Operative words are essential for conveying the main theme of the story.
They provide the gist of the content if read alone.
Typically include the who, what, where, when, why, and how—nouns, adjectives, adverbs, titles, and names.
Proper names should always be marked as operative the first time they appear.
Once identified, emphasize operative words using the following techniques:
Volume: Adjust the loudness; increase to "punch" the word for impact.
Pitch: Alter the highness or lowness of the voice for emphasis on operative words.
Rhythm: Vary the rhythm; use pauses to highlight complex words or introduce new concepts.
Tempo: Change the speed of delivery; quicken for less important sections and slow down for operative words.
Mark places in the text for breathing pauses.
Identify all punctuation; it aids in delivery and comprehension.
Create personal connections with images; leverage senses and emotional recall.
Connect with all adjectives, adverbs, and verbs for clarity in meaning and action.
Avoid stressing words that can be omitted without altering meaning.
Stress new ideas; reduce emphasis on previously stated concepts.
Example: "This is my new Pet. Don't you like my new Pet?"
Look for parallels and contrasts in construction.
Example: "Make new friends, but keep the old."
Pay attention to context with words like "other", "more", or "less" illustrating implied parallels.
Example: "Don't you fish with worms? Other people do."
Pronouns and "not" should usually be unstressed but can be emphasized when necessary.
Example: "I will not go. I have not found it. Have you?"
Word Pairs/Compound Words: Balance stress across both words for equal ideas.
Example: "Hard-hearted, Half-mast"
Compound nouns typically stress the first part modifying the following noun.
Example: "Hard-hearted man"
Word pairs indicating a single new idea get one stress allocation.
Example: "Afterwords, hardware, White House"
Possessive words often receive greater stress for emphasis.
Example: "Jack's eyes have crows feet."
Primary phrases: Carry the essential information or argument.
Qualifying phrases: Modify the main idea, providing context (who, what, why, when, where, how).
Subordinate phrases: Secondary information that can be omitted without changing the meaning.