GCSE English Language: Analysing techniques

Language techniques and their effects — for the reading and analysis papers.

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What is a simile?
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A comparison of one thing to another using the words "like" or "as".
What is a metaphor?
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A comparison that states one thing is another, rather than merely like it.
Why does a metaphor often feel more forceful than a simile?
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Because a metaphor is more direct—it states that one thing is another, rather than just comparing them.
What is personification?
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Giving human qualities to something that is not human.
What is onomatopoeia?
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The use of words that imitate the sounds they describe, such as "crash", "buzz" or "hiss".
What effect can personification create?
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It can make a description more vivid and create atmosphere or mood.
What is alliteration?
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The repetition of the same consonant sound at the start of nearby words.
What is hyperbole?
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Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis.
What is the most important thing when analysing a language technique in GCSE English?
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Not simply to spot a technique, but to explain its effect on the reader and why the writer might have chosen it.

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