Diction refers to the selection of words in a literary work.

A work’s diction forms one of its

Example:

“I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, Or all the riches that East doth hold.”
- Anne Bradstreet, “To My Dear and Loving Husband”

• The use of antiquated words such as “thy” instead of “your” and “doth” instead of “do”
gives the poem a formal diction.

• These antiquated words are considered grand, elevated, and sophisticated language.

9 Types of Diction in Writing

There are different types of diction, each with its own specific style that works best in
particular scenarios. Below, we outline the nine most common and useful types of
diction; understanding these will increase the quality of your writing in a variety of
situations. 

For these examples, we illustrate the different types of diction by demonstrating what a
speaker or writer would say using that style. To best show the differences in each of the
diction types, we use the same example: the speaker disagreeing with what was just
said. 

1. Formal diction

Formal diction uses the proper definitions of words in a mostly serious tone. This is the style
of workplaces, schools, and other formal environments. Formal language doesn’t take any
risks and can come across as bland or boring, but for the sake of clarity, it’s the best choice
when speaking to strangers or authority figures. 
Example of formal diction: 
Respectfully, I must disagree. 

2. Informal diction

Informal diction is the opposite of formal diction; it involves the playful use of words,
including jokes and wordplay. Informal diction is the way you talk to the people closest to
you, as opposed to strangers or work colleagues. It’s best in casual situations, but it can
sound out of place in serious situations. 
Example of informal diction: 
 No way, that’s not true at all. 

3. Pedantic diction

Pedantic diction uses an excessive amount of academic or “big” words, as if the speaker is
trying to prove how smart they are. Pedantic diction comes across as arrogant in real life,
but it’s nonetheless useful as a writing tool. In fictional dialogue, it can show that a character
is overly concerned with appearing intelligent or sophisticated, as with Jay Gatsby in The
Great Gatsby.  
Example of pedantic diction: 
In examination of your stance, I have identified some critical errors that I will now expound
on. 

4. Pedestrian diction
Pedestrian diction is considered the opposite of pedantic; instead of trying to sound smart,
it’s trying to sound normal or common. Pedestrian diction, which doesn’t use fancy words or
slang, is thought to be how regular people talk. It’s the type of diction used by politicians
when speaking to diverse crowds or by people with technical knowledge when explaining
something to people without that knowledge. 
Example of pedestrian diction: 
I understand what you’re saying, but there’s something very important that you’re missing. 

5. Slang

Diction with slang, an extension of informal diction, encompasses words and phrases that
only a particular type of person understands. Slang is often divided by generation, such as
“sussy,” used by Gen Z, and “nifty,” used by baby boomers. Slang can also
encompass business jargon, which is slang that’s understood only by people in a certain
profession or trade. 
Example of slang diction: 
You’re full of it! 

6. Colloquial diction

Similar to slang, colloquial diction refers to specific words or phrases used in particular
geographical locations. For example, people in the Northeast and on the West Coast of the
US use the word “soda,” those in the Northwest and Midwest say “pop,” and those in the
Deep South use “coke” as a generic term. All three words mean the same thing but reflect
the language of a specific region. Colloquial diction also includes special expressions that
are popular only in certain areas. 
Colloquial diction can also represent dialects of a language, such as the Argentine
dialect Rioplatense Spanish, whose grammar rules and pronunciation differ from those of
proper Spanish. 
Example of colloquial diction: 
Sounds like you’ve loaded the wrong wagon. 
7. Abstract diction

Abstract diction refers to discussing something intangible, like an idea or emotion. It’s hard
to put abstract thoughts into words, so abstract diction often comes across as vague or
ambiguous. 
Example of abstract diction: 
What you said doesn’t feel right. 

8. Concrete diction

The opposite of abstract diction is concrete diction, which uses specific and direct language
with minimal ambiguity. Concrete diction describes things as they are, adhering to the
proper definitions of words and citing only the facts. 
Example of concrete diction: 
I understand that you believe you are correct, but you are missing a necessary piece of
information. 

9. Poetic diction

Poetic diction makes use of rhymes, rhythm, and phonetics to make words sound pleasing
together. While it’s out of place in everyday speech and writing, it’s a necessary element of
many creative outlets such as poetry, song lyrics, rap, and to some extent speechwriting. 
Example of poetic diction: 
What a foolish and ignorant thing you just said
Hear my rebuttal and your cheeks will burn red