From alliteration to zeugma, there are dozens of different
kinds of language devices, and all of them can enrich expository writing. When
used skillfully, alliteration, internal rhyme, opposition, and repetition
infuse prose with combinations of sounds and syllables that are especially
pleasing to the human ear. As a
result, they can help to give a piece a lyrical voice.
Consider this short
passage from my book When Rain Falls
(Peachtree, 2008):
The drops grow larger and larger, heavier and heavier until they fall to
the earth.
“When rain falls in a forest . . .
. . . scurrying squirrels suddenly stop. They pull their long, bushy
tails over their heads like umbrellas.
warmth in. Chickadees stay warm and dry inside their tree hole homes.”
schools as part of early elementary weather units and at home as a bedtime
story, I employed language devices to craft a soft, soothing voice that would
help children settle down as they were getting ready for bed.
different effect on a piece of writing. They make it more playful, which is
perfect for authors interested in crafting a more lively voice.
punny headings from Bugged: How Insects
Changed History by Sarah Albee (Bloomsbury, 2014):
“The Age of
Shovelry”
“Caulk Like an Egyptian”
Similarly, Frog Song
by Brenda Z. Guiberson (Holt, 2013) and Planting
the Wild Garden by Kathryn O. Galbraith (Peachtree, 2011) are fun to read
because they are cornucopias of onomatopoeia. That makes them great choices for
nonfiction read alouds.
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