Techniques
She was as quiet as a mouse.
Simile
Find one word that shows sorrow: “Her face was etched with anguish.”
anguish
Why use a simile?
(To deepen imagery, make ideas vivid)
Find one word showing sorrow: “Her face was etched with anguish.” →
anguish.
PEE on how the writer presents the sky “The sky smouldered crimson at dusk.
Question: PEE on “The sky smouldered crimson at dusk.”
Point: The writer presents the sky as dangerous and unsettling.
Evidence: The phrase “smouldered crimson”.
Explanation: The verb “smouldered” suggests something burning beneath the surface, hinting at hidden tension, while “crimson” connotes both beauty and blood, creating an atmosphere of unease.
The trees whispered in the wind.
Personification
What’s the effect of “desolate road”?
(Creates isolation, abandonment)
Why use repetition?
(To heighten emphasis or urgency)
Find a phrase suggesting menace: “The shadows encroached on the path.” →
shadows encroached.
Analyse “fragile” in context.
Connotes delicacy and vulnerability; implies something easily damaged, increasing reader concern.
He ran like the wind, unstoppable.
Simile/Hyperbole
How does “vulnerable child” affect the reader?
Protectiveness, empathy
Why describe a setting as “eerily still”?
(To create unease)
Find a word showing resilience: “He stood unyielding against the tempest.”
unyielding.
Analyse “ominous” in “An ominous hush settled over the town.” →
Forebodes danger; the hush feels threatening, priming readers for conflict.
The crunch of leaves echoed in the silence.
Onomatopoeia + Imagery
Effect of “suffocating silence”?
Tension, oppression
Why would a writer use fragmented sentences?
What is a Fragmented Sentence?
A fragmented sentence is a sentence that is incomplete.
It may be missing a subject (who?) or a verb (what are they doing?).
It can also be a short, broken-off phrase instead of a full sentence.
Writers often use fragments on purpose for effect.
✅ Examples:
Silence. (No verb — creates drama.)
Alone in the dark. (No verb — builds atmosphere.)
And then… nothing. (Incomplete thought — heightens suspense.)
(To convey panic or immediacy)
Find a phrase that creates suspense: “Her pulse quickened with every echo.”
pulse quickened (accept “every echo”).
How does “Shadows stretched like talons across the floor” build atmosphere? →
Predatory simile makes the room hostile; heightens fear.
Blood-red sky swallowed the horizon.
Metaphor + Personification
Effect of “The darkness consumed him entirely”?
Danger, helplessness
Why choose powerful verbs like “lurched” or “surged”?
To add dynamism and precision; heighten impact.
Find a phrase showing fragility: “His voice quivered with uncertainty.”
quivered with uncertainty.
Mini-analysis: “Hope flickered like a dying ember.” →
The Simile shows hope is weak and fading, creating poignancy and tension.