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Year 8 - English

Reviewing and refining descriptive writing: alliteration, plosives and sibilance

Myths, legends and stories that inspire

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and explore a range of text types in connection to classical myths and legends. They first look at poetry before doing some descriptive writing inspired by poetry and paintings. They then explore Chaucer and modern retellings of myths to inspire their narrative writing.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to improve a piece of descriptive writing inspired by the painting 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' by making effective use of alliteration, plosives and sibilance.

Key Notes

  • Alliteration is when two or more words start with the same consonant.
  • A writer makes use of plosives when they use the letters 'p', 't', 'k', 'b', 'd' or 'g' for effect.
  • Sibilance is the repeated use of the letter 's' for effect.
  • Alliteration, plosives and sibilance can be a sophisticated way to create a sense of sound.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • alliteration: when two or more words start with the same consonant
  • plosives: use of letters 'p', 't', 'k', 'b', 'd' and 'g' to make a harsh sound; unlike alliteration, these letters don't have to be found at the start of a word.
  • onomatopoeia: words which sound like the noise they describe e.g. crash
  • sibilance: repetition of the letter 's' in successive words

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Using onomatopoeia is the only way to create a sense of sound in a piece of writing.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Alliteration is when two or more words start with the same consonant. A writer makes use of plosives when they use the letters 'p', 't', 'k', 'b', 'd' or 'g' for effect.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'alliteration'

when two or more words start with the same consonant.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Using onomatopoeia is the only way to create a sense of sound in a piece of writing. Correction: Onomatopoeia can be a helpful tool to rely on in some pieces of writing. However, alliteration, plosives and sibilance are often more sophisticated and more subtle. They also allow for a greater range of sounds to be generated.

More Lessons In This Unit

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