Identify the Technique
Name the technique: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
personification
Why do authors use imagery?
To create mental pictures
What is tone?
The author’s attitude
First step when answering technique questions?
Identify the technique
What is textual evidence?
Supports answers
Identify the technique used to create strong visual detail.
imagery
Why would an author use strong negative diction?
To create negative or positive tone
Identify the tone.
"The sun beamed brightly as children laughed and played in the park."
joyful
Why eliminate wrong answers?
To improve accuracy
The leaves rustled softly, and the air carried a quiet sense of calm.
rustled softly,” “quiet sense of calm”
Identify the technique AND explain how you know.
Passage: The classroom buzzed like a hive, voices overlapping in a steady hum of energy. Papers shuffled rapidly as students rushed to finish their work.
Answers may vary
Explain how tone supports purpose.
Passage:
Dark clouds swallowed the horizon, and the wind howled through the empty streets. Doors slammed shut as people hurried inside.
create suspense or tension
The room was dim, and every sound seemed too loud in the suffocating silence.
Question: How does diction (word choice) influence tone (author's feelings/attitude)?
“dim” and “suffocating” dark, feels like the silence is squeezing
The blazing sun beat down relentlessly, draining every ounce of energy from the travelers.
imagery, (exhaustion)
The leaves rustled softly, and the air carried a quiet sense of calm.
“rustled softly,” “quiet sense of calm”
Multiple techniques appear—name TWO.
The ancient clock groaned and protested with every tick, as though it resented the passing of time.
personification and imagery
How does the technique support the author’s purpose
Passage: Golden light poured through the windows, and laughter echoed warmly through the home. Every detail seemed to glow with comfort and peace.
imagery supports a peaceful, joyful mood to show comfort
Passage A: “She skipped into the room, smiling brightly.”
Passage B: “She entered the room slowly, her expression unreadable.”
A = cheerful, B = serious/uncertain
Explain how to avoid trap answers.
The wind whispered secrets through the trees.
A. Shows dialogue
B. Creates imagery through personification
C. Explains a fact
D. Shows conflict
eliminate choices that don’t match the technique
Thunder cracked violently overhead, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
“cracked violently” are strong evidence
Identify the subtle technique influencing tone.
"A sharp silence filled the room, cutting deeper than any shout ever could."
figurative language (hyperbole/metaphor)
Must explain emotional impact
Justify the author’s purpose using evidence.
Passage: The speech was filled with words like “failure,” “danger,” and “collapse,” repeated again and again to emphasize the urgency of the situation.
to persuade or warn the audience
The cold, lifeless wind crept through the broken windows, carrying a hollow echo of what once was.
cold, lifeless,” “hollow echo
Shadows stretched endlessly across the ground, swallowing the last traces of light.
A. Creates a joyful tone
B. Uses imagery to build suspense
C. Shows dialogue
D. Explains a solution
B
The dim hallway stretched endlessly, each step echoing louder than the last.
Example Answer: “The author uses imagery, such as ‘dim hallway’ and ‘echoing louder,’ to create a suspenseful tone, which builds tension and makes the reader feel uneasy.”