Subject Terminology

• Alliteration

  When the first letter of a word is repeated more than once. E.g. Alice always alliterates.
• Metaphor


  Describing something by saying something else. E.g. The exam was a piece of cake.
• Personification


  A type of imagery in which non-human objects, animals or ideas are given human characteristics. E.g. The jaws of the cave.
• Simile


  Comparing something using like or as. E.g. He was as fast as a cheetah.
• Hyperbole


  Over the top exaggeration for effect. E.g. I have ten tonnes of homework to do.
• Nouns


  Naming words. Can be:

  . Concrete - naming objects, e.g. table, car

  . Abstract - naming ideas or feelings, e.g. adventure, pride

  . Proper - naming people, places, days, months etc, e.g. Marie, Sweden, Monday (always capital letters)
• Adjectives


  Words that describe nouns, e.g. green, huge, sparkly
• Verbs


  Words that describe actions and states of being:

  . Action words (do/feel/be), e.g. run, hide, think

  . Past tense, e.g. I played the recorder

  . Present tense, e.g. He walks to the shops

  . Future tense, e.g. She will go home later
• Adverbs


  Words that describe verbs and adjectives, e.g. quickly, patiently
• Pronouns


  Someone or something, the subject of the sentence:

  . First person, e.g. I, we, me, my, our, us

  . Second person, e.g. you, yours, yourself

  . Third person, e.g. he, she, they, them, theirs
• Prepositions


  Words used to show where something is in place or time, e.g. at, for, with, after, to, over, from, into
• Pathetic fallacy


  The environment (usually the weather) reflects the mood of the character or scene. E.g. The fog crept evilly through the streets as he stalked his victim.
• Onomatopoeia


  The sounds of words to express or underline their meaning, sensory imagery. E.g. Crunch, pop, screech.
• Assonance


  The repetition of vowel sounds in a series of words. E.g. Harsh bark, moonlit pool.
• Rule of three


  Repetition in a group of three to strengthen an idea or argument. E.g. freedom, equality, and justice
• Connotations


  Implied meanings suggested by a word rather than its literal meanings. E.g. Red is a colour - but can imply danger, anger and stop
• Repetition


  Words, phrases or ideas that are repeated for effect. E.g. This is serious, incredibly serious.
• Rhetorical questions


  A question asked for effect with no answer expected. E.g. Do you think that I’m made of money?
• Emotive language


  Words chosen to bring an emotional response. E.g. defenceless, hard-hearted.
• Declarative sentence


  A simple statement that is used to provide information about something or state a fact. E.g. The sun rises in the east.
• Imperative sentence


  A sentence that commands or demands. E.g. Do this, buy that.
• Irony


  Something contrary to what you might expect. E.g. The Titanic was called an “unsinkable” ship, yet it sank on its first voyage.
• Dramatic irony


  When the audience is aware of events that the characters on stage don’t know about. E.g. Duncan thanking Lady Macbeth for her hospitality because the audience knows that Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to murder King Duncan.
• Anecdote


  A short story from personal experience. E.g. When you missed the bus, etc.
• Dialogue


  A conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or film. E.g. A normal conversation.
• Juxtaposition

  When two or more ideas are contrasted near (not necessarily next to) each other. E.g. All’s fair in love and war.
• Sibilance

  Repetition of the ‘s’ sound. E.g. Sarah’s silly sister swallowed her sweet.