English Terms/Techniques Flashcards
Collective noun
A noun that groups objects - a FLOCK of birds
Proper noun
A name place or thing - London/Bill
Common noun
A object or a thing - orange/banana/apple
Pronoun
Describes a person or someone else - he/she/they/them/it
Concrete noun
Something that is experienced through the five senses sight/hearing/smell/taste/touch
Abstract noun
A noun denoting an idea quality or state - danger/happiness/truth
Personal pronoun
Mean the same as pronoun but more specific - he/she/us/we
Adverb
Adds onto a verb - run/walk/jog
Modal verb
Likely hood of something - could/would
Verb
A word used to describe an action state or occurrence - hear/become/happen
Adjective
A description word - old/dark/beautiful
Colloquial
Slang words/informal - don’t/you’re
Monologue
A speech from a character in a play
Imperitive
Of vital importance - immediate action was to be taken
Hyperbole
A purposeful exaggeration
Superlative
The best it can be - supreme
Protagonist
A main character
Alliteration
When the start or end of a list of words sound the same - big bad bang
Symbolism
often objects, colours, sounds and places work as symbols. They can sometimes give us a good insight into the themes. So, snakes are often symbols of temptation as in the story of Adam and Eve, white usually symbolises innocence and a ringing bell can be a symbol for impending doom.
Tone
the writer’s tone or voice or atmosphere or feeling that pervades the text, such as sadness, gloom, celebration, joy, anxiety, dissatisfaction, regret or anger. Different elements of writing can help to create this; long sentences or verses, with assonance (repeated vowel sounds), tend to create a sad, melancholic mood. Short syllabic, alliterative lines can create an upbeat, pacy atmosphere.
Word choice
sometimes called ‘register’, this is the common thread in an author’s choice of language. Authors may use words commonly associated with religion, words describing sensory experience such as touch, smell or colour or ‘mood’ words that reflect a character’s state of mind
Symbolisum
The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities
Motif
A pattern or recurring idea in an artistic work
