Language and structure techniques 📄

Question 1

Simile

Answer 1

Comparing two unlike things using ‘like’ or ‘as.’

(e.g., ‘Busy as a bee.’) Effect: Creates vivid imagery, aids understanding.

Question 2

Metaphor

Answer 2

Directly comparing two unlike things by stating one is the other (without ‘like’ or ‘as’).

(e.g., ‘Her eyes were stars.’) Effect: Creates a strong, imaginative connection.

Question 3

Personification

Answer 3

Giving human qualities, emotions, or actions to inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas.

(e.g., ‘The wind whispered.’) Effect: Makes abstract concepts relatable, adds atmosphere.

Question 4

Hyperbole

Answer 4

An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or humorous effect, not meant to be taken literally.

(e.g., ‘I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.’) Effect: Stresses a point, creates humor.

Question 5

Symbolism

Answer 5

When an object, person, place, or idea represents something else beyond its literal meaning.

(e.g., A dove symbolizing peace.) Effect: Adds layers of meaning.

Question 6

Alliteration

Answer 6

Repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables.

(e.g., ‘Sea shells by the sea shore.’) Effect: Creates rhythm, draws attention, can set mood.

Question 7

Assonance

Answer 7

Repetition of vowel sounds within words close to each other.

(e.g., ‘The rain in Spain.’) Effect: Creates internal rhyme, contributes to flow and musicality.

Question 8

Onomatopoeia

Answer 8

Words that imitate the natural sounds of something.

(e.g., ‘Buzz,’ ‘hiss,’ ‘bang.’) Effect: Makes descriptions vivid by appealing to hearing.

Question 9

Diction (Word Choice)

Answer 9

The specific choice of words an author uses (formal, informal, connotative). Effect: Significantly impacts tone, style, and meaning.

Question 10

Imagery

Answer 10

Language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch). Effect: Creates a mental picture or sensory experience for the reader.

Question 11

Emotive Language

Answer 11

Words chosen specifically to evoke an emotional response in the reader.

(e.g., ‘heartbreaking,’ ‘tragic,’ ‘joyful.’) Effect: Persuades, creates empathy, intensifies feelings.

Question 12

Repetition

Answer 12

Repeating words, phrases, or sentence structures. Effect: Emphasizes key ideas, creates rhythm, builds intensity.

Question 13

Rhetorical Question

Answer 13

A question asked for effect or to make a point, not to get an actual answer.

(e.g., ‘Who wouldn’t want to be happy?’) Effect: Engages the reader, encourages consideration.

Question 14

Juxtaposition

Answer 14

Placing two contrasting ideas, characters, settings, or words close together. Effect: Highlights differences, creates irony or tension, emphasizes a quality.

Question 15

Sentence Structure (Syntax)

Answer 15

The way sentences are constructed (short, long, complex, simple). Effect: Affects pace, rhythm, and emphasis. Short sentences can create tension; long ones can be descriptive.

Question 16

Foreshadowing

Answer 16

Hints or clues given by the author about what will happen later in the story. Effect: Builds suspense, prepares the reader for future events.

Question 17

Listing (or Tricolon/Rule of Three)

Answer 17

Presenting a series of words, phrases, or clauses. A tricolon is a list of three. Effect: Creates scale, variety, or builds emphasis; the rule of three is often memorable.