Writing Craft Vocabulary
Know and use the vocabulary of writing craft and effect — form, structure, register, tone, voice, coherence, cohesion, argument, evidence, perspective, rhetoric, technique, formal, informal, and style — and understand that these words describe choices writers make intentionally to achieve a particular effect on the reader
Typical age: 8–11 years
“If your child is writing a persuasive letter compared to a story, can they explain the difference in 'tone' and 'register' — and why they'd make different word choices for each one?”
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- Layout and Formatting in Informational Writing
Layout devices guide readers through structure; 'structure', 'coherence', and 'form' vocabulary is helpful
- Writing for an audienceREQUIRED
Producing coherent writing for task/purpose/audience requires these as precise, understood concepts
- Short Research Projects
Research projects require 'evidence', 'argument', 'perspective', and 'purpose' vocabulary
- Basic Informational Writing
Informative/explanatory writing requires 'form', 'structure', 'coherence', and 'evidence' vocabulary
- Revising and editing (age 8+)REQUIRED
Critical self-reading of writing requires vocabulary to name what is and isn't working: 'coherence', 'tone', 'structure'
- Planning Narratives
Planning narrative like authors requires vocabulary of 'technique', 'structure', 'voice', and 'style'
- Vivid Word Choices
Choosing vivid and precise words to create effects requires understanding 'technique', 'tone', and 'style'
- Revising and editing (age 7+)REQUIRED
Evaluating and editing for consistency requires vocabulary of 'coherence', 'cohesion', 'register', and 'style'
- Choosing Form and Tone for Your AudienceREQUIRED
Identifying audience, purpose, form, tone, and register before writing requires all these as named vocabulary
- Narrative Writing
Developed narrative requires craft vocabulary including 'structure', 'voice', 'technique', and 'style'
- Structured Opinion Writing
Opinion writing with a point of view requires 'argument', 'evidence', 'perspective', and 'formal' vocabulary