Time Relaters and Value Words: Defining the Building Blocks of Narrative
Time Relaters and Value Words are crucial elements in writing, specifically in narrative and descriptive writing. They help establish the flow of events and convey the author's perspective on the subject matter. Let's break them down:
1. Time Relaters:
* Definition: Time relaters are words or phrases that indicate the sequence of events, the duration of actions, or the frequency of occurrences. They help the reader understand the chronological order of the story.
* Types:
* Chronological order words: first, then, next, after, before, finally, meanwhile, later, subsequently, prior to, following, etc.
* Duration words: for a while, briefly, for a moment, for a long time, for days, for hours, etc.
* Frequency words: always, often, sometimes, rarely, never, once, twice, repeatedly, etc.
* Examples:
* "First, she went to the store. Then, she went to the park." (Chronological order)
* "He waited for a long time before the bus arrived." (Duration)
* "She often visits her grandmother." (Frequency)
2. Value Words:
* Definition: Value words are words or phrases that express the writer's opinion or attitude towards a subject. They add emotion and depth to the writing, influencing the reader's understanding of the described object or event.
* Types:
* Positive value words: amazing, beautiful, wonderful, incredible, fantastic, exciting, delightful, etc.
* Negative value words: terrible, awful, horrible, disgusting, dreadful, unpleasant, appalling, etc.
* Neutral value words: interesting, strange, ordinary, common, simple, complex, etc.
* Examples:
* "The sunset was breathtaking." (Positive)
* "The food tasted awful." (Negative)
* "The house was ordinary." (Neutral)
How Time Relaters and Value Words Work Together:
Time relaters provide the framework of a story, while value words add color and emotion. By using both effectively, writers can create a compelling narrative that engages the reader's imagination.
Here's an example:
"First, she walked into the dark and musty library. Then, she found an ancient book with beautiful leather binding. For a long time, she sat by the window, reading the fascinating story within its pages."
This example uses time relaters ("first," "then," "for a long time") to create a clear sequence of events, and value words ("dark," "musty," "ancient," "beautiful," "fascinating") to paint a vivid picture of the setting and the book's contents.
By understanding and utilizing both time relaters and value words, you can craft stories that are not only engaging but also emotionally resonant and impactful.