Alliteration: 

The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables, as in “on scrolls of silver snowy sentences” (Hart Crane). Modern alliteration is predominantly consonantal; certain literary traditions, such as Old English verse, also alliterate using vowel sounds.

Hyperbole:

A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton.

Idiom:

1. A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements, as in keep tabs on.
2. The specific grammatical, syntactic, and structural character of a given language.
3. Regional speech or dialect.
4. 1. A specialized vocabulary used by a group of people; jargon: legal idiom.
   2. A style or manner of expression peculiar to a given people: “Also important is the uneasiness I've always felt at cutting myself off from my idiom, the American habits of speech and jest and reaction, all of them entirely different from the local variety” (S.J. Perelman).
5. A style of artistic expression characteristic of a particular individual, school, period, or medium: the idiom of the French impressionists; the punk rock idiom

Metaphor: met·a·phor    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (mt-fôr, -fr)
n.

1. A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison, as in “a sea of troubles” or “All the world's a stage” (Shakespeare).
2. One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol: “Hollywood has always been an irresistible, prefabricated metaphor for the crass, the materialistic, the shallow, and the craven” (Neal Gabler).

Onomatopoeia: on·o·mat·o·poe·ia    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (n-mt-p, -mät-)
n.

The formation or use of words such as buzz or murmur that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.

Personification: per·son·i·fi·ca·tion    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (pr-sn-f-kshn)
n.

1. The act of personifying.
2. A person or thing typifying a certain quality or idea; an embodiment or exemplification: “He's invisible, a walking personification of the Negative” (Ralph Ellison).
3. A figure of speech in which inanimate objects or abstractions are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form, as in Hunger sat shivering on the road or Flowers danced about the lawn. Also called prosopopeia.
4. Artistic representation of an abstract quality or idea as a person.

Pun: pun    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (pn)
n.

A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.

          n : a humorous play on words; "I do it for the pun of it"; "his constant punning irritated her" [syn: punning, wordplay, paronomasia] v : make a play on words;
         "Japanese like to pun--their language is well suited to punning"

n.

1. The act of quoting.
2. A passage quoted.
3. An explicit reference or allusion in an artistic work to a passage or element from another, usually well-known work: “Direct quotations from other paintings are fairly sparse” (Robert Hughes).
4. 1. The quoting of current prices and bids for securities and goods.
   2. The prices or bids cited.

Rhyme: rhyme also rime    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (rm)
n.

1. Correspondence of terminal sounds of words or of lines of verse.
2. 1. A poem or verse having a regular correspondence of sounds, especially at the ends of lines.
   2. Poetry or verse of this kind.
3. A word that corresponds with another in terminal sound, as behold and cold

Rhythm: rhythm    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (rthm)
n.

1. Movement or variation characterized by the regular recurrence or alternation of different quantities or conditions: the rhythm of the tides.
2. The patterned, recurring alternations of contrasting elements of sound or speech.
3. Music.
   1. The pattern of musical movement through time.
   2. A specific kind of such a pattern, formed by a series of notes differing in duration and stress: a waltz rhythm.
   3. A group of instruments supplying the rhythm in a band.
4. 1. The pattern or flow of sound created by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in accentual verse or of long and short syllables in quantitative verse.
   2. The similar but less formal sequence of sounds in prose.
   3. A specific kind of metrical pattern or flow: iambic rhythm.
5. 1. The sense of temporal development created in a work of literature or a film by the arrangement of formal elements such as the length of scenes, the nature and amount of dialogue, or the repetition of motifs.
   2. A regular or harmonious pattern created by lines, forms, and colors in painting, sculpture, and other visual arts.
6. The pattern of development produced in a literary or dramatic work by repetition of elements such as words, phrases, incidents, themes, images, and symbols.
7. Procedure or routine characterized by regularly recurring elements, activities, or factors: the rhythm of civilization; the rhythm of the lengthy negotiations.

Repetition: rep·e·ti·tion    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (rp-tshn)
n.

1. The act or process or an instance of repeating or being repeated.
2. A recitation or recital, especially of prepared or memorized material.

Simile: sim·i·le    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (sm-l)
n.

A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by like or as, as in “How like the winter hath my absence been” or “So are you to my thoughts as food to life” (Shakespeare).

ABOUT SUBJECTS AND PREDICATES

The following comes from http://www.english.uiuc.edu/cws/wworkshop/grammar/subjects_and_predicates.htm

Subjects and Predicates

In English, every sentence has two essential parts: a complete subject and a complete predicate.  

 

Subjects

The complete subject is the simple subject (a noun or a pronoun) plus any words or group of words modifying the simple subject that tells who or what the sentence is about:

The high from my Mountain Dew usually lasts about an hour.

To find the complete subject, ask Who? or What? insert the verb, and finish the question. The answer is the complete subject:

What usually lasts about an hour? The high from my Mountain Dew.  

 

The simple subject is the essential noun, pronoun, or group of words acting as a noun that cannot be left out of the complete subject. In order to identify it, remove the complements and modifiers and whatever left is the simple subject:

The	high	from my Mountain Dew	usually lasts about an hour.
(article)	(simple subject)	(prepositional phrase)	(predicate)

TIP: Does the sentence make sense with just the word ("high") identified as the simple subject?
(The) high usually lasts about an hour.  

 

 

 

Additional Facts About Subjects
1) The "Understood You"
Sometimes, as in the case of imperative sentences (see verb mood ), the subject does not actually appear in the sentence. At such times the invisible subject is called the "understood you":
(You) Rent "The Last of the Mohicans" from the video store.


2)  Positioning
Although the subject most commonly appears before the verb, it can also appear after it appears in

	-sentences that begin with "there is" or "there are." "There" is an expletive or empty word which simply gets the sentence started: There are precious few hills in Illinois. vs. Precious few hills are in Illinois.
	-sentences that are inverted for effect: Happy is the wife of Harrison Ford. vs. The wife of Harrison Ford is happy.

 

 

 

Predicates
The complete predicate is the verb plus its objects, complements, and adverbial modifiers that tell what the complete subject does or is:

The high from my Mountain Dew usually lasts about an hour.

To find the complete predicate, ask What does the subject (the high) do? (It) usually lasts about an hour.  

 

The simple predicate is the essential verb or verb phrase that cannot be left out of the complete predicate. Again, remove the modifiers and complements to identify it:

The	high	from my Mountain Dew	usually	lasts	about an hour
(article)	(simple subject)	(prepositional phrase)	(adverb)	(simple predicate)	(prepositional phrase)

TIP: Does the sentence make sense with just the word identified as the simple predicate?

The high from my Mountain Dew lasts.

   

 

Compound Subjects and Predicates

Although the examples so far have contained only one subject and one verb, a sentence may contain a compound subject, a compound predicate, or both.

The compound subject consists of two or more subjects that have the same verb and are joined by a conjunction such as "and" or "or": Spencer and Annie wagged their tails.

The compound predicate consists of two or more verbs that have the same subject and are joined by a conjunction such as "and" or "or": I came, saw, and conquered.

 RULES OF CAPITALIZATION

The following is gotten from:  http://dictionary.reference.com/help/faq/language/c/capitalization.html

The rules of capitalization are quite extensive and depend somewhat on the context in which the words are used. The basic rules are to capitalize:

• The first word of a sentence
• Names of the days of the week, months of the year
• The pronoun I
• Names, including initials, of individuals
• Titles which precede names
• All names of holidays (excluding any prepositions)
• The first word and all nouns in a salutation
• The first word in the complimentary closing of a letter
• Family relationship names when they precede a name or are used in place of person's name, especially in direct address
• All words in the names of specific organizations and agencies excluding prepositions, conjunctions, and articles
• Names of languages
• Names of definite sections of a country or the world
• Names of nationalities
• Names of religions and deities
• Adjectives formed from names of geographical locations, languages, races, nationalities, and religions
• The first word and all the words in titles of books, articles, works of art, etc. excluding short prepositions, conjunctions, and articles

 

Basic Rules of Punctuation gotten from: http://www.crazycolour.com/os/punctuation.shtml

The Comma (,)

The uses of the comma are:

1. Separate a list of items
   i.e.: Apples, pears, bananas and grapes are fruit
2. Indicates a word in apposition
   i.e.: The organisation, XYZ Enterprises, sends all members of staff on training at least once a year
3. Used before or after a participle phrasing
   i.e.: Being in possession of a lottery ticket, you may stand a chance to win
4. Indicate a slight pause
   i.e.: We have hardly had a summer in Gauteng, it has been overcast and rainy most days
5. Separate an exclamation or an expression
   i.e.: Oh dear, is that you meant?
6. Introduce direct speech
   i.e.: The speaker said, "The comma is used to introduce direct speech."
7. Ellipsis
   i.e.: Crips may be eaten too frequently; popcorn, too seldom
8. Used to indicate parenthesis*
   (whether it be related or non-related) i.e.: English Word Power, an interactive English language development software, helps to develop ones skills to effectively communicate in English.
9. Noun: a word used to name or identify any class of persons, places or things

Semicolon (;)

The uses of the semicolon are:

1. Separates one part of a sentence from another. The pause is longer than that of the comma
   i.e.: The semi colon separates one part of a sentence from another; the pause is longer than that of the comma.
2. Replaces a connective
   i.e.: The Institute of Secretaries strives to provide members with a unique service; ideas, knowledge and experience is shared.
3. Balances two opposite ideas
   i.e.: He who eats vegetables should be healthy; he who is healthy should not get ill.

Colon (:)

The uses of the colon are as follows:

1. Used as a quotation
   i.e.: He said: "We will close early on Friday."
2. Used to show a summary or a speech
   i.e.: We will summarise as follows: we are all to take care of the way that we conduct ourselves to customers.
3. Lists a series of items or ideas etc.
   i.e.: The tasks that I must complete by Thursday are: type up the minutes of the meeting held on Monday, finalise the farewell arrangements for Mrs. Joans, complete the PowerPoint presentation for Mr. Smith and update the filing.
4. To show a definition
   i.e.: Definition: a statement of the meaning of a word.
5. Before a reference or a title
   i.e.: You are read more about the various punctuation marks in the following book: The Professional secretary's handbook, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston/ New York
6. Balance two parts of a sentence
   i.e.: Dark of night: light of day.

Full Stop (.)

The uses of the full stop are:

1. ends a complete sentence
   i.e.: The cat sat on the mat.
2. used after and initial or abbreviation
   i.e.: Mr. J. Bradford has an Ph.D.

Question Mark (?)

The uses of the question mark are:

1. Indicate a question.
   i.e.: What's a question?
2. Express Doubt.
   i.e.: Surely you know what a question is?

Exclamation Mark (!)

The uses of the Exclamation Mark are to show:

1. An exclamation
   i.e.: Ah! So much to do, so little time.
2. A command
   i.e.: Stop complaining!
3. Strong Emotion
   i.e.: Waiting in queues really irritates me!
4. Determination
   i.e.: I think I can, I think I can!
5. Astonishment
   i.e.: Wow! That's fantastic!
6. Irony
   ie: There's no sarcasm in that!

Ellipsis (…)

The uses of the Ellipsis are to indicate:

1. Interruptions
   i.e.: As I was saying…
2. Thinking
   i.e.: When I was a younger….The speaker was lost in thought.
   (Please note: Here the fourth stop is s full stop and indicates the end of a sentence. The punctuation mark, ellipsis, is otherwise made up of three dots.)

Brackets ( )

The use of the bracket is to indicate parenthesis

i.e.: The use of the bracket is to indicate parenthesis (additional information)

Hyphen (-)

The uses of the Hyphen are:

1. Carries an incomplete word to the next line.
   i.e.: The winners to the competitions will be announ-
   ced at the end of April.
2. Clarifies pronunciation of words
   i.e.: The Patent Co-operation Treaty was launched in South Africa in March last year.
3. Precise Meaning
   i.e.: Twenty five-year-olds go to that Nursery School.
4. Part of a compound noun
   i.e.: Do ten press-ups a day to improve your fitness.
5. Part of a compound adjective
   i.e.: The pre-shrunk material is ready to be sewn.
6. Show stammering
   i.e.: The m-m-monster g-g-gave me a f-f-f-fright.
7. Used in place of "to"
   i.e.: A usual work-day is from 08:00-16:30 hours.
8. Helps to avoid ambiguity
   i.e.: The office possesses a little-used storeroom.
   (How would the meaning of the sentence change if the hyphen was removed?)

Quotation Marks

Also known as: Inverted Commas or Speech marks

The use of Quotation Marks are to show:

1. A quotation
   i.e.: He said: "We will close early on Friday."
2. Announcement
   i.e.: Notices stating "Silence" are often found in libraries
3. Titles
   i.e.: This page of the web site is known as "Skills Development"
4. Direct Speech
   i.e.: The speaker said, "The comma is used to introduce direct speech."

Apostrophe

The use of the Apostrophe is to show:

1. Mark a missing letter/s in a contracted word
   i.e.: Please don't worry if you can't remember all that you have learnt first time round.
2. Indicate possession
   i.e.: The Personal Assistant's computer has the internet loaded on it.

Dash ( - )

The use of the Dash is to show:

1. A dramatical pause and that something is to follow
   i.e.: It then struck me – practice makes perfect.
2. To indicate parenthesis (in place of brackets)
   i.e.: English Word Power - an interactive English language development software - helps to develop ones skills to effectively communicate in English.
3. Sets apart a reflection or a affliction
   i.e.: It is dreadful to be on the roads in peak-hour traffic – very dreadful indeed.
4. To show hesitant speech
   i.e.: I think I understand – I am not too sure
5. To demonstrate omitted words.
   i.e.: D – I have taken the wrong off-ramp.

Links on Punctuation

About Grammar	Punctuation Made Simple	Punctuation
How to use Punctuation	Punctuation Links	Quick References

 

Contractions

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