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Examples of Some Language Techniques Found in Module One Essay

The document provides guidance on analyzing language techniques and organizational strategies used in essays. It defines different types of imagery (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, kinaesthetic) as well as techniques like similes, metaphors, personification, and rhetorical questions. It advises the reader to identify examples from the passage, explain how the techniques are effective and help achieve the writer's purpose. Critical reasoning tips are provided, such as paying attention to writing style, tone, and use of adjectives to describe tone. Regular practice writing this type of analysis essay is recommended.

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110 views

Examples of Some Language Techniques Found in Module One Essay

The document provides guidance on analyzing language techniques and organizational strategies used in essays. It defines different types of imagery (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, kinaesthetic) as well as techniques like similes, metaphors, personification, and rhetorical questions. It advises the reader to identify examples from the passage, explain how the techniques are effective and help achieve the writer's purpose. Critical reasoning tips are provided, such as paying attention to writing style, tone, and use of adjectives to describe tone. Regular practice writing this type of analysis essay is recommended.

Uploaded by

nut boy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Examples of some language techniques

found in Module One essay

All Similes use ‘like’ or ‘as’ in comparison, and are effective in helping the writer achieve
two purposes; firstly similes give the reader a truly vivid picture of the situation for clarity
and secondly it always evokes some sort of response in the reader.
Many times similes and metaphors are also used as forms of imagery.

Personification gives inanimate or non-living things only human qualities and not just any
qualities. Some students make the mistake by not asking if the quality is a human quality: if
you ask that question and the answer is ‘no’ then it is not a personification. This device is
effective in that, by imbuing the object with human qualities, the writer is emphasising
connection and piquing the reader’s interest in the theme.
The purpose of imagery in literary works is to generate a vibrant and graphic presentation of
a scene that appeals to as many of the reader’s senses as possible.

Visual Imagery
Visual imagery is as simple as it sounds: It describes something you can see. Visual imagery
will describe a setting’s colours, size, shape, physical features and anything else that you
detect with your eyes. Visual imagery creates the vivid mental picture you see as you read.

Auditory Imagery
Auditory imagery, also known as aural imagery, describes something you can hear. It can be
used on a large scale, such as describing the sounds of an earthquake, or it can be more
subtle, such as the sound of an individual’s footsteps on a wooden floor.

Tactile Imagery
Tactile imagery appeals to your sense of touch. It describes parts of the story you can feel.
Good tactile imagery should make you feel something as though it were really there.

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Olfactory Imagery
Olfactory imagery describes something you can smell. Writers can use lots of creative license
with olfactory imagery by assigning smells to unusual things. For example a writer can use
olfactory imagery to describe the smell of a forest after it rains or the strong smell of a fresh
cup of herb tea.

Gustatory Imagery
Gustatory imagery describes something you can taste. Like olfactory imagery, gustatory
imagery has endless possibilities for describing simple things in a creative way. Gustatory
imagery can describe anything from the taste of a slice of pizza to the taste in your mouth
before you have to make a big speech.

Kinaesthetic Imagery
It is a broad term that is used to describe various emotions. It includes sense of touch,
movement, feeling and temperature, internal emotions and physical interactions.

Examples of other language techniques are rhetorical question, alliteration, anecdote,


repetition, contrast, comparison, long complex sentences, complex phrasing, use of
quotation marks to highlight a specific point, and the use of ‘we’ to include the reader.

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Examples of organizational strategies
found in Module One essay

Historical data such as photographs, artefacts, documents from court hearings, newspapers
and documentaries are effective in that they all add in some way to the reliability and
credibility of the extract.

Use of short paragraphs to put forward an argument is effective in that in most cases the
information comes across in a simple manner.

Presentation of a chronological outline of the development of events

Presentation of an overview: this strategy gives the reader a general idea of the theme and is
effective in that it helps to make the main idea and purpose clearer.

Opinion of a reliable source: this is effective in that the readers like to know that well
known persons have a say in the matter. This adds to the credibility and reliability of the
information.

Effectiveness of organizational strategies and language techniques

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When you have identified a technique you need to specify what it is (do not give line number
alone) and then you must write about the effectiveness of the device.
When you write about effectiveness you are writing about:
 what the device is adding to the piece
 how the device is impacting on your senses
 how the device is adding to your understanding of the piece
 and most importantly how the device is helping to achieve the writer’s purpose
Following these two simple steps will help you to write about the effectiveness of each
organizational strategy and language technique:-
1. Remember or look back at the Verb that you used in the purpose.
2. Ask this question, “How is this Personification helping to persuade the reader to visit
St John?” or this question, “How is referencing an expert helping to persuade nature
lovers to visit St John?”
For many students the challenge is not to define the devices but rather to identify appropriate
examples (use quotation marks) from the passage to support and then say how they add or why
you believe that the writer used them and how in rare cases they took away from the piece.
As with every essay one must have proper organisation. There must be an opening, a body for
the content and a conclusion where no new ideas must be introduced. The correct use of
transitional words will enhance your essay. Refrain from making your essay read like a list of
devices. For example do not say the first, the second and so on.
Critical reasoning to the rescue: In an exam and you are stuck, try doing critical reasoning by
looking at the writer’s style. For example, when someone gives a speech, she uses intonation
(voice pitch, volume, speed) and gestures and inflections to get her point across, or to make her
intentions clear. A writer, however, relies on writing style to do the same thing. Pay attention to
the way words are written and sentences structured because they can give some insight into the
writer’s intention.
Tone is the attitude of the author towards the topic that he or she is writing about. Tone is closely
linked to the writer’s purpose. One easy way of understanding tone is to ask “what attitude did I
get from reading the author’s words?”
Always use Adjectives such as persuasive, sarcastic, formal, informative, humorous,
mysterious, critical and straight-forward to describe the writer’s tone.
Finally, the best way to overcome this challenge in Module One essay is to practice writing
this type of essay!

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