Letter writing: planning, using Vera Brittain’s ‘Testament of Youth’ as stimulus | English

Starter quiz

Starting with the first, put these common features of letters in the order they would appear on a page.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  address and date
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  greeting
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  main body paragraphs
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  sign off
Letters were an important method of communication during WW1. Most letters start with a greeting. Which greeting is accurately punctuated?
- my Dear Son
- My dear son.
- My dear, son
- My Dear Son,
- My dear son, ✓
In 'Literary perspectives from the First World War', we look at an extract from Vera Brittain's memoir entitled '______ of Youth', published in 1933.
- 'Testament' ✓
Starting with the first, order these major events from Vera Brittain's life (a writer from the unit 'Literary perspectives from the First World War') chronologically.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain is born.
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  World War One starts.
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain leaves university.
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain becomes a nurse.
- 5
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain hears of the deaths of her fiancé, brother and close friends.
- 6
  
  ⇔
  
  World War One ends.
- 7
  
  ⇔
  
  'Testament of Youth' is published.
Starting with the first, put these moments from an extract of Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth' in to chronological order.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain sells primroses in the street, resenting those who commend her for it.
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain expresses anger at how young lives are being cut short.
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain anxiously waits for letters as signs that Roland is still alive.
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain says every household noise increases the tension she feels.
- 5
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain doesn't want to look at Roland's picture, convinced he is dead.
- 6
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain fears that, after the war, there will be a barrier between loved ones.
- 7
  
  ⇔
  
  Brittain re-reads Roland's letters and cries.
In Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth', the writer describes the "______ anxiety" she constantly felt when her fiancé was away fighting.
- 'gnawing' ✓

Exit quiz

Match the sentence stems which present some of the experiences of those on the Home Front during WW1 to their endings .
- Many felt anxious because
  
  ⇔
  
  they weren't sure if they would see their loved ones again. ✓
- Many feared telegrams beause
  
  ⇔
  
  they brought news of death or casualty from the front line. ✓
- Many felt ignorant of
  
  ⇔
  
  the realities of trench warfare. ✓
- Some women found freedom because
  
  ⇔
  
  they were employed, completing work outside of the home. ✓
In Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth', she states "Every ring at the door suggested a ______, every telephone call a long-distance message giving bad news."
- 'telegram' ✓
In Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth', the writer describes her "______ tears" as she read her fiancé's letters from the front line.
- 'sharp' ✓
Match each quotation from Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth' to its most powerful emotion.
- anger
  
  ⇔
  
  I had little patience [...] for my mother's middle-aged acquaintances ✓
- despair
  
  ⇔
  
   I dare not think too vividly of him just now ✓
- sadness
  
  ⇔
  
  blinding my eyes with sharp tears ✓
- impotence
  
  ⇔
  
  I wandered with my basket of primroses up and down ✓
In Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth', the writer recalls feelings that time passed slowly on the home front: "Morning [...] ______ on into afternoon."
- 'creeps' ✓
In Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth', the writer states that during the war "Ordinary household sounds became a ______."
- 'torment' ✓

Worksheet

Loading worksheet ...

Presentation

Loading presentation ...

Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

The home front refers to the idea that civilians in Britain felt the impact of World War One in their daily lives.
It was common for those on the home front to feel fear and impotence whilst their loved ones were on the front line.
Brittain’s ‘Testament of Youth’ captures and expresses feelings of fear, impotence and anger during the war years.
Using contextual knowledge and inspiration from other texts can help create a convincing persona in your own writing.

Common misconception

You can't use words, phrases or methods from other people's writing in your own writing.

Plagiarism is when you use someone's work or ideas without their consent. This is not allowed. However, you can use texts that inspire and excite you to inform your own writing. This might be a piece of powerful vocabulary or a powerful method.

Keywords

Memoir - a nonfiction account of something written from a person's memories
Impotent - powerless
Ignorance - a lack of knowledge of something
Methods - the tools a writer uses to create their work; structure and language choices are the most obvious examples
Persona - the character you adopt when writing a first person text