Literary Terms
MY WORDS: Transition-Wit, Diction
Erin Leeds
Ms. Curtis
English 11 H, Period 3
Transition
Definition: Words used to shift from one idea to
another. Transition Words: Therefore, consequently, nevertheless, again,
while, although…etc.
Examples: 1. The dog has two puppies; therefore, she is a
mother. 2. The dog ate the food; hence, it was hungry. 3. While
eggs are good with bacon, they are not good with chicken.
Understatement
Definition: The opposite of a hyperbole; a statement
that makes something out to be less than it actually
is.
Example: 1. It isn’t very serious. 2. “I’m fine.” 3. It’s
not as bad as it looks.
Wit
Definition: A humorous statement that holds
intellectual background.
Example: 1. “You can’t be late until you show up.” 2.
“You can always count on Americans to do the right
thing-after they’ve tried everything else.” 3. “However
beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at
the results.”
Diction
Definition: The way a writer chooses to write and how
it conveys their point of view to the reader or listener.
Example: 1. Abraham Lincoln’s carefully worded “Gettysburg Address”.
2. Dr. Seuss’ book, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. 3. Martin
Luther King Jr.’s persuasive diction in his “I have a Dream” speech.
Works Cited
Goli, Shravan. "Lit Terms." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of
Words at Dictionary.com. Dictionary, 3 Mar. 2004. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.dictionary.com>.None. "Best Examples of Witty Repartee?
[Archive]." RPGnet Forums. Forums, 17 May 2008. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.
<http://forum.rpg.net/archive/index.php/t-78628.html>.None. "Google Images."
Google. Google. Web. 28 Sept. 2011. <http://www.google.com/images>.None.
"Transition Words." Education. None. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.
<http://education.wichita.edu/caduceus/examples/essay_student/transitions.htm
>.None. "Transition Words." Education. None. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.
<http://education.wichita.edu/caduceus/examples/essay_student/transitions.htm
>.None. "Understatement - Definition and Examples of Understatement - Figure
of Speech." Grammar and Composition - Homepage of About Grammar and
Composition. About, 5 Oct. 2006. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.
<http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/understateterm.htm>.