Writer’s Effect

Practice 1
A. It was a cold December morning. There was some snow on
the ground and the trees were moving in the wind.
B. It was a chilly December morning. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground
and the trees were dancing in the breeze.

Author B uses the word “__________” to describe the December morning which suggests
that the temperature is ______________________. This is supported by the use of the
phrase “______________________ of snow” which helps the reader to imagine that the
snow is _______________________________. By using ________________________ to
describe the trees as “dancing” the author reminds us of
____________________________________ which creates a feeling of
______________________________.

Practice 2
A. The child’s big smile and cute laugh made the mother feel happy.
B. The toddler’s sunshine smile and adorable giggle warmed his mum’s heart.

Author B has chosen to use the word “toddler” which implies that the infant is____________
Furthermore, the “sunshine” metaphor makes me feel ______________________________
Because ________________________________. The use of the word “giggle” helps us to
imagine __________________________________________________. By using the
phrase “his mum” the writer conveys a clear understanding the relationship between the
mother and child because ____________________________________________________.

Practice 3

A. The old woman revealed the gift from under the cloth: It was a beautiful ancient
vase
B. The mature woman unveiled the gift from under the white cloth: It was an exquisite
antique vase.

Author B uses the word “_____________” to describe the woman, which has connotations
of _________________________, suggesting that the woman is
________________________

Likewise, the connotation of the color “______________” make me think of

______________

____________________. The author’s choice of the verb “unveil” is interesting because it

suggests that the gift was _____________________________. By describing the vase as
 “________________” and “ _________________” the author
creates an impression that the vase is
_________________________________________.

Practice 4

A. As I touched the snake I was surprised: it was very cold

B. As I stroked the snake’s slippery skin I was surprised: it was as cold as a slice of
ice.

Author B uses the technique of “ ________________________” when repeating the

“______”
Sound, and this really help me to imagine _________________________________
because
_______________________________________________. The simile “________________
_________ ___________, and makes me feel _____________

Practice 5

A. You can hear blood dripping onto the snow

B. You can hear the dull drip drop of the shocking red blood that falls onto the bright
white snow

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Practice 6

A. He picked up the photo album as he rushed towards the motorcycle.

B. He unthinkingly grabbed the dusty photo album as he rushed towards the roaring
motorcycle.
 -

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Writer’s Effect

Identify HOW and WHY these techniques have been used in the Writer’s Effect question
and use these techniques in your own narrative writing.

Adjectives
These are words that describe nouns e.g., ‘harsh’, ‘excruciating’, ‘noble’. Writers use them to
create a specific picture in the readers mind.

Why has the writer used these adjectives? What picture does it create?

Adverbs
These are words that describe verbs e.g., ‘carefully’, ‘quietly’, ‘quickly’. These can be used to
add more detail to an action so that the readers can picture what is going on and how.

Why has the writer added detail to this action? What picture does it create?

Alliteration
Repetition of a sound at the beginning of words, e.g., ‘Cruel Catherine …’ It is used to
stressed certain words or phrases or to make a point to the reader.

Why has the writer stressed these words? What point are they trying to make?
 Color
Using color words like ‘red’, ‘blue’ or ‘yellow’. Colors create images
in the readers mind and can affect atmosphere through connections
the reader makes with that color e.g., red associates with ‘danger’,
‘anger’ or ‘love’.

What image has been created with the use of color? How has it
affected the atmosphere?

Contrast
Strong differences between two things. A writer might write a paragraph about a beautiful
place and follow it with the paragraph describing with a run-down place to show the
differences between the ways in which two groups of people live.

Why has the writer chosen to show these two things? What difference is being highlighted
and why?

Exclamations
Show ‘anger’, ‘shock’, ‘horror’, ‘surprise and ‘joy’ e.g., ‘I won’. They are use to portray
emotion and show how the character reacts or is feeling

Why has the writer chosen to put the exclamation there? What emotion or reaction are they
portraying? Why?

Humor
Making a character or situation appear in funny way can be used to mock the character or
the place, or it could show that a character is humorous.

Why has the writer made this situation or character humorous? How does it affect the
mood?

Imagery
(including similes, metaphors, colors, and use of the 5 senses – sight, sound, touch, taste
and smell)

The words allow the reader to create an image in their and involve the reader in the moment
being described.
 What image has been created? What is the effect of involving the
reader in the moment?

Juxtaposition
The positioning of two words, phrases or ideas next to, or near,
each other. This highlights a contrast between two words, phrases or ideas e.g., ‘The two
friends were known as clever Carol and stupid Steven’.

Why has the writer chosen to position these two things together? What contrast is being
highlighted and why?

Metaphor
The image created by referring to something as something else e.g., ‘storm of controversy’.
This shows meaning by directly comparing something to something else.

Why is the word being compared to something else? What element of the thing that it is
being compared to is being highlighted in the word?

Negative diction
Words are negative e.g., ‘cruel’, ‘evil’, ‘dark’. This gives a negative tone and can portray
negative feelings towards a character or situation.

Why has the writer created negative tone? What effects do these negative feelings have on
the representation of the character or the atmosphere?

Onomatopoeia
Words that sound like what the describe e.g., ‘The clash of the symbols startled John’. The
reader can almost hear the sound for themselves.

Why does the writer want the reader to hear the sound? What is the effect on the
atmosphere?

Personification
 Making an object / animal sound like a person, giving it a human
characteristic e.g., ‘the fingers of the tree grabbed at my hair as I
passed.

Why has the object / animal been giving human characteristic? How
does it affect the mood?

Positive diction
Words that are positive e.g., ‘happy’, ‘joyous’. They give a positive tone or portray positive
feelings towards a character or situation.

Why has the writer created a positive tone? What effect do these positive feelings have on
the representation of the character or the atmosphere?

Sentence Length
Short sentences are just a few words long without details. ‘I wondered if he knew what he
was doing to me. It hearts a lot.’ Short sentences affect the speed of the piece which is read
and grabbed attention.

Why has the writer used a short sentence? How does it affect the mood and tension?

Simile
A comparison between two things that incudes the word ‘as’ or ‘like’. ‘His voice cut through
him like a knife.’ This is a direct comparison where the writer tries to expand the horizon of
the ideas that are accumulated in the readers mind. The writer paints a picture and widens
imaginative power of the audience.