Year 10 - English
Using figurative language in non-fiction writing
Non-fiction: crime and punishment
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils develop their non-fiction reading and writing skills by reading and responding to a selection of nineteenth century and modern non-fiction texts on the theme of crime and punishment. They practise summarising and comparing texts before writing an article and information text.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to show understanding of figurative language by exploring its effects and using it in your own writing.
Key Notes
- Figurative language sees writers use non-literal words and phrases to develop complex ideas about something, or someone.
- De Quincey uses figurative language in his autobiography to develop complex ideas about opium and the chemist.
- When writing figuratively, you should consider the ideas you are trying to convey and use words which develop this idea.
Vocabulary To Learn
- literal: factual, exact
- figurative language: non-literal words and phrases which develop a writer's meaning
- celestial: belonging or relating to heaven
- manna: in the Bible, this was food that God provided to the Israelites to sustain them during 40 years in the wilderness
- ambrosia: food of the Greek and Roman gods
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- You can only use figurative language in fictional writing.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Figurative language sees writers use non-literal words and phrases to develop complex ideas about something, or someone. De Quincey uses figurative language in his autobiography to develop complex ideas about opium and the chemist.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'literal'
factual, exact.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: You can only use figurative language in fictional writing. Correction: Non-fiction writers, just like fiction writers, are trying to create interesting, original and compelling ideas that their readers will remember, enjoy and learn from.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Comparing texts about drug misuse: 'Confessions' (1821) and 'A letter to' (2014) Study Guide
- Developing a summary of a non-fiction text by including inferences Study Guide
- Planning an open letter using single paragraph outlines Study Guide
- Planning and writing website content Study Guide
- Reading an opinion article and creating rhetorical questions Study Guide
- Reading and comparing two texts about prisons: London (1862) and Norway (2013) Study Guide
- Revising and editing non-fiction writing Study Guide
- Summarising a non-fiction text: 'a letter to my son' (the Guardian, 2014) Study Guide
- Using credible statistics in a piece of non-fiction writing Study Guide
- Using structural features effectively in non-fiction texts Study Guide
- Using the conventions of website content creatively Study Guide
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