Guilford College Writing Manual

Another way we can categorize words is on the basis of how general or specific they are.

Take the following list:

• vehicle (very general)
• car (still general)
• Pontiac (more specific)
• black '79 Firebird with a crumpled right fender (very specific)

"Vehicle" is an abstract category. It does not create a concrete picture in the reader's mind. Even "car" is general, though less so than "vehicle." With "Pontiac," we're descending into the concrete world, though we're still referring to a category, even if it's a smaller one than "car." It's only when we get to the black '79 Firebird that the reader can begin to imagine a specific, individual car.

Writing involves weaving together the different levels. If you're chiefly working with ideas, which are abstract by nature, you'll operate on a more general level. If you are trying to represent the world in all its material glory, you'll need to downshift to a more specific level. If your goal is to connect your ideas to the world, interpenetration of the levels is necessary.