Starter quiz
- What is structure?
- the kind or type of text
- the story of a text
- the way in which we organise a text ✓
- what comes where and why in a text ✓
- the time in which a text was produced
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- What is tension?
- a feeling of confusion that the reader gets when things are unclear
- the feeling that something bad or unpleasant might happen ✓
- a feeling of relief the reader gets at the end of the text
- a feeling of anticipation as the reader waits to discover something ✓
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- Which of the following describes 'mirroring'?
- changing the focus of your writing to build tension
- repeating ideas throughout a text
- reflecting ideas from the beginning of a text again at the end ✓
- using the same metaphor throughout a piece of writing
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- Which of the following words is an example of an adverb?
- aghast
- slowly ✓
- frightened
- silently ✓
- shivering
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- Which of the following is an example of a cliff-hanger?
- The end.
- The door slammed as the realisation dawned on me: it had been him all along... ✓
- I struggled on, without hope and without answers.
- And that was how I became world champion.
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- Which of the following similes would be most appropriate in this Gothic description: "Her windows, like __________ stared out into the abyss, reflecting only the pallor of the moon"?
- rare crystals
- vacant eyes ✓
- pools of blue lagoon
- sheets of ice
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Exit quiz
- What is tension?
- the feeling of anger the reader gets when you leave them with a cliff-hanger
- the feeling of dread a reader gets because something bad is going to happen
- the mental strain the reader is put under as they wait to see what happens next ✓
- the feeling of concern the reader gets when you describe something horrifying
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- Which of these can be used as a synonym for tension?
- action
- suspense ✓
- plot
- protagonist
- irony
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- Which of the following methods can delay action to create tension?
- mirroring
- switching focus ✓
- cliff-hanger
- parallel narrative
- extended metaphor
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- Which of the following methods can be used to create tension at the end of a piece of writing?
- mirroring
- cliff-hanger ✓
- shift in focus
- extended metaphor
- parallel narrative
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- Which of the following statements is true about fronted adverbials?
- they tell us undertaking the action in a sentence
- they indicate the topic of the sentence
- they should always be followed by a comma ✓
- they appear at the end of a sentence
- they tell us the way in which something is done ✓
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- Which of the following does not use a fronted adverbial?
- Its colour was deep mahogany, and the sunlight illuminated its imperfections. ✓
- With my heart in my mouth, I pushed the heavy door open and entered the room.
- I gazed up at her, in as much awe as horror. ✓
- Like a bull in a china shop, I grabbed the coffee from the barista.
- Foolishly and optimistically, I had believed that he had changed.
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- It is important to create tension in Gothic writing because it keeps your reader in a state of anticipation.
- Keeping the reader in a state of anticipation makes reading the text a thrilling experience for the reader.
- You can build tension by delaying revealing key information, switching focus or ending with a cliff-hanger.
- Fronted adverbials tell us the way in which something is done.
- Fronted adverbials can be used to build tension.
Common misconception
Pupils often reveal things early-on in descriptions by saying things like 'it was a painting' and then proceeding to describe it.
It can be much more effective to describe your narrator's view before revealing what the view actually is. This way, the reader is kept in a state of anticipation, as they try to work out what the view is.
Keywords
Structure - the way a text is organised - what comes where and why
Tension - the mental strain a reader is put under because of their suspicion that something bad is about to happen
Strain - a state of tension or pressure
Suspense - feeling anxious or excited about what may happen
Aghast - filled with horror or shock
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