by Joshua Raven

1. Lesson 6Descriptive Writing by Joshua Raven

2. Descriptive writing describes a place, person, situation or event. • It uses literary techniques such as: • Metaphors • Similes • Personification • Alliteration • Onomatopoeia What is descriptive writing?

3. Metaphors • Similes • Personification • Alliteration • Onomatopoeia • Write down the definition of each one and give an example of it in a sentence. • Can you think of any other literary techniques used in descriptive writing? Literary techniques

4. Metaphors; the use to describe somebody or something of a word or phrase that is not meant literally but by means of a vivid comparison expresses something about him, her, or it, e.g. saying that somebody is a snake • Similes; using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ e.g. The room was as hot AS an oven • Personification; when human qualities or characteristics are given to inanimate or abstract objects. • Alliteration; repetition of the first letter of a word • Onomatopoeia; words which represent sounds e.g. Crunch, splash, pop Answers

5. Read chapters 9 and 10 • Find examples of literary techniques used in 5fingers. Write them down like this... • P78 ‘Rachel screamed for all she was worth but his huge hand had already smothered her mouth’ the alliteration of ‘huge hand’ is used here to describe the vast size of the tramp compared to the size of Rachel. • P81 ‘After what seemed like an age, the lift came with much huffing and puffing’. Onomatopoeia is used here to describe the sound the lift makes and the effort it exerts as it moves up the lift shaft. Find examples

6. Write a sentence for each literary technique based on a character or setting from the story so far. • Metaphors • Similes • Personification • Alliteration • Onomatopoeia Sentences

7. Joshua Raven divides the scenes with the numbers ‘12345’. After reading chapter 10 write a short section to be inserted within this chapter, between one of the scenes ‘12345’. • You could choose p79 as a place to insert a further description of the tramp in the library or p81 as a place to insert a description of the library itself. It could even be a description from a previous chapter such as the mountains or Rachel’s mother. • With a partner, discuss your ideas for where a description could go. Decide on either a place or a person. • Use as many literary techniques as you can in your writing. Your turn

8. With the person next to you, swap your descriptive pieces of writing. • Read your partner’s work and give them some feedback on what they have done well in their writing. • Which techniques did your partner use? • Which place did they decide to enter the description in chapter 10? Do you agree that this is the best place? • Talk about the story and how it could be developed through your descriptive writing. Plenary