Friday 26th June

LC: to select show the appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can enhance meaning

thee   thy   hasten    whither    hither    shalt    hath    methought   art

For example, your teacher's model is about  Macbeth and Banquo meeting the witches so she might add ....

'Methought I saw something on the heath, Banquo,' the brave Thane of Glamis whispered to his loyal friend. 'Canst thou see it too?'

'Aye, my Lord' replied Banquo. 'Methinks they are not human!' Cautiously, their eyes adjusting to the dark shadows of the night, the brave pair inched towards the withered and wild creatures before them.'

'Seems they women, yet their beards surely shalt make them not,' breathed Banquo. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Complete the RIC.

LC: to know how the author's choice of language affects the reader and builds tension

 

Today we are going to be identifying devices writers use to create tension.

Remember - Tension is something that writers use to create a problem in their stories. 

Tension means feeling worry, fear, nerves or pressure.

You can also create tension between characters if they argue.

As you read the text again, think about

how the writer has shown the reader

that Alice was scared. 

 

What did her body do?

Nothing moved. Cogston House was as silent as the grave. Perhaps the only thing worse than hearing her best friend desperately calling her name was being alone in this endless quiet. Alice’s eyes searched through the darkness, scouring the corridor which faded into more murky gloom. She could make out the hallway right in front of her, the door opposite, and beyond it, the enormous winding staircase. As she 

looked, blinking through the tears which had begun to stream hopelessly down her face, she was met with a sight at the top of the staircase which all but turned her to stone... Something was moving.

Alice watched. Her heart was in her mouth and her breath came in sharp, rattling gasps.

Descending the stairs one careful, agonising, creaking step at a time, a hunched silhouette shuffled out from the darkness...

 

To build tension, descriptions should appeal to the reader’s senses. 

Highlight the

- sights

- sounds

- feelings 

Instead of writing ‘walked’, exciting synonyms are used to show the reader exactly how the man was moving.

1. Find and copy the words the writer uses to show the man moving.

2. Why is it scary?

The describing words in this extract are interesting and imaginative.

3. Find and copy two adjectives

4.  Why do you think it is important to describe events in detail?

 

The author also uses imagery.

Imagery means any description which works to conjure up an image in the reader’s mind.

5. Find examples of imagery (similes and metaphors)

 

Onomatopoeia also helps to immerse the reader in the story.

Try saying these words and make them sound like the noise they describe –

rattling

creaking

shuffled.

 

Now let's complete our suspense and tension toolkit.