Creative writing: special fxs

We are learning: to use different language features to improve our creative writing.

How does this show my learning: I have completed exercises to practice using different language features.

Exercise 1

Complete these sentences with examples of personification to make them interesting for readers. 

1. The waves roared with anger.
2. Clouds were light and happy, no tears within them.
3. The train screamed to a halt, waiting patiently for its new passengers.
4. Fear grabbed a hold of billy, not letting go until she complied.
5. The bulldozer ploughed through the rubble with anger.
6. Bells sung with joy.

(a) A simile

a comparison of two things usually using "like" or "as".

eg He ate the chocolate like a pig eating scraps.

(b) Metaphor

a comparison of two things where one is said to be the other.

eg He made a pig of himself with the chocolate.

(a) Onomatopoeia 

words which sound like what they mean.

eg He slurped his tea from the saucer.

(b) Alliteration

the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of different words close together.

eg Bonzo builds bouncing babies.

Compare these two paragraphs:

Paragraph 1: The hunter fired, and the three deer bolted into the bush. He cursed, and ran after them.

Paragraph 2: Crack! The sound of the rifle echoed through the valley. At once the three deer bolted for the bush. "Blast," muttered the hunter, and crashed off through the trees after them.

• Both these paragraphs are telling the same story. 
• The difference between the two is that the second one gets greater impact by using simple sound effects eg the use of such sound words (crack, muttered, crashed) is an easy way to add life and zip to your writing.

Revision exercises

Exercise 2

Come up with a sound affect word for each of these

eg a racquet hitting a tennis ball = pock

1 an arrow hitting a target = stabbed.

2 cold water hitting a hot piece of metal = hissed.

3 a startled noise made by a bird. = chirped.

4 the sound made by an unhappy puppy = barked.

5 a piece of paper being screwed up = crumpled

6 a juicy, ripe tomato hitting the floor after being dropped = splat

7 big waves hitting rocks = crash

8 tyres on a wet road = splash.

Exercise 3

Sports reports often use alliteration in their headlines for impact. 

Write five sports headlines for a newspaper. Use alliteration to give impact.

Sport	Headline
Rugby	The raging running rugby man, who rampaged through the recent game, returns.
Hockey
Soccer	The soccer savior of south sienna (not sure if thats even a place) strikes again.
Golf	The god of golf gambles his great title on his last game.