5.6 Revising and Editing a Poem
5.6 Revising and Editing a Poem
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Identify and use adjectives and adverbs in poems
A basic skill that good poets must master is word choice. Rarely will a poet settle for the first words that hit the page. Good poets are like word artists, carefully picking just the right words to make their poems shine.
In this lesson, we will learn how to make our poem drafts more detailed and engaging by adding meaningful adjectives and adverbs.
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Adjectives describe people, places, objects and ideas1.
Adjectives add details and enhance the reader's understanding by helping them visualise using sensory details1.
They help us see, hear, feel, taste, and smell what is being described in the poem.
For instance, instead of simply saying “brownies,” you could say “soft, warm, and tempting chocolate brownies.”
Watch the video given below to learn more about adjectives.
Vid 6.1: Adjectives
Let’s add descriptive words to the poem, ‘The Guardians of Blue,’ to help the readers vividly imagine the scenes and emotions being portrayed.
Fig 6.1: Adjectives- The Guardians of the Blue
More Examples
Fig 6.2: Adjectives- The Oak and the Rose
Fig 6.3: Adjectives- Seeds
Another way to give readers a more engaging experience is by adding more details about the action2,3.
We already know that words showing actions are called ‘verbs’. When you want to add more details to a verb, you can use an adverb. An adverb can also modify another adverb or an adjective 2.
An adverb answers how, how often, when and where some action is done. Many adverbs end in -ly3.
Watch the video below to learn more about adverbs.
Vid 6.2: Adverbs
Let’s add adverbs to the poem, ‘The Guardians of Blue,’ to make the actions and feelings in the poem even more clear.
Example of Adverbs from ‘The Oak and the Rose’
Fig 6.5: Adverbs- The Oak and the Rose
ARMS and CUPS work together to refine and polish your free verse poem. Using this strategy will help you make your poem more meaningful, enjoyable, and impactful for your readers.
Summary:
Summary:
A basic skill that good poets must master is word choice. Rarely will a poet settle for the first words that hit the page.
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Adjectives describe people, places, objects and ideas.
Examples of using an adjective in a sentence:The box is large.
The sun shone bright in the blue sky.
In a poem, adjectives help us see, hear, feel, taste, and smell what is being described.
An adverb modifies another adverb or adjective too.
Examples of using adverbs in a sentence:
She ran incredibly fast to catch the bus.
The dog barked loudly at the stranger.
When revising our poems we may use a checklist to make sure all revisions are taken care of:
Main Idea: Is the main idea or theme of the poem clear and well-expressed?
Language: Have I used appropriate adjectives and adverbs to vividly describe things?
Structure: Are the line breaks in logical places, blending well to the poem's flow and meaning?
Form of Poetry: Does the poem follow the free verse style?
Making Connections:
Does the poem evoke feelings or remind the reader of something?
Does my poem convey a meaningful message or lesson to its readers?
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