Exploring Voice in Writing
This worksheet helps grade 12 students understand and analyze authorial voice in various texts and develop their own distinct writing voice.
Includes
Standards
Topics
Exploring Voice in Writing
Name:
Date:
Score:
Read each question carefully and provide thoughtful, well-supported answers based on your understanding of authorial voice in writing. Pay close attention to how authors use various literary devices to establish their unique voice.
“Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, short-winded constructions, pompous clichés, and needless repetitions. The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every word that serves no function, every long word that can be short, every adverb that carries the same meaning that’s already in the verb, every passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is doing what – these are the thousand and one adulterants that weaken the broth of a paragraph and make the reader’s mind sidetrack into confusion.”
1. Based on the excerpt from William Zinsser, describe the author's voice. What specific words or phrases contribute to this voice?
2. How does Zinsser's use of figurative language (e.g., 'strangling in unnecessary words', 'weaken the broth') contribute to his authorial voice and message?
3. Which of the following literary elements is MOST central to establishing an author's unique voice?
Plot development
Character names
Word choice and sentence structure
Page count
4. An author's voice is primarily concerned with:
The literal meaning of the words
The personality and perspective conveyed
The number of paragraphs in an essay
The font style used in the text
5. An author's is reflected in their attitude towards the subject and audience.
6. The distinct sound and feel of a writer's work is known as their .
7. An author's voice can change depending on the purpose and audience of their writing.
True
False
8. Using complex vocabulary automatically creates a sophisticated authorial voice.
True
False
9. Write a short paragraph (5-7 sentences) arguing for or against the use of social media among high school students. After writing, analyze your own paragraph, identifying at least three specific choices you made (e.g., word choice, sentence structure, tone) to establish your authorial voice. Explain how these choices contribute to your overall voice and message.