Diction and Syntax Imitation

Diction

The writer's or speaker's vocabulary choices and style of expression in a poem or story.

Syntax

The rules and principles that govern the sentence structure.

Dr. Heidegger

The first time I learned how to teach diction and syntax analysis was in a AP Summer Institute course. The teacher used an excerpt of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Dr. Heidegger's Experiment with ninth graders. Since learning her method, it has been my day one activity every year!

Imagine, the first day of school for freshmen and their English teacher says "Today we're going to analyze the diction and syntax of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Tomorrow: classroom rules."

I'll use the Hawthorne excerpt for my explanation below, but feel free to try the same strategies with complex texts in your classroom.

Results

Students will [1] practice diction and syntax analysis through annotation of a complex text, [2] sentence imitation, and [3] review literary devices.

Steps

1. Optional: Introduce Diction and Syntax using the Diction and Syntax PREZI.
2. Present a copy of the following: Dr. Heidegger's Experiment excerpt.
3. Read it with the class or allow them to read silently.
4. Give students the opportunity to make and share inferences about Dr. Heidegger based on the excerpt. If they have not yet been exposed to inferencing skills or need help, try using the Developing Your 6th Sense PREZI.

Now it's time to imitate Nathaniel Hawthorne's writing style!

It might be best to write the first sentence in the excerpt on the board and model the process for students. Then, dissect it together as the class follows along on their copy of the excerpt.

As you go along, there will be opportunities to discuss aspects of diction and syntax with students, such as whether "old-fashioned" should count as one word or two.

It was a dim, old-fashioned chamber, festooned with

cobwebs and besprinkled with antique dust.

1. First, have students analyze the sentence length by counting the number of words in the sentence.

2. Next, identify the Subject and VERB(S).

3. Then, identify the Adjectives and Nouns.

4. Finally, locate the Conjunctions and Articles.

5. Now you've created a template of sorts for students to plug in their own words! have them describe a room when they live or someplace that has significance to them, but use the Hawthorne template.

I like using large sentence strips for students to compose their final sentence and then display the sentences in the classroom.