What is the difference in theses words?

Question

narration- telling a story
description- describing
exposition- explaining

I have looked these words up in a dictionary and a thesaurus and each word is a synonym for the other. I am practicing for a reading test and these words are about the same. Someone please help me better understand the specific meanings of the words. Thank you for all your answers.

Answer 1

While all of these words mean describing or explaining something, there are subtle differences. Narrating is describing or explaining a Story or Event. Description usually refers to a shorter explaination of an object or thing. Exposition is used to refer to a long and in depth explanation, such as expository writing. I'm not an english major, but I hope I helped.

Answer 2

Narration involves telling a story to others. It is not as factual as an explanation and can be exaggerated, and use suspense. It is used to engage and entertain listeners, rather than simply to convey information.

Description is the act of describing some specific thing/person etc

Exposition is the explanation of the story line in a drama told by a narrator, or one of the characters

Hope that helps a bit - all the words are quite close in meaning!

Answer 3

Narration: Telling a story is correct. You will sit down, and Through narration explain to me exactly what happened.

Description: You will describe how a thing looks, how it feels, how it smells. You do not narrate how a pie smells. You describe it.

Exposition, in that sense is obsolete. Exposition is used generally as a noun to represent an event in which things are presented for view. Worlds Fairs used to be called Expositions.

Answer 4

Narration is a recital of events, especially in chronological order, as the story narrated in a poem or the exposition in a drama.
Exposition is dialogue, description, etc., that gives the audience or reader the background of the characters and the present situation.
And you know what description is. Their meanings ARE different!

Answer 5

I always thought that narration was talking outloud. Description is of course describing how something looks, sounds, tastes, smells, or feels. I have only seen/used the word exposition when it comes to going to the fair. At the fair they have many expositions that the public can view.

Answer 6

I am going to narrate to you the details of my life to this point...not really an explanation so much as what it literally is - the telling of a story

Let me describe for you what I wore to the party yesterday - giving details...usually brief

Expository writing is explaining - to give an exposition on the events of a time. Like the entire events surrounding a car accident.

Answer 7

Narration is an individual holding forth on a topic of his choice or telling a story to a group
Description is an attempt to make you see the object in your mind's eye by using appropriate adjectives and comparisons
Exposition- a detailed description or discussion or showing of objects to the public.

Answer 8

Narration is simply an oral form of composition, the art of telling back what one has learned

Description is detailed account,markin' out, kind,sort,species..

exposition is expound,explanation,description,exhibition of goods and stuff like that ;) hope it 'll help

Answer 9

Narration is actually telling the story and what is happening.

Description is describing the setting and characters.

Exposition is explaining why and how something has unfolded and is the way it is.

Answer 10

The words with the "ing" are a gerund form of the root word. The gerund form are a way to make an adjective or adverb into an action verb.