English Lit (General Techniques)

Question 1

Active/Passive voice

Answer 1

Passive: making subject of sentence into object, usually using verb to be
Example: ACTIVE: the car hit the man PASSIVE: the man was hit by a car

Question 2

Allusion

Answer 2

A brief reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.
Example: there is no need to act like Romeo for her

Question 3

Ambiguity

Answer 3

Having more than one possible meaning or interpretation
Example: Thou STILL unravishkd bride of quietness’

Question 4

Anachronism

Answer 4

A person, thing or idea that is in the wrong historical period.
Example: A robot in the 1800’s

Question 5

Antagonist

Answer 5

The person who actively opposes the protagonist
Exampke: thanos

Question 6

Bathos

Answer 6

A deliberate drop in tone, usually from the serious to the comic
Example: he spent his final hour of life doing what he loved the most: arguing with his wife

Question 7

Cliché

Answer 7

A phrase made dull through overuse, betraying lack of originality
Example: brave as a lion

Question 8

Colloquial

Answer 8

Words used in ordinary or familiar conversation, not formal.

Question 9

Comparative/superlative:

Answer 9

Comparative: something is (…)er
Superlative: something is (…)est

Question 10

Conflict

Answer 10

The challenge the protagonist need to solve to achieve their goals
Example: katniss must cross the jungle to reach the gold

Question 11

Connotations

Answer 11

The associated ideas or feelings which a word evokes in addition to its literal meaning. Can be positive or negative.
Example: childish

Question 12

Defamiliarisation

Answer 12

The technique of presenting common things in an unfamiliar or strange way in order to enhance perception of the familiar.

Question 13

Denouement

Answer 13

Final part of story where strands of plot are drawn together and matters are explained and resolved.

Question 14

Dialogue

Answer 14

When people speak

Question 15

Direct address

Answer 15

When a speaker or writer communicates a message directly to another individual or group of individuals.
Example: my darling wife, another night has passed and I am still in the trenches

Question 16

Discourse marker

Answer 16

A word or phrase that plays a role in managing the flow and structure of writing.
Example: adverbials (moreover,additionally…), speech fillers (you know, basically, like)

Question 17

Echo

Answer 17

A word, phrase or image that recurs in a text
Example:

Question 18

Emotive language

Answer 18

Words chosen to have a substantial emotional impact on the reader/audience.
Example: the victims were executed in ‘cold blood’