Reviewing and refining descriptive writing: alliteration, plosives and sibilance | English

Starter quiz

In 'Myths, legends and stories that inspire', we look at a painting called 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey'. Match each figure in the painting to what they are doing.
- Lady Jane Grey
  
  ⇔
  
  trying to find the executioner's block while blindfolded ✓
- Lady Jane Grey's ladies-in-waiting
  
  ⇔
  
  crying ✓
- a person who works at Tower of London
  
  ⇔
  
  guiding Lady Jane Grey towards the block ✓
- the executioner
  
  ⇔
  
  holding an axe, looking at the floor ✓
In 'Myths, legends and stories that inspire', we look at a painting called 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey'. Which of the following items are in the picture?
- a crown
- a blindfold ✓
- an executioner's block ✓
- an axe ✓
- a Bible
Match these key terms, all useful to the descriptive writing completed in 'Myths, legends and stories that inspire', to their definitions.
- alliteration
  
  ⇔
  
  two or more words that start with the same consonant ✓
- sibilance
  
  ⇔
  
  repetition of the letter 's' in successive words ✓
- plosives
  
  ⇔
  
  use of the letters 'p', 't', 'k', 'b', 'd', 'g' for effect ✓
- onomatopoeia
  
  ⇔
  
  words which sound like the noise they describe ✓
Which of these words is an example of onomatopoeia? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- splash ✓
- clap ✓
- sing
- noise
- thud ✓
Sibilance is the repetition of the letter 's' in successive words. Which of the following sentences are examples of sibilance? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- "Sssh," he told the group.
- She slid slowly down the slide. ✓
- The animal hissed at her.
- The safest thing to do is slink away silently. ✓
Alliteration is when two or more words start with the same consonant. Which of the following sentences are examples of alliteration? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- She wailed against the wall, weeping openly now. ✓
- He looked at his feet determinedly.
- The sharp blade screeched and scratched against the floor.
- The brutal block stood brashly in the centre of the room. ✓

Exit quiz

______ is when two or more words start with the same consonant ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- 'alliteration' ✓
______ is the repetition of the 's' sound in successive words ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- 'sibilance' ✓
______ are the sounds the letters 'p', 't', 'k', 'd' and 'g' create. Writers use these to create effects in their writing ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- 'plosives' ✓
______ is when words sounds like the noise they describe ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- 'onomatopoeia' ✓
Which sentence uses sibilance? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- It would never work: the safest thing to do was to remain kneeling.
- She heard the stifled sobs from the shadows. ✓
- The sharp blade dragged along the covered floor.
- She moaned quietly, then supressed her fears.
Which of the following sentences use alliteration? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire')
- Slowly, imperceptibly, she straightened up and stared at the executioner.
- Without warning, the wailing began. ✓
- In the little cell, each lonely figure was left with their thoughts. ✓
- Thud. The blade landed on the floor dully, but loudly.

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

Alliteration is when two or more words start with the same consonant.
A writer makes use of plosives when they use the letters 'p', 't', 'k', 'b', 'd' or 'g' for effect.
Sibilance is the repeated use of the letter 's' for effect.
Alliteration, plosives and sibilance can be a sophisticated way to create a sense of sound.

Common misconception

Using onomatopoeia is the only way to create a sense of sound in a piece of writing.

Onomatopoeia can be a helpful tool to rely on in some pieces of writing. However, alliteration, plosives and sibilance are often more sophisticated and more subtle. They also allow for a greater range of sounds to be generated.

Keywords

Alliteration - when two or more words start with the same consonant
Plosives - use of letters 'p', 't', 'k', 'b', 'd' and 'g' to make a harsh sound; unlike alliteration, these letters don’t have to be found at the start of a word.
Onomatopoeia - words which sound like the noise they describe e.g. crash
Sibilance - repetition of the letter 's' in successive words