Language techniques and effects: how to analyse

4.9230769230769
23 reviews
Last updated: 15/11/2023
Contributor: jill carter
Language techniques and effects: how to analyse worksheet
Main Subject
English
Key stage
KS4
Category
English
Resource type
Worksheet

A detailed glossary-style resource to support GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature students in their analysis of a range of literary and language techniques used by fiction and non-fiction writers. Students consider the possible effects of each of the techniques in terms of engaging the reader’s attention.

The teaching resource includes definitions of a range of literary devices to help English students when analysing a piece of writing or a literary work, including:

  • metaphor
  • simile
  • personification (giving non-human or inanimate objects human characteristics)
  • sensory details
  • alliteration (repetition of consonant sounds)
  • onomatopoeia.

There are accessible explanations of each of the nine literary techniques, with example quotations, and students are encouraged to make notes on the possible effects of the techniques in the reader’s mind.

There are also explanations of ten language features and language devices including: 

  • contrast
  • repetition
  • rhetorical questions
  • emotive language 
  • word play
  • sentence structure 
  • exaggeration (hyperbole)
  • noticeable punctuation (such as ellipsis)
  • powerful vocabulary
  • tricolon (the rule of three).

Example devices from the resource: 

Informal language

casual, relaxed language e.g. slang, dialect and colloquialisms

‘mate’, ‘aint’ and ‘nowt’

Alliteration

repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of neighbouring words

It was a dark, depressing place, full of damp corners.

Powerful vocabulary

powerful or unusual verbs, adverbs, nouns or adjectives to describe actions or things.

He charged ferociously into the pitch-black room.
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All reviews

Have you used this resource?

4
Good resource but could do with some sample answers.

Margaret Snell

30/11/2021

5

18/02/2021

Very useful as it helps learner understand the topic better

Olufunke Agbedejobi

13/02/2021

5

25/10/2020

Showing 4 of 4 reviews See all reviews
Below are some possible effects I add in an additional column - these are generic but may help students to express ideas.

Possible Effects
Simile: Helps the reader to visualize ideas
Metaphor: Helps the reader to visualise ideas
Personification: Adds life-like effects
Sensory detail: Encourages the reader to imagine what is seen, smelt, heard, touched or felt.
Tricolon: Creates rhythm and emphasis.
Repetiton: Emphasises/ highlights/ reinforces ideas or feelings.
Alliteration: Draws attention to ideas or feelings. Slows the reader down. Increases pace / punch.
Onomatopoeia: Creates sound effects.
Contrasts: Highlights / emphasises / reinforces differences.
Powerful vocabulary: Influences how a reader reacts to ideas / adds impact / adds weight to ideas
Emotive language: Generates sympathy / other emotional reactions e.g. anger / shock.
Noticeable punctuation: Conveys a sense of pace / drama / emotion / suspense. Adds impact.
Sentence structure:
a) Adds a sense of urgency / drama / interruption or alters pace
b) Creates layers of detail / generates a sense of wandering / slows the reader
Exaggeration: Generates humour or sarcasm. Creates stronger reactions.
Informal language: Makes the text seem more natural and relaxed. Reflects character.
Rhetorical question: Encourages the reader to think or react. Involves the reader.
Unusual vocabulary: Presents ideas in a relevant, convincing or realistic way.
Symbolism: Triggers associations / suggests deeper underlying concepts
Wordplay: Provokes thought or amusement.

jill carter

10/09/2019

5

29/08/2019

5

24/05/2019

Looks great! It will be a really useful tool for reinforcing the tools they can use in the Writer's effect task.

christine jablonski

14/05/2019

Thank you for this excellent resource.

L Reid

06/05/2019

I used this with my emerging ability GCSE re-take group, who struggle to understand that it is the effect of the device on the reader that matters, not just naming a technique and leaving it at that. Love the examples; they really helped and led to a useful share and discussion session that nurtured confidence. Thank you.

Helen Timmins

20/02/2019

5

31/10/2018

A great resource to use in giving practical, accessible examples of linguistic concepts.

BEV Aitcheson

19/10/2018

Thank you for this resource. I teach English Language and Lit in Bangladesh. I shall be using this resource to teach figurative language. However I shan't use the effects column. Instead I shall ask the children to write the sentence in simple words without the techniques. For example..the cat's eyes shone in the darkness.
Once they write these sentences simply, it will be easy for them to understand how these techniques are used for effect.

maryam noor

18/10/2018

I am teaching English Functional skills to adults so I will use it to explain language features but will not ask my learners to fill in the effects column.

Marcia Morland

17/10/2018

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