What Does A List Do In English?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Lists are often used in works of fiction and creative nonfiction (including essays)

to evoke a sense of place or character

. Lists are commonly used in business writing and technical writing to convey factual information succinctly.

What is the effect of lists in writing?

By giving a list, the writer is

providing multiple arguments to sway the reader

, and furthermore, targeting multiple readers at once in case one particular argument or idea is not persuasive to a particular person. In this way, a list can overwhelm a reader with the many arguments on the side of the writer.

What is the purpose of listing in writing?

Listing is a strategy writers

use to brainstorm and write ideas about their chosen topic as they come

. Usually, writers will place each individual point or idea on its own line, either on loose-leaf/notebook paper or in a Word document.

What is a list used for?

A list is

any information displayed or organized in a logical or linear formation

. Below is an example of a numerical list, often used to show a series of steps that need to be performed to accomplish something.

What is a list in English language?

/ˈlɪst/ plural lists. Learner’s definition of LIST. 1. :

a series of names, words, numbers, etc

., that are usually written down with each new one appearing below the previous one.

What are the 5 prewriting strategies?

We often call these prewriting strategies “brainstorming techniques.” Five useful strategies are

listing, clustering, freewriting, looping, and asking the six journalists’ questions

. These strategies help you with both your invention and organization of ideas, and can aid you in developing topics for your writing.

How do you list things in an essay?

  1. Introduce the list with an independent clause or a sentence with a colon before the list. …
  2. Set off a short list from the rest of a sentence with a dash, an informal punctuation mark that also often marks a sudden or dramatic change. …
  3. Write an introductory sentence for steps in a sequence.

What is it called when a writer lists things?

Also called

a series, a catalog, an inventory, and (in classical rhetoric) enumeratio

. Lists are often used in works of fiction and creative nonfiction (including essays) to evoke a sense of place or character.

What are the effects of an Asyndetic list?

Asyndeton consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. In a list of items, asyndeton gives

the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity

, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account: On his return he received medals, honors, treasures, titles, fame.

What are the features of a list?

Practical or factual lists (like a shopping list or a to-do list) are usually written vertically. They can often be shown using

numbers, letters or bullet points

. The information should be presented to the reader in a way that is easy to understand and doesn’t interrupt the flow.

What is a list of items called?

1. List,

catalog

, inventory, roll, schedule imply a definite arrangement of items.

Can I use semicolons in a list?

Listing items


Semicolons can be used to link items in a list

, such as objects, locations, names and descriptions. Where the list items already contain commas, a semicolon helps avoid confusion between the items; in this way the semicolon acts like a ‘super comma’.

What is a list Give example?

A list is

an ordered data structure with elements separated by a comma and enclosed within square brackets

. For example, list1 and list2 shown below contains a single type of data. Here, list1 has integers while list2 has strings. Lists can also store mixed data types as shown in the list3 here.

How do you introduce a list?

  1. Use a colon to introduce the list items only if a complete sentence precedes the list. …
  2. Use both opening and closing parentheses on the list item numbers or letters: (a) item, (b) item, etc.
  3. Use either regular Arabic numbers or lowercase letters within the parentheses, but use them consistently.

How do you list more than 3 things in a sentence?


An Oxford Comma

is a comma used before the last list item in a list of three or more items. When there are three or more list items, then those following “US convention” should use a comma (often called an Oxford Comma) with the conjunction (usually “and” or “or”).

Is something on a list or in a list?



In the list” is perfectly logical

—in my view, more logical than “on”. A list is a succession of items, like a queue. You would not say “on a queue”, and “in” generally denotes inclusion or containment: “in the book”, “in my letter”, etc., and an item is certainly contained in a list.

Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.