You may have heard the term “form” or “form content” thrown around in professional and business writing. What is the simple meaning of this term? And how can you use form content to your advantage?
What Are Form And Content?
“Content” is an idea that is usually used in the phrase “content writing.” In this type of long-form writing, you must create a certain amount of content. This content can range from as small as a blog to as large as a book. In content, there are building blocks called “forms,” which act as the foundation for your writing.
As mentioned, forms are lesser-known aspects of writing which tend to act as the unsung heroes of your sentences. Some great examples of forms include:
- Semantics/word definitions
- Speech rules and sound
- Word morphology
- Syntax and sentence structure
Even though these literary structures aren’t popular, they are required to make virtually any sentence make sense. When used in terms of language, “form” refers to the small detailed features of language and how they are used within sentences.
Word Morphology
One important aspect of form is morphology. Even though it can be difficult to understand, it is integral to forming basic English sentences. To put it simply, word morphology studies the small aspects of individual words and how they interact.
For instance, we can see aspects of words such as prefixes, suffixes, and roots when broken down with morphology. When used with a linguistics lens, morphology can also study the spoken parts of speech, such as emphasis, intonation, and pronunciation.
Phonology
Phonology is defined as the study and use of sound patterns. In other words, it is the active organization of sounds produced by words when pronounced. There are a few other studies that also tie in with phonology, such as:
- Linguistics
- Sociolinguistics
- Psycholinguistics
- psychology/behavioral science
- Childhood development studies
When thought of in an informal sense, phonology is the study/process that allows us to recognize and understand words that are being pronounced orally.
Syntax
Last but not least is syntax, which is how words come together to create meaningful/understandable sentences and phrases. Within syntax, there are smaller aspects such as word order, sentence structure rules, and tense agreement.
When discussed in terms of syntax, “form” is the structure, organization, placement, and relationship between words and larger sentences. It is the surface-level aspects of sentences and how they relate.
What Is Form?
Form becomes especially important for writers when writing something formal or meaningful. In other words, the organization and relationships of words affect the meaning of your sentences, which is very important for certain types of writing. For these reasons, it is important to understand the lesser-known aspects of form, such as phonology, morphology and syntax.
What Is Content?
Content on the other hand, is usually defined as ideas that are expressed in different mediums. These “mediums” are simply methods by which writers try to get their point across to readers. Some examples of content may be:
- Writing style
- Writing type (poetry, blog, script, etc.)
- Tone
Your content needs to be unique and personal because it greatly affects readers. For instance, readers are more likely to remember and understand an exciting and interesting proposal than one that is boring and clear-cut.
Without creative and effective content, we would most likely be unable to have the great level of communication and information spread that we see today. Thus, content is also important in allowing us to share information daily. For example, emailing and texting are great examples of everyday informal content.
What Is “Form Content?”
When used together in the term “form content,” people are usually referring to the structured and organized fashion of words on a page or screen. For example, if you are using the content style of poetry, utilizing certain form techniques such as syntax can be very useful.
Form content is very important for a few reasons. One main reason is that it helps readers understand exactly what a passage of text is trying to say. Without the work of form and content, our writing would simply be illegible.
Additionally, form content can give readers a mental image or map. In other words, it creates a nice amount of organization that can guide the reader through a story or lesson. This organization makes the reader feel more comfortable and can help them understand and retain information better.
Lastly, form content can help you communicate more deeply with your readers. In using the right style, form and content, you can create a strong connection that makes readers what to listen and agree with you!
Summary
To sum up, form is the basic substance of writing, such as grammatical structure, syntax, word phonology, etc. In contrast, content is all aspects that organize and make the content meaningful. When used together, form and content can make writing readable, understandable, amusing, persuading, and even energising!
