A Day in the Life of a
Science Fiction Writer: Glimpses into Grammar – Adjectives, Adverbs, and Interjections
This is the third of four posts on common grammar errors,
omissions, and misunderstandings. The last of the "Glimpses into Grammar”—the
fifth & final post—will explore sentence structure/construction.
Nearly every writer has grammar issues
of some kind or another. Those chosen for this blog series are some of the ones
I experience in my writing. In any of my manuscripts, the issue with each
individual issue will range from significant to non-existent.
If you don’t experience any of these
in any of your writing, I hope you realize how fortunate you are!
This glimpse begins with
Bonus Tip
The verb form you choose is powerful!
It should tell your reader something about the action.
·
Is it happening right now?
·
Did it already happen?
·
Is it happening on an ongoing basis?
·
Did it happen over the course of time in the past?
The verb form also tells your reader
something about the subject of the sentence.
·
Is the subject singular or plural?
These implications mean that as long
as the subject of the sentence and the nature of the action are consistent throughout
an entire piece of writing, the verb forms should be consistent, as well.
Not only is it correct to use parallel verb forms, it also helps your sentences flow smoothly
and eliminates confusion.
Adjectives
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns.
·
Describe (what kind)
The green car has
the best price.
·
Identify (which
one)
That guy was a little weird.
·
Quantify (how many)
Jake ate four burgers during last night’s contest.
Adverbs
Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or
entire clauses.
How?
Angrily, maybe, absolutely
When?
Recently, suddenly, seldom
Where?
Nearby, there, downstairs
To what extent?
Very, slightly, exceptionally, quite
It’s tempting to use adverbs when they
aren’t needed.
Suddenly, the bomb in the car parked
at the curb exploded.
Bombs explode
without notice—it’s a sudden event.
“It’s my favorite type of chocolate,”
she whispered softly in her lover’s ear.
Whispering
is defined: “to
speak with soft, hushed sounds, using the breath, lips, etc., but with no vibration
of the vocal cords.” A whisper is always soft.
“Just shut up!” He screamed
angrily.
While not all screaming is done in anger, screaming “shut up” usually is.
Bottom line on adverbs is this:
If your scene is
well described and your characters are well developed, you won’t need many
adverbs. If fact, your readers will find themselves distracted by the presence
of too many adverbs.
For me, adverbs are examples of
"When in doubt, leave it out."
Interjections
Interjections
express surprise or emotion
·
Interjections
are lonely words. They aren’t grammatically connected to the rest of the
sentence.
o Example: “Hey,
can I go to the movies with you guys?”
o “My,
that was a mouthful,” she said.
o “Oh, I
don’t know about that,” he replied.
Next Day in the Life of a Science Fiction Writer:
Follow me on Twitter: @CRDowningAuthor
E-mail: crd.author@gmail.com
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