1. Imagery and Word-choice
Close Reading Skills
Imagery and Word-choice

2. Imagery Questions
Imagery covers a few literary techniques which will pop up in both language and literary (textual) study. Examples of imagery are: Simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, alliteration etc

3. Similes Simile – a comparison between two things using “like” or “as”.
E.g. He is as quiet as a mouse
Find a few examples yourself and note them down.

4. Metaphor
Metaphor – a direct comparison between two things with “like” or “as” missed out.
e.g. He is a greedy pig.
The comparison cannot be literal.

5. Personification
Personification – a metaphor which gives an inanimate object human qualities.
e.g. The car choked into life.
The effect of this is to bring the car to life and tell us how old the engine is and how much it is struggling. It tells us more than “The car engine started”.

6. Alliteration
Alliteration – the repetition of a series of words starting with the same consonant sound e.g.
Dark, dangerous dungeon.
The effect of this is to create a harsh sound and this reflects the sombre and serious subject matter.

7. Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia – is a name given to words which imitate the sound they are describing
e.g. Crash, bang, woof
This gives the piece some life and the reader can almost “hear” the exact noise the writer is trying to convey. “Bang” is used to show how loud a noise might be.

8. Pun
Pun – a play on words which sound similar but have different meanings
E.g. One legged man fit to stand trial.
The effect is usually to bring humour to a piece of writing. This example was a headline in a newspaper!

9. Hyperbole
Hyperbole – is deliberate exaggeration used to emphasise a point for a humorous effect.
E.g. I have a million things to do today.
The effect of this is that the writer has loads to do and will probably not achieve it by the end of the day. Of course, no-one will get through a million chores/tasks in one day.

10. Imagery Checklist Imagery Questions Quote the image Literal meaning
Quote the image
Literal meaning
Figurative meaning
Type of image (simile, metaphor, personification)
Answer question

11. Word-choice Context Questions
As well as showing you understand the writer’s general meaning, you will also be asked more precise questions to show you understand particular words or phrases
In such questions you will be asked ;
A) to explain the meaning of a word or phrase and
B) to show how you deduce the meaning from its placing in the text.
This involves identifying clues in the sentences immediately surrounding the word.

12. Word-choice Checklist
Word Choice Questions
Quote the word(s)
Denotations (dictionary definition)
Connotations (associated meanings)
Answer question
Context Questions
State what the word(s) means
Quote the word(s) or feature(s) that helped you to figure out that meaning
Answer the question