GRADE 11

CREATIVE WRITING
QUARTER 1 -LAS
LESSON 2:Diction and LESSON 3:Imagery
What is Diction?

Diction, in literature, refers to how writers choose words to create and convey a typical
mood, tone and atmosphere. It enables a writer to make the world in a literary piece seem
familiar and livable to a reader.

Example: Excerpt from Deafening Silence “All she feels is fear…insecurity…doubt. Finally,
she is there. That is right. Sometimes searching will not lead one to answers but to even
more questions. Perhaps, she was not meant for this. Perhaps, she was meant to know
nothing at all.”

Tone: Regret and denial

Poetic diction is often marked by intentional use of repetition and emotive words to put
emphasis on an idea. Through diction, the selection of graphic words affects the reader’s
attitude and conveys the writer’s feelings.

Example: “She thought trying would somehow ease her pain. She thought that if she knew
something, she would understand and feel better. But she was wrong. Dead wrong. The
discovery only made things more painful, more difficult to accept.”

Note: The repetition of the words pain and wrong highlights the dark and heavy tone that
the writer is trying to convey to the reader.
In creative writing, writers do not only choose words for their literal meaning, or denotation.
Oftentimes, diction is also based on the associated or implied meaning. This is called
connotation, which pertains to the ideas or feelings associated with a word.

Example: The man was an enigmatic character. Not his word or action gives away what he
really is deep inside. Everything about him screams mystery.

Denotation: difficult to understand Connotation: mystery

ACTIVITY 1

In creative writing, words are used for specific intention, that is to trigger a certain emotion for the readers.
Words either have positive or negative connotation. For now, examine the following words. Determine
whether a word has POSITIVE or NEGATIVE connotation.

Write your answers in a separate piece of paper.

______1. Forlorn ______2. Odd ______3. Contentment _____4. Weird _ _____5. Disturbing
______6. Stillness ______7. Grieving ___8. Triumphant ______9. Appalling ______10. Exhausted

ACTIVITY 2

If only to highlight the effect words have, you will have to put into words the insights you have acquired in
this lesson. Consider the following questions and write your answers in a separate piece of paper.

1. What is diction?
2. What is denotation?
3. What is connotation?
4. Why is diction important in creative writing?
5. How does diction contribute to the formation of sensory experience?

PERFORMANCE TASK #2

As you may have learned by now, one of the salient features of diction is its potential to stir the emotion.
Banking on this, consider the following tone words. Supply corresponding descriptive statements about a
student in school and make sure to employ connotative words to show the tone referred to. Write your
answers in a separate piece of paper.

1. Sadness
2. Courage
3. Excitement

ACTIVITY 3

Examine the following statements and identify the general feeling or emotion conjured by each. Write your
answers in a separate piece of paper.

Example: “The house is too silent, thinks Mel. She cannot point where it is coming from but there is that
undeniable forlorn feel in the air.” Emotion/Feeling: discomfort, sadness

1. “It has been the constant source of her joy and contentment in life to see her children growing up
together, close and obviously caring a lot for each other. Like every loving sibling should be, she thinks.”

Emotion/Feeling: _____________
2. “She cannot even shout. The longer she stares at it the more vivid becomes of the nightmarish image.
Help. Yes, Ron needs help, she finally recovers. But Mel cannot even move a finger, much less open her
mouth.”

Emotion/Feeling: _____________

3. “Sometimes it is not enough to run away. Sometimes hiding is not enough. They say the answer to pain
is to love. But sometimes some kinds of love can cause pain to those you love most.”

Emotion/Feeling: _____________
ACTIVITY 1

ACTIVITY 2
PERFORMANCE TASK #3

We all have things that we hold so dear and we wish for others to experience
them as well. In this regard, your knowledge about imagery will surely come in handy.
On that note, read the following items and provide as much and as specific details as
you can.

Write your answers in a separate piece of paper.

1. Favorite place:
2. Favorite music:
3. Favorite food:
4. Favorite recreational activity:

ASSESSMENT 1