Using precise diction/Word choice
Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.
~ Buddha
Why is word choice important for a writer?
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The one characteristic that distinguishes great writers is their ability to use the right words in the right amount at the right time. And although great writers have extensive vocabularies, most opt for simple and precise words that clarify meaning, paint pictures, and move us emotionally. In a world full of cultural, social, religious, and political nuance, precise diction is imperative. Were it not for Dr. Martin Luther King's precise diction -- "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." -- citizens of the United States might not have felt compelled to pressure legislators, politicians, and community leaders to support equal rights for minorities. Our job as writers, then, is to use words to not only explore, but also change our world.
This series of lessons helps students understand the four dimensions of word choice, otherwise known as "diction": register, denotation, conotation, and tone.
This series of lessons helps students understand the four dimensions of word choice, otherwise known as "diction": register, denotation, conotation, and tone.
It took me years to understand that words are often as important as experience, because words make experience last.
~ William Morris
Assignment Documents
Understanding Diction
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Practice test |