Image Grammar

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Image Grammar

• By Harry R. Noden

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An ineffective writer sees broad impressions
that evoke vague labels a powerful writer
visualizes specific details that create a
literary virtual reality. Harry R.
Noden Image Grammar
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An amateur writer tells a story. A pro shows
the story, creates a picture to look at instead
of just words to read. A good author writes with
a camera, not with a pen. Novelist Robert
Newton Peck Secrets of Successful Fiction
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Painting with Five Basic Brush Strokes

• The participle
• The absolute
• The appositive
• Adjectives shifted out of order
• Action verbs

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Painting with Participles
Participles an ing verb tagged on the
beginning or end of a sentence
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The diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.
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Hissing, slithering, and coiling, the
diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.
Hissing their forked red tongues and coiling
their cold bodies, the diamond-scaled snakes
attacked their prey.
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Painting with Absolutes
Absolutes a two-word combination a noun and
an ing or ed verb added onto a sentence
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The mountain climber edged along the cliff.
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The mountain climber edged along the cliff,
hands shaking, feet trembling.
Hands shaking, feet trembling, the mountain
climber edged along the cliff.
Feet trembling on the snow-covered rocks, the
mountain climber edged along the cliff.
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Painting with Appositives
Appositive a noun that adds a second image to a
preceding noun
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The raccoon enjoys eating turtle eggs.
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The raccoon, a scavenger, enjoys eating turtle
eggs.
The raccoon, a midnight scavenger who roams lake
shorelines in search of food, enjoys eating
turtle eggs.
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Painting with Adjectives Shifted Out of Order
Adjectives out of order amplify the details of
an image
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The large, red-eyed, angry bull charged the
intruder.
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The large bull, red-eyed and angry, charged the
intruder.
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Painting with Action Verbs
By eliminating passive voice and reducing being
verbs, writers can energize action images.
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The runaway horse was ridden into town by a blond
haired beauty.
The blond haired beauty rode the runaway horse
into the town.
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The gravel road was on the right side of the barn.
The gravel road curled around the right side of
the barn.
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