What is style?
Style is the way a writer uses language: which words, what kind of sentences, what pictures and what attitude. It is how something is said, not what is said.
Two writers can tell the same story and still sound different. Style is like handwriting: you can often tell who wrote a page even without the name on it.
Style is also shaped by the writer's time, place and purpose. A news report, a letter and a poem about the same rain have three different styles because they have three different jobs.
The four features of style
When you compare two texts, check these four features:
- Word choice (diction): plain or fancy, everyday or formal, old or modern, harsh or gentle.
- Sentences: short or long, simple or complex, one idea or many. Count the words in a few sentences to get a feel.
- Images and figures: comparisons, pictures from the senses, symbols. Does the writer use many or few?
- Tone: the writer's attitude: serious, playful, tender, bitter, calm.
Also look at the narrator (first or third person) and at the structure (short paragraphs or long ones). These support the same four features.
Comparing two passages
To compare, set the two passages side by side and put the same questions to each. A table works well.
| Feature | Passage A | Passage B |
|---|---|---|
| Sentences | Short (about 1 to 3 words) | Long (about 5 or more words) |
| Words | Hard, plain verbs | Soft, descriptive words |
| Images | Few | Many comparisons |
| Tone | Urgent | Dreamy |
Always use words that compare: whereas, while, in contrast, both, similarly. Mention a similarity as well as a difference. Two works from different countries may share a feeling, for example love of nature, but express it in very different styles.
Effect of style and a method for answers
Each style choice has an effect on the reader.
- Short sentences feel fast, sharp or tense.
- Long sentences feel slow, flowing, calm or dreamy.
- Plain words feel honest and direct; rich words feel colourful.
- Many images feel vivid; few images feel cool and distant.
No style is better in itself. A chase scene wants short sentences; a quiet evening wants long ones. A style is good when it fits what the writer wants to do.
A four-step method
- Find the features in each text.
- Compare them: same or different?
- Name the effect on the reader.
- Link the effect to the meaning of the work, with a short quotation as proof.
Try it
Write one sentence about a crowded market two ways: once in short sentences, once in one long sentence. Read both aloud. How do they feel different?
Key formulas and definitions
- Style = how it is said
- Four features: words, sentences, images, tone
- Short sentences = fast and tense; long sentences = slow and dreamy
- Method: Find, Compare, Name the effect, Link to meaning
Worked examples
1. Passage A: "Rain hit. Doors slammed. We ran." Passage B: "A soft grey rain slowly began to fall over the quiet street, and the neighbours drew their curtains." Compare their style.
A uses very short sentences and hard verbs: fast, tense effect. B uses one long sentence with soft words: slow, calm effect. Same event, different feeling.
2. Which feature is being studied: "The writer uses 'whisper' and 'drift' where another writer uses 'say' and 'go'"?
Word choice (diction). Gentle, exact words give a softer tone.
3. Both a haiku and a novel describe snow. The haiku has three short lines; the novel has a long paragraph. Give one effect of each.
The haiku gives a quick, sharp image and leaves the reader to feel the rest. The novel builds slow detail and mood. Both are valid; they suit different purposes.
4. Write a comparison sentence for two styles: one blunt and one flowery.
Whereas the first writer uses plain words and short sentences to sound direct and honest, the second uses rich images and long sentences, which makes the tone dreamy.
Common mistakes
- Confusing style with content. Style is how it is said, not what happens.
- Listing features without effects. After each feature, say what it does to the reader.
- Saying one style is better. Judge whether each fits its purpose.
- Comparing without proof. Add a short quotation or example for each point.