How does Dahl use language to present characters? Knowledge Writers carefully select their vocabulary to make their readers feel a certain way. Writers also choose language devices and figurative language to create reactions and emotions in their readers. Skills: Identify examples of effective language use. Use correct terminology to discuss this language. Explain the effect this language has on the reader. Understanding: Answer the short-form questions around the text. Use these to create an extended analysis of language use.

Let’s read the extract together. Now attempt to answer the short-form questions in the boxes. Let’s discuss your answers! If you don’t have an answer for one of the questions, listen carefully and make sure you note down what people are saying.

How does Dahl use language to present the BFG? You’ve got five things you can talk about. We need to practise putting these individual points together to form one extended answer. I’m going to model this on the board – look at how I’m taking the five different points and turning it into paragraphs, to provide an overall answer. By the end of this half term, you’ll be able to produce an extended response like this, all by yourself!

How can you use language to present characters? Knowledge Writers carefully select their vocabulary to make their readers feel a certain way. Writers also choose language devices and figurative language to create reactions and emotions in their readers. Skills: Remind yourself of the language and vocabulary choices that Dahl made to describe the BFG. Practise using these same choices, but to write about a giant who is not frightening. Understanding: Write a two-paragraph description – just like Dahl’s – where Sophie first sees a giant, but thinks he/she looks lovely and delightfully friendly!

There’s Dahl on the left, and my example on the right. You have a go! It wasn’t a human. It couldn’t be. It was four times as tall as the tallest human. It was so tall its head was higher than the upstairs windows of the houses. Sophie opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Her throat, like her whole body, was frozen with fright. In the moonlight, Sophie caught a glimpse of an enormous long pale wrinkly face with the most enormous ears. The nose was as sharp as a knife, and above there were two bright flashing eyes, and the eyes were staring straight at Sophie. There was a fierce and devilish look about them. It wasn’t a human. It couldn’t be. It was taller than a lamp-post, taller than a tree, taller even than the tallest of statues. It was so tall its head seemed almost lost in cloud. Sophie opened her mouth in awe, but no sound came out. She couldn’t find the words for how excited she felt. In the dazzling sunlight, Sophie could just about make out the gigantic smile spreading across the even more gigantic face. Those smiling lips were as red as roses, and above there were two shimmering, shining eyes, and they were beaming right at Sophie. There was a delightful and angelic look about them. There’s Dahl on the left, and my example on the right. You have a go!

Where might Dahl have used semi-colons to join two main clauses? It wasn’t a human. It couldn’t be. It was four times as tall as the tallest human. It was so tall its head was higher than the upstairs windows of the houses. Sophie opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Her throat, like her whole body, was frozen with fright. In the moonlight, Sophie caught a glimpse of an enormous long pale wrinkly face with the most enormous ears. The nose was as sharp as a knife, and above there were two bright flashing eyes, and the eyes were staring straight at Sophie. There was a fierce and devilish look about them. Where might Dahl have used semi-colons to join two main clauses?

Where might Dahl have used semi-colons to join two main clauses? It wasn’t a human; it couldn’t be. It was four times as tall as the tallest human. It was so tall its head was higher than the upstairs windows of the houses. Sophie opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out; her throat, like her whole body, was frozen with fright. In the moonlight, Sophie caught a glimpse of an enormous long pale wrinkly face with the most enormous ears. The nose was as sharp as a knife, and above there were two bright flashing eyes, and the eyes were staring straight at Sophie; there was a fierce and devilish look about them. Where might Dahl have used semi-colons to join two main clauses?

Edit your own work to include semi-colons where they’re appropriate. It wasn’t a human; it couldn’t be. It was four times as tall as the tallest human. It was so tall its head was higher than the upstairs windows of the houses. Sophie opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out; her throat, like her whole body, was frozen with fright. In the moonlight, Sophie caught a glimpse of an enormous long pale wrinkly face with the most enormous ears. The nose was as sharp as a knife, and above there were two bright flashing eyes, and the eyes were staring straight at Sophie; there was a fierce and devilish look about them. It wasn’t a human; it couldn’t be. It was taller than a lamp-post, taller than a tree, taller even than the tallest of statues. It was so tall its head seemed almost lost in cloud. Sophie opened her mouth in awe, but no sound came out; she couldn’t find the words for how excited she felt. In the dazzling sunlight, Sophie could just about make out the gigantic smile spreading across the even more gigantic face. Those smiling lips were as red as roses, and above there were two shimmering, shining eyes, and they were beaming right at Sophie; there was a delightful and angelic look about them. Edit your own work to include semi-colons where they’re appropriate.