Starter quiz
- What is a simile?
- when the weather reflects the mood (usually of the main character)
- giving something that is not an animal, animal characteristics
- using 'like' or 'as' to compare two things that are not the same ✓
- comparing two things that are not the same, by stating that one 'is' the other
- when the word sounds like the noise it represents
-
- What is pathetic fallacy?
- when the weather reflects the mood (usually of the main character) ✓
- giving something that is not an animal, animal characteristics
- using 'like' or 'as' to compare two things that are not the same
- comparing two things that are not the same, by stating that one 'is' the other
- when the word sounds like the noise it represents
-
- Which of the following is an example of onomatopoeia?
- shout
- hurt
- hush ✓
- quiet
- screech ✓
-
- Which of the following is an example of zoomorphism?
- The lightning cracked like a whip overhead
- The teacher hissed an inaudible silencing command in his direction ✓
- The trees danced freely in the warm summer breeze
- She could see him, prowling through the aisles, his narrow eyes flashing ✓
- They came thundering down the corridor like a herd of wild elephants
-
- What might 'angular' mean?
- soft and curved
- smooth and flawless
- having sharp turns or corners ✓
- unappealing and unattractive
- stiff and still
-
- Starting with the first, put the following words in order from most loud to least loud.
- 1⇔screeched
- 2⇔screamed
- 3⇔shouted
- 4⇔spoke
- 5⇔murmured
- 6⇔whispered
Exit quiz
- What is 'figurative language'?
- language that you have to decode to work out what the writer is trying to say
- any language method that a writer can use
- language that is meaningful, but not literally true ✓
- any language that creates vivid imagery in the reader's mind
-
- Which of the following are figurative language methods?
- simile ✓
- onomatopoeia
- zoomorphism ✓
- assonance
- repetition
-
- What is a 'foreboding' atmosphere?
- when the weather reflects the mood of the main character
- a positive and reassuring atmosphere
- a sense that something bad might happen ✓
- when the writer hints at what is to come
- when the writer moves the text forward into the future
-
- Why is using figurative language useful in descriptive writing?
- it makes your writing sound more sophisticated
- it makes your reader like your characters more
- it creates vivid imagery by giving the reader a point of comparison ✓
- it creates a sense of uncertainty for the reader
-
- Which of the following sentences uses the word 'gnarly' correctly?
- He lived about three miles away, in a gnarly neighbourhood.
- The great trees had thick and gnarly branches. ✓
- The old man's gnarly fingers were knotted together tightly. ✓
- She had thick, fluttering eyelashes that were gnarly.
- The dog's tail was gnarly and wagging.
-
- Imagine you are writing a Gothic description of a lady's face. Which of the following animals might you compare her face to?
- a dolphin
- a panther ✓
- a lion
- a hawk
-
Worksheet
Loading worksheet ...
Presentation
Loading presentation ...
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Figurative language is words or phrases that are meaningful, but not literally true.
- Figurative language can be used to create vivid imagery.
- When choosing an object for comparison, you need to consider the atmosphere you are trying to create.
- For Gothic descriptions, try to compare your setting to an object of fear or disgust so that you can unsettle the reader
- Always choose vocabulary that contributes to the atmosphere you are trying to create.
Common misconception
Pupils do not understand that they have to think carefully about their use of figurative language and plan it before they begin writing.
Students need to consider carefully what kind of atmosphere they are trying to create. When comparing their setting to something else, the 'something else' needs to fit with the atmosphere they are aiming to create.
Keywords
Figurative language - words or language that are meaningful, but not literally true
Foreboding - a feeling that something bad will happen
Ethereal - extremely delicate and light in an otherworldly-way
Gnarled - knobbly, rough and twisted with age
Angular - having sharp angles or corners
+