What Is Diction in Writing?

Diction is the careful selection of words to communicate a message or establish a particular

voice or writing style. For example, flowy, figurative language creates colorful prose, while a
more formal vocabulary with concise and direct language can help drive home a point.

What Is the Purpose of Diction in Writing?

Writers choose specific words and phrases depending on the outcome they’re trying to achieve.
Diction can:
• Create a certain tone that supports purpose. The purpose of a piece of writing
determines its diction. In literature and fiction writing, writers often use informal diction
and figures of speech—words used for non-literal meanings, like similes and metaphors.
If a scientist is publishing a paper on their research, however, the language will be
technical, concise, and formal, written for a specific audience.
• Support the setting. In fiction writing, the language an author uses supports the basic
story elements, like setting. Diction helps establish when and where a story is set by
using language native to that time and place. This is called colloquial diction. For
example, a story set in New York City will have a different style of language compared
to a story that takes place in London.
• Establish a narrative voice and tone. A writer’s attitude towards the subject of a story
comes through in the words they use. This helps establish tone and impacts readers’
emotional response. For example, the tone of a horror novel will be very different to that
of a romance novel.
• Bring characters to life. A writer can tell a reader a lot about characters through their
dialogue. The way a character uses diction reflects personal details like age and gender,
background, social setting, and profession. For example, a younger character might use
slang when they speak.
8 Different Types of Diction in Writing
Different styles of diction impact how different ideas are expressed. There are eight common
types of diction:

1. Formal diction. Formal diction is the use of sophisticated language, without slang or
colloquialisms. Formal diction sticks to grammatical rules and uses complicated
syntax—the structure of sentences. This elevated type of language is often found in
professional texts, business documents, and legal papers.
2. Informal diction. Informal diction is more conversational and often used in narrative
literature. This casual vernacular is representative of how people communicate in real
life, which gives an author freedom to depict more realistic characters. Most short stories
and novels use informal diction.
3. Pedantic diction. This is when a writer is highly detailed or academic in their writing.
Words are chosen specifically to convey only one meaning. It is sometimes used in
literature when characters speak in a highly educated manner, as in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
The Great Gatsby.
4. Colloquial diction. Colloquial words or expressions are informal in nature and generally
represent a certain region or time. “Ain’t” and “y’all” are examples of colloquial
 expressions, born in rural areas of the United States. Colloquialisms add color and
realism to writing.
5. Slang diction. These are words that originated within a specific culture or subgroup but
gained traction. Slang can be a new word, a shortened or modified word, or words that
take on a new meaning. Examples of common contemporary slang words are “aggro”
instead of “aggravated”; “hip,” which means trendy; and “throw shade,” which is to lob
an insult at someone.
6. Abstract diction. This is when a writer uses words to express something intangible, like
an idea or an emotion. Abstract phrases often lack physical detail and specificity because
they are things the reader cannot experience through their five senses.
7. Concrete diction. Concrete diction is the use of words for their literal meanings and
often refer to things that appeal to the senses. The meaning is not open to interpretation
because the writer is specific and detailed in their phrasing. For example, the sentence: “I
ate an apple.”
8. Poetic diction. Poetic diction is driven by lyrical words that relate to a specific theme
reflected in a poem, and create a euphonious, or harmonious, sound. Poetic diction
usually involves the use of descriptive language, sometimes set to a beat or rhyme.

3 Examples of Diction in Literature

Authors use diction to effectively support their narrative and characters.

1) Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In Mark Twain’s classic tale,
Huck Finn, the narrator, is a 13-year-old boy growing up near the Mississippi River in
the 1800s. Twain uses a very informal, salt-of-the-earth colloquial diction to establish
Finn’s character, his youthfulness, and his background: “I climb up the shed and crept up
to my window just before day was breaking. My new clothes was all greased-up and
clayey, and I was dog-tired.”
2) Jules Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. As Pierre Arronax guides the
reader out to sea, the marine biologist describes his watery surroundings in scientific
detail: “At last, after walking two hours, we had attained a depth of about 300 yards, that
is to say, the extreme limit on which coral begins to form.” Jules Verne is using pedantic
diction to establish Arronax an academic who the reader can trust. His speech is literal,
concrete, and full of details that help create a sensory experience.
3) Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities. Charles Dickens opens his classic story with
this line: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” This is an example of
abstract diction—the lines reference experience and emotions rather than concrete
information. These opening lines build intrigue and pique curiosity, drawing a reader in
to find out more.