NCEA English Level 3 Language Terms

Metaphor

comparing to unlike things without using like or as -

i.e. It is the east and Juliet is the sun.

Simile

a comparison using like or as -

i.e. You know how old women are, they stick to you like a burr.

Personification

An object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes -

i.e. The jeep was waiting on my bewildered lawn.

Alliteration

using of the same consonant sound to start a series of words -

i.e. Rifles' rapid rattle

Onomatopoeia

a word that imitates the sound it represents -

i.e. The hills crack

Emotive Language

words used deliberately to create an emotional impact -

i.e. The cruelty was abhorrent.

Rhetorical Question

a statement that is formulated as a question but that is not supposed to be answered -

i.e. What else is a woman to do on hills as wretched as these?

Imperative/Command

A sentence which contains an order -

i.e. Take note

Direct Address

speaking directly to the audience, using pronouns or commands -

i.e. You have the power.

Irony

The opposite of what is said is implied OR a consequence opposed to what was desired -

i.e. Following my dental appointment, I was rewarded with a lollipop.

Assonance

the repetition of similar vowel sounds in a series of words -

i.e. Groaning lonesome

Consonance

the repetition of consonants (or consonant patterns) especially at the ends of words -

i.e. '..rattle can patter out a hasty...'

Oxymoron

conjoining contradictory terms -

i.e. Cold fire, deafening silence

Colloquialism

a word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation -

i.e. She'll be right, choice bro, swaggy

Cliche

an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off -

i.e. Love at first sight

Connotation

the feelings or emotions surrounding a word

Sensual Imagery

Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) -

i.e. The cud of vile incurable sores on innocent tongues

Symbol

an object that is used to represent something else (usually a larger, philosophical and more important idea) -

i.e. Statue of Christ the Redeemer in R & J symbolising fate

Motif

The repetition or variations of an image or idea in a work used to develop theme or characters -

i.e. Water and Fire in Romeo and Juliet

Minor sentence

A meaningful sentence which does not contain a finite verb. It may also lack a subject. Minor sentences occur in everyday conversation.

i.e. 'Not one.' or 'Tired?'

Euphemism

The substitution of a relatively inoffensive term for one that is considered too harsh, unpleasant, or blunt -

i.e. 'Friendly fire' or 'Passed away'

Hyperbole

Exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor -

i.e. I'd rather stare at a brick wall

Imagery

The use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person, thing, place, or experience -

i.e. The water ran purple and gold in the thickening dusk

Parallel Construction

Wording points in the same way to emphasise their importance and to help the audience remember them -

i.e. We will fight them on the beaches. We will fight them on the rock. We will fight them through our pain.

Repetition

repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis -

i.e. Never give in. Never, never, never, never, never.

Understatement

the opposite of exaggeration. It is a technique for developing irony and/or humour where one writes or says less than intended.

i.e. The deaths were unfortunate.

Listing

the act of making a list of items -

i.e. Short, tall, round, wide, skinny, lean or covered in spots.

Sarcasm

saying the opposite of what you mean in an obvious and unpleasant manner -

i.e. What a great idea (Said with a sneer)

Antithesis

the presentation of two contrasting ideas. The ideas are balanced by phrase, clause, or paragraphs. -

i.e. "To be or not to be . . ." or "It was

the best of times; it was the worst of times . . ."

Tone

The attitude of the writer towards the subject matter of the text

Style

The choices a writer makes; the patterns of language feature, syntax, diction, point of view