Pupil Book 5
Composition
Author: Chris Whitney
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Pupil Book 5
Composition
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Contents Unit 1: Points of view Unit 2: Continuing a story Unit 3: Similies and metaphors Unit 4: Stage directions Unit 5: Writing reports Unit 6: Different sorts of records Unit 7: Writing narrative poems Unit 8: Linking words and phrases Unit 9: Character perspectives Unit 10: Dialogue Unit 11: Writing a persuasive letter Unit 12: Behind the news Unit 13: Writing for an audience Unit 14: Describing settings Unit 15: Conveying atmosphere
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Composition Unit 1
Points of view In editorial articles, the writer usually expresses opinions about an issue (a topic or problem for debate or discussion). If more than one side to the issue is considered, this is called a balanced discussion. If the writer only gives one opinion, this is called a biased discussion and the aim is to persuade. Read the editorial article, ‘Looking after our children’, which gives a biased discussion, then complete the activities that follow.
The main point of the article is summed up in the first sentence. The main point should be backed up by other supporting points. A supporting point
The supporting points are organised into one point per paragraph. A supporting point
LATEST NEWS Looking after our children This newspaper thinks that the Council should pay for more after-school clubs for our young people. We believe this would make life more interesting and enjoyable for our young people, and it would allow parents who are at work to know that their children are safe and being looked after. Our main reason for suggesting more clubs is that there aren’t many places where young people can play safely, especially games like football or rounders. In the winter, or when it’s raining, many have nowhere to go
except to the shopping centre. The clubs could offer indoor hobbies as well as outdoor games. A further reason is that some children don’t have a suitable place to get their homework done, for as soon as everyone gets home, on goes the television! The clubs could provide a quiet corner for doing homework.
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Connectives show relationships between statements. A supporting point Conclusion
Furthermore, we believe that clubs would help parents who go to work and can’t get home when school finishes. Many parents worry about their children’s safety, but must work away from home to earn money for their families. After-school clubs would take
away a lot of worry from a lot of people! Therefore, although some people might argue that it would be expensive to run the after-school clubs, this newspaper believes that it would be money well spent.
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Get started Have you ever had to persuade someone to do something? Perhaps you tried to persuade a parent to buy you something or to let you go somewhere. Discuss what happened with a partner. Tell them who you were trying to persuade, what you were trying to persuade them of, what arguments you used and whether you were successful or not.
Try these Answer these questions and complete the task. 1. What is the main point of this article? 2. Where is the main point summed up? 3. What do supporting points do? 4. How are the points in this article organised? 5. What is a balanced discussion? 6. What is the main aim of a biased discussion? 7. What should come at the end of any discussion? 8. What do connectives show? 9. Which three connectives are used to start paragraphs 3, 4 and 5? 10. Write a sentence to summarise each paragraph of this discussion.
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Now try these 1. What issues at school are important to you? What do you feel strongly about? Put your case into a biased discussion or persuasive argument. Copy and complete the table to help you plan your argument. Make notes about each paragraph you will write. Paragraph 1 Main point of my argument Paragraph 2 Supporting point 1 Paragraph 3 Supporting point 2 Paragraph 4 Supporting point 3 Paragraph 5 Conclusion 2. Now write the complete article using your notes to remind you of what to include. This time you should write in full sentences, use paragraphs to organise your points and include some connectives to guide your reader through the ideas. Remember, you must try to persuade the reader to agree with you.
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Composition Unit 2
Continuing a story Read the extract from ‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ by Michelle Magorian, then complete the activities that follow. This is the beginning of a book called ‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ in which the writer introduces us to two of the main characters, Thomas Oakley and William Beech. The author combines dialogue and description to tell the story. The setting and characters are realistic and believable.
“Yes,” said Tom bluntly, on opening the front door. “What d’you want?” A harassed middle-aged woman in a green coat and felt hat stood on his step. He glanced at the armband on her sleeve. She gave an awkward smile. “I’m the Billeting Officer for this area,” she began. “Oh yes, and what’s that got to do wi’ me?” She flushed slightly. “Well, Mr, Mr …” “Oakley. Thomas Oakley.” “Ah, thank you, Mr Oakley.” She paused and took a deep breath. “Mr Oakley, with the declaration of war imminent …”
Tom is blunt, impatient and abrupt.
Tom waved his hand. “I know all that. Git to the point. What d’you want?” He noticed a small boy at her side. “It’s him I’ve come about,” she said. “I’m on my way to your village hall with the others.” “What others?”
Their lives may have been hard back home.
She stepped to one side. Behind the large iron gate which stood at the end of the graveyard were a small group of children. Many of them were filthy and very poorly clad. Only a handful had a blazer or a coat. They all looked bewildered and exhausted. One tiny dark-haired girl in the front was hanging firmly on to a new teddy bear.
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The woman touched the boy at her side and pushed him forward. “There’s no need to tell me,” said Tom. “It’s obligatory and it’s for the war effort.” “You are entitled to choose your child, I know,” began the woman apologetically. Tom gave a snort. We know nothing about the boy’s life back home.
“But,” she continued, “his mother wants him to be with someone who’s religious or near a church. She was quite adamant. Said she would only let him be evacuated if he was.” “Was what?” asked Tom impatiently. “Near a church.” Tom took a second look at the child. The boy was thin and sickly-looking, pale with limp sandy hair and dull grey eyes. “His name’s Willie,” said the woman.
Willie doesn’t speak in this extract. We know nothing about Tom’s past. There is a contrast between the characters.
How will their relationship develop?
Willie, who had been staring at the ground, looked up. Round his neck, hanging from a piece of string, was a cardboard label. It read “William Beech”. Tom was well into his sixties, a healthy, robust, stockily-built man with a head of thick white hair. Although he was of average height, in Willie’s eyes he was a towering giant with skin like coarse, wrinkled brown paper and a voice like thunder. He glared at Willie. “You’d best come in,” he said abruptly.
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Get started What do you know about the evacuation of children in the Second World War? Discuss what you know with a partner and then make notes. Research some facts about the evacuation of children in the Second World War.
Try these From reading the extract, what do you know about William Beech and Thomas Oakley? Make notes about everything you know for each character. Thomas Oakley
William Beech
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Now try these 1. The Billeting Officer has a difficult job housing the evacuees. Think about her character and the role she plays in the story at this point. Then answer these questions about her and the other evacuee children. a) What does she look like? b) What is her job as a Billeting Officer? c) How do you think she feels about her job? d) Where is she going next? e) What will happen there? f) What are the other evacuee children like? g) How do you think the evacuee children feel? 2. Willie enters Tom’s house and the door closes. What happens next to the Billeting Officer and the rest of the evacuees? Write the next episode in the story using your ideas about the Billeting Officer and the children. Write in the past tense and use a combination of narrative and dialogue, as the author has done in the extract.
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Composition Unit 3
Similes and metaphors A simile compares two things by saying one thing is like another. A metaphor compares two things by saying one thing is actually the other. Writers use similes and metaphors to make their descriptions more vivid and effective. Read ‘Simile Poem’ and ‘What is … the Sun?’ by Wes Magee, then answer the questions that follow.
The sun is light, bright and fun. The river is long and twisting. The tree tops are bristly. The stars sparkle.
Simile Poem The sun is like a yellow balloon Hanging in the sky The river’s like a giant snake Winding slowly by. The trees are like huge brushes With their handles in the ground The stars are like great diamonds The biggest ever found. Wes Magee
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What is ‌ the Sun? The sun is an orange dinghy Sailing across a calm sea. It is a gold chain
Steady and peaceful Precious, golden and glimmering
Dropped down a drain in heaven. It is a yellow beach ball Light, bright and full of energy
Kicked high into the summer sky. It is a red thumb-print
Smudged, small and weak Flimsy and abandoned
On a sheet of pale blue paper. It is the gold top from a milk bottle Floating on a puddle. Wes Magee
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Get started We use similes and metaphors in our everyday speech when we want to compare one thing with another. Discuss similes and metaphors with a partner. How many well-known similes can you think of between you? Make a list. Can you think of any of your own? Write them down too.
Try these Read the two poems. Copy the table and complete it by writing the similes and metaphors from the poems under the correct headings. Similes
Metaphors
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Now try these 1. In ‘Simile Poem’, the poet describes what the thing is like and then goes on to say what it is doing. Copy and complete the table below following the same pattern. One has been done for you. Object The Sun
What it is like (simile)
What it is doing
is like a yellow balloon
hanging in the sky
The moon The sea The rain In ‘What is ... the Sun?’, the poet uses metaphors to describe the Sun: saying it is something else. Copy and complete the table below following the same pattern. One has been done for you. Object The Sun
What it is (metaphor)
What it is doing
is an orange dinghy
sailing across a calm sea.
The hero The night sky
is a is a
The car
is a
2. Write your own poem using similes and metaphors. You can use the same structure as ‘Simile Poem’ or ‘What is … the Sun?’ if you wish. You can use one of the following topics or choose one of your own. • Friends or friendship • The snow • Clouds
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Composition Unit 4
Stage directions Stage directions are included in a playscript to give instructions to the performers. They are short, clear and direct, sometimes just one word long, and they use a lot of verbs and adverbs because they tell the actors what to do and how to say their lines. As they are instructions, they are always written in the present tense. Read the playscript, ‘The Long Hike’, then complete the activities that follow.
Scenes (sections of the play) Setting (where the play happens) This means walk onto the stage from the left (the audience’s right). Characters Dialogue This tells the actors when and how to use the prop they have. Props (objects featured in the play)
‘The Long Hike’ Scene 1: In a wood towards dusk (John and Harry enter stage left. Harry is walking briskly but John is dragging his feet and looking tired.) John: (flopping down on the ground) I’m tired. Harry: (looking at the map) Come on, John. It can’t be far now. John: (crossly) That’s what you said half an hour ago! Harry: (sitting down next to John) OK. We’ll rest here for a few minutes, but we can’t stay long. It will be dark soon. John: (sounding worried) What will we do if we don’t get there before dark? Harry: (jumping up quickly) We won’t get anywhere if we stay here.
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Stage directions This means leave the stage to the right (the audience’s left).
John: (getting up slowly) All right, I’m coming, but this is the last time I go hiking with the scouts! (Harry marches off briskly stage right with John following slowly behind and grumbling to himself.) Scene 2 Harry: I’m not sure where we are. John: That’s great. Now you have got us lost! Harry: I’ve got us lost? We are both supposed to be reading this map. You’ve left it all to me. John: Well, it’s no good having an argument about it. That’s not going to get us out of this wood. Harry: Yes, you’re right. Let’s sit down, look at the map and see if we can find out where we are. John: We started from there and followed that path and we should be there. Harry: I know what we’ve done! Look! We’ve taken the wrong path back there by the stream. John: What was that? Harry: What? John: That noise. Harry: Look! Look at that strange light coming through the trees! John: I think we had better get out of here!
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. What is a playscript? 2. What is a scene? 3. What is the setting? 4. Where do you find information on the setting? 5. What are the rules for writing a playscript? Make a list.
Try these 1. What do stage directions tell the actors? 2. Why are stage directions often enclosed in brackets? 3. What do the terms ‘stage left’ and ‘stage right’ mean? 4. What tense should stage directions be written in? Why? 5. Why are there a lot of verbs and adverbs in stage directions? 6. What advice would you give someone for writing good stage directions? 7. Copy and complete the table. Write the stage directions used in the playscript for each character under their name. Some stage directions will apply to both characters. John
Harry
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Now try these 1. Read and copy this playscript and add some simple stage directions in the brackets showing the actor how their character should sound or what they should do when they are speaking the lines. Don’t forget to tell actors when their character should enter and when they should exit. Cinderella: (
) I wish I could go to the ball.
Ugly Sister: ( ) Ha! You? Look at your clothes and your hair! You are so ugly the prince will never want to dance with you. Cinderella: ( me go!
) But I promise I’ll work even harder if you let
Ugly Sister: ( ) Go and clean the floor. I must go and get myself ready for the ball. (
)
Cinderella: ( the floor. (
) Oh dear, what shall I do? I’ve got to clean )
Fairy Godmother: ( shall go to the ball! ( my wand! Cinderella: ( so beautiful.
) But you ) Watch ) My dress! It’s
2. Choose another scene from ‘Cinderella’ or a different traditional tale. Write it as a playscript, adding stage directions as in Scene 1 from ‘The Long Hike’.
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Composition Unit 5
Writing reports When reporting on events, the way we write depends on who will be reading our report, our audience. Here are two reports about the same event. The newspaper article is an impersonal account of events that focuses on the facts. The letter describes the events, but also includes the writer’s thoughts and feelings. Read the newspaper report and the letter, then answer the questions that follow.
LATEST NEWS
Written for anyone to read Third person (impersonal observer) Information on when, where and who Reporting on past events requires the past tense. Asks the reader a question Speculates (guesses) about people’s thoughts
WALLINGTON WALLOP THE WANDERERS Jim Waller, Sports Correspondent Saturday’s match was a cracker! Wallington Town Boys had fought hard to reach the final of the Nuffield Soccer Shield and from the kick-off at the town stadium, it was clear they were not going to be overawed, either by the venue or the opposition from Shellingford Wanderers. It was a credit to both teams that so many people had turned out on this bitterly cold day. Shellingford won the toss, and 10-year-old James Roberts was soon showing why he had been
picked. Two defenders closely marked Roberts and for the first 20 minutes, this was very effective. But then Alex Humphries slipped and that was all Roberts needed to weave past the other defender and strike a 20-metre drive hard and high into the back of Wallington’s net. Was this the beginning of the end? If that was on the spectators’ minds, it certainly wasn’t in the minds of our lads. Matt Jackson, who recently came to the town and who has made such a difference to our midfield this season, was out to
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LATEST NEWS show Shellingford they weren’t getting the cup without a fight. A long run and a beautifully judged pass to Ben Lupton, Town’s super new striker, was all that was needed to put our boys back on even terms.
Events described chronologically (the order they happened in).
Addresses one specific reader directly First person (personal participant) Manjit already knows where, when and who.
The second half was an end-to-end battle. Tension sometimes showed, with some
unnecessary loss of possession, but neither side could make it count, and on the final whistle the score was 1–1. It is a great pity that such an exciting match, and such an important one, should be decided on penalties. Our new goalkeeper Ashok Kulkarni came up trumps, and when everything depended on the last penalty, he kept his cool. Little wonder his team carried him off the field shoulder high! Let’s hope next season our lads can do us as proud again and carry off not just the cup, but the league title as well.
6 Ashmore Drive Wallington Midshire WA4 7TG 27 December 2013 Dear Manjit, I hope you are getting on well at your new school. We are missing having you in our team, but I thought you’d like to know how the game went on Saturday. You know where we were playing, which was a bit scary but fun. There were hundreds of people watching! Shellingford had a really good team and a brilliant new striker, but Mr Hanson put Lee and Alex on to marking him. That was fine until Alex slipped over and their striker shot so hard I couldn’t get near it! I thought we were in real trouble then, but our defence didn’t panic and Matt Jackson (a new boy who’s only just joined the team) put Ben through to score a real beauty!
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Thoughts and feelings
That was the final score, so it was a penalty shoot-out. It was then I was wishing you hadn’t moved and were still the goalie. I saved the first four shots, only just. Their goalie saved the first three, but then let one in. That meant I needed to save the last one and we’d win the cup. And I did! That was the most terrific feeling in the world. Everyone went mad. They all said I was a hero, but really I was a bit lucky because the ball came straight at me! Get your mum and dad to bring you to see us play next season. Then we can show you the cup! Your friend, Ashok
Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. Think of texts you have written. Here are some examples to get you started. You may have written some or all of these texts at some point. Add any more you can think of. • A letter • A poster • A diary entry • A story • An email • Homework For each text, discuss why you wrote it and who you wrote it for. (Some texts aren’t written for a specific person: they might be for anyone to read. Or perhaps you have written things for your eyes only.) How did the purpose and audience of each text affect the contents and writing style? Which texts were more formal? Which texts were better structured? Which texts included more personal things such as thoughts and feelings? Compare the texts you’ve written for yourself to the texts you’ve written for anyone to read.
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Try these Look at the two extracts. Make a list of the features of the two text types. Use the annotations on the extracts to help you. Newspaper report
Letter
Now try these 1. Think of a school trip you have been on. Write an informal letter to a friend telling them about the school trip from your own personal point of view. Remember, you are writing to a friend so you can use informal language and include your thoughts and feelings. 2. Now consider the same event again. Write a report about the trip for the school magazine. Use the third person (impersonal) and the past tense. Use formal language and organise the writing into paragraphs. You can give opinions if they are relevant, but remember that the emphasis should not be on your personal experience of the event. Copy and complete the planning guide first, making notes to help you.
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Composition Unit 6
Different sorts of records Personal diaries record facts, but the details are less important than the writer’s thoughts and opinions. In contrast, in some reports – such as police reports – the facts are most important and they must be accurate. Read the diary entry and the police report, then complete the activities that follow.
23 September First person, past tense
The record of the time is vague (it’s not important in a diary entry).
It has been a bad day. First, I was late for school because Mum made me clean my shoes. Then Ginnie and I had an argument. Worst of all (because Ginnie and I are really best friends and we will make up tomorrow) was when I got home from school. The shed door was open and my bike was nowhere to be seen. A burglar had broken into our shed and stolen it! I cried a bit, but when I phoned Mum, she said not to worry. She said she would come home early and she would phone the police. She also said that if they couldn’t find my bike, she thought it would be covered on the insurance, so I should be able to get another one. Dad was really mad when he saw what had happened to his padlock. When Mum came home, we called the police station and they said they would send PC Brown to our house tomorrow, which is good because it’s a Saturday.
Hopes, wishes, thoughts and feelings
Diary entries have one intended reader: the writer.
I do hope I get my bike back. It was the best bike I’ve ever had and I was just getting really good at riding it. I wish people wouldn’t steal things! 24 September PC Brown came today. I told him all about it and I felt a little better. I hope he can find my bike.
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Spaces allocated for each piece of information
Midshire County Constabulary Reporting officer: PC Brown Date of incident: 23 September
Records of dates and times are as precise as they can be.
Time of incident: Between 1 p.m. and 3:25 p.m. Date reported: 23 September Person who reported: Mrs Sabina Smith Date statement taken: 24 September Address/location of incident: 26 Kelvedon Road, Bramsdon, Midshire
Includes only relevant facts and observations (it doesn’t include feelings)
Statement of witness: Mandy Smith, owner of bike. When I arrived home from school, I saw that our shed was open. I went to close it so that it wouldn’t blow open and break the hinges. It was then that I noticed that my bike had gone. I looked behind the shed and in the garage, as I sometimes leave it in those places. It was nowhere to be seen. I also saw that the padlock on the shed door had been broken and realised that someone must have stolen my bike. Mum said the shed was closed when she left for work at one o’clock. Details of goods stolen/damaged: Wentworth mountain bike; nearly new (about 2 months old); red with gold paint; lefthand grip slightly damaged; padlock on shed broken Location diagram:
This record is a legal document (to do with the law), which means it must be truthful and accurate.
House
Side gate
Shed
Signed: Mandy Smith Date: 24 September
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. Have you ever kept a diary? 2. Have you ever read a published diary (real or fictional)? 3. What sorts of things do people write in diaries? 4. Do you understand what a police report is? If you are unsure, ask the teacher to explain. 5. What other types of reporting texts can you think of?
Try these Make lists of the features of the two text types. Use the annotations on the extracts to help you. Police report
Diary
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Now try these 1. Imagine that you arrived at school one morning to find that a strange egg had been found in the playground. It looked like it was about to hatch. The police were called and now they want you to write a statement about your discovery. Include a diagram to help explain what happened. Reporting officer: Inspector Strangeways Date of incident: Time of incident: Location of incident: (your school) Statement of witness: (you) Statement: (Use the first person and describe events in the order they happened. Include only the relevant facts, observations and details.)
Location diagram:
2. Imagine you have gone home at the end of the day and are writing a diary entry about the day’s events. What do you think about what happened? How did what happened make you feel? Write the diary entry describing what happened and including what you thought and felt, both at the time of the events and at the time you are writing.
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Composition Unit 7
Writing narrative poems Narrative poems tell a story. Like stories, they have a setting, characters and plot. As the poem tells a narrative, the voice in the poem is a narrator. This narrator reports dialogue and addresses the reader directly. Read ‘Kenneth’ by Wendy Cope, then answer the questions that follow. A storyline Characters
Kenneth (Who was too fond of bubble-gum and met an untimely end) The chief defect of Kenneth Plumb Was chewing too much bubble-gum. He chewed away with all his might, Morning, evening, noon and night. Even (oh, it makes you weep) Blowing bubbles in his sleep. He simply couldn’t get enough! His face was covered with the stuff. As for his teeth – oh, what a sight! It was a wonder he could bite. His loving mother and his dad Both remonstrated with the lad. Ken repaid them for their trouble
Seven or eight syllables per line
By blowing yet another bubble. T’was no joke. It isn’t funny Spending all your pocket money
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The rhyme scheme is AABB. These are called rhyming couplets. Rhyming couplets emphasise the regularity of the rhythm because the rhyming sound comes round again so fast. Settings
On the day’s supply of gum – Sometimes Kenny felt quite glum. As he grew, so did his need – There seemed no limit to his greed: At ten he often put away Ninety-seven packs a day. Then at last he went too far – Sitting in his father’s car, Stuffing gum without a pause, Found that he had jammed his jaws. He nudged his dad and pointed to The mouthful that he couldn’t chew.
Dialogue
“Well, spit it out if you can’t chew it!” Ken shook his head. He couldn’t do it. Before long he began to groan – The gum was solid as a stone.
Settings
Dad took him to the builder’s yard; They couldn’t help. It was too hard. They called a doctor and he said, “This silly boy will soon be dead.
The moral of the story (this isn’t essential but narrative poems do often have one).
His mouth’s so full of bubble-gum No nourishment can reach his tum.” Remember Ken and please do not Go buying too much you-know-what.
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. Explain in your own words what the word ‘narrative’ means. 2. Now use a dictionary to check your definition. 3. What do you think a ‘narrative’ poem is? 4. Have you ever read any narrative poetry before? If so, what narrative poems have you read? 5. There are many very famous narrative poems. Can you name any of them?
Try these Make a list of the features of narrative poetry. Use the annotations on the poem to help you.
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Now try these 1. ‘Kenneth’ is a poem about a boy who could not stop eating bubble gum. What idea for a narrative poem do you have? Take a few minutes to think of a storyline and then copy and complete the planning table. Setting: Characters: Basic storyline: Beginning:
Middle:
End:
Moral of the story: Rhyme scheme: 2. Using the notes you made about your storyline, write your narrative poem in full.
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Composition Unit 8
Linking words and phrases Certain words and phrases are useful to link sentences and thoughts when we write explanations. These words are called conjunctions. These connecting words and phrases build structure within – and link ideas across – paragraphs. They also guide the reader through the ideas and information in the text. Read the text and look at the notes, then complete the activities that follow.
Contrasts two ideas In addition In this case For this reason or these reasons In the event that (makes a condition) In extreme cases For the reason that (the answer to ‘Why?’) Regardless of whether
When the rain falls In many countries, food crops will grow throughout the year. But there are some countries where occasionally the rains fail and there is drought. When this happens, the crops wither, and as a result the population may go without food. If this continues, people begin to starve and some even die. The animals also die because they lack food and water. Furthermore, the seed that should be saved for planting next year’s crop needs to be used right away to keep people alive. Therefore, even if the rainfall returns the following year, there may be no seed to plant and so no crops to harvest to feed the people and their animals. Here are the notes that were made before writing the article above: some countries rain frequent, others occasional; drought; crops die; hunger for people and animals; problem if use seed = more hunger next year
Some of the useful linking words and phrases are printed in bold letters in this account. You can see how they help the writer explain the problem.
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. Explain in your own words what you understand by the word ‘conjunction’. 2. Now use a dictionary to check your definition. 3. How are conjunctions used and what are they used for in writing? 4. Look back at your own writing and find examples of where you have used conjunctions. 5. Make a list of the conjunctions you have used before.
Try these Find the connecting words and phrases in the extract that perform each function in the table. Use the annotations on the extract to help you. Function to add further information to contrast two or more ideas to show the result, or indicate a consequence to make a condition
Words and phrases from the extract
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Now try these 1. Complete the last column in the table with your own words. You will need to write these in a list in your book. You may need to research these words. What is the function? to add further information
Connecting words and phrases
to contrast two or more ideas to show the result, or indicate a consequence to make a condition 2. Use the new connecting words and phrases in sentences of your own. Annotate them to show their function. You may want to focus the sentences on a non-fiction topic you are working on at school.
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Composition Unit 9
Character perspectives Character perspective is what a character, or group of characters, see, think and feel from their particular position in the story. We experience the narrator’s perspective directly. The narrator might be a character in the story, narrating in the first person. This extract has a third person narrator who describes the different perspectives of the characters. Read the extract from ‘Underground to Canada’ by Barbara Smucker, then answer the questions that follow. Night music droned through the slave quarters of Jeb Hensen’s Virginia plantation. The words couldn’t be heard but they were there beneath the rise and fall of the melody. Julilly hummed them as she sat in the doorway of her cabin, waiting for Mammy Sally to come home from cooking in the Big House kitchen. She was as still and as black as the night. The words of the song beat in her head. Reminds the slaves they are an oppressed people and that they want to be free Jeb Hensen fears the song because it encourages rebellion. Singing the song is an act of resistance.
When Israel was in Egypt’s land Let my people go Oppressed so hard, they could not stand Let my people go. Old Massa Hensen didn’t like the song. He said it came when there were whisperings and trouble around. There were whisperings tonight. They murmured beneath the chirping of the crickets. They crept from ear to ear as soundless as the flickering of the fireflies … The whisperings that hung in the night-time air had started this morning when Old John, the coachman, drove Missy Hensen into town. Julilly and the other slaves heard about it later.
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Missy Hensen sat uneasily and restless in the carriage seat. She talked to Old John of moving North and of selling things. She talked of how her husband, Jeb Hensen, was old and sick and had to go to the hospital in Richmond. She said they had no kin to leave things to … When Missy Hensen and Old John drove into town, there was excitement on the Court House lawn. Missy Hensen pretended not to see. Old John, who couldn’t read, heard the white folks speak of handbills plastered on the Court House door: “WILL PAY TOP PRICES TOMORROW FOR PRIME FIELD HANDS,” they read. Old John’s hands trembled on the horses’ reins. A slave trader from the deep South was coming to their town to buy tomorrow! Jeb Hensen was making plans to move! Old John and the other slaves at the Hensen plantation knew about the buying of Virginia slaves. Word of it spread like a wind-whipped flame from one plantation to another. Rumours spread. Some said the buyer lined the slaves up one by one like cows and pigs. They’d sell a mother to one man and her children to another.
The two key character perspectives are of slaves and masters.
“In the deep South,” folks said, “even the little children tote hoes bigger than themselves, to chop the cotton. Then they get whipped ’cause they don’t finish the work the overseer set out for them.” Massa Hensen didn’t whip much on his plantation. “Too soft-hearted,” some of the slave owners said.
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. What is a character perspective? 2. Who or what is a narrator? 3. Explain the difference between a first person and a third person narrative. 4. What could be an advantage and what could be a problem with writing in the first person? 5. Have you ever heard of a third person, omniscient narrator? Use a dictionary and see if you can work out what the term means.
Try these There are two main character perspectives: the slaves and the ‘slave owners’. Read the extract carefully and look for details of each perspective in the text. Write a summary of each perspective by answering these questions in the table. The slaves
The slave owners
What is their position in society (their social status)? What do they hope for in the future? Do they have any plans? What are they afraid of?
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Now try these 1. Think of a story that could be told from two points of view. You might want to choose from the story ideas below or think of one of your own. Write a short, first person account of your chosen story from the point of view of one of the characters. • The theft • A trip to the zoo • Goldilocks and the three bears 2. Read through the first person account you have written. This version sees only the events from that character’s point of view. Write the same story but this time from another character’s point of view. Do they see things differently? You will now have the same story told from two different character perspectives.
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Composition Unit 10
Dialogue Dialogue has many uses: to show what characters think or feel; to show relationships between characters; to move the plot forward; and to pass on information or explain things to the reader. Read the extract from ‘Jazeera in the Sun’ by Lisa Bruce, then complete the activities that follow. Jazeera sipped her drink and turned her attention to a severe-looking woman who had just entered the shop. She was followed by three trailing daughters of various ages, all looking bored. The woman, who was obviously their mother, began choosing sets of bangles for each of her daughters, without once consulting them as to which colour they would prefer. The girls for their part stood in a disgruntled line and stared at Jazeera … These characters don’t speak,so the reader cannot get to know them.
Jazeera turned to Ibrahim to avoid meeting the row of silent eyes. He was arguing with their mother. “But you must give me a better price than that.” “Twenty rupees each.” “But I’m buying six sets. I will give you a hundred rupees and no more.” “Done!” Ibrahim held out his hand for the crinkled note. “You would not get bangles of this quality, for that price anywhere else, madame,” he smiled. The woman snorted and ushered her reluctant brood back out into the busy street …
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Jazeera was confused. If the bangles were twenty rupees each, then six sets should have cost 120 rupees. That meant that Ibrahim had sold them too cheaply. He was cheating her uncle! Just then Uncle Salim returned. Before Jazeera had a chance to say anything, Ibrahim thrust the 100 rupee note into his hand. Ibrahim was obviously pleased with himself. “Six sets. I just sold six sets for a hundred rupees!” Ibrahim’s eyes danced with glee. “Very good,” Uncle congratulated him. Jazeera speaks softly because she’s worried about what she has to say. Uncle Salim crouches down to reassure Jazeera. Uncle Salim explains haggling to Jazeera and to the reader at the same time.
Shows Jazeera is struggling to understand Indian culture
Uncle Salim trusts Ibrahim and is proud of him. They have a good relationship.
Jazeera couldn’t stay quiet. “Uncle,” she said softly. “They should have been twenty rupees each.” Uncle Salim looked at her worried face and crouched down beside her. “Let me explain,” he said. “Shopping here is not like shopping in England, where everything has a fixed price on the label. In India, we argue about the price. The shopkeeper will start by saying a price much higher than he expects to get. Then the customer says a price much lower than he or she expects to pay. Slowly, the shopkeeper lowers his price and the customer raises his until they both agree, somewhere in the middle.” Jazeera frowned. “That all sounds very complicated.” “Yes,” laughed Uncle. “But so much more fun than shopping in England. Ibrahim here is a very good salesman. One hundred rupees is much more than I would have sold the bangles for.” Uncle slapped Ibrahim playfully on the back. “I know that my shop is in good hands when I leave it with him …”
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. Have you ever used dialogue in your own stories? Look back at your work and find examples. 2. Look at the examples you found. Why did you choose to use dialogue? 3. Did the dialogue you wrote have the effect you were aiming for? 4. What are the rules for correctly punctuating dialogue in stories? Write a list of rules. 5. What different purposes can dialogue be used for in stories? Make a list.
Try these 1. Look at what the woman buying the bangles says. What does it tell us about her character? 2. The three daughters are described as a ‘row of silent eyes’. Do the girls speak at any point? 3. Dialogue is one way to get to know a character. What effect does the girls’ silence have? 4. What happens because of the conversation between Ibrahim and the woman? 5. Is Uncle Salim pleased that Ibrahim sold the bangles? How do we know? 6. Why does Jazeera speak softly when she talks to Uncle Salim about the bangles? 7. When Uncle Salim explains haggling to Jazeera, to whom is he also explaining it? 8. When Jazeera says haggling ‘sounds very complicated’, what does that tell us about her knowledge of Indian culture? 9. What does Uncle Salim say that tells us Jazeera is from England and is now in India? 10. Uncle Salim trusts Ibrahim and thinks he is a good shopkeeper. Which piece of dialogue tells us this?
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Now try these 1. Think of a conversation that could take place between two people in a shop. Write a summary of the plot and a brief character description of the two people who will hold the conversation.
2. Now write the dialogue using the playscript format (name, colon, dialogue) between these two characters. Remember to use your checklist to remind yourself why you are using dialogue!
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Composition Unit 11
Writing a persuasive letter When writing a persuasive letter there are some things you should always consider. Whom do you want to persuade and, therefore, whom should you write to? What do you want to persuade the person you write to about? What facts or evidence do you have to support your argument? How should the argument be structured? Read the letter, then complete the activities that follow.
Dear Mrs Hoyle, The first paragraph states what you’re writing about. She makes the decision on this issue so she’s the best person to write to. Use paragraphs to structure your argument (one point per paragraph).
We are writing to you as our Member of Parliament to express our concern about road safety near our Primary School. We understand that our Crossing Patrol person has lost her job and that there will no longer be any assistance for our pupils in crossing the busy road at the beginning and end of the school day. The reason we were given by the local council is that not enough children use the crossing, so it is no longer necessary. We think, however, this is wrong for two reasons:
Connecting words
Two reasons for keeping the crossing open
First, we have done a survey to show how many children use the crossing in a week. The results show that, out of 60 children that attend the school, at least 20 use the crossing both morning and afternoon. On some days, the number rises to nearer 30. Second, even if many fewer children used the crossing, if it keeps them safe, it is necessary.
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On the basis of this evidence, we would ask you to reconsider your decision. This letter has the full support of all teachers and parents. Yours sincerely, P. B. Jones Clerk to the Governing Body
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. Have you ever written a letter or an email persuading someone of something? Discuss who you wrote to and why you wrote to them. What were you trying to persuade them of? Was the letter or email successful? If you have never written a letter or email like this, think back to a time when you had to persuade someone to do something by talking to them. 2. What are the rules for writing a formal letter? Write a list. 3. How many reasons can you think of for writing a persuasive letter or email to someone? Write a list.
Try these Answer these questions about the letter. 1. Who is this letter trying to persuade? 2. Why is the addressee the best person to write to about this issue? 3. What are they trying to persuade the reader about? 4. What evidence does the writer give to support their argument? 5. Write a sentence summarising each paragraph of the letter. 6. The language is persuasive. But is it formal and polite or informal and personal? 7. What words and phrases are used to guide the reader through the argument? Make a list. 8. What things should you always consider when writing a persuasive letter?
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Now try these 1. What issue do you feel strongly about at school or in your neighbourhood? What changes would you like to see? Whom could you write to about this? When you have thought about these questions, plan a persuasive letter about your chosen issue. Use the structure and the prompts provided in the table. Address and date
Where will this go?
Formal greeting
Do you know their name?
First paragraph
Introduce your complaint and the change you would like to see.
Second and third paragraph
Make your points, providing the facts or evidence you need to support your argument.
Connecting words and phrases
Check that you have made links between the paragraphs.
Signing off
If you know the person’s name, use ‘Yours sincerely’; if you don’t, use ‘Yours faithfully’.
2. Now write your persuasive letter, using your notes in the planning table to remind you of what to include. This time you should write in full sentences and use formal language. Be persuasive but remember to remain polite.
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Composition Unit 12
Behind the news A fact is a piece of information that cannot be argued against. An opinion is a personal view or belief that cannot be proved. Normally, newspaper articles concentrate on reporting facts. In an editorial, the writer can express their opinions. Read the two newspaper reports, then complete the activities that follow.
LATEST NEWS Front page story Hordington Star Protest in town centre Ed Corn reports
These are facts
This is an opinion
Thursday evening saw a huge crowd gather outside the Town Hall to protest against the proposed building of a wind farm in the area. Hordington is a small market town surrounded by farmland and beautiful countryside. People who live in the town and surrounding area are worried that the wind farm will be unsightly and noisy. One protester said, “We get a lot of summer visitors who like to walk on the hills and visit the castle. I’m sure they won’t want to come if that monstrosity is built! I run a small café, so if people stay away, it will affect my livelihood.” The protestors chose to demonstrate on Thursday
evening as the Town Council was meeting to discuss the wind farm. People gathered in the main car park and marched to the Town Hall carrying banners and chanting, “No wind farm!” Police were on the scene, but the demonstration was peaceful and orderly. At about 9:30, a spokesperson from the Council came out and said that no decision had been reached. The Council would discuss the proposal at next month’s meeting. Huge cheers greeted the news. The organiser of the protest, Mr Alan Green, addressed the crowd. “This is good news,” he said, “but we haven’t won yet. We will go on demonstrating and letting the Council know exactly how we feel until plans for this wind farm have been scrapped!”
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LATEST NEWS
Not in my back yard!
These are opinions
This is a fact
Editorial Most people seem to agree that climate change is a problem. Most people seem to agree that burning fossil fuels – coal, gas, etc. – is the main cause of that problem. Most people seem to agree that we need to find sustainable forms of energy. But if that sustainable energy means building a wind farm on nearby countryside, that is where the agreement stops! The demonstration on Thursday evening was about just this problem. People who live in Hordington and surrounding areas do not want their countryside spoilt by a wind farm. The Council know this but, instead of taking notice of what people are saying, they keep putting off the decision hoping the protestors will go away!
Our sources inside the Town Hall tell us that several councillors are in favour of the wind farm because they stand to make a huge profit by selling some of their land to the company who wants to build it. This is not good enough! Councillors are elected to represent the people – not line their own pockets. Having said that, however, we have to be realistic. We cannot go on burning fossil fuels, and we cannot expect that other people in other places will solve the problem, and that our little corner of the country will remain unaffected. We may not want the wind farm, but if it safeguards our children’s future shouldn’t we at least consider it?
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. Explain what a fact is in your own words. 2. Think of some examples of facts. 3. Explain what an opinion is in your own words. 4. Think of some examples of opinions. 5. What is an editorial article? Have you ever read one?
Try these Copy and complete the table, finding examples of facts and opinions from the extracts. Facts
Opinions
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Now try these 1. Think of something you feel strongly about in your neighbourhood. For example, you may feel strongly about one of these issues: • a lack of places in your area for young people to have fun • the state of the parks near you • safety on the roads outside your school. Imagine that you and your friends have taken your complaint to the local council and have staged a demonstration outside the council offices. It has been reported in the local paper. Write the report about this demonstration as it would have appeared in the local newspaper. Remember, this needs to concentrate on the facts of what happened and may contain the opinions of the protestors. 2. Now write an editorial about this event, explaining your own opinions about the issue and the demonstration. (An editorial is a piece written by the editor in which the writer can express their opinions on the facts.)
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Composition Unit 13
Writing for an audience When writing, you have to think about who will be reading your text. Here are two versions of the same fable. This version has been written for older children. Read ‘The farmer, his son and the donkey’, adapted from Aesop, then complete the activities that follow. The farmer, his son and the donkey Large variety of verbs Paragraphs Verbs that have replaced ‘said’ Complex sentences Dialogue
One day a farmer and his son were going to market with their donkey. The donkey plodded on in front while the farmer and his son walked behind. Suddenly, a woman called out to them, “Why are you both walking? Your son could ride on the donkey.” The farmer told his son to get on the donkey and they went on their way. Further along, some old men shouted to them, “Why is that young, fit boy riding while his father walks? It’s disgusting. Young people have no consideration nowadays.” Quickly, the farmer told his son to get down and he climbed on the donkey. They hadn’t been going for very long, when two old women shouted at them. “Look at that farmer on the donkey while his poor son trails behind!” Sighing, the farmer told his son to get up behind him and they went on their way. A little further along the road, the farmer and his son encountered a gang of boys. They insulted the farmer and his son, saying they were monsters to make the donkey carry such a heavy burden. “You should carry the donkey!” they jeered.
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The farmer made the donkey lie down and then he tied the animal’s feet together. He got a long pole, put it between the donkey’s legs and he and his son carried the donkey upside down. As they came to a bridge, the farmer stumbled and fell. The donkey slipped into the river and was drowned. Adverb of manner
The farmer said bitterly, “From now on I will make my own mind up about what is the right thing to do. You can’t please all of the people all of the time.”
This is the same story written as a picture book for young children. The versions are much the same but told in different mediums. When children learn to read, the pictures help them understand. No paragraphs
Indirect speech
A farmer and his son were going to market.
A woman said the farmer’s son should ride on the donkey.
Two women said they should both ride on the donkey.
Some old men said the farmer should ride on the donkey.
Some boys said the farmer and his son should carry the donkey.
The farmer and his son carried the donkey. As they approached the river, the farmer slipped on a bridge and the donkey fell in. The farmer was cross. He said he would never again listen to what people told him to do.
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Get started Discuss the questions with a partner. Think of a book you enjoyed when you were younger. 1. Discuss what you can remember about it. 2. What was it called? 3. What was it about? 4. What did you like about it? 5. Did it have illustrations or pictures?
Try these Answer these questions about the two versions of the story. 1. What features do both stories have in common? 2. Which version uses paragraphs? 3. Which version uses many different words for the word ‘said’? 4. Which version uses mostly pictures to explain what is happening in the story? 5. Which version includes dialogue? 6. Why might pictures be helpful to younger children? 7. What advantages do pictures have over words? 8. What advantages do words have over pictures?
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Now try these 1. Think of a traditional tale that you could retell. Write it for an older reader using language and other features similar to those used in the first extract. (Look back at the annotations if you are unsure.) 2. Reread the version of the traditional tale you wrote for 1. Think about how you might adapt it for younger children. a) What might you need to add? b) What might you need to remove or change? c) Write the version for younger children. d) Draw pictures to help young readers understand the story.
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Composition Unit 14
Describing settings Read these descriptions, then complete the activities that follow.
The scent of decay reminds the reader of death. Metaphor Personification of the trees makes them seem dangerous. Simile Pots and pans everywhere make the kitchen seem cluttered. Food and family make the kitchen seem homely.
Hyperbole
Tom walked on through the forest. The night air was cold; it was frosty even, with the slightest of breezes. The ground was a damp carpet of fermenting leaves which, disturbed underfoot, gave out the unmistakeable scent of decay. The sudden and treacherous screech of an owl nearby set Tom’s heart pounding. Tom picked his way along, afraid to look up at the yawning black of the night sky. The branches of the trees, impossible to see in the blinding blackness of the night, clutched at his face like fingers, slowing his progress. The trees, swaying in the breeze, leaned towards one another to whisper maliciously like conspirators. Tom was hopelessly lost. Charlotte looked around the tiny, steamy kitchen. It was as crowded and chaotic as a funfair, and as inviting too. Everywhere, people were bustling and talking. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling, others bubbled and rattled on the hobs, and yet more were piled toweringly high in the sink. The table groaned under a mountain of food and the smells wafted deliciously through the room. Dad looked up, catching Charlotte’s eye, and gave her a smile that felt warmer than sunshine. Billy, bobbing and weaving through the room, tripped over a stool.
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Alliterative phrase The fumbling sound emphasises the hush in the cinema. The bluish flickering light is a calm, peaceful colour.
The lights faded. Everyone became still. Damaris loved this part of coming to the cinema, the part where everything becomes quiet. The odd rustle of wrapping paper and people fumbling quietly in their bags could still be heard. The light was bluish as it flickered from the screen. She rested her head contentedly on her dad’s arm and breathed in the familiar aroma of warm popcorn. She felt happy and safe.
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. Look around your classroom. Write lists of what you can hear, what you can see, what you can smell and what you can feel. 2. Take three coloured crayons and underline the adjectives, verbs and nouns in your list in different colours. 3. Now think about the vocabulary that you have chosen to describe the classroom. Are they the best words you could have chosen? Could you use vocabulary that is more descriptive?
Try these Copy the table and complete the tasks about the extracts. Then answer the questions about the extracts. 1. List the sights, sounds and smells in each setting. Sights
Sounds
Smells
The forest The kitchen The cinema 2. Find an example of alliteration. 3. Find an example of a simile. 4. Find an example of personification. 5. Find an example of exaggeration for effect (hyperbole).
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Now try these 1. Imagine a particular setting. Close your eyes and move around your setting as if you were there. Plan a paragraph to describe your setting. Make a list of what you see, hear and smell in your setting. Think of an alliterative phrase, a simile and a metaphor to describe your setting or the things in your setting. Think of something in your setting you could give human characteristics to (personify) and something you could exaggerate for effect. Copy and complete the planning table to help you. You can use one of these suggestions for your setting or choose one of your own. • A busy market place • Backstage at a theatre • Trapped down a well • In a plane over some mountains Sights:
Sounds:
Smells:
Alliterative phrases: Simile: Metaphor: Personification: Exaggeration for effect: 2. Using your ideas, write your own descriptive piece. Write in complete sentences. Try to use varied and expressive vocabulary: lots of descriptive adjectives, interesting verbs and adverbs to describe how things are being done. Perhaps you could even use onomatopoeia.
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Composition Unit 15
Conveying atmosphere The atmosphere is the mood of a place or situation. When writing a scene in a story, creating a sense of atmosphere can be very important, and there are many techniques you can use to do this. Read these descriptions, then complete the activities that follow. Description 1 The rain on the window sounds impatient and anxious. The ellipses and repeated phrases emphasise the waiting. The characters in this scene are very underdeveloped; the narrator’s attention is elsewhere. This makes the party seem fun and appealing. A sign that things are carefree and unguarded Familiar faces give a sense of safety and security.
The rain tapped insistently against the window, like impatient fingers. Everybody was silent, mutually consenting to muteness. No one dared speak their thoughts, and no one dared stop thinking, “What if ...?” The odd cough hacked through the hush. Each time the doors swung open, heads turned expectantly, breaths were held and then released like hissing valves, in a mixture of disappointment and relief. Not this time ... The tension in the room was tangible, touchable even, like a vibration. Footsteps clicked along the corridor, followed by the rhythmic swish and thud of the doors, accompanied by the smell of bleach and sickness. Heads went up again. No, not this time. Heads went back down. What if ... Description 2 The hall was full of excitement. The sun shone brightly through the windows as if it wanted to join in the fun. The patio doors were flung open, letting in the drifting scent of roses. People were strewn across the lawn in lazy groups, chatting and laughing. Children were playing and calling to each other. The bride walked through the crowd, her dress blowing gently in the wind and her arms bronzed from the sun. Familiar faces greeted and congratulated her, while music danced across the room. The sound of deep voices mingled with the rhythms. She could see her husband, father and brother, laughing and joking.
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Get started Discuss the questions and complete the tasks with a partner. 1. Imagine your school playground. Close your eyes and describe what you can see. 2. Now imagine the school playground at night. Try to describe it so as to make it scary and tense. 3. Discuss the two descriptions. What did you change to make the setting scary and tense? 4. Discuss your happiest memories. Where were you? Talk about what you remember about your surroundings. 5. Have you ever read or seen a scary, spooky or creepy story or film? If you have, discuss the setting. Was the setting creepy? If so, what was it that made it creepy?
Try these Copy and complete the table, listing features of each description. The waiting room
The wedding
Sights Sounds Smells Adjectives Verbs Adverbs Emotions
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Now try these 1. Choose a setting to describe. Copy and complete the table to describe your setting by day and by night. Your setting doesn’t have to be nice in the day and spooky at night. It could be hectic by day and calm by night, sweltering in the day and freezing at night, dull by day and exciting by night. It’s all up to you and your imagination. Just try to get a good contrast between the two atmospheres. You can use one of the suggestions below or chose a setting of your own. • A jungle • A football stadium • A desert • A funfair My setting by day
My setting by night
Sights Sounds Smells Adjectives Verbs Adverbs Emotions 2. Using your ideas, write two paragraphs about your chosen setting: one about your setting by day and one about your setting at night. Write in complete sentences. Try to use varied and expressive vocabulary: lots of descriptive adjectives, interesting verbs and adverbs to describe things. Aim for a good contrast between the two settings.
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