Good Writing Top Ten List (1 Viewer)

[RogerB]

Top 10 Ways to Write Good

10. Always avoid alliteration.

9. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.

8. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.

7. Don't use commas, that aren't necessary.

6. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.

5. Don't abbrev.

4. Its important to use apostrophe's right.

3. Who needs rhetorical questions?

2. One-word sentences? Eliminate.

1. Stamp out, abolish, eliminate and avoid unnecessary redundancy.

 

[Craig S]

Here's another one:
Don't loose you're dictionary. It will help you avoid speling misteaks.

 

[BrettB]

I think that list is rediculous. I could care less about your list. I've seen much better lists then yours.

 

[Marshall Alsup]

LOL, thats pretty funny! especially because I suck at writing (and spelling)

 

[Jon_Are]

Don't forget, Roger, that a preposition is something you should never end a sentence with.

Jon

 

[Steve Christou]

Include me out.

 

[John Miles]

10. Always avoid alliteration.

Actually, that's assonance.

 

[Thomas Newton]

I no this cent ants is car wrecked, my spell check toll me sew.

-- Anonymous

 

[Jon_Are]

Actually, that's assonance.

Actually, John, that's alliteration. Always.

Jon

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Don't forget, Roger, that a preposition is something you should never end a sentence with.

That is the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put.
(Attributed to Winston Churchill, but I don't know if he really said it.)
Regards,
Joe

 

[John Miles]

Actually, John, that's alliteration. Always.

Nope. See http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?alliteration -- vowels=assonance, consonants=alliteration.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

From Merriam-Webster On-Line:
Main Entry: al·lit·er·a·tion
Pronunciation: &-"li-t&-'rA-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: ad- + Latin littera letter
Date: circa 1656
: the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables (as wild and woolly, threatening throngs) -- called also head rhyme, initial rhyme
Main Entry: as·so·nance
Pronunciation: 'a-s&-n&n(t)s
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Latin assonare to answer with the same sound, from ad- + sonare to sound, from sonus sound -- more at SOUND
Date: 1727
1 : resemblance of sound in words or syllables
2 a : relatively close juxtaposition of similar sounds especially of vowels b : repetition of vowels without repetition of consonants (as in stony and holy) used as an alternative to rhyme in verse
- as·so·nant /-n&nt/ adjective or noun
- as·so·nant·al /"a-s&-'nan-t&l/ adjective
Although alliteration is mostly used to describe the repetition of initial consonants it seems clear from the definitions that the example given is alliteration, not assonance, even though it involves vowels. The key distinction is that alliteration always involves the initial sounds of consecutive words, whereas assonance describes similar sounds of both vowels and consonants anywhere in words that are close together, but not necessarily consecutive.
[The pedant's corner is now closed for the evening. ]
Regards,
Joe