What is subject verb agreement? It’s when you use the correct form of the verb. Simply put, singular nouns take a singular verb. Plural nouns take a plural verb. Most of us unconsciously choose the correct verb form. For instance we say, Mary needs a ride. But if we are talking about more than one person we would say, Alex and Jordan need a ride. See the difference? Things get tricky when using indefinite pronouns and collective nouns. Indefinite Pronouns and subject verb agreement Subject verb agreement with indefinite pronouns can be a challenge. An indefinite pronoun is one that does not refer to a particular person, amount, or thing.…
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Show Don’t Tell Part 2
Show Don’t Tell invites your reader into the pages of your story. Normally in show don’t tell the writer uses descriptive language to evoke the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. You can show taste in terms of intensity, the five basic tastes, physiological reaction, and memory activation. Show Taste Taste usually involves food, but not always. More about that later. One way to immerse your reader is to suggest the intensity of a flavor. There is a big difference between the hint of a flavor and a blast. Take peppermint for example. When I add a candy cane to my hot chocolate, I taste a hint of…
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Show Don’t Tell, Part 1
Show don’t tell is great advice for writers. But what does it mean? The difference between showing and telling is the difference between immersion and bullet points. Think about when you are learning a new skill. While some people can learn from reading a manual, most of us do better when we observe the task then try it out ourselves. Take a moment to write the steps for a routine activity such as making a sandwich or washing your face. Now, think about how you can show the same activity. Did your fingers get sticky from the peanut butter? Did your eyes sting from soap? One way to immerse your…
