Meaning & use
short dramatic piece
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Meanings
phrasecountable
a brief play or theatrical work, usually performed in one act without a break.
Grammar: Countable: say 'a short dramatic piece' or 'short dramatic pieces'; use 'in' for the text and 'by' for the writer.
Patterns
- a short dramatic piece by someone
- perform a short dramatic piece
- write a short dramatic piece about something
The festival opened with a short dramatic piece by a local student.
For homework we had to write a short dramatic piece about a family argument.
She performed a short dramatic piece in front of the whole class.
phrasecountable
a small section of a longer drama, film, or radio show that can stand alone.
Grammar: Often followed by 'from': a short dramatic piece from the play.
Patterns
- a short dramatic piece from something
- extract a short dramatic piece
The teacher read a short dramatic piece from the opening of the play.
They broadcast a short dramatic piece from the film as a trailer.
Word forms
| plural | short dramatic pieces |
|---|
Common combinations
- write a short dramatic piece
- Our drama club asked everyone to write a short dramatic piece for the spring show.
- perform a short dramatic piece
- Two actors performed a short dramatic piece at the assembly.
- a short dramatic piece about something
- He composed a short dramatic piece about life in a fishing village.
- a short dramatic piece from a play
- The audition required a short dramatic piece from a modern play.
- one-act short dramatic piece
- The competition is open to any one-act short dramatic piece under twenty minutes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- one-act play
- More specific: it names a play in a single act, while 'short dramatic piece' can also mean an extract or a sketch.
- sketch
- Usually shorter and comic; use 'short dramatic piece' when the tone is serious or the form is theatrical.
- dramatic excerpt
- Emphasizes that it is taken from a longer work, whereas 'short dramatic piece' can be a complete little play.
Word family
Commonly confused: short dramatic piece or dramatic piece? short dramatic piece or short story?
short dramatic piece vs dramatic piece
Without 'short', this can mean any dramatic work, however long; the adjective here limits it to something brief.
short dramatic piece vs short story
A short story is written to be read, not performed; a short dramatic piece is meant for actors and an audience.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Performed a short dramatic piece' fits because the phrase names a brief play that actors stage. Option A wrongly adds 'of the actor', which turns the phrase into a description of a person rather than a work; C and D use it for a text and for advice, where 'short piece' would be needed instead.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “short dramatic piece”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.