English Language Devices

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Alliteration
the first letter of a word is repeated in words that follow; the cold, crisp, crust of clean, clear ice.
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Assonance
the same vowel sound is repeated but the consonants are different; he passed her a sharp, dark glance, shot a cool, foolish look across the room.
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Colloquial
language that is used in speech with an informal meaning; 'chill', 'out of this world', 'take a rain check'.
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Dialect
the version of language spoken by particular people in a particular area, such as Scots.
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Dissonance
a discordant combinations of sounds; the clash, spew and slow pang of grinding waves against the quay.
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Enjambment
a device used in poetry where a sentence continues beyond the end of the line or verse. This technique is often used to maintain a sense of continuation from one stanza to another.
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Dialogue
conversation between two people; sometimes an imagined conversation between the narrator and the reader. This is important in drama and can show conflict through a series of statements and challenges, or intimacy where characters mirror the content a
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Hyperbole
exaggerating something for literary purposes which is not meant to be taken literally; we gorged on the banquet of beans on toast.
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Imagery
similes, metaphors and personification; they all compare something 'real' with something 'imagined'.
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Irony
the humorous or sarcastic use of words or ideas, implying the opposite of what they mean.
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Metaphor
a word or phrase used to imply figurative, not literal or 'actual', resemblance; he flew into the room.
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Monologue
an uninterrupted monologue can show a character's importance or state of mind. Monologue can be in speech form, delivered in front of other characters and having great thematic importance, or as a soliloquy where we see the character laying bare thei
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Onomatopoeia
a word that sounds like the noise it is describing: 'splash', 'bang', 'pop', 'hiss'.
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Oxymoron
Where two words normally not associated are brought together: 'cold heat' 'bitter sweet'.
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Pathos
language that evokes feelings of pity or sorrow.
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Personification
attributing a human quality to a thing or idea: the moon calls me to her darkened world.
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Repetition
the repetition of a word or phrase to achieve a particular effect.
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Simile
a phrase which establishes similarity between two things to emphasise the point being made. This usually involves the words 'like' or 'as'; 'he is as quick as an arrow in flight', 'as white as snow', 'like a burning star'.
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Symbolism
often objects, colours, sounds and places work as symbols. They can sometimes give us a good insight into the themes. So, snakes are often symbols of temptation as in the story of Adam and Eve, white usually symbolises innocence and a ringing bell ca
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Tone
the writer's tone or voice or atmosphere or feeling that pervades the text, such as sadness, gloom, celebration, joy, anxiety, dissatisfaction, regret or anger. Different elements of writing can help to create this; long sentences or verses, with ***
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Word choice
sometimes called 'register', this is the common thread in an author's choice of language. Authors may use words commonly associated with religion, words describing sensory experience such as touch, smell or colour or 'mood' words that reflect a chara
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

the same vowel sound is repeated but the consonants are different; he passed her a sharp, dark glance, shot a cool, foolish look across the room.

Back

Assonance

Card 3

Front

language that is used in speech with an informal meaning; 'chill', 'out of this world', 'take a rain check'.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

the version of language spoken by particular people in a particular area, such as Scots.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

a discordant combinations of sounds; the clash, spew and slow pang of grinding waves against the quay.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

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