New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

Using onomatopoeia and alliteration to craft interesting sound imagery

I can create effective sound imagery in my writing.

New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

Using onomatopoeia and alliteration to craft interesting sound imagery

I can create effective sound imagery in my writing.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. You can use aural imagery to help the reader to imagine the sounds of a scene clearly.
  2. Onomatopoeia needs precise, interesting vocabulary, in order to make it sound sophisticated rather than clichéd.
  3. You can describe sounds using adjectives or a simile to help create interesting aural imagery.
  4. Sounds have names (e.g. plosive, sibilant, nasal) and each one can be used to create different effects.
  5. Describing the development of sound can make your scene description more convincing.

Keywords

  • Sound imagery - sound imagery describes things we hear to transport the reader to a scene

  • Onomatopoeia - when you use words that include sounds that are similar to the noises the words refer to

  • Alliteration - repeating similar sounds in neighbouring words throughout a sentence

Common misconception

We need to describe sounds in a scene merely to tick off the fact we have used sensory language.

Thinking of scenarios where sound is particularly important can help us to use sound imagery more effectively.

Show students other impressive examples of sound imagery from texts you have enjoyed or studied together in Learning Cycle 1. Discuss the effects and how they are different from Wilfred Owen's use of sound imagery.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What sense does sound imagery appeal to?
taste
smell
Correct answer: hearing
sight
touch
Q2.
What is onomatopoeia?
repeating similar sounds in neighbouring words throughout a sentence
Correct answer: using words that include sounds that are similar to the noises the words
describing things we can see in great detail to transport the reader to a scene
Q3.
What is alliteration?
Correct answer: repeating similar sounds in neighbouring words throughout a sentence
describing things we can see in great detail to transport the reader to a scene
when neighbouring sentences begin with the same phrase
Q4.
Which of the below uses alliteration?
The stars are pure and bright.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Correct answer: The swan swam gracefully.
Q5.
What is imagery?
describing a non-living thing with human characteristics
using the words 'like' or 'as' to describe two things
Correct answer: describing things in great detail to create a vivid image in the reader's mind
Q6.
What is sibilance?
repetition of the 'b' sound
repetition of the 'm' sound
Correct answer: repetition of the 's' sound

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the key word to the definition.
Correct Answer:sound imagery, describes things we hear to transport the reader to a scene

describes things we hear to transport the reader to a scene

Correct Answer:onomatopoeia,when you use words that include sounds that are similar to the noises

when you use words that include sounds that are similar to the noises

Correct Answer:alliteration,repeating similar sounds in neighbouring words throughout a sentence

repeating similar sounds in neighbouring words throughout a sentence

Q2.
Which of these words is not onomatopoeic?
Correct answer: bell
cough
crackle
Q3.
Which of these adds an adjective to onomatopoeia create more effective sound imagery?
Bang! The gunfire in the distance woke them out of their sleep.
Correct answer: The lethal hiss of artillery fire stole into our blissful sleep.
The leaves crackled underneath her feet.
Q4.
What type of sound is repeated in "Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge"?
nasal
Correct answer: plosive
guttural
Q5.
What can sibilance sometimes convey?
Correct answer: a calm tone
a monotonous tone
an abrupt tone
Q6.
How can we build up a convincing impression of sound for the reader in a text?
devote one sentence to describe the sound
describe the sound directly after you describe something you can smell
Correct answer: describe how the sound starts and how it progresses