AO6 Advanced Therapy Set 2 Vocabulary Often, just using high level words isn t enough to reach the highest marks. You need to grasp the nuances of language: words may be synonyms and mean broadly the same thing, but changing the words has an impact on the overall essence of the sentence. Read the following sentences. Consider the effect that the different adjective choice has each time and write a brief explanation of why the language choice has that effect. Example Sentence Nuanced Meaning/Effect an obese woman. a plump woman. a colossal woman. a sizeable woman. a voluminous woman. The position of a single or double adjective can have significant impact on its effect. Usually, moving the adjective to the front or the end of a sentence makes the emphasis to fall on that adjective. Therefore, if you want to really emphasise an adjective, placing them at the front or end of a sentence is very effective. You always need a comma (or a dash if you want even more emphasis) when you do this. In the following sentences, move the adjective to either the front or the end of the clause. The first one has been done for you. 1
Original Sentence The melancholic man longed for his past. In her anguish and grief, the broken woman wept. Pulling his owner along, the effervescent puppy ran. The pernicious, noxious smoke crept along the floor. Sentence with Fronted or Ended Adjective(s) Melancholic, the man longed for his past. Synonymous adverbs can often have slightly different implications. Therefore, writers must carefully consider which adverbs they use in their writing. Look at the sentences below. For each one, consider which of the adverbs listed below would be most effective in the space and why. Write a short justification for your answer. The woman carefully / tenderly / gently tended his wounds. (Love) The two players squared up to each other aggressively / belligerently / antagonistically. (Arrogance) Quietly / inaudibly /noiselessly, the girl crept away from her drunken grandfather. (Discomfort / worry) Surprisingly / miraculously / astoundingly, he was actually going on a date. (Humour) 2
Adverbials do the same job as adverbs in the fact that they add to or modify a verb but adverbials are often phrases. Essentially, an adverbial is a word or phrase that gives the reader information about the time, place or manner in which something is done. Prepositional phrases are also adverbials. E.g. after dark, under the blanket Underline the adverbials in the following sentences. In hat and scarf and gloves and coat, she ventured outside, apprehensive that she might encounter an ice-monster or some other creature of doom. On the bed, each and every day, the teddy bear waited for the door to close, waiting to come alive. More and more often, people simply accept what is told to them on the news by politicians through their well-rehearsed and well edited speeches. Verbs can be used to create a particular atmosphere or tone. For each of the sentences below, identify the tone or atmosphere that is created by the verb. The soldiers decimated the village. The toddler waddled in his nappy. Gerald gobbled down his lunch. She caressed his cheek. In each of the sentences below, replace the verbs with alternatives that will create the atmosphere or tone in brackets. The man stopped and spoke. (tension) The minions walked along the street, laughing and playing. (fun and silliness) She sat down, looking at the wall and crying. (grief) She stepped on to the stage, holding on to her speech. (nerves) 3
For each of the following participles, find a synonym that has a similar but more extreme meaning. The first one has been done for you. Laughing: hooting Damaged: Scared: Shouting: Working: Eating: Annoyed: You can use a double participle at the start of a sentence to show a developing emotion or atmosphere. For each of the double participles above, write a sentence that begins with them as a pair. The first one has been done for you. Don t forget that you ll need a comma after both participles. Laughing, hooting, I spat my drink out, spraying almost everyone at the table, including the joke-teller, with mouth-warm beer. 4
Imagery A writer can create imagery by using figurative language. The figurative language helps to create the image and to give it a sense of depth and emotion. When trying to use figurative language in your writing, try to avoid cliché (e.g. as fast as a cheetah). It is important that the figurative language selected really reflects the image and tone you re trying to create. Look at the examples of figurative language below. Circle the example that you think is the most effective at creating the tone in brackets and write an explanation of why. Sentence start Simile Personification Metaphor His leg snapped like a twig the bones screaming out a broken dream violent image Sentence start Simile Personification Metaphor He caressed her as if she were his his hand longing for her warmth his trophy, his reward discomfort 5
Complete the chart below with effective figurative language. Base your ideas on World War One. The other column can be filled with any other ingredients you want to add, such as adverbials or participle phrases. The first one has been done for you. Sentence Start Simile Personification Metaphor Other The bullet ripped through his gut. like that familiar flip of fear, or shock or love. an enemy, determined to kill. death himself, fired from a gun tearing his insides out 6
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