DIDLS Breakdown
DIDLS Breakdown
DIDLS
Diction, Imagery, Details, Language, and Syntax Use diction to find tone. Use imagery, details, language and syntax to support tone.
TONE
Author's attitude toward the subject, toward himself, or toward the audience.
DICTION
Adjectives, nouns, verbs, adverbs, negative words, positive words, synonyms, contrast.
Look at the words that jump out at you - Evaluate only those words to find tone
Also look at:
Colloquial (Slang)
Old-Fashioned
Informal (Conversational)
Formal (Literary)
Connotative (Suggestive meaning)
Denotative (Exact meaning)
Concrete (Specific)
Abstract (General or Conceptual)
Euphonious (Pleasant Sounding)
Cacophonous (Harsh sounding)
Monosyllabic (One syllable)
Polysyllabic (More than one syllable) • Describe diction (choice of words) by considering the following:
1. Words can be monosyllabic (one syllable in length) or polysyllabic (more than one syllable in length). The higher the ratio of polysyllabic words, the more difficult the content.
2. Words can be mainly colloquial (slang), informal (conversational), formal (literary) or old-fashioned.
3. Words can be mainly denotative (containing an exact meaning, e.g., dress) or connotative (containing suggested meaning, e.g., gown)
4. Words can be concrete (specific) or abstract (general or conceptual).
5. Words can euphonious (pleasant sounding, e.g., languid, murmur) or cacophonous (harsh sound, e.g., raucous, croak). IMAGERY Creates a vivid picture and appeals to the senses
Alliteration
repetition of consonant sounds at the start of a word
The giggling girl gave gum.
Assonance
repetition of vowel sounds in the middle of a word
Moths cough and drop wings
Consonance
repetition of consonant sounds in the middle of a word
The man has kin in Spain
Onomatopoeia
writing sounds as words
The clock went tick tock
Simile
a direct comparison of unlike things using like or as
Her hair is like a rat’s nest
DIDLS
Diction, Imagery, Details, Language, and Syntax Use diction to find tone. Use imagery, details, language and syntax to support tone.
TONE
Author's attitude toward the subject, toward himself, or toward the audience.
DICTION
Adjectives, nouns, verbs, adverbs, negative words, positive words, synonyms, contrast.
Look at the words that jump out at you - Evaluate only those words to find tone
Also look at:
Colloquial (Slang)
Old-Fashioned
Informal (Conversational)
Formal (Literary)
Connotative (Suggestive meaning)
Denotative (Exact meaning)
Concrete (Specific)
Abstract (General or Conceptual)
Euphonious (Pleasant Sounding)
Cacophonous (Harsh sounding)
Monosyllabic (One syllable)
Polysyllabic (More than one syllable) • Describe diction (choice of words) by considering the following:
1. Words can be monosyllabic (one syllable in length) or polysyllabic (more than one syllable in length). The higher the ratio of polysyllabic words, the more difficult the content.
2. Words can be mainly colloquial (slang), informal (conversational), formal (literary) or old-fashioned.
3. Words can be mainly denotative (containing an exact meaning, e.g., dress) or connotative (containing suggested meaning, e.g., gown)
4. Words can be concrete (specific) or abstract (general or conceptual).
5. Words can euphonious (pleasant sounding, e.g., languid, murmur) or cacophonous (harsh sound, e.g., raucous, croak). IMAGERY Creates a vivid picture and appeals to the senses
Alliteration
repetition of consonant sounds at the start of a word
The giggling girl gave gum.
Assonance
repetition of vowel sounds in the middle of a word
Moths cough and drop wings
Consonance
repetition of consonant sounds in the middle of a word
The man has kin in Spain
Onomatopoeia
writing sounds as words
The clock went tick tock
Simile
a direct comparison of unlike things using like or as
Her hair is like a rat’s nest