
nation-the learners of today and that no pandemic can hinder us in our quest towards
education.
For the learner:
Kudos to your hard work! Congratulations in keeping up with the challenges in today’s
new normal classroom. This self-learning module in Creative Writing is designed especially for
you. The content of this module is anchored from the Most Essential Leaning Competencies
(MELC) of this subject in lined with the K to 12 Curriculum.
In this module, you will deal with different discussions and activities that will help you
deepen your understanding about creative writing. You are expected to hone your creative
writing skills as you explore the developed multifaceted tasks included in this learning material.
Above everything else, always have A HAPPY LEARNI

PARTS OF THE MODULE

• Let Us Learn- This contains the objective set to be accomplished in the lesson.
• Let Us Try- This serves as a pre-test to assess how much you know about the
lesson.
• Let Us Study- The new lesson is introduced in this part through various modalities.
• Let Us Practice- This part contains activities that will help you discover and
understand concepts.
• Let Us Practice More- This contains activities that will further deepen your
understanding about the topic.
• Let Us Remember- This is the generalization/summary of the lesson.
• Let Us Assess- This part contains activities that serves as evaluation of the lesson
learned.
• Let Us Enhance- This section contains enrichment activities which aims to increase
the strength of your responses towards the lesson.
• Let Us Reflect- This part serves as your reflection about everything that has
transpired in the module.

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 Let Us Learn!

Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC)

➢ Use Imagery, diction, figures of speech, and specific experiences to evoke

meaningful responses (HUMSS_CW/MP11/12-la-b-4)

In this lesson, you are expected to:

➢ understand imagery, diction, and figures of speech
➢ produce a short paragraph or vignettes using imagery, diction, and figures of
speech

Let Us Try!

Task 1. I Can Only Imagine!

Go outside your house

and look at your
surroundings. Try to listen to
the different sounds, and
smell the familiar and
unusual scents. Then close
your eyes. Picture in your
mind the things that you
saw, listened to, and smelled.
Using the pattern on the
right, write everything you’ve
experience.
Source: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin

Let Us Study

In creative writing, you will be making many descriptions.

Descriptive details are necessary to make your writing clear in order to
effectively present what you feel and express emotions about people, places
and circumstances through the proper use of imagery. In Addition, you also
need to be aware of the effectiveness of your words through the use of diction.
Furthermore, dealing with creative writing also requires the use of figurative
language to elucidate meaningful responses from your readers or audience.
Let us dig deeper into how these devices can be used effectively in
creative writing as discussed by Aguila, Galan, and Wigley (2017).

Imagery

Imagery is language used by poets, novelists and other writers to create

images in the mind of the reader. Imagery includes figurative and
metaphorical language to improve the reader’s experience through their
senses.

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 The use of imagery appeals to how you see, hear, smell, taste, touch,
and feel the things you write about. If you are writing about a memory, these
images can help readers better understand the ideas, emotions and specific
experiences you have written.

Types of Imagery

Visual -a picture in words; something that is concrete and can be seen

The night was black as ever, but bright stars lit up the sky in beautiful
and varied constellations which were sprinkled across the
astronomical landscape.

- In this example, the experience of the night sky is described in depth

with color (black as ever, bright), shape (varied constellations), and
pattern (sprinkled).

Auditory -something that you can hear through your mind’s ears.

Silence was broken by the peal of piano keys as Shannon began

practicing her concerto.

- Here, auditory imagery breaks silence with the beautiful sound of

piano keys.

Olfactory - something that you can smell through your mind’s nose.

She smelled the scent of sweet hibiscus wafting through the air, its
tropical smell a reminder that she was on vacation in a beautiful place.

-The scent of hibiscus helps describe a scene which is relaxing, warm,

and welcoming.

Gustatory - something that you can taste through your mind’s tongue

The candy melted in her mouth and swirls of bittersweet chocolate and
slightly sweet but salty caramel blended together on her tongue.

Thanks to an in-depth description of the candy’s various flavors, the

reader can almost experience the deliciousness directly.

Tactile - something you can touch through your mind’s skin

After the long run, he collapsed in the grass with tired and burning
muscles. The grass tickled his skin and sweat cooled on his brow.

In this example, imagery is used to describe the feeling of strained

muscles, grass’s tickle, and sweat cooling on skin.

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Thermal - something that depicts temperature

The scorching heat of a midday tropical sun made my

eyes squint.

In this example, the imagery is used to describe how it

feels like to be under the blazing.

Erotic - something that suggest sensation and feeling

I shuddered and felt a tingling sensation as his warm

breath heaved through my nape

His eyes follow her wherever she goes, like a blind

servant following his omnipresent master.

In these examples, the imagery is used to describe

emotions such as desire and admiration.

Diction: The Effective Use of Words

Communication in its different forms use words. Words are vessels in

transmitting ideas and information. Using the right words in creative writing
is crucial in expressing the tone and attitude of a written work.
When words are not used effectively, the mood a writer wants to convey
in writing might bring confusion to the readers.
Diction refers to the selection of words in a literary work. It presents
the central point of literary elements as a writer use words to convey action,
reveal character, imply attitudes, identify themes, and suggest values. It
includes the formality of language, the emotional content, the imagery, the
specificity, and the sounds of words.

Guidelines in Effectively Using Diction

1. Use strong and exact verbs

Verbs can provide distinction between strong and weak writing. Weak
verbs and passive constructions fail the effect of your writing. Too many
linking verbs and verbs used in the passive voice weaken your statements.
Moreover, learn to replace passive verbs with action verbs to make you
sentences forceful and meaningful.

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Examples:

LINKING VERB ACTION VERB

Jane’s vulgar red dress was disrespectful to Jane’s vulgar red dress disrespected her
her uncle’s funeral. uncle’s funeral.
Keane was sure that Ana was his first love. Keane confirmed that Ana was his first love.

Sentences are better if the verbs used express strong and definite
action. For example, in some noun-verb-noun constructions, the verb can be
substituted by one strong verb, as shown in the following:
NOUN-VERB-NOUN REVISED
Heavy rains caused flood in many areas in Heavy rains flooded many areas in Digos
Digos City. City.
Ceinwen talked with her cousins at the Ceinwen reunited with her cousins in
family reunion in Ceboley, Santa Cruz. Ceboley, Santa Cruz.

Sentences also become more effective when verbs in the active voice are
employed instead of verbs in the passive voice.
Active voice helps the subject of the sentence perform a definite action
while passive voice receives the action performed on it.
PASSIVE ACTIVE
The sun was covered by big, lonely clouds. Big, lonely clouds covered the sun.

Yuka was entertained by the playful and Playful and joyful Risa entertained Yuk.
joyful Risa.

2. Use specific words.

You can improve your diction and consequently get your reader’s interest
if you use specific words to convey meaning. This will sharpen your
description and make it vivid.
To look for words with similar meaning (denotation), you can make use of
a thesaurus. You have to be careful though, each synonym carries a different
meaning (connotation) to the word you are using, so you have to be careful.
Examples:
look- general terminology
As a writer, you should realize that there are many shades of meaning
to the word look, which you have to distinctly know.
Look watch, stare, gaze, ogle, squint, observe, glare, glance, gape,
scrutinize
1. Joshua stared (to look intently and with malice) at the girl, in a white
shirt, inside the jeepney going to Digos City.
2. Mika squinted (to look with difficulty) at the sun, which was shining
brightly at midday.

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3. My sister Bianca and I ogled (to look with wonder and astonishment) at
the wonderfully-made Sensojie Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan.

4. Astrid glanced (to look hurriedly or perfunctorily) at her watch before

opening the door of their house.

5. My mother observed (to look as to examine) my brother who just came

home at 6:00 a.m with a very sleepy eyes.

The word boat to an ordinary person is any vehicle in the water.

However, you have to know a boat can look different according to its design
and purpose. Also, the kind of boat you use specifies the distinct water
transportation vehicle you want readers to picture in their minds when they
read your work.

Boat ship, craft, yacht, banca, outrigger, raft, kayak, tanker, vessel,
container, ferry, canoe

3. Select words with the best connotations.

You have to be careful to use the word with the right connotation to
express your thoughts and ideas.
Example:
The examples below show how two distinct words can convey different
shades of positivity in the same sentence.
POSITIVE, FAVORABLE
Matthew can be uncomfortable to criticism, and expresses his
thoughts about things.

STILL POSITIVE, SHOWING STRONG ATTITUDE

Matthew can be unapologetic to criticism, and expresses his
thoughts about things.

The next set of examples shows how the words connote different levels
of negativity.

NEGATIVE, SUGGESTING A CLOSED WAY OF THINKING

Matthew can be hard-headed to criticism, and expresses his
thoughts about things.

VERY NEGATIVE, SUGGESTING UNREASOBLENESS

Matthew can be vicious to criticism, and expresses his thoughts
about things.

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4. Use a specific color.

Use specific shade or color of an object in a scene. Be familiar with the

different shades of colors to create a more detailed and well-focused
description.
Example:
Brown Cream, tan, apricot, sepia, mahogany, dandelion, raw sienna, chestnut, peach,
rust, mauve, melon, tumbleweed, burnt sienna, golden rod, chocolate, cocoa
butter, teak, terra cotta, auburn, bronze, burgundy, citrine, coyote brown,
khaki, ochre, taupe, wheat

Blue Pacific blue, cobalt, cornflower, plum, cadet blue, royal blue, cerulean, wisteria,
turquoise, aquamarine, sky blue, electric blue, robin’s egg, periwinkle,
sapphire, azure, capri, midnight blue, powder blue

Red Scarlet, crimson, bittersweet, orchid, strawberry, magenta, brick red, cherry
red, carmine, ruby, rusty red, fire engine red, chili, red wood, maroon, bloody
red

Green Forest green, asparagus, olive, blue green, cyan, bice, army green, spring green,
chartreuse, citrine, sea green, emerald, yellow green, harlequin, honeydew,
granny smith apple, moss green, jade, lime, myrtle, pear, teal

White Dirty white, ecru, flesh, off-white, eggshell, powder white, snow,
ivory, seashell, corn silk, old lace, milk, beige, linen, antique
white, champagne, Dutch white, bone, vanilla, flax

5. Avoid clichés.
Clichés like “raining cats and dogs” and “so hungry he could eat a horse”
are worn-out expressions that hardly add anything to your work. The only
make your statement weak and tired. They might have been popular for the
past years but due to constant usage, they can now make your writing trite
and dull.
Example:
CLICHÉ REVISED
When Jan finally said “yes” to his When Jan finally said “yes” to his
courtship, Joshua was on cloud nine. courtship, Joshua was overjoyed.
I don’t care if the plan doesn’t work out I don’t care if the plan doesn’t work out
for I other fish to fry. for I have other things to do.

6. Use varied words.

Writing becomes more interesting when words are not overused.
Continuous use of similar words such as descriptive adjectives, distract the
readers. They might think that your vocabulary is limited or you do not know
how to creatively use variety in language.

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Example:

PASSAGE WITH AN OVERUSED TERM

I believe that Captain Barbell is a powerful character. Like everybody else, he is a

person of power, possessing both strong and weak qualities. What makes him a
very powerful character is that he is also a human being through and through. We
all love him but we also hate him at the same time. He faces powerful challenges
but he can still pull himself together and succeed over the travails of his plight. I
could really relate to him because I am like him in many ways. But one thing is
important. We need to look up to powerful characters like him.

You can improve the paragraph by substituting the overused terms with
other words or descriptions.

PASSAGE WITH PRECISE SUBSTITUTIONS

I believe that Captain Barbell is a powerful character. Like everybody else, he

possesses both strong and weak qualities. What makes him endearing is that he
is also a human being through and through. We all love him but we also hate him.
He faces complicated challenges but he can still pull himself together and succeed
over his plight. I can really relate to him because I am like him in many ways. But
one thing is important. We need to look up real-life characters like him.

7. Maintain a consistent tone

Tone refers to the voice of the writer in the piece. The language reveals
the manner in which the piece is written-formal, light, funny, conversational,
or serious. As a writer, you have to be sure that the words you use belong
together. By using the most appropriate words you written work, you will
develop a tone and readers will believe in your work.
8. Be concise.
Using words with effectively also means writing concisely. To be concise,
apply the following tips.
a. Avoid deadwood words and phrases.

Deadwood words and phrases fill out spaces but do not really make the
meaning clear.
DEADWOOD WORDS AND PHRASES
The fact remains that That might or might not Kind of
To the extent that Actually Wherein
What I mean is For the reason that Due to the fact that
While at the same time In a manner that Basically
Most likely Sort of

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 Removing these words and/or phrases will make your statements sharp
and concise.
Example:

WITH DEADWOOD PHRASES CONCISE

Due to the fact that jeepney drivers Because jeepney drivers and
and operators are on strike, operators are on strike,
transportation has become a transportation has become a
problem. problem.
Actually, I am kind of disappointed to I am disappointed and no longer care
the extent that I no longer sort of care who wins because my team was
who wins because my team was eliminated.
basically eliminated.

b. Avoid redundancy.
Do not use words that merely repeat the ideas already expressed in the
sentence because these words only slow down the narrative, stating what is
already obvious. They can also distract the readers.

REDUNDANT CONCISE
My cousin, who loves extreme My cousin loves outdoor sports such
outdoor sports, enjoys climbing, as mountain climbing, parasailing,
parasailing, and bungee jumping. and bungee jumping.

(The phrase who loves extreme

outdoor sports is redundant because
of the enumeration of the kinds of
outdoor sports.
He couldn’t get into the house He couldn’t get into the house
because the key he used was too because the key he used was too
small in size. small.

(small already refers to size.)

c. Avoid wordiness.

Whenever possible, write sample sentences. Do not make your

sentences lengthy and contrived. You can tighten the structure of your
sentences by eliminating some words, phrases, or clauses.

WORDY CONCISE
To reach our goal, we need To reach our goal, we need fresh and
suggestions that are fresh and at the effective ideas.
same time effective.

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His mother is an actress, and she is His mother is both an actress and a
a former beauty queen. beauty queen.
The man in uniform will send letters The man in uniform will send his
to his wife. wife letters.
At the front gate, there was a man At the front gate was a man begging
who was begging for alms. for alms.

9. Use adjectives and adverbs appropriately.

Adjectives describe nouns, as in the following:

• towering model • unkempt hair
• tanned arms • gorgeous outfit

Adverb describe verbs, as in the following:

• swiftly jumped • lazily answered
• gawkily stood • undoubtedly volunteered
Example:
• A cadaver, for example, does not need a description like “stiff” of
“lifeless” because it is already pretty obvious.

• She whispered silently and carefully to her seatmate. wrong

already says it all
Adjectives that have concrete connotations also work well in narrative.
• “She ran through a broken glass” is acceptable but “She ran
through the broken glass. Her feet bled as slivers of cut glass
pierced through her tended soles,” uses sensory details that liven
up the prose.

Figures of Speech

A figure of speech is a word or phrase using figurative language—

language that has other meaning than its normal definition.

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Functions:
1. to clarify a vague idea or 6. to breath some life into
thought inanimate objects
2. to furnish striking examples 7. to personify and give voice to
3. to highlight an important non-sentient beings
point 8. to delight the reader with
4. to stimulate unlikely linguistic inventiveness
associations 9. to embellish dull paragraphs
5. to evoke powerful feelings and or stanzas
emotions

Most Commonly Used Figures of Speech

1. Simile- A stated comparison (usually formed with "like" or "as") between

two fundamentally dissimilar things that have certain qualities in
common.

“Gemma, my mother, is as brave as Lola Amparo.”

- this statement here does not contain simile because it compares two
things that are alike (Gemma and Amparo are both women) which
shows an asserting of information (they are both brave).
“Gemma, my mother, is as brave as a lioness.”
- this statement here contains simile because it compares dissimilar
things (Gemma being a woman and the lioness as an animal).

Pisces The poem written by Ralf

Ralf Sarmiento Galan Sarmiento Galan presents three
The ocean is deep and vast like my love. similes to describe the archetypal
I am often blue as the sky above characteristics of a person born
under the sign of Pisces (Feb. 19 to
or the waters below. I dream of trees
and hummingbirds, flowers, and honeybees. March 20). The first two similes
directly compare the intensity and
I yearn for peace amidst the storms of life
amplitude of the love of a Pisces
I disdain the pistol, the bomb, the knife.
native to the depth and vastness of
Like the Little Mermaid beneath the sea, the ocean, as well as the typically
I desire to be more than I can be:
sad emotional state of the Piscean
to cleave my tail into a pair of legs to the blueness of the sky and the
and drink the vintage of life to its dregs. waters of the sea. The third simile

I sing with my heart, I dance and I grieve. compares the Pisces person to Little
I swim in the sea of faith. I believe. Mermaid who sacrifices herself to
fully partake the joys of life.

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2. Metaphor - An implied comparison between two dissimilar things that have
something in common.
Parts of metaphor according to I.A. Richards (The Philosophy of Rhetoric)
tenor- refers to the concept, idea or thought being expressed by the poet.
vehicle- refers to the means by which the poet conveys the concept, idea
or thought to the reader.
Example:
“Gemma is lionhearted.” – the tenor is bravery, while the adjective
“lionhearted” functions as the vehicle.
To the Man I Married
Angela Manalang-Gloria

You are my earth and all the earth implies:

The gravity that ballasts me in space,
The air I breathe, the land that stills my cries
For food and shelter against devouring days.

You are the earth whose orbit marks my way

And sets my north and south, my east and west,
You are the final, elemental clay
The driven heart must turn to for its rest. In Angela Manalang-
Gloria’s classic love poem “ To
If in your arms that hold me now so near
I lift my keening thoughts to Helicon the Man I Married,” the central
As trees long rooted to the earth uproar metaphor of the sonnet is the
Their quickening leaves and flowers to the sun, indirect comparison between her
husband and the earth in its
You who are earth, O never doubt that I
various manifestations and
Need you no less because I need the sky!
implications, as the entire poetic
utterances illustrates.
Source:https://owlcation.com/humanities/Glorias-To-the-Man-I-
Married-He-is-Her-Earth-and-Foundatin

3. Hyperbole - An extravagant statement; the use of exaggerated terms for

the purpose of emphasis or heightened effect.
Example:

"I'll love you, dear, I'll love you "Well now, one winter it was so cold
till China and Africa meet, that all the geese flew backward and
And the river jumps over the all the fish moved south and even the
mountain snow turned blue. Late at night, it got
And the salmon sing in the street, so frigid that all spoken words froze

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 solid afore they could be heard.
I'll love you till the ocean People had to wait until sunup to
Is folded and hung up to dry find out what folks were talking
And the seven stars go squawking about the night before."
Like geese about the sky.
-"As I Walked Out One Evening" -“Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox”
by W.H. Auden by Paul Bunyan

4. Metonymy- A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is substituted for

another with which it is closely associated.

Example:
“A pen is mightier than a sword,” from the play Richelieu by Edward Bulwer
Lytton contains two examples of metonymy:
pen- standing in for “the written word”
sword- standing in for “military aggression”
A metonym is a word or phrase that is used to represent something
related to bigger meaning.
For example:

Word Meaning
crown monarch (whether king or queen, since it
Henry got the crown. is an object related to royalty)
class
Grade 12-Hornbill is the best class (a group of students)
advisory class I ever handled.
hand help (since it is the part of the body which
Can you give me a hand? most useful in providing assistance)

5. Oxymoron- A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms

appear side by side. Linguistically speaking, an oxymoron can either be a
noun-noun, adjective-noun, adjective-adjective, adverb-adverb, or adverb-
verb combination.
The word “oxymoron” itself (a combination of the Greek adjectives for
“sharp” and “dull”) is an oxymoron.

Oxymoronic Words
act naturally bittersweet cheerful pessimist small crowd
deafening silence foolish wisdom jumbo shrimp tragic comedy
liquid gas living dead open secret passive aggressive
original copies pretty-ugly random order loving hate
seriously funny run slowly virtual reality beautifully ugly

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Example:

Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love.

Why then, O brawling love! O loving hate
O anything! Of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!
Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms
-William Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet”

6. Paradox - A statement that appears to contradict itself or even illogical but

which actually be true.
Example:
Take me to You, imprison me, for I
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me
-Jone Donne’s “Batter my heart-three personed God: for You” of his Holy Sonnets

"This is the beginning of the end," said Eeyore, always the pessimist.

7. Personification - A figure of speech in which an inanimate object or

abstraction is endowed with human qualities or abilities.

Example:
“Ah, William, we’re weary of the weather,” said the sunflowers shining with
dew
-William Blake, “Two Sunflowers Move in the Yellow Room”

Thou still unravished bride of quietness,

Thou foster-child of silence and slow time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme
-John Keats (referring to beautiful Greek amphora- a vase or vessel for keeping
wine or olive), “Ode on a Grecian Urn”

8. Onomatopoeia - The use of words that imitate the sounds associated with
the objects or actions they refer to.
Example:
“The crooked skirt swinging, whack by whack by whack.”
- James Joyce, “Ulysses”
It's a jazz affair, drum crashes and cornet razzes.
The trombone pony neighs and the tuba jackass snorts.
The banjo tickles and titters too awful.
-Carl Sandburg , “Honky Tonk in Cleveland, Ohio”

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 Let Us Practice
Task 2. Breaking the Fast!
One of the things we look forward when starting our day is breakfast.
It is mostly the first gustatory activity we do in the morning as we prepare
ourselves to say hello to a brand new day.
On a separate piece of paper, using at least 10 sentence, describe your
breakfast this morning using imagery. Maximize the strength and power of
our senses and imagination and let us enjoy your breakfast together!
Please be guided with the given rubric below:

Excellent Good Needs improvement

6 4 2
Visualization This writing shows This writing shows a This writing shows
several examples of few examples of no examples of
writing that allow the writing that allow the writing that allow the
reader to visualize reader to visualize reader to visualize
what the writer is what the writer is what the writer is
trying to describe. trying to describe. trying to describe.
Sensory This writing shows This writing shows a This writing shows
Aspects several examples of few examples of no examples of
writing that allow the writing that allow the writing that allow the
reader to hear, reader to hear, reader to hear,
touch, taste, or touch, taste, or touch, taste, or
smell in their smell in their smell in their
imagination what imagination what imagination what
the writer is trying to the writer is trying to the writer is trying to
describe. describe. describe.
Overall The sensory images This author is This author has not
Writing in this writing make it making an attempt used sensory
With Sensory “come alive” for the to use sensory details in their
Images reader. This is a fun images in their writing. This writing
piece to read! writing. This writing lacks interest and is
shows promise and hard for readers to
with a little more connect to. This
revision will be fun to piece needs a lot of
read! revision.
Conventions The spelling and The spelling and Much of the spelling
punctuation are punctuation are and punctuation is
correct in this mostly correct in not correct. This
writing. This makes this writing. This means readers have
the writing easy for makes the writing to work hard to
others to read easy for others to figure out the
without becoming read without writing. The readers
confused. becoming will be confused.
confused.

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 Let Us Practice More
Task 3. I Did It My Way!
The sample paragraph below contains words that seem too formal (in
brackets) and informal (in parenthesis). Improve the paragraph using the right
diction. You may use a dictionary or a thesaurus.

In my [perusal] of the morning paper, I often pause to (take a gander)

at my horoscope. This (stuff) is supposed (to be figured out) on a chart of
the heavens, which [manifests] the positions of the sun, moon, and the
signs of the zodiac at the (honest to goodness) time and location of your
birth. These [configurations] are then [juxtaposed] to the twelve hours of
the [celestial sphere]. The signs [are presumed] [to hold sway] over certain
parts of the body, and the houses are supposed (to tell you what’s
happening) in the various conditions of life. The degree of influence
[attributed] to these houses depends on a (bunch) of factors. Sometimes
my horoscope predicts the [orb] of my daily activities with [confounding]
accuracy. But most of the time it’s just (hogwash).

Let Us Remember

Task 4. Define Me!

Using your own words, briefly explain what you have understood about
the topic below:

Imagery is
_______________________________________________________________________

Diction is
________________________________________________________________________

Figures of speech are

____________________________________________________________________

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 Let Us Assess

Task 5. I FIGURE It Out!

Read the lines of poetry. Slashes represent line breaks. Figure
out which technique is being used: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or
personification. In the boxes, explain how you figured out your answer. It is
possible that more than one technique is being used. If you can, explain each.

1. Like burnt-out torches by a sick man's bed

Which technique is being used?
___________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

2. Drip—hiss—drip—hiss fall the raindrops / on the oaken log which burns, and steams,
and smokes the ceiling beams. / Drip—hiss—the rain never stops.
Which technique is being used?
________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

3. When the stars threw down their spears, / And water'd heaven with their tears,
Which technique is being used?
_________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

4. The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
Which technique is being used?
___________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

7
5. I do not care to talk to you although / Your speech evokes a thousand
sympathies,
Which technique is being used?
___________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

6. The sun was shining on the sea, / Shining with all his might:
Which technique is being used?
___________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

7. The leaves are little yellow fish / swimming in the river.

Which technique is being used?
___________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

8. The old clock down in the parlor / Like a sleepless mourner grieves,
Which technique is being used?
___________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

9. By the lakes that thus outspread / Their lone waters, lone and dead /
Their sad waters, sad and chilly
Which technique is being used?
___________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

10. Fame is a bee. / It has a song -- / It has a sting --

Which technique is being used?
___________________________________________________________________________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

8
 Let Us Enhance

Task 6. Speak Write!

Write an essay consisting of 150 words or more about an

experience that made you:
1. laugh at yourself
2. question your existence
3. cry the whole day
4. feel loved and appreciated

Choose only one among the topics give. You may choose to write
an experience not on the list, something of equal intensity as those in
the choices. Be sure to employ imagery, diction, and figurative
language. The score shall be based on the rubric below:

Descriptive Writing Rubric

Needs
Excellent Great Good Improvement
8 6 4 2
Mechanics The writing is free of The writing is free The writing is free The writing is free of
capitalization & of capitalization & of capitalization & capitalization &
punctuation errors. punctuation punctuation errors. punctuation errors.
Sentences are errors. Sentences Sentences are Sentences are
complete and there are are complete and complete and there complete and there
no run-on sentences. there are no run- are no run-on are no run-on
There are no spelling on sentences. sentences. There sentences. There are
errors. There are no are no spelling no spelling errors.
spelling errors. errors.
Main Idea The writing contained 3 The writing The writing The writing
and Details well-developed contained 3 well- contained 3 well- contained 3 well-
paragraphs: an developed developed developed
introduction, middle, paragraphs: an paragraphs: an paragraphs: an
and conclusion introduction, introduction, introduction, middle,
paragraph that middle, and middle, and and conclusion
remained focused on conclusion conclusion paragraph that
the topic. paragraph that paragraph that remained focused on
remained focused remained focused the topic.
on the topic. on the topic.
Description- The writing contains The writing The writing The writing
5 Senses 4 or 5 descriptions contains 2 or 3 contains 1 contains little or no
using the five descriptions description using description using
senses. using the five the five senses. the five senses.
senses.
Figurative The writing makes The writing makes The writing makes The writing makes
Language excellent use of excellent use of excellent use of excellent use of
figurative language figurative figurative language figurative language
such as similes and language such as such as similes and such as similes and
personification to similes and personification to personification to
make a more personification to make a more make a more
descriptive writing. make a more descriptive writing. descriptive writing.
descriptive

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 There are 4 or more writing. There are There are 4 or more There are 4 or more
examples present. 4 or more examples present. examples present.
examples present.
Word The writing has many The writing has The writing has The writing has many
Choice examples of specific many examples of many examples of examples of specific
and interesting nouns specific and specific and and interesting
and verbs. There are no interesting nouns interesting nouns nouns and verbs.
general nouns or verbs and verbs. There and verbs. There There are no general
present. Descriptive are no general are no general nouns or verbs
language is used to nouns or verbs nouns or verbs present. Descriptive
make the reader present. present. Descriptive language is used to
experience and Descriptive language is used to make the reader
visualize what is language is used make the reader experience and
happening. to make the experience and visualize what is
reader experience visualize what is happening.
and visualize what happening.
is happening.

Correct The writing was The writing had The writing had The writing has the
Format written using correct one error in the some error in the incorrect format in
form based on the format. format. Heading, heading, titles, &
format given in Heading, title, title, or paragraphs.
class. Paragraphs or paragraphs paragraphs were
were indented and were in the in the wrong
writing was placed wrong place. place.
on correct lines.

Let Us Reflect

You did a great job in completing our module! Kudos to your hard
work! Let us look back from where we have started and complete the chart
below. Let us reflect towards your journey in learning the critical approaches
in writing a critique.

I thought....

• What were your misconceptions about the topic prior to taking the
lesson?
I learned that..

• What additional learning have you had after taking up this lesson in
terms of skills and attitude?

10
 11
Task 5. I FIGURE IT OUT!
1. Simile
- The speaker compares torches to
a sick man’s bed using the word like or
as.
2. Hyperbole
- The speaker claims that the “rain
never stops,” which is an exaggeration.
3. Personification
- Stars are given the ability to
throw spears and cry.
4. Metaphor Task 1. I Can Only Imagine!
-The moon is compared to a -Answers may vary.
galleon and the road is compared to a
ribbon, which is also compared to Task.2 Breaking The Fast!
moonlight implicitly. -Answer may vary.
5. Hyperbole
- The speaker is exaggerating the Task 3. I Did It My Way!
number of sympathies evoked by the
Possible revision:
subject
As I read the morning paper, I often pause to read
6. Personification
my horoscope. Horoscopes are determined by the
- The sun is described in human
positions of the sun, moon, and zodiac signs at the
terms.
7. Metaphor time and location of your birth. This arrangement is
-The leaves are compared to fish then superimposed on a chart of the twelve houses.
without using the word like or as. Astrologers claim that the signs of the zodiac
8. Simile/personification influence certain parts of the body and that the
- The clock is compared to a houses hold sway over various conditions of life.
mourner and is given the ability to The degree of influence of the houses, however,
grieve. depends on many factors. Sometimes my
9. Personification horoscope predicts my daily activities with
-The lakes are given the ability to die surprising accuracy, but most of the time it seems
and the quality of sadness. to be nonsense.
10. Metaphor
-Fame is compared to a bee without
Task 4. Define Me!
using the word like or as.
-Answer may vary.
Task 6.
-Answer may vary.
Answer key to Activities
 References

Book Source
Aguila, Augusto, Galan, Ralph and Wigley, John Jack.
Wording the World: The Art of Creative Writing for
Senior High School. Quezon City: C & E Publishing,
Inc., 2017

Online Sources:
https://literaryterms.net/imagery/#:~:text=Imagery%20is%20language%20
used%20by,reader%27s%20experience%20through%20their%20senses.
https://literaryterms.net/figures-of-speech/
https://www.thoughtco.com/top-figures-of-speech-1691818
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Glorias-To-the-Man-I-Married-He-is-
Her-Earth-and-Foundation
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/30785_rubric.pdf
https://college.cengage.com/english/trimmer/writing/13e/instructors/irm
/chap09.pdf
https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/figurative-language/figurative-
language-activities/

For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Region XI

F. Torres St., Davao City

Telefax:

Email Address: [email protected]

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