Analysing Language – The Answers Ms Nitsche

You should make notes of these as we go.

Alliteration This is where consecutive words begin with the same letter and, more importantly, the same sound. The rifles rapid rattle.

Onomatopoeia This is where a word makes the sound of the thing it describes. The ringmaster cracked his whip.

Simile A comparison where one thing is described as something else, using 'like' or 'as'. He looked as inconspicuous as a tarantula on a cake.

Metaphor This is a comparison where one thing is described in terms of something else. His house was now his prison.

Personification This is a comparison where something non-human (inanimate) is described in human terms. Death stalked the battlefield.

Repetition When single words, or groups of words, are repeated. Because I do not hope to turn again Because I do not hope Because I do not hope to turn…

Short sentence Used to make a dramatic statement or build up tension. The clock ticked. The shadows danced. She crept towards the door. What would be behind it?

Long sentence Used for explanation or to convey the size/scale of something. The hills rolled on for miles, their grey tips obscured by distant clouds, and the green grass stretching on and on towards the horizon.

Inversion Where the normal word order is reversed, usually in order to place emphasis on a particular word. Afraid, that's what she was.

Contrast Individual words or groups of words can be placed side by side – in juxtaposition – to stress the contrast between ideas. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…

Parenthesis Where extra information is included in the middle of a sentence, contained within dashes, brackets or commas. By this stage of the day - and the day had had many stages - he was in desperate need of more coffee.

Ellipsis Where three dots (...) are used to indicate something more could be added. She couldn't be sure, not without considering the matter further…