Category: Grammar

Twelve Types of Nouns and How to Use Them

1/12/2015

Most writers know the basic parts of grammar such as the subject and verb. We also know about the noun and that a noun is the name of a person, place, or thing. But do you know the noun is more complex? Do you know about the following categories of nouns?

Proper nouns
Common nouns
Countable nouns
Uncountable nouns
Concrete nouns
Abstract nouns
Collective nouns
Compound nouns
Adjectival nouns
Adverbial nouns
Animate nouns
Inanimate nouns

Since this blog is about my journey as a writer, I must admit that I had no idea that the noun could be indexed into so many categories.

Today, I read an article titled, “English Grammar: Types of Nouns.” By LindaSarhan, a HubPages Author. Linda Sarhan has a style of writing that makes learning easy. For a very comprehensive lesson about the various types of nouns and how to use these nouns effectively, I recommend reading English Grammar: Types of Nouns. You will also see examples to help you recognize each type of noun.

Please come back to let me know what you think of the article.

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How to Write Metaphors Like a Professional Writer

12/10/2014

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Write until your heart is content.

A metaphor is a figure of speech. We speak metaphorically when we say something that represents something else.

A metaphor is a comparison of two things that are completely different, yet when we use them in correlation with each other, we see some sort of resemblance or sameness, providing a clear picture of what we mean.

There Are Two Types of Metaphors.
Metaphors can be simple or can be structured as what is known as a simile. Let’s explore each type of metaphor.

The Simple Metaphor: Generally, a metaphor associates an object or concept that is real with an object or concept that is not real.

Examples:
My heart is broken.
In this example, the heart is real, but it is not actually broken.

Tom is a pig.
In this example, Tom is not really a pig. But, because pigs are sloppy, when we say Tom is a pig, it creates the vision of Tom eating sloppily.

It’s raining cats and dogs.
In this example, it is raining, but cats and dogs are not falling from the sky. We use such a phrase to say it is raining very hard.

The Simile: Similes is a type of metaphor that uses words such as “like” or “as” to make a comparison between two things that are not alike. A simile is used when the writer wants to say that one thing is like another thing.

Examples:
He ran like the wind.
In this example, comparing his running speed to the wind gives the reader the idea that he ran very fast.

She sings like an angel.
In this example, we are saying she sings beautifully.

It is as cold as ice.
In this example, we are saying it is very cold.

Use Metaphors Effectively
Metaphors help the writer paint a vivid picture for their readers. A cleverly written metaphor can liven up your content. I admit that it took me a long time to get a handle on how to use metaphors effectively. But, once I got a little bit of an idea of how to use metaphors, I tried my hand at using them with a publication that I wrote titled, “Write Like a Musician for Content That Flows.”

For Further Reading
I have a writer friend who is a former school teacher. His name is William Holland. He is a published author who explains metaphors in a way that may help you gain a tighter grasp of the concept. Read his publication titled, “Writing 101: The Under-Appreciated metaphor.”

Until next time, "Happy Writing!"

Copyright Marlene C. Bertrand. All rights reserved.

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Marlene C. Bertrand declared "Independent Writer" status in 2013. This blog shares her journey as a writer. Visit Marlene's My Books page for recently published books.

Recommended Recources

When I need answers to my writing questions, I refer to resources that have served me well as a technical writer in the past and as a freelance writer now. The following books sit on my bookshelf ready for use at my demand. When working with clients, you will need to adhere to the client’s style guide for how they want their documents to be formatted. As a freelance writer, you have the liberty of setting up your own style guide. The following resources offer excellent information on grammar and punctuation styles that are most common to writing for United States publishing standards.

Any one or all of the following books are valuable books to have on your bookshelf at all times:

Strunk and White's Elements of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style

Associated Press Stylebook

Twelve Types of Nouns and How to Use Them

How to Write Metaphors Like a Professional Writer

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Recommended Recources

Twelve Types of Nouns and How to Use Them

How to Write Metaphors Like a Professional Writer

Author

Archives

Categories

Recommended Recources﻿

Recommended Recources