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Wordabulary

stream of consciousness

Pronunciation
Noun B2 Upper-intermediate

Quick answer

A style of writing that tries to capture a character's continuous, often disorganized flow of thoughts as they occur.

"The novel's final chapter is written in stream of consciousness, with barely any punctuation to slow it down."

Usage notes

Closely associated with modernist writers such as Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.

Test yourself

Which word fits the gap? "The novel's final chapter is written in _____, with barely any punctuation to slow it down."

Answer: stream of consciousness

In your own words, what does "stream of consciousness" mean?

A style of writing that tries to capture a character's continuous, often disorganized flow of thoughts as they occur.

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