| The nine techniques you will be using: Simile, metaphor and personification (Booklet 1) Alliteration, repetition and triplets (Booklet 2) Onomatopoeia, sensory language and emotive language (Booklet 3) |
| How to use this booklet: Work through the tasks in order – they get harder as you go. You can look back at your three booklets whenever you need to. -Tasks 1–3 build your confidence by spotting techniques. -Tasks 4–5 ask you to explain and evaluate the EFFECT, which is where the top marks are. -Task 6 is your big creative writing challenge using ALL nine techniques. Marks are shown next to each task so you know how much to write. |
★ Warm-up: Refresh your memory
Before you start, complete this glossary from memory as best you can. If you get stuck, check your booklets. This is your toolkit for the whole assessment.
| Technique | What it means (in your own words) |
| Simile | |
| Metaphor | |
| Alliteration | |
| Repetition | |
| Triplet (Rule of Three) | |
| Personification | |
| Onomatopoeia | |
| Sensory language | |
| Emotive language |
1 Spot the technique – single sentences
Read each sentence and write the technique (or techniques) it contains. Some sentences contain more than one! Use the abbreviations from your glossary if you wish. [16 marks]
| # | Sentence | Technique(s) |
| 1 | The wind howled and whispered through the broken windows. | |
| 2 | The cruel waves swallowed the tiny, helpless boat. | |
| 3 | We will rebuild. We will recover. We will rise again. | |
| 4 | Her smile was as warm as sunshine. | |
| 5 | An unpleasant stench flooded the room. | |
| 6 | My phone is a brick that refuses to wake up. | |
| 7 | The fireworks crackled, banged and fizzed across the starry sky like popping candy. | |
| 8 | The child waited and waited in the rain. |
| Challenge: One of these sentences contains FOUR techniques. Rewrite the sentence here and identify where the techniques have been used. [2 marks] __________________________________________________________________ |
2 Sort the examples
Below are nine short examples, one for each technique. Write the matching technique in the box beside each one. [9 marks]
| Example | Technique |
| Crash! The plates smashed on the floor. | |
| Time is a thief that steals our days. | |
| She was as quiet as a mouse. | |
| Big, brave Ben. | |
| The bitter wind bit at my raw, stinging fingers. | |
| The angry clouds glared down at the city. | |
| Stop. Think. Act. | |
| These poor, defenceless families have lost everything. | |
| Enough is enough. We have waited long enough. |
3 Find the techniques in an extract
Read the extract below carefully. It is full of language techniques. Annotate it: underline or highlight each technique you can find and label it in the margin. Try to find at least SIX different techniques. [6 marks]
| The storm arrived like an angry beast. Thunder cracked and boomed overhead and the rain hammered again and again and again against the rattling windows. The wind screamed through the streets, tearing at the trembling trees. Cold, sharp air stung the faces of the frightened families who huddled inside. The town was a prison and the helpless, terrified residents could only wait. Outside, the furious river rose higher – hungry, roaring, unstoppable. |
List the six (or more) techniques you found and quote the words that show each one:
| # | Technique | Quotation (the actual words) |
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 6 |
4 Analyse the effect
Now look again at the storm extract from Task 3. This time you must explain HOW the writer uses techniques to create effects and EVALUATE how well they work. This is the most important GCSE skill.
| Use the PETEL structure for each point: POINT – make a clear point about what the writer is doing. EVIDENCE – quote the words from the extract. TECHNIQUE – name the technique the writer has used. EFFECT (on the reader) – explain what it makes the reader picture, hear or feel and why. LINK (to writer’s intention) – link back to what the writer was trying to achieve. |
| Example The writer makes the storm seem alive and dangerous (POINT). As it arrives “like an angry beast” (EVIDENCE), the writer is using a simile (TECHNIQUE). This compares the storm to a wild, uncontrollable animal, making the reader imagine something powerful and threatening, creating a tense, fearful atmosphere (EFFECT). This helps the writer achieve their aim of making the reader feel just how frightening and overwhelming the storm is for the families trapped inside (LINK). |
Now write THREE of your own PETEL paragraphs about different techniques in the extract. Remember to work through all five steps each time: point, evidence, technique, effect on the reader and link to the writer’s intention. [15 marks]
Paragraph 1:
____________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
____________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 3:
____________________________________________________________________
| Evaluation challenge: Which ONE technique do you think is the most powerful in this extract and why? Choose your favourite and explain what makes it work well. [2 marks] __________________________________________________________________ |
5 Upscaling the writing
Below is a dull, plain paragraph with no techniques at all. Rewrite it to make it vivid and powerful. You must include at least FIVE different techniques. Label each one you use (e.g. write “metaphor” above it). [10 marks]
| The beach was busy. There were lots of people. The sea was there and it was loud. It was hot. Some children were playing. I felt happy. There were birds. The sand was hot. I ate an ice cream and then we went home. |
Your improved version:
____________________________________________________________________
6 The big write – use all nine techniques
This is your final challenge. Write an extended piece of descriptive or narrative writing. Your goal is to include ALL NINE techniques naturally and effectively. The techniques shouldn’t just be squeezed in but instead used to make your writing brilliant. [20 marks]
Choose ONE title:
- Describe a place during a powerful storm.
- Write about a busy, bustling market or fairground.
- Describe a deserted, abandoned building at night.
- Write the opening of a story where a character is afraid.
| Your checklist – tick each technique as you use it: Simile Metaphor Alliteration Repetition Triplet (rule of three) Personification Onomatopoeia Sensory language Emotive language |
| Top tips for the big write: -Plan first: jot down your ideas and which technique could go where. -Don’t force methods! The best writing uses techniques where they fit naturally. -When you finish, proofread and label each of the nine techniques. -Remember that quality matters more than just ticking boxes. |
Title chosen: ________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
✓ Reflect on your work
Look back over your big write and complete this reflection honestly.
How many of the nine techniques did you manage to include?
________ out of 9
Which technique are you proudest of using? Write your example here:
Which technique do you still find tricky and want to practise more?
My overall confidence now
| I can… | Not yet | Getting there | Confident |
| …identify all nine techniques in sentences. | |||
| …find techniques in a longer extract. | |||
| …explain and evaluate the effect on the reader. | |||
| …use all nine techniques in my own writing. |
| Congratulations on completing all four booklets! You now know nine language techniques, how to spot them, explain their effect and use them in your own writing. These are exactly the skills you will build on at GCSE. Be proud of how far you have come! |