Using onomatopoeia and alliteration to craft interesting sound imagery
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can create effective sound imagery in my writing.
Key learning points
- You can use aural imagery to help the reader to imagine the sounds of a scene clearly.
- Onomatopoeia needs precise, interesting vocabulary, in order to make it sound sophisticated rather than clichéd.
- You can describe sounds using adjectives or a simile to help create interesting aural imagery.
- Sounds have names (e.g. plosive, sibilant, nasal) and each one can be used to create different effects.
- 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.
Teacher tip
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.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What sense does sound imagery appeal to?
Q2.What is onomatopoeia?
Q3.What is alliteration?
Q4.Which of the below uses alliteration?
Q5.What is imagery?
Q6.What is sibilance?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the key word to the definition.
describes things we hear to transport the reader to a scene
when you use words that include sounds that are similar to the noises
repeating similar sounds in neighbouring words throughout a sentence
Q2.Which of these words is not onomatopoeic?
Q3.Which of these adds an adjective to onomatopoeia create more effective sound imagery?
Q4.What type of sound is repeated in "Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge"?
Q5.What can sibilance sometimes convey?
Q6.How can we build up a convincing impression of sound for the reader in a text?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Using onomatopoeia and alliteration to craft interesting sound imagery, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Using onomatopoeia and alliteration to craft interesting sound imagery, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Fiction: read around the world unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.