English Flashcards
(50 cards)
What is alliteration?
The repetition of the same sound at the start of a series of words in succession.
Example: the parched pavement peeled in the hot summer sun.
What is the effect of alliteration?
To provide an audible rhythmic flow that gives a piece of writing a lulling, lyrical, and/or emotive and memorable effect.
What is assonance?
The repetition of a vowel sound.
Example: The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plains.
What is the effect of assonance?
Assonance creates rhythm and mood through its use of repetition. Longer sounds create a slower, more calm rhythm. Longer, slower sounds tend to create more sombre, relaxed, or even haunting moods. Short sounds can create a sense of urgency or quick movement, creating moods that are often lighter and could be more energizing, or uplifting.
What is onomatopoeia?
A word that imitates the sound that it describes.
Example: ‘Tick tick tick tick BOOM!’
What is the effect of onomatopoeia?
Adds emotion and makes writing more fun, expressive and vivid.
What is personification?
Giving a non-human thing human characteristics.
Example: ‘the moon smiled down on the town.’
What is the effect of personification?
Personification can lend atmosphere to a setting or give life-likeness to an object or animal by creating a connection between the reader and the thing being described. It helps us see our humanity in the world all around us.
What is a simile?
Comparing something to something else by using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Example: ‘She ran like a cheetah.’
What is the effect of a simile?
To layer the attributes of one object onto the other. Similes create a figurative comparison, and the reader is forced to think about how those two separate objects are similar.
What is a metaphor?
Saying something IS something else.
Example: ‘Her eyes were diamonds in the sunlight.’
What is an implied metaphor?
Compares two unlike things without explicitly naming one of them.
Example: ‘the man erupted in anger.’
What is the effect of a metaphor?
Metaphors can be used to create vivid imagery, exaggerate a characteristic or action, or express a complex idea.
What is jargon?
Specialized language understood by specific groups.
Example: sin bin, side-step = rugby league.
What is the effect of jargon?
While it fosters precision and facilitates communication within specific communities, its overuse or misuse can alienate readers and hinder comprehension.
What is slang?
Informal words used by cultural groups.
Example: G’day Mate - Australian.
What is the effect of slang?
Slang often adds an informal and conversational tone to language. It can create a sense of camaraderie and inclusivity among certain groups or communities.
What is colloquial language?
Informal language including words and phrases.
Example: ‘I’m gonna go down to the beach. You wanna come?’
What is the effect of colloquial language?
Creates a sense of community and society. Authors use this to give their writing a sense of realism and to give it more authenticity.
What is hyperbole?
An exaggeration that is so dramatic that no one would believe it to be true.
Example: ‘He was so hungry, he ate that whole cornfield for lunch, stalks and all.’
What is the effect of hyperbole?
Hyperbole has a humorous effect created by an exaggerated overstatement. It’s used to make something sound more dramatic than it actually is.
What is an idiom?
Phrases which cannot be understood simply by looking at the meaning of the individual words in the phrase.
Example: ‘Put a lid on it.’
What is the effect of idioms?
Idioms often summarize or reflect a commonly held cultural experience, even if that experience is now out of date or antiquated. They can help transform flat descriptions with the help of a funny turn-of-phrase.
What is an imperative?
Expressing a command or plea.
Example: ‘Go to your room!’
